What is blogging, can it make you money, and is it right for you now?
Blogging is a super hot topic of discussion in the online business and marketing world.
Is it outdated? Is it worth your time? Does anyone even read blogs anymore? Didn’t social media replace blogs?
For the last 5 years (or so) there’s been continued debate about whether blogging is still good for business or not.
The short answer: YES. But it’s changed.
Let’s talk about what blogging as a business is and then I’ll guide you through deciding if you’re ready to dive straight into blogging or if you should do a free test run first.
Let’s go!
What is blogging?
Blogging, at its core, is all about the articles. Without articles for people to read, you don’t have a blog.
Bloggers commit to writing and creating articles on a regular basis for their audience.
But that isn’t all bloggers have to do these days. To make blogging into your dream job, you also have to do a myriad of things like:
- Build an online brand
- All kinds of marketing like social media, email and more (This is my fave!)
- Product creation
- Sales
- All kinds of tech
- So much more!
And it can feel like a lot to manage. That’s why I want to help you decide if blogging is right for you BEFORE you spend your precious dollars on some of the setup.
Please don’t spend a penny before you’ve got a good grasp of what you’re getting yourself into. No need to use those hard earned dollars before you’re ready.
So that begs the next question:
Is blogging right for you?
There is a lot of work that goes into building and maintaining a blog. Like, a lot. Here’s what you should know.
#1: Blogging and content creation are a marathon, not a sprint.
Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to blogging. No matter if you’re posting
#2: Do you like writing?
Writing is a major part of blogging. Not only will you be writing blog posts, you’ll also be writing social media captions, emails, and sales pages. So, you need to have a willingness to write regularly.
#3: You don’t need to be an author.
You don’t need to be a NYT best selling author to be a writer. Remember, the more you write, the better you’ll get. So if you’re worried that your writing won’t be up to snuff, never fear!
#4: Be ok with failing.
You can’t run a business without failing over and over! I know failing a lot sounds like a major downer to your life but, similar to writing, it gets easier over time.
#5: No people, no money.
Money might be the end goal, but know that your content, ultimately, is for someone else to consume. Serve them with heart and enthusiasm and you’ll win in the end.
All in all: It’s a lot of work.
But don’t let that scare you. The beautiful and wonderful far outshine some of the tougher stuff. Here’s what’s possible:
#1: Community
It’s possible to have a thriving online community that craves to hear from you. Your voice and your life experiences and your expertise will push a lot of people away, but the ones that stick around? They’ll be your biggest fans.
#2: Life changing income.
For you. For your family. For your community. When people like you have money to spare, you don’t hoard like a billionaire, you spread the joy around. You have your family over for dinner every week, you pay for the Starbucks order of the person behind you in line, you support the local women’s shelter. Money in your hands? That’s world changing stuff.
#3: Freedom
In your time and location. This is one of the most compelling reasons that most of us want to own our own business, right? And it’s not even because you want the “laptop lifestyle” that you see influencers touting on Instagram. You want to be able to fit your work into your life instead of puzzle piecing your life around your job. Why work in an office when you can work in your car while your daughter is at dance and your son is playing soccer? Or in a new local coffee shop at lunchtime? Or at your brothers house in Arkansas?
Your job can be as mobile as you want it to be.
#4: Become a world changer
The chance to change someone’s life for the better. When you start your own business, you can not only create life changing income for yourself, but you can change the world for someone else. And this applies to every single niche and topic. You’re gonna change lives, my friend.