When I was first looking into blogging, researching about it, and praying about if it was something I should pursue, I realized that anyone can make a full-time income as a blogger.
The income potential got me very excited. I saw the potential and I couldn’t wait to get started!
My excitement only grew when I started reading things like this:
“How I Make $3,000 A Month Blogging In Just 6 Months!”
“How I Immediately Made A Full-Time Income Blogging With No Experience!”
“I Earned $7,000 My First Month Blogging And You Can Too!”
These posts sounded amazing, but also insane. Could you really make that much money immediately blogging? I wanted to dig further.
Here’s what I found: Blogging is a lot of dirty work.
However, I am so thankful that didn’t deter me from starting a blog. Blogging is one of the best decisions I ever made!
A lot of bloggers only like to share the amazing successes they have had blogging in hopes that you will buy their blogging product or course, or click their affiliate link. Just check out this blog post for an example https://www.frugalmomguide.com/first-month-blog-income-report-2018/
I love to share the benefits that I have blogging as well, but I will always strive to be completely transparent. To say that blogging has no downfalls, that you can get rich quickly blogging, or that it takes little time or effort is completely false.
In fact, the bloggers that make anywhere close to a full-time income have worked for years at their trade. They have earned that income. Bloggers that make a full-time income, at some point have to put in more time and energy that equates to a full-time job.
The people that make thousands of dollars within their first month of blogging are those with prior knowledge and experience, or who have won the lottery.
Blogging is not the immediate gratification that so many people want. It’s a journey and it’s a process and the adventure of blogging is what makes it so wonderful and enjoyable.
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Let’s dive into the 8 Aggravating Things No One Ever Told You About Blogging:
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Consistency is Key
Blogging takes a lot of time. It can take me up to 3 hours to type a rough draft for my blog posts. That’s an average of 2,000 words a post!
That doesn’t include all the research, linking, marketing, editing, re-writing, and creating that also has to go into posting a new blog post.
Blogging really is a full-time job with everything that goes into running a blog. I mean, you are running your own business! I’ve enjoyed finding the balance of blogging at night after I come home from work a few days a week. This enables me to still do what I love and make a small profit without letting it consume my life.
The dream is to get to the point of being a full-time blogger, Lord-willing.
But, in order to do that consistency is key.
That’s right, doing the same, boring and mundane tasks every day is so important to blogging success. That is probably something no one ever told you about blogging because it doesn’t sound fun.
It is important to find joy in the parts of blogging that you really enjoy, and the rest will hardly feel like a task at all! I find so much joy in writing a blog post when the idea pops into my head, researching it, and then running with it.
Some things I have to do regularly for my blog include social media posts, analyzing metrics, engaging with my audience, promoting my content, creating products, brainstorming and producing content, networking with others, researching blogging practices, updating old posts, fixing technical issues, and so much more!
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The Critics Are Real, No Matter What
I love blogging because I can share my heart.
The best part of writing on a blog is that you can write whatever you want! I write often about what I have been learning in life in hopes of helping others that may go through similar situations.
In fact, my blog content is all about helping 20-somethings thrive in this world because I was struggling as a recent college graduate. I want to encourage others with what I write about and give other 20-somethings the wisdom I never had in this season of life.
Blogging allows me to share my opinion based on my experiences. I get to share what God has been teaching me each day.
Unfortunately, that means usually someone is not going to agree with me.
Everyone has different opinions. Not everyone is going to agree with me. That’s just life. But, in blogging those people with different opinions can easily become nasty, mean, and critics of your work.
When you work so hard at something, put yourself out there, and be brave in sharing what’s on your heart it can be very hard to hear everything that is wrong with it.
What I have come to learn, and what I found was one of the things no one ever told me about blogging, is that the critics will be there no matter what.
Because I treasure words, the words I hear from others mean a great deal. I’ve learned to choose the right words, respond to the critics with the right words, and not let them discourage the joy I find in blogging.
Related Post: How To Easily Start A Blog Today
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Making Money Seems Impossible
When you first start out blogging you tend to have very high hopes.
I thought I was going to make money a lot faster than it ended up taking me, and now I am still only making enough to break even with the expenses of my blog almost two years in.
