Why Are We Blogging?
Today's question was a question from one of my followers...
I have a natural talent for seeing the big picture and breaking it down into easily understandable parts. Reverse engineer the problem to find the solution for the Newbie's, Newbie question.
I am going to answer these in reverse order. Why did I join Wealthy Affiliate? I am looking to create an online business that will provide me with the income, passive income, that will support my lifestyle well into retirement.
If that is my WHY, then my WHAT should tie into the WHY. I joined Wealthy Affiliate after becoming exposed to affiliate marketing through a program that I considered a scam in May of 2023. I found Wealthy Affiliate and liked what they taught, the training that is provided, and the community as a whole. Wrap this into one big package, and I can honestly justify the value of the membership.
What am I doing here? Leaning from the best. How about you?
Now the hard question. I have no idea about blogging but want to get into something that I can do from home, make decent money, and dump my Just Over Broke (JOB). I think that this covers just about everybody here.
Feel free to add why you joined Wealthy Affiliate to the conversation below.
What Is Niche Blogging?
I keep updating Wikipedia. At the moment I have a good definition posted. This is all well and good.
But why are we blogging?
Answer:
Passive Income for ________________!
Fill in the blank. My answer is retirement.
True to my nature, I am going to reverse-engineer my goals and use Niche Blogging and Affiliate Marketing as my solution. You start at the bottom and work your way to the top. Just about everyone has made it to #5.
- Passive Income to Support Retirement
- Passive Income Stream
- Sales Income without Work = Passive Income
- This is the Secret that Makes everything work - What is it?
- Set up Sales links with Affiliate Marketing/Goods and Services
- Blogs are home to links
- Blogs Purpose <--START HERE
One Blog Post at a Time
The purpose of our blogs is simple. To express our opinions and solutions to life's problems and to help our fellow neighbors. We diligently create some of the best content on the web within our niches. Each training class we take improves upon the last one. It has gotten to the point where I enjoy reading my own posts! Have you gotten to this point yet?
Free Advertising
Our blogs are home to all of our links. These links are useless if no one clicks on them. Social Media platforms offer your blog free advertising. Take advantage of it! Every post that I create, I run to social media to announce to the world that another great post has been published. My last Instagram Reel got 1400+ views.
Readers
Are you watching the Google Site Kit? Watching stats? I was a daily watcher. I knew when I had one person visit my site. Today, I rarely look. Once a month, I review pages that are crawled, but not indexed. In the beginning, I was like you. Only worse. I did not start with The Hub, nor the AI writer. It was all brain power. Yes, some of my early posts sucked and are still not indexed.
I am my harshest critic, if I like what I post, I bet that others will too. And they do, they are subscribing to my website. I have readers!
But No Money - YET!
That was the hardest part of watching the numbers. People are reading, they are subscribing, but where are the sales? I have a secret for you. Readers are NOT buyers! When was the last time you walked into a new store? The salesman asks you "Can I Help You"? What was your reply?
"No, Thanks, Just Looking"
Those are the visitors that you are getting to your website. Looks nice, I may read something. I may subscribe, I may not, but they didn't purchase anything from you.
Why ME?!?!??!?!!? What is missing?
Can you answer this? I did today.
The Secret to Securing Passive Income Through Blogging is...Audience Engagement
Yes, you read that right. Readers are visitors, when people become engaged, that is when they purchase.
Audience engagement refers to the interactions between your readers and your content. These interactions can take many forms, such as likes, comments, shares, and clicks.
Imagine writing a post about “Volksmarching versus Walking and the Shoes You Wear” and receiving a comment like…
“I’ve been Volksmarching for years, and finding the right shoes has always been a challenge. Do you have any recommendations for durable options that work on different terrains?”
This reader is no longer just skimming your content; they’re seeking your expertise and getting engaged.
When you respond. the first question that I would have is “How long have you been Volksmarching and where?” Tie that in with your personal recommendations (with affiliate links) for their terrain, and finish with a simple question like, when is your next Volksmarch?
Keep them engaged. They have a reason to return. My next trek is... The reader feels supported, you’ve provided helpful advice, and there’s a potential for monetization. What else is engagement good for?
5 Benefits Derived From Audience Engagement
- Better Search Rankings -
- The Pledge of Allegiance - Subscribing
- Staunch Supporters – Word of Mouth Advertising
- Vision Into the Future – User Generated Content (UGC)
- Proud to Be Here - I'm a Proud Member of Wealthy Affiliate
Remember, a smaller, engaged audience is far more valuable than a large, passive one.
