Blogging For Money: The Bitter Truth You’re Not Told

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If you ask 10 online entrepreneurs this question, “How do I start my blog”?

I’m sure nine of these ten will respond, “Start your blog based on what you’re passionate about” – i.e., blogging passion.

Well, you’re about to read the truth about blogging for money. And why your blogging passion is not an ideal strategy for starting a business blog online.

I know, just like you, not only in blogging but every inventory or successful business idea starts with a simple ideology. Behind that ideology is one strong reason, “The Passion for succeeding.”

Without the strong will to succeed in any adventure, success is far from your view.

I read a blog post not too long ago on John Chow’s blog titled “Blogging without Passion: Can you make money like that?”.

The author, “Micheal Chibuzor,” tells how important clarity on your passion is if you’re to start a blog.

How do some confuse trending topics with what their passion is? They follow trends, misinterpret this vital factor, and do not realize their passion.

He talks about how a few bloggers succeed in internet business models like website flipping, making money online niches, niche blogging, etc.

Something they are not passionate about but went into it for the money. And the good news is they achieve their target goals.

Blogging is Not Business.

Blogging, on its own, is never a business model. Does that sound rude or shocking?

But is the truth about blogging for money?

Blogging itself is not a business model that has the potential to earn you anything significant income. You don’t get paid just by slapping content on your blog for others to read.

Blogs don’t make money but business does

People won’t pay you for just reading your content.

People will only give you their money for services rendered or products purchased. If you’re not providing services on your blog, and have no products to sell, then you don’t have a business.

Why this sermon?

You need to understand that your blog is just the face of your online business.

Your blog is your office where people come to discuss business transactions with you and not the business itself.

The content you put up there regularly is to promote your business and showcase your expertise to potential customers. This is necessary for marketing yourself to people interested in your services.

So if you understand that a blog in itself is not a business. Then you’ll agree that the best approach to start your online marketing is to view it from a business perceptive.

If you have an idea that a service or product will sell well in a market, start a blog about it. This service or product does not necessarily have to be your passion or some calls.

It could just be an opportunity spotted from afar.

For instance, you can start a blog during the WorldCup period that discusses the event. Then market this blog to the relevant audience with the backend income strategy to sell jerseys to fans of supported clubs and nations.

I don’t think this idea has to be one of your passions. It is just an opportunity that presents itself and the thinking of a businessman.

Blogging Based on Passion

Bloggers who follow this path to start their blog may or may not know what blogging is all about when they jump into it.

They listen to what their mentor said; Start your blog based on what you’re passionate about.

Yes, that’s what we’re all told initially.

But after a couple of months of blogging. The passionate blogger knows first-hand that it takes more than writing blog posts to build a successful online marketing career.

It takes more marketing, social media marketing, word of mouth, SEO, etc.

At least one should know the basis of all these to build a popular blog and command authority.

But the passionate blogger refuses to accept this fact. He believes that the key to success with blogs lies in content creation alone.

I saw two downsides to this path of starting a blog:

1. What If There is no Market For What You’re Passionate About?

Except you’re new to internet marketing. You must have to read that not every topic is a killer online.

Smart internet marketers know the importance of surveying the market before launching or creating a blog.

Not all niches or internet business models have a hungry market waiting to hear what you say. Using keyword tools will give you a clear understanding of what I am talking about.

You need to validate your idea or passion for both profitability and public acceptance.

If people in your niche demand your services but are not ready to spend money to acquire them, there is a problem.

You have not discovered a business model to follow.

There must be demand and purchasing power in the niche you’re going into. Otherwise, you’re “another blogger online.”

The internet is already filled with a surplus of bloggers. We don’t want bloggers anymore…we need entrepreneurs who use blogs as a tool to an end.

2. What if The Market Is already Saturated?

Market saturation is another thing to consider when you’re about to start a blog business online.

Your passion may be good and validated for profitability.

But if the market is already saturated with marketers of all kinds. You may find it hard to make your voice heard. Especially if you’re entering the market with minimum resources within your reach.

But if the market is already saturated with marketers of all kinds, you may find it hard to make your voice heard. Especially if you’re entering the market with minimum resources within your reach.

Most bloggers in Nigeria are into entertainment and celebrity, gossip, news, fashion, politics, events, and occasion niches.

No wonder everyone is reporting the same story. Only a very few percent of Nigerian bloggers are making a significant income.

