Help for a beginner

[HAN1978]

Hi Everyone!

I am VERY new to blogging and I just had a quick question. I'm going to be quiting my job in a couple months to be a stay at home mom. I'm interested in blogging to create a small supplemental side income for my family. I've done alot of research about making money blogging, but most of it is for earning a full time income. What are the best ways for me to earn a part time income ($1,500-$2,000/month). Since I am going to be a fulltime homemaker, I'm not looking to work 8 hrs a day, just something I can do for a couple hours a day, but manage to get some kind of financial benefit......is that unrealistic? Thanks in advance!!

[Shyflower]

is that unrealistic? Thanks in advance!!

Yes. You want to earn 15 to 20 thousand dollars a year for working part time at a job that is totally new to you? That's right... it's a job. Earning a living (or part of one) is no easier on the web than it is any other way.

Moreover, you'll be starting a business. What's your experience in starting or running a business. Did you know that most start-ups fail in their first year?

[HAN1978]

Wow. Are you intentionally trying to repel people from this website with sarcasm and rudeness? Obviously I have no idea how this works which is why I asked the question in the first place. Maybe you should rethink the way you approach these kinds of questions. Talking to someone like they're an idiot (when they're simply asking for information) is not productive. You could have easily answered my question without being rude. Thanks for nothing.

[NicoJulius]

Hm
I think ShyFlower has a point.
It's not that easy to start a blog and make a lot of money. Don't forget, most bloggers just don't make money (except for a couple of dollars).
Start with gathering an audience, then sell something (affiliates, ebook, something else).
problogger.net is a good place to start.
Just don't expect to earn $2000/month within a couple of months (or even years!)

[kenquad]

What are the best ways for me to earn a part time income ($1,500-$2,000/month).

First, you should think long and hard about your blog subject (your "niche").

I might have the world's best blog, but if it's on a subject no one's searching for, I will get no traffic and no income. To find out what people are searching for, use the estimator tool in Google Adwords (free) or download a program like Traffic Travis 3 (free).

As well as being popular, the subject you choose should be easy to monetize, preferably with affiliate links rather than PPC ads.

You should also choose something about which you really enjoy writing. That will make it much easier to keep going during the long months when nothing seems to be happening.

It takes months to get a site ranked decently for even moderately competitive terms, so I would expect little traffic - and virtually no income - for a long time.

If you want to get enough traffic to make a dent in your income target, you'll need some well-thought-out SEO, so it's worth taking the time to read up on the subject.

Even if you do everything right, making $1500-$2000 a month on one blog while working 2 hours per day is a pretty ambitious goal. You might consider having several blogs or sites in different niches, a common strategy among affiliate marketers.

[Shyflower]

Wow. Are you intentionally trying to repel people from this website with sarcasm and rudeness? Obviously I have no idea how this works which is why I asked the question in the first place. Maybe you should rethink the way you approach these kinds of questions. Talking to someone like they're an idiot (when they're simply asking for information) is not productive. You could have easily answered my question without being rude. Thanks for nothing.

Sorry you think I am rude. I'm not one to sugar-coat the truth and there was nothing a bit sarcastic in what I posted. You asked a question and I answered it and gave you just a few of the real reasons why it is unrealistic. The web is full of those who think that starting a successful website just involves putting up a pretty web page. It doesn't.

If you need that part time income now, starting a blog is not the way to find it.

Take a look through our Business and Legal forums and see just a few of the problems people have in starting up and running a web business. Read some of the comments there of people who do make their living on the web. Most will tell you that, before you start, be sure to have at least 6 months to a year of income laid away.

Many who run successful businesses offline have a great deal of trouble extending their success to the web.

[Shyflower]

After giving this some thought, you are right. Although I wasn't rude, just candid, I did approach your question incorrectly.

Let's break down your financial goal. $1500.00 a month for two hours (a couple) of work a day. I'm assuming that you only intend to work five days a week so that your week-ends are free to spend with your family. So that's ten hours per week. However, most of the business calculators you will find will suggest that you break down your work into 250 days of work per year. That leaves time for vacation, holidays, sick days, and other days when you can't work.

So, you want to earn $1500 X 12 (months) per year or an annual income of $18,000 minimum. Divide that by the 250 days a year and you come out to $72.00 per day or $36.00 per hour.

