How hard/easy is it to make $1500 or more per month b-blogging ?

This is a call from a newbie-wanna-be blogger, to all you already "successful" bloggers.

Is it realistic and achievable to make $1500 or more per week off b-blogging using targeted affiliate and adsense links on a daily updated blog ?

Any feedback would be appreciated as I just read a rather depressing 2005 article from the Blog Hearld (http://www.blogherald.com/2005/08/16/understanding-blog-and-ping) that reckoned blogging was dying, especially for new players !

Maybe it will just make it better for those of us who choose to do it "properly"?

What do those of you who already play in this space have to say ?

 

I am a newbie to the blogging game too. I would very much like to hear from the expert bloggers as well.

I have 2 Wordpress blogs which I started a month ago which have yet to earn any money yet.

I have heard that the days of Blog and Ping is fading too. I really hope this is not the case as blogging is still the best way to start for those technically challenge like myself.

 

That's a very high goal for a newbie, but you gotta start somewhere. Focus on your niche and offer content that isn't available from more established blogs.

 

I'm not a successful blogger at all. But I can say as a general rule of thumb that to aim as high as that, for someone new is silly. Concentrate on establishing your blog for a good few months before you start thinking about serious money. Some bloggers here on DP do make that money, and I'm sure some make much more.

 

I agree. I just getting some money with a dutch blog. Now starting with a enlish blog and I think it will take at least 6 months to get a few dollars

 

Thanks for your blunt but honest reply BRUm
My first monetary goal is US$300/mth (or better) by Christmas.
I'm following several e-books on how to (theoretically) make this happen, though already I'm finding the actual implementation of some things described therein - challenging !

 

Thanks for your feedback kineda.
The process I'm following makes that same point VERY strongly !
I'm attempting to do that with my first foray into blogging but I'm sure I have MUCH to learn !

 

Hi Audreyly
Welcome from one newbie to another.
I'm starting to wonder how successful this venture will prove to be, but I'm going to give it a darn good shot at getting me out of my current job by this-time next year ! (Though that's a very aggressive target)

If your're interested you can hook an rss feed to my "blogging journey" blog where I'm just putting rough notes as I go along.
http://blog-monster-taming.blogspot.com/atom.xml
You could also add you own comments as we go along.

 

start to make meaning, not to make money

 

First, like others said you may want to lower your initial goals to something more realistic.

Secondly, you're going to have to work damn hard.

Thirdly, create something unique. Don't start a blog like so many other people and just write recycled material over and over again.

Start developing a solid network and continue to work your butt off. Do lots of testing and tracking and keep improving your site.

Than maybe you'll see some decent income.

 

I actually disagree about lowering your goals, if anything you should increase them IMO but set realistic time scales for them to happen.

Blogging is hard work and it will not happen overnight, but if you put the effort in $1,500 a week is achievable in 12 months (some people have probably done it quicker than that).

 

This is the end of the 3rd month blogging using adsense. I am now at the $100 mark a month.

How did I do it?

I read this forum as much as possible. It is insane the amount of information here. I still have a long way to go, but the farther I go down this road the more ambitions I become.

Here I come $500 a month!

 

If it was easy to make that much money wouldn't most people be doing it?

 

We've just been saying that its not easy.

I agree...that's basically what I meant but it didn't come across the right way I guess.

 

BINGO !
That's what I needed to hear dct. Thanks
I have no qualms about the hard work and the timeframe is in line with my own goals.

I initially set these goals

13 Aug - Reach decision on what income stream to start with
Decision: B-Blogging

27 Aug - Have decided what to blog on
Missed this one but had my first "play-blog" operational and started to familiarise with interface

3 Sep - Researched and started to write b-blog
Researching - Yes, Started to write - No
I only had my first couple of semi-intelligent entries in my play-blog

10 Sep - Will have written and published first B-Blog entries
Still not there - can't get Google or Yahoo to "see" my blogs despite following all the steps on keyword research, Adsense-friendly URL research etc

