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13 Comments

  1. Hey Tracie,

    So glad to see this!

    I’m in my second-year blogging. One thing I learned quickly is that more than 80% of every blog I visit has a section on how to make money blogging – across all niches. I found this odd from the get-go. The irony of this is as I got further along and learned how to view a sites traffic and stats it became apparent that in most cases unless every visit becomes a sale the numbers don’t add up.

    Then, it was obvious that most of these reports are a lure at best. The lure is to get you to buy their content that contains the secret sauce. Or, their affiliate link to the secret sauce the other created. Add to this that other bloggers then blog about the top dogs creating traffic for themselves and the top dog. A never-ending circle creating more validation that “it must be true”. And, never is the income or revenue validated.

    Your example of $20K revenue and the $5K net is low. Some are claiming millions! At the end of the day, going forward to me this is how I see it. You run a business; you file business taxes. Show your balance sheet or it’s bull. A screenshot means nothing for me, a graphical artist can create these with little effort. The how much you netted as an individual is neither here nor there unless it’s a sole proprietorship – which, most are not.

    I think there are some powerhouses that make a fortune. I think the rest are full of it.
    Lastly, while all this content on “how to make it big blogging” is wrapped in legal disclaimers. I think it’s just a matter of time before the FTC jumps on this. Eventually, dishonest people will get called out.

    FYI, I make $25 million a year. Can I prove it? Nope….. LOL
    Nikki

    1. Tracie Fobes says:

      Oh girl! You and I are soul sisters! 😉 Thanks for your honest response and sharing what you have learned and how you see this (as a newer bloggger).

      Keep on going – you’ll get there. And when we both make $25 million let’s meet on a beach and sip cocktails!

  2. Thank you so much for posting this, it’s so good to hear! You are one of my favorite bloggers to follow (I’m in your and Carly’s FB groups) because of your honesty. It’s so refreshing and relieving.

    There are SO many people just trying to sell and aren’t actually giving any value. I bought an ebook recently that claimed it would teach someone how to take those next steps AFTER starting to become a better blogger/influencer. The landing page said what it would teach you and even what pages those topics could be found on once you bought the book. It was $5, so I bought it. I was so incredibly disappointed. Not only were the topics not on the promised page numbers, but the promised content was for total beginners or not even there at all. I immediately asked for a refund and vowed to myself to always be extremely, over the top honest with my audience. Thanks for setting the example for being an amazing blogger!

    Thanks again, Tracie!

    1. Tracie Fobes says:

      Unfortunately, this is all too common. It is one of the reasons it took me so long before I created products and services.

      I want to make sure that what I offer has value. And, that the value you get far exceeds what you pay. There is a lot of free stuff out there and it can be hepful.

      But, when read an amazing sales page you feel you are missing something. There has to be a secret you don’t know . But, you often do or it just did not provide enough help for you to figure it out.

      There is NO secret formula. There is just following people who provide you help. If someone gives and gives to me and does not sell then I find that I am more interested in paying. When people just sell and sell I don’t trust them.

  3. Tracie,

    This post is very refreshing to read.

    When my husband and I started our blogging journey seven months ago, our decision to start was spurred by one of the income reports that you speak of in this post.

    We purchased the course linked in the income report and a domain, from an affiliate link in the post, with dollars signs gleaming in our eyes. The Kool-Aide was awesome.

    After completing the course, I look at the income reports through a different lens. I can easily see now that a bulk of the blogger’s income comes from teaching people how to make money.

    (How embarrassing! I thought I was a savvy adult)

    Fortunately, we love the Kool-Aide and do not regret our decision to start blogging.

    The thing is, I can see how someone could fall prey to this type of marketing.

    Although we are only seven months into our journey, I seven months exceeds many of the startup blogs today -unrealistic expectations.

    Thank you for taking the high road!

    1. Tracie Fobes says:

      Unfortunately, you are not alone. This happens more often than not. And it frustrates me.

      If you make $10k a month and that comes from telling others how to make $10k, you aren’t really making money the right way. It is a pyramid scheme.

      I hate when bloggers are taken advantage of and I wish it did not happen. But, it will continue to.

  4. Around here talking about how much money you make is not something you ever do. It’s a faux-pas. So it’s hard for me to reconcile this with feeling okay about bloggers putting it all out there. It can often come across as “look at me!” Which is gross.
    I understand that it can be used as a teaching tool and can be helpful, , but more often than not I find that to be distracting and lead me into places that take me off my path. And no matter how good hearted the intention is behind it, I find it to be a turn off.
    Ive learnt my lesson, now I keep my head down and find a select few mentors that I like and trust such as Tracie.
    Seriously Tracie, you are awesome!????

    1. Tracie Fobes says:

      Awww….thanks! I am humbled to be one of those you trust. And you are right — stay focused and do not allow the pretty lights to district you.

  5. HI Tracie, I really appreciate this post. I find myself overthinking and doubting myself all the time, because I don’t want to be dishonest or deceptive. Your post reminded me that worrying about these things will only help me stay on the honest path, and that creating from this place will still attract readers and subscriber – that there is an audience for the honest bloggers too!

    1. Tracie Fobes says:

      Thanks Heather! And yes, honest bloggers can definitely find their audience. You will achieve greater success in being authentic and real.

  6. Tracie,
    I have been reading your blog and love your work. Success is when I see people who work with our team transformed – they are no long.er on the same level like when we first met.

    In reality, to make money, you will spend money. Look at the budget for Facebook ads alone?
    A tight marketing budget plus ethical ad tips and tactics can give you awesome results.

    This is my opinion in regards to blogging income.
    There is a very thin line between ‘facts’ and ‘copywriting.’ Lead generation for successful branding, sales, and marketing is not what we knew. Some bloggers may have achieved overnight success on the back of a single post. Others it months (if not years).
    Remember, there is a consistent message plastered on the internet on social proof. Thus, you will not miss the false and misleading ones. It is like those who pay to pose for photos for content creation – ‘showing’ lavish lifestyles on social media platforms.
    I have added this post to Flipboard, Mix and Pinterest.

  7. I love the people who say they have made millions of dollars blogging. But.. in watching their latest video you notice that they have Ashley furniture.. OMG!

    There is certainly nothing wrong with Ashley furniture if you are an ordinary, everyday person. But.. millionaires DO NOT fill their homes with Ashley furniture! That is laughable and just proves how oblivioius they really are.

    You can learn a lot simply by being observant. Pay attention to what you see.. and what you read.

    I ran across another person who claims to be making 5-figures a month. But, then she goes on to say she wishes she had know what she knows now when she first started blogging.. TWO YEARS AGO. What? Did I read that correctly?

    In two years most blogs are just beginning to generate some decent income. But, this young woman is not only making 5-figures a month in only two years of blogging.. she has also created a course on how you can do it too. Seriously??

    I am surprised she doesn’t take a class in CPR so that two years from now she can teach us all how to do heart surgery.

    Be very careful WHO and WHAT you believe!

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