Blogging is the dream job of many people these days, since we see everywhere success stories of people like you and me who started blogging. After all, to be a blogger seems to be similar to Carrie Bradshaw’s idyllic life: you spend your day buying designer shoes, sipping Cosmos with friends and write couple of words at the end of the day.
Unfortunately, this is a huge misconception – thanks, Sex and the City! If you want to live off blogging, you have to do a lot more than writing couple of words. Bloggers write a lot and they also have to put a lot of time and effort into additional tasks. Here are the darkest secrets of blogging you never knew about.
1. Most people are not meant to do this job
Not everyone is cut to be an entrepreneur and having a blog is just that: having your own business. Anyone can create a blog or vlog with professional tools, like a high-tech microphone and the latest tools on the market, but few people can make it work. And when I say make it work, I mean make it successful. You can’t take days off, you can’t ignore your emails and you definitely can’t go with the flow. The story of you blogging and all of a sudden you start getting traffic is just a story. The reality is you must have a business plan for your blog and you must stick to it.
2. You need to learn how to get to know your audience
A beginner thinks every post written will instantly become viral, because he had targeted the right audience. Well, this is not true! The reality is you will write a lot before actually producing a viral article. Also, you have to know how to get to know your audience.
The best way is to interact directly with your followers. This is why social media is vital for blogging: you have to chat with your readers and get to know them. The more you interact with them, the better you will understand their views upon life and blogging. As you do this, your content is going to become relatable to your audience, thus will bring traffic.
Along with social media, email is a great way to get in touch with your audience. Ask them to tell you a bit about themselves and find out what are their real problems. This interaction is going to help both you and them.
3. Only true fans matter at the end of the day
Most bloggers focus on gaining more followers, but traffic comes from quality, not quantity. About 1% of your audience is going to bring you 80% of the profits. And this small amount is represented by true fans, who are going to come back for more, despite anything. The people who will eagerly wait for your latest post and read it right away are the part of the audience you have to focus on.
If you try to please everyone, you will end up pleasing no one. Focus on those real fans and your blog will grow. In time, your fanbase will also grow, as more and more readers will discover your blog and stick to it.
4. The niche you’ve picked is not making money
Everyone tells you to pick a niche you are passionate about, but they don’t tell you that some niches simply don’t produce money. At least not more than couple of hundred dollars a month. How you approach a niche is also very important, if you want to make a living out of your blog.
The only way you can find a profitable niche is to talk to your audience and see what is the problem they have to solve and they are willing to pay for the solution. Once you’ve got the answer, you’ve got a profitable niche.
Blogging is more than meets the eye, as there are a lot of things involved. If you are serious about this business, focus on the process of blogging and plan your next step, as this is the only thing that will get you going.
