Making Money Thanks To Your Blog
Most people who launch a blog hoping to make some money along the way start with the following path in mind:
- Launch the blog
- Write useful content
- Promote the blog
- Put banners or AdSense ads
- Make money
While this strategy can work (and it does for many people), it is not the only one. Moreover, if you think in those terms, you will be limiting the income potential of your blog significantly. In this post I will briefly share my story, and explain how sometimes it is more efficient to make money thanks to your blog rather than with it.
I started building websites and blogs back in 2005. Initially as a hobby, but after a while I realized that the Internet had an enormous potential, and eventually I quit my job to work full time with online projects. In 2006 I launched Daily Blog Tips, with the goal of sharing the tips and tricks that I was learning along the way with other people. I was not planning to make money directly with that blog, but once the traffic picked up I figured that loading some banner ads here and there couldn’t hurt.
After two years or so I was already making more money with the advertising on the blog than with my prior full time job. It was enough to live on, therefore, but somehow I felt that I should try a different route. The blog had given me some authority on my niche, a loyal audience, and a network of contacts with many influencers. Still I was hardly leveraging those things.
That is when I realized that I wanted to build a business rather than make money exclusively with advertising on my blogs. I polished the idea and worked on the project for around six months, and in January of 2009 I launched OnlineProfits.com, which is an online marketing and business training program. I opted to have a low profile launch initially and keep the program open for only five days. Still in that time frame we got over 200 members, which was above my initial expectations.
I am sure that the success of that launch came thanks to my blog. As I mentioned before, the blog gave me credibility, an instant influx of prospects (i.e., the readers), and relationships with people who made a difference on my project (i.e., the mentors and the joint venture partners).
The takeway message is: do not limit your blog to a source of advertising money. A blog is much more than that. It is your interface with the Internet (and consequently to the world). You can use that to make friends, attract followers, establish your expertise, find partners and so on.
And the interesting thing is that you don’t even need to know what you want to do in the future. If you manage to build a popular and trusted blog in your niche, you will be able to leverage it for any future project, whether we talk about launching a product, publishing a book or landing a dream job.
Related Posts:
- Why you need a blogging business plan
- How My Big Blogging Failure Became an Accidental Success: In Three Different Ways
- How We Finally Started Making Big Money Online
- How I launched a blog that started making money in less than 24hrs
- Surviving in the Southamerican Jungle
This is the only post i guess have the right words.
thank you very much,
Mena
Daniel,
This is so inspiring and as a full time blogger, I will always focus to the thing that I have wanted. The story has a sentimental value for me because I know that blogging is a “my life”.
One for sure, bloggging is equal to “advertising”. That’s what blog is all about (specially when it comes to “niche blog network”).
Anyway, great article!!!
Great insights Daniel, very motivating.
Been reading your blog since early last year. Very informative indeed.
It sounds like you’re on the right track there. We’re all too busy loading up our sites without thinking about what others are thinking. Giving and taking is what its all about.
Having had a similar experience with my blog. Initially I started my blog as a way to promote myself as an artist, but have realized over the years it’s my industry insight related to online promotions that pays the bills.
Rather then using the blog as a destination, use it as a place to proof your skills and abilities as a consultant. Motivated readers will naturally find a fit and bring projects to you. Or atleast that’s what has happened with me and my music production / online promotion techniques blog.
Excellent post Daniel. Everyone should use their blog as a platform to their business. In a way, the blog is actually a social hall to connect with others. In return this increases leads.
Nice article, just one short question:
-> What script/plugin do you use to add tweet, dig, stumble, sphin or reddit to your posts?
I like them…
Valeriu
Sorry, i have one^-(
Great article Daniel, I have learned new ways that I had not thought of using. I hope that by implementing some of the tips in the post, I can improve the traffic to my blog. Again thanks for sharing.
Great post showing more uses for your blog , Having reputable blog surely does give your credibility.
Excellent point Daniel I am in complete agreement with. I think the true value of a blog is the indirect benefits to it (networking, becoming an expert in your field) which leads to better jobs and opportunities, as opposed to the direct benefits (ad money). If I was after money from ads only, I would not be running my blog, ad money just isn’t enough.
Regards,
Omar
When you first start working with blogs it can be difficult to know which direction to go in. You need to pick your subject and focus on it. Trying to do to many different blogs/subjects will only dilute the quality of you main site.
Thanks for the post Daniel, Very good point. I have found this to be very true in my own business as well. People are attracted to years of trust and service. It takes time and effort to build a good reputation in your industry and you usually work for a lot less at first.
If you know the rewards of all this hard work and how well it will pay off for you down the road then it will give you much more confidence and motivation to not give up in the early years which is the fatal mistake that most people make.
Best,
Tom
Hi, ive been learning how to make some money blogging, and websites, for 2 years, and i have never been paid a dime, i suck at this.
ни хуя не понял!
i dont understand this language
It’s in Russian
He said in obscene language – “I understand nothing” 
)
People usually put banner adsense or banner affiliate program.
yes, i have some affiliates and adsense, but nothing, ive failed all my sites, 50 plus sites
Thanks Daniel.
i have just started a blog. i always thought of making money with my blog. haven’t get started yet. but i hope my blog will give me some money in the next few months. i am still focusing on increasing the rank of my blog.
Thanks Daniel
I think your history is honest and true, and give novice bloggers the real perspective of our next future. It is hard to see scammers telling every day “come with me and your blog will increase 1000 visits each day” when your own blog increases each day in only ten visits.
In my experience, my blog is still giving few money in advertisement, but every day I get mails of people interested in myself, in my projects, in colaborations… and untill now I thought it wasn’t enough…
But after reading your posts I think now. The visits and the money will come, and then the beautifull thing will be what I have already: the loyal readers, the new relationships, and the people who trust in you
Thanks again Daniel
Daniel, thanks for this insightful, inspirational post. I was actually quite excited when I got the email notification that there was a new story by you because I actually read your blog on a semi-regular basis. Your story is an inspiration and a good reminder to keep trying things outside my comfort zone when it comes to my blog. Setting up some advertising banners or text link ads or AdSense is easy and comfortable. It’s very easy to just leave it at that, but that’s not going to put me in a position to achieve what I want to financially.
So thanks again for the inspiration and motivation!
Great story. I have blogging in a year and hope to going to next level and more. Very inspiring.
sippp.. oke thanks
Again, Maxblogpress over delivers.
Whilst most of us “know” this information already, it’s the doing it part that seems to have us in stitches, and this is the sole reason 95% of online businesses fail today.
We all know what we need to do, yet focus our energies on following the next big fad and, 6 months down the road, we go back to doing what we should’ve done in the first place and, when the next big fad comes along once again.. the vicious cycle begins.
Take note of the information provided on maxblog and put it to good use.
This is my first time to your blog and I really liked this article. I am new to blogging and look forward to creating a following as you have done in the months and years ahead.
Daniel,
This good & helpful post gives us very clear advice to that not limit yourself in one source to make money. As you know there are many ways to make money on the Internet, my experience is that with Blogging you make not only money but also credibility, expertise & satisfaction.
Also you have developed, managed your daily blog tips blog that is very useful to me, many things that I have learned. In future I am expecting like this.
Thanks for writing this article.
.
Daniel,
I agree about not limiting yourself to just one form of revenue. BTW, what is the best way to go about selling one’s ad space online? Is there something through e-junkie and/or Paypal that can be set up?