Blogging for Bucks?

Michael Calderone's blog on Politico pointed me to this WSJ article about blogging.

According to Penn's WSJ article, he has looked at studies that say there are over 20 million bloggers in the nation right now. 1.7 million of those make a profit and 452,000 use blogging as their primary source of income. That's incredible.

The article also points out that generally "bloggers are extremely well educated: three out of every four are college graduates." I fit that category - I am a college graduate. Then he says, "most are white males reporting above-average incomes." No on both accounts. He also says, "It takes about 100,000 unique visitors a month to generate an income of $75,000 a year." Definitely not - if I get 100 a day, I'm having a good day, and those are not "unique" visitors. The days I've received "instalanches" have been courtesy of Robert Stacy McCain and the wonderful Professor William Jacobson who has been extremely kind and generous to me.

Penn goes on to talk about paid bloggers, those folks who blog for other individuals or companies. I know a couple of those lucky folks.

I'm rather new to blogging - this blog started in August of last year. I still have a lot to learn and I see, probably better than most, my own flaws. I don't always proofread as well as I should and I make punctuation errors. I'd prefer to be more journalistic than I often am. I've never figured out how to use "Digg" and those other sharing things. I can't figure out how to make my Technorati authority move up - I currently have "no authority." I know people have to link you, and they do, but ... still "no authority." That's a real blow to your self-esteem - "You currently have no authority." God.

Oh well. I have ads and I have a tip jar, but I suspect I will never make a living from blogging. I do it because it's fun, I enjoy it, and to be honest, I've "met" a lot of really nice people. So, I'm grateful for my readers and I'm going to keep on blogging even if I never make a dime. It's like teaching - you don't do it for the $$$.

Update: Har! RSM seems to have been blogging on the same article at the same time! Great minds...! :) Of course, he has a much more professional perspective than mine. That's why he gets the big bucks.