The end of the year always sees people evaluating how their year went. I’ve just finished reading somebody’s evaluation of their time spent blogging and their announcement that blogging doesn’t work for them. They make more money with a traditional website and business plan.
The blog I’m referring to is John Dilbeck’s 21st century affiliate marketing site and the article is I will be moving away from blogging in 2010.
I’d like to share with you some of the things I have realised as a result of reading John’s post. These are things I have known for a while but didn’t really consider properly…
Blogging About Blogging Sucks the Life Out of You
You spend ridiculously long hours writing about your learnings to help make somebody else’s life a little easier when in truth if they don’t find out about it on your site, they will probably find it somewhere else – if they know how to use the search engines and if they keep looking.
There are already enough sites out there with fantastic information about blogging.These fantastic sites have many people helping them keep on top of blogging trends, so all you have to really do is subscribe to their article feed and focus on blogging about something other than blogging.
However, this is where the vicious spiral starts.
The Vicious Spiral
When you read about ’stuff’, you think “Oh, that is fantastic information. I will have to remember that…” .
You then need to be able to find it again so that you can read it again later.
You think, “I might need to know this...” or “I will definitely need to know this because … or if something happens… or when something happens…” – and if you are lucky you know what something is.
Your Hand is Forced
So as you want to find this information again you have a choice of:
- writing it down manually in a journal (but this takes too long), or
- copying and pasting it into multiple Word documents that you have to name and store and backup (and hopefully be able to find it again) – so you can read it another time, or
- buying the hard copy book for lots of money, or
- buying an ebook that will be quickly out of date for slightly less money, or
- bookmarking it and never being able to find it again because there are too many bookmarks or your lose them when you upgrade your computer, or
- taking the best parts and publishing it on your own blog so you can find it again when you need it. But, then you have to spend lots of time rewording it so that you don’t breach copyright laws, referencing the work by providing a link out to another site and paying for a domain name and hosting package for how many years?!
If you know of other options, please do share.
Alternatives & What If’s
What if you just relied on visiting a handful of great websites (that is 5 or less) to learn about blogging strategies, technology, marketing, social trends and other internet related stuff?
If you wanted to know about web design or a particular plugin, how about leaving the learning until you really need it and then query those websites first and only after they did not have an answer, would you then keep searching for answers.
You would still of course, if you wanted to, visit sites of interest and leave comments – just be mindful of how much time you spend doing this. If you are commenting to assist with traffic building then you should count this time towards how much money you are making per hour.
Bloggers Need Buckets of Discipline
I think most bloggers have a tendency to spend a ridiculous amount of time reading other people’s blogs about blogging instead of blogging about what they set out to blog about.
If your intention is to blog about blogging to make money blogging, then you are stuck living the life of blogging about blogging – and in my opinion – this can get tiring and the rewards are very, very, very, very, very small.
There are smart ways and I have a plan (more on that later).
Bloggers Work For LESS Than Peanuts
You might actually never recover your costs as a blogger and if you do, you are in no way being paid a reasonable hourly amount.
Scenario 1: The Average Blogger
- Let’s say you spend on average 21 hours per week on your blog(s), which is only about 3 hours a night (from 8pm until 11pm).
- You earn $2,000 per year or $167 per month from affiliate income, less approximately $500 a year for hosting, domain, internet/phone, stationery and other business costs.
- You therefore make $1,500 per year or $125 per month (less tax!).
- So, for 21 hours per week or 91 hours per month, your hourly income as a result of blogging is 73 cents ( $125 / 91 hours).
Scenario 2: A Blogger With Some Brains
If you want to make $13 hour – which is what my 17 year old daughter gets paid as a minimum wage here in Australia, you would expecte to make $1,183 per month, that is 91 hours x $13 hour.
- Or, a total of $14,196 per year AFTER expenses.
Calculate the time you spend in front of the computer. You will be shocked. Keep a log if you think my estimates below are ridiculous.
* * I easily spend 3 hours per night or 21 hours per week on average in front of the computer.* *
- I probably spend between 3 to 7 hours on the computer every day and night, considering that some nights I sit down in front of the computer at 7pm and stagger to bed just before the magpies (Australian birds) start singing at about 5am.
- That’s a 10 hour ’shift’ to fix something that is really annoying me (like being defamed unfairly or working on a new site design or existing site re-design/tweak) …and then I have to work from 9am until 5pm that very next (or same) day before doing it all again that night, until I resolve the issue.