The Fastest Way to Engagement?
I wish I could say that it is your blog. Your blog is the best place for engagement. But we know that is not the fastest way. Creating a community on FB, Quora, Reddit, and even Medium to a lesser degree, is the fastest way to create an engaged community. The trick is to get your readers over to your website or to sneak an affiliate link or two past the Web 2.0 gatekeepers. I do both. Affiliate links on the Web 2.0 sites along with backlinks to my content.
You Need to Be A Community Organizer
As I wrap this up, remember that the journey to successful blogging isn’t just about writing—it’s about creating an engaged community. Your posts are simply letting your readers know what you believe.
Why Are We Blogging?
Our blogs serve as a repository for our ideas and pain point solutions. Well-written blog posts open discussions and engagement with our audience. When we share our unique content and encourage interaction, we are creating a platform where our readers can connect, share their thoughts, and contribute to the conversation. All of this ultimately enhances the value of the blogs. Enhancing the value we deliver increases the opportunity to monetize what we do,
Why Are You Blogging Now?
Recent Comments
5
Nice post, Don!
I originally joined WA in 2014 because I wanted to create income 24/7 in my niche, one that also matched my freedom lifestyle of living anywhere I want.
But the, it morphed into a real passion to share a lifestyle I love, to help others enjoy it too, which is a much more compelling WHY. A compelling Why keeps me blogging.
Solve someone's knowledge problem, offer a solution, and possibly gain a sale.
Have a blessed day, Don!
Howard,
This is another great demonstration of why successful bloggers ARE successful.
When your blog morphed into a passion to share a lifestyle, the money took a backseat.
By taking the backseat, people came to trust your recommendations.
Thank you for your open, honest input and for being a guiding light for the "newbies" coming into this business.
MrDon
See more comments
My take:
-The challenge of monetization: Having readers doesn't automatically translate to sales.
- Word-of-mouth advertising, also recommendations
- The role of a blogger: To be a community organizer, fostering discussions and interactions with the audience.
Yup, you are the center and at the center of your target audience.
Affiliate marketing is the same as any other business; the idea is to help folks by educating them, not selling them.
The promotions should sell themselves if properly executed.
You find benefits and how it serves your target audience; the retailer does the selling bit.
Word-of-mouth recommendations are compelling.
The thing is, what is NEW you are bringing to the table?
Why am I blogging? Mmm, lol
You know, it's funny. I've done pretty well so far, finance-wise. Between my hubby and me, we've got this sweet passive income thing going on, month in, month out, and honestly, I could kick back and chill if I wanted to. But here's the thing—I just can't! That's not my style. It's like... impossible for me to stay idle, you know?
So, why am I still at it? Well, it's pretty simple. I love bringing something new to the table every single time. It's not about making more money or getting a pat on the back. It's just this drive I have to try and put out something meaningful.
Every time I sit down to write a post, I feel like I'm challenging myself. Can I push myself a bit further? Can I learn something new? It's all about keeping that personal bar high, not because anyone's telling me to, but because that's just how I roll.
And you know what? I love that my posts might make a difference to someone out there—maybe spark a cool conversation or help someone learn something new. That feeling? It's priceless.
Plus, blogging has become an awesome journey of constant learning for me. I get to explore new ideas, sharpen my thoughts, and chat with some really cool people who are into the same stuff.
So, the bottom line? I'm not blogging because I have to. I'm doing it because I want to. It's about leaving my mark, sharing cool ideas, and maybe making an impact.
It's just me doing what I love and hopefully adding a little something positive to the world. Pretty cool, right?
Exceptionally well written.
Thank you, Donald!
Keep rocking.
Abie
Abie,
This is one of the best responses that I could have hoped for.
Successful bloggers are some of the most helpful people around.
You embody Money Follows Mastery. Money is not the mission. Helping is. Getting better at what you do. Money is simply a byproduct.
I keep going back to the Why Are You Blogging question. It hit me yesterday like a sledgehammer upside the head.
While the ultimate goal is to make money, the product or service that we are selling is HELP. Helpful people are the ones doing well.
How can you help the most people? Initially, join a group/community that mirrors your cause. Lend your knowledge (create great posts on your website, add the abridged addition to the group) to help others in that group, NO SPAM, but true help.
All lead back to a community of fans that you curated. Your followers will be engaged, and monetization will happen.
Have I mentioned that I love it here?
MrDon