Monetizing your blog before having an audience is one of the biggest mistakes most bloggers make.
According to Melyssa Griffin, before you monetize a blog, you need to have an audience that you can sell the idea or products to. For instance, having as little as 100 followers who are engaged and religiously interested in what you do can help you launch a successful business.
Secondly, most bloggers at the initial stage don’t know who exactly their audience is so they end up selling their products incorrectly or concentrate so much on monetizing and when no results come out, they shun away from blogging.
Truth is, you need to understand what your audience needs, focus on the things that work for your audience and constantly engage your audience then position your product to fit them.
In dialogue with one of the pioneer bloggers in the industry, he mentions that he first monetized his blog after two years of serious blogging. He adds that he wanted his blog to be stable before he could go ahead and monetize it.
“Normally, it takes three to six months to get enough traffic after constant engagements but I was reluctant on monetizing it too early. Most clients would not dissent working with a blog only six months old, two years was good enough for me to familiarize with the industry, my audience and my target brands”, added the blogger.
It is clear, nine out of 10 clients won’t assign you to do the job not because you are unqualified but they will feel having no traffic to them will mean no return on the investment made. Some take this chance to override your efforts and at times don’t pay at all or blindfold you that they are introducing you to the market.
It’s always presumed that the older the blog the higher the rate fee but is it the actual case when it comes to the rates? Some amounts to the creator can be realistic considering the efforts to be put in yet the client might see it as an over price.
To be honest, no rate card is perfect but just like any other document, it cannot be prepared off-plan without proper considerations.
Generally, a rate card requires an introduction expounding on who you are, the topics your blog covers the audience statistics, website ranking and monthly visitors and additionally previous deliveries you have worked with then conclude with the fee.
Hannah Gale, in her blog, notes that her rate card comprises of the introductory part, where she introduces herself, explain the topics her blog covers, the demographics of her readers and then list the number of brands she has previously worked with.
On the same, she adds her monthly statistics, updated page impressions, social media followers and subscribers then finalize with the rate card.
Its definite traffic doesn’t fall from trees; on the first day, you will have zero traffic that would last up to months but gradually increases as you blog.
What happens when your blog has no impressions, no traffic and zero social media followers?
This is absolutely not the best time to monetize your blog. Although, there are other forms of monetizing a blog that doesn’t necessarily rely on having traffic like affiliating other products to your blog or selling eBooks, having traffic really makes it easier to make more money.
It’s an unwritten rule when pitching to a client about your blog, their spot of interest is most on the ranking, the impressions you’ve received so far and the previous brand engagements you have worked on or social media followers you have.
Easier said, backlashes make us grow stronger but to something you’ve created out of passion and you hold it closer to your heart like your blog, it disorients you.
Don’t be in a rush to monetize your blog. Concentrate on things that can erect it like comprehensive content.
Good content is the genesis of a great blog. You can have the best marketing strategy in the world to drive people to your blog, but no one is going to stick around if you constantly post bad content. People aren’t going to spend their money on your products, and companies aren’t going to pay you to promote theirs.
Focus on creating detailed content for your readers first. When your blog is your business you’re writing for your readers, not you.
Write it with the reader perspective in mind, make sure you’re giving them what is of their interest.