The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

A Word About the Blog-O-Bucks

Posted on | January 23, 2010 | 33 Comments

Patrick at Political Byline points out that the blogging life isn’t exactly the fast way to wealth for 99% of the people who do it.

Back when I worked for The Washington Times, I was somewhat naive about the online revenue model. In 2007, I got together in California with several bloggers — including Ace of Spades, Jeff Goldstein, Little Miss Attila and Dr. Rusty Shackleford — and heard them discussing the “blog-o-bucks.” No hard numbers were disclosed and I couldn’t tell whether this was just the usual shoptalk or what.

Well, dear brothers and sisters, when I finally cut loose in 2008, I learned. It’s hard out here for pimp.

There’s a reason that most bloggers have day jobs to pay the bills. You might have noticed that Professor Glenn Reynolds hasn’t told the University of Tennessee Law School to “take this job and shove it.” 

That’s what we call a clue, Sherlock.

Look, Ace of Spades is currently averaging 132,000 hits a day. and recently has averaged more than 2.5 million hits per month. And yet, when Ace saw him Boston last week, he wasn’t lighting his smokes with $20 bills, nor was he buying Dom Perignon for the house. Maybe he’s doing OK, but he ain’t livin’ la vida loca.

Success is relative. Ace is one of the most successful independent blogs out there and I drool with envy at the thought of 2.5 million hits a month, which is about seven times our best month ever. But then I read where Patrick says his typical day on Political Byline is 600 hits and think, “Hey, be grateful for what you’ve got.”

Bottom line: Nobody’s getting rich here. The widespread fantasy circa 2004 that everybody and his uncle could blog their way to an easy six figures a year (and a lucrative book deal, too) has proven to be a chimera. There is real value to blogging — even at a few hundred hits per day — but monetizing that value is extraordinarily difficult.

Since switching to WordPress this month, Smitty and I have discussed in greater earnestness the need to enhance the monetization factor. My basic approach from Day One has been to push relentlessly to increase traffic. I got about 6,000 hits in March 2008, my first month of full-time blogging, whereas we averaged 235,000 per month in the last six months of 2009. The simple assumption is more traffic = more money. Yet Smitty (and others) believe we’re still under-monetizing, and so new projects are being considered.

Before I left for Boston Jan. 14, Mrs. Other McCain gave me a double earful about the financial situation and the fact that, having just returned from California a few days previous, now I was heading off for another week on the road. My response: “This is what the people are paying for — the road trips, the adventure, the show. They don’t pay me to stay home.”

It’s not always easy (my brain is still fogged from these back-to-back road trips) but really, it’s a heckuva ride. For a full decade, I was pretty much chained to a desk job in Washington and going nuts with frustration. Now I’m making a lot less money, but having a lot more fun, and for that I’m grateful to the tip-jar hitters — and to people like Donald Douglas at American Power, JSF at Valley of the Shadow, and Pete at Da Tech Guy for letting me crash on their sofas.

“We’re going to get there.” That’s what I tell Mrs. Other McCain, and that’s what I tell the other bloggers who are struggling to stick with it, even when the traffic is down, the tip-jar is empty and the AdSense dollars aren’t exactly pouring in. Just keep moving forward, and don’t let it get you down.

Category: Blogging

Comments

33 Responses to “A Word About the Blog-O-Bucks”

  1. Moe Lane
    January 24th, 2010 @ 4:48 am

    We still get people who think that RedState Contributors get paid salaries.

    Ha! 🙂

  2. Moe Lane
    January 23rd, 2010 @ 11:48 pm

    We still get people who think that RedState Contributors get paid salaries.

    Ha! 🙂

  3. Dave C
    January 24th, 2010 @ 5:00 am

    They need to change that to AdCents..

  4. Dave C
    January 24th, 2010 @ 12:00 am

    They need to change that to AdCents..

  5. Patrick
    January 24th, 2010 @ 5:26 am

    Um, Robert. I wasn’t complaining… I was trying to sit some meatball straight who tried to say that *I* was doing well.

