Things to Learn from the Power Line Blog
Here's more info on that Time Magazine article Blogs Have Their Day.
Some of the history behind Power Line is interesting and can be useful for wannabe bloggers. The blog now has three writers. It started as a lark by a 50-something lawyer named John Hinderaker. The next week Hinderaker called a friend named Johnson and asked him if he wanted in. Johnson agreed but said "I think the idea that we could ever have any readers for this thing is a pathetic fantasy."
Well, Power Line has many readers. I just checked their stats and they're averaging 52K visitors per day. And they are now making money through ads. They're using blogads.com. I see 8 blogads on their blog. From blogads, I see they're asking $300/mo for an ad. So that's $2400/mo. Not too bad for a hobby. However, it should be mentioned that there are 3 writers. So that comes out to $800 per writer per month (excluding their hosting costs).
The Time Magazine article gave some info about the Power Line blog that can help other wannabe bloggers. First, the Power Line bloggers post often. It said about 10 times a day. This seems to be a common thread to popular blogs.
Second, their posts are not too long. The article says "It takes 20 sec. to read a typical post, and when you're finished you've got the basic facts up to the minute plus a dab of analysis and a dash of spin."
Third, they've built a strong online community. The article mentioned: "When you read Power Line, you feel if you're part of a community, a like-minded righteous few."
So if you think it's a pathetic fantasy that your blog will have readers, don't be so sure. It's not easy, but it's definitely possible to have a successful blog. Just be persistent and creative. You might have a chance.
Some of the history behind Power Line is interesting and can be useful for wannabe bloggers. The blog now has three writers. It started as a lark by a 50-something lawyer named John Hinderaker. The next week Hinderaker called a friend named Johnson and asked him if he wanted in. Johnson agreed but said "I think the idea that we could ever have any readers for this thing is a pathetic fantasy."
Well, Power Line has many readers. I just checked their stats and they're averaging 52K visitors per day. And they are now making money through ads. They're using blogads.com. I see 8 blogads on their blog. From blogads, I see they're asking $300/mo for an ad. So that's $2400/mo. Not too bad for a hobby. However, it should be mentioned that there are 3 writers. So that comes out to $800 per writer per month (excluding their hosting costs).
The Time Magazine article gave some info about the Power Line blog that can help other wannabe bloggers. First, the Power Line bloggers post often. It said about 10 times a day. This seems to be a common thread to popular blogs.
Second, their posts are not too long. The article says "It takes 20 sec. to read a typical post, and when you're finished you've got the basic facts up to the minute plus a dab of analysis and a dash of spin."
Third, they've built a strong online community. The article mentioned: "When you read Power Line, you feel if you're part of a community, a like-minded righteous few."
So if you think it's a pathetic fantasy that your blog will have readers, don't be so sure. It's not easy, but it's definitely possible to have a successful blog. Just be persistent and creative. You might have a chance.
posted by Ken at
1:20 PM
