Why you won’t get rich by mum blogging
My friend Liz sent an interesting article my way … one by The Brazen Careerist about being realistic about making money from your blog.
Before you head over there to read that (excellent) post, let me set you straight right now: THERE IS NO REAL MONEY IN MUMMY BLOGGING.
Let me rephrase that in case you blinked or didn't understand my accent: If you choose to turn your mummy blog into a commercial enterprise, you will earn, hold on to your hats ladies, upwards of couple grand a year. Gasp.
The people who make real money from advertising on their blogs - as in you would consider quitting your day job if you had a day job - are the ones with high traffic sites. I'm not talking 25k monthly page views. No, you need more like a million page views a month. A MILLION. EACH MONTH.
How about a book deal you may ask, surely you can get rich with a book deal? I heard Lucy Cavendish speak at a literary event last year, and she pointed out there's the small issue that a novel takes at least a (very intense) year to write and after everyone takes their bit, you get around £30-40k. For a year — if you are lucky– of blood, sweat and tears!? No, novels are a labour of love too.
Many advertising options for blogs are based on traffic. My guess is that the average UK mum blog gets about 5-25k pageviews a month, which will earn anywhere between £5 - £50. Of course you could always go for Google Adsense. I earned £16.97 last year! I didn't even bother to claim it. Running your own text links and banner ads is an option. They usually go for £80 – £120 a year. A YEAR.
Some mum bloggers are invited to review products. You may open your email one morning to find a very kind invitation to review the MOTHERHOOD DVD (which will retail for around £16.) If you are good at it, you may even be asked to review more things. Things that you probably don't really need. You could fill a whole house full of this stuff, and open your hall closet to an avalanche of Baby Annebelles, Blu-ray DVDs and advent calendars, have prams multiplying in your garage, and a whole office full of cereal, self-filling into bowls.
OK, so I'm glossing over the FEEL GOOD factor. Yes, it is nice to get compensation — any type of compensation – for doing something you love, WITHIN SCHOOL HOURS. It's nice to be told your opinions are valuable. But hour per hour, I could make more money, as Penelope says, flipping burgers.
But blogging CAN lead to other more lucrative opportunities: writing contracts, consulting, heck you may even decide to put on a mum blogger conference. But you are never EVER going to pay your mortgage by mummy blogging. There are small bits to be made here and there, but please keep it in perspective. Write a personal blog because you like to do it. Because you like to connect with others that love to blog. Because you like the camaraderie and support and the feeling of joy when you find out you're not the only one with a baby that fills a nappy with green poo or that someone else actually hated breastfeeding.
So what do you think? Are you making any money from your blog? I'd love you to prove me wrong and to hear some success stories.
Photo credit: fishy fish
Donna Le-bon Olive | 7th Jul 10
Hi Susanna
Reading your blog has given me the incentive to start my own. I have always enjoyed writing and think this will be a good way of staying in touch with other Mums (and Dads)and hopefully will be a bit of fun. So thank you.
wandermom | 16th Mar 10
Great post Susanna!
This is why I describe my blog as my hobby + I have no intention of packing in my day job.
kelly | 10th Mar 10
To be honest and truthful, i have only been introduced to the world of mummy blogging around a month ago and yes its addictive. I have strated one myself. Its hard, i spend most of my time reading others (like this one) to get incentives and ideas. However, I have never thought about the money side of it, i just want to do it beacuse i enjoy it!
Anthony | 5th Mar 10
Great quality post! I think it is important that bloggers should realise that it is very few that can make a lot money, it’s the 80/20 rule!
nomorexcuses | 4th Mar 10
This is a fascinating post & discussion – thank-you. I was wondering when my ‘passive income’ of 5 figures was going to come rolling in… best I stop holding my breath then! 😉
TooManyHats | 4th Mar 10
I blog for the joy if it – the joy of sharing my thoughts and the immense joy of reading other blogs. Sometimes I wondered if making money was realistic for me, from this post, I see it is not and that is okay 🙂
Luschka | 4th Mar 10
lol @nixdminx I hear you on the new mothers and blogging. My friends regularly ask me how I have time for at least four posts a week and my now 5 month old! For me its a matter of sanity. Once she goes to bed at night, I have a few hours to myself to be just me again. It’s a sanity and life saver for me.
