Make Money? Start a Hub or a Blog... Wait One Minute!
73My Writing friends and I tend to talk about writing. Online writing, online writing courses, how to make money writing online, make money online and blogging and social networking. Why would we want to talk about money and writing? After all this is a business for us and weneed to make money
The simplest explanation is that publishing is hard, and to get an audience is even harder without the use of the technology known as the Internet. Publish a blog, and put some google AdSense on and one should make money.
Well, money and income are two very different things. The Internet is a changing thing. Writers need to change with it, but that doesn't mean that anyone can make money. In fact it's a "sure fire thing" that you won't.
But you might make some, in fact ten dollars is money, but income and finances are more important.
Mis- Spellings and Comptetion
Is AdSense the Answer?: I want to write about AdSense to begin since it seem no matter which way you write, someone somewhere will mention AdSense, sometimes some will spell it Adcense, or Ad Sense. (This is a way of making a mistake which the search engines will pick up in terms of keywords.)
Let me be clear there is not always an answer: AdSense then isn't always the answer. Which means that while on the Google AdWords keywords search you might get paidsay $5.00 a click on a keyword well, it certainly doesn't mean you'll get it. a million other people are probably going to compete for this keyword.
The tighter the market the harder it is to get a payout each month, and your blogs and hubs need to be around for a while. No blogs that start and stop. You won't have the audience you need to make the money you want.
Just in case you are wondering about my AdSense terms I went to Google keywords tool on AdWords andtyped in Google AdSense: a very enlightening process, one I never expected. So now I understand certain "spelling mistakes' are a way that people ight think they will amke money with a hub or blog.
The problem is that most people will spell words correctly, and also, search negines are pretty smart, they will close a loophole when they find it.
- The Myths of Google AdSense: The Ones We Hold Dear.. But Should Not
- Why 101: Denied! Not In the Google Adsense Program
- Increase Adsense Revenue: Google Adsense Revenue Sharing Sites For Backlinking
- Living A Life of Writing
- Make Money by Writing an Article? Writing: Easy Make Money: Well.... Maybe! I Made One Thing....
Time and Blogs
How Soon isn't the right Question: Making money for many people is a primary goal, ask anyone who has done a poll on hubpages about that and you'll see if you add make money, that is by far the most answered of polls. Most people do not make a lot of money with their work, in fact that is why most people complain about writing, or more specifically having to write with little to show for it.
Really when it comes to hubs and blogs and blogging and writing and making money, it should never be how soon. Everyone ask these questions. The problem is they do not want to hear or understand the answers.
How soon can I make money? How soon until I get any traffic? How son until I get comments? How soon until I get a payout? How soon until this can allow me to quit my job?
Frankly with that whiny attitude: my question becomes "how soon until you give up and complain that nothing comes your way?"
The better question is this: once you've laid the ground work and done everything you can how long does it take to get the snowball effect?" This can take a couple of years for the snowball effect on a blog, what with linking and writing.
How long is the right question. More correctly put: how long until I choose the right business modelwhich will allow me to see monetary success on less work on my part? This is when you begin to look at your blogs and hubs in terms of a business where time is a long-term goal, but also where you create content which is long-lasting and requires less maintenance.
But it took a long while to get that done. So, even with them, they ask how long? they spent the hours needed. So ask yourself, how long? How much time? how to improve? Results will come quickly when you ask yourself the right questions.
What is Your Definition of Income?: This is one of the most valuable question that was asked of me. I'll tell you a personal story to give as an example:
I had a good job, not in something I wanted to be in for the rest of my life, but it was good, a small family, and a whole mountain of debt. What I wanted to be was a writer, but with dyslexia and people suggesting that I was less than what I am, my debt continuing to grow, well I did something that was insane, to put it mildly.
My former husband decided that he was going to join the army, and of course would make it big as an officer (he isn't) and longstory short I moved back with my parents, and began life as a single mom. Love my kids I do, but there was one little problem.
No money-- at least not much. So what to do?
I began to pay down the debt and focus on my writing. But nothing in terms of money was really coming my way. One of my writing friends asked me this: What is your definition of income?
