Money from blogs?

It seems to be a very common thread at the moment, everyone is talking about making money from blogs. We have bloggers auctioning themselves, here and here. Our same intrepid blogger who is auctioning himself, sold his blog earlier this year as well. Almost every blog now has some form of money making items, be it regular advertising, Ad Words, Amazon books (like mind although I don't think I will ever retire from the Amazon Associates program) and donation jars. Doc Searls even spoke about Making Money at BloggerCon III. But where is this all taking us?

Steve Smith from EContent claims that blogging is less than a business model and more of a retention tool. Steve Rubel disagrees and feels that many blogs are making money, and will turn a profit in 2005. I guess it depends on what your cost base is if you will really make a profit from your blog.

Also to be included in the mix are comments like Darren from ProBlogger who agrees with Fredik from CorporateBloggingBlog that blogs are business support tools, NOT direct money makers.

All of this is a bit confusing. I suspect there are truths in all of these comments. Some blogs will turn a profit (of course the definition is loose), some will make some "play money" for the owner, some will support their business and turn profits in other areas and some will make nothing. I guess it all depends on what the blogger wants to get out of it. If they want to make money I think the framework is there for them to do so, Jeremy Wright is certainly providing this, he is about to make another $1600.

Some of me also wonders will all this focus on money causes blogs to lose their attraction before they really become mainstream? Maybe I am just naive?

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