Do you blog? Perhaps you share stories about your family life, maybe you talk about how you felt God called you to blog, or you might blog about a hobby that you’re passionate about – whatever you talk about on your blog, if you are a skilled and passionate writer, you might be thinking about taking your blog from being a hobby to becoming a career.
While the majority of blogs are simply a personal hobby, around 30% of blogs are now monetized and act as an income stream. Which means that there’s a growing population of bloggers out there, that are moving towards turning their blogs into businesses, and doing extremely well by doing so.
Bearing that in mind, the question is: how do you go from blogging for a hobby to blogging as a career? Believe it or not, it’s far easier than you would think, it’s just a case of taking the right steps and moving your blog forward in the right direction.
Know Your USP And Be Authentic
What is something you’re good at? What is something you can share that will help your target market? Knowing your Unique Selling Point (USP) will help keep you aligned and keep you authentic when you’re writing content and posting on social media. It will also serve as a guide when it comes to choosing who you will collaborate with in the blog. If you check out my About Page here, you’ll see my USP.
Take a professional approach
It’s important that if you want to monetize your blog, that you do so in a professional way. What this means is ensuring that firstly, your site looks professional and has writing of a high standard on it. If your site needs a little bit of TLC and a redesign, it’s worth investing some time and money into overhauling it, before you start attempting to monetize. Look out for an affordable web designer who could help overhaul your site and increase your chances of successful monetization.
You could also consider sourcing a physical address for your blogging correspondence, so that any mail or packages are sent there, rather than to your domestic address. This can help to make your blog and yourself seem more professional and established and can help to aid your success.
Utilize social media to get noticed
Of course, blogging success isn’t just about writing, it’s also about getting your site noticed and building up a loyal following around your site. A great way to increase your following is to learn how to effectively utilize social media in order to increase the community around your blog. It’s important to post regularly and ensure that the content you’re sharing is relevant, interesting, and of a high-quality. It’s also a good idea to use social media to network with other bloggers, and become part of the wider blogging community.
Are you curious how I do this? Go check out my Facebook page and Instagram account! I try my best to post daily to keep my community updated and engaged.
Contact PR companies
It’s also a good idea to reach out to PR companies, both local and national ones. Send out emails with a media kit attached, expressing your interest in working with each PR company. PR companies often send out press releases, products, and work on regular paid campaigns, so getting your name and blog added to their press lists is a great step.
Believe it or not, taking your blog from a hobby to a career is far easier than you might think. Yes, it will take time, effort, and a lot of hard work, but once you know what steps to take and the approach to utilize, it’s far easier than you might think.
Got blogging questions? Ask them in the comments section below!