- So, if I am on holiday or burning the candle at both ends to resolve an issue, I can easily spend on average 10 hours a day, 5 days per week in front of the bloody computer.
* * I often spend 50 hours per week in front of the computer. * *
- At $13 per hour, 50 hours per week equals $650 a week, or $2,816 per month or $33,800 per year.
- So, if you continue to spend the same amount of time in front of the computer, or even if you start spending less time in front of the computer, you need to increase your hourly income from less than $1 per day to something decent!
Satisfactory Income From Blogging
- If I was making about $35,000 per year from blogging, I would be reasonably happy.
- However, I am not 17 years old.
- I make about $40 an hour in my current employment. 50 hours a week spent blogging (and related activities) at my current salary would be $2,000 per week, or $8,666 per month or $104,000 per year.
- So, if I continue to spend 50 hours per week in front of the computer (not desirable at all) and I’m not making about $100,000 per year blogging, it’s just plain stupid.
Rebellion
My family is just about over the time I spend in front of the computer and are close to rebellion.
Immediate Problems
The immediate problems (for me) are:
- I spend too much time each week working on my blog sites.
- I don’t get enough (or any) ‘me’ time and ‘family’ time.
- I spend too much time for too little money.
- I don’t earn a reasonable income from the hours I spend online.
Possible Solutions
The short term solutions (for me) are:
- I spend no more than 14 hours per week, or an average of 2 hours per day in front of a computer for the purpose of making money online.
- I would prefer to spend no time in the mornings in front of a computer so that I can start exercising and enjoying family time before heading off to work for the day during the week.
- I would prefer to spend a maximum of 2 hours in front of a computer each night during the week from Monday to Friday.
- I would prefer to spend a maximum of 4 hours in front of a computer on Saturdays and no time at all on Sundays.
Mission
How do I spend less time in front of the computer AND earn at least $25 per hour (half-way mark between $13 and $40 per hour) for those hours that I do spend online?
- Based on $25 per hour and spending an average of 14 hours per week in front of a computer, my goal income would beat least…
- $350 per week
- about $1,500 per month, and
- about $18,000 per year.
* * If I can’t make this amount of income and spend no more than this amount of time in front of the computer – then it really is not worth my energy. * *
* * My family deserves more from me. I deserve more. * *
My Current Situation
- I understood the time required to build a successful site (sites in our case) and I have put in a big effort over the past 12 months in particular. However, I am no longer prepared to work for less than peanuts.
- At Thesis Theme HQ (this site) I currently blog about blogging. I blog directly via the blogging strategies category and indirectly via other categories, for example the technical and design aspects of blogging are still about blogging.
- My other blogs are not about blogging but I don’t spend enough time on them. They need love and attention to grow.
- I make affiliate income and advertising revenue.
- I spend too much time for too little money.
- I don’t exercise enough or eat well enough and my mind, body and spirit are suffering.
- I feel frustrated that I am not living and enjoying life on my own terms.
My Alternative Reality
- Blog about something other than blogging. I would not need to spend so much time reading so many other blogs about blogging.
- I would have more time to blog about tranquility, 2012 and domes (to name a few).
- Make affiliate income, advertising revenue AND income from sales from my own products.
- Spend less time and make more money from online activities.
- Take better care of myself and my family.
- Find success online as a result of spending reasonable amounts of time and energy.
- Make money to live instead of live to make money.
Your Thoughts?
- If you are in my situation, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
- If you are new to blogging, then I hope my story helps you make smart decisions.
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{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
You have a point! Family is still more important above anything else and I agree with that. There are just some things that money cannot buy.
Andrew@BloggingGuide´s last blog ..Twitter Tips – Change Your Background
I finally decided to write a comment on your blog. I just wanted to say good job. I really enjoy reading your posts. THUMB UP
Like all other internet related things, time is a deciding factor. My web guy told me that blogging would quickly consume hours if I was not careful. And it was not long after that I found out how right he was. It’s one thing to learn the tricks and another to master blogging. For now it will have to be just learning the tricks.
Yep, it’s a bit like teenagers. You can tell them about things but they still do things. Being warned about how time consuming blogging is, is one thing. Being able to realise you’re getting sucked down is another and then get out! It can be too much fun sometimes.
I not only agree, I agree with no reservations. Sometimes it is strange how we happen to read or hear something that is timely for us. This post really hit me that way. As warmer weather gets closer here in the mid US, I will be spending less time in front of the computer and more time outside.
If you only had a year to live, would you be doing this? I wouldn’t.
