Embracing the Status of Part-Time Blogger: 5 Practical Tips

I’m sure you read a lot about pro blogging and what it takes to earn a full-time income from your blog. This is a common topic among active bloggers and there are plenty of great articles that cover various aspects of the subject. With the huge amount of focus that is given to becoming a pro blogger, I think that becoming a successful and profitable part-time blogger is often overlooked. Earning a reasonable amount of money on a part-time basis is actually more desirable than most people realize.

The Benefits of Part-Time Blogging:

Stability - As a part-time blogger you can still have the stability of a secure full-time income from another job. There’s no need to quit your day job and jump in right away in order to be successful (although some have done it). As a part-time blogger you have the luxury of earning some money and building your business without the risk that would come along with going full-time right away.

Less Pressure - As a part-time blogger with the stability of a full-time income, you won’t have the pressure to produce or to earn large sums of money from your blog. If you’re able to live off of your full-time income, the blog income is really just extra. If you have a down month when you don’t make as much as you would have hoped, it’s not that big of a deal.

Nice Supplementary Income - Although you don’t have the pressure to produce an income from your blog that can support your lifestyle, you do have the opportunity to earn a very good income from a blog part-time. In my opinion, one of the best reasons to blog part-time is that with a consistent and focused effort you can build an income that continues to grow, even with just a part-time effort. Yes, most blogs will max out at some point on just part-time efforts, but it is typical that most dedicated part-time bloggers find their income increasing. At some point this supplementary income may be enough to consider giving up the day job and becoming a pro blogger, or you may choose to just continue part-time and enjoy the extra income.

Allows for Re-Investment - Blogging to make money is a business like any other. Part of being in business is willingness to spend money and invest in the business. Most bloggers are hesitant to spend any money at all and are always looking for free options. While being careful with your money is a positive attribute, having a willingness to re-invest some or all of your blogging income will give you a better chance of making more in the long run. Part-time bloggers have a much greater ability to re-invest their earnings because in most cases they don’t rely on that income for necessary living expenses.

Pro blogging isn’t for everyone, yet that’s not what you might be led to believe based on the amount of information that is written on the subject. It’s completely possible and achievable to dedicate part-time hours to a blog and build a decent income, and one that should continue to grow with time. If you’re a part-time blogger, which 99% of us are, why not embrace your status and recognize the benefits and opportunities that are involved.

Some Tips for Part-Time Bloggers:

1. Have a Plan - Especially for part-time bloggers, having direction is critical. Do you want to eventually earn a full-time income from your blog? Are you happy just to earn a part-time income? Of course your plan can change over time, but it is important to have a plan of where you want to go with your blog and what you need to do to get there.

2. Use a Schedule - With fewer hours available to spend on your blog, you’ll need to be as efficient as possible. In order to achieve maximum efficiency you will need to schedule your time to assure that you’re working on things that will produce results, rather than just wasting time surfing.

3. Don’t Spread Yourself too Thin - Many of us face the challenge of directing our efforts in the right areas. You probably have ideas for several new blogs you’d like to start or other online methods of making money. Avoid the temptation to take on too much at one time. You’ll have better results, especially with limited time, by focusing your efforts and building a successful blog before adding anything new. Be realistic with yourself about what you can handle and what you simply don’t have time for.

4. Approach Part-Time Blogging as Asset Building - Having a part-time job isn’t always fun. Many times there are other things you would rather do with your free time away from your full-time job. Part-time blogging is really all about building an asset. We’ve seen from the blogs that have been sold in the past that part-time blogging truly is asset building. Whether you want to eventually sell the blog or keep it, the blog is still an asset to you. When you look at your blogging efforts as asset building you’ll see more of the long-term benefits and payoffs and you’ll focus less on the hours that you’re losing for other activities.

5. Re-Evaluate Your Goals from Time-to-Time - Most likely when you first started your blog you had some goals that were slightly different than they are now. That’s a natural occurrence. As you learn about what’s involved with running a profitable blog and about the opportunities that exist, you may change your mind in some way about the direction that you want to take. It’s a good idea to occasionally sit down and evaluate why you are dedicating your time to blogging and where you are hoping to go with it. If your motivation has changed, don’t be afraid to make changes in your approach.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Are you a part-time blogger? How do you see the opportunity for earning a part-time income and where do you hope to go in the future?