Are you planning to start a blog? If you’re like most people, you have an idea for a blog, but there are many things that you’ve heard that scare you.
Between starting a blog and making money from it, there’s a lot of misguided information and myths floating around that could kill your chances of success.
Let’s get some of these blogging myths out of the way, so you can worry less and get started with your blog.
In this post, we’ll rule out 17 of the most common myths about blogging to help you start your blog on the right foot and help you create a successful blog – and make money doing it!
Let’s get started!
This is Part 2 of 5 of the ‘Start a Blog for Beginners‘ Series:
- Why Start a Blog? 12 Damn Good Reasons to Start a Blog (7 Why You Shouldn’t)
- 17 Common Blogging Myths About Starting a Blog (Killing Your Chances for Success)
- 9 Things You Need to Do Before Starting a Blog (+ Helpful Advice to Get YOU Started)
- How to Start a Blog and Make Money in 2023 (Easy-to-Follow Steps for Beginners)
- 15 Essential Things to Do After Starting a Blog (+ Helpful Step-by-Step Instructions)
Myth #1: It Says on the Internet that “Blogging is Dead,” Is That True?
Is it true that blogging will be obsolete by the end of 2023?
Absolutely NOT! Blogging is not dead, it’s the “Information Highway” for searchers looking for general information about things, along with reviews about products they’re interested in.
Blogging is more popular and profitable than ever before. However, it’s so much more different than it was 10 years ago – which is a good thing!
It is possible to create a successful blogging company that allows you to have the freedom and flexibility you’ve been looking for.
One very important thing that is crucial for success is keeping up-to-date with today’s ever-changing blogging methods instead of the advice from those bloggers spewing outdated information from 10+ years ago.
Blogging was so much more different back then, search engines have changed with the times, and you need to also.
Myth #2: You Should Know Everything About Blogging Before You Start
You’re not the only one that falls victim to this particular blogging myth. So many people procrastinate because of these false beliefs, don’t let yourself be one of them!
Because you think you must know everything there is to know about blogging, social media, and other topics before starting, many people never start.
I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to wait until you are completely prepared to start your blog because the blogosphere is a never-ending learning curve.
You’ll probably never feel completely prepared. You just have to START YOUR BLOG and figure it out as you go because there are so many things you need to know.
The more time you spend waiting to start your very own blog, the more potential visitors will become interested in your competitors’ blogs. Don’t let this happen. Take action and start your blog today!
Myth #3: You Need to Be an Extrovert to Be Successful
Have you been on social platforms like Facebook to see how some bloggers have turned themselves into successful brands?
If you compare your social feed to others, it can seem like they have their life together and always look happy. They don’t seem shy at all about promoting themselves or being social and extroverted.
But what if that’s not you? Can an introvert create a successful blog without sharing their personal life with the world?
Yes, they can!
It’s not an easy thing to do (speaking from experience), but one thing I’ve learned is that you cannot compare yourself with others, it’s not healthy or practical.
Instead of focusing on all the things that aren’t in your wheelhouse, focus on those things you’re good at.
It’s not necessary to go out there and try to connect with everyone if it’s not in your DNA to be successful.
In fact, the blogosphere is full of introverts that don’t share every aspect of their lives. Blogging is all about content and sharing ideas and information on the Internet from behind the scenes.
Blogging can be an amazing creative outlet, so focus on the things you’re most comfortable writing about.
Heck, be a spokesperson and influencer for other introverts through the written word, and start a blog about it!
Myth #4: You Need to Be Popular on Social Media to Make Money with Your Blog
Using social platforms is not a requirement for having a successful blog, but it can help!
You don’t need to be popular on social media or even have an account, for that matter, to make money from your blog. In fact, many bloggers are generating a full-time income from their sites without even having a social media account.
What’s important is that you focus on creating quality content that appeals to your target audience. If you’re able to do that, you’ll be able to attract an audience of loyal readers who will eventually become customers or clients.
So, don’t let the blogging myth that you must be popular on social media stand in the way of your success. Just focus on creating quality content and promoting it to the right people.