Great post this – I think you have to blog for your love of writing, and anything you gain from it is just a blessing
All Grown Up | 3rd Mar 10
Thanks for this, interesting to think about! I’ve tagged you over at my blog, I hope you’ll play along, it’s a pretty big issue.
Alice | 3rd Mar 10
Great post… I think you’ve hit the nail on the head: “Write a personal blog because you like to do it”.
Yes my blog in some ways supports my professional writing career by giving readers a way to connect with me on a personal level, but ultimately I write it because I just love to connect with other bloggers and well, because I just love writing!
I must also say that personally, if I stumble across a blog that is too review and advertising-heavy, I shy away. The thing I love about blogging is getting to know ‘real’ people.
Metropolitan Mum | 2nd Mar 10
Very interesting read. I think there is money to be made for a few people. Especially those who use their blog to support their professional profile. But apart from these chosen few, it’s close to impossible to make any real money, I believe.
Babes about Town | 2nd Mar 10
This is a fascinating read and discussion.
I think it’s right to manage expectations and point out that mummy blogging is definitely not a get-rich-quick scheme. But I agree with Natalie that we can’t box everyone in with the same experience.
Whether you’re in it to make money, make friends or just make some sense out of your life, I see blogging as a platform that creates both community and opportunity.
How you transform that opportunity into profit is up to you, but having that sort of platform can definitely enhance your lifestyle. And for many, simply becoming part of this community can be a life-changing experience.
I started my blog to establish a presence and hopefully help build a brand for a service that I think will prove valuable to London parents. I don’t expect it to be a main source of income but I do hope it will become a useful revenue stream.
And I definitely won’t turn my nose up at any of the perks!
Nappy Valley Housewife | 2nd Mar 10
Well, I don’t know if there’s any money in blogging. But I hope my husband doesn’t find out. Because how will I justify the time? I just started a blog yesterday. But already I know that it’s a good thing for me and the people around me because I can rant and let off steam and share some of my crazy ideas. It also seems like the bloggers have a good sense of community which is nice.
Heather Davis | 2nd Mar 10
Okay I am showing this post to my husband who is already preparing himself for retirement when I get my million pound book deal!
As a “beginner” I am just enjoying being able to do two things I feel passionate about – baking and writing – with a purpose. Plus meeting new people.
But as a lot of you having been doing this for some time I can see a time when it may not be so enjoyable.
For now I am just going to get as much out of it before that times come.
Interesting post.
zooarchaeologist | 2nd Mar 10
Totally agree with you Susanna, as you know I do my blogging for fun. I don’t worry about blog links and traffic at all, anything I get is a bonus. You clearly put an awful to more effort into blogging than me, who does it in a rather haphazard way. I have only ever written about 3 guest blogs! This is why you are number 1 and I am not. However, it hasn’t stopped me getting a fair amount of stuff to review which is great as far as I am concerned as it has directly benefited my children. As I don’t care about traffic and links this hasn’t had any impact on me other than a positive one.
My point is, that I have an above average pay job and for me to take home £2000 after tax and childcare costs I need to work for close to 300 hours in quite a demanding role. Compared to that blogging seems a bit of a doddle, as in the whole, its something that I enjoy and do for fun anyhow.
You need to ask whether you actually needed to put that much work in to reach the £2k, there is probably a cut off point effort/ rewards whereby the effort isn’t not worth it (i wish I could draw a graph). It’s the really savvy people that hit that level and know when to stop that are probably reaping the rewards from blogging.
Its a great idea to get people to stop and think why they are blogging and what they are blogging for and also to lay bare some of the misconceptions. I think a lot of people are mislead, especially by some of the burgeoning publicity around it all. I have become very disheartened by all of that side of things. My heart sinks whenever I read another sunday newspaper article about mummy blogging and its rewards which inevitably focuses on a few ‘successful’ bloggers. Normally in a misleading manner. This is what is fanning flames…
A Modern Mother | 2nd Mar 10
@zoo, From purely my experience and all the time I put into blogging, the advertising and guest posts, etc. turn out to be not that much. 2k sounds like a lot, but when you consider the hours to get it (close to full time over the course of a year on a blog to keep up links, trafffic, etc), you have to question if it is worth it. As you point out working at home IS a bonus, and you are right. And there are some great suggestions here on how to make more. I just think no one is ever going to get rich mum blogging, and you should do it because you like it and not have high monetary expectations.
