I’ve just had a guest post published on Andy Baileys CommentLuv site, entitled:
The Six Main Myths Of Making It Online
As you can tell (well hopefully) from the title, it is about the things that many people believe when it comes to making money via blogging and the internet.
I won’t repeat them here as you can link on the title above and see them but one of the comments from James made me come up with the idea of this post you are now reading.
James said:
“Too many people believe that online blogging is a get rich scheme. While it’s true that some people do get rich fast, the vast majority flounder. I’ve always found that persistence is the key.”
His comment is very true. Many people enter the world of blogging believing they are going to be rich within weeks. They believe the hype of the sales pages and the guys standing in front of their big mansions and flashy cars and think, “I want that. I want what they have”.
Then they read the headline,
“Blog Just 30-60 Minutes A Day And Make Over $100,000 A Year!”
That’s a real headline – I am not making this up and I could buy the product for $47!
So for $47, 30-60 minutes work per day…I’m going to make $100K
That’s almost $550 – $275 an hour. Cool!
I’ll think I’ll buy it…NOT!
I wonder if the product owner would teach me everything he knows and when I start earning, $275 an hour via the product, I’ll give him $75 back. I’d be happy with $200 and I’m sure he would be happy with $75 an hour for the rest of my life.
But you can see how the inexperienced blogger would be sucked in by such a headline.
I was when I started a few years ago.
Here’s another headline (remember these headlines are for genuine products you can buy today…I’m not making this up!)
“How a stay-at-home mom accidently stumbled on an unusual money-making method that makes her $1,700 a day…and how you can too”
This one is even cheaper…only $37.
If I could make $1,700 a day…I’d pay her $100k to show me. Within 60 days, I’d have my money back.
In fact, show me exactly what to do for free and when I make $1,700 a day I’ll give you, the product owner, 50% back every day. How does that sound?
Think she would take me up on that offer?
No…nor do I!
Anyway, the best advice I can give to new bloggers is:
You are going to work at least 20 hours a week for the next 6 months for no income…if you are willing to do that…then start! If not, don’t bother!
Good advice? What do you think?
What advice would you give? Please share your views in the comments below.
P.S. And if any of the product owners would like to take me up on my offer…I’m here waiting.
P.P.S. Thank you James for a great comment. A comment that inspired this post!
Andrew is a website builder and helps small businesses with their on-line presence…so they can grow their customer list and increase sales. That’s it! That’s what we do each and every day.
It’s a decision that hunts people on how fast can I make money online. But the realty is that it takes time.
“Black Seo Guy “Signing Off”
Yep and for many they only find out when they try…and then get disappointed / frustrated / angry!
Andrew
Joel Williams’ Blogtechguy twitter led me to your blog. Joel just helped me design my new website. I am definitely a newbie, and I’m trying to learn as fast as I can. I’m not looking to make a fortune, just hopefully sell a few books! I don’t know about 20 hours a week, but I’m planning to work at it. Thanks for your warning, and I promise to delete such things immediately!
Suzanne
Great for you to have a go and you are in safe hands with Joel.
How many hours will you be working on your on-line business?
Andrew
Thank you for posting this as it made my day. I love the various blogging communtities I belong to as they have provided a lot of invaluable information regarding blogging. However, I have noticed that many offer to tell you all their secrets for a mere (insert $ figure here), oh I know your secret.. scamming newbies.. LOL
The other recent trend I see is popular celebrities doing social media training and charging ooodles of money to tell people thing they can learn for free with a few good google searches.
I was redirected to a blogger who offered all his secret to advertising on Facebook for free. The blogger followed me then posted privately that they were still trying to figure out Facebook.. I was was dumbfounded by that!!
It is true.. There is a fool born every minute..
Crazy things people will do to make money and once you purchase their product, they are no-where to be seen…no support…no follow up…you are left alone.
Andrew
It genuinely annoys me how many promises are made out there, probably more than the lose weight niche as this is much less regulated. So many clients have come to me after being ripped off by some scheme or another. But there are good ones out there (not just the one we run!) and lots of people trying to cut through this load of rubbish.
The problem we have Joel is that hype still sells…unfortunately.
For our blogging course…if we hyped it up a bit more…we would sell more…I know we would but I (we) prefer to be transparent and honest.
That’s just the way we are.
Andrew
Just 20 hours a week? Try doubling that. It all depends on what you niche is and if you are really into it or not.
I do take advice from other bloggers but if I see an actually time frame, I move on to the next one.
Glynis
I’m assuming the person starting out is also working full time…so hence 20 hours on top of a full-time job.
If they have given up their full-time job before making any money on-line…then they are fools!
Andrew
I like how you have put this blog together. This may serve as a reality check on most of the newbies in blogging. It is true that there is a need to sacrifice for the first few months. When one is persistent enough, the next months should be income generating already.
Jane
If you do things right, money does start to come in but you have to understand the time it takes and the skills/knowldege it takes.
Andrew
There’s no easy road to access. Same in blogging. You need to work harder to make your blog stand out in your chosen niche. If you’re serious about blogging then more hard work and effort are needed.
persistence is the key- no dout. I totaly agree with james.in anything in life and in this eara – for sure!
Michael
Who’s James?
