#Ad – collaborative post
Blogging has evolved so much since I started back in 2011. Firstly, back then, blogging was not a source of income for many, with lots of bloggers doing it as a hobby.
Fast forward to now, it is a big market that lots of people want a piece of the action. Anyone can blog or be a social influencer, but let’s be realistic on a few things. You are not going to crack the market you tackle overnight. Yes, there are some that hit the ground running and are in 12 months can make their salary in their new venture. For most, though it is a slow and steady increase.
Don’t be fooled though, it is not as simple as just creating your blog or socials and then away you go. It may have been many moons ago but now there is a lot more that goes on in the background such as SEO, Keywords, backlinks and so much more. So if you are planning on starting your own blog, here are a few things you need to think about.
Branding
Your branding is your business, this is from logo to name and so much more. Before you start building and creating, spend a little time brainstorming your theme ideas. It is always a good idea to start looking through social media and website names to check that someone doesn’t have your name already or something very similar.
Once you have this, your brand will become your selling point. Take your time, it is so important.
It might not be something that has come to your mind straight away, but you will need to think of everything from the logo to font to colours. There is so much that you can tinker with, you will find the hours will fly by when you get started.
I would suggest you start your blog with the bare minimum of investment until you get into it (more on that in a minute). When it comes to branding there are lots of options for creating your logo and visuals that are free and don’t need to cost a fortune. For example, celebrate your individuality with your branding and logos using colours and fonts to match your personality. You can use free fonts from Font Bundles to stand out from the crowd. Many software packages have a free version or even a free trial to give you time to create something perfect for you.
Over the years I have changed my logo and the branding as the blog has developed and this is fine. I just wouldn’t recommend you do it too often, you want people to see something and immediately link it to you.
Investment
You can start your social presence or blog for free, however, if you make it more of a business idea you will need to invest over time. So for bloggers, if you want to earn money on your blog, you won’t be able to do so with a blogger as they do not allow you to earn money in the form of sponsored posts and advertising.
There is no need to invest heavily upfront but securing your domain name and socials is always a good place to start. Depending on your plans you may need to invest in editing software, social media sharing schedulers and other things but don’t rush. Everyone is different and some people are able to create magical pictures with minimal effort, where are others will need some software to assist. Run with it for a while, then look at what will make your life easier.
Remember, you are your brand
One really important thing to do is remember you are your brand.
How many times recently have you heard of a celeb or footballers past tweets coming back around. Everything you do online is visible and someone will see it, whether it be now or in 10 years time. Think very carefully about what you do and how you do it. This is not to scare you sharing things, but just remember the impact it could have long term.
Once you go live with that first post, whether it is on a blog or social media. You are putting yourself out there for not only the praise but the criticism also. Not everyone is going to love what you do or even hate it, but there will be some waiting for you to slip up. It is a shame to think about it like this, but just be wary and think about it before you hit post.
