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What You Need to Know About Becoming a Blogger

By Audrey Leave a Comment

Have you been thinking about what it’s actually like to write as a blogger? Do you want to venture into this arena, but don’t know how to best enter into it?

Luckily the ConvertKit team put together an informative report on exactly who is publishing content, why they start a blog, what the most popular blog topics are, how bloggers get their start, and much more.

In this detailed report you’ll learn more about this growing industry and whether or not you should start your own blog. I’ll provide a brief overview of the points made throughout with links to resources to check out. To download a free copy of “State of the Blogging Industry 2017” go here.

1 – Are you a blogger?

Not everyone should start a blog. First of all, it can be time consuming. Secondly, your business may not even require the need to have one. But for those who want to build more credibility and even earn an income then this is still a good use of your talents and resources. So who exactly earns a living from blogging? Here are a few top profiles from the report:

  • 86% are not considered professional bloggers
  • 62% are women
  • 52% of bloggers have children
  • 40% of all bloggers are age 35 and younger
  • 59% of bloggers are married
  • 60-65% live in the United States from a less diverse population
  • A majority of bloggers have a bachelor’s degree
  • Household income ranges anywhere from under $25,000 a year to over $150,000 a year

2 – Why start a blog?

It takes a regular commitment to publish content whether it be several times a week, once a week, or even once a month. There’s a lot of steps and building involved in the process, and so blogging may not fit into everyone’s schedules. Here’s the top answers as to why people decided to start a blog:

  • The largest number are self employed
  • The second largest number started a blog to express their creativity
  • The third are those who want to build a presence online for their brand
  • The fourth are those who want to teach others
  • Fifth are those who want to earn money from a blog

The funnel narrows down further with the lowest motivating factors including a job loss, getting out of debt, and to become famous online.

3 – What do people write about the most?

There are many topics that are too broad or competitive for publishers. The key to success is to be narrowly focused and write about something that you’re passionate about. This is turn targets a specific audience, especially in the area of personal growth. Entrepreneurship and business fall just underneath that niche with parenting and fashion coming in more toward the bottom of the scale.

If you are a homemaker or love arts and crafts this is still a top performer, along with blogs about faith and management techniques.

4 – Which platforms and content management systems are used?

The big question of the day when starting any blog is what type of platform works best, which can either be shared hosting or dedicated. 76 percent of respondents prefer WordPress for both their website and blog with 82 percent of those bloggers using a dedicated installation. There are a few smaller shared hosting blogging platforms that people use, which are probably more for creatives and blogs already established on these places. The general rule of thumb to follow is to stick with WordPress with a dedicated domain name.

5 – How often should you publish?

Over the last few years the frequency of publishing has changed with the emergence of new technologies and changing algorithms. It used to be important to have at least three pieces of fresh content each week, but now the new normal is once a week. In fact, this is what 38 percent of all respondents chose in the study. If you want to continue to build visibility and attract subscribers then you will want to make a commitment and choose a day that your readers can expect.

6 – What is the average number of words per article?

There are two camps in the blogging world — one supports longform content while the other prefers shorter posts broken up into bite sized pieces. If you are building a career in business or freelance writing then longform may be the right choice in order to create an attractive portfolio. Other types of bloggers, however; may be more interested in attracting readership with a mix of content. The study reveals that the average post length today is between 500 and 1,000 words.

7 – Where should the opt-in form go?

It seems that many readers prefer to not have a form pop up in their face when visiting a website, and this could be why 64 percent of bloggers place the opt-in form at the end of a blog post. This is one of the most important elements of your blog and surprisingly a small percentage of bloggers don’t include one. Blog comments also go along with attracting subscribers, and most of the respondents in the study said they allow readers to leave a comment at the end of their posts.

8 – How do you grow your audience?

Two of the most common sources of website traffic are social media and organic search, which thankfully is enhanced with the Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress so that you don’t have to be an SEO expert to attract visitors. Email marketing plays another important role in nurturing your audience along with writing guest posts, advertising, and repurposing your content.

Here are the top social networks that bloggers use to attract readers:

  • Facebook – This is a top network that bloggers use. You can promote your posts through your Page, groups, Facebook Live, and through your own personal account.
  • Twitter – Quick tweets, retweets, interactions, and live tweet chats all make this a top second choice.
  • Pinterest and Instagram – These both came in at a close third according to the study. These networks are useful in grabbing a reader’s attention through eye-catching graphics and bold headlines.
  • Google Plus and LinkedIn – Respondents rely less on these platforms, but they are still popular for interacting in groups or collections and for networking.
  • Snapchat – This network has been on a slow and steady decline over the last year after Facebook and Instagram were updated to include stories. But there are still quite a few bloggers and brands who still use this app to attract subscribers to their blogs.

9 – Do bloggers make money?