Andrew
It can realy be hard to find the good programs and trainings products! I´m reviewing products often, and many of them just can´t be recommended. It´s sad that many people felt into such a trap are populating that the whole thing just dosn´t work! This is the real problem I see!
Benjamin
That’s the knock-on effect. They believe there is a silver bullet and when they don’t get fast results…they say “it doesn’t work”.
Andrew
Another brilliant post Andrew, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post. I also liked how you summed up the $550 – $275 an hour to $75. There are just too many deals and offers on the internet and being newbies means to be alert about so many things. I’m sure newbies will benefit a lot from this post.
Robert
Thanks – I’m not heard from ony of the products owners!
Andrew
After bought so many of hype-up product I finally stop doing it. This I only bought Andrew’s income blogging course and some useful software, and start focus on working on my blog. Due to the demand from my day job, I haven’t worked hard enough, but I have put in consistent effort everyday. My blog is four months old. I have been wondering why I haven’t seen much income ( I do have some adsense income), but no affiliate income yet.
What Andrew said is really true, you probably have to work at least 20 hours a week for the next 6 months without income if you are a newbie.
Thanks, David.
“you probably have to work at least 20 hours a week for the next 6 months without income if you are a newbie.”
We do tell our blogging course buyers exactly that.
Andrew
Great post Andrew. Yes, there are a lot of people out there ready to take your money.
the best advice I can give is, like you say “persistence”. Nothing comes over night and if you have the patience you can do it.
Blessing,
Debbie
Honestly I think that last bit of advice for new bloggers is a great tip. If someone goes into blogging after knowing that 20 hours for 6 months won’t get them anything, if they somehow *do* manage to make anything after that it will be the best money they’ve ever made!! 🙂
Natasha
Whenever I first come across a site that’s purportedly going to make me filthy rich, I always make it a point to leave immediately if I see any of the following photos on the site: a stack of cash, a yacht, a Lamborghini in the driveway, or an entire family on a beach somewhere…
Sonny
I do the same. Years ago…I would have most probably purchased the product!
Andrew
Hey Andrew,
Love this post so here’s my share.
When I first ventured into affiliate marketing the first product I purchased cost me $37. I made my money back and then some in my very first week and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. All I did was go step-by-step with what that product said to do and it worked. And, I didn’t have to invest any money accept for domain names.
From there I wanted to learn more so I continued my journey of acquiring information which lead me to making a full time income online within just two years. So although you won’t necessarily become rich, you can start making money quickly if you follow the right steps and be consistent.
That’s just my own personal experience and what has worked for me in the past.
Thanks for sharing Andrew, great post my friend.
Adrienne
Adrienne
It sounds like you stuck to one thing and focussed.
That’s the way to do it.
Many people see the ‘shinny new objects’ and buy the product and suddenly they are off course.
I’ve done that many times.
Andrew
Andrew,
Thanks for the great post! I am humbled to see my simple comment spark a new blog post, and to see how many comments this post has generated.
Reading your article, I reflected on just how true your statements are. The Internet Marketing space is littered with spammy, too-good-to-be-true products and ads.
Starting out, it’s very difficult to figure out what’s worthwhile, and what’s not. It’s easy to spend thousands of dollars on seminars, ebooks, video courses, instructions, “private mentorships”, etc.
Some of those products are worth it (and for anyone looking to get online, I HIGHLY recommend you attend a free IM seminar some weekend, just to feel the energy and network with other people who share similar ideas- just be careful around the Koolaid ;-]).
Regarding the spammy products you’ve listed, I’ve found that some of those titles *are* true…just not in the way you’d expect.
For instance, some people do make $100k/year online blogging… after spending years developing copywriting skills, a highly responsive list to sell to, networks of affiliates to send traffic your way, etc. Haha, it’s possibly all true, but you gotta figure out the angle of the game they’re playing.
Great article, can’t wait to see more.
James
I agree – you can end up making 6 figures…just not within weeks of buying a $37 product!
Nice to see you here.
Andrew
Correct. I was thinking of products along the lines of StomperNet. It really went into detail on how to set up a website, manage hosting, set up an auto responder, etc. The SEO portions higher up were great!
Definitely not gonna be making 6 figures w/ a $37 eBook, and StomperNet cost a WHOLE bunch more than that. But, if the idea is that one of those products gives you a push into an IM niche that works for you, it could be indirectly responsible for the resulting successes, and I find that idea comforting as both a consumer and creator.
“persistence is the key”! That is so true. Unfortunately with all the hypes and lies about making money with blogging, lots of newbies are led to believe that its an over night thing.
It takes a lots of work and persistence to start making money with your blog. Sadly, lots of people give up before they get there.
Hi Andrew,
The marketing adverts that these marketers sell is very attractive, especially for those people who are desperate in making money. I too was once tempted to try them due to financial reasons. However, I always abide by the rule, “If something is too good to be true, it probably isn’t,” which is why wasn’t suckered into buying them.
Felicia
The crucial word in your comment is ‘desperate’.
Those sort of sort advertisers rely on people who are desperate.
Andrew
I’m new in blogging and it’s really frustrating and at the same time tempting when you see offers like that! The other day I spent 20 minutes (for fun mostly) on someone who claimed he found a new way to get products (iphones, pc’s etc, etc) for free!! It’s amazing what they come up with!!
So thanks for the heads up 🙂