 Image credit: Miguel A. Padrinan on Pexels Are you thinking of becoming a blogger? If you are, then there are a few things that you need to know to be able to do this. Some people have no idea how they should go about starting a blog or what they can do, but we’re here to give you the information that you need. So, if you want to know more about this topic, then keep reading down below. Something You’re Passionate About
If you’re deciding to go with something that is based on passion, you’ve got to think about what you’re passionate about. What do you love enough to dedicate an entire blog to it? When you’ve answered this question, you can start writing content. Some blogs have a number of topics on them, and there’s nothing wrong with this as it provides that little bit of everything. However, some people are searching for a more specific type of blog that caters to a certain audience. If you can manage to insert yourself in one of these places, then this is going to be great for you. You will be able to build up a following of people who are interested in what you have to say, and you’re filling a gap. Never know how it might end up, you could end up getting paid for your blog depending on how successful it is. Something You Have Extensive Knowledge Of Or, you might want to write about something that you have extensive knowledge of. The good thing about this is that you are providing something useful to those who are searching for a specific type of content. We bet that some industries or even certain areas of industries don’t have a lot written about them, but you could be the exception. For example, if someone needed to know about pneumatic systems, then you could recommend Tameson pneumatic cylinders or whatever you think is best for the individual problem. You will give them a specialized account of why you’re saying what you’re saying while giving them the advice that they are looking for. You never know when your area of expertise can come in handy, and you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to share your knowledge if you want to. How To Set Up Your Blog You’re also going to need to know how to set up your blog. This is going to include ensuring that you find a domain to host your site, then setting up the background theme, how you want the layout to be and so on. It’s not just going to be a case of bang, and then you’re done, it’s going to take some time. You are going to want people to be drawn to your blog, and if it looks generic, then that’s not going to happen. We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now understand some of the things that you need to know if you want to be a blogger. Good luck, and have a lot of fun!
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 Image credit: Mohamed Hassan on Pixabay Increasing traffic on your blog is one of those eternal aims that never goes away. But how can you make it happen? Well, luckily for you, it’s not rocket science. And with a little hard work and time, you’ll be able to get your blog traffic numbers to where you want them to be. Find out about how to do that and which steps you can take by reading on now and finding out what you need to know. Write More
The first thing you can do is start writing a little more. When you’re blogging, consistency really matters a lot. If you aren’t keeping your blog consistent and regularly updated, you’re going to face problems, so try to write more and keep that content flowing. It’s something that you’ll need to plan out and it often helps bloggers to create a schedule as well. Publicize Your Content More Effectively on Social Media It’s important that you publicize your content and get it out there via social media. This is essential because if you already have a base of interested people following your social media accounts, this could be your number 1 source of blog traffic if you use those platforms effectively. Just make sure you’re using the right social media platforms for the audience you want to reach. Nail Down Your Niche If you have a niche approach, you’ll be able to foster a more loyal community of readers, which is the way it should be. If you haven’t yet managed to nail down a niche, that’s something you should definitely work on. A scattershot approach is never going to work out the way you want it to, so it really does pay off to focus on one niche and then stick to it. Understand SEO Better SEO is one of the things that matters most when it comes to reaching people. Understanding all of the key SEO metrics and knowing how search engines work will make a big difference when it comes to reaching target customers. If it’s something that you’ve struggled with and failed to get to grips with, put in the effort now because it really will provide you with long-term gains. Allow and Encourage Social Sharing As well as sharing your own content on your social media profiles, you also need to encourage other people to share your content as well. Social sharing is made possible by adding sharing buttons to the pages of your website, making it possible for people to share content with the click of a button is really helpful. It could make a big difference to the reach of your content. When it comes to the health and success of your blog, there are few more important factors or more relevant indicators than blog traffic. The ideas above will help you to get more people heading to your blog and taking an interest in what you have to say. And your blog will grow in success from there.  Image credit: Brooke Cagle on Unsplash The advantages of starting a freelance enterprise are appealing - you can set your own hours, find your own clients, work as much or a little as you like, well, sometimes! But with 54 million Americans now self-employed in the freelance industry, it’s safe to say there’s never been a better time to get involved. Indeed there is an abundance of opportunity out there today: something for everyone. If you're a photographer you could get into content photography - selling you photos to stock photo websites. Writers have the obvious route into blogging and content creation but loads of other opportunities also exist. And if you’re handy with digital tools like the Adobe suite then you’ll be just right for a brand looking to update its logo or website. Read on to find out how to launch your freelance enterprise.