About half of the respondents rely on their blogs for part-time income and most of this comes from digital products, services, and physical products. This can include eBooks, courses, audio programs, ect. Professional bloggers reported profits of $185,975 while not-yet professionals earned an average of $9,497. A new blogger should expect to spend at least $1,000 in the first year in order to turn a profit.

10 – What are the biggest obstacles to overcome?

Most of the bloggers reported that a lack of time was their largest struggle. The second one was growing an audience and their converting subscribers into paying customers. ConvertKit recommends these top bloggers to help you become more successful:

  • Pat Flynn
  • Marie Forleo
  • Moz
  • Wistia
  • Quicksprout
  • Fizzle
  • Buffer
  • Unbounce

Hopefully you gained more insights on the current state of blogging and the difference between pro and becoming a pro. According to the study 15 percent of pro bloggers make a substantial living over the average household income in the United States. The rest of us represent a growing trend and are currently working toward monetizing our futures. ConvertKit’s “avatar” for the average blogger is a woman who is “25-45, white, married, college educated, and in the upper middle class.” With that said expect to see this trend evolve into a wider spectrum as blogging becomes more popular as a side hustle or business building enterprise.

Filed Under: Blogging, Featured Tagged With: Blog, Blogger, Bloggers, blogging, content

How to Launch Your Own Blog

By Audrey Leave a Comment

Do you have a passion for writing?

Have you been thinking about starting a blog, but don’t know where to start?

A lot of us have gifts, talents, and life experiences that others can greatly benefit from. Blogging is one way to share your passion and expertise as well as make a good income.

The building process will lead you to that point, which frankly is where I’m at right now. But each day you take one step toward reaching that goal and find your voice online.

Some of us love to journal while others enjoy writing in a more educational format. I came from a newspaper background, but had always wanted the freedom to write in my own voice. It’s so great that we have boundless opportunities today to do just that, and truly make a name for ourselves.

There are several benefits to starting your own blog, especially if you are a freelance professional:

  • Networking with like-minded individuals
  • Guest blogging opportunities down the road
  • Income from sponsors and affilates
  • Establishing a brand name
  • Reaching new connections on social media

The best way to get started is through a self-hosted website using WordPress. With the right host provider you can upload this easy-to-use platform which is mobile-ready. There are thousands of both free and paid templates to choose from along with many plugins to help make your blog look and function great.

I personally decided to sign up with Host Metro after taking a look at competing companies. They offered the best packages at a very low prices, which includes your own email and WordPress installation. I’ve included my own affiliate link here, which means I receive a commission for every sign up.

Take a look at the different top host providers here as well if you’d like to make the same informed decision that I made. This list will change frequently, and so you will want to revisit this if you plan on starting out later.

Most of these services have technical support and a simple dashboard where you can easily install WordPress and set up your email account.

Here’s an example of what this might look like from my provider:

Next, decide on your domain name and make sure it’s easy to know what you’re about, and available on social media. Mine is sort of long, and the norm is to create something that is shorter. You can also use your name instead and brand yourself that way. Take the time to write out ideas and make a firm decision — this will be the hub of all of your online properties.

Your hosting provider will also include your domain name in your package, and so you can get that all set up in one place. If you already have one that’s simple to transfer over — they can help you get that done.

Once you have that set in place you can choose from a list of free templates or use a professional one like I did at StudioPress. All these can be customized, and some are easier than others. I find that the Genesis Themes to be fairly simple to set up, but if you’re not into that sort of thing head on over to Fiverr where you can find an affordable freelancer to help you. These designers can also get you started on your own logo!

There are endless opportunities to make your website exactly the way you want to with WordPress! Other shared hosting services like Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly are also good, but don’t offer the range and flexibility of a self-hosted website.

After getting all set up with website hosting and installing WordPress you will want to have the right plugins in place — this is very important! Not only do you need extra security to block spammers, but you will need to have a good opt-in box in place from your email service provider and social media icons installed. Here’s a must-use list at WpBeginner to take a look at.

Email will be the lifeblood of your blog as you attract new subscribers. This can all be set up with a free service from MailChimp, which offers automation, tracking, and sign up forms. A paid version is available, but you can get all of this set up now at no cost. As mentioned before there are plugins available to help you integrate their service into your blog, and if you’re using a theme like mine the pop-up widget is already included.

The next important thing to add is your social media accounts. You may already have this established or are starting from scratch. I would say to stick with the main ones first: Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Add more later as your following grows. Pinterest is especially important as you can re-pin content and also pin your own to attract subscribers to your blog. If you’re unsure how this all works head on over to Peg Fitzpatrick’s blog, who explains very well how to get started.

There are less people subscribing to RSS feeds these days and more finding out who you are through their mobile phones via social media, and so it’s very important to have this in place. Even if your accounts are new you will want to place them on your blog in order to grow your following.

