Well, that is the question, isn’t it? What would I, or you?
Most of the money I’ve made comes from one of my content websites, which is a great thing. The problem with it is that it’s limited in scope. In other words, the people who come there come because they absolutely need the information I give them, but that’s it; they’re not buyers. The reason I make so much money off that site is because, obviously, they must get information from me, then see something in one of those Adsense ads that they think will give them more, or different information, and off they go.
I’ve always said that this blog wasn’t necessarily meant to make money. That’s kind of a misnomer, or at least it’s incomplete. When I started this blog, I wanted a place where I could talk about anything I wanted to talk about, and put up some of my affiliate banners and products, just in case someone saw something they just had to have. As Mirjam said, the products don’t always match what I’m writing about. As I said back, it’s never been much of a concern of mine.
The truth is that, for this blog, there aren’t products that match up to most of what I’m talking about. For instance, I talk about blogging; what products are there that I’m going to advertise? I talk about websites I visit; what products are there that I’m going to advertise? I talk about writing; you see a pattern here? Every once in awhile, I touch upon a subject that fits something I can market, and I’ll pop that in there, but it’s rare.
So, it’s not that this blog doesn’t make any money; it’s that it doesn’t make much. But that’s okay; I put my stuff up there, talk about some of it from time to time, and who knows, right? By the way, just to clear this one up, over my almost 450 posts, I’ve probably had about 15 clicks total from this blog on any of my affiliate stuff, including those posts where the topic and the product/banner ad matched. So, saying that my products should match the content doesn’t hold water.
But let’s go here for a minute. We’ve all probably talked at one point or another about niche blogging. I’ve talked about someone I knew who found a niche in hydroponics and was doing well monthly in earnings because that’s all she wrote on. So, back in December, I decided to embark on something I knew okay, but that I’ve gotten to know much better, that being my finance blog. Though I move around from topic to topic, the general theme of the site is finance, and nothing else.
This is the definition of a niche blog. And just how much money have I made from this blog? As of today, for the entire run of the blog, I’ve made a whopping 72 cents; that’s it. And I made that on Adsense. I have some 300×250 ads on that site all geared towards financial things, and I have Adsense.
I even put on this video thing that Sire recommended that, if people decided to watch it, I think I’d make money off it. Nada, nothing, almost zip. One click on an affiliate ad in six months; not very popular, is it? If there’s any consolation, I made that money in June, so maybe it’s ready to start breaking out, being relatively recent.
What this points out is that it’s not only finding a niche, but the right niche. If you can’t write more than one article a month, and even then you’re running out of ideas to write about, you might want to consider writing about something else, then figuring out if there’s a way to make money doing it.
Anyway, throwing it out to y’all to share your thoughts. If you were to start a niche blog today, one that you hoped would really make money, what would you write on?
Yo Mitch! I’m telling ya man… if you were to submit your blog to the Ebay Partner Network and get accepted, then get a script such as phpBay Pro (there’s a link over at my blog), you would be amazed at the income that can be made from it!
I have 7 niche sites and just working on them part time makes a nice little monthly income. As well as you write and as much as you enjoy writing, I’m sure you would do very well with a blog that has Ebay auctions inserted in the posts and pages!
Hey Jake,
Have to admit, that’s another one I’ve never heard of; I’m starting to feel old again. lol I’ll take a look at it when I can; thanks for the recommendation.
Dude you’re not old haha!
I sent you an email as well… You can look around my Internet Marketing category at my blog to see more about it.. or just search my blog for phpbay and you should find several posts on it!
I’ll help you in any way I can if you need it!
I’ve responded to your email, so we’ve started the conversation.
I agree with Jake on the niche blogging. It will attract better clicks on PPC and can really leverage affiliate sales. But on the other hand, if you want a place where you can talk about virtually anything, you would necessarily want to keep a blog like this one. In fact, I am missing my old blog that I discontinued to concentrate on dollarshower ;(
.-= Ajith Edassery´s last blog ..10 Innovative & Interesting Search Engines =-.
