Selling information products or Blogging? Which earns more in short and long-term?

by spudnick

Posted: 13 years ago 15 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

Hello Warriors,

I have spent a lot of time reading up on things here and in the War Room (which is amazing by the way - if you haven't signed up yet go and do it now!).

I have created a few information products, and am selling them online.

I have serveral other niches I can create products on and try to sell. Some of these niches I could write unthinkable amounts on.

My question is this: I see a lot of people making money from selling e-books and courses e.t.c and a lot of other making money by blogging - basically giving away all their knowledge for free, but making money from advertising, promoting affiliate products in posts, banner ads e.t.c

Can someone who has tried both methods shed some light on their experience? which was faster? easier? what did you learn?

Is it better to give all your information away for free and try to monitize the site, or to work hard to find people who are willing to buy the knowledge but get less traffic?

Thanks for any insights.

Spudnick

#blogging #earns #information #longterm #products #selling #short

Matt Morgan

13 years ago

Do both. Creating products is best for long term income, and you can earn bigger margins.

You can combine blogging and selling information - set up you blog with great content and then promote your products as a link underneath them.

Originally Posted by spudnick

Is it better to give all your information away for free and try to monitize the site, or to work hard to find people who are willing to buy the knowledge but get less traffic?

Thanks for any insights.

Give alot of information away for free, but NOT everything, and Not too often or else they will expect free information from you all the time. But after they receive your Free excellent content, they will 'trust you' and know that you provide Excellent content...so they will be in a better position to buy from you!

Thanks

Signature

-> [FREE WSO 1] Discover 77 FREE Ways To Generate Traffic!
-> [FREE WSO 2] Discover 67 Killer Traffic Methods Which Will Crush Your Competition!
-> [FREE WSO 3] Discover 77 Amazing Blogging Tips To Explode Your Profits!

...â€¦..Now LISTEN CAREFULLY! ===> [WSO REPORTS 4, 5, 6 are >> Found Here]

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2319658].message }}

kposs 13 years ago

My preference between the two would be information products. You have so many options with them like list building and immediate upsells. Then there are tons of value building options that allow you to sell your information for a higher price - membership sites, CDs, DVDs, full home study courses, etc. Sounds like you already have a head start.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2319714].message }}
wordpresstrainingpackage 13 years ago

In most cases, it is easier to make money selling information products than blogging. Blogging takes a lot of time especially if you are in a very competitive niche. Such niches will earn you good money per click but it takes time. Even for the blog to rank in the search engines takes a lot of time, effort and patience.

In the case of selling information products you can easily sell all what you have and get thousands of dollars in a day. There are many ways you can easily sell the ebooks - invite people for JV, PPC, etc. Selling ebooks will make you have overnight income but blogging will give you little income over a period of time until your sites starts ranking well in the search engines.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2319795].message }}
Alex Williams 13 years ago

Yes, information products is faster and I would say easier. You would still need the traffic for both, so having the same traffic, you owuld make much more money by selling information products. It works best with the list building - especially when you set up a "one time offer" which is presented to your subscribers right after confirming their subscription. These OTO`s usually convert very well, and you capture the lead for future upsells, as well as make money at that very moment. I think you can`t make the same, so fast, blogging...
- Thanks
- 1 reply
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2331685].message }}
- jbsmith 13 years ago
  
  Actually both go together very nicely - to the point that I always recommend anyone starting out with infoproducts have their own blog.
  
  Here is why:
  
  1. Blog: quick way of creating traffic since blog posts are easily syndicated through RSS, often get ranked very well in SERP's and help to build ongoing content as you get people commenting on your posts which can keep them alive for months and even years...whereas a static article or page may lose SERP positioning after a few months. In addition - blogging is sort of like having an email list in that you can create a relationship with your reader, bond with them, work on getting them to trust you so they are pre-disposed to buying from you....once you have that, then it stands to reason this is the perfect platform for your own infoproduct
  
  2. Your InfoProduct: A blog will have helped you build a platform of hungry customers for your infoproduct and may even have given you plenty of ideas and feedback of what you can put into your infoproduct. What are your most popular blog posts? Which one seemed to hit the mark? What are some of the questions that have come in on your blog comments? This all helps you design a high-demand infoproduct
  
  Finally - you can then cross-market both your blog and infoproduct...place a link to your blog into your infoproduct so people who buy and don't know about your blog become new readers and certainly you can market your infoproduct on your blog.
  