The learning curve for creating a blog, making money blogging, and operating a blog on a daily basis is a steep one. That is why it is one of the things no one ever told you about blogging.
You will not get rich quickly. It is important to have that expectation.
Only the people that have prior knowledge or experience, or perhaps have won the “blogging lottery” are the ones that make thousands of dollars within their first month of blogging.
Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.
Expect to make pennies for months. If you are consistent with the money-making activities and your blog grows, then the money will come.
And the long-hard road is worth it because blogging can bring in passive income for you. That is, you will be driving around town, cooking dinner, or sleeping at night and your blog will be making money without you even touching it.
Passive income is something most people dream about and just hope it will happen to them. It is important to know that it is more than possible with your blog, but it is going to seem impossible for a long time.
My advice is to start a blog with the right expectations. Keep trucking on and celebrate the small wins!
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The Technical Stuff Will Drive You Crazy
Writing is an amazing part of blogging, but it’s actually only a small part of the whole process.
When you first start blogging especially, you’ll be trying to figure out the whole technical side of your blog. I would stay up hours late at night just trying to figure out one technical image, like why a picture wasn’t showing up when I would upload it.
Little things like that would drive me crazy. I’d Google frantically, then find a code, then try to find the right spot to put the code, and hope it worked. Sometimes, I would spend weeks on just figuring out how one technical issue could be solved.
It was extremely frustrating at times, but I am so glad I stuck with it!
You have to know, as one of the things that no one ever told you about blogging, that there will be a lot of technical issues. But also know that there is always a solution.
You can’t let the small things ruin the greater picture.
As a blogger you’ll also have to deal with spam comments, people all around the world trying to hack you, your blog crashing or being slow, and so much more.
It can become annoying at times, but only if you let it affect the joy you find while blogging. I always celebrated the small baby-step win when I found a solution to my technical problem and it only motivated me to keep pushing on.
Related Post: 10 Reasons To Start A Blog After You Graduate College
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It’s A Commitment
Part of blogging and making money doing it is having the necessary views, readers, and audience to consume your content. But, the challenging step beyond that is getting your content in the hands of those people.
As a blogger, you have to meet your audience where they are at. That means their social media channels at the right time of the day. That means writing something they want to come back and reference. And that means inspiring them to share your content with others they know.
For example, I write for 20-somethings struggling with the step of entering adulthood.
I write practical advice on how to make that transition successful and set up your life for success in your 20s. However, if my content doesn’t get into the hands of 20-somethings then it is all a loss.
20-somethings don’t hang out on Facebook much these days. I need to meet them on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for example. Google is also a great way to gain traffic and an audience.
I also collect email addresses in exchange for a free guide I created.
These are all necessary skills to learn and participate in as a blogger. You can’t leave your audience hanging or you’ll never build a tribe, and in turn, you’ll never sell a product.
It’s a commitment. You will have to put in the time and effort for the long haul.
But it’s also like pushing a snowball up a hill. Once you get going, you start to pick up more snow and build traction and then one day the snowball will roll down the other side of the hill on its own and you won’t even have to push it.
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It’s An Investment
It requires money to start a blog. It also requires a lot of time and energy.
To be a blogger, it is important to know that you will have to use your time, talents, and treasures. You can’t go anywhere if you don’t invest in it.
Yes, there are free blog options. That’s what I started on just to write my feelings. But, I came to the realization that in order to start a money-making blog, it was necessary to go all in.
It also is a huge learning curve, and that is something that no one ever told me about. I had no clue how long getting my blog up and running would take. The amount of research I had to do to figure out everything involved in blogging shocked me.
(If you’re curious, these are the two blogging courses I took to get through the learning curve: Launch Your Blog Course Reviewed and Make Money Blogging Course Reviewed)
I also learned a lot from other bloggers on the business side of running a blog.
But, learning the right strategy to use for my blog may be different than another blogger. Running a blog means that I am updating my business model constantly. I have to continually take advice from others but then apply it to my own blog.
Related Post: How To Start An Online Business On A Budget
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It Can Easily Become An Idol If You Let It
I love blogging. I find so much joy in it.
