When you are curious about a brand, you’ll likely read social media reviews, visit the brand’s website, and ultimately, head to a renowned blogger to seek their opinions. The digital equivalent of word-of-mouth, blogging has become not just a means for people to express their ideas and beliefs, but also a way to earn quite a decent living. But with over 500 million blogs already in existence, how can yours compete with the rest, earn the attention of the public, and ultimately become the lucrative source of income it has the potential to be?
There are travel bloggers posting authentic visuals together with riveting stories of their adventures, there are fitness experts adding videos and tutorials to their written word, and there are a slew of tech experts and stay-at-home moms with unique tips and tricks to share with the world. It’s tough to imagine turning a profit in such a competitive, overcrowded climate, and yet, it’s quite possible. Here are a few very specific steps you should consider to make sure you meet the financial goals of your blogging career!
Diversify your income strategies
The blog itself cannot earn you any income unless you know how to put it to good use. There are various monetizing strategies you can consider, all of them very viable and easy to manage depending on your lifestyle and your priorities. For instance, many bloggers work with specific brands whose values they share so they can post reviews and work as a member of their affiliate network. This way, you’ll earn a commission every time someone purchases a product through a link on your blog post!
Alternatively, allowing ads on your site is another great way to let your blog become a passive source of income. If you consistently post quality content and you attract an audience on a regular basis, then brands will want to get more eyes on their products and services. By posting advertisements on your blog, you let them gain visibility for a fee.
Set milestones and define your plan
Even though blogging can be a very lucrative career, you cannot expect to achieve too much if you don’t have a structured approach towards this particular occupation. Too many take this job lightly and fail at getting their audience’s attention with the right content, the right schedule, and regular communication. In order to gain digital traction, you need to have a strategy in place.
First of all, have you defined your earning goals from your blogging career? Have you decided the niche you’ll target, the brands you’ll get in touch with, and other bloggers to collaborate with? What about your content output, do you have an idea of how frequently you can post high-quality, optimized blogs? You should put all of that information into a structured plan before you can establish your financial goals.
Invest your hard-earned money
In case your blog has started earning you money, and you’ve built a decent nest egg over time, you need to consider the best ways to put that money to work and ideally, to grow over time. One of the wisest investments you can make is getting term life insurance to obtain even greater financial security for yourself as well as your family. If anything unforeseeable happens, you’ll know your loved ones will benefit from your work and your investments as a result.
Other ways to invest your income is to upgrade your gear and make sure you use it to provide content of even higher quality. For instance, purchasing a professional camera and a cutting-edge laptop will make your blogging career easier to manage and all the more enjoyable.
Grow your knowledge and skills
When it comes to your earnings and the way you can both grow your blog and put your money to work is to continue educating yourself on all those various strategies to help you stay relevant in the digital world. For instance, SEO is one of those steps you cannot skip in growing your blog and your online presence. You need to master the art of keyword optimization, to keep an eye on your website’s performance, and use analytics tools to your advantage.
Furthermore, you can learn more about photo editing, so that you can post original visuals and edit them to your liking and to match the mood of your blog. The same goes for your social media skills, as attending online courses can help you get a more in-depth understanding of the social world where you publish and promote your blogs.
Always have a backup fund
Finally, no matter how lucrative any blog may be, you need to remember that the digital world is a fickle one, and you cannot rely solely on your blog until you’ve built a truly stellar, memorable presence and long-lasting bonds with brands. To be able to invest in your health, wellbeing, in your education, and growth, you need to have financial independence.
Enter: your emergency fund. In case you come across a dry spell in your blogging career, you’ll have a solid financial backup plan to rely on until you can get back on track with your goals.
Being a blogger is a rewarding, albeit challenging career. You can certainly make the most of this calling, but make sure to use these tips and maximize your financial potential when you start building your blog.
Women Love Tech would like to thank Sophia Smith for her story.