Blogging is a rewarding and creative way to get your brand name out there, attract new clients, and establish yourself as a leading authority. These initial steps will help you get started, but I highly suggest you check on Jonathan Milligan’s Blogging Your Passion to really learn how the process works, especially when it comes to monetizing your efforts.

 

Filed Under: Blogging, Featured Tagged With: blogging, content

5 Graphics Tools That Will Help You Design Like A Pro

By Audrey Leave a Comment

Are you planning a website overhaul?

Or do you need better images for your blog and social media posts?

Today’s online world has an endless array of tools and apps that can help you quickly and easily put together something that looks like your hired a professional to design it. Many of these are free while others are a very low cost alternative to expensive software.

You can create something on the go with your tablet or smart phone or right from your computer, which can be stored in the cloud for later use. There may be those times that you do need to hire a professional for more complex work, but for the simple stuff check out these 5 graphics tools you can start using today!

Canva

This is my number one pick for several reasons:

  • It’s easy to use whether you are a novice or an expert
  • The free version has a ton options
  • There are hundreds of free images, icons, and vector graphics to choose from
  • You can create just about anything including social media images for each network, flyers, .pdf’s, infographics, posters, and more
  • Your work is always saved in the cloud for easy access on a tablet or computer
  • Choose from a large selection of templates and fonts

These are just some of the great features this online software has to offer. I also love their background story! Canva began in 2012 when Melanie Perkins, a graphic design teacher, wanted to make online design easier for her students. At first she and co-founder, Cliff Obrecht, named their new tool, Fusion Books. Enter Cameron Adams, who helped them bring Canva to the masses.

Today Canva has over 10 million users worldwide with over 100 million designs created! This is a must-have resource to add to your toolbox.

Graphic by Autodesk

Number two on my go-to list is Graphic, which is a simplified alternative to Adobe Photoshop. The best part is you’ll love the low price! Buy it through your iTunes account and download to your apps on your iPhone, iPad or Apple computer. These are the features that really stand out:

  • Fully featured vector design and illustration
  • Easily edit .psd files with layers (even if they were created in Photoshop)
  • Export to multiple file formats at .jpg, .png, and .gif
  • Open .pdf files and transform them into graphics
  • Adjust size, colors, and other important edits

When I first purchased this software it was called, iDraw. Since it has been updated there are even more amazing features. I am not a freelance designer by trade, and so this was the perfect fit for me when I get those occasional file edit requests from clients.

Bannersnack

The third pick is something I have yet to try — but looks oh so simple for creating ads for your website and social media. It’s called, Bannersnack, and offers design creations that can be used for places like Google Adwords and Facebook/Instagram. Some of the features include:

  • Single or multiple banners
  • Quick and easy design with their online tool
  • High quality web-friendly fonts
  • Top quality stock photos
  • Clipart and shapes
  • Social media headers
  • Embed codes for tracking

This is a one-stop shop for all of your banner and advertising needs. It’s free to sign up and get started with paid options available if you don’t want to include their watermark.

Google Fonts

If you want your website to stand out and be unique to your personality or brand then you’ll enjoy this fourth tool, Google Fonts. Google is all about making things simple, and so they have made available free, open-source fonts to choose from for the web. Here’s what’s included:

  • Test fonts in 135 different languages
  • Analytics and demographics data
  • A large selection of themes
  • Share customized collections
  • Optimized and streamlined typography
  • No licensing or hosting fee
  • Helps your website run faster

You could probably get lost for hours testing out all of the different themes and variations, but with such a large selections you’re bound to find something really amazing for your website. Once you find what you need just click on the selection and use their embed code in your header document or specify in CSS.

Unsplash

I couldn’t believe it when I landed upon this free website, and so that’s why I’m including it as my fifth pick. I have found hundreds of amazing photos from Unsplash, which is updated daily. The photographs are top quality and come from a large selection of topics. You can easily:

  • Explore collections or create your own
  • Search for a specific photo
  • Choose from a selection from a particular photographer
  • Save your favorites
  • Upload your own photos

This resource actually began three years ago on Tumblr, and has now grown to be a leading go-to source for free, stock photography. I love discovering each day all of the different images available, and being able to credit the photographer in what I am sharing.

Now over to you — what graphics tools have you used the most?

Filed Under: Blogging, Business, Featured Tagged With: business tools, graphic design, graphics

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Life in the freelance and work at home zone for women is not out of reach! I share my journey and what legit work from home actually looks like. Here you'll learn how to realize your dream of become a freelancer or business owner as well as faith lessons along the way. Come enjoy the journey with me!

Start with these posts:

  • How to Enter Into Remote Work
  • Is it Possible to Make Good Money as a Freelancer?
  • How to Launch Your Own Blog
  • Meet Audrey…

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