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There are over 500 million blogs on the web, with tens of thousands of them are being created on a daily basis! Do you believe that all of them are able to reap the rewards and succeed?
If you’ve created a blog or considering starting one soon, there are some strategic steps you should know and implement. This article is like the one and only solid plan for your blogging journey. It projects 17 reasons why bloggers fail to generate any revenue along with solutions to help you succeed in this game!
Blogging will forever remain relevant so long as the internet exists, and since it’s doesn’t seem like it’s going away soon, it’s a good idea to get occupied in this awesome business model that involves low risk and has a huge potential of earnings.
There are things that you should consider doing as a blogger, and the aim of this article is to ensure that our beautiful blogs don’t end up in that sad category.
P.s. In case you’ve not created your blog yet and looking forward to, here’s a step-by-step tutorial that walks you through everything from A to Z (Open in a new tab)
Why do bloggers fail to generate any revenue
There are many factors that may lead to blogging failure stories. Are blogs over, NO. Is blogging profitable, YES, it’s still profitable and definitely worth it!
A lot of people ask; what has replaced blogging? And in fact, nothing has or can replace blogs! Blogging and bloggers are the heart of the internet.
People are in a rapid need for answers to their questions, and information about their queries. And this is the sole purpose of blogs!
Well, is blogging hard? Blogging is not hard, but it requires a strategic approach, patience, and a good portion of efforts! So, being not hard doesn’t mean that it’s easy!
In other words, unless you put enough effort and be strategic in your approaches and strategies, you’ll definitely lose in the blogging game!
With that being said, below are 15 reasons why most blogs fail to generate any revenue, so their owners end up giving up, quitting, and claiming that blogging is dead!
1. Not aware of the process
Blogging can be a very tough journey if you don’t have the know-how, and not aware of how the process actually works!
Some think that blogging is only about writing, and that’s absolutely wrong. Think about it like a big puzzle picture of 1000 little pieces.
Being aware of how things actually work will give you the ability to better position yourself in the competition and stand out from the crowd.
To succeed in blogging, there are some rules you should stick to get the results you’re aiming for!
If you’re considering starting your own blog, it’s best to get as much information as possible and learn from successful entrepreneurs.
Luckily, top bloggers are willing to share their experiences and lessons to help you succeed in the blogging journey.
Tip: I’ve come up with a huge list of tips that are crucial to everyone who’s considering starting a blog. (Open in a new tab)
2. High expectations – Thinking that it’s an overnight success
When starting out as a blogger, you should know that this is not an overnight success.
It takes time to build a healthy community of hungry readers who are waiting for your content to get published.
However, blogging can be even more rewarding and fruitful than you may think, it just takes time!
It’s great to be ambitious, don’t get me wrong! There’s a huge difference between ambition and expectations. It’s great to set long
Just stay on earth my friend haha, control your expectations and just do what you have to do. The longer you’re into it, expectations will eventually start to get higher and higher.
Tip: Set long-term goals and start blogging as a hobby. Don’t expect to be making money in the first 6-12 months, YES that’s fine (who knows, you may make). Just give it your best and deliver very valuable content for your readers. By believing in the process and setting low expectations, you’d definitely succeed one day and reap the rewards of being your own boss!
3. Having no purpose
People have diverse reasons for starting or wanting to start a blog. Some start it out of passion, to connect with the world, and to spread inspiration and knowledge.
While others have seen that people have been making money with blogging and they simply want to do the same and reap the rewards of being their own boss!
Well, the reason as to why you want to start blogging is not of much essence.
What really matters is the purpose. To give you an idea of what a purpose would be like, I’ve created the EcomDimes (The blog you’re currently on right now) with a vision and purpose to help people worry less about money.
Tip: By determining the sole purpose for your blog, it would be easier for you to stay focused on what you do and deliver. You’d also better know your most ideal audience.
4. Giving up and quitting too early
When you don’t see much income for your efforts, you’ll feel like giving up, right?
Well, be prepared to put in some good portion of efforts before earning anything from your blog.
It takes time to gain Google’s evaluation, but when it happens it can reward you with a truckload of organic traffic that would lead to leads, sales, and revenue for sure!
Most bloggers when they don’t see any results in the first 3 or 4 months, they decide to quit, believing that they are doing things wrong!