Myth #5: You Need to Be an Expert in Your Niche Before You Start
It’s okay if you’re not an expert when you start out. In fact, it’s encouraged that you learn as you go! You don’t need to already know everything before you decide to start.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of expertise on your topic. All you need is to be one step ahead of your target readers.
By conducting some quick research online, you can easily find the information you need to put together a clear and concise article for your readers.
Read More >> Squash this factual blogging myth: Stealing Content Ideas from Others
The trick is you must choose a specific niche and become an authority or expert in that area.
Myth #6: You Must Focus on Only 1 Niche to Be a Successful Blogger
I know a lot of bloggers who would disagree about this, but here’s the reality.
Even though choosing a very particular niche when you start your blog is advised by many, you can later pivot and add to your current niche to attract an even bigger audience.
I know many bloggers that focus on software services or another niche, yet they also talk about how to start a blog and how to build a blogging empire.
You just have to be careful with your approach because you risk losing your focus and becoming bogged down by going in too many directions.
Of course, it’s always easier to start with one central topic and build from there. It’s a matter of testing the waters to see how your readers respond!
Don’t let the thought of starting with 1 niche prevent you from expanding your blog into new categories in the future. You can see amazing results by writing about a different, complementary topic.
Myth #7: The Competition is Too High for My Chosen Niche, So Why Try
If there’s potential to make a profit on a topic, chances are that somebody has created content about it. But that doesn’t mean that there’s no room for you and your blog! In fact, it’s quite the opposite!
The blogging world is always changing and evolving, which means that there’s always room for new perspectives, fresh content, and unique voices, no matter how saturated your chosen niche is.
Plus, as you build your blog and share your voice with the world, you’ll start to attract an audience of loyal readers who will appreciate your content and your particular writing style.
And, as you continue to grow your blog and attract more readers, you’ll be able to monetize your blog and start making money from it.
So, don’t let the thought that your chosen niche is oversaturated or too competitive stand in the way of your success.
NOTE: Competition is a good thing because it shows that there’s a demand for products or services within your niche. If there’s no competition, there’s no demand!
Myth #8: You Shouldn’t Blog Just to Make Money
Let me ask you this? Would you ever open a store without any intention of making a profit? Of course not! The same sentiment applies to your blog – it’s a business, plain and simple – and you need to treat it as such.
In comparison to a physical store, blogging has the potential to make an unlimited amount of income. That’s something worth being excited about!
If your main intent for starting a blog is just to make money, the chances are you won’t succeed. Why do I say that?
Because you need to provide value for your readers, and those looking to just make a buck have a tendency to come off as that just trying to make money from their audience.
A blog can be a fantastic way to share your knowledge and views on a subject you’re passionate about with others, but if you’re able to make an income from it, then it’s just an added bonus!
So don’t be fooled by the myth that you shouldn’t blog just to make money. It’s perfectly okay to do as long as you are giving value to your audience.
Myth #9: You Need to Be Tech-Savvy to Start a Blog
Here’s another one of the blogging myths that scare people (understandably so), and it’s just not true.
Sure, it helps if you’re tech-savvy, but you don’t need to be an expert in order to start your blog.
In fact, starting a blog is pretty darn easy these days.
If you can use a word processing program, then you can start a blog.
There are plenty of resources and tutorials out there that can help you get started, even if you’re not tech-savvy.
So, don’t let this blogging misconception hold you back from starting a blog that makes money.
Myth #10: You Need to Spend a Lot of Money to Start a Blog
This is probably one of the most popular blogging myths I think I’ve ever heard, and it should probably be the first in the list of blogging myths discussed.
The fact is that blogging doesn’t have to be costly at all. You don’t need to buy everything that is suggested on certain blogs.
I get it… you don’t want to put a lot of money into something so early on, not knowing if it’s going to be a success.
When I started blogging, I felt the same way. I didn’t start my blog with the idea of making money, I started for the pure enjoyment of connecting with like-minded people – it was freakin’ fun blogging.