What? my definition of income, while I'm not making money. But that isn't teh answer, see even if you have $1 in google AdSense or amazon w=you've made money. You haven't mad any income or helped your finances. So, what is your definition of income?
Do you want money? Ten Quick Ideas: This one is easy just ten quick ideas to make maybe a couple of cents each day, but remember a couple of cents does add up in the end:
In no particular order: Write a blog post each day. Publish a hub at least four times a week, get into freelance work, promote your writing, be a good person interact with people, give credit in as many ways as you can (thanks Peter for the info by the way.. and thanks Doh121 for showing me the light!), make it easy for people to read things, encourage comments on blogs and hub and ezinearticles, have a plan for both marketing and money, and have a bit of fun.
See quick and easy. But read them again and you'll find they aren't so easy to implement, but with willpower and hard work you will find that money will come your way, but there are so many more things out there that will come, and I don't think that you will expect that. So what are you waiting for? go publish that blog post, publish a hub, an ezine article, and comment and have fun.
To your success.
Money and Income or...
See results without votingShould You Work At This even if Nothing Seems to be Happening?: The simple answer is yes. I have 90 hubs at the time of this writing, and yet, for me, the value is the hubs. yes I have deleted some hubs and yes some hubs come and go in terms of traffic, but still.
Sometimes, nothing happens, you get that initial spike in traffic and then nothing, I mean nothing. You try the whole google AdWords-thing, get some traffic but no returns and nothing in terms of a return on investment. You income and money situation looks worse by the day.
So should you still work at it? yes of course, I know it's hard believe me I know, I've been there, done that and still doing it.
Which is why I can say that no matter where you are in your writing life things will get better, things will work out, it may not be quite the way you'd expect but things will work out. It just takes time and effort.keep on publishing good hubs, keep on writing on your blogs, a small following will grow, and traffic, will come, it just takes time.
I liken it to a guide post, your goal is to make icnome from your writing, and to make money that you can survive on, and that is great, so take the time to build on your small successes, I can say that I can't thank all my followers enough. When I was down they brought me up they give me traffic and some money, but most of all hope.
Never ever ever ever give up. You are getting some traffic, and that is something to celebrate, the next steps are easy, you just need some time to do them. You will see success, and it will be good, just aim for the stars but be realistic for a while.
CommentsLoading...
Thanks.I am new to adsense and awaiting my first income.This article is a boost.
vinnie-- it can take about 3 years to really make an income-- if you do at all, but you haev to be very very focused on your work.. Google luck and don't give up.
Thank you Rebecca i was just about to give up on blogging but came across your page im still new at this my first blog im getting traffic but no clicks (adsense)but ater reading this im gonna keep my head up and keep going thanks again
bwthie-- do whatever you need to do to get out of debt and save, but love what you do after.
Great advice. Not giving up is the key in writing. I myself am a single mom and very much struggling with debt. Writing also works as a therapy. When it has been a long day, my keyboard is a savior.
marcshcanada-- not a problem, feel free to ask any questions.
Thanks for you help Rebecca E.
marshacanada-- Google own AdSense, whic is why teh correct title is the Google AdSense Affiliate Program. As for ads this is where you will learn how to deal with mini-websites.
Many Thanks for your informative hub Rebecca E. I am a new hubber and have written 22 hubs in the last month. I think I have made $3.50. But I am still trying to figure out the ad system. Is Google the same as Adsense?
Much luck for you then, the best wishes on hubpages.
I see, I'll try to broadcast myself then. Thank you very much.
Zanerus-- good question, a link is something like what you have done when you made teh comment, by writing your comment I can click on your name which will lead me to your profile, and more importantly to a list of your hubs. In teh edit section of a hub ( if you write a new one look to the upper right hand corner ) there is a capsule called links) you can add the URL to your hub this way. You can also copy and paste that URL to a blog or a website of yours and this will increase teh chances of getting more traffic, since people now "see" your work.
Rebecca E. I've heard people say "link" before as a way to get readers but I'm not sure what that really tells, as for the lenght of the hub, I have three that are already above 1000 words, although its mostly editators.
Zanerus-- simple write a long hub about 800 words, and start to link there to see more of what I mean. Think of you hub as a website helps. You do not constantly write on a website as you do a blog.
