Does this qualify as an oxymoron?
Bloggers…many companies hire them in one form or another. But why? What do bloggers bring to the table? Bloggers are hired to:
- Get another opinion the company; it is kind of like when you wear the same perfume every day and you can’t smell it anymore, but your cube mates can because you are over-doing it, and one of them kindly tells you! A fresh set of eyes is always beneficial!
- Improve your traffic, leads, and sales; money, money, money – it’s all about the money! After all, they have to pay the professional blogger somehow!
- Save Money; Time is money, and online blogs and posts can go viral and put your company on the map!
- Sound like an expert; professional bloggers are experienced, know the ins and outs, and make companies look good!
- Access better promotional channels and resources; social media, third party websites, the possibilities are endless…
- Measure effectiveness; Deep inside the blog there is a wealth of information on clicks, where they are coming from, how often they are coming, etc. All of this information can be measured and help you improve your company!
- Avoid trouble; professional bloggers know how to site properly, and keep your blogs fresh, clean, and most importantly original!
- Overcome challenges; professional bloggers are creative, and can help drive excitement in your consumers, find you new consumers, and put your business on the map!
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So now that you know the benefits of being a blogger, it sounds like a good gig, right? Maybe you are thinking about quitting your job, working from home, creating your own hours, delving into your creative side…but where do you start?
When jumping into the blogging world, it seems the most important task would be to determine the best kind of blog for you. Blogging for Dummies breaks down the 6 most common types of blogging: (click each type for an example)
- Essay: Daily blogs about life; commonly found with individuals who have personal blogs.
- Review: Product/service reviews
- Expert: Blogs that have one main focus, written by more than one professional with a focus on the blog subject. Most common for professionals such as public relations agencies, consultants, attorneys, etc.
- Opinion/editorial: Geared towards politics
- Shopping: Links to merchants with product pricing, and occasionally reviews
- News/events: Blogs about news updates – from CNN to TMZ.
Along with determining the type of blog you will write, there are some other key items to establish for success:
- Determine your angle
- Establish your voice
- Grab attention
- Use social media
- Keep it new
Read more here
As a blogger, it is important to appeal to your audience, while at the same time keeping your own voice as a writer. With the endless amounts of blogs floating around the internet, it is important to grab the attention of your audience, and keep your material fresh and original.
The million dollar question: how do you get paid? There are a few ways in which you can get paid with advertisements. For example, some blogs put advertisements that relate to your topic surround the post. As the advertisements get clicks, you get paid. Other blogs will pay you to post reviews of consumer goods. And lastly, there are blogs that will purchase your work for their own use. For a list of popular blogs with these options and more, click here and here! There are many options out there, so be creative!