I found this on BestNaija.com blog and its worth a read.

Blogging For Money? To Succeed, Do Not Put The Cart Before The Horse - Bestnaija

Blogging is no longer an unpopular activity. Many people go into blogging for various purposes. Some do it for passion for their topic or niche. Some do it as a profession on their job. Some do it independently as a money-making activity. For a living. My topic will be about the last category.

Blogging for money can be worth the while. It can also be frustrating if you don't get it right. My advice is not to put the cart before the horse. Now what is the cart? And what is the horse? I will explain.
cart.jpg

In practice, the horse should be before the cart. The horse leads and pulls the cart along with it. The horse provides the force that makes the cart progress. Per adventure you put the cart before the horse, guess what happens? No progress. In fact the cart will prevent not only the horse from moving, but also the entire apparatus.

Get the picture? To be sure, let's identify the horse. And also let's identify the cart.

The Horse: This is the value your blog/website will add to your readers. It's that value that will keep them coming back. Let's stop there.

The Cart: This is the benefit you want to reap from blogging: money in this case.

Now, how could you swap their respective places? Stay tuned.

Continued...

How could you have swapped the horse's and cart's places in blogging? There are causes and symptoms.

What is your horse?
As I highlighted earlier, your horse is the value your blog or website is adding to the readers and visitors. What is your niche? What value would your site add to your readers?

Is it news? Current affairs? Inspirational materials? Networking? Job vacancies? Career articles? Celebrity gists?

Whatever is the purpose of your blog should be the priority number 1. It should be what readers and visitors see and are welcomed with once they reach your website for the first time. But many people get this wrong. How do I know?

There is a popular blog in Nigerian blogosphere. The popularity is there so its lucky. But she now decides to swap the position of the horse and cart. Once you visit the blog, in fact before you read the article that brought you, you would be welcomed with at least 4-5 advert banners. That's not right. Its not professional. It shows the blog is just about the money. The blog don't put the users first or the value she wanna add.

So in effect, if you find yourself putting adverts ahead of value, putting making money ahead of your readers benefits, then believe me you have most likely put the cart before the horse. Most likely I said. Some adverts will benefit the reader. But we know it when we see it.

I decided to dump AdSense on my blog. And guess what? Since then I have become a better blogger. I will tell you why I dumped AdSense in a later post in this forum.

Getting it right
Put your horse before the cart is just the natural thing to do. Failure to do this has lead to many young and new bloggers crashing out. Many dead blogs and websites here and there. How do we achieve this?

Blog with your readers in mind and not your pocket.
Every decision you make on your web property has effects on your readers. If you want to succeed online, you need to put your readers first.
Put their interest and benefit first.

Your readers are your customers
Customers are always right. They are not an interruption to your work, they are its purpose. You are not doing your customers favor but they are doing you great favor for giving you the privilege of serving them.

So treat your readers like customers who must be delighted.

If you want to succeed while blogging for money, you will in effect do the following:

1. Ensure your content strategy aligns with adding great value to your visitors.
2. Make sure that your adverts placements do not negatively impact the usability and user friendliness of your website.
3. Ensure you use monetization methods that will only add value to your readers
4. Your advert-to-content ratio must be low.
5. Be open about benefits and offers

Source: https://www.bestnaija.com/blogging-money-succeed-do-not-put-cart-before-horse-t57699

I think it makes sense. cc Lalasticlala, mynd44, slyrox

Nice

Very good information, but I always feel like I am wasting my time each time I want to write on my blog.

Please i need good premium template for my blog, I am ready to pay

You found this on BestNaija or you own BestNaija? I'm not understanding..

afternysc:
I found this on BestNaija.com blog and its worth a read.


Source: https://www.bestnaija.com/blogging-money-succeed-do-not-put-cart-before-horse-t57699

Britishcoins:
Very good information, but I always feel like I am wasting my time each time I want to write on my blog.

Please i need good premium template for my blog, I am ready to pay

Why does it feel like you are wasting your time?

Don't quit now..

GTbank. 0007510497. Joseph
Please!!! help a brother in serious need of his 300 level school fees and feeding in Niger state university. Lost my father who is the sole bread winner of my life. Things became very tough, No better jobs in Niger state right now, hence I'll work and school. Any amount and I won't stop praying for you. Thank you. Account details
GTbank. 0007510497. Joseph
joe4god2932@gmail.com

Sex sex sex

It sells

Thank me later

Britishcoins:
Very good information, but I always feel like I am wasting my time each time I want to write on my blog.

Please i need good premium template for my blog, I am ready to pay

You need to identify why you are blogging. If you feel that way when you about writing content then you may be in the wrong profession or you are being distracted by poor revenue from maybe adsense. Remove your adsense for two months, then you will come back after becoming a better blogger.

After that, you can put it back. You need the money.

NB: Ugly but usable sites sell better than beautiful but unusable sites. You dont need a premium template.

RogueX:
Sex sex sex
It sells
Thank me later

I don't get you

afternysc:


You need to identify why you are blogging. If you feel that way when you about writing content then you may be in the wrong profession or you are being distracted by poor revenue from maybe adsense. Remove your adsense for two months, then you will come back after becoming a better blogger.

After that, you can put it back. You need the money.

NB: Ugly but usable sites sell better than beautiful but unusable sites. You dont need a premium template.