No matter if you’ve already started your blog or considering starting one soon, just don’t quit! Even if you’ve previously failed in blogging, starting over is good sometimes.
Give it a second try, but this time be strategic in your steps, set a plan and goals, and don’t rest unless you achieve your goals.
Bottom line: A great quote by Napoleon Hill; “Whatever the mind of a human can conceive and believe, it can achieve!” You can achieve your goals unless you quit!
Tip: Give it up to a year to test its water. Believe in yourself and in the process, and always remember that it has worked for tens of thousands of other people, so it can definitely work for you! If you need to chat with someone about your blogging struggles, goals, or plans, feel free to directly get in touch with me and I’m more than willing to help and guide you!
5. Red-signed SEO
If you’re aiming for a rewarding business for months or even years to come, you should be considering optimizing your site/blog for search engines.
Google is the world’s largest search engine, and it’s definitely worth your time and effort because it can be super rewarding in the next few months of starting out.
When it comes to SEO (search engine optimization) it’s better to listen to experts in this industry and get involved in valuable courses.
A great tip for bloggers that I’ve already included in my recent article is to learn as much as you can about SEO.
Keep learning and keep getting involved in those metrics and optimizations.
In fact, there are tons and tons of helpful and inspiring resources to help you stay on the right track and eliminate those signs that would lead to a red-signed website!
Ahrefs is a great example. Their YouTube channel is definitely helpful and its tools as well.
In addition to that, there are two persons who I truly believe that they are the best when it comes to SEO and blogging, Jim & Ricky! (Owners of Income school and 23489589 other niche websites😁)
In the below video, Jim & Ricky share a COMPLETE GUIDE TO SEO. Trust me, you don’t want to miss a second of these guys’ speech.
Tip: Keep learning and grinding and get involved in helpful resources. It’s a smart move to learn from top experts and consider taking some helpful courses. Remember, no one was born with the knowledge. Below are some courses for your reference:
— Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals (FREE)
— The Udemy courses directory (Prices vary, average $19.99)
— Moz SEO Learning Center (FREE)
— Blog Traffic E-Book By Ana ($25)
— Pinterest SEO Traffic Secrets + Coaching By Anastagia ($647)
6. Writing wrong content, short-form content or not writing at all
When it comes to publishing content on your blog, you should write relevant information and content for your readers.
That’s why it’s so important to know exactly who your audience is. And this can be achieved by narrowing your niche down and make it so specific.
According to Backlinko’s recent study, long-form type of blog posts tend to rank better and get more social shares!
They have analyzed 912 million blog posts, and the data that they were able to pull was impressive!
Another great study by Moz found that there’s a huge correlation between content length and social shares. In fact, social sharing is a great factor when it comes to building authority.
Back to the days, 500 words article was considered as long-form content. It’s not the case nowadays.
Unless you’re providing real value for readers, Google won’t consider ranking you on the top search results.
The world’s best marketers like Neil Patel always incentivize bloggers to write long-form content, because that is a simple truth, and that is what Google loves!
There’s a huge corolation between content length, rankings and social shares.
Here’s “The statistically perfect content length to rank #1 on Google“, by the two who you should now be familiar with, Jim and Ricky.
Tip: When writing a blog post, make sure that it delivers real value and always put your readers first! If you want to learn how to write blog posts 3x faster and become more productive with your blog you definitely need to check out my other article (Open in a new tab)
7. Picking the wrong theme
Picking the wrong theme can drastically ruin your business because not all themes suit all blogging niches.
Also, when picking a theme, especially if you don’t have much coding or technical skills and experience, you should be picking a theme that has some good built-in features.
What people usually do is that they pick a cheap theme, that doesn’t suit their niche and populate it with tons of plugins striving to be fancy!
Your theme should be well-designed, inviting and professional, because in a way or another, it represents your brand and your business!
It’s not just about functionalities and design. If your theme doesn’t load fast, you won’t be doing well on Google!
Take it on yourself, if you open a site which takes over 5 seconds to load, wouldn’t you bounce?
I bet you’d go back, and so do your readers!
So, when it comes to website’s speed, every second counts.
You’re aware that you need a unique and functional theme, now what? Where do you find premium and verified themes for your blog?