Now that I found out that I can make money doing what I love, my whole outlook changed. But, as I mentioned earlier, there’s a line drawn, a person must love what they do and blog for the right reasons.
Keep in mind that developing a successful blog is going to take some time and patience, so don’t be in a rush to purchase every bell and whistle.
Let’s check out how much you need to start a blog of your own:
- Technically, there are only 2 things you need to get started: A Domain Name – The ‘domain name is the title of your blog that appears in a browser’s address bar when you visit. Typical Cost: $10-$20 bucks a year (FREE Domain using the link below)!
- Web Hosting for Your Blog – web hosting is a service that allows your website’s content to be seen on the Internet. Hosting your blog will typically cost roughly $2.95 to $45 bucks a month
Extra Help >> How to Choose a Blog Name (Domain Name) You’ll Love (+ Examples & Domain Name Formula)
Web Hosting Recommendation >> You can start a blog for $2.99 a month, grab it for an 80% Web Hosting Discount NOW + Free Domain!
All in all, if you go with my suggestion, using the 2 links above, your domain name and web hosting would cost you roughly around $56 for your first year. That’s the cost of a fairly cheap dinner for 2 people.
Considering that you can convert your blog into a full-time business, making some good moola, it’s not such a bad investment!
Myth #11: Choosing a Particular Web Hosting Service Doesn’t Matter
It does matter if you’re wanting to create a passive income from your blog.
Selecting the correct web hosting service is one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make.
The Internet is filled with successful bloggers that shared their struggles to make money with their blogs using platforms not designed for it, later switching to a self-hosting (explained below).
The recommendation is to use the Free Open Source – WordPress.org, along with a self-hosted service.
Read More >> this article will help you make an educated decision – 11 of the Best Blogging Platforms for 2023 (Free & Paid)
Why does this article discuss ‘Blogging Platforms‘ when we’re discussing ‘Hosting‘?
Because many of the services to create a blog also come with hosting, which will cost you “an arm and a…” you get the idea!
Also, these types of platforms are not always the best for turning your blog into a money-making machine due to the many restrictions that come with them.
So, if you need web hosting or decision-making help, scroll back up and follow the link.
If you educate yourself on your web hosting options, you’ll see that picking one is easy and shouldn’t hold you up from starting your blog.
Myth #12: You Must Buy an Expensive WordPress Theme for Your Blog
When I first started my blog, I thought I needed to invest in a high-end website design and have my site resemble those of websites that had been around for years.
I bought a premium theme, and in fact, it’s the same one I’m using today, which, I admit, is a little outdated. A new look is in the works, so don’t judge me too harshly!
Back to the subject at hand…
In the beginning, you shouldn’t stress too much about web design. You can always change it down the road as your blog grows.
There are plenty of WordPress themes available online that are both free and premium. Do some research on which one is best for your needs before investing any money into a theme.
More Reading >> 15 Best WordPress Themes for Bloggers & eCommerce Store Owners (Free & Premium)
Don’t be too concerned about your design as a whole. You can improve your site’s look over time. Instead, concentrate on creating more content and growing your audience.
NOTE: Remember, your blog’s design is not nearly as important as the quality of your content. The search engines don’t care what your site looks like, they care about the quality of your content and how readers respond to it.
Myth #13: You Must Be a Great Writer to Have a Successful Blog
One of the blogging myths for many people is that they think they must be a top-notch writer to be successful and to earn a passive income with their blog.
So, what if you’re not a great writer? Can you still earn money with your blog even if you don’t have a lot of writing experience?
Yes, you can!
Here’s the bottom line: Writing is only one small aspect of being a successful blogger.
Although blog posts are the most visible part of blogging, there is much more to it than writing one post after another.
Sure, you need to provide incredible content on a regular basis. That’s simply how blogging works.
Here’s the skinny. You’re running a blogging business, and as the CEO of your company, you need to prioritize the things you are good at and enjoy doing.
You shouldn’t waste your time trying to do something that you don’t either have experience with or that you don’t enjoy.
