Blogging is one of the most important forms of content creation, diving forward the complex marketing matrix that businesses rely on to grow. As a result, employment statistics collated by Indeed indicate that the average blogger can expect to earn $19.74 per hour – higher than the national average – with an earnings ceiling considerably higher than that. That being said, writing a blog in pursuit of a career is somewhat more involved than writing one for simple pleasure or as a hobby – there are a number of skills demanded of blog writers in order for them to make a career out of it.
Building consistency
One of the most crucial aspects of blogging is consistency. According to a review of key blogging practices with Time.com, to make money online from blogging, content updates need to be regular, high quality, and uploaded within a schedule. There are a number of reasons why this is beneficial. Firstly, blogs rely on an audience – you will not build a loyal and engaged audience if your posts are sporadic or poor quality. Secondly, when it comes to attracting sponsors and affiliates, showing that you have a high level of consistency and regular updates will show that you’re a good bet for investment. Finally, search engines and other search algorithms will reflect the effort that websites put in; if it’s a highly engaged blog, with anticipated and organic content, the search engines will reflect that.
Managing the technical side
Supporting high-quality content should be a good technical framework. A recently published guide by SEO gurus Moz on how to get a quick SEO setup highlights key factors in that framework. Targeting keywords, identifying how your website is indexed, and regimented internal site architecture is key. With every blog post, ensure you’re hitting keywords, maintaining the structure and hierarchy of your service, and doing everything you can to help Google and the other search engines to prioritize your blog efficiently.
Staying in your niche
According to e-commerce vendor Shopify, one of the most important principles of all is to stick to your niche – once you’ve identified it. The digital market is absolutely gigantic, and practically every product and service is accounted for – your blog needs to show what it covers, and why it’s unlike anything else. This is similar in many ways to any other area of business – you need to show why you’re different or, alternatively, why you’re better than the competition. Finding that niche, sticking to it, and then growing your footprint within it, will help to establish you as the authority in your subject matter and get a better grip over the wider market.
With all of that in hand, it’s straightforward to make a really good go at blogging as a profession. The earnings potential is there – it just requires technical aptitude, a dedicated attitude toward posting, and a real passion for your area of business.