zooarchaeologist | 1st Mar 10
This is a difficult one and its very interesting reading these comments. I for one, have a proper job, but I have had to cut my hours in order to look after the kids. This has lead to a drastic cut in our income, for me this has been hard as I admit, I’m a person that loves new objects and gadgetry its very difficult to buy things. This is where I had really been lucky with my blog and acquired lot of things I would not have been able to have otherwise (including holidays). I see this as an added bonus.
I feel bemused and every so slightly insulted (although I realise that there is an element of sarcasm here)that you feel like a couple of grand might not be worth it. In my world, aftr tax, and childcare that is effectively what I take home in nearly 4 months of part-time work. If I could make that purely at home on the internet, I’d pack in my job and go for it. Oh, hold on a minute I may not have a choice as it seems 25000 local government employees are to go, especially in my line of work… Anyone want any guest blogs? (lol)
geekymummy | 1st Mar 10
very interesting to read all the comments here, sounds like Susanna has opened a forum for constructive ideas on how it can make money.
For me blogging was always just a hobby and and outlet, and a way to connect, since I’m fortunate enough to have a decent paying real world job.
More power to those making income from it though, I’ll click through on your ads, fellow bloggers!
Expat Mum | 1st Mar 10
Coo – great conversation. (I’m 6 hours behind so look a little tardy.) I would add one thing to the book comment – even if you manage to get a book deal out of your blog, it’s not instant money. I signed my publishing contract a full two years before my book came out, and then they pay you in six monthly installments based on sales reports. The bigger publishing houses plan at least 18 months out. And again, unless you write a real block buster, most authors don’t even make that much.
Iota | 1st Mar 10
I think you’re right to help the average mummy blogger set realistic expectations, and I enjoyed the debate this sparked in the comments box.
I’d have to flip a lot of burgers to get 30-40K, though. (But I also take your point that a book is a lot of blood, toil, sweat and tears, and probably a whole lot more too.)
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@amelia and living the whole dot com thing, I admit I’m a bit deluded myself 😉 Actually, I’ve come to a point in my life where I won’t do anything unless I enjoy it. I’m 45 (!) so maybe this feeling comes with age. I sure wasn’t like this ten years ago.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@workingmum it is a small, small world
Working Mum | 1st Mar 10
Not making a bean, but enjoying doing it.
PS Funny that Linda mentioned my friend Craig (he was our best man and is our daughter’s godfather), he’s the one who pursuaded me to give blogging a go!
Amelia Critchlow | 1st Mar 10
hi – thanks for popping by! In response to your response to my response 😉 I believe people’s realities differ, so I guess being realistic is an individual thing! Do we face reality, or do we create reality, or a bit of both?! 😉 I love the conversations that have been sparked here and it’s really got me thinking about things . . . .
Amelia.
nappyvalleygirl | 1st Mar 10
Many fellow journos ask me why I bother to write for free. I haven’t made a cent from mine, but then I didn’t start out to (and possibly haven’t tried). I started blogging as a more creative form of writing than my day job in journalism; what I didn’t expect was the blogging community and all the great friends/contacts I’ve made through that. Personally, that makes it worth it to me.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@natalie well I’m not surprised your book makes you money as you always have sensible advice! (Linda as well). Actually I find all these comments very constructive. The conclusion being there is some money to be made IF you are talented, clever, entrepreneurial, spot the opps, etc. It also depends on how much you want to earn. I just like getting the conversation going and keeping it interesting.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@emmak I need some humour, am off to find your book!
Natalie | 1st Mar 10
Thought I would check back in and as always there are wonderfully diverse responses. With regards to the ebooks, I have two ebooks, another one coming out, and more to follow plus I’ll be putting them in print. I’ve written two self-help books for my relationship blog as my advice was so in demand. I’ll admit to have being very lazy about properly promoting them (I blame having a baby – LOL) and yet…I make very good money from them. The blog posts I write drive the sales, plus word of mouth etc. I like getting up in the morning and seeing that whilst I’ve been sleeping, sales have been coming in. I was able to put out two ebooks because I had the audience and gradually built up on it.
