It was not that long ago that I started Blog Gigs. As in most things I do, I did it compulsively without any concrete directions or plans. There was no specific blueprint as to what I will or plan to achieve for this blog. It was just another blog by me, caught up in the euphoria of buying domains and starting blogs. It was fun. You know, learning how to buy a domain, setting it up with a web host, creating my first SQL database and installing WordPress all on my own. It gave me an immense sense of accomplishment, what with me being a total noob with no prior training in all the highly technological things. I felt so “powerful”, if you know what i mean.
It was only after the blog had launched that I decided to write about what else, but blogging. I thought I would share my journey and experiences as I go along learning the finer aspects of blogging like mastering SEO, keyword research and all those stuffs. I got to say the blog actually did not got off too bad for a start. I was full of enthusiasm then, promoting some of my better articles to A-Listers and getting them to comment here. There was even a period where most of my articles got stumbled at least once and some got stumbled multiple times. However, along the way, I lost focus and this lost was largely due to my obsession with making money from this blog and my perverted fantasy to be another John Chow or Micheal Arrington.
Fantasising that this blog will someday in the very near future grow as big as those, I started monetizing this blog, which due to my ignorance, proved to be the Waterloo and brought to an abrupt end to my ways of writing appealing and compelling articles. I was getting restless and impatient for this blog to grow and grow fast. When results were not forthcoming, I got real frustrated and sort of lost all inspirations. I was ready to give up. And I nearly did.
When I semi abandoned this blog, I spent a lot of time with Vic of Blogger Unleashed who teaches in earnest the real methods of Making Money Online and it was there that I realized that I had the wrong conception of making money with blogs all along. I finally realized that I have been reading and blindly following idiotic ideas preached by many A-Listers claiming to be making thousands for their blogs, but in fact doing something totally different behind our backs in making their big bucks.
Almost like the sky clearing off after a thunderstorm, this realization made me see blogging in a totally different perspective. Yes, there may come a day when this blog gets thousands of unique visitors, but it certainly will not be tomorrow, or next week, or next month or heck, maybe not even in next two years, but heck or all heck, I don’t even mind now. Of course it will be satisfying to see this blog take off, but when it comes to making money, Vic has taught me otherwise. I am taking his advise like a alcoholic drowning himself with whiskey and what I have learned has nothing to do with blogging like the way I am doing here.
I too kind have been kind of sidetracked and have found Court and Vic’s advice putting me back on the right track. I still have to realize where I need to spend my time.
I never planned to make money with my blog but somehow I have ended up spending much of my time on it instead of the sites that do make money. I too started with the idea of just sharing my experiences with others. I plan to continue it, but I realize I need to balance it with the sites that I really see results with.
I’m glad you decided to stick around and continue with this blog.
Hi James,
Yea, me too. I was glad I did not receive any offers that was tempting enough during the one week that I put up the “On Sale” sign, else this blog will be no more.LOL.
Looks like we are almost on the same track here, so good luck to both of us. We will meet on the other side!