Blogging is a skill.
Like any skill, it takes years to develop this skill.
I spent years of my life becoming a professional blogger. Because I had to practice my writing for years and also had to build a large, loyal blogging tribe over years, 1 friendship at a time.
Building 1 friendship at a time was time-consuming. As it should be. If blogging were a comfortable, smooth, seamless journey, every blogger you see would be billionaires. But we knew few bloggers go pro. Few bloggers go full time.
As I write these words from Chiang Mai, Thailand, as a full time, pro blogger, there are 2 key factors that helped me and help you monetize your blog effectively.
If you want to make money blogging guys these are the 2 skills to develop in your blogging skill set.
1: Writing Skills
Write your rear end off daily.
Prove to advertisers, who want to place sponsored posts and advertisements on blogs, that you can write.
Most bloggers are poor writers because most bloggers rarely practice writing.
How can you impress an advertiser if you are lazy? How can you convince someone to hire you if you haven’t proven you can help people through your writing ability?
Write, write and write some more. I suggest writing 1000 words daily or even 500 minimum but do so in a Word document. Practice offline. Shine online.
Money flows to skilled writers. No need to be grammar-obsessed, or the next Hemingway. Just find your writing voice by writing your rear end off daily.
Patiently practice writing daily for months then for years. Build your blog into an authority portal. Write!
2: Size and Loyalty of Tribe
All big blogging tribes grow 1 friendship at a time.
It takes years to build a big, loyal tribe to the point where folks pay you to advertise on your blog. Or to the point where people buy your eBooks or hire you or buy your courses because they see you have a tribe, a community, a following, meaning that you are a blogging leader who knows what you are talking about.
I spent years building my 60,000 member community at Blogging From Paradise by:
- commenting genuinely on top blogs from the blogging tips and travel blogging niches
- promoting top bloggers on social media
- promoting top bloggers through my blog and through guest posting
I patiently helped bloggers without looking for anything and without seeing a dime of profits for years.
Gradually, my friend network and tribe grew to where I became a full time blogger who actually earns a living through this gig.
Do not give up when things appear not to be working, especially when you are practicing your writing daily and building a large, loyal tribe. Most bloggers quit days or weeks into doing what works, which is why few bloggers earn more than pennies.
You need to practice and work and keep at it to develop the blogging skill to a point where money flows to you. Like any venture in life, most humans quit when after 2 days or 2 weeks or 2 months, they aren’t top level pros.
Sounds insane, right?
Who in their right mind expects to be a doctor earning millions of dollars after spending 2 months in pre-med?
Why would a blogger with 2 months of blogging practice expect to earn millions – or even a penny – after 2 months of practice?
Avoid the online temptation of being impatiently greedy, or outright desperate, to make money, when you know in your right mind that it takes years of practice, daily, to become a skilled writer and networked, connected blogger that builds a tribe, so that you earn steady money through your blog.
If this journey were comfortable you’d see billionaire bloggers everywhere.
But it gets highly uncomfortable at times.
Follow your passion. Blog your fun.
Enjoying the ride pulls you through ups, downs and all in between as you practice your writing skills and build your friend network daily.