Thanks I really appreciate

doingood:
GTbank. 0007510497. Joseph
Please!!! help a brother in serious need of his 300 level school fees and feeding in Niger state university. Lost my father who is the sole bread winner of my life. Things became very tough, No better jobs in Niger state right now, hence I'll work and school. Any amount and I won't stop praying for you. Thank you. Account details
GTbank. 0007510497. Joseph
joe4god2932@gmail.com

..oyoshi

doingood:
GTbank. 0007510497. Joseph
Please!!! help a brother in serious need of his 300 level school fees and feeding in Niger state university. Lost my father who is the sole bread winner of my life. Things became very tough, No better jobs in Niger state right now, hence I'll work and school. Any amount and I won't stop praying for you. Thank you. Account details
GTbank. 0007510497. Joseph
joe4god2932@gmail.com

Go and blog bro.
Follow the steps and make money through blog.

Topmaike007:
I don't get you

he means anything about sex including sex itself sells online - dating tips, guides, relationship advice, porn video sites, porn images, and even connecting peeps for... U know na

Useless post. Do you know the amount of time and resources you have to put in for your blog to bring traffic?
Do you even know what it means to maintain a very large website?
The programming codes and the URL rewriting?
The amount of money for hosting for many years before you start having traffic?
We in Nigeria always like free things. For your info, there is nothing free in this world and if you are not willing to provide value too to the web owner then you should not expect value from the blog too.
You want the web owner to provide free quality information without making money? That is why we don't move forward in Nigeria.
Get this into your head: "There is nothing free in this world" and you cannot get quality without paying.

Britishcoins:
Very good information, but I always feel like I am wasting my time each time I want to write on my blog.

Please i need good premium template for my blog, I am ready to pay

Search for one online na.

Good post but check my signature

Premiumwriter:
he means anything about sex including sex itself sells online - dating tips, guides, relationship advice, porn video sites, porn images, and even connecting peeps for... U know na

Open eye guy. I guess that's your niche.
www.poontoe.com

fajul:
Useless post. Do you know the amount of time and resources you have to put in for your blog to bring traffic?
Do you even know what it means to maintain a very large website?
The programming codes and the URL rewriting?
The amount of money for hosting for many years before you start having traffic?
We in Nigeria always like free things. For your info, there is nothing free in this world and if you are not willing to provide value too to the web owner then you should not expect value from the blog too.
You want the web owner to provide free quality information without making money? That is why we don't move forward in Nigeria.
Get this into your head: "There is nothing free in this world" and you cannot get quality without paying.

Guy, calm down and get d gist. Why u dey vex?

fajul:
Useless post. Do you know the amount of time and resources you have to put in for your blog to bring traffic?
Do you even know what it means to maintain a very large website?
The programming codes and the URL rewriting?
The amount of money for hosting for many years before you start having traffic?
We in Nigeria always like free things. For your info, there is nothing free in this world and if you are not willing to provide value too to the web owner then you should not expect value from the blog too.
You want the web owner to provide free quality information without making money? That is why we don't move forward in Nigeria.
Get this into your head: "There is nothing free in this world" and you cannot get quality without paying.

Ooops!! Easy Bro!

I think, the author is talking about the very start - y'know starting on the right footing. It's pretty much like this:

Get the content right > lure the right audience > bill them.
This Cycle takes a long time,even when you pay for Ads and stuff. But it takes a
VERY long time if you want it all free...

If you have a good content and passion strong enough - you won't shy away from spending that N3000, that N5000, etc to bring people to your incredible content!

You're right! This "free " mentality stagnates a lot of things... Many want it free - even the domain & hosting! Thereafter they start complaining about how bad the host is; how the host keeps placing Ad banners on their sites without their permission, how the down time is like 80% . - Talk of the high price of" free"

Premiumwriter:
he means anything about sex including sex itself sells online - dating tips, guides, relationship advice, porn video sites, porn images, and even connecting peeps for... U know na

i like that porn website,that one is good

Blogging Don cast, imagine blogging for a whole year and getting just $200.


Carding is the new oil well


Thank God for life

biggy26:

Guy, calm down and get d gist. Why u dey vex?

Bros, you no go understand... I tried to setup a blog for someone using a domain name I already registered.

Bro thought I was going to use metaphysical powers to upload the various contents - buy data na wahala.

I simply stopped! I If na ordinary data you no fit provide, what will become of promotions?

The Open is right. Blogging this days those not require huge amount of visitors or followers, just find the right audience that enjoy your posts. This kind of audience will pay for any service you are offering.

Caspian22:
The Open is right. Blogging this days those not require huge amount of visitors or followers, just find the right audience that enjoy your posts. This kind of audience will pay for any service you are offering.

Are you talking of audience paying in Nigeria

If you are blogging for money, first focus on a niche... Or you can just focus on yourself and your opinion and build followers... Secondly, try a non nigerian market with high ad conversion... Thirdly, keep it original and creative... Even if you are going to "control c and v" rewrite the articles before posting them... Finally be ready to spend money on your blog... Neat and organized website, seo optimization and advertise your blog...

Razak5:


Ooops!! Easy Bro!

I think, the author is talking about the very start - y'know starting on the right footing. It's pretty much like this:

Get the content right > lure the right audience > bill them.
This Cycle takes a long time,even when you pay for Ads and stuff. But it takes a
VERY long time if you want it all free...

If you have a good content and passion strong enough - you won't shy away from spending that N3000, that N5000, etc to bring people to your incredible content!

You're right! This "free " mentality stagnates a lot of things... Many want it free - even the domain & hosting! Thereafter they start complaining about how bad the host is; how the host keeps placing Ad banners on their sites without their permission, how the down time is like 80% . - Talk of the high price of" free"

Thanks sir. I get it now.

questechie:


Are you talking of audience paying in Nigeria

Help me ask him. Nigerians will not pay a dime.