This is actually a post topic I've been mulling over for a while now. You get to a point with this type of business where you have multiple segments of readers, and even if they don't care about blogging per se – most people are at least interested in how you do whatever it is that a pro blogger does.
Some people come here for the student loan/money information, others just come here for some *hopefully* thoughtful reading in the morning, and then there are people that want to start online businesses and see how it's done.
I've been blogging for a little over two years now, and it's been full of ups and downs from the beginning. It's not like there are a bunch of professional bloggers walking around, so largely I've had to figure this bizarre business out on my own!
Read also: How I'm Growing My Blog This Year
Kinda just like anything else, you can only Google so much stuff before you just have to try things and see what works and what doesn't. Along the way, you start to understand how everything happens in the bigger picture.
Here's what the life cycle of a blog looks like:
1. Something sparks your interest
For me, it was paying off my student loans and seeing how few people could even believe that I did it. It was such a big deal for me personally, but to the people around me I think it just made me come across as some nerdy fool (that also just got “lucky”…or something like that).
The other major driving factor that caused me to start thinking about blogging in the first place was that I saw all these high school kids at my teaching job that were about to take on student loans.
It was pretty scary, and I wanted to do something about it, even if it was small.
Read also: The Reason I Quit My Job to Blog
2. Start writing
I've seen different strategies from people who have started blogs, but ultimately you just sit down and start writing about whatever you are passionate about. The first post I ever wrote was on a word document that I eventually transferred over to Medium.com, and then later this site.
Other people find blog starter guides like mine or take blogging courses and start up their site that way.
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3. Spam your Facebook friends
You're super excited about your new site, so you start sharing your message with all of your Facebook friends!
This is where you learn a lot about social media in general, but especially about the vast majority of people you know.
At first – they'll love your blog. That's what happened for me. I shared some of my articles and got tons of “Wow Bobby this is so great!”, “I love your message“, etc.
Then after a few weeks…they tune out and you become an annoying spam artist to them haha.
If you have your Google analytics set up, you'll see some spikes in traffic from Facebook for a little bit, but then it starts to go away after a week or two once people's social media attention span turns off.
Read also: Ten Things You Need to Know About Blogging Before You Jump In
4. Move on to trying to grow your social media reach
Once the hype from your personal Facebook audience dies down, you have to start spreading your message elsewhere.
So, you start getting active on various platforms and ultimately find the ones you like the most. You share your articles constantly, interact with whoever will respond to your stuff, and just grind.
You'll see some good traction during this time, but it takes a while and your traffic never seems to grow fast enough.
5. You hit “the wall”
Just FYI – this is where most people stop blogging.
After creating content for a few months, it's easy to get stuck and stop writing. Most people have a normal job on top of what they are trying to do with their site, and they get frustrated putting all this time into something that isn't really making them any money.
I actually think that this can be a really good thing, because I've seen people that want to be full-time bloggers try it out and then quit, refocus, and make positive changes to the career path they were already on before they started dreaming about being a full-time blogger.
Trying something and failing/stopping can be a refreshing experience sometimes. It's like hitting the “reset” button.
There are three main types of bloggers (that I've seen so far):
- People who have a message they passionately want to share
- People who hate their job and feel like blogging full-time may be a better way to live
- People who just want something fun to do and want to be part of a community
All three are totally valid, but I do think that 1 and 3 have slightly better chances for success. Not basing that on any numbers – just a gut feeling.
Read also: Three Ways I Learned How to Avoid Getting Burned Out
6. You catch a break
This looks different for every blogger. Maybe a post goes viral, or you get featured on a big website (which is what happened for me when my wife and I were featured on CNBC last year).
If you're smart, you can take the momentum that comes from those events and use it to turn your blog into a real business.
Ultimately in blogging, traffic = income.
How much you have doesn't necessarily directly correlate to how much money you make. Some bloggers have 500,000 views/month and make $1,000,000+ per year from their site.
Some have 1,000,000 views/month and make $100,000.
It just depends on what your goals are, what kind of lifestyle you want to have, and how much work you put into various areas like advertising or creating products.
The main message in this step is that you have to keep going until you either catch a break OR slowly grow your audience over the course of several years. Blogging is NOT a “get rich quick” business model.
Like I mentioned before, most people stop at part 5 of the blogging life cycle and never reach this part.
Read also: M$M is on Business Insider!
7. Sustained growth
Once you have a large enough base audience, it becomes a lot easier to grow your following.
At this point you're probably a few years into the game. That means you know more about techniques and strategies that you'll need to grow the site, and your strategy becomes much more clear.
This is where you can really start to focus on building a community of people, which is when things really get fun.
Step 7 is probably where I am right now. I make a living doing this, I'm finding more ways to make money and diversify my income, etc. I definitely don't have everything figured out, but there is a clear plan moving forward AND a real M$M community has started to form.
