AD* | Nowadays, blogging is more popular than ever before. From small-time occasional hobbyists to full-on entrepreneurs, there's no denying that the blogosphere becomes more saturated by the day. However, while some may see this as daunting, there is also a range of benefits to be gained.
Thanks to increasing numbers of bloggers putting their thoughts out there and trying to make their voices heard, more and more people are becoming aware of the existence of blogs, bloggers, and all that they represent. While this is great in terms of audience figures, page views, and reader numbers, it also means that people are beginning to sit up and take notice of the blogging masses.
While, once, blogging was seen purely as a form of online journaling or a useful way to communicate with close friends, family and loved ones, nowadays most blogs can be viewed by anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world. This accessibility and ease of access have been large contributing factors in the success of blogging, but they have also gone some way towards the beginnings of an acceptance of blogging as a source of income and employment.
Of course, there is no doubt that we still have a long way to go before the general public understands the ins and outs of blogging and Joe Bloggs' blog (ha - see what I did there!) is accepted as a valid career, but on the whole, things seem to be moving in the right direction.
Understandably, some bloggers still prefer to keep their blog as a casual hobby, but for others, their blog is their livelihood and their primary source of income. There are many different ways in which bloggers can choose to earn money through their blog or as a result of their blogging skills, but this is something that can vary greatly from one blogger to the next. Perhaps an entirely separate post for another time?
In the meantime, let's focus on the question you came here to read about - should blogging be treated as a business?
First things first, there's no point trying to sugarcoat it - if you want to make your blog successful as a business in its own right, this is highly likely to take a lot of work. There is also far more to running a blog than just bashing out a post when you feel like it and sharing a few links on social media. Most hardcore bloggers spend hours carefully scheduling content, planning posts and coming up with increasingly creative, innovative ways to get their blog out there - and that's without even touching on the admin or technical side of things. Put simply, if you're thinking about trying to make a go of professional blogging, you should think long and hard about your aims and objectives before you put pen to paper.
Of course, there are many ways in which you can work to make your life easier as a blogger. From useful tips, tools and guides to building up relationships with other bloggers in the online community, accepting help is a great way to maximise your chances of success. If you aren't much of a designer, browsing small business websites can provide you with some much-needed inspiration for the look of your own blog, or alternatively, there is always the option of enlisting someone with more advanced knowledge to lend a helping hand.
At the end of the day, the decision about how you want to view your personal blog is exactly that - your own personal choice. There are arguments to be had both for and against this, but ultimately, you should always aim to do what feels right for you.
* This is a sponsored post
Are you a blogger? What are your thoughts? Share them with me in the comments below!
No comments:
Post a Comment