2013: The Year of the Blog

As recently as the year 2000, “blog” wasn’t even a word. The technology and platforms people use when they blog hadn’t been invented.

Fast forward 10 years: blogging is exploding. Millions of people do it as a hobby, and a rapidly expanding subset of people blog as a full-time profession.

It’s not a profession that pays pennies, either. Some of the biggest bloggers earn millions of dollars through their websites.

Chances are, you know somebody who blogs. Perhaps you have a friend or family member who blogs as a hobby. Perhaps you yourself started a blog in the past.

But you might not know anybody who makes a living from their site. Many people buy into the myth that you can’t earn money through a blog, that it’s only a labor of love.

That myth is completely false. Plenty of people earn excellent money as a result of their blogs.

What makes the difference between a “hobby” blog and a “money-making” blog is all about what you put into it.

If you thoughtfully design the look and feel of your blog, plan your business model, post excellent content — writing, photos, or video — and promote it… then, soon “customers” start coming in.

And there’s one key thing that makes it easier to get started than normal businesses: you don’t have expensive overhead. You don’t need to rent a storefront, keep the lights on, or hire employees.

Once your blog becomes a success, you can work from anywhere on earth — London, Cairo, Cape Town, Chiang Mai — as long as you have an internet connection. You can earn fantastic money. You can exercise complete creative control over the writing and photos on your site. And you’ll be helping thousands of readers who look to you as a role model and authority.

This opportunity wasn’t available 10 years ago. It’s here today. So what are you waiting for?

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.]