Choosing between money and reputation is like choosing between meat and bread—there is fulfillment with reputation, but money offers a special kind of satisfaction.
It’s true that for a lot of blogs, the quality of the website diminishes when earning money is prioritized. Most of the site’s space that was once dedicated for relevant content is now replaced by random advertisements.
The problem though with standing up for a good reputation is that it may affect the availability of income-generating resources that are essential to sustain that good reputation. Without sufficient funding, running your site may be terminated.
To better weigh both options, here are actual blogging experiences that were once caught in this dilemma.
Reputation Matters
Talking Points Memo is not one of the top 10 earning blog sites. However, it has earned enough to fund a small credible team of reporters that give readers honest and reliable opinions on political affairs and controversies. Although it was rebuked by mainstream media, it earned respect from the blogosphere. In fact, founder Joshua Micah Marshall, its founder, received the prestigious George Polk Journalism award—a first for a blogger.
You may not have heard of Treehugger . But in 2008, Technorati ranked it among the top 20 most popular blogs. Treehugger is consistent with its cause—to promote green lifestyle for human life sustainability and development. It may not have earned as much as The Huffington Post, but it is rich in conviction.
If a good reputation is your priority, here are a few helpful tips to forge your reputation in blogging:
- Publish reliable and well-structured posts.
- Be creative and generous with information.
- Don’t promote questionable and irrelevant products.
- Set your audience’s expectations appropriately.
- Allow customer feedback through regular interactions.
Money in a Rich Man’s World
If you are interested in earning money while blogging, here are a few opportunities that you might want to consider.
- For beginners, you can start with Pay Per Click (PPC). It is one of the common ways of earning from blogs. You get paid for each time your visitors click on the ad, which means more traffic translates to an increase in your earnings.
- For those who are beginners at blogging, you can use Direct Banners to earn money. This involves your skills in adjusting ad space in your web page. You can also use plug-ins to efficiently accomplish the task for you.
- For seasoned bloggers, Job Boards is a good way to earn. Once you have drawn a large and consistent traffic, you can use this to get a monthly fee from interested employers asking you to post job opportunities or advertise various products.
So Who Is Blogging For The Big Bucks ?
Whichever method you choose, make sure that you take the time to study each option and how to properly use them to your advantage. In the meantime, take a look at the top 10 highest earning blogs according to OnlineIncomeTeacher.com.
Source:http://onlineincometeacher.com/money/top-earning-blogs/
So, is it money or reputation? It’s not a sin to have both. But the best recommendation would be to build on your reputation first to attract more traffic, which will thereby encourage advertisers of your site’s income-generating potential.
By Guest Author – +Jessica Simmons writes about blogging, branding, marketing and graphic design. She writes for Uprinting, a leading socially responsible online printing, marketing and technology firm that offers poster printing services and various printed marketing media.