Now, the questions are:

• If this is your passion, will you still go into it?
• Do you have what it takes to beat your competitors?
• Are you ready to share the money with everyone in the industry?

If you’re still keen on blogging in such a saturated market, you must be ready to do more than what your competitors are doing now.

There must be in place well-planned content marketing strategies developed to accelerate the growth of your business blog.

Remember, the blogs that started earlier already gained the crowd won over the audience’s trust, and built a community of loyal readers. You’re stepping into a battle and must be prepared to give it all it takes.

The Truth About Blogging for Money

You either start a blog based on your expertise. Something you’re hoping to be better at or for financial gain.

On the surface, this advice doesn’t align with what you’ve been sold in the past. Hmm?

But I tell you the truth and want you to be honest with yourself for a moment – at least this time only.

No “individual” will continue blogging for long and consistently if the blog doesn’t pay the bills. Everyone I have met or talked with that started a blog is to make money online.

Almost every blogger or online marketer wants to earn a living marketing online.

If this is the case with you, consider starting a blog with the maximum potential to meet your target goals.

An excellent harmful of bloggers who do well start with their blog based on passion. But what if your passion also is to make a living from your blog?

I mean to start making money online so you can live your dream life. I guess you understand the strong reason money holds in everyone’s life.

Many blogs built upon the old-school teaching of “passion” were no longer alive on the net today. The bloggers behind them eventually get tired and lose their passion for running the blog.

They could no longer sustain the blog on passion alone. It is clear to them why they need money, business strategies, and plans to run the blog as a business.

Except if you’re blogging for fun or a hobby, passion alone is enough to sustain your blog.

But if you’re serious about building a business with your blog. If you’re not just creating blogs but building businesses with your blog. Then money must be one of the reasons you’re into it.

This is because money is the means to many ends.

Whether you want to live in peace with your loved ones. Enjoy every moment with your spouse. Go on vacations etc. You need money to buy the good things in life.

Who else wants to start a company around passion and not expect to make profits from it?

When that company gulps a big chunk of your money and doesn’t bring you returns, can passion alone sustain it?

Take the freelance industry for an example. Most people in the field don’t have a passion for writing. But hey! They do it for the money and are doing it well.

Most people who work day jobs don’t enjoy doing it for another day but still do it and make money from it. Money is a vital factor, and if it is one of the driving forces, then there is every tendency you’re going to achieve your goal.

Read Darren Rowse’s ProBlogger Book: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income. In this detailed book, Darren talked about how he started his blogging career out of curiosity.

And how he and his wife were monitoring the situation to see if this new hobby would transform into something reliable.

I learned from reading his story that if he were not earning significant income from his new hobby when he did, he would have found another paid job.

Now, I assume you admit it, but passion alone wouldn’t have seen him become the blogger he is today.

He talked about how he increased his Adsense earnings each month to ensure things went his way.

No matter how passionate you’re about starting a blog, only time will tell if you’re not making the kind of money you want from it.

Darren saw an opportunity in the rise of Twitter. He created Twitip back then to share in the opportunity presented by Twitter.

I don’t think he was passionate about creating a Twitter tip blog. He only saw an opportunity in it and went for it.

The Money Factor

I don’t know about you, but a blog is an office apartment or a company where you work every minute, 24 hours a day, running your business.

A blog is an equivalent of an off-line office where we have staff, CEOs, secretaries, storekeepers, and so on.

If you perceive your blog as an online diary people take it to be, then you’re not equipped with the mindset of a businessman.

Treat your blog as a business, then the strategies that lead to consistent significant income would set in.

Blogging As a Career

I see nothing wrong with starting a blog based on the primary reason to make money and live full-time blogging. If I choose to blog as a career, I must learn how to blog for money.

The problem lies when you’re not ready to learn the ropes of professional blogging. If you must make money from blogging, you should also be ready to learn what it takes to make six-figure incomes.

I am kidding, I am not there yet.

The bloggers who started their blogs on the money factor did not fail because they were blogging for money.

No, they fail because they are unwilling and not ready to learn.

Even if they start blogging based on passion, the moment they are not willing to learn, they already fail.

I assume they are lazy and not willing to work.

No matter how passionate you’re about something. If you’re not ready to put in the required effort to make it work, you will fail.

Now Your Turn To Speak

So lets the stones start rolling…

What is (are) your reason(s) for starting your blog?

Whatever your reason for starting your blog…share it with us in the comments below.