Most people in the make money online space at some point or another have looked at blogging vs YouTube. Both paths can lead to wealth that you never thought you’d have if done correctly. On the flip-side of that coin, just like any other new business, you can also fail miserably.
While I’m not a seasoned veteran of being a YouTuber, I’ve certainly dabbled and understand how it works and the potential. So in this article I’ll be talking about various aspects of making money with a blog, and making money with YouTube. Topics like which one is more profitable, and which one is more sustainable in the future, as well as some pros and cons for each.
Let’s get straight to it.
Blogging vs YouTube
When it comes to the world of making money online, 2 of the most talked about options are starting a blog or a YouTube channel. Both have a very low barrier to entry. Little upfront costs are needed to simply get started. Which one is better though? Is one option better than the other for any reason?
We’re going to talk about just that in this article…
Is it easier to make money blogging or YouTubing?
First off, let’s get one thing straight. In my opinion neither of these options is going to be what most people consider “easy” to make money. They’re both going to take some dedication, hard work, and a ton of patience.
Which one takes less effort than the other is really going to be on a case by case basis. Either way it’s all about pumping out as much quality content as possible. I know how cliche that sounds. Just “create quality content”. Believe me, it’s easier said than done, and only part of the formula to actually make money.
If we’re going by my personal experience as a blogger, then I’m gonna go with blogging. I’m not a very good YouTuber… heck my little channel isn’t even monetized yet (go ahead and subscribe to it if you haven’t already).
For other people though, YouTube just comes natural to them and they might have the total opposite from my experience. Especially if you are good at public speaking or visual storytelling.
Final answer: Neither of these ways to make money online is easy, though for some people one way takes less effort than the other. It depends on the individual.
Do bloggers or YouTubers make more money?
Again, this is a depends answer. It really depends on how much traffic you’re getting and how you’re leveraging it. If you go simply by RPM, then I think most bloggers get a much higher RPM than most YouTubers.
However if you consider all of the paid sponsorships, brand deals, or even online course sales that a YouTuber can make then it more than makes up for the lower RPM.
Bloggers can leverage their traffic in similar ways though. It’s kind of like asking “Who makes more money, a doctor or a lawyer?”. You just can’t really give a blanket statement and answer it with one or the other because there are too many factors at play.
One thing is true though, with both blogging and YouTubing you can create income in similar ways. Some of the things that might affect whether or not a blog or a YouTube channel earns more money are:
- Amount of traffic/views
- Niche and content topics
- Reader/viewer engagement
- Methods of monetization
- Number of subscribers/size of mailing list
Is blogging still profitable?
Blogging is 100% still profitable at the time of writing this in June of 2021, and I don’t see it slowing down any time soon. Many people are convinced that blogs are going away and YouTube will take over the internet, which is silly. Yes, YouTube is growing rapidly and will continue to grow in viewership over the coming years.
That doesn’t mean blogs are going away though. Blogging is more profitable now than it ever has been before. The landscape of blogging is ever-changing, like many other industries. As bloggers we must always be ready to adapt and overcome like with the latest Google update, the loss of 3rd party cookies, or a commission cut from a large affiliate partner.
Blogs aren’t going anywhere, the written word has been around for over 5,000 years and it’s here to stay. If we stay up to date with trends, Google algorithm updates, and any other changes in the industry we’ll be fine. There are more and more people using the internet every year, this means more and more people will be reading our blogs.
Ideally you do both
With the above points in mind, ideally you want to do both. If you have a blog, have a complimentary YouTube channel and vice versa. Ideally you should do this if it makes sense to, you don’t have to. To be honest, I do not. I spend my time publishing content with the help of WordPress. I focus very little on YouTube these days, but it’s always on the back burner for the day that I decide to.
Even though I’m not actively publishing on YouTube, I’m still thinking of ideas. The Niche Informer channel has a small viewership and I do plan to put some more energy into it one day. For now though, I pay my bills with my blogs and doing YouTube is merely a hobby. I don’t make any real money from YouTube so it’s hard to justify the time I spend on it.
How bloggers make money
There are dozens of ways you can make money from your blog. Here’s an article I wrote about it. If you don’t want to read it, then here’s the 4 main ways to make money from a blog.
- Display ads
- Affiliate marketing
- Info products (e-books, video course)
- Sponsored content
How YouTubers make money
Much like a blogger, YouTubers make their money in some of the same ways.
- Display ads
- Affiliate marketing
- Info products (e-books, video course)
- Sponsored content
Pros and cons
As with everything else on this site, the following are just my opinion.
Blogs
Pros:
- You don’t have to be on video
- Potential to earn full-time living
- Income is more passive
- Easier to scale once you figure it out
- Less equipment and tools required
Cons:
- More technical for beginners to set up
- Can take longer to start earning
YouTube
Pros:
- Less technical to get started
- Totally free to start
- Creative people that are good at story telling will thrive
- Potential to earn full-time living
Cons:
- You have to show your face on camera
- Less diversified
- Can take a really long time to see your first dollar
- Income is less passive
Final notes
This was just one guys take on the comparison of blogging vs YouTube. Both platforms, WordPress and YouTube, have potential to make money online. Which path is best for you really depends on what type of person you are and what your strengths are. If you aren’t sure, then go ahead and start up both a blog and a YT channel!