Why Bloggers Don’t Make Money
I hate to say it, and I certainly don’t want to appear to be negative, but there is a harsh reality that needs to be faced:
Most bloggers are broke!
While there isn’t any hard data on the industry as a whole (many bloggers prefer to keep the information away from prying eyes), anecdotally it is quite clear that the vast majority of bloggers struggle to make even a few thousand dollars a year.
As an indication of the dire state of the industry, Technorati reported that 95 percent of blogs haven’t been updated in the last four months! Lack of blog activity is a sure sign that the blog owner is not making any money. If her blog business were viable, she’d be regularly stocking the shelves of her blog ‘pantry’ with fresh new content.
In the last three months, I’ve collated a list of about 25 bloggers to follow. These bloggers were recommended to me – they were people who were committed to blogging, and were real blogging pros.
Well, guess what? Two of them have gone out of business, and another four haven’t posted new content for more than a month! And that’s after just a few months of tracking these blogs. The mind boggles – how will the list look this time next year?
Before I go on it’s important to be clear on a few things…….
I am not a typical blogger. I don’t use my blog to generate income off the page. For me, a blog is not an end in itself, but merely a means to an end. My blog is simply an entry point. It is the foundation from which everything else will flow.
So I use my blog as a way to generate leads (and to boost my credibility of course!) which are subsequently followed up by email and (sometimes) phone.
By blending two techniques – phone and email – and marrying that to an effective upsell pathway is the reason I make money from my blog
Frankly if I had to rely on off the page sales from affiliate products and the like, I would go broke. Not that this strategy doesn’t work for big time bloggers like Pat Flynn, and Yaro Starak – it does.
But these guys have painstakingly built a large audience – they have the traffic volume to make a great living without ever needing to pick the phone and hustle for a buck.
And don’t think that just because a blogger has a significant following that they’re making loads of money. They may be, but if they employ the wrong monetization strategy, their income will likely be modest.
I can think of several bloggers who you would think are crushing it yet are barely making a living wage.
In fact a few weeks ago I saw stats from a respected blogger that shocked me. Currently, she is making less than $8,000 a year from her blog.
Sad but true.
So what can be done to get you on the financial fast track? First up let’s look at some of the reasons why so many bloggers fail to prosper online……
Main Reasons Why Bloggers Fail to Prosper
No Audience
New bloggers (and some not so new!)experience this problem. No traffic, no audience.
No Leads
Once you’ve solved the traffic problem, you should be getting leads. But if not, it may be because you don’t have an effective way to gather the leads. It’s what I call an opt-in pathway.
They Hate to Sell
Many non-sales types get attracted to blogging. I get it, but to do well financially you’re going to have to overcome your discomfort with the idea of selling something, and then learn how to promote.
They Have a Hangup About Money
Money is the root of all evil – or is it? Well, I was taught that the obsessional love of money is the problem, but money in itself is not bad. In fact, it’s pretty good and can solve a lot of problems as well as make life comfortable.
Keep in mind that money is a payment received in return for value. So focus on the value you are adding to the marketplace, and then be forthright about receiving your reward.
They Don’t Know How
Not knowing how to monetize your blog could be the only thing standing between you and untold riches!
Small Thinkers
Some bloggers lack confidence and think small. For instance, their idea of a big commission from an affiliate sale might be $100 whereas the big thinker aspires to $2,000 and more.
No Backend
The backend is where the real money is made by marketing pros. It’s about upselling prospects into larger ticket versions and variants of the initial offer. Few bloggers have clarity about this and even if they do, they don’t have a clue how to make it happen.
Six Simple Steps To Help You Make Money From Your Blog
Step 1. Get the Traffic Flowing
There is a myriad of ways to increase your traffic. Being active on social media sites such as Twitter, Pinterest, Linked In and Facebook will help, as will having your content submitted to content distribution sites such as Stumble Upon.
Networking with other bloggers is one of my favorite strategies. Networking activities should include commenting on a blog like this one. The key is to get noticed and soon enough some of the bloggers will reciprocate by commenting on your blog.
Getting an article posted on an authority blog is the holy grail for many bloggers. Here is the good news. You don’t need to have a lot of credibility to win a guest posting gig. Some of the big time bloggers like Matthew Woodward welcome guest posts and has set out criteria so you can give him what he wants.
Of course, the foundation for your blog is your content. It has to be good – you can’t expect people to promote you if they don’t have faith that you know what you’re talking about, and can communicate in a professional manner.
Step 2. Capture the Leads
You can sell affiliate products or even your products right off the page if you want, but many people do not buy the first time they’re exposed to an offer. Therefore, it’s much better to build a subscriber list first. To do that you need to give them a reason they should become one of your email subscribers.