Ebooks are increasingly popular and if you have knowledge to share and can provide solutions to people’s problems, great resource etc, there are wonderful opportunities.
I think that a lot of people were following one horse – ‘reviews’ and this is all well and good if you want stuff but it doesn’t really do anything money wise.
To add to what Linda said:
I sell some advertising – this is predominantly directly to advertisers with a small amount of affiliate.
On my relationship site, I sell no advertising and it by far generates the most income.
I also charge people (readers) for private consultations by phone and email, have done some seminars, and increasingly get asked to do consultancy work (sales and marketing) although I haven’t got the time at the moment as trying to do less for more 😉
There are some brilliant opportunities out there and I think that whilst group conversations are good, we have to be supportive and let people do their thing and not limit one another. Not one of us can define anyone else’s experience – there are some seriously talented bloggers out there who over time will reap the benefits or possibly already are. You need to put in some time – the time of instant and quick results is over. I was a blogger before I was a mum and whilst ‘mummy blogging’ is good fun and often cathartic, there are plenty of mums writing and earning who don’t do the traditional mummy blogging. I read all sorts of blogs – crafting, interiors, business, blogging, gardening, the environment, celebrity – there is a wealth of topics out there.
I love blogging, am extremely passionate about it and am glad to be doing something I love, which incidentally I did for 4 years before I decided to make it my business. If you want to make money, have a plan and be strategic – it’s not a matter of just diarising your thoughts, taking free stuff, and hoping the money rolls in.
EmmaK | 1st Mar 10
I think you can make a low full time income from a mommy blog – I know some who do it – but you’d have to be at it 24/7 and be very tech savvy and advertising savvy. That isn’t me I spend max 2 hrs a day on the internet. I think the mummy blogging scene realistically can provide the income of a part time job. Recently a fellow blogger http://www.misssymartin.blogspot.com and myself wrote a humourous parenting book and got a book deal in part I suppose because we have vehicles (our blogs) to publicize the book.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@tasha exactly!
Tasha (Coding Mamma) | 1st Mar 10
Great post. I gave up on advertising and have stopped doing reviews. I admit that when I first started WAHM-BAM, I was kind of hoping for some kind of small material success, but it fairly quickly became apparent that that this was very unlikely. But… What became apparent just as quickly was that there was a fantastic community of supportive, interesting, funny and caring parents out there. And lots of them became my friends. Far more rewarding than a few pennies!
I’ve given up reviewing for the moment and am not spending any time on SEO-type activities, anymore. I’m just writing what I want when I want, and tweeting far more than is good for me. My hourly rate in my ‘day job’ means it makes much more sense to concentrate on making money from that and just using blogging for fun and relaxation.
And it’s really quite a relief to not be worrying about how many views I get, now I just get to worry about whether anyone likes me, and seemingly plenty of people do, which is kind of nice.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@amelia yes, I’m referring to mum blogs. You are right of course, you never know what any outcome will be and kudos to those that make it work and get the best of both worlds, so to speak. I’m not against making money, just being realistic.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@rosie yay! I love that you have made it a success AND enjoy it.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@Hadriana thanks for your comments, I didn’t know you had a B&B there, linking it is a good idea “business” blogging is an excellent marketing tool.
Hadriana | 1st Mar 10
Meant to say…that I don’t do any adverts on my blog.
I’ve been asked to do book reviews though. I’m paid in books but not dosh which is fine by me. 🙂
Hadriana | 1st Mar 10
Hi Susanna,
Interesting post. The blog has become a creative outlet for me. I’m not even sure that I have found “my voice” yet although I’m working on it.
It would be nice if the blog earned money but if I do much with advertisers etc. (I don’t advertise on my blog). I prefer to do with the blog what I want which is: write about what interests me. It’s not a “mummy blog” although I’m more than happy to read those.
When I started I wasn’t even sure that I’d have any readers whatsoever.
It’s what the blog has brought which matters to me the most: meeting some great people, being creative, honing my writing skills. We also have a B&B on Hadrian’s Wall so I’m going to link it to our website any day now. I think it provides a human face to our business. Hopefully!