All the best to you in the future.
Enjoy the sunshine. We’re going into winter on my side of the world. I have to be disciplined about how much time I spend in front of the computer.
This is a totally excellent and spot-on post. Seriously.
Needed to be said man!
Marian Schembari´s last blog ..My name is Marian and I am a Comment Whore
And comments from people like yourself put wind back in my sails. Loved your post…comment whore.
You had some excellent points!
My wife was accepted to Le Cordon Bleu culinary art school in Paris. To keep daily journal that’s cooking related, Gaby started a blog. I have a small hosting company so the marginal cost was just my time to set it up. I did run a design contest at 99designs.com to get a decent logo, but other than that, we’ve just spent our time writing articles.
The point of Gaby’s blog isn’t to make money yet. It is to share her adventure. Kind of like in the movie Julie & Julia. Gaby and I both do writing for the blog so it’s not one person doing it all, which helps. Some days Gaby is tired and just doesn’t feel like blogging. I’ll typically write a generic post that day. We try to get four or five posts per week. We do take a break every now and then!
To me, your blog has to be passionate or it won’t work. Gaby’s a fantastic cook already and going to LCB to take her cooking to the professional level is VERY exciting. The blog will basically document it and add recipes along the way.
If we were doing this simply for money, we never would be doing it. I think you have to find a purpose in what you do. You have to love what you’re writing about so the posts will come naturally without a lot of research or extra reading. I think we spend 30-60 minutes on a typical post. I might add 15-20 minutes touching it up for SEO, affiliate links etc but overall, it’s way under 2 hours to put a post on the website.
I think it’s like most pursuits in life. Don’t chase the money and expect the passion to follow. It works the other way. Do what you love to do and the money will follow.
Tom Nunamaker´s last blog ..Passport Office – iPhone – Crocs – Mussels for Dinner – Death of a Department Store
Excellent points Tom. I like your blog. Looking forward to your wife putting up the recipe for the orange sorbet. A bit of a tease putting up the great pic with those chocolate curls but the link only goes to a larger pic that really brings on the salivation and no recipe!
This article really hits home with me. I made similar to what you make in a full-time position and I probably make less than $1 a day on my blog overall. But, I think Tom’s point of doing it not for the money is spot-on. If blogging is your only source of income – well, good luck with that (especially in the beginning). It’s great to hear about the very small percentage of people who make a living blogging, but you don’t hear too much about the other people who have spent years and hours upon hours of blogging with no financial return. That’s where you either have to have a different ROI than money for it to be worthwhile.
This is an important wake-up call article for many people. Good job!
Karen
Karen´s last blog ..One Sure-Fire Way You Can Start Your Emergency Fund Today
Hi Karen. Nice to meet you. I really like your blog – about something meaningful. I’ll be sure to visit and spend more time.
There is a fine line sometimes between enjoying what you do when you blog and slipping into making money mode and possibly enjoying it less. Unlike some bloggers who blog to make money – I think it is important if you blog for fun that if you do go towards money making, you don’t lose sight of your original intent … having fun.
There’s nothing more that I hate than writing a blog about blogging. I don’t really understand why people don’t seem to see the simplicity of it all? I mean, I have a friend with a blog and he’s a soldier over in Afghanistan. He likes to write a few posts every week, and he’ll usually just write a few paragraphs about what he did that day and sometimes he’ll include a picture. It’s definitely something that his mom checks out daily. Plus, he makes money with it as well. Blogging is fun, if you have an end in mind.
Thanks.
Business blogging about blogging definitely takes it to the next level. There is the pressure to do things a certain way for apparent success.
Would love to know the url of your mate in Afghanistan’s blog. I just saw Green Zone the movie with Matt Damon. Very powerful images of the modern day Middle East crisis.
Excellent piece. I too want to start making money from my site but as of yet I haven’t made anything of note.
I hope that you get a satisfactory outcome.
If somebody can make of top. Why don’t he do it? We all have the same chance the difference is how you will do it. I’m just a new in this flied but I have already faced lot of disappointment and failure but what I keep in mind is that if somebody can do it, I can do it better.
Chicago Web Design´s last blog ..6 Benefits of Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns
Well … there are days I feel exactly like you and most of the commenters here … but I guess for me I have so many things going on in my life (on and off line) that my “main” blog has become a way of staying touch with others and hopefully payinbg it forward and teaching others online.
With that said, I blog less and less these days so I don’t feel overwhelmed with the site at all.
