Starting a BLOG in 2018 is hard as HELL!

starting a blog in 2018 is hard work

By NJroute22

njroute22 logo
Creative logo, eh?

Hey TBP’ers!

I’ve been a reader of TBP since practically the beginning. I’ve also commented a lot and contributed guest posts in the past.

Probably my favorite site to read online! But that isn’t the point!

We’ve taken on a new identity (NJroute22) and decided to start a new blog for central New Jersey and parts of Pennsylvania.

The blog is called NJroute22.com – and thanks go out to the Admin Jim for allowing me to post on TBP. (And please take a look and tell me what you think!)

Today’s introductory post is about how ridiculously difficult it is to start a blog in 2018. It’s literally hard as hell to make a “blog” successful. Not impossible, but an uphill battle all the way. Not for the faint of heart, or those who do the “bare minimum.”

Especially if your budget is practically non-existent and time constraints are large. Doubly hard if you choose content that isn’t political, celebrity, or other trending pop culture nonsense.

We plan on submitting a guest post or two per month on TBP to “spread the word,” however, today’s introductory post will be about the enormous amount of work required to even have a chance at earning income on a “blog” in 2018.

Please stay with me as I chronicle the insane difficulties.

Timing is a big chunk of the equation

Let’s take a step back for a moment.

I had another blog I started almost a decade and a half ago. Before Fakebook and Twatter. Also when “search engines” ranked things better, more naturally.

Our site was Google page rank #1 for maybe six or seven years. For anything related to our topic. Pictures. Search. You name it. We had a solid six-figure annual income for a long stretch. Then something happened as social media and other nonsense crept in.

The traffic declined slowly, but steadily. We never liked (and still don’t like) social media. Something sinister about it. We avoided it because we plainly felt it was disgusting, and an utter waste of time. No other reasons. But that was a mistake (from a financial perspective.)

Another mistake we made was having a conservative political opinion (read: common sense, logical) within what eventually became a full-fledged liberal market. We inadvertently shot ourselves in the foot. We went “all in” on the wrong poker hand.

So while we had good timing in the beginning, we failed to take action on the right trends.

We preserved our sense of self, but it came with a cost, and we essentially “retired” that site. Oh well.

Starting a blog in 2018 is a big uphill battle

That said, we decided to create a “societal” blog about life along the NJ Route 22 corridor. All the way from Hillside, NJ – to about Allentown, PA. We’re on that road every single day, and our coverage area is about 1,000 square miles. We enjoy the subject matter, which is important long term. Easy pickings, right?

Maybe.

Creating a site in 2018 versus creating a site in 2004 is very different.

The market today is flooded beyond belief. And as the marketing genius, Gary Vaynerchuk says – “you have to day-trade attention spans” these days in order to succeed online.

starting a blog in 2018

So instead of just simply being a content creator exclusively – you know, posting genuinely helpful or entertaining articles – you have to “hustle” all over the interwebs.

Because just creating posts on a blog is akin to whether a tree falls in the forest and if anyone hears it hit the ground.

In 2018 versus 10 or 15 years ago, there are a multitude more ways required to “promote” your website to relevance. And that means TONS more work, followup, and management.

A long checklist in order to grow a website

Back in the day, all you had to do besides create regular quality content, was to submit your site to a few search engines and directories – and you were done.

People found you quite easily. Especially because the number of competitors was profoundly less.

Today, it is a complex web of many social media platforms, keyword analysis, guest posts, link exchanges, advertising, SEO optimization, and much, much more.

Not to mention that you’re competing with mega-conglomerates with hundreds of millions of dollars contributed from investors. Who do not like when ordinary Joe’s get web traffic.

Content creators like us (especially if they’re one-man shops) have to do the work of 10 men in order to have a chance at monetary success these days.

Let’s take a look at 8 steps that are almost mandatory for any blog site to succeed in 2018. (If you’re looking to start one yourself – this might be helpful.)

A collection of headaches waiting for you

I should suggest that anyone who dreams of making it rich on the internet probably just give up now.

It’s too hard for you. And most other people. But let me quickly outline what bundle of activities you absolutely need to do in 2018 to have a fighting chance:

    1. Not just a blog, but many other outlets (see below). But the blog still needs regular updates. At least one a day, preferably between three and 10 posts per day.

 

    1. Social media is a must. At least four of the major outlets. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and many more.

 

    1. SEO / Keyword strategy. You need to literally write your posts in the proper format (not just your honest thoughts), but rather how people “Searching” for whatever, can find your site. This feels unnatural to us, but it is a strategy that is necessary for you to be “found.”

 

    1. Engagement. It’s been said that you can’t just post things to social media and be done with it. You actually have to engage people who do respond or comment on your content. That requires time and energy.

