Can blogs make money?

Over at Living Room, blogger Darren Rowse asks the questions that have probably popped into the mind of every blogger.



At least once:



"Will blogging produce millionaires? Can blogging financially provide people with a full time earning capacity? Will we see more and more professional bloggers? Can and should blogs earn money?" asks Darren Rowse.



I have asked that question, and discussed it, on more than one occasion myself.



I believe there are certainly ways that blogs can produce at least some income. Not all bloggers (or even a few) may be able to make a full time living from their blogs. There is no reason why a nice little chunk of change can't slide in the direction of a few bloggers.



One thing we must accept, before we discuss the issue of revenues, is what is the goal of our blog. Is it simply to be an online diary or journal of personal thoughts, free of commercial overtones? If so, then advertising, various sponsorships, and affiliate programs are not for that person.



In this column, I talk about business blogs.



If we can make money from our blogs, then we should look into all possible revenue producing sources.



This marketing, public relations and search engine optimization blog and my other roller derby commentary blog have helped me land a number of paying freelance writing jobs.



My two blogs serve as the writing sample for the prospective publications.



Many bloggers depend on donations for their blogs. Some do better than others at that technique, I'm sure. At Living Room, Darren Rowse has wrestled with the donations concept, and has accepted the idea. He accepts financial support from his many readers.



There is the possiblity of advertising on blogs. Some advertisers will pay for strong traffic flows on widely read sites. Of course, if a blogger plans on selling ad space, then a strong marketing program needs to be put into action. There has to be enough visitor traffic to justify the advertisement fees. It will be the blog owner's job to attract them.



Some bloggers gain some affiliate revenue from links, to Amazon.com, and other major retail sites. As a book or similar product is mentioned in the blog content, a link is placed to the main merchant site. A small commission is sent back, to the linking blog, for the referral. Some heavy duty promotional work could perhaps turn that idea into a tidy monthly cheque.



There are always concerns that if a blog becomes a revenue source, the quality of content might drop. That is always a possibility with any blog, whether it makes any money or not. The onus is always on the writer to provide good high calibre posts, whether paid or not.



I think the quality argument against earning revenue is a red herring. Blogs vary in quality regardless of their financial status. Income, or lack of it, won't change that circumstance one bit. Good and bad blogs will always be out there, whether they make any money or not.



I believe many blogs will become strong revenue producers. Some will never make any income. The vast majority of money making activities undertaken, will produce some added income, for the blogger. Like anything else, it will depend on the marketing and promotional skills of the people involved.



Some people will always make more more money than others.



You can make money at your blog.



You simply have to consider your blog to be your business.