I see, thank makes some sense. Thank you for taking the time to answer.
Zanerus-- blog-- you keep adding a post a day or something like that... whereas a hub is more like a one page website where you build link to that hub over time.
I read this article and others and got a confusion to arise in my head. What is the difference between a blog and a hub?
pager7-- don't worry I'll keep them coming I always do... it is important to help other in my mind.
For beginners like us, there can never be anything so valueable as this, thanks for the information
itasimplelife-- welcome then, hope this helps in your success.
I'm just getting started. This is very informative. Thanks!
JackB-- best of luck! thanks for the comment.
im determined to make some money with hubpages!
helen-- ezine articles has been a big help for me on that front. Keep them short, and people will go to your blogs.
antonrosa-- yes often times it is fun to make some.
It's a good hub. You encourage me not to quit my blogging work. Thanks for your nice article. I hope i can wait my money in the future. I will continue posting even if it will not earn.
That was a nice read. It always fun to make money on the side.
cindyvine-- I think it's because google and China have problem s with each other, but also i've heard you need a permit there.
I could only get adsense once I'd left China, adsense wouldn't accept my address there!
mulitmastery-- AdSense does work provided you get teh right keywords, then it works well, teh same with amazon but they ahve recently changed their rules so it is harder to make money with them, I've made some but not as much as AdSense.
ateenyi-- I'll remember this one one of my many off days. thanks for teh kind comment.
Great advice Rebecca, I haven't really focused on earning with Amazon, pretty much just stick with Adsense. I did try Amazon but dropped it off after a a while once a saw I wasn't making any money. You know basically you only get one click from visitors oftentimes, being that links open up in tthe same window, and I'v found Adsense to work better. Has Amazon really been working well for you, or do you feel Adsense is the thing to do?
Great Hub Rebecca!!!!!!!!
An excellent post indeed. The methodology of earning money, by writing blog and hubs is simply effortlessly –classic. Rebecca you shared very precious information. You singlehandedly emerge out as a huge winner in global arena. You are a great inspiration for the millions of people across the globe. Thanks a lot.
Keep on Hubbing
2patricias-- congrats.. sometimes that does happen it's kind of cool isn't it? in fact that is what I am seeing now, after such a long time of working, and that is great. I'm not entirely sure why, so I'll set teh question out to others.
Very encouraging. By the way - Tricia and I were talking about last week's 'income' and we'd had one click on our website that paid a larger sum than usual. It turned out both of us had been alarmed and examined the ads showing on our Home Page in case it was one of 'those' ads that we normally filter out. We're that used to making pennies at a time - LOL. Well, what else can you do but laugh and keep trying?
Thanks for another good Hub.
torimari-- if you don't get the you can't expect the rewards? I think if you work at the beginning it willc ome to you in the end.
Timely-- yes money is a big thing, but in my view, it takes time and energy to begin it, but then it snowballs.
RNMSN-- it will come don't you worry and it seesm to come faster each time, and that bike is gonna get so much better.
I don't use xomba so I can't say.
jill of all trades-- welcome back, thanks for the lovely comment, good to read it.
ntweisen--- in time you certainly will it just takes time. I'd say in my view, about 2 years for a blog that has a strong niche and is posted every day.
Nice hub. It's honest yet not discouraging---it is a positive yet blunt reality check to those who come on here whining about lack of success instantly while failing to do many of the crucial points you mentioned. :)
Hey Rebecca, great information. Time seems to be my biggest barrier, of course not to leave out mention from personal issues:) It is great just sharing in my hubs. Earning money from them would be a blessing I hadn't figured on but would be most welcomed:)
fantastic rebecca!! you raise the bar and always encourage all of us to take it to the level!! thank you!! I am ten dollars away from my bicycle LOL then what will happen? it goes back to zero and I have to build it up again dont I? I must get back to my blog...I only have two..one for poems and one for nursing...I write on xomba as well...can i say that here? but hubpages is the one I love the most thank you again..love to you!!
Hi Rebecca,
Thank very much for this very informative and helpful hub!