There are too many different theme directories. With that being said, below are the best resources for finding the best online creatives and themes:
— My Theme Shop (Open in a new tab)
— Creative Market (Open in a new tab)
— Theme Forest – Envato Market (Open in a new tab)
In case you’re wondering what theme do I use for my EcomDimes blog (the website you’re currently on), I use the Newspaper theme.
It’s super professional and full of awesome functionalities and features! Buy it from here.
Tip: Pick a wonderful theme that suits your niche and make it fun for your readers to surf your site! Be ready for a sweet little investment, it’s definitely worth it!
8. Not discovering your blog’s voice
Every blog should have a unique voice that sets it apart from other competitors!
There are millions of blogs on the web, but have you ever thought what makes each one unique? It’s the voice!
A voice is actually what differentiates people, and a blog from another.
Without building a unique brand and voice, it would be hard to build a readership or sell any info products in the future!
Tip: It may take you a while to discover your blog’s voice and tone, that’s totally fine! Just figure out what you’re passionate about and what excites you most and write about it. Let your personal quirkiness shine through. Feel free to be different, unique, or even a bit weird.
9. Not willing to put in the hard work
I’m a member of a lot of Facebook groups, and I see people every day asking for ways to make instant cash or looking forward to starting an online business without any efforts at all!
Passive income, Uh!
Passive income does really exsist, but not in the same perpective that some people pay have.
If you want to hit your goals and live your dream you should work, and work you darn ass off to the bone.
There’s nothing in life for free, literally nothing!
How do you expect to sit and just see money rolling in and hitting your bank without even putting in any efforts?
However, chances are if you start a blog soon, in a year or so, you’d be making money while sleeping, traveling, or while enjoying the beach with your friends!
Also, affiliate marketing can give you this awesome advantage!
Being your own boss and having your own online business requires a special mentality. You should be willing to sacrifice a lot of things.
I’m not trying to terrify you, but that’s the truth! It all starts with the mindeset.
The key elements here are passion and motivation. And here’s a little inspiration from Gary Vee
Tip: Always remember why you’ve started and stay motivated! Write your goals down on a piece of paper or on a note and keep them under your eyes! Keep reminding yourself of your goals every day, hour and minute! Keep moving and no matter what you’re doing, DON’T QUIT!
10. Going with the wrong host
So, this is the spammiest affiliate link on the internet, cause so many internet marketers are making most of their money with affiliate links to hosting.
I’ve been a HostGator customer since 2009. Hostgator is just a good company!
They’ve been completely knowledgble really helpful and they have completey changed their customer support and enhaced the user experience.
HostGator is also the cheapest and most reliable hosting plan you’re going to find. They are super inexpensive.
And let me be honest with you, as long as you receive less than 100,000 page views on your site, HostGator will amazingly serve you, it will just do fine.
After 100,000 pageviews you’d better upgrade to WPX hosting, a little bit more expensive but it’s the most premium hosting provider around! Anyways at that point, you’d be making decent amounts of money!
I’ve already prepared an article that compares these the best 3 hosting providers that you should consider using when starting a blog or if you’re planning to take your blog to the next level (Open in a new tab)
Starting a blog on WordPress using HostGator is a very seamless process, and I’ve recently published an article on how to start a blog from scratch using HostGator, you can find it here (Open in a new tab)
You just buy the plan and get WordPress installed and ready to go. So, for new bloggers, it’s definitely what I recommend.
Tip: I would highly recommend starting with HostGator. It’s the cheapest for what they provide and deliver. I have a step-by-step guide on how to start a blog using HostGator with a few simple steps! (Check it here) When you start receiving over 100,000 pageviews consider upgrading to WPX hosting!
11. Not using the right plugins
Alright, WordPress plugins…
My main recommendation for you, especially as you’re starting out a website, pick 5 plugins that you really really really need on this site, and don’t install any new plugins for the first 6 months of your website!
Most problems in WordPress, like 99% of them I’d say, if you have a problem with your WordPress it’s because of a plugin.
Sometimes because of a theme, but generally it’s the plugin that’s the problem or conflict between plugins, or even a conflict between a plugin and a theme, etc…
So, the more plugins you get the more problems you’re going to have, and unfortunately, there’s no exception for that rule!
Here’s where a good and well optimized theme comes into play!
