While I don't get out much these days (lots of projects to keep me busy at home), I did cruise through DakkaDakka the other day and found this thread on Tabletop Gaming News closing down/going up for sale...
While I don't know the specifics of the whole affair or the exact reasons for the closing/sale or whatever it may be, I am sad to see it go. I visited them on more than one occasion.
There are so many things that you can talk about here but I'm going to try and stick with blogging about 40k and money even though it's not something you might usually find on a hobby blog like this.
I would venture to say that most of us will never make money doing this. I would even go so far as to say that blogging actually costs most of us to do. If not in money, certainly in other ways like time and effort. I won't go into some of the perceived standards out there but it's not easy to keep a 40k blog up and running these days and feel like you're doing a good job at it.
When it comes to making money, here's what I know.
1. Placing ads on your blog through services like AdSense might bring in some pennies. Make no mistake, it's not going to put food on the table. Most of us (including me), don't get the kind of traffic to make the ad click throughs worthwhile. Another downside to these is that those agencies do their best, but may not always get "appropriate" ads placed on your blog. You would be surprised to see what they think should go on your site... even if you have good key words.
I mean really, do you enjoy looking at all those ads for things that have nothing to do with the hobby? Did you come to this blog only to have wade through a wide variety of junk and assorted links to find just a little bit of 40k related content.
If you're going buy something online, you've probably already got a place that you go because you trust buying from.
2. Paid advertising. Or having companies pay you to have their ad show up on your blog. Again, it's a traffic issue and companies these days are looking to cut costs wherever they can. Why pay to have an ad on a blog when you can just "share links" with them.
If you can get another company to pay for advertising on your site AND it helps your readers too, then I say go for it.
3. Other sources of revenue. Using your blog to get your stuff out there. Whether it's videos, articles, painting services, whatever it is... you can use your blog to advertise for yourself. I do this to some extent. Most of my personal posts are about my commissions, but I know that readers come to FTW for 2 main reasons.
First is the tutorials section (to see what other 40k bloggers have done that might help them with their work) and second is the FTW Blogroll (to see what other 40k bloggers are posting about).
While my commission stuff brings me extra money, it's not the number one reason people visit, so it has it's place here... in the left column, not the center.
So how do you make money? That's a good question.
I don't know is the answer. Everyone's got to look at their own blog and figure out what they're trying to do with it.
Be honest with yourself, I've got some thoughts on this too.
I know that I've been able to have a tremendous impact with my blog... just not on my wallet. While I'm not losing money, I do spend a good amount of time and effort just like the rest of you when it comes to keeping my blog up and running.
So here's what I'm going to do:
1. Keep my day job, it pays the bills.
2. Keep doing commissions, it's extra money.
3. Share 40k links and promote those who help others (you can adverstize here if you want)
4. Enjoy the the hobby and blogging even though I won't get rich off it
... at least right now.
Additional related articles:
I struggle with my blog
From The Warp, the first year in review