Here are a couple of things you can do:
- You Can Outsource: Go onto sites like Fiverr or Upwork and hire a Freelance Writer. Though it may require an initial investment, you’ll save money in the long run.
- Create Content Yourself at 10X the Rate: Did you know that artificial intelligence can write content for you? There are software programs out there that can produce a complete blog article in about 10 minutes, all you need to do is proofread it and add images before publishing.
Just remember, when you’re first beginning to blog, it’s going to seem like a large investment. However, as your blog begins to develop into a business, you’ll be able to financially support outsourcing more easily.
Sidenote About Needing to Be a Great Writer
The need to practice daily to be a great writer is no longer an issue!
With today’s automated artificial intelligence writing tools, you can get assistance with writing your blog content, come up with new ideas for articles, and produce content that will have you ranking in Google in no time.
AI has been helping content creators produce high-quality content more quickly and efficiently for some time now.
To learn more, check out these amazing AI content generators that can write your blog posts at an alarming 10x speed, which is faster than any human alive.
It’s simple, get on board with artificial intelligence being a part of your blogging journey, or be left behind!
On to the next blogging myth!
Myth #14: You Must Post Every Day to Be Successful
A few of my mentors reported that they started out posting every day, to every other day, causing burnout.
It’s not necessary to publish a new blog article every day or every other day to be successful.
No matter how much content you put out there, the search engines have grown smarter, so it will automatically take some time to begin ranking your blog posts anyway.
However, the most important step is to figure out a publishing schedule that works for you that you know you can be consistent with.
You don’t want to overdo it with your blogging schedule. It’s perfectly fine to only post once a week or once every other week.
The key is not to get too stressed about it. If blogging starts becoming something that you start to dread, then you know you need to take a step back and reassess your schedule.
Whatever publishing schedule you choose, the most crucial thing you need to do is to stick with it. If you create a new article every week, make it available on the same day each week.
For example, if you decide to release new content every Wednesday, your readers will come to expect it.
The readers that visit your blog looking for new content on your publishing day will be the ones who become your die-hard fans.
NOTE: The majority of bloggers who put out content several times a week don’t usually have the time to edit and structure their articles properly, and they lack in the quality department. Don’t be like them!
If your quality drops because you rush an article to publish, your die-hard fans will notice, and their interests are going to slowly slip away. Don’t let that happen!
So, if you’re only publishing new content once per month, make sure that each post is of high quality and relevant.
Myth #15: You Must Have Tons of Organic Traffic to Make Money Blogging
With this particular blogging myth, the subject of traffic is true to a certain degree, that having a lot of traffic can easily boost your earnings potential.
However, what matters most is how effectively you convert your visitors into buying customers. You need good traffic, the type of organic traffic from visitors that are genuinely interested in what you have to say.
More targeted traffic means that more people are likely to click on your affiliate links and purchase your products.
The best way to get readers to your blog is by helping them solve a problem. Give them what they desire and need. After all, they visit your site because they need useful information that answers their questions.
By solving your readers’ problems and answering their questions, you show them how valuable your content is and how much easier and better their lives can be. This will turn your readers into loyal, buying customers.
Now… since the subject is creating an income without large amounts of traffic, I would like to mention that there are many blogs out there earning money without large amounts of visitors.
To earn some money is just a matter of adding in some basic monetization methods to turn your humble little blog into a successful side hustle.
If you’re looking to make some extra money while you wait for your blog’s traffic to take off (hurry up, Google), there are several ways to do it, even if your blog’s traffic isn’t reaching a large audience.
The easiest way to earn money is by selling services. You could:
- Do some freelance writing
- Be paid to be a proofreader
- Get paid to write reviews
For more information about these 3 subjects and a few others, follow the link for my article that breaks down these methods to earn an income online selling services: Make Big Money Selling Your Services.
While you’re waiting on Google to help you with traffic back to your site, you might even find out that one of these methods might just make a great side hustle, earning you some extra cash.
Myth #16: You Need Tons of Email Subscribers for Your Site to Earn Money
I think this is one of the craziest blogging myths of all times. It’s said that email marketing and building a list is the easiest way to generate money as a blogger.
