How Many Blog Posts Do You Need To Make Money

As I go down the road to making money blogging, I have often wondered how many blog posts do I need before I start to make money from these things. In the beginning, when my first blog hit the blogosphere, resplendent with advertisements and affiliate links I thought it was only a matter of moments before the money would start rolling in. Well it didn't....it didn't even trickle in....

That was before I knew anything about SEO or ad optimization, or blogging for that matter. I had just stumbled into it, and after reading some of the extraordinary claims from advertisements etc, figured that this was gonna be easy.

I have since learned a little about the realities. That being, making money from blogs is not easy, and it isn't fast for most people. On the other hand, it is possible.

Successful blogging, whether to make money, or to gain fame, is all about traffic. I have said that in almost every post. But it is more than just traffic, it is targetted, converting traffic. By that I mean, traffic that is interested in what your blog is about, traffic that is looking for what you have written, and the information available in your contextual ads placed alongside your content.

But back to the first question, how many posts are necessary? I have had a fair bit of success with one of my blogs that to date, only has about 25 posts, on the other hand, I have other blogs that haven't turned a dime with 50 posts. I have one that has over 200 posts and it isn't making much at all.

The blog with 25 posts has some well targeted keywords and information and is in a niche without too much competition, but lots of advertisers interested in a place to put their ads. In other words, a dream niche for a blogger. The other blog, the one with over 200 posts is more general in nature, and doesn't always attract great ads. It did get great traffic, or at least steady traffic, in the amount of over 500 hits a day. Believe it or not, the one that is making a little money, only has 25 posts and gets about 20 hits a day on a good day.

After looking at both of these blogs, and comparing what is going on, I have discovered that, first of all, it's not the number of posts it is the quality of the posts and the subject first of all. Targetted to a niche. The number of posts doesn't quite kick in until afterwards.

Of course, the more posts the more likely you will be found in the search engines. Especially if your blog is about a well focused topic and the engines can find you. Secondly, a blog needs to be maintained and updated regularly or it drops off in visits. Dramatically. I stopped posting on the second blog when I reached 216 posts, I was getting 500-600 hits a day on average. It wasn't long until it started to slide until now it only receives about 30 hits a day.

So what does all that mean. I think it is two things. First of all, you need to have a well thought out niche, that gets advertisements helpful to your readers. Secondly you need to post regularly, not just throw up 50 or 100 posts and forget it. Ideally you have 100 or more posts and growing, keep adding to them frequently to keep your blogs fresh and in the eyes of the mysterious search engines. It seems to me that the search engines love fresh content, updated regularly and they will thank you for it by sending readers your way. It's not enough to write 100 or more posts and then sit back waiting for the cheques to roll in. They might initially, but it won't last. Blogging....to make money....is a long term effort.....

So...to answer my own question. I don't think there is a magic number of posts that will make money. I think you need lots of them, and for arguments sake, let's say 100 minimum. But that number has to keep growing. You cannot stop there and continue to make money. Secondly, all of your posts have to be well written, contain the right keywords and information useful to your readers.

This isn't getting any easier is it.....?