 

    1. Backlinks. This is a very tough category. Apparently, one of the most important aspects of being found is the number of “backlinks” you get. That is other websites or social media accounts which LINK to your web property. The big thing about our current era is actually PAYING people to link back to you, instead of them naturally just referencing your site. It’s a tricky industry indeed. Because you can pay people, and they’ll quickly remove your link for whatever reason. Best to find folks that link to you voluntarily without payment. But that means you need interesting, exclusive, or fantastic content.

 

    1. Site speed. Another aspect the major search companies (Google, and the rest of the scrubs) watch is how fast your site loads. “Page speed” is what they often call it. You’d get penalized if you have a poorly loading website.

 

    1. Mobile friendly. Another aspect is whether your site is optimized for mobile devices. I personally hate looking at information-laden pages on a tiny 5-inch screen (Full PC screens are our preference), but apparently, 90% of the population has become accustomed to getting their information from these eyesight-killing postage-stamp-sized screens of dopamine hits. I don’t know how or why – but it is, in fact, a reality. Screw me sideways.

 

    1. Other media formats (Video and Audio). So instead of just words, pictures, and charts, you also have to become a full media offering. Starting a YouTube channel (or other video sites) is a must, as well as regular podcasts. You can do without, but you’re just hampering your chances. Don’t forget, some folks earn great incomes on YouTube alone! For stupid crap like unboxing toys or playing with foam!

 

There are others that need to be considered as well, such as an email list, and possible donation pages (like Patreon, PayPal, or GoFundMe).

Here are our social media connections:

Facebook – https://facebook.com/njroute22
Twitter – https://twitter.com/njroute22
Pinterest – https://pinterest.com/njroute22
Instagram – https://instagram.com/njroute22
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbN077lfAToY6Cr5P4JmLg
RSS Channel – https://njroute22.com/feed/

And we’re not even talking about monetization yet either!

Once you have traffic, the monetization quagmire comes next

Depending on the “friendliness” of your content, there are many ways to earn money. Google Adsense is one of the easiest. However, you have to watch your words. The Orwellian nature of our politically-correct world today severely hampers sites (even TBP) for those expressing their right to free speech. This is a tricky zone to maneuver in.

And sites like YouTube recently made it harder for new startups to earn money on their videos. You now need 240,000 minutes watched and 1,000 subscribers in order to qualify for monetization. No easy task.

And in 2018, many new ways of monetization have gone mainstream. Notably, the “influencer” market (on social media), as well as paid posts. Those only come when you reach a certain popularity level.

There are many other ad networks and affiliate programs out there – and you have to exercise the same “caution” with what you publish with them as well. The game is rigged.

Tools are required to maintain your workflow

Other frustrating parts of running a blog, are the number of things you need to manage BESIDE simply creating good content.

Most of the time, these require what we refer to them as “tools.”

Browser plugins, external “apps,” and other tech tools like software and hardware. It doesn’t end.

Some examples:

    • Social Media Management. There are tools out there that help you manage your multiple social media identities. Respond to people. Check analytics. As well as tools that actually do the social media schedule for you as well. These are absolutely necessary for anyone working as a one-man shop. Expect at least $100 / month to go towards these types of tools.

 

    • Video helpers. Browser plugins like TubeBuddy are needed to properly create YouTube videos that will get more attention. At least $50 / month for those types of tools.

 

    • SEO management. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a damn headache. “Ranking” for keywords or phrases is the goal of most websites (if they want visitors). There are tons of places that help you like Ahrefs and MOZ and others. But even for seasoned veterans of this part of the online world, it’s a giant pain in the ass that kind of sucks. Takes the organic flow out of creating bodies of work. But absolutely necessary to compete. Again, at least $50 / month investment.

 

    • Many others. Most bloggers need photography, video, and audio equipment, as well as a decent computer or laptop rig. Then there’s the associated software you’d need for video editing, photo manipulation, and audio post-production.

 

You need patience and a lot of time

If you’re unknown or have no connections out there – be prepared to work extremely hard with little to no results in the beginning.

That is probably the most discouraging aspect of launching a new online property. It’s the relative obscurity you have in the early days. Lots of work, and almost no reward. Many give up after a short time. Initial disappointment is hard to overcome without a steadfast, positive attitude.

However, if you can manage to trudge along for at least a year or longer, and fastidiously maintain your work ethic and consistency – success has a decent chance of coming your way.

And that’s what we plan to do. Just forge ahead, and not give a crap. Especially with what others might eventually say about us. We’re our own toughest critics already – so nothing can be worse than that!

What do you think? Does anyone else have a blog in which they’re trying to make a living from?