With a premium theme like this, you won’t need too many plugins. And this is the theme that I personally use for my blog (Open in a new tab)
Tip: Start with very few plugins, just what you really need. The three mandatory plugins that I would suggest you start with are ManageWP (for creating a backup for your site), Shortpixel (for optimizing and compressing images) and Yoast (a free SEO tool)
12. Not having a solid monetization strategy
Okay, you’ve created your blog or considering starting one, and this is the easiest part!
Related: I have another article on how to start a blog from scratch, so you better read it if you’re planning to start a blog! It will literally walk you through a step by step process. (Open in a new tab)
Now, unless you have a monetization strategy, I’m sorry to tell you that you won’t even make a dime from your blog.
Having a monetization plan in place in your earlier stages is key.
In fact, your blog can have multiple streams of income that can generate you money passively.
Did you know that there are over 25 ways to make money from your blog? That’s true! Your blog can turn into an income-generating source that makes you some good money.
Monetization opportunities vary from a niche to another, as there’s a big correlation between the niche competition and advertisers’ willingness to run ads.
Tip: You’re the best to know your niche. Brainstorm ideas and get open to all potential opportunities. If you’re just starting out, just put your readers first, and implement the affiliate marketing monetization method. Go to this article to learn more (Open in a new tab)
13. Not implementing research and market analysis
No matter what your blog niche is, there would be big guys in the market that you definitely can’t compete with!
A competition assessment can truly shorten your way to success! You can’t just simply throw some content on the web and expect to get ranked on the first results of Google search.
Knowing your competitors is what you should be going after because from that point, you would be able to know where do you actually stand, what should you be focusing on, and what gaps you can fill.
When starting out, your domain authority is literally zero, and if you’re really serious about long-term success, you should care about building your website’s authority.
Frankly, this doesn’t happen overnight!
By implementing the right on-site and off-site optimization tactics, having a reliable host, and an inviting theme, there shouldn’t be any reason not to succeed.
Assuming that you’re providing a type of content that Google loves, which is keyword-oriented content.
There are several tools that you can use to assess competition. Some of them are Ahrefs and Ubersuggest.
To be honest, there’s nothing even close to Ahrefs, but not everyone can afford it, especially complete beginners.
Therefore, I suggest you start with the free version of Ubersuggest. It’s a keyword research tool by the great Neil Patel, it can definitely do the work for you, but it’s not as accurate as Ahrefs.
Ubersuggest will give you some critical information about what your competitors are actually doing, like what keywords they are ranked for, what pages bring the most traffic for them and whatsoever.
Tip: If I were you, I’d never neglect the research phase. Be strategic in picking the right keywords, topics, and titles. If you’re aiming to gain an advantage over your competitors, it’s a smart move to have an SEO campaign in place, and this is something we can offer you as a monthly paid service. Drop us a line for more info, and we’re more than happy to help!
14. Going with a broad category
Having a blog that covers a myriad of topics may seem awesome, but in fact, it can be the reason keeping you from succeeding!
By having a broad general audience, it’s so hard to know exactly who your ideal audience is.
Online marketing is about finding a group of people who have a problem in common, and simply help them fix it by provoding your product/service as a solution for that problem.
Also, by running a broad sprawling blog, it would be hard to provide valuable topics and cover everything yourself, because that requires time and knowledge.
When you have an infection in your eye, would you rather go to an ophthalmologist or to a general doctor?
This is people’s approach when seeking a relevant answer to their queries online.
Tip: My tip for you is to stay away from a general or broad blogging niche. Find your passion and niche your blog down as much as possible to better be able to know your audience and your competitors.
15. Going with the wrong niche
This is a mistake that most bloggers have in common, and in most times, it leads to a failure story!
Picking the niche can have a drastic effect on your whole blogging joruney!
It’s all about “Passion”!
I always recommend to new people who are considering starting their blogging journey to pick the right niche for them.
And this is can be determined by your passion, skills, knowledge, interests and capabilities!
You’re the bets to know yourself and your interests. This is a business that you would be involved into for months, or even years!
I mean how would you be able to be productive if you are not knowledgable about what you’re teaching people? Or if there’s no interest at all in what you deliver?
In order to convince people in something, you have to personally be convinced in it first.
People often get greedy about the different monetization opportunities for a particular niche, and they end up going with a niche just for the sake of what they can promote in this niche.
And that’s totally wrong!
Basically, yes, monetization opportunities vary from niche to another, but monetization is not the only aspect of the game. You should make sure first if you can add value in this area or not.