    Compared to some, I’m a blip in the Blogging world.

    If I had a damn day job, I’d go to it and quit this crap tomorrow… believe you me.

    -Pat

  6. Patrick
    January 24th, 2010 @ 12:26 am

    Um, Robert. I wasn’t complaining… I was trying to sit some meatball straight who tried to say that *I* was doing well.

    Compared to some, I’m a blip in the Blogging world.

    If I had a damn day job, I’d go to it and quit this crap tomorrow… believe you me.

    -Pat

  7. Patrick
    January 24th, 2010 @ 5:42 am

    My response: “This is what the people are paying for — the road trips, the adventure, the show. They don’t pay me to stay home.”

    Here’s two good reasons why I just don’t hop in my car and cover stuff or fly to something.

    1. I don’t get donations to just go fly somewhere…

    2. I have a deadly fear of flying itself. If it’s so damned safe, why are there some many crashes?

    3. My car is a certified piece of shit, it has two bad A-Arms. it’s a 1990 cougar.. if I drove that thing further to the corner and back, say on the freeway, one of these A-arms could break and I’d smack the wall doing 65. Not my idea of a good time. So, I’m stuck here. Blogging from my house. If I had a better car. I could do what you are doing McCain. But I don’t. It’s not making excuses. It’s the damned truth. Sorry if some cannot believe that or think I’m lying or what the hell ever…

    -Pat

  8. Patrick
    January 24th, 2010 @ 12:42 am

    My response: “This is what the people are paying for — the road trips, the adventure, the show. They don’t pay me to stay home.”

    Here’s two good reasons why I just don’t hop in my car and cover stuff or fly to something.

    1. I don’t get donations to just go fly somewhere…

    2. I have a deadly fear of flying itself. If it’s so damned safe, why are there some many crashes?

    3. My car is a certified piece of shit, it has two bad A-Arms. it’s a 1990 cougar.. if I drove that thing further to the corner and back, say on the freeway, one of these A-arms could break and I’d smack the wall doing 65. Not my idea of a good time. So, I’m stuck here. Blogging from my house. If I had a better car. I could do what you are doing McCain. But I don’t. It’s not making excuses. It’s the damned truth. Sorry if some cannot believe that or think I’m lying or what the hell ever…

    -Pat

  9. Lonely Conservative
    January 24th, 2010 @ 7:19 am

    Looks like it’s time for Plan B. Time to figure out Plan B.

  10. Lonely Conservative
    January 24th, 2010 @ 2:19 am

    Looks like it’s time for Plan B. Time to figure out Plan B.

  11. Thomas L. Knapp
    January 24th, 2010 @ 7:41 am

    Monetization tip #1: Replace Google AdSense with AdBrite.

    Because I’m all about monetization myself, I’ll refer you to the “monetize your site with AdBrite” button in the right sidebar of my site to get the details, but …

    … I made low-double-digit pennies per month when I tried AdSense. I make mid-double-digit dollars per month with AdBrite, and all the sites I run it on combined don’t come close to getting as many hits per month as The Other McCain does per day.

    Monetization Tip #2: You charge too little for your BlogAds. That may not just be costing you money per sale, it may be costing you actual sales. When a buyer sees “$20 for a week,” he’s going to assume that you’re pricing for the most you can get, and if all you can get is $20, you must not be able to deliver the clicks and the paying customers to justify a higher price.

    My recollection is that back when Reason’s Hit and Run was on Blogads, the were doing about 200,000 hits per week, and charging $395 for a one-week BlogAd. I never saw them without ads. You should probably be charging AT LEAST $50, probably $100, for a one-week ad ($175 for two weeks, $300 for a month, $750 for three months).

  12. Thomas L. Knapp
    January 24th, 2010 @ 2:41 am

    Monetization tip #1: Replace Google AdSense with AdBrite.

