Friends Friday: Donna Martin

Guest Post: Donna Martin is a great blogger and writer. You can read more of her insights at On The Write Track.

BLOGGING FOR MONEY

By: Donna Martin

I probably spend as much time on my computer blogging as I do actually working on my children's stories or even at my full time job.  I have only been a part of the blogging community since December 2011 and have found out rather quickly that it can be addictive, both for the bloggor and the bloggee.

I imagine there are probably thousands if not millions of different themes for all these blogs I come across on a daily basis.  But no matter which blog I look at, I think I could categorize them all into one of three groups.

1)  Pleasure blogging...this is your Aunt Mable's blog where she keeps the family updated with photos from last year's Christmas party or tells you little Jimmy has the flu so maybe you shouldn't come over for a visit next weekend.  It's also those blogs out there that provide wonderful recipes for Southern Pecan Pie or gives you a peek into the fashion mind of a sixteen year old.  Everyone has something to say on a personal blog and everyone thinks we all want to hear about it.  There is no other motive than to share a bit of their lives with friends and family.

2)  Professional blogging...this is where writers, doctors, lawyers and any other professionals post words of wisdom, advice or general information of importance to a more select audience.  The professional blogger is trying to work on their "platform" of getting their name out there, and they are striving to draw a larger fan base to their blog.  This is usually to either help promote their particular services or create a foundation for future endeavors.

3)  Money blogging...these are blogs whose main concern is making money for the blogger.  Their blogs page will be crowded with advertisements enticing their audience to purchase or do something which will in turn generate money for the blogger.  Their posts may be interesting to read but everyone needs to keep in mind that the sole purpose of a "money" blog is to get you to hand over your money to someone else instead of keeping it in your own pocket.

Is there a way to do both?  Can a person provide information and/or services to the blogging community while creating a source of additional income for the blogger?  Some say this is possible.  I read a very interesting article the other day covering this very topic.  Robert Lee Brewer of the My Name Is Not Bob blog provided a way, in my humble opinion, of being able to "monetize" a blog without seeming like a scam artist out to rip off the public.  You can read his post at http://robertleebrewer.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-monetize-blog-how-to-blog-and.html and see for yourself if some of these methods might work for you.

With the right fan base of followers, a person who is interested in going down this path could certainly see this as a way to make easy money.  But be careful.  What is the true price of jumping on that money blogging band wagon?  Well, I guess it depends on what do you want people to think of when they think of you?  

As a new blogger I want to be very careful about the image I present to the world.  I write children's picture books, middle grade novels, and young adult novels as well as other literary works.  I want my readers to see my blog, http://www.donasdays.blogspot.com , as a source of inspiration.  I provide daily posts about issues all people might be able to relate to, not just writers, but most importantly I want people who visit my blog to go away with a feeling of goodwill, not a lighter wallet.

So I say bloggers beware.  What may look inviting and tasty at first, may end up costing you more in the way of lost integrity than what you would receive in that additional income.