  In truth - they work extremely well together.
  
  Jeff
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
  Signature
  Turn Your Knowledge Into High-Paying Digital Products To Sell Online
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2331977].message }}
  
  DomenicoGrecojr 13 years ago
  
  The business model I always recommend is create as many information products as you can. After a while, promote your other information products inside the ebooks.
  
  You may get additional cross-sales.
  
  Then use your blog to promote all your information products. Use your blog to show your expertise. Make it a place where people can visit and see all info products that you have.
  
  Within your blog posts you can even recommend your affiliate products and sell advertisement.
  
  A winning combination.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2332062].message }}
  
  ClickHere 13 years ago
  
  Information products.As people suggested, it is good to have a blog(or website) to grab extra customers at no ad expenses but have your own domain name and make quality work, otherwise you are losing time.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2334059].message }}
  
  MatthewM 13 years ago
  
  Info product for short term fast money and higher margins. If you need cash in a hurry creating your own info product or service is the way to go. You can blog to gain traffic so the 2 kind of go hand in hand. You can have a niche related blog on your info product websites that funnels traffic to your opt in box or offer page.
  
  Thanks
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2334073].message }}

CDarklock

13 years ago

Originally Posted by spudnick

Is it better to give all your information away for free and try to monitize the site, or to work hard to find people who are willing to buy the knowledge but get less traffic?

These things aren't mutually exclusive. Selling products online, it doesn't matter whether they're yours or someone else's. You can do either one by "moving the free line," or by pre-qualifying your audience.

My gut feeling is that moving the free line works better in the long run, because that's what all the major names are doing. However, all the people who pop out of the woodwork with six-figure success stories seem to be doing the pre-qualifying route.

I think it's mostly a matter of personal preference. I don't think either one necessarily performs better.

Thanks

Signature

"The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2334135].message }}

Colin Palfrey 13 years ago

I am just going to add my 2c

In case you didn't understand what people where hinting at earlier, blogging is a great way of attracting the web surfer, as search engines like blogs. However, all the big names that I know (personally) that are extremely rich are using their own product on Clickbank. As such that is the method I would recommend.

1. Get your own product
2. Set up your own sales page
3. List it on Clickbank
4. Blog like a caffeine addict, and link every post to your sales page.

That is the best plan from what I have personally seen, but maybe others have seen other ways that work.

Have fun,
Colin Palfrey
- Thanks
Signature

I write articles and eBooks - PM me for details!
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2334168].message }}
USGTMauthor 13 years ago

I have tried both and made more from ebook sales. I did not really like the idea of using my product to attract people to a site to buy someone elses product and I made more money from the traffic I did get selling my stuff as opposed to CPA offers, adsense etc.
- Thanks
Signature

Author of the Underground Guide to Success

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RM2YYEW

http://undergroundguidetosuccess.blogspot.com/
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2334932].message }}
entrepreneurjay 13 years ago

Blogging, and selling informational products usually go hand in hand do both on your blog. I recommend a self hosted Wordpress blog the more income streams you have going the better. This increases your chance at success.

I do not mean jump around like a rabid frog from one idea to the next. I mean start a blog, promote affiliate products, integrate Google adsense, sell ad space down the line, Amazon etc... etc...

You get the picture!
- Thanks
Signature
Bigscoots Vs Cloudways Battle Whoâ€™s The Best And Fastest WordPress Hosting Provider
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2335281].message }}
createyouwealth 13 years ago

Both of them are good of course. But I would have to say that creating your own ebooks and building a list in the process is the best way to go it will bring you a lot of money fast and is long term income as well. All the best.
- Thanks
Signature
High Quality Solo Ad Traffic * 85% Tier 1 + 10% OD *
Prices Rising Soon - Secure Your VIP Spot Now!
>> Buyers Included <<
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2335387].message }}

Selling information products or Blogging? Which earns more in short and long-term?

Trending Topics

Commission Question - Up front commission vs residual

Is it okay to tag my clients' business names on LinkedIn?

Melbourne International Flower Show 2023

Where to find brokers / introducers?

More ecomm shoppers are using buy-now-pay-later