And … better yet, I recently made the decision to take all of the skills I’ve developed and build an offline business. I’m now helping local business owners promote their businesses online via video, blogs, classified ads … whatever makes the most sense for their industry … and I’m LOVING IT!
Thanks for the great post! Helps most of us keep it all in perspective as we get on our computers each day. *huGs* Suzanne
Suzanne Franco´s last blog ..Blogging Idol Secrets Revealed
It was rather therapeutic for me. I have changed my mindset since my ‘meltdown’ and the changes I’ve made make life great again. Great to hear you have moved on to the next phase. I am dabbling a bit myself.
I’m enjoying it … let me know if I can help in any way (online or off) ;)
Suzanne Franco´s last blog ..Blogging Idol Secrets Revealed
I loved reading this post the first part made me laugh as it is me down to a tee, saving things and not knowing where to find them when i want them, bookmarking sites and then takes me forever to find it when i want to return to the site, (i use Xmarks which is excellent as far as never losing them is concerned when you upgrade.)
I am forever reading blogs and tutorials bookmarking them etc and then going around in circles trying to find the blog again, i am really useless at organising.
Once again thank you for your tips and explaining them clearly.
stevebethere´s last blog ..Write a Post [Digg]
Wow, thank you for your honesty, I’ve never read a blog from a “blogger who blogs for $$$” be so forthcoming with such personal and financial information. I really enjoyed reading this post. I’m actually feeling a bit sorry for you right now. (keep your day job)
I can tell you are passionate about what you do, and I believe to really blog well, you need to be passionate about your subject. I’m really turned off by blogs and websites that are obviously into it only for the money and I will click away from them quicker than you could say “boo”!
I blog about butterflies, because I’m “obsessed with butterflies” and I’m not in it for the money, thank goodness, but I still feel you pain. I also need to step away from the computer and get outdoors for some butterfly gardening, which is why I started blogging in the first place.
Thanks for the info!
Vickie your site is beautiful. I will visit more often to see how nicely it grows.
Thanks Somone, I’m actually considering switching to the Thesis Theme, (that’s how I found your blog) but not sure if my site needs a makeover or not. I do get frustrated with the width of my blog and fact that my right hand column is so narrow. And on thesis is there a way to turn OFF I know my way around css, but don’t know an ounce of php. Everyone seems to be re-selling the Thesis Theme, so of course everyone says that they really like it. Wish I knew if it was right for me, though. I think they should have a 14 day trial. What do you think, time to revamp of my flutter-blog?
Vickie´s last blog ..Sharing Butterfly Blogs…
Vickie, your site has the potential to be absolutely amazing. The images can be expanded with more width added, a rotating multimedia box (which I am going to re-add to my Thesis Theme HQ site shortly and revamp my sidebar). Please look at my husband’s site Timberwolf HQ and my other site Tranquility HQ to see the rotator in action.
You can try Thesis Theme for 30 days no risk – click on this link.
I would love to help you with your change over. I am in Australia so I am +10 GMT but can do a lot via email advice etc. You don’t have to worry about knowing code. If you can copy and paste you will be fine.
Thank you so much Somone, I believe our flutter-blog has potential also so thanks for the vote of confidence. I checked your other Thesis sites, very nice. I see you are a bit into nature yourself! (We all really should get outdoors more.) I will be looking into downloading thesis within the next month or two, and I will definitely use YOUR link and thanks for the offer of assistance, I would only ask you for assistance if I got completely dumbfoundibley stuck, but thanks for the offer.
Vickie´s last blog ..Sharing Butterfly Blogs…
I finally decided to write a comment on your blog. I just wanted to say good job. I really enjoy reading your posts. THUMB UP
Thanks for the article, you really raised some good points.
Wow, your title got me and I definitely agree that blogging sucks the life out of you but you also can’t stop. There’s just so much you want to learn and put together that the time to write it all up is never enough. Thus, you’re worrying about this and that. I’ve only been blogging for less than two months and already feel drained. But I continue because I have faith in the blogosphere. It’s such a fun crowd and much to learn. Maybe I’m going to make money down the line but I’m now in for the experience. The monetization can start when I’ve established a strong threshold on blogging.
Thanks for the discussion!
Thu
Thu Nguyen´s last blog ..Beer and Blogging. What’s the difference?
I agree with you Thu. One of the main reasons I keep blogging about blogging is so I can record all of my learnings so I can find them again as well as sharing them with others that may not have picked up the same tips and strategies. I’ll be sure to pop back to your site throughout the year to see how you are going.