I think you might just be toning down some people’s expectations of what a blog could bring. That’s fair enough plus you’ve started a very lively discussion which is super.
Good luck to you and all bloggers!
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@ella yay! I love to hear success stories
Rosie Scribble | 1st Mar 10
I blog because I enjoy it and I find it a fun, creative outlet. When I first started blogging several years ago there were none of the perks that there are today but since starting my current blog just over a year ago I have received some really nice offers, a small income from advertising, some great products to review that I could not otherwise afford and a regular paid blogging job. I had not expected any of that. I started it to feel less isolated working from home as a single parent who rarely had contact with other adults. The main beenfit has been making genuine friends online. I’m really pleased that it has led to other opportunities as well, but I won’t let it affect how I blog. I still do it for fun and if I didn’t enjoy it, I’d stop. So can money be made from blogging? Actually, yes!
ella | 1st Mar 10
I make money from mummyblogging!
I also get other opportunities from writing a blog. For me, it’s a springboard for other ventures which is quite a powerful reason for mummyblogging.
I have been blogging for over five years so it can take time to build up an income (I earned very little to start with) so I would say don’t become disheartened about not earning much initally, but it is wise to be realistic that there are not huge sums of money to be made from mummyblogging.
One point I would make is that it is sensible to know a bit about SEO (search engine optimization) – much of my traffic comes from search engines and that all earns money! Over time you should be aiming for the majority of your posts to rank in the top ten in Google for that subject.
I would write anyway, even if there was no money in it. But I can’t work out of the home at the moment, so I enjoy having the chance to earn a relatively significant amount of money from blogging. And I enjoy earning that money for something that I would do anyway 🙂
Emma @ Notsuchayummymummy | 1st Mar 10
You have ruined my dreams. I felt sure that once I got to 100 hits a month the advertisers would be in touch, the PR agencies would be in touch but no, nothing.
Ah well, I’ll keep the retirement dreams on hold for now!
Great post though. You can’t get clearer than that!
Dawn/LittleGreenFingers | 1st Mar 10
Blogging can be a way to make money – but I believe it’s rarely a straightforward route.
I began blogging because I wanted to build up a career in garden writing to run alongside my regular gig as a garden designer. Problem is, unless people can see what you’ve written then they’re not going to commission an article.
Blogging gave me an ‘in’ and within a year I’ve had three articles commissioned in national newspapers, online article commissions and I’m also being paid to write a blog for another company. No this will never be my sole source of earning but it is a very useful additional and relatively well-paid income and would never have happened without the blog.
Also, the blog has allowed me to ‘meet’ some incredibly influential and inspirational people and those sorts of contacts may give rise to any number of potential and exciting opportunities in the future – probably not in blogging or even writing terms but it’s only through blogging that the connections have been made.
All this, plus I love writing the blog. Not only is it a way to chronicle my gardening expolits with the kids, it also drives me to do this more regularly than I would probably otherwise manage (after all, don’t we all have those moments of “What on earth am I going to blog about this week?”).
Amelia Critchlow | 1st Mar 10
you make a valid point: Penelope Trunk talks about blogging per se, you specifically mention ‘mummy blogging’. I take this as blogging about motherhood primarily? As some people have commented here, some blogs share the ups and downs of parenthood, whilst other blogs are an addition to an already established career, but they may just happen to be a mummy too. The blogs then act in a supporting role to other work, which may bring financial reward alongside the rewards of community, enjoyment, etc, but it is not a means to a financial end in itself, if this is what you are saying.
I have met some amazing mum’s who are great creative entrepreneurs, and bloggers, making money from an on-line presence, but I guess they are blogging about their career/interests/life alongside motherhood – motherhood is not the primary focus. Penelope being one example.
It is great to point out the pitfalls of something so others can embark in an informed manner, but essentially no-one ever knows the outcome of an endeavour for definite, it’s all trial and error and we learn along the way, and that’s part of the fun for me. I always think it’s best to encourage others to do what they love because life is too short, and success isn’t always financial and yes, income is relative – what’s a lot for some, may not be for others, and personally, I would much rather work for myself, doing something I love, and if it fails at least I’ve tried!:)
Thanks for an interesting and thought provoking post.
