One of the types of blogs I was considering was on knitting. This one could motivate me. They let you choose from a bunch of patterns and yarns, and most projects they expect will take 3-6 weeks. They only need one post per week. They supply the yarn, etc…. (Any knitters out there can attest to the fact that yarn habits can be costly), and every six months pay you in copious amounts of yarn – your choice.

I know it's promoting their products and patterns, but it will also showcase me in a new way. As a a knitter. And if I wrote my own knitting blog I'd struggle to find an audience and I'd have to spend hundreds of dollars on the yarn.

This could be a lot of fun.

My wedding blog pulls in the most ad revenue, yet I hardly update that one. I just managed to get lucky in that there are lost of searches for 1920s hairstyles and wedding information, but not much on the Internet about it. My horse blog earns some ad revenue, my writing blog the least.

In general I've found that I have good luck with header ads and the large rectangular footer ads I put on individual post pages. The image ads do seem to pull in the most clicks as well as the best payments per click, as opposed to the text-only ads (which only pay pennies and don't seem to get noticed very often).

I think you're right. Journaling perhaps started it for me, too.

I'm interested to hear from you guys who earn from your blogs. How much stuff do you have to put up to get that ad revenue? Does it detract from your site? What's the best mix?

Of course, there is also a secondary advantage: I get to meet other writers. So from a business perspective, I do it more for the networking than the marketing to clients.

But you're right: I also use my blogs as samples when I'm trying to get a blogging gig. The fact that I've had my blog for around four years now demonstrates that I know what I'm talking about.

I also do get about $30 a month from ad revenue, but that's mainly from my wedding and horse blogs, not my writing blog.

I especially like #3. When I started this blog, it was an experiment. I had no clear intentions and no set course. It just evolved. Funny how we can set out to do nothing in particular and end up actually accomplishing something. 🙂

1. My home on the web. I pick the topics and do my best to go with the ones readers will value.

2. Fresh content on my web site, which also acts as my business card and makes search engines happy.

3. Share expertise without any expectations in return.

4. Keeps me practicing my blogging skills since I do it for clients.

Devon, you've nailed it. Exactly those reasons and more are why I do it. It's connection, community building, help for those who want/need it, an instant sample of my abilities, etc., etc. And I'm the only person I write for free for – except my immediate family. No way my sweat is going to increase someone else's profits while I get nothing in return.

Wendy, I have no dog, but I could go on about this 8-year-old goldfish who refuses to stop growing…

There have been a few posts poo-pooing blogging for "free." If it's a client, I agree. No freebies. If it's a personal marketing tool, it's yours to mold into whatever you like. I don't mind that some people look to me as someone to come to for advice. Building expertise like that is golden. Not that I'm more talented than anyone else, but I've positioned myself and my brand well. People seem to agree. That shows a potential client a number of things – you can build a following, you know your stuff, and you're reliable enough to be trusted by others. Where is it that ANY of that is bad? Posters who make sweeping comments about how "foolish" we are for doing this don't see the bigger picture.

Exactly, Kathy. I've had plenty of jobs come my way via other writers. Not their specialty, they saw it and thought of me, too busy and need help…. how much of that would've come if I'd not put the time into this? And I've paid it around, too. I've sent around job offers, asked for help, sent spill-over work to others, etc.

To your point of making the world a better place, I totally agree. I love sharing ideas and hearing new ones. We're not alone in this – we're a community of singular workers. We're our own support group. There's something very comforting in that.

Jenn, I love that you earn a lot with your one blog! Can you share how that's done? My concern has always been overload. I don't want to overwhelm the visitor with slow loads thanks to too many ads.

Paula, whatever you decide, it'll be a good read! Just let me know so I can link to you.

They're marketing tools — bringing in plenty of clients who like the style. They're networking tools — connecting me not only with my client base but also with colleagues. They're income sources — if I were to suddenly have a slow period client-wise I wouldn't have to worry because my blogs bring in enough that I'm not going to end up broke.

They're all that and more, and can work for quite a lot of freelance writers in whatever ways they choose to make them work for them. For me that's attracting clients, communicating with colleagues, earning ad revenue, and serving as a launch pad for my own products (even more income streams insulating against slow periods). Hell, I earn more with one of my blogs (which I no longer update) than I earn on several active contracts each month. If you want it to be lucrative, it can be. And if you don't, you still have your freedom, a useful tool, and self-respect.

Devon really hit it — if you're going to write for free or on the cheap, write for yourself. It offers far more potential benefits than writing for clients who undervalue you. To them you're only worth their time until Google changes their algorithm or slaps them for violating their content quality guidelines. And on your own blog, you're not simply replaceable.