A very good post. I am currently working at making money and hopefully an income off of writing to my blogs. Thanks for the encouragement.
habee-- yes, it is a virtue, but something we don't like doing.
drbj-- yes I noticed that as well, when I went on to AdWords keywords... you'd be surprised.
Linda-- takes time and practice, and then for me to simplify it down as best i can.
mpurcell10-- It's hard telling teh Honest part of it, but sometimes it's for the best. Love the writing the rest will come.
Great advice. Patience is definitely a virtue here!
Thanks, Rebecca, for reminding me of something I almost forgot. When you use Adsense for keywords, it pays to also use keywords of the misspellings people often use when searching for your topic.
Thank you for the useful information it is very encouraging. I look forward to reading more of your hubs. It still feel like a whole new frontier is out there on the www. Bless you for articulating and navigating the some-what un-imaginable. Aloha :)
I like the honesty. Thank you! I wonder sometimes why I write but know it's for the love of writing and why not make money doing what I love.
cupid51--- it takes time and effort, and a lot of linking between hubs-- done properly of course!
hynodude-- it's a thing I am on teh fence about, I do make some money from AdSense, but I also make money from amazon, so it's hard choice to make. You are correct in saying that at some point there will be a change, there always is!
hynodude-- it's a thing I am on teh fence about, I do make some money from AdSense, but I also make money from amazon, so it's hard choice to make. You are correct in saying that at some point there will be a change, there always is!
I am getting inspired! After two weeks of joining hubpages I was just becoming a little frustrated. Thanks for a good guidance.
Great hub, and as usual you are pretty right :) All those get rich quick schemes are a scam, time and efforts are needed as with almost everything else in life. My humble opinion is that AdSense is far overvalued, especially in the light of all those browsers' extensions which block ads and the secrecy around earnings' shares, plus the fact that publishers have almost no rights with Google. But surely someone will take the ball, just like Google did with Yahoo. For me the best thing about hubbing is that I'm receiving priceless feedback about my writing, so maybe one day I'll be able to enter the big field of publishing a book. And if in the meantime I make some money then it's even better. But I'm still convinced that most of the money about AdSense comes from selling books or ebooks about it. :)
tammy-- you will amke money some how I know that you've had problems with google.. how is that going? all my best wishes. It's true sometimes what we get from others is... priceless.
Hey friend, thanks for the pep talk I was needing it today. I have got to hang in there. I haven't made a cent here and I'm not complaining either. You can't put a dollar amount on what I have learned from you and HubPages.
Rose West-- as always good to see you, glad you stopped by hope this helps you even more. you are welcome.
Yet another encouraging hub! I just need to read your hubs whenever I get down about writing...thank you!
BkCreative-- yes that is exactly what I've been finding, teh backlinks are beginning and coming back to me, and it is so worth it. As for blogs, I've had one of my four up since 2008 so it's been up for a while, but only in teh last year ami getting traffic that is valuable interms of money, but I have a strong following there.
And yes exactly! - it takes time but money does come through AdSense and for me it is the best kind of money - that residual income. You raised the most important point in all of this - it takes time. It was about 7 months before I got a first payout on hub pages and this as I approached 100 hubs - I started here because I liked the ease, flexibility and control I had. But now amazingly, it is 17-18 months I've been here with 120 hubs and even if I do not write another hub - in 3 months time I continue to get a payout! True, I can see much more success if I can write, as you suggest, say 4 hubs per week - and blog. But like many of us - we have other jobs and commitments etc.
I don't have a blog yet but I am working on that. Another good point you shared - others said it took about 7 years and they worked elsewhere during that time - so I do other things and can't think of anything better than knowing, that as time has proven - even while doing other things, my hubs (and soon blogs) hooked up to AdSense will continue to work for me.
Yes, Rebecca E. I am finding it is so worth it!
LadyJane1-- hope is what you need, then my best wishes are sent to you, you will succeed.
Smireles-- yes patience is the ley and it does take a lot of time and effort, but in teh end I believe it is worth it.
Mystique-- you always make my day you know that? I need to do something for you, make teh universe go your way!
uliveulearn-- slow and steady, and even if it's nto four hubs that okay, I'll let you in on a secret I write and save unpblished, so right nwo, I have about two that are in draft stage, so i usually wait about three days before publishing them.