Amelia.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@kat Yes, it is an exaggeration, but the reason for the post is to create realistic expectations. The comments here are a good example of the types and amounts of money that are possible. Re: the conference — The working with sponsors bit is only a small part — it will mainly focus on networking, content, SEO, getting readers, etc. as that is what seems to be the top of everyone’s agenda (making money surprising came in last on the survey ).
Linda | 1st Mar 10
But part of my income comes from ‘mummy blogging’ there are better writers than me with mum blogs, I don’t consider my experience to be exceptional at all, it is possible but what’s needed a business approach and a quality product. I met Erica last year and she inspired me as she has a great entrepreneurial head on her shoulders, she has no journalistic background, while it’s right to be realistic, I don’t think saying there’s no money to be made, ever is helpful to anyone, there are plenty of blogs taking over traditional media roles – and advertisers are following.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@natalie @linda You two are inspirational, but I’d put you in a different category than the personal mum blogs. You’re the journo/blogger/consultant hybrid. Real money in blogging, yes I can see that after your comments, but a substancial sum of money in mummy blogging? Maybe for Dooce… not for the majority of us.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@natalie tell us more about the ebooks please (link) sounds like you’re on to something there…
Linda | 1st Mar 10
Thanks Natalie, I held a training session last week for a group of women starting blogs and flagged up e-books as a potential revenue stream and I’m really inspired and encouraged by your success with it, I have two planned e-books.
I have always considered blogging a key part of work, so it’s more than an investment, for me as a writer, it’s a survival strategy.
sandi | 1st Mar 10
Ooof! While it’s a great place to write it takes so much time that it’s difficult to hear depressing news like that. Maybe that’s the slap I needed to focus my time and writing elsewhere.
Natalie | 1st Mar 10
I’m glad I held off on commenting for a while as even though I actually get a lot of what you’re saying Susanna, I think there are some broad sweeping statements and misconceptions still, plus it annoys me no end when I see people say that people who make money from blogging are ‘fake’. Linda has done a great job of listing a number of ways so I won’t repeat her part plus Sally, Liz, Erica, Nixdminx etc make great points. I make all of my money as a result of blogging and I do about 20 hours a week of work. Some comes from advertising most of it sold directly and the rest comes from ebooks (I get mid four figures a month alone for this), consultations, consultancy etc I know plenty of people that make money from blogging and pay mortgages and it’s a lot more than £10/hour. I don’t have a million page views and most of the people I know that make money from blogging don’t either. But they are savvy. Liz is right – there’s nothing wrong with striving for success.
Liz (LivingwithKids) | 1st Mar 10
Brilliantly written post Susanna.
Like Sally, Linda and Nixdminx, I’m in a slightly different position because I’m also a journalist, so blogging is a neat sideline to my regular income. What worries me is when I see people desperately trying to make a living from blogging and realising they can’t. There is nothing wrong with striving for success but at some point you have to be realistic. As Sally and Linda have said, blogging can be a wonderful springboard to other opportunities.
It says something about our society that there are so few opps for SAHMs to make money, I guess.
Like Erica says though, it depends what you define as ‘money’. For some, an extra £20 or £30 a week may be very welcome indeed. And certainly the freebies – I know the kinds of things I’ve been able to get my reviewers on LivingwithKids – are always appreciated.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@linda and @sally so I guess the time spent blogging can be thought of an investmnt? A type of marketing of yourself, but much more fun. Actually, that’s why I went into marketing because I thought all those journalist lunches were fun!
Sally | 1st Mar 10
Of course you’re right. Selling ads on a blog that gets 20k views a month is going to buy you a cup of coffee and a muffin once a month. If you’re lucky. But most parent bloggers aren’t blogging for a living – they already have jobs.
But for some of us, this is our job. Weirdly, for someone who’s been a journalist for 12 years, I now see writing for newspapers and magazines as a fun sideline to my real work – which is online. I know lots of journalists who have had exactly the same experience.
Perhaps 80% of my income comes from my blog, not because I sell ads on there but because my blog is basically one big ad – for me. It shows potential clients what I write, what I know about, what I think, where I have expertise. It leads to copywriting contracts, PR contracts, event management work, consulting, training…
Blogging won’t make you fortunes, but if you are interested in making a living online, then a great blog is the best shopfront I can think of. Is that mercenary? I still really love my blog, I love blogging and I would write it regardless of the money – but I’m also a freelance writer, so it’s always going to have an element of ‘work’ about it.
