When I started my blog I had no idea that it would be such a big part of my life. I mean, if I’m honest, it started as a move from Tumblr to somewhere I could post the photos I took without annoying my Facebook friends. (I mean, there’s only so many times I can post photo albums of my adventures…). And, I was, and still am a little bit surprised that people actually come to my page and read what I have to say. Even more, so that some brands and companies actually contact me to promote their product or services. I mean, I’m honoured and it really does make my day when an email like that drops into my inbox. But it was never why I started in the first place. Anyway, enough of my ramblings and reminiscing. I thought I’d answer one question I’ve gotten from a few friends. How do you actually turn your blog into a business? Well, actually, it’s not as tough as I’d have thought. As long as you’re keeping yourself safe while doing it, these tips might help;
Mix The Professional And The Personal
I’m not talking writing about adventures in your hometown one day and your top tips for SQL the next. (Although, if that’s your style, go for it! I’m training in that at the moment, so the tips would probably help…) More so that you should always throw in some hard facts when you can. Doing a hotel review? Mention the price per night and what’s included. Talking about your recent holiday? Share some interesting facts you learned about the place. Reviewing a new beauty product? Make sure you mention any key ingredients. And so on, including these can help people see you as someone who knows what they’re talking about and can be trusted. (But try not to turn too corporate, always try to remember why people started reading you in the first place!)
Useful Marketing & Monetization
You should always know your worth when it comes to blogging. And, while we all get those dodgy “put a link to my site for a $10 payment, I want it live yesterday” emails which I hope no one falls for guest posts don’t have to be all bad. In fact, through the use of guest-edited posts, hosting well-written SEO articles and paid affiliate links, you may see that your blog can help you earn. When collaborations are mutually beneficial they can be wonderful both in terms of creating decent content for your readers and helping you cover your costs. (Including affiliate links to stores which give you a cut of items sold when someone buys through your link. Which, if you’re wanting to write about a product anyway, it’s a nice bonus to get paid right?!) But, be sure to add a disclaimer for everything you do, and remain as transparent as possible. After all, you want people to be able to trust what you say!
The Helping Hands
Everyone needs a helping hand here and there. And, when it comes to monetising your blog there are tools that can do just that. Whether it be using online tools such as Canva to create beautiful headers and graphics, or use of low-cost mail forwarding to ensure you never miss a parcel. Don’t be afraid to use tools that make your life easier and therefore, give you more time to focus on creating content and growing your blog. In fact, I’ve got a full post coming up of tricks and hints I use to make sure I can still create content alongside a full-time job!
Find me on;
Bloglovin’ | Twitter | Instagram
