Maybe you read someone’s blog income report and are blown away by the amount of money they make? You might have heard how easy it is to start a blog and earn money online? Regardless of why you want to become a blogger, we are going to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of blogging.
Blogging can be a great way to earn a living from home. In fact, most people who start their blog have no clue how to monetize it or how to drive traffic to it.
The successful bloggers who managed to turn their blog into a business NEVER gave up. The ones who didn’t have success are probably looking for a new way to make money.
Or they threw in the towel and decided to call it quits.
What is Blogging?
Before we can talk about the pros and cons of blogging, you first need to understand what it is. Blogging is nothing more than an online journal that you update on a regular basis.
The newest content is always on top, while the older content gets pushed down into your blog archives. (Wikipedia definition)
This explanation of a weblog is pretty basic, but there really isn’t much to it. Most people start their blogs on CMS blog software (WordPress) because it is a great blogging platform.
However, there are tons of different blogging platforms you can choose from. (just browse the Internet and you’ll find tons of information regarding different platforms.)
Purpose of A Blog?
Now that you know what a blog is, you might be wondering what’s the purpose of a blog? People start one for several different reasons such as:
- Passion (they want to share their knowledge of something)
- Business Opportunities
- Side Hustle (earn extra money from home)
- Market promote something
- Help people
- Establish themselves as an expert
- Connect with others online
- Make a difference
- Have fun and use it as a creative channel
I am sure there are other reasons that people choose to become a blogger, but these are the most popular reasons.
Why I Started My Blog
I personally started my blog because I wanted to create a side hustle to earn money from home. I was currently working as a WordPress freelancer and got tired of trading time for dollars.
So I started this blog and started working towards earning passive income, instead of working as a freelancer. I am happy to say that I no longer accept new clients and am finally making some money with this blog.
It’s still nowhere near to what I’d like to make, but it’s coming.
Should You Start A Blog?
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you’ve thought about starting your own blog. I personally think the advantages of blogging outweigh the disadvantages, but we’ll get more into that in a bit.
First, I want you to understand that this venture is NOT for the faint of heart. It’s definitely not an overnight success and if you need money today, you’ll be much better off getting a job.
I’ve started tons of blogs in the past and experienced some success but never stuck with it long enough to see it grow. This is the only blog that I’ve had the longest.
It’s definitely not the easiest way to earn money. You’re going to work very hard at the beginning stages and you’ll probably fail with your first blog.
However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t succeed with your blog. The only way you fail is if you quit learning and implementing what you learn.
If you’re the type of person who can keep persisting even when you’re not seeing results. You have a pretty good chance of succeeding.
On the other hand, if you’re the type of person who wants instant overnight results and is quick to jump to the next big thing. You’ll keep spinning in circles looking for something that will make you money overnight.
Take it from me, there’s no such thing as an overnight success story in anything online.
What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages of Blogging
Okay now that you know what a blog is and know that owning a blog doesn’t mean you’ll make money right away. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of blogging how it can change your life.
What Are The Advantages of Blogging?
Working From Home
I haven’t worked a regular job in a while, but when I did, I hated commuting to and from work. Blogging has given me the opportunity to work from the comfort of my home or anywhere I can find free Wi-Fi. As long as you have access to a laptop and the Internet you can start a blog and work from home.
Time Freedom
I’ll admit that I spend a lot of time on this blog because I have the time to do so. If you’re still working a job and want to start working towards a better future with a blog, you can do it part-time.
There are several bloggers who started this as a side hustle while still working a full-time job. Just know that it’s going to require a huge commitment and you might not have any free time.
However, if you’re willing to work hard and do all the right things to grow your blog, your life can be totally different in a year or two. Of course, it depends on several different factors like the blog niche you choose and how you drive traffic and monetize it.
No Pressure
There’s no boss telling you that you have a 5:00 deadline to meet. If you want to take a break and go for a walk in the middle of the day, you can do that.
I personally love going to the gym or going for a run every morning while everyone else is working their day jobs. There’s nothing like being able to go to the grocery store during the days and not having to wait in lines.
As long as I get my blogging tasks done, then I get to spend the rest of the day however, I choose.
No Dress Code
I can’t remember the last time I got dressed up because I had to go to work. When I worked at the post office, I had to wear a postal uniform, which I hated.