The best way to do it is to offer them information that solves a problem that your audience is likely to be experiencing. This could come in the form of a free report, a pdf cheat sheet, or a free video. An example of this is Adrienne Smith’s blog. Notice that she offers a Free Report AND also includes a phone number field in the opt-in form.
Step 3. Sell Them Something – No Matter How Small
If you don’t have your own product, find an affiliate product from a company like Clickbank or JV Zoo. Ideally the initial price point will be less than $30. If you are going to promote someone else’s product make sure you take a good look at their sales funnel, to ensure there is real potential for more commissions from upsells.
It is not imperative to promote a paid product on your blog. You could lead with a free report, and then as soon as the person opts in you could send them a sales page for a low cost ‘trip wire’ product that might sell for less than $30.
If you’re promoting a consulting program, the sale you need to make is the Free Consultation offer, an example of which you can see on this blog (mine includes an appointment scheduler that lets people book an appointment immediately).
Step 4. Figure Out Something Bigger to Promote
You need to be clear on your objective. If you’re in the business of selling time, you can develop consulting packages as mentioned, and offer them.
As stated the idea is to lead with your free report then follow up with a free 30-minute helpful consultation (not a sales pitch). The purpose of the free consultation is to help your prospect delve deeper into the topic and to determine if both of you can work together. If yes, a nice fat consulting fee for you.
On the other hand if you have your products, you can promote a big ticket variant that might include additional features and services to justify the premium price.
Offering a training product is the logical way to go for many bloggers. So you could develop a course or a membership program. Derek Halpern developed a course that sells for more than $1,000 and Jeff Goins also has a top shelf training program he recently promoted.
Notwithstanding the above point about courses if you don’t have a largish following you probably would be better to initially offer consulting packages, as discussed. It’s simpler.
The final option is to find an affiliate product with a big price tag (and high commissions)
Note. If you are selling a service including a consulting package, do not sell yourself short. It astounds me how often skilled people underprice themselves. And they wonder why they’re always broke!
Step 5. Connect With People In Different Ways
When someone has opted into your email list, naturally they’ll receive follow-up emails from you. But email is just one way to follow up. If you’re capturing people’s phone number making a “how’s things” call would be a smart thing to do. A hows things call not a sales call but a connection call. It’s a way to open a relationship and to ascertain if there’s anything you can help them with.
Other ways to connect with people are as follows:
- Skype
- Facebook chat
- SMS message
Skype is one of my favorite connection methods. Indeed on one of my blogs I have placed a Skype banner ad on the side.
Step 6. Follow Up Relentlessly
The fortune is in the follow-up. Therefore, after people opt into your list, you need to do more than send them one or two emails. Email follow up messages should regularly be sent. I send almost daily emails to some of my lists and for another I mail only once a week, but the point is that I am relentless with follow-up.
The Challenge For You
Take another look at the above list. Do you notice something? I’m talking about the thinking that underpins the ideas. Do you see it? Well, if you said it’s more aggressive and entrepreneurial you’d be right!
If you’re like a lot of bloggers, you’re probably feeling a little uncomfortable with what you’ve just read.
I just want to say that I get it. Maybe you’re an introvert and a non-sales type. But if you know anything about the aforementioned Yaro Stark and many others, you’ll know they are introverts. But they instinctively knew that they had to break through so they could make the money they wanted to make.
I would like to encourage you to take a more entrepreneurial approach to blogging – even if you only try one new strategy now, and gradually add more down the track. The last thing you want is to become another blogging failure, another statistic.
Give it a go!
Your turn now. Have you tried a more entrepreneurial approach to blogging? If so, what is it? I’d love to know.
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All at no cost to you. All I ask for in return is a testimonial and the opportunity to build a valuable relationship.
Results matter, so that will be my focus with you – to give you useful ideas you can use straight away.
Hi Kim,
That’s a sad statistic indeed. And I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to fail after having had 3 blogs fail in the past which I’ve written about on my blog because I think the reasons
I failed are important to share. In short, they echo the reasons you highlight here.
It’s so easy to fall for the “SEO, keywords and social media sharing” tactics message that promises overnight success. Not always because people are too money-orientated but also because they’re in vulnerable learning mode – they trust people who seem to know more than they do, like I did.
Luckily, I’ve discovered what really works and it’s got little to do with SEO. It’s more about getting recommended by popular bloggers who then promote you to their big audiences.
And – what you highlight here: that blogging itself is not a business model. It’s a platform, just like a shop is. It’s a means of doing business. A shop itself doesn’t make money, it’s the stock you put in, your promotion and the way you do business and attract customers that makes you money. The same with your blog.
