Should You Invest Money in Your Website or Blog?

Investing Money in Your Websites
There is an old saying in business: "It takes money to make money." If you have ever tried to create a business (online or offline), then you have probably experienced this truth first-hand. Because the truth of the matter is that it does cost money to make money. Many times it takes a lot of money to make a lot of money. This is true whether you are creating a brick & mortar retail outlet, or the next big website. But one thing I find interesting is that many people are reluctant to invest into their online websites.

This fascinates me a lot, because people would rarely rent a retail store, and then leave it empty for fear of spending money. Yet, I still read articles every day of people agonizing over spending money on their own websites or blogs.

What Kind of Expenses Do Bloggers' Face?
Anyone running a website or blog will have a few basic recurring expenses (unless they use a free platform): Domain name & website hosting. Those expenses are typically very small ($10 per year for a domain name, and about $4.99 per month for a basic share hosting plan).

Those are about the only expenses a blogger with his or her own domain and website have to spend. But, as a blogger who blogs to make money (and not just as a hobby), I can tell you that I spend a great deal more than that.

Investments that Bloggers or Webmasters Should Make
Some of the expenses that are optional, but highly recommended include: Advertising, premium blog theme design, search engine optimization, various software packages, content development, widget/script development, and more.

Obviously, a typical blogger or webmaster won't have to pay for all of those things. I, for example, typically enjoy designing my own websites or tweaking themes. So I do this myself. But I do pay for a lot of other things. Submission to high quality directories, advertising on various sites, and even SEO help are all things I have invested money in before. I also invest in any software that helps me work more efficiently.

Was It Worth Spending Money in My Websites?
Yes! While it was very hard for me to justify spending $299 per year on Yahoo's directory alone, or hundreds in software, I did see a great return on that investment over time. Take my newest project: how to make a website, I have already spent nearly a thousand dollars, and I haven't even seen a return on that yet, but I will over time.

Notice I said "over time." In the world wide web, nothing is instant. This is especially true for things like SEO. But if I had never invested in my business, I would have never been able to make thousands of dollars from it.

Sure, I have to deduct my expenses, but I am still left with much more profit than if I had never chosen to invest in the first place. So, I can speak with experience when I say that it was absolutely worth every dime I have ever invested. It is also worth noting that when you invest money into your site, it makes your site more valuable. Not only will this likely increase your monthly income, but you also stand a great chance of making a nice profit should you ever sell it. And selling a website is even more fun than making money monthly sometimes.

If Your Blog or Website is a Business, Treat it Like One
If you are trying to make money, then invest money into your website or blog on whatever it is you lack (or cannot produce yourself). It may be a little scary investing that money (especially in this economy), but just remember that it always takes money to make money in this world.

Spend carefully, make a solid business plan, and I think you will be glad that you invested your money into your website. If not now, then certainly in the future.

Article source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/should-you-invest-money-in-your-website-or-blog.html