Johnathan Douglas-- never ever ever give up, it will work out in the end. You will make money because you will succeed
trose-- you are welcome!
Angela Blair-- thanks for stopping by keep on sponging (i think I am grammatically correct onthat one!)
treasuresyw-- you are welcome.
hello hello-- as always thanks for coming by!
juneaukid-- yes you can never tell, it seems on does better than others and then you might have mroe followers on one but less traffic... go figure!
cameciob-- so do you, I love your hubs, of course Transylvania and Romania are big on my list!
a2z support-- great to see you back, I do hope this one and more of them will encourage you and give you teh success you need.
Tatjana-Miceala-- as walys a pleasure to see you here, and yes some great points, the internet sure helps doens't it?
Thanks again for that invaluable advice. Gives me hope.
Great hub, Rebecca! Your insight and questioning helps to set goals. The truth is that I am a writer. I will write for free. I do not want to write for free, but I will. I do not make a lot of money and need to make more but I feel that if I continue to write people will get to know me and the money will come. I have patience. Thank you for your tips. I am making a to do and goal list right now. Blessings!
My dearest Becca...That is WHY you will succeed! Because you understand how things work, as an old saying goes:"Blame it on the stones", but you are the one who decides what to do, no matter whose fault is it anyway. The universe works at its own pace, but the less desperate we get the sooner success comes knocking on our door. It is not only money making, it is everything in life! My mom always says: " Nothing happens before or after its time. It happens when all things are ready for it to happen"
Great Hub, Becca!
My warmest regards and blessings to you,
Al
You are always informative, encouraging and inspiring and I am a true follower. I am, however, now a little concerned. I understand the time and effort concept but was hoping to go for slow and steady wins the race angle. As you may see I am not able to publish hubs in great speed yet. I am slowly but steadily learning to write better in order to produce good quality hubs but not sure if I could ever do at least four hubs a week as you have noted here. Do you think that building slowly is worthwhile? I am not expecting to make any money anytime soon but I would hope to receive a little passive income in a few years.
You know what! You seem to write at the right time!
I was ready to give up. But with some encouragement I found that writing is a thrill, a panacea, sometimes hard, sometimes a bore, but what you can do to ease your mind, take a break and even eventually make money.
Thanks again-a super hub!
Just what I needed to hear today....thank you :)
Super advice -- I soaked it up like a sponge. Thanks for sharing your expertise and the encouragement. Best, Sis
Thanks for the hub.
Thank you for encouragement. You are a truly shining example
Thanks, Rebecca E, yes, we must all continue writing and eventually something will happen. It is curious how traffic comes in cycles. With another writing site I have only half the number of articles as I do on hub pages yet twice the traffic. And yet another site I have almost the same number of articles with a third the traffic as on hub pages. Who knows?
Rebecca, you put so much passion on your writing that's contagious. thank you for another encouragement
I've started reading more of your hubs after I read one a few weeks ago. It was the one wit 10 reasons not to give up writing. I felt greatly motivated by it and published a couple of hubs after that. After reading this one, I'm even more motivated and I think I'm going to write several more articles this weekend. There's this one niche that's been on my mind for a few days.. Time to test it out!
Hi Rebecca. First 6 months I earned only several $ through Adsense. Now, after 18 months I am getting Google check every month. Of course I do not rely on Google only (although I would love it) but this would not be sufficient to keep me writing. I love writing so much, but things do not go so easy.
Amazon is very tricky (I wrote Hub about it) so majority of sales do not get recorded - for us.
I monetize my own services and products on Internet, so 95% of my income comes from Internet marketing...and only few percentage of that income is - Google.
Google check itself is just reward (small one) that I like to receive for my hard work, not more, not less.
Great Hub, I love it. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Duchess-- I try of course.
Springboard-- yes, I know the feeling, some days you think man I wanna leave this, I'm not making anything, and then we find that it is fun and you love that's all you can do.
Rebecca, you are just so good at this :)
If at the end of the day all I get out of it is the knowing I gave it all I had, I can walk away happy. :) I can give no more of myself than I am.
