9 Pet Blogging Myths Busted
I feel a bit overwhelmed by all the ideas and options out there for monetizing blogs.
I love pets, I want to get started blogging but I have no idea how.
I’ve been blogging for a while, and I’d like to do something more with it.
Can you really make a living with a pet blog?
If any of the above sound like you, here’s are 9 myths about pet blogging and the reality of each. See how many surprise you.
Myth: Having a pet blog allows a huge passive income.
Reality: Passive income in the form of ads, affiliate marketing, Google AdSense, and more are all ways to monetize, but one key element remains: Traffic. Are you treating your blog as a business, complete with a business plan designed for your blog? If you are getting a ton of traffic to your blog, of course revenue will come. Work for it.
Myth: You must blog every single day.
Reality: Some folks love blogging every day, and more power to those people. Promotion of content and knowing what to promote, when to promote, how to promote, and engaging with others so they promote, too: There’s time well spent. Promoting a blog post over the course of a few days, then revisiting it even weeks to months later is a great way to gain traffic = followers = monetizing goals realized.
Myth: Advertising and affiliate programs or blog networks are the only ways to make money blogging.
Reality: The sky’s the limit: A blog can do so much more than many “experts” lead folks to believe. A blog helps you establish a voice, authority, clout, reputation, and develop a strong platform online. From there, consider traditional book writing, speaking engagements, coaching, consulting, and making yourself available in your field of expertise.
Myth: Comments means I am successful.
Reality: If the same people are commenting on your blog day in and day out, that is fantastic: It means you have a following. Having 50 to 100 dedicated readers who return to your blog is a lot better than 5,000 who pass by and never say a word. Growing your stream of traffic is a goal, but developing a loyal reader base should be a part of that.
Myth: I want to work from home and blog because I can live large and have the career of my dreams.
Reality: I am a telecommuter: I say this in 2015 and you can check back with me years down the road: I will remain a telecommuter. For 14 years, I have been working from a home office. The co-founder of BlogPaws works from a home-based office. You get back what you put into it, and some days it’s not easy. I find myself struggling with the reality of later nights, the lure of the “just five more minutes” mantra, and a lunch break slowly evolves into laundry and dishes some days. And then I snap out of it. This is the career of my dreams, and though I don’t “live large,” I live happy, I work better and more productively in a home-based office space. I get more done. I function better. And the millions of other telecommuters out there reading this who love what they do are nodding in agreement.
Myth: I never have to leave my home if I blog from home: I can learn remotely and teleconference.
Reality: Working from home does not mean never leaving your home. There is NOTHING that replaces the face-to-face networking that happens at conferences, workshops, events, expos, etc that pertain to your career choice. As a pet blogger, attending the BlogPaws Conferences has been crucial for me. They are never the same, the content is always stellar, the connections are invaluable, and the brands notice. I will never forget walking into the very first BlogPaws Conference in 2010 in Ohio and having a brand representative tell me he appreciated how serious I was about my blogging career. When I asked how he could know such a thing, he replied, “Because you attended this conference.” I never forgot that.
Myth: It’s too hard to break into pet blogging. I wouldn’t even know where to start.
Reality: Anything worth having is worth working for: I know, I’ve been down this road. You start by joining the BlogPaws Community. This is basically a 24/7/365 searchable reference of years of content, advice, tips, and networking for bloggers and microbloggers at any level. If you are spending time in community groups, make sure that it is use to advance your blog in any of the above categories. Spending countless hours on Facebook but not putting in any actual work is still not a money making activity. Using Facebook and other social media content to drive traffic, raise awareness, and defining yourself as a resource all can help achieve your goals.
Myth: I’ve been blogging for a while and I just can’t grow my pet blog any further.
Reality: Where do you want to take your blog? What is your next goal? Have your goals changed over the course of a year? Where do you see your blog in 2 years? Five years? Revisit where your blog has been and determine where you want it to go.
Myth: Brands just want to work with bigger bloggers and they won’t look my way with a blog that has a few thousand visitors a month.
Reality: Brands are looking at an entire picture.
BlogPaws is the fastest growing group of engaged pet bloggers both online and off. As such, we attract the best and the brightest to our influencer opportunities. Brands are eager to work with dedicated pet bloggers and lifestyle bloggers with pets through the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network.
We invite you to join our free community by visiting http://community.blogpaws.com. When you fill out your application, be sure to check the box to receive information about our blogger influencer programs as they become available.
Pay close attention to what you say to the brand in the “why should we pick you for the campaign” box: Sell yourself to the brand and show examples of what you can do for them.
What other myths can we help dispel about pet blogging?
About the Author: Carol Bryant is the PR and Marketing Manager for BlogPaws and runs her own blog, Fidose of Reality.
