Mediavine has brought in some major changes, and they’ve certainly deflated a lot of bloggers’ momentum. I get it. The Mediavine changes have made me rethink some plans.
Now I get why they could get you down. I used to hate change, but I’ve learned to embrace it. I’ve also learned not to put my eggs into one basket, because quite honestly, you can’t control a third party.
I’m sorry for the blunt truth, but sometimes I believe tough love is the answer.
This is one of those cases.
I understand why you’ve lost motivation. I get that the Mediavine changes are a huge blow, but don’t let them stop you blogging. If you really want to make a business out of blogging and you’re not just in it for a quick buck, then you’re going to see a lot more changes from many more companies.
In recent years, Facebook and Pinterest have changed their algorithms and Twitter has been closing down accounts for “spamming” that isn’t really spamming. Google is constantly making changes to its algorithm. There are always going to be changes.
You need to be in blogging for the long haul, which means accepting change.
Ad revenue shouldn’t be the main income
There is so much focus on making money from ads that it’s easy to overlook something important in the world of blogging. Ad revenue isn’t going to make up the bulk of your income.
In fact, you want to aim for ad revenue to be your icing on the cake. The ingredients of your income should come from other sources—more reliable and stable ones.
You just can’t rely on ad revenue. The rates change on a consistent basis. Sometimes they can be as much as $40 RPM but other times they’re down to $10 RPM. And if you’re with some ad networks, you’re not even going to see that $10.
It’s best to put your focus on affiliate income, your own products and services, and even a membership site that you can offer. The more in your control, the better.
Something I learned a long time ago was not to rely on anyone else for my income. That’s why I offer mentoring services for new writers. It’s why I have eBooks and why I am moving into offering digital products for writers (more on that soon).
If ad revenue isn’t your main income, MediaVine changes aren’t going to deflate you as much. It’s going to be annoying, but the focus will be on other networks.
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There are many other ad networks
For those who do want to turn to ad revenue, then there are plenty of other ad networks out there. Monumetric has long been one considered by those who are just starting out. You only need 10,000 pageviews per month. Yes, there’s a $99 fee to join, but you’ll get that money back as you start applying the ads on your site.
Monumetric has often been one of the stepping stones to bigger networks. The next one was (and still is) Mediavine. While the changes have made it harder to get in, you’re still going to use that one as a stepping stone before AdThrive. Mediavine now requires 50,000 sessions, while AdThrive wants 100,000.
But there are many others. You don’t have to opt for Google AdSense if you don’t want. There are so many ad networks with different requirements that there’s sure to be something that works out.
And let me into a secret; the rates aren’t too much different. While you’re missing out on a little, it’s not going to make or break your business sticking with Monumetric a little while longer before moving onto Mediavine.
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The whole of blogging is changing
If you were hoping to create a business through blogging about your life, I have some bad news. Blogging is moving away from that.
Readers just aren’t as interested in it the way they once were. Now they turn to blogs for effective tips. They want you to offer some valuable advice.
This doesn’t mean you can’t use your personal experience. I do it all the time. But there needs to be some sort of teachable moment within there.
And don’t forget niche sites. They are growing in popularity right now. This isn’t the same as picking a niche for your blog. I’ve followed Niche Pursuits for many years to understand more about niche sites.
With blogging changing, of course ad revenue sites are going to change.
Blogging is a business Mediavine changes shouldn’t affect
Every business faces challenging times. You need to make sure you’re treating your blog like a business.
While one of your goals will be to get into Mediavine, it shouldn’t be your only goal. You need to have other goals in your business to see that it’s growing.
Think outside the ad revenue. Look at the other ways to make money with your blog. Look at what you want to achieve in your blogging business.
You may find that blogging isn’t for you at all. That’s okay! There are other ways to make money online. You may decide that ad revenue isn’t something to bother about right now and that you want to focus on affiliate income or your own products. That’s okay too!
Whatever you do, you need to go into this knowing that it’s a business. Blogging isn’t going to get you rich fast. It takes time. Trust me!
You’ll want to take advantage of the ad revenues that you can when you can. If you’re at 10,000 pageviews right now, sign up for Monumetric, just in case the starting rate goes up like the Mediavine changes.
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What do you think about the MediaVine changes? What are you looking to do to make money with your blog? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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