Are you making money, or making money for the people who are telling you how to make money?

I think it’s hard to expect someone to write about exactly how they’re doing things as if that person is successful then every reader would go and copy them, dilute their market and steal their idea.

The money making blogs I read are more in part to keep up with the success (or not) of people who I like, perhaps see any product that they may be releasing or have on offer, get a few freebies of info such as recommendations on sites, software etc. But all in all it’s to watch others have success and give me a little motivational boost every once in a while thinking “if they can do it then why can’t I?”

Sometimes I go round in circles on what to post on my ‘money making’ blog, if you can call it that. I don’t want to really repeat what’s been said on every other blog, I want to maybe give some help or insight to at least some of my readers, but of course without going into too much detail as I don’t want my sites damaged by someone else getting into the same game!

That said, I don’t read the ‘A list’ blogger sites any more. I prefer to relate to people and I can’t relate to those who are far out of my league!

Hi Sarah,

I don’t expect bloggers to give away their big money secrets, that would be unreasonable.

What I do look for in a blog is fresh ideas, perspectives, and maybe the occasional how-to.

I think this is where Mark at 45N5 does a good job. I feel like every time I visit his site, I might actually learn something I didn’t know, or get a different perspective on something I am already doing, or had dismissed as not worthwhile.

I agree with you 100% about having no ‘A’ list blogs in my reader. I have a few of the higher profile SEO bloggers there, as it’s something I’m trying to learn more about, but as far as the ‘make money online’ guys, I think most of them ran out of new ideas sometime around November 2006.

It’s interesting what you say about going around in circles wondering what to post. I’ve found myself more and more just not posting anything. I figure if a post idea doesn’t fit into one of the following categories, its (mostly) not worth posting:

1/ A teaching post - sharing a piece of code I’ve discovered/written, telling people about a tool I’ve created etc.

2/ Telling people about new things I’ve discovered, and I don’t mean some new ad network or affiliate program. I do a lot of SEO experiments, 95% of them amount to nothing, but I’ve discovered some interesting stuff. I’ll share this with the readers.

3/ Controversial/Rant - These are just fun, half the time just something I feel strongly about, half the time just pushing a few buttons and seeing what reaction is forthcoming. There’s a couple more fo these coming.

I do have a few “friends” blogs in the reader, who I just like to keep in touch with. These are the bloggers who took the time to drop by here and leave a comment when I was just starting out on this adventure, or dropped me a sweet, sweet trackback or link when you could watch the tumbleweeds fly through the place (You people know who you are! )

Thanks for dropping by Sarah, have a great holiday!

I was going to offer Mark @45n5 as an example of someone who gets it right. He (I presume) protects himself but still gives away some value and knowledge. The majority of blogs in my feed are like that, or like me (just struggling, but maybe if one of us figures it out we’ll be kind enough to share).

You share a lot too, Stu.

Hi Sapphire,

The difference between Mark and I is that whilst I share what I know, I don’t know nuttin!

@sapphire - thanks for the compliment.

@stu - I was actually going to do a video on this topic

“Do you actually learn anything quantifiable from the make money blogs that you read?”

Who says make money online blogs need to teach you, or SlightlyShady how to make money? Where does this expectation come from?

I like to read make money online blogs because I hear stories i relate to, find tools I’ve never heard of, network with like minded people, find cool videos, etc.

Very few of them specifically tell me how to make money but add a ton of value to my adventures. (the ones that give specifics usually just push some spamming technique)

I think people get pissed when they realize they’ve been reading someone’s blog and they aren’t rich yet but the blogger is. Who’s fault is that?

I think blogs are so much more than just whether the reader got a quantifiable tip to help their bottom line. That’s cool too, but blogs are so much more.

If readers are looking for tips, I would just go google them.

my 4 cents

Who says make money online blogs need to teach you, or SlightlyShady how to make money? Where does this expectation come from?

Hi Mark, it’s not an expectation, it’s a preference. I find myself really busy these days doing a lot of “real world” work. The stuff I do on the side to make a buck or two is becoming strangled time-wise. I just prefer to spend that limited time reading blogs where I might learn something.

I think assigning fault for not becoming rich is silly. I also think that there’s not a lot to be learned from reading this particular blog. But people will do what they do, and whilst there are people who are happy to read what I write, I’ll keep writing it.

Some will sit around reading blogs all day, which is great, if that’s what you want to do. Others will find the best sources of information to achieve the goals they want to achieve, then go and test that information to see if it fits into what they hope to achieve.

There’s no right or wrong way to go about this game, just the way that suits you.

@stu - I know it’s probably just a preference to you, I was referring to the big quote about the money making crowd leading people on with secrets and how much money they make on their blogs.

I don’t know which blogs lead people to get this opinion. I think the majority of make money online blogs are nothing like described in that quote.

That’s probably a fair assessment Mark.

Cheers

The only thing I have learned from them is that there is a lot of money to be made from finding suckers! Sick huh?

Not all of them, but I have no doubt that there are some who would sell their children to a slave ring for a profit.

as far as i’m concern - any method that can give me money - i’m contented

but we are making money for the people like PPP and TLA - they make the most money out of the program