This year, I can confidently say that I have become a professional blogger. I've been able to receive a steady income from blogging. And thus, I'd like to share some insights if you are interested in pursuing the same career.
Previously, I only wrote for fun. I started my first blog in 2012, and writing was simply a hobby. But I discovered that I can make a substantial amount of money from blogging. I didn't make a lot at first, and I still do not make much money now. But, I do earn enough for a living and spare some for a little bit of saving.
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The life of a blogger is full of uncertainty. But undeniably comfy. If your passion lies in writing, a blog would be your playground with limitless potential. You can spill whatever ideas inside your head and watch the world marvel at your thoughts. Writing is liberating.
Of course, the journey from being an amateur and becoming a pro is long and full of challenges. So, I thought it would be a good idea to share my experience with you.
Here are the top 10 things that you should know before you decide to become a full-time blogger!
1. Getting good at blogging takes a long process
Patience is the key if you want to make a substantial income from blogging. As I have stated, it takes years for me to become a blogger with somewhat a stable income. If you've just started blogging from scratch, do not expect to get money for 1 to 2 years. And do not be surprised if your new blog doesn't have a visitor. It takes time to get going.
The best way to start a blog is today. You won't make money anytime soon, but your blog will become a long-term investment if you put some effort into it. For those of you who have just started a website, do not be in a rush to monetize it.
Sometimes, your investment might fail to generate profit. Yet with a blog, you can still get a value out of it. Your writings shall become your portfolio, that you did something valuable with your time. In fact, this is actually how I earn a lot of opportunities, thanks to my blogs.
2. You will need to treat your articles as your employees
I have learned that publishing blog articles are the same as having employees. Your articles will generate money for you. So, you should treat your writing with care. Make sure that whenever you write something, you write it with the conviction that the article can generate money.
Business owners would need to constantly monitor their workers. Thus, a blogger should always check how their articles are performing. Find out which articles that generate the most profit and traffic. Update your low-performing posts!
Each of your articles is your worker, and you need to ensure they are not lazy.
3. Learn Search Engine Optimization
The ability to write alone will not turn you into a professional blogger. Of course, you will need to know how to write interesting articles to have income from blogging. But, you will also need to understand how your posts are delivered to your audience.
Please note that you must ensure your potential readers knows how to discover your blog. Make sure that they can find your website.
There are millions of websites out there, and you will compete for the top spot. Knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO) will help you announce your presence on the world wide web. The best way to start learning about SEO is through Google Search Console.
4. Originality is the king, and consistency is the queen
Originality is my mantra. However, when I ask you to be original with your blog, I do not mean that you have to discover a completely new idea.
But, you need to find a way to present your idea in your own original method. You have to find your writing style. You will also need to be capable of combing various ideas into a concise original article.
Here is an example. If you search "blogging tips" on Google, you will find at least 48,700,000 websites. So, this blog, SofanMax, is definitely not the most original when it comes to the topic. There are literally millions of other places. And yet, my contents are unique. I write them in my own way and filter those ideas through my own perspective. Thus I create something original that has value.
Then, professional bloggers have to be strict with themselves. They need to maintain a tight schedule and consistency. You have to have the discipline to write and publish articles regularly.
Being consistent is perhaps the most challenging thing about being a blogger, or at least, that's how it is with me. When your visitor drops or your AdSense money is not generating much, it is easy to get discouraged. But you have to keep going because blogging is a continuous process.
5. Bloggers should have the ability to deal with uncertainty
Being a blogger means that you have to be ready for unpredictable situations. The Internet is a dynamic place that constantly changes as quickly as blinking. Some days, your visitor might drop suddenly, and you must be ready for that eventuality.
You are essentially at the mercy of the ever-changing Google algorithm.
To minimize the risk that arises from the volatility, you need to diversify. To be a successful blogger, you will need to manage several websites. Yep, your earning source would be multiplied when you have multiple blogs.
In fact, you do need to own multiple websites if you want to make a living out of blogging. When a blog's performance drops, you will still have another website that will back you up.
6. A good reader is a good writer
To become a blogger is essentially to publish your own book. So, you need to ensure that readers want to read what you've written. Read your own writing objectively, and put yourself into your readers' perspective.
Moreover, to find inspiration for your content, you must constantly research new material. You will have to keep reading new material so you won't run out of ideas.
Pay attention to the trend on the news, and deepen your comprehension of whatever you've read. Then you can re-tell those stories you've found in your way as blog content.
7. Take the time to master a new language
I highly recommend bloggers learn a new language. Knowing at least two languages (being multilingual) will allow you to expand your blog's reach.
I know three languages, Indonesia, English, and Javanese. I can create one article in English and post it on my international website. Then, I can translate the same content to my native languages and post it on my domestic websites. Killing three birds with one stone!
You can double your opportunity to monetize your websites efficiently if you are bilingual. Create one content and translate them into different languages. Of course, by translating, I mean that you will have to tailor the content to suit the local culture.
Direct and raw translation would sound awkward or too formal. So, you will have to give the translated content some personal touch to make the articles easier to read.
For instance, I translate my content from SofanMax, which is in English, to omu.my.id, which is an Indonesian website. I admit I've not been using this strategy optimally (because of my limited time resources), but I'd like to do it slowly over time.
8. Article without an image is like a flavorless soup
Adding at least one picture to your blog content is imperative. This way, your content will have the opportunity to appear on Google image search results. Sometimes, people can discover your website through photos that have been uploaded inside the article.
Providing high-quality illustrations would be vital if your blog deals with marketing or reviews. Articles that feature tutorials will also benefit significantly from pictures. Show the readers the steps through photos and screenshots.
9. Expand your social media presence
This idea will not be foreign to you if you've read about online marketing. Experts will keep repeatedly tell you that social media will boost your traffic. And here, I will reiterate the importance of social media to your blog's sustainability.
Posting your rants over social media will not make you money. Write your opinion on your blog, and post the link on your social media. Now that is the best way to use social media. You do not get paid to tweet your opinion, but if you tweet your link, you will have some traffic coming to you!
Having social media presence will also help your blog to get indexed faster. For example, after I post an article, the link might take some time to appear on Google. But, if I post that link on Reddit, the Reddit post will appear on Google almost instantaneously.
10. Explore alternative monetization options
AdSense is not the only way to monetize your website. You can make money from affiliate links, paid promotions, ad space, selling your product, and many more. You have to be creative and open-minded to explore more opportunities.
For instance, SofanMax generates revenue not just from AdSense. It gets money from being an affiliate to follow.it, a free email subscription management service.
Thanks to that program, I get paid some extra dollars per year whenever a user signs up for their premium services.
I also put affiliate links for Tokopedia, the largest online shop in Indonesia, for some extra money.
SofanMax also serves as a way for me to promote my own product. Some of you might already know I'm also a freelance writer. You can hire me to write for you for a fee. In fact, it used to be my most significant source of income. The blog itself acts as my personal portfolio.
Obviously, there are dozens of other methods to monetize one website. You just have to be keen on your research and keep your ears open for opportunities.
Finally, I'd like to repeat that being a professional blogger is viable if you have the drive, the passion, and the will to act. If you want to make money from blogging, you should start now. There are more things that I'd like to discuss, not just these 10 points, but I shall do it next time.
Leave a comment below if you would like to ask me some questions about being a professional blogger.