HIWTSI So-Me: You Need A Blog
Well, this one feels a little meta…Jokes aside, today I want to talk to you about the importance of having a blog for your business. In the last year, I’ve found that my blog has really given me an opportunity to connect with my audience in a deeper and more meaningful way.Before I get too nostalgic, though, let’s crack into it.
Why Is A Blog Good For My Business?
There’s a couple of major reasons why I think a blog is essential for your business, particularly if you are a small business owner.The first reason is that it gives you a great opportunity to connect with your audience. Like I said before, my blog has allowed me to connect with you all on a level that isn’t possible with 2,000 characters or less (which is Instagram’s character limit). I’ve been able to write long-form articles and shorter life updates. In essence, my blog gives me an opportunity to show my personality. To be a storyteller.The second reason why a blog is so important, especially for small businesses, is because it gives you the space to establish yourself as an authority. I’ll be honest with you, most markets are very saturated. Anything you can do, someone else is claiming they can do better. A blog is a chance for you to, essentially, show off what you know. A great example is this very post. When I became a social media collaborator and consultant, I knew I would have to make myself stand out. I’m newer to my field and I’m a young woman - I’ve got a couple things working against me. But the HIWTSI So-Me series is not only a great way for my clients to get a sense of my work, it also makes my first impression for me.So, to answer the question I asked at the top of this section:YES.
Can A Blog Make Money?
This is another great question that I see a lot. Yes, there are a few ways you can make money from your blog.The first way is advertisement revenue. When you first start out, you can use Google’s ad service (AdSense) to place ads on your website. I’ll be honest, you won’t make a ton of money to start. However, as you gain an audience and your blog gets more traffic, that revenue will increase and eventually you’ll be eligible to apply to services like MediaVine (which gives you WAY more money to host ads on your site).Another way to make money from your blog is affiliate links. Some of the major affiliates in the travel industry are Booking.com, Skyscanner, and Amazon. Affiliate marketing is, essentially, when you put a link in your blog post, someone clicks the link, buys something, and you get a small commission.The last way I know of is sponsored blog posts. Anyone familiar with the world of influencers is familiar with this concept. Sometimes, when an influencer partners with a brand, they will write a blog post about that brand as part of their deal. Sponsored posts are typically a one-time payment, as opposed to the continuous income you make from ads and affiliate links.My biggest piece of advice when it comes to monetizing your blog is: DON’T OVERDO IT. Try to strategically place your ads in high traffic areas, but limit it to two or three per page/post. The last thing you want is for your content to be so overwhelmed with links and ads that your audience loses the content, which is the whole reason you have a blog in the first place!
How Do I Start A Blog?
I’ll be honest with you all, I had no idea how to start this until I read this amazing article written by Lauren over at Never Ending Footsteps. Her blog is definitely where I got the inspiration for mine and, after reading her article (which is linked in her blog title), I decided to start mine!A lot of people ask about Wordpress versus Squarespace and which is better. If I had to do it over again, I would likely choose Squarespace over Wordpress, which I currently use. Wordpress allows you to be really creative with your site, but you need to know how to code in order to do it.I don’t know how to code.Depending on what your strong suits are, I would definitely recommend looking into your site builder thoroughly before making any decisions.
The Caveat
Now, I’d like to think that, if you’re a business owner, this post has left you with a little voice in the back of your head asking “Should I start a blog…?”Good!But now I do need to tell you that there’s a MAJOR caveat to this whole post.If you are not a good writer, do NOT start a blog. Remember all the reasons I’ve listed about how a blog can make you seem more approachable and professional and authoritative? All of that goes out the window if your writing is poor.Okay, Lauren, a little harsh but what are my options then?Well, there’s definitely a few. The most obvious is that you could ask a friend to proofread your posts or hire a ghostwriter who will capture your voice, but polish up the delivery. Another common alternative is to start a video blog (also known as a YouTube channel). I know some people who aren’t super strong writers, but they’re GREAT in front of a camera.Regardless of your strengths, you have options :)