Destined to Win-- I beleive in you, and i know, that you will succeed and if my hubs helped that success I am truly humbled by the thought.
Pamela99-- you are most welcomed, and hang in there as success will be yours, it truly will.
dohn121- yes I totally agree about the fesability, and the time thing. Thanks so much for the sweet comment.
Ten Blogger-- yes that sounds about right, and people do forget this when they write and write some more.
Tatto Guy-- yes long erm is the only way, and even then there are hills and valleys, but I still believe that in the end it will be better than you imagined.
Rebecca, the more I read your hubs about writing and the monetizing process the better I understand it. Thanks much.
Rebecca, This was another outstanding article. Reading your articles gives me the will hang in there, keep learning new things and trying to improve my writing skills. Thanks so much.
Thank you again Rebecca for helping and inspiring others to pursue their dreams and goals. To actually earn a living through blogging is not impossible but is certainly feasible in time. With all things, it takes hard work and dedication. You certainly have such qualities! Thank you!
Another great one from Rebecca. Yes.. patience is key..It took me more than six months to get the first check from adsense.
Rebecca deff patience and hard work bears fruit long term, I just wish I knew what I know now back in 2001, yet another great hub with great advice put across in understandable language, you are an inspiration !
G Miah-- I hope that it will, everyone need encouragement, but sometimes a bit of realism. Thanks for the comment, Hope to see you again soon.
creativeone59-- thanks for the comment, as always it's great seeing you and I am happy to be of service.
Amber-- the encouragement around here is wonderful and I am so blessed, but it is both fun and challenging. Thisis a great way to live!
Excellent hub. The encouragement is phenomenol, and hopefully will ease the worries of impatient hubbers/bloggers.
Your hubs are always helpful and inspirational. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Springboard -- all so true, if you love it it willcome, maybe not quite as much as you'd like, but it will come.
Peter-- you are welcome thanks for stopping by and all the best for your success.
Rebecca E, You are very,very good at this. I appreciate all of your worth while hubs. thank you so much for sharing. Godspeed. creativeone59
Hi Rebecca
Four blogs as well as 90 hubs - you're an inspiration as well as being an excellent source of information. Given what I've gleaned about your former husband I'd say he had an inferiority complex and felt threatened by you because you were a better person than him. He therefore tried undermine you to make himself feel better - the typical behaviour of a bully and unfortunately your dyslexia gave him an easy target. Keep believing in yourself.
Amber
The never giving up on the writing part is so important, even if writing is not really paying the bills. Most of us, I think, head for the keyboard as writers first. A writer writes because he is compelled to do so. Money is simply an afterthought in and around writing, in that, if you can make money writing you can write more often. It's a means to an end, so to speak. I say so to speak because we also are living creatures who need shelter, food to eat, and well, let's face it, the Internet we are currently using to write and publish on isn't free either.
There are some people here solely with the intent of making money as well and really don't see the art in the writing part.
Tom Piccirilli, a novelist, was like that. He did it for the money, clearly. Him and I had a lengthy argument once about passion vs. making a living, and he certainly was on the side of "I gotta get paid." Between you and I, he's no great writer but he's got quite a lot of books out, and for all intents and purposes he IS making a living in the biz in one form or another (though in his case not solely from the writing).
I always think back to that story Stephen King told about the day he was done with it. He was tired of rejection slips. He was tired of wasting his time away while his stomach growled. That was the day he took his "Carrie" manuscript and tossed it into the garbage can. Tabby, his wife, pulled it out, read it, and went to him and said "I think you should send this in."
He did and the rest was history. For him, it obviously was the turning point.
The moral to the story is that if you believe in it, if you are true about it, if you are determined, you can be good at it. And being good at something is what makes one successful at something. There is no easy way. Time, patience, and effort are all that's required.
That's not to say that doing all of that means success is imminent. If you're destined to make money doing this you will. If not, well, there are a lot of websites on the Internet listing jobs. :)
Thanks for the insight. As always, insightful and thoughtful—and downright truthful. Hope I didn't take up too much space here.
Thanks Rebecca - wise advice.
jsprasanna 4 weeks ago
thnks for ur tips, but, my adsense account had not activated yet, what's d problem tel me plzzzz..........