Linda | 1st Mar 10
I already offered to speak about this, how much is the pay? 🙂
I charge from £30 to £100 an hour in training sessions, depending on the customer, or get a group of people together.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@linda want to speak at cybermummy 2010? Those are all excellent ways to make money. Though I wonder if you had to put some numbers behind it, how much an hour would it turn out to be? I seem to put a lot of time into it, and hubby says with what all the hours I may as well go back into a senior marketing position (I am an old one you know). Though I don’t know many of those that will let you do the school run everyday.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@nixminx I’m amazed at the new mothers too!
@antontella admire your attitude
@erica you are right it depends on what you would expect a full time salary to be
@britinbosnia I could do with £1k of cash, but not for a year’s worth of work
Linda | 1st Mar 10
Yes they do.
When I started blogging, a journalist called Craig McGinty was a great help and inspiration, he had given up his job as a regional newspaper web editor and had set up a site called http://www.thisfrenchlife.com and was earning as much as he did in his old job.
I also worked at Shiny Media with a wonderful blogger called Amber McNaught who blogs about fashion and shoes etc and gets hundreds of thousands of hits from her blog.
You are right that anyone going into blogging to make money with a “mummy blog” informing the world of the trials and tribulations of life with young children may not be best placed to make a mint but with excellent writing and reaching out to a community, it is possible.
Ad hoc approaches from PRs and advertisers will not add up to a living but making the most of opportunities and creating new ones connected with blogging can. That’s what I mean about being business minded.
There are lots of posts on sites like problogger advising on how to make money from blogs. The ways I have been able to make money are as follows:
1. Google adsense – took it off as too much bother.
2. Affiliate schemes – Amazon – with links to books and other things, selling my own books too – ‘best’ month was £40 in the run-up before Xmas last year.
3. Advertisers – in the last month, have been offered possible ads worth £1,000 over a year.
4. Underpinning/enhancing a writing career through making contacts/finding people to write about/coming up with ideas to pitch/helping research – all as part of an existing career – becoming more crucial for freelance writers and a key part of income for me, hard to say how much.
5. Consultancy and training – by using blogs as a showcase of what I can do, I have been able to branch out into training others, this is lucrative work. I have also been paid by agencies to help with their preparation for social media campaigns.
6. Sponsored posts – have been asked to do these and have done two in three years I think.
7. Setting up blogs for other people (small businesses and small/bigger organisations) – at a fixed fee.
8. Public speaking – I’ve been paid to advise groups about blogging and social media, fees have varied from £75 to £320.
I’ve just listed these quickly and I know they aren’t for everyone and I started blogging for professional reasons so it has always been in my mind that a blog could help me make money. Last week I was also approached by two different potential customers who asked me how much it would cost them for me to help them with content, having seen my blogs. That is a great turn of events for me and I am delighted that my blogs have helped me do this and I know there are people who are far better writers than me with blogs so I hope they can also reap the benefits.
I’ve rattled through this and am sure that I could have expressed myself better/added some more but I am more than happy to share my experience and don’t really see how it should be an exception.
Antonella | 1st Mar 10
Hi Susanna, I’ve never thought bloggers blogged to make money before reading your post and a few other posts circulating on the subject. I’m probably naive but I’ve always thought that we are out there to espress ourselves in a way or another and make friends similar to us. All the rest would seem fake to me. But …live and let live. Ciao. A.
nixdminx | 1st Mar 10
Well said Susanna. I know a top travel blogger who says much the same so it’s not just peculiar to Mummy bloggers. The huge positive for me is that blogging and all the associations you get with it above (as Susanna covers off) are so beneficial to overall life that it makes it worthwhile. And ladies, don’t forget, you are all articulate in something which most people run and hide from – new forms of communication which is also a new skill. Amazing to me is that so many of these Mummy bloggers have new borns and tiny babies and they’re getting to grips with Motherhood AND blogging!
Erica | 1st Mar 10
There are many people that would be overjoyed to earn £10 an hour from home doing something they enjoy, especially when you compare the hard work you need to put in to a minimum wage job for circa £5.75. So I guess it depends how much you expect a ‘full time’ wage to be.
