Becoming a professional blogger is not as easy as it may seem at first glance. It can be quite an undertaking and it requires a level of dedication that few other jobs require. Not only do you need to provide quality content, but it must also be entertaining as well. These two things are not always mutually inclusive. Here are some tips you can use to start your journey as a blogger extraordinaire.
It’s All in the Angle
When you are writing professionally, you need to think about how to monetize every word. After all, this is your job. Your angle will depend on if you are writing for yourself, as in your own business, or if you are writing for a company that you work for. No matter who is signing the paycheck, you will need to do more than just write advertising copy. You need to either inform your audience with your expertise or entertain them through clever commentary. You need to draw your audience in and keep them coming back, that is how you make your money.
Complete Your College Education
While it may surprise you, going to college is a great way to prepare to become a professional blogger. Many hopefuls take various writing courses, including creative writing and journalism. It also helps to know marketing techniques as well as at least a cursory level of coding so that you don’t have to pay someone else to design your blog, at least not at first. Don’t worry, though, as it’s easy to pay for your degree when you apply for a student loan through a private lender. With flexible repayment options and negotiable interest rates, you’ll wonder why you didn’t go to school sooner.
Find Your Personality
Every blog has its own personality, whether it be zany or dry, sassy or sophisticated, you’ll quickly find what works for you and what does not. The personality of the blog will also greatly depend on what the subject matter is. Nobody really wants to read a financial blog where the author is always cracking jokes, as well as you also don’t want to read personal training blogs that aren’t very inspirational.
Utilize Social Media
Successful bloggers leverage social media platforms as much as they can. The brilliance of utilizing social media is that many of your readers will help you spread your blog posts free of charge via re-posting them. Potential regular readers are then exposed to these blog posts which can lead to an increase in sales of product or service for you.
Keep It Current
Unless you are writing a historical blog, you should always try to keep your blog content fresh and current. Most readers want to know about current events and happenings within the industry you are writing about. Depending on what you are writing about, it may make sense to invite people to interview or even guest bloggers that offer a different voice than yours. Remember, success at anything does not happen overnight. Be patient and the readers will eventually notice you.