But, if I let the investment of my time, talents, and treasures take over then I simply become a slave to my blog and it is like any other job I could work. My relationship with the Lord, my marriage, and taking care of the other important areas in life must always come first in my life.
If you let it, blogging can consume your thoughts. It can lead to a comparison trap. And it can cause you to no longer find joy in doing it.
Just like anything in life, if we let blogging take place in our lives that is superior to the things that really matter, then we fail.
Don’t let the hunger to write more, earn more, share more, post more, etc. win. Being a blogger is one of the best parts of my day, but it is not the best.
The time I spend alone in the morning with God, the fun moments I am able to enjoy with my husband and puppies, the friendships and events I am to volunteer at – these are all things that should come first.
Finding a balance in life is never easy.
I’m still a part-time blogger with a full-time job. I will always have a household to manage. There are always errands to run, chores to do, and a laundry list of things to clean. Finding the balance in each season of life is not a challenge, but an adventure.
I love blogging, but I will never let it consume my life.
If this is one of the things no one ever told you about blogging, I hope you can heed my advice.
Related Post: How To Know If You Are A Natural Writer Or Not
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It Will Change You
Let’s just say blogging sparks all the feels.
You will be fearful. You will laugh and cry. Blogging will cause you to doubt and be brave. It has literally sparked every single emotion in me at one time or another.
And that’s why I love blogging. You wake up and you never know what you’ll get.
You never know what comment you could wake up to on a post, what sponsored opportunity you may have received, or what technical problem you will encounter that day.
It will make you more patient. Blogging will change your perspective. It can cause you to chase after your hopes and dreams.
Since I started blogging, I have grown in tremendous ways. Not only have I been pushed out of my comfort zone on a regular basis, but I have learned how to handle my weaknesses and grow in them.
Looking back at the last two years, I can see how much I have learned, grown, and changed and that alone is another reason why I love blogging. It’s one of the biggest learning curves I ever faced but it is incredible to be over some of the beginning hurdles and continue to grow in small steps.
Blogging is a rollercoaster in so many ways, and I hope you’ll ride it. It’s completely worth it, even if it just changes you in the smallest way, for the better.
Well, there you have it! All the honest and real things to help you decide if blogging is the right fit for you.
What did you think of the 8 Aggravating Things No One Ever Told You About Blogging? Let me know in the comments below!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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This was such a relatable read for me. Honestly, since I’ve started blogging I didn’t realise how much of a huge commitment it would be both time wise and financially. It’s such a huge investment. Every person starting their blogging journey needs to read this!
Thank you so much Rachel!
Thanks for sharing!
This was so interesting to read. I’m always curious what other’s perspectives are on blogging, especially if they’ve been at it for a while. After 5 years, I still very much feel these 8 things – some of them more intensely than others. But no matter what, I’ve learned from them as I’ve gone!
So cool, thanks so much for sharing Stephanie!
All of these are so true! I think I related with point 7 the most. I have definitely found myself putting it ahead of what should be my true priorities in life, and I just need to snap it right back into place! Thank you for showing the real side of blogging too! <3
You are so welcome (:
Yes!! Agree with all of your points very much! Thanks for listing them to remind us to appreciate everything we put into it!
Thanks for the support!
I was nodding my head to every point you made! Blogging is SO MUCH WORK and most of it is completely unnoticed.
Yes, and no one seems to talk about that part! Thanks for the comment, Christa!
I agree on all your points, especially the first! Consistency really is key (and that’s why it was my blogging resolution this year!). I let my blog stand for too many months last year without posting and my audience dramatically declined. Yikes!
Consistency is definitely the only way to help your blog to grow 🙂
You are so right – always focus on consistency!
Lots of great points. I love blogging so much, which is why I don’t put pressure on it to be full time for me. I’m afraid then it would cause me more stress and less enjoyment. Having it as a side income is enough for me. Those blog posts that promise easy ways to make money blogging are definitely big red flags!
I’m glad you found the balance that was best for you (:
PREACH! Yes, yes, yes! Totally agree with all of these things and wish I had read this post four years ago when I was starting out. Totally agree that blogging is a marathon. Good things come from hard work, but it all takes time.
For sure! Too many people want to get rich quick. It’s important to recognize all the work that goes into running your own business. Thanks Monica!
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