Now I just work in a t-shirt and shorts. I very rarely put on a pair of shoes if I am working on my laptop. The point is I don’t dress up unless I am leaving the house and even then it’s usually just shorts and a shirt.
Improve Your Communication Skills
It’s your blog and once you start blogging, you’ll start to develop your blogging voice. Of course, I recommend trying to write in a conversational tone as those are the type of blogs that do extremely well.
Don’t worry if you don’t feel extremely confident with your first blog post. As you continue publishing fresh content, you’ll develop your own voice and start to get comfortable.
Become an Authority in Your Niche
As your blog continues to grow and your archives are filled with tons of useful posts and information, it will become a great digital asset. Eventually, people will begin to notice you and you may even get some blogger career opportunities or to some freelance blogging jobs.
The point I am trying to make is that once you’ve been blogging for a while, you might have some opportunities come your way.
Build An Online Portfolio
Even if you enjoy your day job and don’t want to become a full-time blogger, the work you put into building your digital asset will pay off. There are different blog stages that we all have to go through.
- Getting Established
- Traffic Growth
- Maturity & Monetization
- Maintenance
If you have the patience and persistence to get through the hurdles of every stage. You will have created an online digital asset that will bring you a full-time blogger salary. Of course, it all depends on how you choose to monetize it.
Disadvantages of Blogging
Now let’s take a look at some of the disadvantages of becoming a professional blogger. Just like everything in life, there’s always some negative reasons behind it.
Work / Life Balance
As a new blogger, you have a lot to learn. This means that every waking hour or free time you have, you’re spending time on your blog. It’s like a black hole and it seems like you never have time to do anything else because you’re letting the blog control your life. (oh wait, maybe that’s just me?)
It was extremely hard for me to create a work/life balance. As my blog continues to age and I have a system in place, I am getting a lot better. But it isn’t unheard of to hear bloggers say that they spend 80 plus hours per week trying to earn a full-time blogger income.
You Feel Alone
At times, you’re going to feel like you’re the only one chasing the blogging dream. Your spouse or significant other has no clue what you do. If you try to talk to them about it, they have no clue what you’re talking about.
It’s so easy to get discouraged or frustrated if you’re facing some hurdles. The best thing that I’ve found is to join a few Facebook groups to reach out and get support from other bloggers.
Whatever you do, don’t let the hurdles bring you down and quit.
Discipline
It’s nice not having someone breathe down your neck constantly reminding you about deadlines. It’s easy to sit down and watch Netflix or do a load of laundry instead of working on your blog.
If you don’t have the self-discipline to get your daily tasks done, then you’ll never be able to become a full-time blogger.
Techie Stuff
Most of us who start a blog on WordPress will face all kinds of technical hurdles. I still remember the first time I set up my first WordPress blog, it took me over 8 hours.
Today, there’s a one click installation to install WordPress in just 5 minutes. Just like anything you’ve never done before, you have to give yourself time to learn how to do it.
Related: How to Start A Blog Tips for Beginners
Your Friends Think Your Nuts
Most people are scared to start online ventures because they think they are all scams. If you tell your friends and family that your goal is to start blogging full time so you can eventually quit your 9-5.
They are going to tell you that you’re crazy. You might even have a spouse or significant other who doesn’t support your online endeavors.
You’re going to have to learn how to ignore the naysayers and just keep blogging. Once you start making some money, they’ll understand why you went through all the trouble.
Are You Ready?
Now that you’ve seen both the positive and negative effects of blogging, are you going to be starting one? At the time of this writing, I’ve been blogging for almost two years.
I can definitely tell you that it’s not as easy as some people make it seem. It’s the hardest work that I’ve ever done. (not including manual labor)
But I love it and I wouldn’t want to do anything else. It’s nice starting from scratch and looking back and seeing the online empire I’m creating. I can only imagine where it will be in another year from now.
Final Take Away
The costs of starting a blog are very small. If you’ve been dreaming about creating a better financial situation for yourself, then just go for it. So what if you make some mistakes along the way, we all make them.
As long as you learn from your mistakes, it’s okay. While I can’t tell you that you’ll earn six figures blogging, what I can tell you is that the experience and knowledge you’ll gain will be amazing.
If your first blog doesn’t succeed, you can always start in a different niche. Either way, I have no doubt that if you put in the right work and don’t worry about making money.
Eventually, the money will come.
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Have you started your blog? Let me know if you have and what you’ve faced as a blogger.