You will need to do the research on how many blog posts it may take per week to command that kind of revenue. If you are an experienced writer who can you structure web content so that it engages the interest of website visitors and keeps them coming back as well as recommending your site to others you could possibly make it work.

However, remember that the two hours a day includes all the administrative tasks that go with running a web business such as maintaining your website, finding and managing new streams of revenue, keeping track of advertisers to make sure they are paying you what they promised, and of course, promoting your site to include more of your target market.

[SPMuthu]

Shyflower is correct I think. Its not just easy to start earning by publishing a blog in Internet and any other ways. From your question i can understand that you do not have personally past experience in doing blogging. First just try to do blogging and see the revenue that it generates. Then fix your target to earn money. The much time you spent that money you can earn. Thanks.

[HAN1978]

Thank you everyone for the information...I truly appreciate it! Shyflower, thanks for recognizing what I was bothered by, that means alot and exhibits great professionalism! I think what I need to do is just start a blog to see how I like it. I love to write and to express my opinions...which is what I thought was foundation of a blog. However, I think that depends on what you truly want your blog to do for you. I'm not in any hurry whatsoever to make money....if I was in immediate need, I wouldn't be coming home to be a full-time Mom. I thought that making a little money might just be a nice addition if it was possible. I'd rather focus on helping people and talking about the things I love than running a business right now. Again, thanks so much for the information!!

[NicoJulius]

I'd rather focus on helping people and talking about the things I love

I think that's a very good start :-)

[crls-k]

Thank you everyone for the information...I truly appreciate it! Shyflower, thanks for recognizing what I was bothered by, that means alot and exhibits great professionalism! I think what I need to do is just start a blog to see how I like it. I love to write and to express my opinions...which is what I thought was foundation of a blog. However, I think that depends on what you truly want your blog to do for you. I'm not in any hurry whatsoever to make money....if I was in immediate need, I wouldn't be coming home to be a full-time Mom. I thought that making a little money might just be a nice addition if it was possible. I'd rather focus on helping people and talking about the things I love than running a business right now. Again, thanks so much for the information!!

Hello Han, I've had that feeling too. Hope you'll be able to pursue what you love soon, that is in the field of the online world. Nonetheless, it's good that you know your priorities.

When the right time comes, I'm sure you'll find the opportunity to jump-start your blogging career, if I may say so. Good luck and hope to see you around here in Sitepoint.

And oh, to add to that, I have my personal blog which mainly serve as personal documentation of my life. I mean it may not sound appropriate from others but it's the way, how I see.. Maybe you can start one for yourself, so you can try Wordpress or Blogspot as your platform since they are offered for free.

[Prime Aque]

Hello HAN1978, I just joined site point because I want to interact more people like you. Blogging for a living is realistic, but it's a long a way ahead because it comes after a process.

What's the process am talking about?

1. Build a blog, find a niche (topic), which you are so sure you can maintain. Select a subject that you are really interested in writing because blogging is about showing your expertise.

2. Focus on Quality as money comes after it. You cannot just market a content that has nothing in it. You can only promote worth reading contents, so stuff your blog with informative and helpful contents.

3. Show your determination, as blogging is like planting a tree. It won't bear fruits in just a couple of months, it would take a long time for it to bear sweet fruits.

4. Keep on learning. Equip yourself with blogging skills. Well, joining some forums would help, try to gather information helpful to keep your energetic in doing your blog.

5. Are you ready to shine? Tell the world that you have something worth their attention. Market your blog, grow your traffic, and if you are ready enough, learn several ways on how your blog would earn a living.

Bottom line, money blogging is tricky. Yes, it's realistic but it doesn't have a shortcut! You have to follow the process.

So now, you can start a blog for free! Create a clean, professional looking blog for the purpose of creating a living in the RIGHT time.

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[Shyflower]

Hello HAN1978, I just joined site point because I want to interact more people like you.

It's great you joined us because you want to interact with others. After all, that's why we are here. However, please take the time to check the age of the threads before you post. This particular thread died last August. Let dead threads R.I.P. and if you have something to discuss about a dead topic, please bring the topic to life via a new thread.

This thread CLOSED!