It’s been four years since I started blogging, probably more, but I’m not counting the times when I took a break. Life, lemons, things happened basically. As you go through your routine as a blogger, you learn things: the good, the bad, and the not-worth-mentioning. I’ve learned more than 7 things from blogging, but let’s start with this list for now, shall we?
1. There’s no such thing as free — even free samples mean something in return.
2. You learn to negotiate.
Usually, this happens when you start accepting sponsored post directly and on certain occasions, with third-party networks/agencies or PR companies. Thanks to blogging, I had the opportunity to work as a Campaign Manager while working from home, and it was quite an experience I’ll never forget.
3. Saying no is tough but the sooner you learn to do so, the better. It all comes down to finding your virtual voice and sticking to it. Once you’ve established this, you can decide which products you want to feature, campaigns to work on, and those you don’t.
4. Fact: being rejected sucks.
But this is part of the experience, in fact, life in general. Rejection, while it sounds negative, is not always a bad thing. Take this opportunity to find out what you can improve as an influencer. Ask the question from the brand or companies who said no if you have to. Ballsy move but it’s worth it. It’s called acceptance and moving forward with a positive mindset.
5. Blogging will cost you money, time, and sleep.
Yes, the struggle of being a blogger is very real. You can certainly freeload on platforms like WordPress, Blogger, Square Space, or Weebly but you’ll soon realize that the grass is greener on the other side — and that’s when you start paying for your domain and then hosting. And since your design or layout matters, before you know it, you’re going premium with your theme choices (ThemeForest) or have someone do it for you, which costs even more.
6. Simple coding know-how doesn’t hurt.
As a matter of fact, it’ll save you money. But then as you progress into your dream of becoming your own boss, you’ll have to manage your finances and set a budget. By all means, feel free to hire someone to do this side of work for so you can concentrate on the creative side, such as building new content and connecting with your audience. This is being practical and using your time wisely and productively.
7. Oh, you’ll earn. It might not happen overnight for some, but if you work hard enough as well as listen to key trends, you’ll certainly reap the rewards later.
Getting paid for doing what you love is like having your cake and eating it, too!
Blogging takes a lot of hard work and discipline. If you’re pursuing this as a career (and not just to get free stuff), you have to have the right attitude. Stay consistent, authentic, and professional with your approach. However, for you to really survive in this rapidly growing industry, you need to be flexible yet stay different. That might sound crazy, but it’s so true.
Write something compelling today. Something you are passionate about and not just because everyone else is doing it. High-quality images will take you a long way, too. We all want to get paid, who doesn’t? But don’t make it all about the money.
Find balance and work on it as you work harder to your goal. In the end, what will get you through hard times when numbers and engagement are low, is that burning passion that made you want to blog in the first place. Because it’s (still) fun. Because you LOVE it.