I always appreciate readers commenting on my posts, even if they aren't in agreement with what I've written.
Such is the case with one left on a recent post. Although it's negative, the commentor expressed interest in the topic I wrote on, and for that I'm grateful. In today's edition my goal is to move forward in sharing with others my reasons for relocating my work as a writer from ezines and content farms to my own platform and establishing my own brand within the indie biz community as a blogger. |
"Why not offer a service for purchase instead?
"I periodically check with alexa.com to see how my site ranks. Google Analytics gives me that information as well. If you're a casual blogger such as myself, making money doesn't matter. However, if you expect to earn a living by blogging, either offer products/services your readers want to buy or become an affiliate and make sure your content drives sales."
Collaboration lessens the load while producing more earnings
- A growing number of readers and writers think differently about things like this. However, I'd like to take the opportunity to explain why I and several others enjoy the idea of tipping each other. It is mostly other writers who see the value of helping each other directly, instead of going through the wiles and whims of large companies who fill your articles with ads and deign to give you a microscopic share of their spoils. I thought this article had explained sufficiently, but I'm always willing to extend on this.
- I don't have a free version of my domain hosted website, which is Weebly. I've had the pro-version for years. However, that has no effect on what I write and shouldn't matter in the least to me as a writer, or as a reader. Some of my favorite writers use the free version of of their domain provider's website. It doesn't affect their writing or message either. I tip accordingly, same as I do after receiving an awesome haircut, delivered by my favorite hairdresser, Vanessa Clayson of Vanessa Clayson S.A.S.S.
"You’ve got to build your house on a lot that you own. You can’t build it on a rented lot." Michael Hyatt
- I completely appreciate the value of having my work shared on social sites and the effort many of my readers make in doing just that. They could just read my posts and stop there but many don't. There will always be some who don't, but thankfully not all.
- Tip jars and virtual piggy banks, coffee cups (whatevers) is a working and lucrative concept that isn't just for bloggers. It's one that's about any artists, including musicians, photographers, or those with social site expertise who don't write at all but have a means to be rewarded by their peers in a direct and personal way. They don't have to be a writer to earn tips for their work, but those who are writers are likely to ramp up to earning more than they'll ever get in monetary earnings from a content farm or ezine. Also, they're promoting their own work, not the work of some company they write for; that's building their virtual office on rental property rather than their own!
- I'm not a "casual" blogger. I'm a professional and work consistently via my own platform here on WarnerWords. Although all of my readers don't leave tips, some do and the number of readers who tip is growing. I also take great delight in tipping my own favorite writers that provide me a way of doing that on their own sites. It's a great feeling to be able to afford sending money around the world!
- Everyone has a different interpretation of successful. Mine is to have readers enjoy my work and for it to generate a quality income. I'm not a charity case and I believe in rewarding for work well done. Both readers and writers benefit for such a concept and it's especially enjoyable to do this directly without having to include a middle man, taking a cut of the earnings, when it isn't necessary unless the writer wants to earn from the sale of a specific product they desire to promote in an article or on their site.
- I also don't stress about where my site ranks with Google. That's another nice thing about having one's own site. You can either go nuts with trying to improve it, or just enjoy the fact that your reader growth is consistent, and readily available for you to see on your stats. You're the one who gets to choose how to promote it and often word of mouth and simple shares from readers generate multiple views a month and with each view there's the potential of a monetary tip of appreciation being generated and easily deposited into my virtual piggy bank.
Consistency pays off...
My consistent readers (and even the new ones) seem to appreciate that I produce work on a regular schedule. Often they beat me to the site, showing up to see what I've produced for them on a scheduled publishing day before I even manage to get the latest edition out. (Sorry, I'm late today!)
Working according to a schedule has made it easier for me to manage my time effectively as well as consistently reach new readers who continue to return to read my work. It's much the same as folks who anticipate a newspaper showing up at their doorstep or a favorite magazine arriving in their mailbox.
I wish they had a virtual tip jar on their own site. In the past I've read good content on their site but as it's lacking a virtual tip jar/coffee cup/violin case/piggy bank/etc., I'm unable to show my appreciation in a way that I prefer and enjoy to make a monetary difference for a job well done.