Yes, that’s true if it’s done right.
Here’s what I mean… you can build a giant list of subscribers, but they won’t be of any value to you or give you much of an earning potential if you don’t have a relationship with them.
You may have heard this before, “the money is in the list!” This is true to a certain degree, but let me take this one step further with my explanation.
Yes, the money is in the list, but it’s dependent on the relationship that you have with the people on your list.
Don’t get me wrong, having an email list usually consists of raving fans of your work, in which many would follow you into a raging fire.
OK, maybe I’m going too far, but there are many folks that would follow you just about anywhere, within reason, if you treat them well.
Email marketing isn’t what it used to be. In fact, there’s a lot of crap out there, and it’s irritating as hell to receive emails that don’t have any value.
One of the benefits of having a large number of subscribers is that it can help you make money blogging.
However, if you’re just getting started with an email list, it can be frustrating, especially when it seems that the first 100 are usually the hardest to get.
It’s a different story if you don’t have any!
If that’s the case, don’t worry too much, you can still generate an income from your blog by utilizing alternative monetization strategies.
Even if you don’t think an email list is necessary to make money blogging, it’s still a good idea to start collecting emails from your visitors.
Even if you only gain a few new subscribers each month, they might just become your most loyal followers.
Look at it this way, when somebody agrees to give you their email, it means they want more of what you’re offering.
Help with an Email List >> 7 Proven Benefits for Building an Email List – and How to Get Started
Myth #17: Your Blog Must Be Online for Many Years Before You Make Money
This is one of those blogging myths that’s actually the furthest thing from the truth.
There are new bloggers who have been around for a few months, or even a few weeks, earning an income from their blog.
How?
- They picked the right niche
- They produced high-quality content
- They marketed their blog effectively
- And they had a monetization strategy in place
On the other hand, there are bloggers who have been around for years and are struggling to get by.
The reason is that they picked a niche that isn’t good for earning money, their content that could use some work (it’s crap – I’m trying to be nice), they let anybody know they’ve produced content (no promotion), and they have no monetization strategy in place.
What counts for your blog’s success is not its age but how well you created a system for success and how well you executed your plan.
You can’t start creating an income from your blog until you have a clear monetization strategy. Without a solid plan, your blog will be just another blog taking up space on the Web.
Here are some good steps you can take:
- Before anything else, you need to establish who your target audience is
- What problem can you solve with an affiliate product you offer?
- Write a detailed blog post explaining how the product can help solve their problem
Once you figure out where your target audience hangs out, make sure to focus your content promotion efforts on those platforms! Don’t waste time promoting on platforms where they’re not active.
Final Thoughts: Blogging Myths You MUST Ignore
Let me set the record straight – remember that anyone can start a blog and make money online.
If you want to be a successful blogger, nothing you read on the internet should keep you from your dream.
Don’t allow these blogging myths hold you back from starting a blog of your own.
These debunked beliefs will slow your success as a blogger if you allow them.
Instead, start off on the right foot by ignoring them and focus on what’s most important – creating content that engages and informs your readers.
You can achieve anything you set your mind to as long as you’re determined and disciplined enough.
Even if you’ve never written an article before. Even if you’re a total tech wreck. And even if you don’t like writing in the first place. Just get started!
↓ ↓ ↓ 7-Day Self-Paced Blogging Course – it’s FREE! ↓ ↓ ↓
Did You Miss Any of The ‘Start a Blog for Beginners‘ Series?
- Why Start a Blog? 12 Damn Good Reasons to Start a Blog (7 Why You Shouldn’t)
- 17 Common Myths About Starting a Blog (Killing Your Chances for Success)
- Proceed to → Part 3: 9 Things You Need to Do Before Starting a Blog (+ Advice to Start)
- How To Start a Blog and Make Money in 2023 (Easy-to-Follow Steps for Beginners)
- 15 Essential Things to Do After Starting a Blog (+ Helpful Step-by-Step Instructions)