17 Sep - First Blog written and monetised to earn AUD$200 / mth (US$150/mth)
This was where I got my B-Blog going so I was a week behind
Jumpped ahead in the course and got the first couple of affilliate links in and now up to the point of trying to get Yahoo PINGing working but STILL can't see either blog in Google or Yahoo
Daily posts now in the b-blog

23Sep - Refine first blog

1 Oct - Refine first blog - Decide on 2nd blog

8 Oct - Refine first - start second to increase earn to AUD$300 / mth

15 Oct - Refine 1 & 2

22 Oct - Refine 2nd - decide on 3rd topic

29 Oct - Refine 2nd - begin publishing 3rd

5 Nov - Refine prior blogs

12 Nov - Refine prior blogs - Income stream up to AUD$500/mth

3 Dec - 4th income stream online - income up to $800/mth

Target goal
19 June 2007 - AUD$1700/wk (US$1300/wk)

I do have a question though - do you know of anyone who is prepared to work 1-on-1 with newbies (like me) to help them understand what they are doing wrong (or right as the case may be)?

I'd love to have someone I could "bounce" off through private email and have them critique what I'm doing with my initial blog(s).

Is there anyone around who provides that service at anything like a sane amount of money ? (One guy offered at $1500/hr ! Ouch!)

 

Your point is heavily re-iterated in the blogging guide I'm using, but thanks heaps for the feedback MorgansMom.
PS
Can you give EG of " ... have to work damn hard "
Like do you mean I'll have to create/maintain lots of blogs and/or do lots of topic research or ... what?

This is exactly what I want to hear - how people are doing it so I know if I'm on the right track - thanks.
My AUD$800 target (US$599) is set for around the EOY so I'll need to work my little butt off eh !

PS.
Are you prepared to discuss more specific details of HOW you decide on your topic(s), how many blogs, how you drive traffic to them, that sort of thing ? Either here or privately.
I still can't get my blog(s) to appear in the search engines and I THINK I've done everything as per the different blog-guides I'm following, so I'm a bit lost at present.

 

When I say 'work damn hard' I mean you have to be committed and stay focused. I've seen more blogs go stale than I can count.

I get up at least an hour before my kids so I can get a good start on the day. I write messages for my autoresponder, write some posts, do some research, add to my idea list, market in forums, search for advertising, work with JV's, do some SEO, etc.

I like to focus on a few good quality sites rather than hundreds of MFA sites or dup content sites. I don't have a copywriter and I write 99% of my own content. Because of that, it can be a hard thing to balance site editor/administrator/marketer all at the same time.

That's what I mean by hard work. There are things you can do to automate some processes, and make other things more efficient, but it still requires a lot of commitment on your part to earn a very decent living.

You sound like that type of person and you've got a pretty good 'blogging plan' so it shouldn't be too out-of-reach for you. You'll probably be more successful than a lot of people hoping to earn income from blogging.

 

It certainly sounds like you're dedicated to the cause.

To me working hard blogging means.
- Posting at least two original quality posts per day
- Leaving good comments on other related blogs on a daily basis
- Spend daily time researching SEO, marketing, etc.

That may not sound like a lot of work but doing it for a year does take a lot of dedication (which by the sounds of it you have).

I'd also suggest concentrating on what you know and maybe running just one
blog for a while. I currently run 5 blogs but it's my main one that brings 95% of my blogging income.

With regards to 1 and 1 tutors I've not heard of any (though $1500 an hour is insane). If you want any tips I'd be happy help out (within reason time wise) and the first bit of advice would be to read blogs like www.problogger.net. I don't class myself as a prolific blogger income wise (or any other wise to that matter) but I do generate a fair bit more than your first annual goal.

 

most people won't do extensive 1 on 1 "tutoring" for free unless you happen to have a good friend that's really good at what they do... that, or someone wants to help you for a "case study" to promote their own product / site.

yes, it's possible. but what it really comes down to is

1) how much time to can commit to it daily
2) how long you can wait before expecting to reach that traffic rate
3) how good you are at writing, promoting, and monetizing your blog

 

I think that goal is the first thing you need but, before announcing your goal, get a good advice from someone who really understant about realistic numbers....