People start blogs for many different reasons. You may have a subject you’re passionate about and feel that you would like to share your opinions with others. Or you might think that running a blog is a great way to make money as you have fun. Perhaps you’re trying to expand your business website, and you figure a blog will bring in more traffic.
All of these are valid and common reasons for starting a blog, but most people who jump right into the abyss of the blogosphere do so without the background knowledge needed to make their endeavor successful.
For this reason, it pays to face a few common misconceptions head-on so that you don’t find yourself in a completely different situation from what you expected.
1 – It’s Easy
When you were in high school (or college, for that matter), did you find essay-writing easy? 9 out of 10 readers will answer with a resounding “NO!” So what makes you think writing for a blog is any less difficult? Certainly, you may have more fun, initially, throwing your opinion out there for anyone who cares to read it.
Still, suppose you have the goal of building and retaining readership or monetizing your blog. In that case, you will want to put some time and effort into providing fresh and engaging content and targeting a particular audience. Verbal diarrhea will not fit the bill, so don’t think you can free-write your way to fame.
Plus, posting on the same subject, day after day, takes an amount of research and dedication that few people can muster, even if they are passionate about their topic and they’re good writers, to boot.
2 – It’s Free
You have probably heard of sites like WordPress and Blogspot that offer free web hosting services. But as you should know by now, you get what you pay for.
Self-hosting may cost you a monthly fee, but you get a lot more options for functionality and design. Further, if you plan to expand or monetize, you will have to utilize an SEO strategy (which does not apply to free web-hosting platforms).
3 – Anyone Can Write
Just because you can write, it doesn’t mean you’re good at it. There are millions of blogs on the internet, and you’ll likely be competing with a fair number of them, regardless of your niche.
To command readership, you’re going to have to reach people, but you’re also going to have to wow them at a level that forces them to choose you over your competitors consistently. This is no easy feat, and it requires some mad writing skills on your part.
4 – You Make Money Fast
If you put in a lot of time and effort, you can certainly make money with a blog. But “fast” is a pretty relative term. You’re not going to make money overnight.
You probably won’t see a dime for the first six months, and after that, it could be three to five years before you realize significant capital gains, even from a popular and well-managed blog. So don’t quit your day job. Start with a hobby and see where it goes.
5 – Traffic = Money
Getting more people to your blog (by hook or crook) may be the first step toward securing advertising dollars. Generally speaking, you need sustained numbers and targeted, repeat visitors to make your blog a success.
For this reason, it pays to do your homework on SEO and devise a strategy to boost your ranking on search engines so that the people who stumble onto your site are those who want to be there.