I started Young Adult Money less than a year ago, but I’ve actually been blogging for years. I started out as a political blogger, then was a music blogger, and finally found my way to the personal finance blogosphere. Besides being a blogger myself, I read tons of blogs. The blogs I read on a daily basis usually fall under one of three categories: personal finance/lifestyle, Spreadsheet/Database, and political.
Today there are countless blogs publishing quality content on a daily or near-daily basis. You will find at least a handful of blogs dedicated to whatever topic you find interesting or need information on, even if it’s an obscure niche. I love the access to information and subject matter experts that blogging allows, and I think we’ll continue to see more and more people take up blogging as they try to connect their ideas with others.
1) To become a better writer
If you want to become a better basketball player, you should play more basketball. If you want to become a better writer, you should write more. Ask any freelance writer, author, or blogger and they will tell you that the more they do the act of writing, the better they become.
Blogging forces you to write, and write often. While blogging is a specific form of writing and won’t necessarily make you a better novel writer, research paper writer, etc. there is a lot of demand for blog-like content on the web and would be a great way to get started in freelance writing.
2) To become a subject matter expert and share ideas
For years now blogging has been a great way to establish yourself as a subject matter expert. Whether you want to be known as an expert on pets, movies, or some other topic or niche, blogging is a great way to get yourself noticed. One thing to note, though, is that it takes a long time to build up a blog following, and you may have low traffic for months and months. Many quit within a few months.
I personally didn’t start blogging to become a subject matter expert. I started to share my ideas and opinions about politics, specifically libertarian-leaning politics. In the process, though, I was able to connect with others and become “known” as someone who cares about certain political causes and someone who is “in the know” about politics in general. My blog definitely helped me with that…and actually introduced me to someone who owned a personal finance blog that I ended up working for.
3) To make money
There are many ways to make money online, and blogging is one of them. Many people don’t realize that there is an endless number of ways to make money with a blog, including:
- Adsense – Google Adsense is the easiest way to make a little cash on your blog. It takes only a few minutes to set up and it takes virtually no maintenance.
- Affiliate Income – There are various ways to make affiliate income online. A few examples of mine are my health insurance post that refers to eHealth Insurance, my Credit Card page that refers people to Discover, and my Sponsored Tweets post. You get paid if you refer people to the advertisers site; oftentimes it requires some sort of action (i.e. signing up for a Discover Card, purchasing Health Insurance, or signing up for Sponsored Tweets) before you get paid.
- Sell Products or Services – Lots of bloggers end up writing books that they sell through their site. It’s an easy platform to market your product, since readers are already familiar with the author’s writing. A lot of Excel blogs I read are written by people who own small businesses that offer Excel training and consulting services. Blog posts help them gain credibility as well as help in search engine rankings.
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Because it has become so easy to start a blog, pretty much everyone I know has either started one or considered starting one. Ironically, I can count on one hand the number of friends I’ve met outside of the blogosphere who blog on a regular basis. So while I do encourage people to take up blogging, very few people stick with it.
If you blog, why do you do it? If you don’t blog, have you thought about starting one? What’s holding you back?
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We started blogging because we thought it would be fun and a way to earn a little extra cash. We didn’t realize how much work would have to go into it. Also, it takes a while before you actually start to make any money, so don’t plan on making any for the first several months!
@GregatClubThrifty Great point, Greg. There are also investments that you can make into the site that will offset some of that income, at least that’s what I realized pretty quick ;) Overall, though, I think it’s a great experience and I think you two would agree.
I started blogging for fun with a family blog first, then political blogging years later, and then in 2008 I started my personal finance blog.
I started my personal finance blog with the idea of turning it into a money making venture, and I’ve been able to do that to one degree or another. On the other hand it’s also been a great creative outlet, and a place to share about the things that are important to me.
@moneymatters I pretty much have the same perspective – I started it as a potential side income source but it has definitely allowed me to share some of my ideas and different opinions I have about things.
I love blogging. Being able to get my ideas out there and also get normal advice is awesome. The community is great :)
@SenseofCents The community is awesome! Like most things, what you get out is tied to what you put in. If you don’t spend time commenting and getting to know other bloggers (or readers!) you won’t benefit as much.
I blog because I love it. I enjoy writing so much. It’s my most favorite thing to do. :) I also enjoy helping others and the great feeling that I get when people e-mail me saying they have gotten out of debt or that my post inspired them in some way.
I blog because I enjoy it and it gives me an outlet to write on things I like to read/talk about. I also did it to be able to make a little extra cash on the side. Notice I said little. ;) Like Greg said, I did not realize the time commitment that would be needed, but it’s worth it for me.
@FrugalRules I think I knew the time commitment before I started, and that’s why I waited over a year before finally starting. I had to make sure I would stick with it. So far, so good!