Facebook is my jam right now, and I love talking to all the readers there. It's really not that huge of an audience in the grande scheme, but the engagement is very good for the size because I take the time…you know…to actually talk to people. đŸ™‚
(A lot of bloggers don't do that because it honestly takes a ton of time to respond to your readers).
8. Branch out or sell the site
Eventually it seems that sites like this get to a crossroad, and different bloggers do different things when they get there.
You can either start doing speaking gigs and writing books while still maintaining your blog, or sell it and move on to the next cool thing. Here's a great example from my friend J Money who was recently faced with this situation (and a million dollar offer for his blog)!
OR, you can keep maintaining the site as is and grow it as much as possible.
All of the above options depend solely on the owner of the blog, which is what makes this such a cool career. There is a lot of flexibility in where you can take your business, and they are all pretty sweet options…IF you can get to that point.
Again – most people stop blogging before they actually “make it”. If you can put out content consistently that brings value to people (which is the hardest part), you at least have a puncher's chance.
Ultimately, the market will decide if you're talented enough to do it full-time.
If you're STILL interested in starting a site after reading all of this, take a look at my free blog creation guide. You'll learn everything you need to set your blog up today, and you'll also get my special pricing for M$M readers AND a free domain name.
If you just want to dip your toes in the water, you can always take my free (yes, actually free) 8 day blogging course here.
Question for you:
Do you think full-time blogging would be fun or boring as a career?
Great post Bobby! While my blog isn’t close to having ‘lived’ a full lifecycle, it makes a lot of sense. I would say that after 8 months, I’ve reached stage 5, (dreaming of #6, haha) although I’ve already begun to branch out somewhat (stage 8). That may be out of order, but it’s working well. I do have to be careful not to lose focus on the foundational aspects of the blog however. ie. creating content, dialoguing with readers, the stuff I enjoy most.
I think branching out is the biggest part, and you don’t necessarily have to have a large blog to do it. You just find different ways to make money because…well…you have to haha. I’ll probably be stuck in step 7 for years (hopefully).
I’m definitely in stage 4 coming up on stage 5. I remember see one of my first posts get over 100 views early on, and thinking wow – this is easy. Haha – wrong. Thanks for the info.
Haha no problem Chris! Takes time đŸ™‚
Hahaha, so true. Sometimes I think I oscillate between being passionate about writing and feeling like I’ve hit a wall. I guess it’s all about not trying to force things and just doing what you enjoy. I would loooove to blog full time, but it’s an “always on” kind of thing. You’re always hustling to bring in income–it’s hard to stop and take a break.
Yeah I’m probably the worst ever at taking breaks. Definitely something I need to work on!
I’m with you Mrs Picky. Some days I feel a real passion for my site and can write until the cows wander in, and other times I feel nothing and think about letting it go.
I don’t see it as a money making exercise for me and as a result, don’t carry any ads at all. I enjoy the community side of blogging and have met (online-wise) some really great people from it. Maybe one day I’ll meet some in person.
Incredibly insightful and helpful even though I felt like I already knew some of these it was a great insight to see the levels or progression of the blogging cycle. I think I’m starting on step 4! Thanks again for the well thought out post!
You’re welcome Barnabus!
To answer your question: I do think full time blogging would be fun, as long as it is about something I am passionate about. Otherwise it will just become another form of a ‘job’. I already have one of those. Thanks for the reminder to not get caught up and forget to keep it focused on my passion!
Yeah always keep it passion based – makes it feel like less work đŸ™‚
Great post! I feel like I am at #5, hit a wall with my blogging reach. Thankfully I blog because I am passionate about my niche so I will keep going. Thanks for the insight!
You’re welcome!
I love being a full time blogger and freelance writer! Sure, there are those hard days (that EVERY job/career has) but I wouldn’t change this for anything!
Same here!
I remember when I first realized I wanted to start a blog to document my debt free journey. I was sitting at work, listening to money podcasts, and trolling your blog (yes…it’s true. I was not even subscribed yet LOL).
I delayed launching my blog for MONTHS because I was not confident enough in my writing, thought my FB connections would find me super annoying, and I would lose interest in blogging, fast.
Well, I am going on three months of blogging and still learning this crazy life cycle! It has it’s challenged, but I am totally getting the hang all.
Good stuff, Bobby!
Thanks Danielle! I’m glad my site was part of the decision!!!!
This was a really insightful article. Seeing all the stages laid out, especially the hit the wall stage, actually is much more encouraging than discouraging. Being in stage one, hoping to get into stage two this week, it’s very nice to know that everybody hits a wall and that just a bit of perseverance can break you through that wall
EVERYONE his a wall with blogging. It just takes time, but one of the good things is that you find out pretty quickly if you want to keep doing it.
You hit the nail on the head Bobby! I had a family emergency come up a few months into my blog and had to completely stop working on it. It was incredibly frustrating, but looking back it was a good thing because I was able to re-prioritize and really explore what I want to focus on and I’ve had more time to think about the big picture. I’m sure most people thought I quit but I’ll be back soon! Interesting to see everything you laid out, and inspires me to jump back in! Always love your articles!