    Because I’m all about monetization myself, I’ll refer you to the “monetize your site with AdBrite” button in the right sidebar of my site to get the details, but …

    … I made low-double-digit pennies per month when I tried AdSense. I make mid-double-digit dollars per month with AdBrite, and all the sites I run it on combined don’t come close to getting as many hits per month as The Other McCain does per day.

    Monetization Tip #2: You charge too little for your BlogAds. That may not just be costing you money per sale, it may be costing you actual sales. When a buyer sees “$20 for a week,” he’s going to assume that you’re pricing for the most you can get, and if all you can get is $20, you must not be able to deliver the clicks and the paying customers to justify a higher price.

    My recollection is that back when Reason’s Hit and Run was on Blogads, the were doing about 200,000 hits per week, and charging $395 for a one-week BlogAd. I never saw them without ads. You should probably be charging AT LEAST $50, probably $100, for a one-week ad ($175 for two weeks, $300 for a month, $750 for three months).

  13. Patrick
    January 24th, 2010 @ 10:23 am

    Heh…. Hi Tom,

    It’s funny you should mention that… I put my BlogsAds prices low for a long while. I even got some business. I raised my prices, because I thought they should be higher, and because my hits increased. Guess what happened… No ads. 🙁

    So, I dunno… I tried AdBrite, I didn’t see a huge difference… I make more with adsense myself.

    -Pat

  14. Patrick
    January 24th, 2010 @ 5:23 am

    Heh…. Hi Tom,

    It’s funny you should mention that… I put my BlogsAds prices low for a long while. I even got some business. I raised my prices, because I thought they should be higher, and because my hits increased. Guess what happened… No ads. 🙁

    So, I dunno… I tried AdBrite, I didn’t see a huge difference… I make more with adsense myself.

    -Pat

  15. Updated – I feel the need to clear some things up | Political Byline
    January 24th, 2010 @ 5:35 am

    […] R.S. McCain makes good some points as well. Although, I tend to think that he thought that I was whining. Far […]

  16. Lions
    January 24th, 2010 @ 1:38 pm

    I would pay a subscription to have access but not per blog, for a group of blogs. I don’t think I would have said this about 6 months ago but now I think you guys do a hell of a job and are needed so we as citizens can get information not just form papers or cable to determine or find the truth. Maybe you should use Rush’s model have some available for free and the rest subricption based. For example if you setup with a group of blogs have an area that has free access that includes all the blogs in the group. My2cents who knows I have my Dad convinced to buy a tablet so he can access the sites I go too. He is tired of getting news from me and Fox can only do so much. People are much more likely to go find the info now than getting it given to them
    .
    me

  17. Lions
    January 24th, 2010 @ 8:38 am

    I would pay a subscription to have access but not per blog, for a group of blogs. I don’t think I would have said this about 6 months ago but now I think you guys do a hell of a job and are needed so we as citizens can get information not just form papers or cable to determine or find the truth. Maybe you should use Rush’s model have some available for free and the rest subricption based. For example if you setup with a group of blogs have an area that has free access that includes all the blogs in the group. My2cents who knows I have my Dad convinced to buy a tablet so he can access the sites I go too. He is tired of getting news from me and Fox can only do so much. People are much more likely to go find the info now than getting it given to them
    .
    me

  18. Robert Stacy McCain
    January 24th, 2010 @ 2:12 pm

    Patrick: I didn’t accuse you of whining, because I don’t consider it “whining” to state bluntly life sucks. It’s like my “Allah Hates Me” meme: There is a point at which non-linkage becomes malice.

  19. Robert Stacy McCain
    January 24th, 2010 @ 9:12 am

    Patrick: I didn’t accuse you of whining, because I don’t consider it “whining” to state bluntly life sucks. It’s like my “Allah Hates Me” meme: There is a point at which non-linkage becomes malice.

  20. Mr.K
    January 24th, 2010 @ 2:28 pm

    As a blogger who gets 25 bucks (out of 4 writers, mind you) per two months, along with some independent advertisers, the main goal is content and driving traffic, while hoping for readers to click the advertisements, should help that the elections are soon….right?