Add to the money the other perks (two foreign trips, two national trips, days out, books, DVDs, a wii, an xbox elite, a dyson..) and I can see the potential, i really can. I’d agree that if you want to make £40k-£50k a year then mummy blogging is probably not the way to go.
I started blogging for fun but it’s certainly brought me many perks. I still do it because I love it though and I’ve made some great friends.
Brit In Bosnia | 1st Mar 10
Great post Susanna. Blog because you enjoy it, love it, appreciate the community. Blogs that are angling for the wonga are generally not that interesting to read anyway.
Good point that although you sometimes can get offered thing to review, it may well not be what you actually want or need. So 1k of stuff doesn’t really equal 1k of cash (which would be useful)
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@linda I’m learning here too. Do you think those earning money — not off personal mummy blogs I assume — make more than say £10/hr. for all the time and effort put into their blogs?
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@cafebebe It was a steep learning curve, wasn’t it. I’m out of time too!
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@Kat thanks, you MADE MY DAY!
Kat | 1st Mar 10
This is one of the best posts I have read. Ever. Also, this is why I turn down PR people, generally. I didn’t start my blog to make money. I started my blog to get all the thoughts swirling in my head out.
Cafe Bebe | 1st Mar 10
This is a brilliant post Susanna…I think many bloggers, nowadays, have delusions of grandeur and I know I was one of them. Yes, I started my blog for ME and to document my life as a new mum but when I saw some of those AMERICAN (hee hee) MOMMY blogs, I thought, “I could do that!”. The enticement of reviews is addicting but then, as Becky said, there is a considerable time investment and at this point, I’m running out of time and am not as interested. What blogging has done for me is get me involved in an amazing community of people and has opened DIFFERENT doors for me that never would have even been available to me before. I’ve re-located my passion for writing and am happier than I’ve been in a while but yes, the lure of “blogging gold” is a pipe dream. In order to get that illusive traffic you’d have to spend every waking hour writing, tweeting and promoting and there’s just not enough time or money for that. Excellent reading…make it mandatory for all BMB members! 😉
Karin
Linda | 1st Mar 10
But there are people making money from blogging and if people are business-minded first and bloggers second, they can make money.
I’ve been approached by three advertisers in the last two weeks, together offering several hundred pounds.
There is money to be made from blogging, but first you need to know how to make money :).
I know of three bloggers earning full-time money from their blogs, these aren’t parenting blogs but they are quality products including content that people want to read and advertisers want to be associated with.
Some advertisers and sponsors do recognsie that a smaller number of well targeted readers can be just as worthwhile, if not more so than huge reader numbers where the audience isn’t as engaged with the site.
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@chicmama “added bonus” is a healthy attitude, “I’m going to earn a living off my mummy blog” is just wrong.
Chic Mama | 1st Mar 10
Really interesting, I think a lot of people are disillusioned unfortunately but there are many others that see the freebies as an added bonus to doing something they love.
Great post, thanks. :0)
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@jessica now that IS a good reason — to have loads of friends to cheer you on!
Jessica (@kikarose) | 1st Mar 10
If you’re going to blog it has to be about the community – the support, the friendships, the understanding.
It’s a lot of work for very little other pay-off. Not that I’m complaining! I’ve met amazing people through the blogosphere and I’ve learned incredible things.
So even if my piddly traffic doesn’t net me any points when I start to query my novel (yes! A work of love!) I’ll still be glad to have lots of “friends” to cheer me on!
A Modern Mother | 1st Mar 10
@becky yes it can be fun, but time consuming, love your grandad’s accent!
Becky (baby budgeting) | 1st Mar 10
I’ve recently begun product reviews and just had some licorique, chocolate and some porridge (my poor diet.) Glamorous…no? Fun…sometimes, yes!…time consuming – definately. Photos, write ups,, getting varied opions all take a while. I also read a book for review recently…as my hubby pointed out the 4 hours it took me to read it then write it up would (if I had worked them) bought many copies of the book!
I think you are right it has to be a labour of love and a bit of fun…good post! As my old grandad always said ‘you don’t get owt for nowt’ (need broad midlands accent to pull it off though.)