In the end it all comes down to these factors:
Not having a end goal in sight so no way to know if you’re on track for success, so no strategic plan to follow, including converting traffic into readers, subscriber and ultimately, buyers.
Not knowing who you want visiting your blog so you go after the wrong traffic. And getting disheartened when results don’t come as you expected.
Not really knowing how to do business successfully online.
Luckily, I learnt these truths since quitting my 3rd blog and am now enjoying my current blog’s growth.
Yes, you got it spot on, Kim. More people need to know this before they go out of business too.
Excellent post, Kim and great read. Thanks.
-Tom
Hi Tom
Thanks for dropping by!
Yes, you are right – getting endorsements from bloggers (e.g., from guest posting) that have credibility and a following is one of the best ways for newbie bloggers to get traction regarding leads, sales, and influence.
I like your shop analogy too. A shop without stock o the shelves and plenty of foot traffic will quickly close its doors. As you say the blog is just a platform, a means to do business – nothing more.
I’ve visited your blog a few times, and it’s great to see things are going well for you now. Those earlier experiences with your first three blogs were merely learning experiences!
Thanks again Tom
Kim
Thanks for sharing the sobering facts Kim!
And don’t you just love it, when you click on the link,
of a comment that was made less than a year ago and the
link is no longer active!LOL!
You mentioned two of your original 25 have already changed directions,
in just a few short months of tracking!
Actually I’m a bit surprised, the number isn’t even higher!LOL! but as you alluded to,
who knows what your final list will look like in the next year or less!LOL!
You’ve shared so many excellent and totally relevant points!one can hardly
know where to begin!
One thing is vitally clear. Far too many newbie bloggers/would be online marketers,
really aren’t totally committed and or prepared for the long haul of the
entire blogging process!
They are sprinters, when what’s needed is a marathon runners mind and
skill set!
And I really love your comparison of a a bloggers content, to the shelves
of a retailer!because what successful retailer wouldn’t consistently re-stock
their shelves with fresh/new products!LOL! That’s great insight!
And I’ll definitely credit you whenever I use it!LOL!Thanks!
Hi Mark
Thanks for your comments!
Yes for sure – this is a marathon, not a sprint – it’s for the stayers, not the players.
Perhaps one of the reasons for the high failure rate is that people have unrealistic expectations about short-term results. That’s why it’s good to discuss this topic so people can understand what is required to be successful in the blogging space.
Another point is that if people use their blog more as a tool than an end in itself they may see results happen faster anyway. The strategies I outlined in the post will help them do that because that’s exactly what I did. It does work
Thanks again Mark!
Kim
Hey Kim!
Don’t ever be ashamed to tell the truth, the reality is that a lot of people like to avoid it but it catches up with us eventually. A lot of people like to say my style is harsh because I love to push the truth into people’s faces and let them know right away if something they’re doing is bad. Really, I just respect their time and don’t want to waste it – and in my eyes, if somebody is not willing to accept the truth then they aren’t going to be successful in business anyway. Business has no emotions and you must embrace reality.
The issue I see and you’ve touched on this a lot, is that people think they have a blog first and a business second. They’ve got it backwards. I’m pretty open at saying that the primary purpose of my blog is to get people onto my email list. There are other benefits for sure – providing additional value to people on the list, credibility, etc. but the business needs to come before the blog, and my email list is where the conversions happen and where the money is made. The blog is part of my business, but it is not my business.
I admit I do have a ways to go in terms of big ticket packages – and I know this is an area I will learn a lot from you from. I do have several products of my own for sale (something not enough bloggers are doing) but I would like to create something bigger – my largest offer at the moment is private coaching but I know I can go beyond that in some way. This would make a great goal for 2016!
Always great to talk to you Kim!
– James McAllister
Hi James
Looks like we are of like mind on this topic!
A blog in itself is not a business, it’s simply a tool of the business – a means to an end. Nothing more. If people get their thinking right on this issue they will take a more business-oriented approach which is a pre-requisite for financial success in the future.
I agree that most bloggers should follow your advice and use their blog as a lead funnel for their email list. You and I both know that most of the money is made on the backend and until people join our list good money cannot be made. In some respects the email list is more important than the blog – I had an email list before I had a blog and some of the early subscribers are still with me today.
Thanks for your input, James – always valuable!
Kim
Hi Kim,
Such a sad fact! I think this problem stems from people only seeing the results of the successful bloggers and not seeing the journey. They may be on chapter 30 of their book while you are just on chapter 2 of your online business adventure.