Bloggers are the heart of the internet, their job is to provide relevant information for people who are seeking answers to their questions.
And this is what’s the internet all about.
If you are not adding any value to the web in your field, you’re not going to do well my friend.
That’s why you should be picking a niche that you’re OVER PASSIONATE about, something that you can’t get bored for hours or even days, something you have some knowledge about.
Tip: Choose your niche carefully and let it take what it takes. Picking the right niche that aligns with your interests, skills, and knowledge can give you a head start. Do your research and brainstorm ideas, and you can check out this article as well (Open in a new tab)
16. Using your blog as a personal diary
If you’re planning to use your blog as a personal diary, I would suggest you replace it with a pen and a diary book and just save your time and money!
This is a common mistake among new bloggers. A blog has the ability to connect you with the entire world and you can literally reach your voice to all people around the web.
But, you just can’t make it entirely about you!
No one cares for where you’ve been at!
No one cares for what you’ve eaten!
Blogging is not about you, it’s about providing relevant information to readers and build a healthy community of readers.
Also, your blog can become the biggest income source for your family, that can even replace your job! So, think about it like a business that you’re not the only one involved in.
Tip: Put your readers first and make your blog a stop where people can find relevant answers to their queries and questions! By raising a healthy brand, people will have more trust with you and they are more likely to follow you on social media. There you can share your daily activities freely without affecting your business!
17. Not willing to invest (time and money)
I know, starting an online business can be intimidating, especially for complete beginners.
But I wonder when people are looking for opportunities to replace their 9-5 jobs without the willingness to invest or even spend a dime!
I mean, okay, you can make a few dollars here and there, by completing surveys for example, but this is not a sustainable income, this is not a business!
But to start a profitable online business that can make you some decent amounts of money, you should invest.
Invest in learning and in getting the suitable tools and resources!
Even if you want to start a brick and mortar store, let it be a cafe or restaurant, you’re going to need land or to rent a place, you’d need to create a design and populate it with the needed types of equipment.
There would be yearly and monthly costs as well.
What I’m trying to say here is that an online business is way easier and cheaper, and doesn’t require as much as the physical or traditional retail business.
But you have to invest! You’re starting a business!
So, for example, if you’re planning to sell online, you would need to pay for a Shopify monthly or yearly subscription and let them act as your eCommerce hosting solution.
On the other hand, if you’re considering starting a blog, you’d need a domain and hosting plan and you’re good to go.
Online resources and tools are endless, and they are meant to help you succeed in your business.
In fact, I’ve actually created a sweet little resources page for you to help you decide which are the best tools that you would need as an entrepreneur (Open in a new tab)
With that being said, below are the best courses and resources that I’d recommend you start with.
Remember that you’d be learning from entrepreneurs that are very good at what they do:
— Blog Traffic Ebook ($25)
— From Zero To Super Hero Affiliate Marketing Bundle ($57)
— Struggling to find the right affiliate programs? Affiliate Programs Masterlist is a great solution! ($29)
— Making Pinterest Possible Ebook ($35)
— Want to become a self-published author? Ebook Bestseller Bootcamp Course (Starting from $55/month)
— Blog Income Tracker. A must-have for all bloggers! ($7.99)
— Pinterest SEO Traffic Secrets ($397)
— Pinterest SEO Traffic Secrets + Coaching ($647)
Tip: Finally, my last tip for you is to remain constant on your goals, be patient, and just put in the hard work. You’ll never regret working hard because hard work always pays off!
Conclusion
Blogging is a lucrative business opportunity that can be fruitful and much rewarding.
But, what most people think is that blogging is an overnight success. Though, it requires good patience, efforts and time.
There are literally tens of thousands of blogs are being created every single day, but a huge percentage of them fail and die a slow, boring death.
Therefore, I wrote this blog post to inspire you and help you succeed in this online game, because we for sure don’t want our blogs to end up in the sad category.
This article’s projected 17 reasons why do bloggers fail to generate any revenue and end up giving up and quitting!
What about you? Do you want to become a new success story?
Finally, you, our readers, are so precious to us! And in fact, you’re the reason behind creating this awesome blog! For EcomDimes readers, we’ve grabbed you a $300 OFF voucher for America’s most comfortable mattress. Sleep better and do more! 😊
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Cheers,
Odeh Ahwal
