I’ll admit that I was a bit torn about whether or not I would create a blog post about this topic or record a podcast episode. Then, I decided to record an episode because we need to talk about this. First things first, I started blogging fairly haphazardly in 2012. My very vague goal at the time was to share my experiences with personal finance. And, all of my experiences with money at that time pretty much sucked. It’s now 2020 at the time of this recording and I’ve been in the blogging game for 8 years. A lot has changed. If you’re sitting on a blog idea I would strongly encourage you to start a blog in 2020. But, in this episode I’m going to break down why you should begin blogging, why other people should stop, and why I cringe just a little bit when people ask if “I just blog.”
*In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Please read my disclosure here.*
Thinking about starting a blog?
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This Episode’s Show Affiliate
Elite Blog Academy, I am a proud affiliate of Elite Blog Academy. This comprehensive blogging course goes on sale once a year typically at the end of February or beginning of March. EBA course students gain access to the following: tools to build up and grow your blogs. Content and Monetization strategies, and the best resource ever the EBA community. Check out the EBA blog HERE. Or, sign up for the waitlist to get notified when the course doors open in 2020 or beyond.
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Blogging in 2020: What’s the Point?
One of the really interesting outcomes that I’ve experienced from having my own website is having the ability to deep dive into any area of interest that I would like to explore. An example of this is marketing. In my previous job, one of my biggest goals was to be given the opportunity to market the program that I worked for overseas.
I worked for an International English Center and marketing the program meant going where the clients were. However, I was blocked twice by two different directors because that opportunity for ME would block travel for THEM.
Yep, I was pissed.
When I began blogging, I unknowingly began building a platform that enabled me to grow skillsets that my job roadblocked me on.
Point #1 of Blogging in 2020
- Develop skills that your current employer might not want to nurture
Build Your Brand
Even though there are moments when I get all crazy conspiracy theory about social media and being online where people are given citizenship points like in China. My blog has a very real role and purpose in how I present myself to future clients and even future employers if needed.
Your brand could be the following:
- You become THE solver of a certain problem
- You become the CONNECTOR that connects your readers and listeners with specific tools
- You are in the driver’s set in terms of how people perceive who you are and what you do
Point #2 of Blogging in 2020
- You’re in charge of defining who you are and what you do. No one else is!
Stop Calling it “Just Blogging”
I’m proud to be a blogger, but I actually hate calling what I do “blogging.” I’m not JUST blogging. Here’s an example of what I’m currently doing:
- Running a digital course that facilitates and end goal for students.
- Creating in-person events that cost thousands of dollars to run
- Facilitating round table discussions, panels, and sessions at events that I typically fly to
- I run TWO podcasts
- I edit TWO podcasts
- Author of numerous books: Fiction and Non-fiction
- Content curator
- Facebook facilitator
- Mentoring
- In Mastermind groups
- Social Media Marketing
- Email marketing
And, I’m sure there’s more that I could add to the list. This list is specific to what I’m doing, but many other online creators are also working on video content or a mix of everything that I’ve mentioned. YOU don’t have to do all of this, but, I want to make it clear that: it’s not just blogging.
Point #3 of Blogging in 2020
-
Share your expertise and wisdom with your readers. Become a “go to” resource.
- Content creation is a huge focus of most businesses and you can leverage what you’re doing with your blog into either your current job. If they are open to that. Or, you can leverage your new skills and get a new job that pays more. Almost every business has:
- Social Media
- Website
- Email lists
- Be the person who understand the role of those tools in a business. Know how to quantify sales, etc. And, don’t facilitate these tasks for free. If the business that you work for signals that they’re unwilling to pay for you to do this, find a new job that will.
What’s Your Motivation?
Before the end of 2019, a friend of mine asked a very good question in the Facebook group that basically was the following:
With big companies buying out websites, what’s the point of creating a (personal finance) blog?
But, this question is relevant whether you’re in the personal finance space, travel, health and wellness, etc. Online content is most affective when connected with a story. For every large website purchase, we’ve also seen the majority of those large websites crash and burn after purchase. The reasons were obvious:
- If I’m listening to a certain podcast or reading a specific blog, I’m connecting with the story off the person who has created that content.
- There are so many opportunities to serve underserved communities or topics of interest that the bigger entities don’t believe are profitable and won’t focus on in their content. Those opportunities will help your readers AND make you money.
- It takes a very small number of people to become a very lucrative business for you. Examples below:
- 1000 products sold at $25=25,000
- 500 products sold at $50=12,500
- 250 products sold at $100=$25,000
- 125 products sold at $150=$18,750
- 75 products sold at $200=$15,000
- 25 products sold at $250=$6250
Point #4 of Blogging in 2020
- Serve the underserved-You just need to serve an overlooked and underserved niche/area of interest and community. This will make a huge difference to that community AND it could potentially be lucrative for you.
Make Money Online
It took me AWHILE to learn how to make money online. I had to work through mindset related issues, imposter syndrome, and trying to do too many and too few things. Then, I started to make money.
How I’ve made money online:
- Affiliate marketing
- Event ticket sales
- Books
- Course sales
- Sponsors
- Freelance writing
- Podcast sponsors
- Speaking gigs
- Coaching
There is something to be said about earning $250-$1,000 to write a post for a company or getting a $500 sale notification when your course sells. Or, checking in daily to see book sales that are one and done.
The thing is, it takes awhile to build up momentum. It’s taken me several years to figure out the best ways to make money that I actually enjoy and would continue doing.
Point #5 of Blogging in 2020
- Build professional connections outside of your 9-5. It takes awhile to refine what you’re doing and to get into a “groove” the longer you wait, the longer it will take to generate the results that you’re working towards.
Final Thoughts
I still really enjoy being an online content creator. And, while sometimes I get a little frustrated when I don’t achieve some off the goals that I’m working towards, it’s exactly at those moments when I receive a cheerful email telling me that they love what I’m doing and keep up the good work.
Your Blog Won’t Just Be a Blog
Here’s where I share the reality of being a digital content creator in 2020 and beyond. You may start out blogging, but it’s very likely that you will end up being interviewed on other people’s podcasts, vlogs, or blogs.
You may decide to create video content via your social media feeds and help your readers “in real time.” Or, you’ll find yourself facilitating talks about the topic that you’re sharing on your blog.
Did I get you fired up? Are you going to start a blog this year? What’s it about?
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I hear a lot of people ask why bother blog when it’s so saturated, or as you said, big companies are buying out websites – but blogging brings so many opportunities and self-improvement
When I hear the blog saturation argument I think of the following:
1.) Romance books-How many freaking books are out there? Millions and new ones are published every day.
2.) T-shirts-how many freaking t-shirts are there? Millions and people still make money.
Basically, most people need to serve and sell to a much smaller number than they realize in order to make a difference to them and to other people.