You are going to need to sell something on your site if you are going to be successful. Like you, my blog is just a way to make connections. In the end it brings me leads and I turn those into web design clients.
Great post! Even though it is negative it is important to realize what could cause you to fail so you can avoid it.
Chris
Yeah you’re right, Chris
They’re wanting the Year 4 results in Year 1!
Although the post is somewhat negative initially, my 6 Steps list shows positive things that struggling bloggers can do to experience many positive outcomes in the future.
You, like other successful bloggers, use your blog in the right way – you use it to build relationships, make connections, establish authority and of course – to generate leads and ultimately sales (clients)!
Can’t be bad, eh Chris?
Kim
Hey Kim,
I’m not really surprised by those statistics really. I see way more blogs abandoned then I do live.
I have a feeling I might know about one of those people on your list that hasn’t updated their blog in over a month. It breaks my heart but I also know there is a reason behind that. Not everyone leaves this industry due to not being able to make it or it’s too much on them. Most do though but there is the exception to the rules.
Anyway, your point is spot on. This is a business and your blog is the best marketing tool you’ll ever have. If people aren’t sure how to take that next step or what they should be doing then get help darn it. This can be done and it’s so very rewarding when you can sit back and know that you’ve done this, you’ve accomplished this and that’s a door opening to help others learn how they can do the very same thing.
I hope that anyone eager to get inside your head will take you up on your free consultation. My goodness, the value they’ll get is priceless. Let’s see everyone succeed in the coming year.
Thank you for the mention by the way and I’m telling you, asking for their phone number is the smartest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.
Great post and I’m off to share it too Kim. Have a great week.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne,
Yes, you are right. I think at least one of the people on that list has had a major personal setback. It is sad when that happens and because a blog is really an extension of us, we can’t really hand it over to someone else to run, at least in the short term.
Any success I am having (with this new blog) can be attributed to people like yourself who act as bright beacons in a dark place. Or to put it another way – leaders like you are like the grit in the oyster shell. Sure we still have to do the work, but you stir us up and give us the injection of adrenelin we need to move forward, despite our fears. In time, some of us will turn into pearls!
Thanks so much for dropping by Adrienne, and adding value once again!
Kim
Hello Kim,
In as much as you’ve said it all, all we ought to understand is the fact that everything stem up from the mindset the individual possess. If you think you can do or you can’t, either way you’re right.
Yes you are right Kabie!
It’s all about mindset. Nothing beat that – not techniques, not strategies, not how-to tips etc.
Success is 90 percent mindset
Kim
Hi Kim,
A little shocking truth is just what is needed and you’ve done an amazing job explaining why some are having such an issue with making a business successful through their blogs.
I have a couple of thoughts I would like to add:
1. Many don’t understand that the purpose of their blog. It’s not to sell! It’s to establish competency. Google’s Zero Moment of Truth Report in 2012 said on average a person researched 10.6 pieces of content before making a decision.
If that’s true then you have to create content that is relevant, inspiring and compelling. It has to be content that keeps them coming back for more because it solves one problem, meets one need or fulfills one desire, for one person in each piece of content.
Too many blogs are too busy selling or they simply don’t say anything, mean anything or help anyone. Then the blogger wonders why they aren’t earning more readers, prospects or customers.
2. The blogger doesn’t ask the visitor to do something at the right time. In my opinion, pop-ups to join emails or programs just shouldn’t happen. There hasn’t been enough value created. They may join but in many instances I’ve seen people with large lists that simply don’t convert.
Give them value first THEN ask them to do something that is relevant to the article. I ask people to for a one hour free consultation. They join my email, get direct access to my calendar and schedule time with me.
People fill out the form and schedule time with me EVERY single day. It works.
3. People don’t understand the purpose of their blogs. You and I see our blogs as extensions of ourselves. We don’t sell through it; we create competency through it and give people a real reason to take action.
Our purpose is to educate and inform.
You mentioned Adrienne in your article and late last spring into the summer I had the opportunity to coach her. She worked really hard and now she is earning more consultations and sales than ever before.
I make over $10,000 per month via consulting and coaching and my blog is the key to earning that business.
With that said, you nailed many of the issues. Bloggers have to start thinking like their desired consumers and communicate to them and ask them to do something (i.e. things that help them make money) without apology.
If you don’t make money you don’t have a business; you have a hobby that is making you broke.
I could go on-and-on Kim. Fantastic post!!!!!
~ Don Purdum
Fabulous comment, Don!
There’s not much more that I can add to your points except to say that you nailed it on all points, especially the one about the real purpose of a blog. You and I have proven that if we educate properly we don’t need to do the big sell. When we establish competency, people will sell themselves. Bloggers and business people should understand that when they use a blog correctly they can relax and just let the magic happen.
