“I’ve seen some of your modelling pics, they look so cool. Well done.”
No. Just no.
Whilst flattering, I am in no way, shape or form attempting to be a model and if you spent even a minute looking at my images properly you would see that I am in fact showing off the clothes I’m wearing or products I use. Yep, these are the struggles of wannabe bloggers such as myself. For me at least, I find this particularly frustrating.
The problem with this whole scenario is that, more people than you think actually have no idea what being a blogger really means. So I’m here to help. Here is a (very) brief breakdown of a 2018 blogger; what they do, how they get paid and how it can be a legit full-time career.
According to the top definition on Urban dictionary, bloggers are; “Hack writers who, although experts at nothing, feel compelled to share their opinions about everything, often rambling and oversimplifying complex subjects to satisfy an audience of fellow hacks, pseudo-scientists and snobs.” ?
I of course don’t feel that way about myself or other bloggers but you have to admit, it’s pretty funny and in some instances I can totally see why that definition is justified. Bloggers are self-proclaimed experts in their field and gain a following through sharing posts online on the topic of their choosing. Your blog becomes your brand and your brand can become very well-known within your community. For the majority of bloggers. locally at least, blogging is a hobby or side-hustle. One of my favourite sayings is; “You can’t work 8 -5 and come home and not work on yourself. You’re not tired, you’re uninspired”. Or something along those lines… I really believe it’s so important to find your own thing outside of your day-to-day job that keeps you motivated and excited. Blogging is just that for so many of us. Very few people are able to make blogging their full-time career without a second income to fall back on. If and when your blog is able to generate a following of sorts, that’s when the money comes into play. The more followers you have, the more money brands will offer you and the more brands that will be interested in working with you.
Much like a magazine or a billboard, brands will pay blogs or ‘influencers’ to promote their products online. Typically bloggers will write a review on their blogs or, more commonly, post on their social media regarding the product. Social media is a big factor in blogging/vlogging as your blog is your brand. Your brand is your business and like any business, you need social media to drive traffic to your website. When it comes to blogging, social media is your online portfolio. It needs to be constantly updated and on trend with the current ongoings. PR agencies and other potential clients will view your social media in order to get an insight into the type of content you post and the kind of following you have to see if you will be a good fit to work with.
So what does it take to be a blogger? Well the good news: anyone can be a blogger! You can start right now in fact. Head on over to WordPress or Wix (after you’ve read the rest of this post, duh) and create your blog. Everyone has something to share and if presented correctly, you can entice people to read/follow your blog. Keeping the blog going is where a bit more determination and patience is important. Here are a few things you need to learn from the get-go:
- Consistency. Want to get those one-time readers coming back for more? You gotta keep them interested and you got to keep coming up with fresh, fun content.
- Positivity. People might not read your blog for a very long time, don’t be disheartened.
- Network. Get yourself out there, meet people, collaborate and don’t be afraid.
- Set goals for yourself . Blogging can take you places if you only dream them. Plan out what you want your blog to stand for and what you want to do with it.
- Stay in your lane. Find what you’re good at it or what you know a lot about and focus on it.
- Don’t chase the money or the fame. There are plenty of bloggers to go around, if you focus your energy on the wrong things, you will never be authentic or different and you will have nothing new to offer.
These may sound like obvious things to explain and unpack, but you would be surprised by the amount of people living and breathing in the 21st century who have no idea of the ongoings of a blogger. There is so much I could say on this topic, so much so that I am considering creating a series of posts relating to ‘Blogging 101’. How to network, fake followers, creating your brand, finding your niché… the conversation points are endless. I know that I am no Olivia Culpo and have by no means an impressively large following, however, at such an early stage in my blogging journey I have experienced exciting collaborations with brands and know my fair share about the local blogosphere. If you’re interested in learning more, let me know?
LOVE this blog post. Really informative and would love in you did more x