49
Leave a Reply

avatar
  Subscribe  
Notify of
Iska Waran
Iska Waran

We’ll know it’s a good blog if the CIA puts you on their list of “bad” blogs at their site http://www.PropOrNot.com If you do anything other than post recipes – like let people type “fag”, “spic”, “dago”, “heeb”, “mick” or “coon”, you’ll probably face an organized boycott of your ISP. Any discussion of 2nd Amendment rights will have David Hogg leading a parade of transgender urchins to your house. Good luck. Thank God you’re not in the UK. You might be able to pull it off for a couple more years without getting the Count Dankula treatment.

Dutchman
Dutchman

I went to Rt 22 Blog – I know that fuckin’ road – lived in Allentown, Pa – now it’s gone full Pork-Chop (Puerto Rican for those who don’t know). A complete shit-hole.

Anyway, where’s the content? An article about Super Market shopping? Thought it was a joke taken from Mad Magazine. Walgreens vs. Rite Aid – you gotta be kidding.

Ignatious J Reilly
Ignatious J Reilly

Thought “Pork Chop” was a term used in the earth moving construction field for Portuguese Laborers.

In any event, as a commuter whose dealt with both ends of 22 for 28 years, I can tell you it’s a chariot race. If starting a blog would get me out of that, I might be interested.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Dutch, let’s not be hatin’ on a man’s dream. If I had a blog, I would have to include articles on my favorite public bathrooms – a person needs to know where to go in Santa Monica or Las Vegas or how to find the elusive public toilet in downtown LA.

Neuday
Neuday

And here I thought ALL of downtown LA was a public toilet.

Dutchman
Dutchman

It is – not a place for white men.

I know every rest stop on the Connecticut Turnpike – thanks to my wife.

Anonymous
Anonymous

It’s gotten better, Neudy. But fast food joints still lock their restrooms to keep the homeless at bay. At least LA didn’t get the e-coli problem San Diego had with their homeless population. And keep in mind, there are quite a few white folks in that mix. Temperate weather (they say SoCal doesn’t have weather, it has a climate) draws many homeless folks from across the country.

Gerold

“Starting a BLOG in 2018 is hard as HELL!” No, it’s not. Starting a blog is easy. Making money off a blog is hard, if not impossible. Doing it and making money are two different things.

It’s not expensive. Blogspot and WordPress are two that are free. They’re easy, too once you get the hang of it. And yes, they take time.

A few years ago, I was in a Google pilot program. They provided assistance for a blog in return for a cut of the revenue. It didn’t take me long before I realized how much I’d have to ‘dumb-down’ to get subscribers. I backed out. I don’t do ‘dumb’ although there are plenty who do. There’s a lot of competition for clicks.

I started my own blog in 2011. Click on my name if you want to see it. I stayed true to myself and wrote, not what I think people want to read, but what I think is important to share. I couldn’t give a fraction of a rat’s ass what anybody thinks. As a result, the idiots edit themselves out so I don’t have lot of stupid comments. What’s left is a core of about 440 free subscribers who understand my viewpoints and provide great comments as well as guidance and suggestions. I think of it as a village of like-minded people.

Do I make money? No, I actually pay WordPress about $100 a year NOT to advertise. I hate ads. They’re a distraction.

When I have something to say, I do. If I don’t, I don’t so I’m not compelled to post crap. But, like I said; starting a blog is easy. Making money off a blog is hard, if not impossible.

Anonymous
Anonymous

What would be the point of this article? Oh ,yeah, blogging is dangerous so don’t try it and don’t say we didn’t warn you. Just stay in the basement, it’s dangerous out there.

Don’t even think of coming to the US either, it’s full up. We don’t need you, nobody needs you, die already!

Things are always easier yesterday. I’m sure Admin’s experience was a cakewalk.

Don’t have kids, it’s too expensive. A home? Pfft, as if!

Whatever you dreamed of doing, just give up already!

Sorry, I lost it for a bit.

Shaddup, Rdawg!

Rdawg
Rdawg

Keep whining.

James
James

Well,I really hate the govt. of N.J. so will not visit @ moment.

That said,you get booted by goggle/fecebook/twaddle ect, ,well,then I will visit on a regular basis as you are writing/hosting authors/articles I will enjoy!

Martin brundlefly
Martin brundlefly

Awfully narrow focus to try and profit from. GL with that.

Llpoh
Llpoh

Want to make money on blogs? Offer tips on loosing weight, make-up selection, etc. But making money on social or economic or political commentary will be hard.

As a famous author once said – if you want to be a writer, write.

nkit
nkit

C’mon, genius, loosing?

Lose weight
Copulate

EL Coyote
EL Coyote

nkit, your a noob so you don’t know the customs of TBPers, what you consider misspellings are simply bait for the innocent. You’ll see peaked used for piqued, loose for lose, moran for moron. You took the bait.

