Glenn Reynolds interviewed bloggers at CPAC for his podcast. Check it out.
His latest column at Tech Central Station is called Blogging: Love or Money? Why the dichotomy? I blog for both!
Making money off a blog requires a lot of traffic, and no matter how much the blogosphere grows, most blogs won’t have a lot of traffic, as Clay Shirky persuasively demonstrated a while back. Shirky observed that blogs, like many other things, follow a power-law distribution in terms of links and traffic, with a small number getting most of the links and traffic, and a much larger number getting much less of either. This was, he argued, essentially a function of attention economics. (I’ve written on that subject here).
Glenn doesn’t quantify “a lot of traffic,” but I suppose it’s a matter of opinion. For instance, I’m averaging a little over 4,000 unique visitors per day. (Some people are surprised when I tell them this. They assumed it was much higher. I wish!) In the scheme of things, that’s a lot for a blog, although I’d be satisfied with 20,000. 
Let’s face it, though. Most of us will never reach Glenn’s or Michelle Malkin’s numbers or anywhere close (144,000 and 232,856 per day, respectively).
When I first signed up for Blogads last year, I was getting maybe 1,500. Since blogging was (and still is) new (although it’s changed a lot since early last year), bloggers and advertisers were feeling their way around. Blog networks are popping all over the blogosphere, and networks are more appealing to advertisers these days than the solo blogger. I joined the Pajamas Media network because I knew it would be more profitable than sticking with Blogads, at least for the moment. But someone with lower traffic can command high weekly rates if they’re a good blogger reaching a profitable niche audience.
I think blogging is fun, but I need to do more than just blogging to pay the bills. My blog consulting business is doing OK for a new business in a new industry started by someone who learned as she went along. 
I have three blogs: this one, The Language Artist (business), and Fantasy Fiction for Christians (hobby). A Da Vinci Code movie blog and other niche blogs are on the horizon. The FFC blog makes the least amount of money, but it’s my favorite. Typical, right? Glenn shares the sentiment:
I make some money with my blog, and I make money with other kinds of writing. So what am I excited about? Something that doesn’t pay. With my wife, I’ve been doing podcasts on a variety of topics, even though nobody’s paying us to do so. Why? It’s fun! I used to do radio, and liked it, and now I’m enjoying doing this sort of thing again. I wouldn’t say no to money, but that’s not why I’m doing it — and, in fact, I doubt that many podcasters are making much money, as podcasting is about where blogging was in the summer of 2001. So why are so many people doing it? Because it’s fun! And fun is good.
I always tell potential bloggers not to go into political blogging seeking fame and/or fortune, because they will be disappointed. (Business blogging is a separate issue in the “fortune” department. There’s gold to be dug.) But if they want a soapbox or a place to practice their writing or an online journal or any number of things, a blog is good. I started this blog because I wanted all of the above, and I was fortunate to have found a following and someone willing to pay to advertise on my site.
Whether I’m paid or not and whether I attract 100 readers a day or 100,000, one thing will remain the same: I’ve always been and hope to always be a pure blogger.
Related posts:
Unrelated Update: I met Garry Cobb at CPAC. Check out his blog.
Update II: Joe Carter on readership:
Joe Carter of Evangelical Outpost (www.evangelicaloutpost.com) urges Christian bloggers to “think small†and focus on “developing a core constituency of 150 dedicated readers,†the number that research shows to be the maximum number with which most people can have a “genuinely social relationship.â€
Carter wrote in a post titled “The 5/150 Principleâ€: “If you have a blog that is read by more than a few dozen readers, then you are making a bigger impact than you probably realize. If you have 50 people reading your blog, then you have more people in your ‘classroom’ than most professors at Harvard. If you have 90 readers, then you have more people in your ‘pews’ than most pastors have in their churches every Sunday. And if you have more than 1,000 readers a month, you have a larger ‘circulation’ than most poetry and short story magazines.†(Source)
Update III (2/19): Glenn will appear tonight on Pundit Review Radio.
Thanks for sharing your experience. You did not weigh in about “pros” and “amateurs” in so many words but you talked about passion and your Blogging priorities and that’s a sign of an AmBlogger! =)
I caught onto your words about “fame and/or fortune” and I like the way you put it, because I’m wondering are those terms really inclusive or exclusive.. hmm… My stumbling block is that on some level, every blogger publishing their thoughts could be looking for some degree of fame.
