If you are an internet savvy and you love to browse things other than your social media accounts, you will notice several sites that are originally blogs catering to several needs. Sites you visit from time to time? They are considered blogs, whether they are personal or for business, and their purpose is to share what they want to share to the world — just like what I’ve been doing lately.
My older half-sister once suggested for me to create a blog, knowing that I love writing, but knowing the procrastinating side of me, I didn’t follow her suggestion, without realizing that I’ve been letting go of that opportunity to earn extra in case of emergency. It’s not just because I don’t know how to start or what topic will be best for those who will be interested in visiting my blog, if ever, since at that time, all I know is just writing fanfiction, drawing and, well, lying down and sleep.
It’s because of PROCRASTINATION.
Her suggestion hit me back after facing another difficult financial crisis which I though I can handle as long as me and my sisters have stable jobs and we help each other financially — except that recently, my second younger sister had to resign from her job. It made me think right away that, what the heck, she is right after all, after visiting some sites that, despite being personal-looking, they are able to generate good income from showing what they love.
Blogging is more than just creating a site, type anything, show anything that they love or even hate like it’s already a virtual (public) diary, it’s also one of the neat ways to earn. Most blogs created by some of my closest friends are earning good from posting their favorite topics and their niche. A friend of mine from JEFusion.com has been manning the blog in honor of his deceased best friend who originally owns it, which started as a blog for tokusatsu (Japanese special effects film or TV show) and its merchandise for those enthusiasts who love to know more about them. Due to its unexpected popularity, they later started catering for other Japan-related genres but still not getting away from their original niche. This attracted local and international fans which later pushed them to turn their blog into a profitable hub.
(I’m trying to reach out to a friend of mine from JEFusion to get some tips but still waiting for his response, as of writing.)
I’ll be honest with you, I have zero idea on how to make a blog into something profitable, so you’re maybe thinking that I don’t have any credibility to tell you how to make it happen. That’s why I check out and follow sites that teaches how to make it possible, and I try to learn from them. I just gathered what I have and all I need is a little guidance to do so.
From the blogs I’ve visited and followed, here are some things you need to know and have if you think blogging is for you:
- Know your niche. What do you love the most? What do you excel at? Let’s say you’re into photography, then post anything about photography. You love cooking? Share the recipes you’ve already tried and tested. Your niche will attract those who are into your niche and, eventually, those who are curious what you’re posting about.
- Plan ahead. List down major things you would like to post about your niche, like how you started it, what you have accomplished, and what you can showcase. Plan how you would like to see your blog and what you could probably consider as profitable. You can even schedule when and how often you will post, but unless you already have a lot of ideas listed on your notes and you already have enough materials to start, I don’t recommend posting several a day in one go.
- Never hurry up. Most of us would want to post everyday just to show how active you are thinking that will attract potential followers and more views — but, based on my experience, that is not the case. You can consider it as a plus if you can post ten a day or fifty times a week, but consider also the time you will spend on thinking of a good topic, theme, and the substance of what you’ll be planning to post. Posting something for the sake of having something on your blog just to keep it active is no guarantee that someone will bother themselves stopping by and check that page unrelated to your niche.
- Just start a blog. Don’t think too much on how to add intricate details to your blog for now, or if you don’t know how to design it. Just focus on sharing what you want to share. If you are just starting, the best platforms to start are WordPress and Blogger, but you can also try other blog-hosting platforms that will suit your needs.
- Be considerate. It’s great to share your love for something on your blog, but keep in mind that not all audience will like your posts due to issues on politics, beliefs, gender preferences, and anything that is already considered too sensitive to share. Post a disclaimer if you can, a gentle reminder of what they will see on your blog, but it’s better if the title of your blog or post will say it all.
- Watch tutorials. There are several free tutorials on YouTube that you can watch if you’re just starting up. Even WordPress offers them too, from making your first content to optimizing it to larger audiences. This is why you don’t have to rush on having a beautiful, aesthetically-appealing blog if you’re just starting, as long as you already have the content that you want to share. Fixing it to make it look good will come later on, especially if you are now starting to build up your audience.
- Engage. If someone visited your blog, followed you and left a comment, be happy! That means your blog is starting to reach out to people. Although just one person will comment about your posts, consider it already as a milestone, and there will be more to follow for sure if you engage with them by saying thanks, entertain their questions, as ask what they liked so far. But if there will be positive comments, expect negative feedback as well. Don’t take it personally, but as an opportunity on how you can make your blog better.
- Have Fun. What’s the use of starting a blog to share your content if you’re not having fun with it? Imagine seeing yourself checking the stats almost every day just to see how your blog goes and if you see a low graph, you’ll lose motivation. Don’t be that kind of blogger. As long as you and your audience love what you’re posting, that is already considered fun. Better things will soon follow, like turning it into a profit or business if you think your blog is up for it.
I’ll be honest, I’ve been thinking and hoping that I could gain more than what I’m posting, lol. But for now, as long as I’m able to share my experiences and there are people who are interested in reading my blog, that is all that matters. And as I’ve said, and I’ll say it again, good things will follow afterwards. Just don’t be like me who regretted trying an opportunity because of procrastination. Trust me, you will not move forward if you’ll stick to your own spot.
The Lazy Banana 