At one time folks would get the Zippy award. I have seen T4C get sucked in, thus earning her the Zerbina award. Nowadays, they don’t even point out your faux pas, but old-timers get a chuckle at your expense. These folks are insidious, hold on to your shorts. Like pool sharks, they can make you feel overconfident, you wade in and loose your gonads.

Rdawg, your shtick is getting a bit long in the tooth, haven’t you got any new material?

Rdawg
Rdawg

“Rdawg, your shtick is getting a bit long in the tooth, haven’t you got any new material?”

I’ll come up with some new shit when you do.

You know, something other than whining.

EL Coyote
EL Coyote

Winning, stupid, can’t you spell?

Rdawg
Rdawg

John B. Allen Elementary School 5th grade spelling bee champion, 1979.

Que gimotea. Does that help?

EL Coyote
EL Coyote

Wife and I joined a spelling bee in progress back in ’85 and came in the top spellers. It was no competition at all since we were competing against Cali folks. Now that curling is an Olympic event, I wonder if they will add Spelling Bees?

nkit
nkit

I got your newbie right here Herve, you sawed off “da plane “fuck..keep up with your Spanish, you half breed semi
– English animal, you fucking free grazer, border crossing..fuck you and your fucking criminal asshole MS-13 friends that you always stand up for…. You always stand up for freaking illegal pos… Ten Jackasses, you and your Indian friend that believe that you can desecrate our language because you are special victims and thus, pieces of shit…Speak English you piece of Mexican Dung…Fuck you, Chen..Brown and Red people won’t change our language… We will do away with you first…. The word is lose, not loose, you freaking half breed ifiot…

nkit
nkit

But When LLPOH spells losing as loosing, that’s okay …Fuck you you sawed off liberal cunt…

nkit
nkit

I got your newbie right here Herve, you sawed off “da plane “fuck..keep up with your Spanish, you half breed semi
– English animal, you fucking free grazer, border crossing..fuck you and your fucking criminal asshole MS-13 friends that you always stand up for…. You always stand up for freaking illegal pos… Ten Jackasses, you and your Indian friend that believe that you can desecrate our language because you are special victims and thus, pieces of shit…Speak English you piece of Mexican Dung…Fuck you, Chen..Brown and Red people won’t change our language… We will do away with you first…. The word is lose, not loose, you freaking half breed idiot…

nkit
nkit

BTW, assface. I’m no newb and you know it , you fucking lettuce head…I got some bait for you cocksucker… what do you get for pimping out the ex-sexy mulatta every Friday night?

Llpoh
Llpoh

Whatever is happening here, leave me out of it. Some snowflake just got triggered.

When I type on a phone, I take no responsibility for typos or autocorrect. I may be an injun, but I am an exceedingly well educated injun. Taking grammar lessons from knitwit is a step backward in that.

Anonymous
Anonymous

LLPOH, whatever you do, don’t call nkit a noob. The little guy is barely 6 feet tall but he fancies himself bigger than the big dogs here; obviously a case of raging ‘little man syndrome’. He even went as far as asking how tall I am so he can pick on me with short jokes. What a tiny mind! He probably drives a Hummer while pretending he’s the Terminator. Oh, and Mr. Big Britches even appropriated the English language, imagine that, he said I should go back to my own Espaniol. He’s like some nursery school bully crying, mine, mine, mine.

overthecliff
overthecliff

I don’t spell good all the time. So wat?

Anonymous
Anonymous

I’ve never seen nkit loose it like that.
Wow, he hit me with everything he had, which was not much.
I’ve been singed more with less taste from better folks; LLPOH and KB.
I hope you are in good health, nkit.
EC

Anonymous
Anonymous

All I did was be nice to YoBo and nkit went off the rails. Strawberry shortflake is jealous.
https://youtu.be/sJIFwookW4I

Stucky

Hey NJroute22

I’m on Rt 22 at least 3 times a week …from the Bound Brook to Union stretch.

Interesting concept you have there. Although I have less than zero idea how you’ll make money off of it. Maybe if you wrote an article — “Best places for pussy on Route 22”? I’d pay up to $10 bucks for that.

Hey … you might consider writing about this place. Rt 22 West in Scotch Plains, right next to Bowcraft amusement.

comment image

I’ve eaten at a LOT of BBQ places, all over America, and I’m not exaggerating when I say this place is better than 99% of any place I’ve tried. It actually may be THE best, but my memory is fading as I get older … probably from all the shit air I breath on Rt 22.

Read more here —- http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/02/one_of_njs_top_bbq_spots_is_opening_a_2nd_location.html

Best of Luck to you.

Discover more from The Burning Platform

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading