6 Major Myths About Blogging: Part 1

For every blog that gobbles up revenues like Oprah on a Christmas ham there are hundreds that fail just as spectacularly.  That completely-unmeasurable-but-ultimately-plausible fact can certainly put a damper on your blogging dreams.  Hopefully you aren’t easily discouraged, though, as we present 6 major myths about blogging that should help restore your confidence and provide a more optimistic outlook.

Myth #1:  Blogging is easy money

It’s pretty easy to come across stories of everyday blue-collared folks striking it rich on the Interwebs.  Whether or not they’re fact or fiction, many people just assume that they can slap together a couple of paragraphs once a month and be riding the gravy train to the next Charlie Sheen house party.

You'd better bring you own body bag

The truth is that a dedicated, well produced blog takes a lot of work.  Just the same as any other business venture, it’s the hardest workers that often reap the most benefits.  Success doesn’t usually happen by accident, so you can anticipate that the more you put into your blog, the more you’ll be able to get out of it.

Myth #2:  You can’t monetize a blog

A common misconception about web users is that they tune out any and all forms of advertising.  While it’s true that many people either consciously or subconsciously block out many forms of traditional advertising due to being bombarded with it everywhere they go, the fact is that well crafted and highly targeted marketing efforts often produce highly successful results.  This is why traditional advertising is somewhat dying out.  It’s akin to literally throwing a bag of elephant dung at the wall and hoping that something sticks with such a massive untargeted audience.

"Hey, when did they start running Durex condom ads on the Hannah Montana website?"

It’s important not to think only of traditional advertising methods, like covering every last pixel of your blog with banner ads, but to think outside the box.  Can you offer a membership or subscription service?  Can you offer your own products?  Can you promote affiliate or referral programs within your content?  If your blog offers value to the specific demographics of your blog then your monetization efforts will be much better received.

Myth #3:  You need huge traffic numbers to be successful

Your overall volume of traffic is not the be all and end all in determining the success of your blog.  The quality of traffic you receive is what’s key.  Picture this: would you rather have 100 people visit your blog one time and never return, or 10 dedicated followers who return every day?

Also, those returning visits keep coming back for a reason, so you’ve built a trusted relationship with them.  The 80/20 rule is a crucial principle in marketing.  That is to say that 80% of your business is generated by 20% of your customers and blogging is no different.

In part 2 of this topic we’ll examine 3 more common blogging myths.