I’m always eager to learn new things, especially when it comes to expanding my knowledge base and becoming more efficient at something. Being a photographer, editor, and writer all in one, can be a bit overwhelming at times, so I always appreciate learning new things to make my jobs easier. When I came across Brandi Bowyer’s blog (she’s the founder of the blog Lola’s Luxury Photo), I was immediately intrigued. Not only did she have a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas of food, travel, and fashion, but her content was exceptionally eye-catching and well-crafted. After reading one of her blog posts, I knew I wanted to work with her and her team to develop content for my blog.
Why Blogging?
Blogging is a fantastic platform for all types of content creators, whether you’re an experienced editor or a food blogger trying to gain more exposure. The most popular blogs on the internet today were started by individuals who had no prior experience in journalism, blogging, or website creation and grew organically through the process of creating content and engaging with their audience. This sort of organic growth is unparalleled and makes the platform so valuable.
You might be thinking that since you have a creative writing background, you can simply write up some captions for the photos and call it a day. While this might work for some blogs, others will expect more than that from a writer. Brandi’s blog is a great example of this because she frequently posts content on food, travel, and lifestyle that aren’t easily categorized into those three areas. This is what makes her blog so valuable – she has developed a large enough audience and engaged with them through her content, that she can now attract top tier firms who specialize in content creation.
When working with a content creator for the first time, it’s important to understand what you’re getting into. Some of these individuals might have writer’s block, which is why they are looking for freelance work. In these cases, quality and quantity might be the key. For the best results, look for individuals who can consistently produce high-quality content that is both interesting and engaging.
The Different Stages of a Blogging Career
There are various stages to a blogging career. Some individuals get into the business accidentally through a previous job, or because it was considered ‘fun’ or ‘self-expression’ on social media. Once they realize the potential for this platform, they find themselves falling in love with it. After a while, they discover that they enjoy writing and learning new things, so they start a blog to continue doing this. In doing so, they discover the various ways they can make money from a blog, including:
- Consulting (helping business or individuals with marketing, copywriting, or technical issues)
- Affiliate marketing (earn a commission when a customer makes a purchase from an affiliated website)
- Pay-per-click advertising (earn when someone clicks a sponsored link)
- Display advertising (when an advertiser pays to have their ads appear on a blog or website)
Blogging isn’t for everyone, and it certainly isn’t a glamorous career. The majority of the work is done behind the scenes, so it can be difficult to separate from the work itself. This is why most individuals who start a blog never really leave the platform – they love learning and connecting with others, so they continue to engage with their audience and produce content while also building a team and a brand.
Where Do I Begin?
If you’re looking to get into the industry, where should you start? As with any new career or platform, it’s important to understand the basics and build your knowledge base. Start by taking a look at the various aspects of blogging. You don’t need to have experience in all of them to get started, but understanding what they are and how they work will help you produce high-quality content for your blog.
The Importance of Technical Skills
One of the major concerns for a content creator who is just getting started is gaining the necessary technical skills. Even if you’re an experienced editor who has worked with top tier firms, those firms will likely have their own in-house experts who work with them on a day-to-day basis.
It’s important to find a team of individuals who can help you with this process so that you can take advantage of their expertise and also meet your deadlines. If you don’t have any technical experience other than a personal computer, now is the time to learn. There are various platforms, applications, and online courses available which can help you learn the various skills needed to be a successful blogger.
The Demographics of Blogging
It’s important to understand how to attract the right audience to your blog. One of the essentials is having content that will engage your target audience – whether you’re a fashion blog aiming to expand your reach to a younger audience, or a lifestyle blog wanting to attract older audiences.
There are various demographics that make up the audience for a blog, including:
- Gen Z
- Millennials
- Baby boomers
- Traditionalists
- Older adults
- Sporting events
- Technology
- News
- Food
- Travel
- Fashion
- Mature
Each of these demographics have specific tastes and preferences which you can utilize to draw them to your blog.
Where Do I Go From Here?
Once you’ve started a blog and begun to generate some content, it’s important to continue establishing yourself as an authoritative voice in your niche. The best way to do this is by gaining more experience and learning from other successful individuals and tastemakers in your niche. In the meantime, continue posting high-quality content on a regular basis so that you can continue establishing yourself as an expert in your niche.
The only way to truly succeed as a blogger is through hard work and dedication to the craft. While it might be easy to fall into a routine and hit the ground running, this isn’t how most successful individuals operate. Instead, they put in the time required to learn the craft and then apply what they’ve learned to create content that is both interesting and beneficial to their target audience.