Thanks again Don!
Kim
P.S. Yes, you’ve got a great advocate in Adrienne. It’s great to see how your guidance helped her experience a significant revenue boost in her business.
Hi Kim,
“Most bloggers are broke” That’s a fat truth and many of us reading this post are even guilty. If we all have to sincerely share our income reports, your jaws will drop (plus your ears)
What’s awesome about this post is that you broke it into three sections;
1 – You established the fact that most bloggers are broke
2 – You clearly brought out reasons why they are broke and I completely agree with you
3 – In this third section, you try to show those who are broke the way out.
Bravo Kim!
This is really a helpful post. It’s filled with practical tips and I’ll do my best to promote it.
So blessed to have you here sharing important materials with us buddy.
I hope you are having a wonderful week
Hey Enstine
Great to see you here again!
And thanks for your kind comments – I do appreciate them.
The purpose of my post was to alert people about the problem but to also show them a positive way forward.
Thanks again Enstine
Kim
Hey Kim,
The truth hurts a lot of people, but if we’re serious about becoming successful with our blogs then these are some statistics that we all should know.
It does takes hard work and ingenuity in order to make it in anything. A lot of people like myself are introverts, but that doesn’t mean we have to take the easy way out. The great thing is that we don’t have to use offline, belly to belly approaches where we can just go ahead and do most if not all online.
There are too many tools and opportunities to build your reputation online. We have blogs of course, automated tools, social media, autoresponders, etc. You definitely have a great routine here and I do see a couple of things I’m lacking it. I only email my list on average of 2 times a week and I don’t sell as much I believe I should be. There are a couple of other things i want to revamp but at least I have the foundation already set in place.
Thanks for this reality check and sharing the stats. This definitely open my eyes wider Kim! Have a great weekend!
Hi Sherman
Great to see you here
You make some good points and yes the days of belly to belly selling are over for people like you and me. Which is just as well because I now live in Asia, but my target market consists of people who live in Western countries.
Regarding email strategy, basically you do what works for you. For one of my lists I only email once a week. But for many of my other lists it’s 5 times a week.
Isn’t it great that introverts (I’m one too) can carve out a whole new career by using the internet and doing what we love?
Keep on dancing!
Kim
Hi Kim,
What a wonderful post on how to make money online. You showed us our failures and then you taught us how to turn it all around for the better. 2016 is going to be my year for making the kind of money I want to make each month. I am partially an introvert and am coming out of my shell. I am not a salesy person but I am learning from posts just like yours, that I have to be.
My traffic is growing and I use most of the social sites too, but not only for myself but for you too.
We must give value in order to capture leads. We have to be ready to help people with their problems and if we cant’t do that then we certainly know someone else who can.
I have a very low priced item for sale but I have a few more tweaks to do on my blog first and then I will be ready to do a lot more sales and make higher commissions.
Thank you for sharing, Kim and you have a wonderful day and weekend ahead!
Linda
Well said. Of course money is not going to come if you don’t work for it, and sometimes that means selling stuff. I’m not an introvert but I didn’t really have an interest for selling things. But after reading this (along with other articles expressing the same notion), I just might! After all, I do want to make some type of income from my blog. Of course I know my main reason for blogging was just to express myself and share what I know. I don’t want to be too entangled with money at the end of the day, and I think that’s important for all of you to understand: what do you want out of your blog?
Thanks for sharing regardless!
http://www.blossomthecreativist.com
Thanks for visiting Blossom!
Not all bloggers want to make money from their blogs. Like you, they just want to have a platform to share ideas and express themselves. No problem with that at all. However, course expressing yourself on a platform like a blog works best if you have an audience.
If your information is valuable, you’ll probably want to expose more people to it. But to grow an audience takes time and work. So my thought is that if you’re going to put in the work to build your audience you may as well monetize the traffic along the way.
Thanks again Blossom
Kim
You definitely hit on some key points of why most bloggers don’t make money. As in all things, blogging requires us to grow in more ways than just the immediate ones which caught our attention.
Blogging is a business which involves a broad array of skill sets in order to be successful. Those who want to see the top must be constantly honing every skill necessary in their craft. Whether that be selling or product development they all play vital roles in being more than just a flash in the pan.
Great article!
Hi Robert
Thanks for dropping by!
Yes you are right blogging does require various skills.
I think the most important skill is mindset – training the brain to overcome our fears and press on regardless of setbacks. Actually I posed a great quote from Winston Churchill. This is what he said:
‘Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm’
Says it all
Kim