Hi Ajith. I wouldn’t have discontinued the original blog like you did, obvious since I’m now running 3 blogs. You just need to have that place where you can talk about whatever you want to every once in awhile.
hahaha picking up on me eh ROFL…
ps… I have actually shared some of my CB earnings but I am sure you didn´t pick up on that 😛
Picking on you, but all in love. 🙂
And you’re right, I must have missed those. Course, you know how I feel about CB, so that might explain why. lol
So Deneil, if you started a food blog, do you think it’s a niche you could make money from?
Yes, I wouldn’t enter a niche if I couldn’t make money from it.
.-= Deneil Merritt´s last blog ..July 2009 Discount Coupon =-.
Best blogging related product is blogmastermind which is a 6 month program. You get 50% for 6 months. You can also promote hubpages when you have posts writing related. 10% for life.
If I had to start a niche blog, I would do it on food as I love trying new things.
.-= Deneil Merritt´s last blog ..July 2009 Discount Coupon =-.
Mitch,
Niche blogging isn’t the same as say blogging about blogging.
While the latter is more of making connection with other bloggers (and NOT making money), niche blogging is geared towards providing specific information/solution on specific question/issue.
What to write about really depends on “what people want to know”. In non-laymen’s term, they refer to it as “keyword analysis”.
At times, it might turn out to be a niche that you don’t like to write about but heck, if you wanted to make money on a blog….. you throw that passion out of the window.
It’s business, is it not?
Yan
PS: I’m just sharing…;)
Wow Yan, haven’t heard from you in awhile, and it’s actually you writing! lol
You’re right for the most part, though. It is a business. The problem is that most people can’t write on things they don’t know, so the business would crash pretty quickly, unless they decided to hire someone to write for them. Keyword analysis does no good if one has to try to write on something they’re not proficient at.
So, sometimes, if a person has a passion, it might work better, such as Deneil talking about writing a blog on food. At least the enthusiasm will come through, and the targeted group just might also be buyers.
You certainly have your point, Mitch. Niche blogging mixed with passion is a powerful concoction.
For those who make a living out of writing (no, I’m not), proficiency isn’t an issue.
Besides, one niche blog isn’t going to add up much to your earnings. After all, niche blogging is all about “rinse and repeat”.
If one medical billing niche is equal to $100 in adsense (oh yeah, that niche does pay nicely), what ’bout 10?
So at the end of the day, you replicate your earlier success to create more successes, so to speak.
PS: Sorry for coming uninvited. Somehow I just need to touch base with some of you since my last trip to the wonder world of internet marketing.
Yan, you’re always invited to the party.
Actually, though I’m probably not going to create another medical site (I have no idea where I’d go with it), I am going to enhance the site I have, because I think there’s information people might be looking for that I need to get them to ask me for, and hopefully pay for it. 🙂
hi Mitch,
I’ve got my fingers crossed that your stop smoking website is going to pay off. It seems like it has great potential to me.
I hope someday to have the time to develop some “money making” websites. I don’t have any ideas yet, and to be honest, if I did, I don’t think I’d share them. 🙂 Well, maybe just with you, but not here on the wild wild web.
~ Steve, the trade show guru
.-= Trade Show Guru´s last blog ..Spam My Blog – Win a Free Link =-.
Actually Steve, you have a niche, and I’ve always been surprised that you don’t have a website for it and market products that are related to things exhibitors would need. Couldn’t hurt, right?
I know there are a lot of people out there making money on niche blogs and my hat off to them, but I just find the whole subject incredibly boring, unless you find a niche that you were incredible exited about.
Now, if I was to pick a Niche, what would it be? Perhaps a site scoring boobs out of 10 and stating the reasons why. Now that could be fun. Heck, maybe I should have kept that to myself.
Yeah, that’s what you need, another blog that gets banned by the almighty Google! lol
Seriously, though, you have two niche blogs, your photography blogs. Course, you don’t post to them often, so maybe your boredom explains that.
I agree with what Jake said above. You shouldn’t definitely look into the Ebay Partner Network. I had a fair bit of success with it in the past. If I did, I’m sure you can!
.-= The Gooroo @ Finance Advisory Stop´s last blog ..What Keeps You Blogging? =-.
Still thinking about it, I have to admit. I’m kind of slow on the trigger with things like this. 🙂