Blogging is a platform which comes under the domain of entrepreneurship. When people want to do something of their own and do not have enough resources, they start with blogging. It is the simplest form as it involves writing- creating the own content. It is a complete business that involves in-depth understanding of a topic, digital marketing, and sales.
Taking blogging as a full-time career may require the skills of content marketing, the understanding of various topics which you tackle as well as authenticity in work.
But before setting your foot into blogging, here are some things you need to take note of:
• Blogging requires passion- a person who is passionate about studying numerous things and then adopting them in his write-ups can make blogging a career. A blogger must be hungry for new information in his area of interest 24*7. You need to stay up to date, where comes the next point.
• Blogging demands time & attention- If you’re not updated with the latest controversy, news, culture or anything whatsoever all the time your blogs won’t show authenticity. You need to pour your heart out and for that it requires time
• Blogging demands writing skills- it is a skill you need to cultivate on your own. You need to have grasp over the language of your preference. Also, for being a blogger, initially you need to practice writing atleast an hour a day. You should be adaptable to the writing styles and diction of various niches.
• It requires discipline, doesn’t give overnight success- if you’re of the opinion that you post some blogs and drive some traffic into your blog, then you will start getting paid, then you’re wrong. If you’re lazy to be disciplined because now you’re your own boss then success won’t come to you. You need to monitor your website regularly & maintain its pace. You should fix a schedule for work, for example such hours a day and spend rest of your time upgrading your key skills.
• Marketing tactics and SEO skills- these are two important concepts you should work on before diving into blogs. Read about them because websites/blogs are dependent on SEO skills.
• Diversify your income sources- it’s not advisable to focus on just your own blogging website. Instead you should publish your articles for other websites as well. You should drive traffic as well as income from lending your content to other established companies in the form of guest blogging.
• Don’t get into the net of BlackHat tactics- building private blog networks, spam links, article spinning, etc. come under BlackHat techniques. Don’t get caught into this net in the greed of more income. Try to be genuine and engage in authentic work only.
We’ve understood the key points that need to be kept in mind before starting blogging. Now let’s see what all are the steps to start a career in blogging:
• Keep faith in yourself & have courage- you are going to start something new, and everything requires patience to grow initially. Thus, keep calm and believe in yourself.
• Find your niche- if your content resonates people’s problems & you’re able to provide them solutions, then you will easily drive traffic to your blog. The more you narrow down your topics, the more people will be able to connect with you. Initially write what you’re comfortable in & then shift to broader space by reading and enhancing your skills.
• Learn the basics of marketing- content marketing, search engine optimization, social media optimization, SEO, productivity, and growth hacks are necessary to learn when you opt blogging as a full-time career, otherwise you would be dependent on others for providing these services.
• Income methods- try to build a loyal audience first as a base, then think of monetization techniques. Consult other firms and bloggers as well to build a friendly relationship. Once you understand the interests of the audience, there are other ways in which you can monetize your blog like: affiliate marketing, selling products directly to your audience, asking your visitors to fill out surveys and reviews, writing sponsored articles and providing consultation.
• Convince the real stakeholders of your life- your parents, spouse, children whose lives are directly related to you must be concerned about you taking a serious job. But it is important to convince them into believing in your passion. Once you start making money out of blogging even as much as 2000 per month, you can convince them of multiplying that income.
Keep yourself determined and patient, follow perseverance, discipline. Over the time, you would start to enjoy this field as much as anything in the world.
Happy blogging!