I have blogged for years as well DC. I enjoy the PF space more than the others, so that is where I am focusing my time. I know that money can be made, but I started blogging to keep myself honest about money. It is working so far.
@DebtRoundUp I also enjoy the personal finance space, in part because I think personal finance can be interpreted broadly and therefore there is an endless number of topics you can cover.
Hey, DC, I’m curious….is your next piece going to be the 17 reasons NOT to blog? Ha! I’m all over that one….
Serious, I blog for a totally different reason now than when I started. While I still have the same vision and goals, it’s now an outlet, and I feel like I’m spending time with friends making the blog rounds. It’s really a fun (but time consuming) pursuit.
@AverageJoeMoney Haha you read my mind. I have a post about not blogging drafted, still deciding whether to finish it or not. I think the reasons not to are somewhat more straightforward ;)
I also feel like I know other bloggers even if I haven’t met them. I do my daily 6am commenting/reading and it’s become a routine.
I was blogging before it was even called blogging. Back in the day when geocities was the popular free online way to express yourself. That led to an “ezine” which focused on music and pop culture called DeepFried BugVision. That was back in ’97. I’ve always loved expressing myself, but I never thought I’d be a personal finance blogger. That one still baffles me! :) And like you, I know very few “real friends” who blog and stick with it. Most write one or two posts and that’s it.
@Beachbudget When I went on vacation and wouldn’t have internet access for a week, I left my blogs in the trusted hands of….another personal finance blogger who I had met through blogging! At that moment I realized I knew about ZERO people in “real life” who blog.
Thanks for the great tips! I just started blogging two months ago, so I know I have a lot of room to improve. I’m loving every minute of it so far though!
@ayoungpro I think everyone, even if they have been blogging for years, has lots of room to improve! I look forward to reading some of your posts.
I started for several reasons. One, I was getting a bit stagnant in my career. It didn’t challenge me like it once did, and I needed something new to learn. Two, I have had my share of financial situations and felt I had something to offer in terms of experience. Three, like Grayson said to keep myself on the right path. I would probably not ever get back into debt anyway, but I certainly wouldn’t now because of my readers and the need to be an example for them. One added bonus is getting to know so many people who share the same goals. Most of my real life friends are not into finance at all.
@Eyesonthedollar Same, I would say my “real life” friends also are not nearly as into the topics I write about as I am. Blogging is definitely a good place to connect with others who have the same interests.
I think blogging has definitely made me a better writer, at least the kind of writer I want to be, and it’s also a lot of fun despite the big time suck that it can be.
@momoneymohouses Agreed – it is a huge time suck, but it also has made me a much better writer.
I blog as a creative outlet and to put a face behind my website. I really do enjoy the networking aspect of it as well. I have met many talented bloggers with a ton of experience to learn from. I recently have been inundated with companies wanting to use my blog to pimp their products/services for in exchange for cash. I had to become really picky with the products I endorse as I don’t want to be a sellout. Anyone else having this problem?
@KyleJames1 That sounds like a good problem to have ;)
I started blogging because I wanted to become a subject matter expert and help out as many people as possible with personal finances. I also have the goal of someday, possibly, being a Financial Planner so I figured blogging was a great idea to get started and learn along the way.
@CommonCentsWealth if you start blogging that is good but i suggest you, you post any blog a proper way, google or other search engine need proper way content.
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I started blogging to keep myself accountable, and to help increase dialogue when it came to money. Learning to write better is an added bonus.
I blog because I love to write, and it`s a great way to work on my English skills!
@The Norwegian Girl Awesome!
I started creating static niche sites a number of years ago and then started adding blogs to them. Some of them are still live and bring in some adsense income. I started my current blog because I knew we had to make some serious changes and the more research and writing I do the more excited I become about paying off our debt.
@TacklingOurDebt Same here! I get excited about the future when I blog, and if I hit a road block (i.e. our sewer issue) I can let off some steam by writing a post about it and hopefully help/connect with others who have the same issue (as well as get some sound advice from others).
After
I only recently started blogging this year after considering it for a long time. At first, I didn’t know what topic to pick but after several brainstorming sessions I came up with my topic. I know eventually I want to earn enough money from my online pursuits that will allow me to quit my job.
I only have 2 friends in “real life” who blog. Even my own mother doesn’t really understand blogging or what I’d spend “so many hours in front of the computer typing to people you don’t know”. For me it’s about having an outlet, sharing my experiences, and “meeting” new people who share the same (and different) goals.
I blog to keep myself accountable to paying off debt. Although extra $ would be nice, that’s not really what I am after. I am looking to connect with others who are going through the same things, or can help inspire me to get out of debt.
Ca$hFunny Godd blog required good content and it should be SEO prospective so that search engine easily index your blog.
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