Define Your Goal Every successful entrepreneur will agree that one of the best routes to success is to define your goal. You need to know what you are doing and why you are doing it. This will not only give you clarity of purpose it will also be your measure of success. Be honest with yourself in this respect, do you want to freelance to earn some extra money on the side? To give up your day job and work entirely for yourself? Or do you have bigger ambitions: such as earning a million dollars? These big picture goals will be your guild through the lifetime of your enterprise. That is unless you fully achieve your big idea and then need to redefine your goals. After you have your big idea you can start thinking about the smaller first steps required to getting there. Find A Profitable Niche The digital world today offers a vast array of possibilities when it comes to finding a profitable niche. Even if your market is saturated such as writing, photography, or graphic design, there are still ways to market yourself in innovative ways to stand out and compete on more than just price. The low and no alcohol industry has done just that taking a huge slice of the market in the top countries for Beer Consumption. But the reality is there will always be someone in your industry with lower overheads than you who is able to be more competitive. Actually, consumers today look more at what a freelancer can offer than how much they’re going to cost. The best advice is to analyse what specifically you can offer - are you content writer for digital trends, an environmental photographer, or an indie graphic designer. Identify the qualities that make you stand out in your field and concentrate on both developing those and marketing yourself in the narrowest possible way. Pitch Yourself Finally pitching yourself is all important! Whether it is to a client or an agency, you need to sell your skills as something a client needs to solve a pressing issue in their industry. By the time you reach this stage of your project you should have skills you can offer and a portfolio to direct clients to. Make a strong pitch through email on the website of your target client. Sell your strengths and anticipate any answers that might come up. Use a visually appealing layout for your pitch, be engaging, and don’t give up.  Image credit: Kaboompics .com from Pexels If you can think about it, there's probably a blog about it out there. That's how popular blogging has become over the years. But like every other thing, it had quite humble beginnings. Blogging, as a whole, was first introduced in the 90s and gained popularity in the 2000s with many people using it as a way to journal online. Today, blogging has gone from being a mere hobby to a solid line of business, with new blogs springing up every minute.
Nevertheless, the common mistake new bloggers make is to focus on the design, themes, and obsessing over visitor views. While all these are important, they are distractions from what matters, and what truly makes a blog grow. Here are four things every blogger who is aspiring to succeed should know. 1. Have a Purpose A blog can be anything you want it to be, and the options are endless. However, not having a clear purpose will leave you less motivated when things get tough. To get the gears running, questions like, “Why are you starting a blog?” “What do you want your blog to be associated with?” and, “Who are your target audience?” will help you find a purpose and niche. The good thing about having a clear purpose is that it serves as a source of motivation and helps you stay on track. 2. Patience and Consistency are Key It is said that Rome was not built in one day, so best believe that the success of your blog won't materialize overnight. You will have to be patient through the process and focus on providing quality content consistently. Consistency here means creating a schedule for your posts and committing to it, no matter what. More so, impatience will have you obsessing over your blog’s views, which will eventually make you give up or fall into the trap of creating trendy content that lacks substance. You see, it's not all about putting out clickbait pieces and trashy stories. You need to find ways to add value to your readers' lives, so if you keep putting out low quality work, your readers will migrate. 3. Do Not Be Tight Fisted The notion that blogging is free is what leads many new bloggers to their doom. While there are blogging platforms out there that offer you the option of blogging for free, it's not the right fit if you actually want to run a successful blog one day. The same way a pharmacist needs to invest in a pharmacy freezer, you must be ready to invest in your blog. If you want to make money blogging, you will need a customized domain and unique website design, because it points to professionalism. 4. Engage With Your Readers Just because you have gained some popularity blogging, that does not mean you should ignore your readers. Ignoring readers is a common mistake many bloggers make once they hit their peak. You have to try to stay grounded and remember that your readers made you. So, respond to their comments, it doesn't have to be all of them, a handful here and there shows that you care. In addition to this, engaging readers through your social media platforms is a great idea, especially if you do not post frequently. For instance, if you post once a week, you can use the other days of the week to engage with your readers on social media through quotes, pictures, or even memes. This keeps your blog and brand fresh on their minds.  Image credit: Carl Heyerdahl on Unsplash Lockdown has affected many businesses, completely changing forward work programmes and many of the things you had planned over the coming months. Businesses have had to adapt, with many now operating remotely to survive during this tough time.
While face to face engagement and sales might be off the cards for now, there is a lot you can do to promote your business online and generate some interest now and in the future. Don’t sit there idle waiting for something to happen, work on building better content to connect with more people. Here are four ways to improve your digital content in lockdown: 1. Finally start planning ahead There are always good intentions when it comes to social media scheduling. But for small businesses especially, it can be difficult to keep up. With lockdown restricting some business activities, however, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to create a social media schedule and get ahead with your content. From evergreen content that can take you to the end of the year to planning a variety of campaigns, use the time to get your social media schedule in order. 2. Use animated videos if you can’t film Filming videos is difficult right now, especially if your content typically features other people, locations, etc. While you can film pieces to camera at home, it’s worth experimenting with other types of video content to help you engage with your followers. There are animated explainer video production companies that can help you create some amazing content that can boost your brand and generate interest in your business. Animated explainers are a good investment as they have longevity, making some excellent cornerstone content for your business. 3. Host virtual events Events are great for connecting with clients and customers. When you’re launching a new product or service, or you want to thank them, an event can be an effective way of boosting your engagement. But just because you can’t host a physical event right now, doesn’t mean you can’t host a virtual one. From panel talks to demonstrations and performances, you’ve got a great opportunity to do something interesting online. Virtual events need a lot of promotion, but it’ll be worth it to help you get the most from this new way of connecting. 4. Promote uplifting content It’s a difficult time right now, with people everywhere struggling to adjust to this way of living, and feeling uncertain about the future too. While businesses are trying new ways of reaching out, you could also use your platforms to do some good too. From raising money to sharing content designed to inspire, motivate and entertain, there’s a lot you could be doing to help improve the mood of the nation. Consider using your social media in a positive way now, using your position to help others. While the coronavirus pandemic has proved problematic for many elements of businesses, there are opportunities for growth and change too. They say innovation is the seed of success, and this is something that can be true for your business. Begin with your digital content to help boost your business during this difficult time. |
Author - Chris
Author, Editor, Creator of Learn Develop Live Archives
March 2023
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