Bloggers who earn money like to tell other bloggers how to earn money. It’s what we do. We like to think our way is the best way and share our success secrets with others. Here’s the thing though, what works for one blogger doesn’t necessarily work for another. If there’s one thing I’ve learned these past few years it’s to use other bloggers’ experiences to experiment with my own blog, but find my own formula for success.
Every time I read another blogger’s thoughts on how to kill a blog, I feel as if they’re writing about me. My sidebar is cluttered, my SEO sucks, and I’ve been tweaking my navigation for months (though judging from your mail it’s better now). Here’s the thing….this is the formula that works. The monetization works, the navigation works and the search traffic is bigger than it’s ever been. I’m going to keep tweaking, because I’m the kind of girl who has to try the couch in every corner before committing to a permanent location. However, I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong – even though others may not feel the same way.
Here’s my piece of advice to you about blogging for a living: Take everyone’s advice into consideration but find the formula that works for you. No two blogs are alike.
People will put up with a lot of noise on a web site if it has the information they’re looking for. Right now with so many people looking for jobs, bad SEO and poorly placed ads are obviously not stopping people from browsing any site with job posting information. Good content will bring people to your site. All you have to worry about is usability.
Thanks. As someone who has only blogged for 2 months, this was a very welcome piece.
Speaking as someone who gets a big chunk of her income from blogging, I definitely agree with you, Deb. The important thing is to be actually blogging. As long as you’re writing, everything else is a matter of personal preference.
Thanks for this Deb, makes me feel like I’m on the right track…now how to make my blog work for me? as the traffic is gaining momentum, I’d like to branch out with my domain name & monotize very soon!
I’ve been blogging for nearly a year now, but not for money. I wanted to learn some of the ins and outs of it, before I tried doing it for income. Your advice has been quite helpful. Have only recently found your site, through Copyblogger and will be checking it all out to pick up more tips. Thanks.
Thank you for putting this out there. It’s refreshing to know that other people struggle just as I do.
I’m all about letting people do their own thing. I don’t like it when people think that their way is the only way. That isn’t how life works, and it isn’t how blogging works either.
My blogging partner and I have agreed on certain standards for our site, but other than that–he has his opinions on writing and the freelance lifestyle–and I have mine. We differ on a lot, but there is overlap too. I think people appreciate the fact that we are true to ourselves.
In the writing world, each of us carve out our own niche. We do what works. We can’t (and shouldn’t want to) be like anyone else. What works for us should be a combination of who we are and how we see the writing world. (And, in my humble opinion, what we can do for other writers.)
Readers know good content. Navigation, SEO, good design can only go so far. It’s been true for any medium out there since the beginning of time, and it will continue to be true. Give people something they can use, care about, or enjoy (bonus if it’s all three) and you’re good to go.
This makes me feel a little better, as my blog doesn’t fit into a tidy category, I don’t really know the technical side of things and I often feel like I have no clue what I’m doing.
However, I don’t do it for money (boo) and people read it and like it (a few…), so I guess it’s really more content than glamour?
Let’s hope so!
Only one hard and fast rule: If you have good content they will come:)
Great post, thanks
I think you’re so right. I have 3 blogs and have tried different things with them. Sometimes the things that work for one, goes dead flat for the others.
You got the point, Deb. There’s no such miraculous formula. We have got to invent our own, which entails sorting what seems to work for us, experimenting, modifying others’ formula if necessary, and the list goes on. So little time we have, so many tasks to accomplish. Phew! No pain no gain, they say. Thankfully, I enjoy the pain.
Thanks for a good article. I have several blogs I need to work with more often.
Thanks for writing this! I had just come to the conclusion last night that there must be as many ways to make blogging work as there are blogs. My own blog is simply a “calling card” for my writing work as I ease back into the business, but I plan to start blogging more and blogging for money soon.
I think the word “blog” turned me off for the first little while. Does anyone else agree that it is an ugly sounding word?
Maybe it’s just me : )
Thanks, though—I am glad to have read this today.
The word “blog” comes from the word “weblog” ….and is a rather natural shortening of the word.
Hey there!
No, I know that… I just really think it sounds clunky. That’s all. Now that I’ve happily dived in, the name of what I’m doing doesn’t affect me.
Does no one else think the sound of the word “blog” is clunky?
cheers,
Wendy
blogging into a void until such time that my blog is recognized and commented on and followed : )