The web has become a proverbial madhouse of information, tutorials, and how-to websites as a growing number of people tap into the masses of people seeking guidance on everything under the sun. Blog topics are as varied as the people in this world and seek to occupy a new space in our hearts. Where previous generations would pore over a morning newspaper with ink-stained fingers and a cup of coffee, times have changed. Today’s culture has transformed those impossible-to-refold pages into neat frames on a smart phone or computer screen. The cup of ‘joe’ is packaged to go and most of our catching up on news comes in snippets of information bombarding our poor, easily-distracted brains all day. By the time a newspaper can roll off the presses, its drying ink is out of date and newer news has taken its place.
Web Log Gone Crazy!
There are, among us, the nostalgic group who insist on killing trees for the sake of a “classic” experience of their daily dose of information. For the rest of us, news has taken on quite a new meaning. We want to read about information that applies to our niche interests, our hobbies, sports and little snaps of humor. One of the internet’s most-searched words is “recipe,” making way for a whole new era of definition of information digests. Today, anyone with a laptop, some time and a whole lot of opinions can become a blogger. There are thousands of self-proclaimed reporters springing into action and vying for a piece of the media-overloaded paradise that we live in.
It begins to beg the question: How well does blogging actually work out as a form of passive income? And have no fear, there is, indeed, a blog about that, or rather, a great many blogs, to be exact. Is blogging the new, elusive “get rich quick” scheme that represents a packed-out market of people looking to join the fray and a lucky few rising to the top of the pile? Or has it really become feasible to achieve greater success in less time?
What Kind of Income we Talkin’ About?
Blogs generate passive income for writers through advertising. Websites that receive more hits per day are generating more income. According to Forbes, women comprise a massive portion of the blogging market. And the women who make it big are not about to disclose their numbers. Power Moms author, BSM Media’s Maria Bailey told Forbes, “You can break it down like this, there’s the top 10% who make six figures, who write books, and have deals with the Food Network. Then there’s the bottom 20% who are only doing it for the love and not making anything.” In years to come, perhaps this time will be referred to as the “blogging boom” or some other vague overgeneralization that seeks to encapsulate the priorities of all the people on planet Earth at one point in time. Whatever it all boils down to, one thing is clear, the boom of blogging has reshaped the world of business on a grand scale, and women seem to be the driving factor in this shift.
Forbes tells us that “brand executives and women bloggers say the going rate for a $300 kitchen product is 500 monthly views; an all-expense trip to Hawaii requires at least 20,000 monthly views.” The numbers are rough guesses, but provide an interesting backdrop for the blogging scene. It appears there is not a magic number or goal for bloggers, either. Some bloggers will strike big deals with advertisers while others may have more readers, but won’t necessarily hit the jackpot.
Be Realistic
Since the blogging arena is so unpredictable, it’s vital to enter with your eyes open and to be fully aware of your personal motives for doing so. A prominent and self-proclaimed healthy dessert blogger, Chocolate Covered Katie, discusses her opinion of the ins and outs of blogging as a form of passive income. “To be really honest (and blunt), I think that if your goal in starting a blog is to turn it into a career, you’re going to fail. You should blog because you love it, not because you want to make money. I didn’t set out to make this my job, and I happily blogged for years without getting much (or any) pay. … If it turns out—without your trying—that you can blog for a living, that’s a happy coincidence. But I think if you specifically tailor your content to become a full-time blogger, people will see through you and see that your heart really isn’t in it.” Katie’s advice rings true and seems to echo the well-known adage: “do what you love, love what you do.”
If you are an avid blogger, or love researching and writing about particular topics, blogging might be a bright future for you, but if it’s not your thing, don’t force yourself into an uncomfortable mold.