Thanks Staci! Hope all is well – sorry to hear about the family emergency
I actually recently gained the confidence to begin my own personal finance blog, largely from reading about your story and this site! I think I’m currently stuck at #3-#4 and this completely because for the time being, I have to remain anonymous.
Any suggestions about how to grow an audience if you were in my shoes and couldn’t necessarily tap into your personal connections? I aspire to be a full time blogger with the success of your site!
Keep up the great work man!
Ridley R.
Plenty of bloggers have to be anonymous and own it – take a look at budgetsaresexy.com. He’s one of the best and I don’t even know is name (even after meeting him in person).
Very interesting. I’m still at #2 and will be moving to #3 soon, but idk…I feel like I want more stuff for people to read before really promoting the site much. Did you wait long after you actually started writing until you promoted the site to friends and such?
Nope I started from the beginning. It’s OK if you don’t have a ton of content yet
I’m at step 3 or 4. I am also #2 of that list since I desperately want to do this full time. However, I have made attempts at building sites and online businesses in the past with little success.
Although I still am motivated to leave my job, my approach is different. I enrolled in Elite Blog Academy a month after starting the blog and am using my time wisely when I have it.
With a wife and young son, I need to be productive in what little time I have to work on the blog. I also want to network with like-minded individuals and help people in the process. I want more time with the family and the chance to set my own schedule.
Always great stuff, Bobby. Thanks!
Networking is HUGE! I never took EBA – is it worth it?
Yeah, I am making it a priority. EBA is awesome. I’m in Unit 5 of 12. So far, I have seen my page views double and even started bringing a little money. Granted, they’re both small amounts, but I was thrilled. Started the blog in January and the course in February. So, it’s really helping set a solid foundation to make this a full-time endeavor one day.
This is fantastic! Such a great breakdown of steps and progression. It really helps me see the big picture. I can definitely see my own progress through these stages, and laughed when I got to 3, The Facebook Stage. I have definitely felt the encouragement there, and then have seen people gradually fall off. I’m currently in stage 4 and sometimes I definitely feel like I hit a wall and have nothing important to say. But like others have said, the “wall” feeling ebbs and flows. I’m trying to write good, valuable content and really find ways to grow my audience and reach, which can be both fun and frustrating.
Haha I think everyone goes through the Facebook stage. It’s the largest social media audience you have in the beginning, so it makes sense!
I’m a big believe in telling your story as it happens rather than telling people what to do. That’s how I’m able to keep pumping content out without getting too burnt out.
That’s a really great suggestion! It’s a small concept twist on writing but has already gotten my wheels turning with a few new ideas. Thanks Bobby!
Nice post Bobby, Thanks
No problem Drew!
This post will be a hit if it is not already.
We needed this and it came at a perfect time! Saved to refer back to often.
Thanks, bobby as always =)
You’re welcome!
Great post! I’m on Step 4, but I think I skipped Step 3! Since I’m still anonymous, I didn’t spam my Facebook friends at the start, which probably cost me some early likes on my page/posts, but I think was ultimately the right decision since it’s forcing me to grind for interaction with and acquisition of readers. I don’t get charity likes and interaction, but I actually have to earn their trust with good content.
It’s definitely getting more challenging to write great posts consistently as the “new” of this endeavor wears off, but just hearing that most people quit when they hit the wall makes me want to push through to the other side!
Just tell your story – don’t worry about writing the most awe-inspiring content ever. That comes as you throw more stuff against the wall!
I’ve been blogging since 2009! My blog is a momma blog though (I know, boring right) but my viewers have consistently grown and I share on social media like FB and Instagram and also Google. My question: I NEVER earn from my site’s ads. Ever. I’ve had as much as over 3,000 viewers on one post and nothing. I really don’t understand the ‘Adsense.’ But since over had the address for so long, I’m afraid to change it. Thanks for any suggestions!
Hmm I’d make sure that your ad account is set up correctly. You won’t make much with even 3,000 views, but it probably shouldn’t be zero.
Awesome post. I think, like anything else, it’s about finding your own way and balance.
I’m about 4 months into it, and I’ve found myself getting stressed out that I don’t have free giveaways on the site to attract more subscribers, but I reminded myself I need to build up the content first before anyone cares about a giveaway. I need a few more months of consistent posting to build a platform.
Once I took away that stress, it brought back the fun to my writing. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when I look at already established sites like yours and wish I could just push a button and magically be there already.
I have a vision of turning my site into a source of income, but I’m okay now with the slow and steady path, so it doesn’t overtake my personal life and turn me into a gray-haired mom who’s cross-eyed at the computer.
I liked this because it’s very realistic about a blog. I’m somewhere between step 2 and 4 (I’m skipping step 3 for fear of losing friends haha!) for my website thehandycapitalist.com . Great post though, everyone is a little different so this covers a lot of people I’m sure.