Hey all, So I just wanted to ask if anyone here is actually taking on blogging as a full time career. We all know the risks of taking it on, full on, and I wanted to ask if any gurus or seniors here have experienced these risks yet. -Your blog getting hacked, or shut down?, without a proper backup of your site. -Not getting paid on time, or not getting paid at all, etc. I'm just worried that I'll put 4 years into blogging and down the road something stupid happens that will throw all that work off. But really, as long as I follow the suggested things to do like back my stuff up, keep a mailing list, etc, I should be be okay?.
I started blogging since 2007 as hobby in writing. But when circumstances forced me to go full-time in 2010, I quit my blog and decided to write for others and I have no regrets. Of course, there will always be risks. So, I think the better question would be, how do you prepare yourself? In any kind of career, one should not only have plan B...but plan B until Z
It's always better to have something to fall back on in this business. If you have qualifications and options for real world jobs when you need them, you should be fine.
Definitely take the chances of starting a blog full-time. ANYTHING, INCLUDING JOBS AND WORKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE, carries an element of risk. You can always be fired for poor performance, laid off due to a poor economy...The trick is to handle yourself smart, work hard and always plan for the worst (and prepare for it as well).
Alright, well I guess what I'm asking in this reply is if there is anything I'm missing, so let me know if I should think about anything else. You guys are right. Although I have never come close to getting laid off, I have been there and done that. Losing a job due to performance can happen even if you are doing your best to keep a job, it just depends on who you work for. Anyways, The only thing that anyone has ever suggested is to: -"always back your stuff up, and you should be fine". That statement is totally true. -Also what helps is, to use plugins to protect your ads that monetize your site. -Wordpress will be around for at least the next ten years or more, as it has already been around for over ten years since 2000-2001. -Having a backup savings account is also important to save money incase something happens. -Diversifying your income is important too, incase one income source goes downhill down the road. -Maybe having a certificate in an easy course at your local college is a good idea too, preferably in IT (if you have the patience to get that, or if you can save your money for the tuition fees to pay for it when something happens so you can take the course afterwards). Obviously, once your making enough to go full time with blogging, you will feel that extra urge to make no mistakes and to keep everything perfect. For now, I got the perfect hosting package, that does all the backing up for me (though I will still be making backups of my own). Plus, I got alot of experience with importing and exporting backups of Wordpress. There are always more things to consider, but that is what I can mostly think of right now. Alright, well I guess what I'm asking in this reply is if there is anything I'm missing, so let me know if I should think about anything else.
You have to stop worrying about risks. There are risks in everything. I've taken on Blogging full time and it's going very well. Most of the time things aren't gonna go wrong but when they do you just find ways to deal with them and work through it. Go for it!
He is absolutely right. There is no business with out risk. In 2010 i completed my Bachelors Degree in that time i'm not familiar with Blogging or any other professional jobs. Just started a free blogspot.com blog in August 2011 and run the blog for near 6 months. Want to says the blog is big failure. Then i spend near 2 months to How to run a good blog. In May i register my Blog and start to write. In the time i completed computer programming languages such as HTML, CSS, MySql, PHP etc. I'm not much interested in that field if i get a job definitely i cant shine. I just concentrate on my blog now makes a decent revenue. Read the success story of a Blogger. He is an Engineer, quit his jobs from one of the reputed company and start his blog and now making 5 digit US dollars every month. The fact how we approach the thing if you spend money on other business there is no guarantee you will make the profit. Blogging is also like that. If you have confidence don't hesitate. Good luck....
I'm taking it on full time and I live with the risks everyday. But all it does is motivate me to work harder. The harder I work the less likely the risks are to come true.
Very few people are actually blogging full time as their only source of income. Though it can be done, depending on popularity of your niche/blog and how much you earn monthly from paid blog posts/ad sales/Adsense. Ideally you'll have a back up income source or savings account to fall back on during the financially lean months.
I have been blogging since 2007, took it full time in 2010, It was the best decision ever. I agree that there are risks involved, but there are Risks in every business. I wanted to share my own story. In last feb, I fell in the bathroom and broke my left leg. The doctors planted a metal rod in the left femur. They told me that it would take at least three months to walk properly without any aid. In a regular 9 to 5 job, I would have to take full three months leave, but as I am into blogging, I was able to get back to my work in 15 days. I used my Laptop from my bed. And during these 15 days, the revenue wasn't affected, I was still earning almost the same. Thats just one part of the story. One of the biggest struggle has been to work from Home, it's really tough to work from Home all alone. If you are okay with that part, I think you can give it a try.
Making money from blogging is possible, but most people are too eager to make money, forgetting the fact that it is the contents that attract people to your blog. So, write something you love. At the same time, learn to monetize your blog by either putting up advertisements or selling other people's products. Better still, create and sell your own products through the blog. Of course, always remember to back up your blog. There are a number of free plugins for you to do that. You may also want to learn from experts who have made it.
I'm blogging part time and looking forward to blogging full time very soon. My suggestion is to do it on the side while you have something else to fall back on, and then transition to full time when the money you need is coming in from your blog. That reduces risk and allows you to still have the money you need while you are building your blog.