Should online content writers also blog?

Many writers turn to online content publishing sites as a way to make money or to simply express themselves and find readers. In many ways, this is a niche that has been filled by blogs over the last decade or so. Traditionally many bloggers started their own blog in hopes of making some money, but some just wanted to write and to be read.

But with more and more writers turning to content publishing sites, the question has to be raised of should these writer also blog. Often writers turn to content publishing sites because it is easy to get started and there is often a direct way to make money (though usually not a lot of money, at least not with a lot of work).

Still, it's pretty easy to start a blog. However, it's not as easy to make money from a blog. While some content publishing sites pay directly, making money from a blog is a different story. Generally bloggers have to sign up with various advertising services, then place advertisements on their blog; the hope if lots of viewers will come to the blog and click on the advertising links so the blogger will make money.

It often doesn't work out this way. Making money through blogging takes time and effort. It's work. Writing blog posts is the easy part. The hard part is drawing readers to your blog.

Still, online content writers are usually on the prowl anyway for potential readers. Many of these writers utilize various networking and linking sites in hopes of drawing those readers. The work is similar, if not often the same, as what needs to be done to bring viewers to a blog.

So, if you're already doing the work, why not also blog?

There are reasons not to blog. It's more work, for one thing. If an online writer is already busy writing for various content sites and is also busy promoting their online writing, it adds to their workload if they have another site and/or articles to promote. Also, as pointed out above, it can be difficult to make money through a blog; even if you draw in viewers, that doesn't mean they're going to click on the advertisements. Writing for a content site, such as Triond or Bukisa, that pays directly per article views can be enticing for many writers because it means they still have to get the readers but they don't have to worry about what the readers do once they get to an article or page.

However, all that being said, it's already a lot of work trying to get viewers and to make money as an online content writer. In my opinion, as one of these writers, I'm already doing much of the work that could be related to blogging. So why not blog? Yes, it will be a little more work, but I don't believe it'll be so much more work that it can't pay off eventually.

Patience is the key. Building an audience takes time, and if you can get a steady number of readers every day going to your blog, chances are some of them are going to click on your advertisements. Or they might link to your blog from their own blog or another site, which could bring even more readers. Building that audience takes time, but it might just be worth it in the long run.

Despite the claims of many sites on the Web, there are no get-rich-quick schemes that work. If you're a blogger and/or an online content provider, you've got to be willing to put in the work to draw in an audience.

So, I'll keep writing for these content sites and I'll keep blogging. Besides, blogging adds one more way I can find readers and make money, and I can use my blog to link to my online articles and my articles to link to my blogs. It only makes sense to me.

Related links
How many blogs should an online writer have?
Promote Your Writing by Promoting Others
Writing for a Living, a blog for online writers