    I wish I could start a “click the tipjar” feature at Jumping in Pools, but we’re too small in cultlike readers, for that to be an opition, plus I’m limited on traveling for reporting on the ground specials.

    What can I say…

    Also, McCain! I blogged about your Tide, time to return the favor – http://jumpinginpools.blogspot.com/2010/01/jets-vs-colts.html

  21. Mr.K
    January 24th, 2010 @ 9:28 am

    As a blogger who gets 25 bucks (out of 4 writers, mind you) per two months, along with some independent advertisers, the main goal is content and driving traffic, while hoping for readers to click the advertisements, should help that the elections are soon….right?

    I wish I could start a “click the tipjar” feature at Jumping in Pools, but we’re too small in cultlike readers, for that to be an opition, plus I’m limited on traveling for reporting on the ground specials.

    What can I say…

    Also, McCain! I blogged about your Tide, time to return the favor – http://jumpinginpools.blogspot.com/2010/01/jets-vs-colts.html

  22. Thomas L. Knapp
    January 24th, 2010 @ 2:45 pm

    Patrick,

    Yes, mileage will definitely vary.

    I gave up on AdSense after a few months, having made less than a buck. I believe the last monthly AdBrite check was $41.xx.

    As far as Blogads goes, I don’t know what your traffic is like. I was with them for several years and they are a terrific service. There were months when I knocked down in excess of $100 with them … but that was rare. It looks to me like consistent good money with Blogads is probably closely related to being able to deliver 100k+ visitors per month.

  23. Thomas L. Knapp
    January 24th, 2010 @ 9:45 am

    Patrick,

    Yes, mileage will definitely vary.

    I gave up on AdSense after a few months, having made less than a buck. I believe the last monthly AdBrite check was $41.xx.

    As far as Blogads goes, I don’t know what your traffic is like. I was with them for several years and they are a terrific service. There were months when I knocked down in excess of $100 with them … but that was rare. It looks to me like consistent good money with Blogads is probably closely related to being able to deliver 100k+ visitors per month.

  24. William Teach
    January 24th, 2010 @ 3:09 pm

    We need to pimp out for some of that GOP money.

  25. William Teach
    January 24th, 2010 @ 10:09 am

    We need to pimp out for some of that GOP money.

  26. GW_SS-Delta
    January 24th, 2010 @ 5:34 pm

    Patrick… stop. Stop. You are not helping yourself by constantly attacking everyone for every little thing they say.

  27. GW_SS-Delta
    January 24th, 2010 @ 12:34 pm

    Patrick… stop. Stop. You are not helping yourself by constantly attacking everyone for every little thing they say.

  28. Patrick
    January 24th, 2010 @ 5:55 pm

    Patrick: I didn’t accuse you of whining, because I don’t consider it “whining” to state bluntly life sucks. It’s like my “Allah Hates Me” meme: There is a point at which non-linkage becomes malice.

    Okay. Gotcha. No Problem. I just wanted to straighten out my “fat libertarian” dude, who thought I was a swimmin’ in the bucks Neo-Con. Heh! I wish…

    -Pat

  29. Patrick
    January 24th, 2010 @ 12:55 pm

    Patrick: I didn’t accuse you of whining, because I don’t consider it “whining” to state bluntly life sucks. It’s like my “Allah Hates Me” meme: There is a point at which non-linkage becomes malice.

    Okay. Gotcha. No Problem. I just wanted to straighten out my “fat libertarian” dude, who thought I was a swimmin’ in the bucks Neo-Con. Heh! I wish…

    -Pat

  30. GW_SS-Delta
    January 24th, 2010 @ 7:07 pm

    “There is a point at which non-linkage becomes malice.”

    Yea, like banning loyal readers.

  31. GW_SS-Delta
    January 24th, 2010 @ 2:07 pm

    “There is a point at which non-linkage becomes malice.”

    Yea, like banning loyal readers.

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