Comment by Vince Chan — 02.16.06 @ 9:13 am
Hi LaShawn,
Wow do I agree with this sentiment. I love my blogging. I have other ways to make money and the blog hasn’t brought in a penny (directly) but I continue to do it. Some folks have asked me what my readership numbers are and I have no idea. I don’t really want to know… (sheesh, what if I found out no one was reading… what would I do?) I will continue to blog and hone my writing skills and maybe take the entries into an ebook or something.
Comment by Don Giannatti — 02.16.06 @ 9:16 am
Happy 2 year - just in line with my 15th wedding anniversary and my 28th spiritual b’day.
Ah, the 16th of Feb … whatta grand day!
Comment by Mean Dean — 02.16.06 @ 10:12 am
Thanks, Mean Dean, but my anniversary was last November.
Congratulations on being married for 15 years! That’s a long time these days. And you’ve been a Christian for almost 30 years? Bless you!
Comment by La Shawn — 02.16.06 @ 10:28 am
I have no interest in blogging. I believe blogging is an “art” and the blogger is no different than a painter who is fulfilling a need and a desire to create and communicate.
A few bloggers will be sought out by the public. Others will have their group of fans. And most will spin away, enjoying what they do, but not getting much traffic for their pastime.
Anytime an artist enters the commercial arena, the competition is stiff and the market is ever changing. Those who seek fame and fortune by blogging are pioneering in an uncharted landscape of commerce.
One of the great motherlodes of the successful blogger is the instant connection with really well informed individuals throughout the world.
Look what happened to Dan Rather. CBS is an extremely wealthy corporation, but all their money CBS could never have put together the instant creative energy that immediately rained down on the Mary Mapes/Bush National Guard fiasco. To a great extent, I think this network of information is the underlying reason that print jounalism so fears bloggers.
Comment by Heliotrope — 02.16.06 @ 10:37 am
I agree with Glenn on the Podcasting thing. I do a Godcast of The Living Bible. I get most of my hits on the Godcast MP3s from iTunes users. Most of those users never see my blog and never get exposed to any of my ads which is fine with me. I do the podcast/godcast because it is fun and I believe that if even one person finds truth in God’s word as a result then it will be well worth my time.
Comment by Hank Osborne — 02.16.06 @ 10:50 am
I didn’t know that! I listen to several podcasts. I’ll subscribe to the Godcast.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.16.06 @ 10:52 am
Happy Birthday La Shawn…
I’ve only been blogging since Aug 20th, and I get about 260/270 hits a day, and that is with having completely changing servers, from Blogspot to WordPress, and now, I am doing better than I was, I think the *better presentation* of WP makes a big difference too…
But for me, blogging is a hobby, a hobby I enjoy and one that IS taking more of my time than I had planned but a hobby none the less…
But I looked at blogs like your’s, Michelle Malkin’s, Glen’s and several others to get ideas of what to do and what NOT to do… The what NOT to do list is a great thing to pay attention to as well… Professionalism is everything…
Comment by TexasFred — 02.16.06 @ 10:53 am
LaShawn Barber takes off from Glenn’s lead: I always tell potential bloggers not to go into political blogging seeking fame and/or fortune, because they will be disappointed. (Business blogging is a separate issue in the “fortune†department. There’s gold to be dug.) But if they want a soapbox or a place to practice their writing or an online journal or any number of things, a blog is good.
Pingback by The Anchoress — 02.16.06 @ 12:22 pm
I’ve been blessed to blog and make a few bucks in the process. To me content is critical. If I only attract as small amount of traffic but they are the people that are most helped by my informaiton I’m satisfied. In doing so I have carved out a niche in homeschooling and a network of similar bloggers. We may never reach the heights of Glenn or Michelle in traffic but our usefulness is no less strong. And I would contend in many cases more so. There have to be a few shrimps in the ocean so that the whales have something to feed on.
Comment by spunkyhomeschool — 02.16.06 @ 12:39 pm
I am a pre-published writer who enjoys blogging as a hobby. I’ve met a lot of other writers, found a lot of informative sites, like this one, and made some very cool friends.
I never entertained the thought of making money at it…I just enjoy writing…I think if I chose to concentrate on turning blogging into a business, my novelist aspirations would get sidetracked. So for now…it’s just fun!
Comment by Bonnie Calhoun — 02.16.06 @ 12:57 pm
I started off blogging at The Daily Brief, and found that I really enjoy blogging. I post once in a blue moon over at TDB now, but usually get at least one post a day up on my own blog. I won’t say I don’t care about getting traffic, but I have a handful of regulars. La Shawn stopped by and left a comment on my blog a couple of weeks ago, and I was absolutely giddy. The giddiness was followed with a “Do I have a bunch of awful posts up?” which was followed with a “Oh no. She’s going to delink me.”
