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The amount of money being made by blogging is is increasing according to the analysis I made of ProBlogger’s survey figures in yesterday’s post. Did Bloggers Make More Money in 2008?

Why could this be?

1. We are getting more knowledgeable about making money online, thanks to bloggers such as Darren Rowse and others, plus various new training programs and schemes.
2. The huge increase in numbers of those blogging about how to earn money online makes it hard to remain totally ignorant about it.
3. The more commonly ads are seen on blogs the more acceptable they become and yet more bloggers take part.
4. An increase in the amount of ad networks and affiliate programs targeting bloggers?
5. Bloggers plugging these affiliate programs on their blogs and via other networks to earn money from signing up others.
6. An increase in social networking among bloggers, who learn about money making methods from others?
7. More advanced blogging software that allows for easier additions of ads through widgets.
8. Knowing there is money to be made by blogging has attracted more of those who enter into it for this reason alone. and more businesses are starting blogs to plug their own products.
9. Buying online is more accepted overall. With the increase in online stores, auctions sites such as ebay and retail outlets with online buying it has become very normal to purchase online. We are less afraid of giving out our credit card numbers and companies such as Paypal feed this sense of security.
10. The more that are interested in making money by blogging the more profitable it becomes for those offering training and peripheral services.

I have not made any money from blog advertising, although I have started earning from creating websites using Wordpress as a CMS system rather than other Content Management Systems.Then again I have not put any effort into seriously trying to make money via this blog so it is not surprising. I research the subject but all the get rich quick schemes tend to put me off. However, the results of Darren’s survey and all the reasons why it should now be more profitable than a couple of years ago are encouraging. If you have but dabbled in making money online in the past more effort may well pay dividends.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Problogger has released the results of its 2008 survey on how much money bloggers make. It makes interesting viewing. Although figures were also shown for 2006 and 2007, I wanted a clearer picture of how the 3 years compared; not only to work out if there were any increases but to compare like with like - i.e. comparing those likely to answer surveys via ProBlogger from one year to the next..

The results of my comparisons can be seen below and represent the amounts earned by the survey participants in October 2006, 2007 and 2008 expressed as a percentage of the total participating. The figures do not include those who make no money from blogging.

How much money bloggers made October 2006-2008 Chart 1

The charts below gives a clearer, simpler picture.

How much money bloggers made October 2006-2008 Chart 2

How much money bloggers made October 2006-2008 Chart 3

No surprise is that the majority of bloggers earn under $10 a month, although I suspect this is from lack of real effort and the use of Adsense only. Adsense is well known, easy to set up and the option to include it is even inbuilt into Blogger blogspot. Making money is likely not a main priority for these bloggers.

What surprised me was that 408 respondents (10%) earned over $15,000 in 2008, up from 7% in 2006. This represents a third of those earning over $500 a month. ProBlogger is likely to attract responses from other high money making bloggers. If I conducted such a survey on this blog I am sure the picture would be different.

As you can see there is a general increase in the amounts made since 2006 and only a portion of this would be accounted for by inflation. Why could this be? I have my own theories but will post these separately tomorrow.

My figures were taken from Problogger’s survey results at How Much Money Do Bloggers Make Blogging?

Popularity: 2% [?]

I have succumbed to curiosity and temptation to become a Nuffnanger. I don’t think I need explain Nuffnang - the rather large ad in my sidebar says it all. Blogging Sueblimely has become monetized; at least until I come to the conclusion that I am not making any money from it or the size of the ad block is too intrusive for me to stand any longer.

You may be wondering why I have Nuffnanged after I have so far resisted urges to join other ad networks; this blog has not previously been blemished, (or should that be embellished) by even the tiniest adsense block. So am I - if anyone has any idea I would be pleased if you let me know

Maybe the name Nuffnag appeals to me or the fact that it is the first all Australian ad network I have come across or maybe that ad content is meant to be matched to a blog’s content and readers - all three of these combined perhaps. I have never been keen on advertising products or services that either have nothing to do with what I write about or would be of little interest to readers.

Then again it is probably pure avarice - I want the money, as the lure of visiting family in England again is getting stronger - seems to be a kind of 7 year itch with me. Nuffnang bloggers will also be able to enjoy exclusive discounts for various goods and services. If I resist buying products I don’t need I may even be able to add some more cents to the piggy bank.

The company has been doing well in Malaysia and Singapore and its advertisers, to date, include Nike, Citibank, Nokia, F&N, Walls, AirAsia and Honda. Prizes are to be awarded too - perhaps for blogging about Nuffnang? Maybe I should delay this post until there is a prize within reach - no I don’t win them anyway.

As I write this I have been trying to answer my own question. Why did I join Nuffnang. What was it that that tipped the scales in its favor? The answer is Community - I am a sucker for sites that aim to develop a social community. Nuffnang is going to either fully pay for or substantially subsidize blogger outings, get togethers and events. Some movie nights are already in the pipeline. I likely won’t attend but the idea appeals to me.

Nearly forgot to mention - if you have no ads from any other Asia Pacific ad network you automatically become part of the Nuffnang Glitterati. This is appealing to me not only because Glitterati Nuffnangerswill earn more and be eligible for preferential treatment but because I have never been part of any “rati” before.

I will be curious to see what ads start appearing in my sidebar and, if nothing is forthcoming, I will choose the option to show charity ads as a placemarker, rather than the current default ad for Nuffnang.

Popularity: 7% [?]