(Thanks again for stopping by La Shawn and for linking to me.) 
I’ve had to remind myself that blogging is just a hobby for me, and I get the same regular readers whether I post about my daughter stopping up the toilet or posting a joke I got in email or if I post something political or “historical” or whatever. I apparently entertain them, and it makes blogging that much more fun for me.
Of course I would love to make money at it, but I doubt that I would make anywhere near as much blogging as I do as a sys admin, or even flipping burgers.
Comment by DragonLady — 02.16.06 @ 2:10 pm
Congratulations on your blog anniversary - I was very happy when I ran across your blog during the 2004 elections…a breath of fresh air! Plus I’m interested in all of the other things you discuss as well. Count me as a daily reader…
Comment by ljbgranny — 02.16.06 @ 2:58 pm
I must be blogging for the love of it because my blog don’t get enough hits to even qualify as barely alive. Also blogging gives me something to do since I have absolutely no social life to speak of. Yeah, I’m a pathetic individual. But at least I’m married!
Comment by Carl — 02.16.06 @ 3:05 pm
Although I certainly wouldn’t mind getting paid to blog, it’s definitely a labor of love for me. My readership is very low. And by that I mean 10-25 unique hits a day. So there’s obviously no money in it. A while back I tried google ads and made 90 cents in three weeks. I’ve been blogging since September 2004, so by now I figure my traffic is just where it’s at. In spite of that I continue to post on an a daily basis just for the fun of it. I love blogging, even if no one is reading, and I can’t imagine not having a blog.
Comment by John — 02.16.06 @ 3:38 pm
Since you have stated you do it for love and money. So, I guess this begs the question which of your posts or for love and which are for profit? In the spirit of truth in blogging should they not be labeled as such.
Comment by Clayton Bigsby — 02.16.06 @ 5:06 pm
I accept advertising on the site, so in a manner of speaking, I blog for money. I show up here seven days a week, several hours a day because I enjoy what I do, and the advertising revenue pays some bills.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.16.06 @ 5:11 pm
Just curious, do you use your stand on race to drive traffic to generate revenue?
Comment by Clayton Bigsby — 02.16.06 @ 6:34 pm
I blog about race and politics, faith, business, pop culture, and whatever piques my interest on any given day. Certain topics are naturally more exciting and interesting than others. I think those topics are important, and if people are drawn to what I like, I think that’s fabulous! Tell your buddies I said so.
Ironically, certain black bloggers who don’t like me generate traffic and interest from other haters by blogging about me. Blogger envy is such a waste of time, but if that’s how they choose to get readers, who am I…
Anymore questions? E-mail me.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.16.06 @ 6:42 pm
Yes, God only knows no one is willing to pay ME for my blog … my guess is, however, a great many people would pay, and through the teeth, to get me to STOP [[Grin]]
Comment by Axinar — 02.16.06 @ 7:44 pm
More on Blogging
Instapundit Glenn Reynolds is talking about how people today are able to make money off their blogging but should this be our only mo…
Trackback by PRMAMA: Marketing to Go! — 02.16.06 @ 9:53 pm
And as a side note, La Shawn is ranked as a Mortal Human on the TTLB Ecosystem… That’s a great big deal in itself, I think she was #16 as of today…
Me, best I did was Large Mammal #193, which if you consider that I only started blogging in Aug of ‘05, that ain’t too bad…
Comment by TexasFred — 02.16.06 @ 10:05 pm
What an interesting discussion! I started blogging last spring for the pure enjoyment of it. Now that I am blogging regularly and have a small audience, I am also doing some affiliate marketing. I have not started any ads as of yet. One side benefit of my blog has been the traffic it has sent to my business website. So my blog is valuable to me, and I feel that it generates some income as well.
Have a blessed day! And Happy Anniversary!
Tami
Comment by Tami — 02.16.06 @ 10:31 pm
The Hard, Cold, Reality About Money And Blogging
Glenn Reynolds wrote a column about making money by blogging and a lot of blogs including The Anchoress, La Shawn…
Trackback by Right Wing News — 02.17.06 @ 3:33 am
Pundits’ Punches for February 18, 2006
Pundits’ Punches… Headlines from the blogsphere.
Trackback by Christian Pundits — 02.18.06 @ 11:10 pm