Tag Archives: Blog

Running your blog as a business

July 15, 2018 By in Blogging Tips Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 63 Comments

Many people are gobsmacked when I tell them I earn a full-time living wage from Fashion and Style Police. It makes no sense to them how I can earn money writing on this blog. They wonder how it can be possible to earn anything tangible as a blogger working from home. Well, if you are one of these people struggling to understand how bloggers make money, then you are on the right blog. It is very possible to make good money from your blog. I know this because I am one of those bloggers fortunate enough to make money from blogging.

In other to make money as a blogger, you have to run your blog as a business. Running your blog as a business means you have to publish quality articles on the regular. It also means you have to charge the right prices when approached by brands and PRs. So how do you go about these? Let’s start with charging the right fees first.

 

Mind on the money

 

Fashion and Style Police Image

 

Now this media kit above is an old kit but it still works. Every blogger should have a media kit that clearly outlines what services you offer and why brands should work with you. I have had a few brands ask for a media kit so it is quite handy to have. You could also include your rates on your media kit if you wish but I rather not as my fees vary from campaign to campaign.

So what should you be charging? That is a question only you can answer. No one else can tell you what to charge because our circumstances all vary. I always have a figure I want to earn every month in my head and that figure guides what I charge every brand. Also, I have a minimum fee in my head that I can’t go below. This helps me get rid of time wasters that want to pay me $20 for a job worth $200. Knowing what to charge happens once you know your worth. It takes time but if you have a business mindset, you would get there quicker than others.

 

Ignore your competition

I know this goes against everything we have been taught by the business gurus but trust me on this one. When it comes to blogging, variety is truly the spice of life. You don’t want to be like any other blogger but yourself if you intend to turn your blog into a business. You have to stand out from the rest of the crowd and you can only do so if you ignore your competition and focus on your focus.

Ignoring your competition means focusing on publishing quality content on your blog and social media platforms. It means following like minds and making friends with the bloggers you get on so you are not isolated. But it also means you don’t spend the whole day stalking your blogger role models on Instagram or Twitter, and trying to be them. It means not copying their fashion sense or writing style. It means being true to yourself. You can get inspiration from those in your niche you admire and stay in your lane at the same time!

 

Fashion and Style Image

 

Focus on the content

Content is king, let no one deceive you. Everything else works on the back of good content. If your content is not up to scratch, your dreams of making money from your blog may never become a reality. What makes a content good? Good content to me informs, educates or entertains. It is written in good clear English, with a captivating writing tone. Good content has great photography and usually gets people talking.

 

Remember to register as self-employed with HMRC once you start making money from your blog. It is the law in the UK.

Thanks for reading and please drop any tips, suggestions or questions you may have in the comments section below.

Have a great week ahead.

6 Tips for Business Owners who Blog

March 31, 2018 By in Blogging Tips Tags: , , , , , , , , , 19 Comments

Business owners have tuned into the benefits of owning a blog. A blog not only acts as a means of sharing information, it’s one that would help build the authority of a business and increase your customer base. But it all depends on how you use it.

 

UK Fashion Blog image

 

The truth is that a blog can help make or break a business, so you need to be careful with how you use your blog. It will take a lot of work to make a blog successful. However, if you commit to it, it’ll be worth it in the end.

Here are my 6 tips to help you and your business through your blog.

 

Stick to a schedule

You can’t expect to build a loyal audience who’ll turn into interested customers if the rate at which you create content is sloppy. Serious bloggers stick to a schedule or editorial calendar and they create blog posts consistently.

You may not have to blog daily like I do. However, if you can consistently publish content at least once a month on the exact same day every time, then chances are that you’ll have more dedicated readers than you would have if you published a blog post any time you feel like it.

Plan out blog topics for the whole month, note it in a calendar and stick to it.

 

Know your audience

A blog is nothing without its readers. Before you can even go into creating content, you should know your audience inside and out. Who are they? What are their problems? How does it make them feel? What’s holding them back? Answering such questions will give you an idea of the type of content they would be interested in reading.

 

Create valuable content

Your watchword as a blog owner should be “value”. The key to great content is value. Create quality content that your audience will love.
Valuable content helps solve your audience’s problems, informs them about the latest trends and gives them useful tips and tricks.

 

Beauty Blog Image

 

Share your story

It’s easier to connect with a person than with a brand or business. Don’t be afraid to give your content a personal touch. Tell your brand story and what matters to you. Write about incidents that happen in your life and relate it to your business.

Showing your human side makes it relatable to your audience. It gives them a point of connection with you. So, chip in a story or two and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable sometimes.

Engage with your audience

You not only have to ensure that you provide quality content, you also have to get people involved. Engage with your readers in the comments. Build a list so that you can establish a lasting relationship with your audience.

A good way to get a conversation started in your blog is to write an engaging call-to-action at the end of your blog posts. An engaging call-to-action will encourage your readers to comment thereby giving you a chance to connect with your readers.

Distribute your content

Valuable content gets shared all the time. As you impart your knowledge and expertise in your blog posts, you should also do your part to share your blog posts online as well. One way is to share them on social media. But I must warn you that you don’t get spammy when you’re doing this.

Another way to distribute your content is to write guest posts for bigger blogs with a larger audience. Your guest post should have links to your previous blog posts to direct readers there.

Are you a business owner? Do you run a blog? How are you finding it?

5 Ways to Promote your Next Blog Post

March 15, 2018 By in Blogging Tips Tags: , , , , , , , , , 40 Comments

In all my years as a blogger, I learnt that promoting your blog post is as important as creating the blog post. Nobody will know about your blog post unless you do your bit to spread the news. This is where new bloggers get frustrated before they make any headway in blogging. Readers don’t come automatically. You have to bring your content to your readers.

 

Write a book image

 

Here are 5 ways you can promote your blog post.

 

Be strategic with how you share your blog on social media

When it comes to sharing your blog post on social media, most bloggers just drop links to their blog posts on all the social media platforms. Although it is good to share your blog posts on social media, that should not be the only thing you do to promote your blog posts on social media.

Find Facebook groups on the niche you write in and if it’s allowed by the group rules, you can drop a link to your blog post. Take it further by interacting with members in the group and building relationships with them. Have conversations with influencers in other social networking platforms as well.

Another pro-tip is to share your old blog posts in your social media platforms to give these posts some exposure as well. Make sure you craft catchy and engaging social posts that complement your blog to get a conversation going. The key is building relationships and staying consistent with sharing content.

 

Comment on other blog posts often

This may come as a surprise to some of you but commenting on other blogs, especially blogs with thousands of readers will have attract eyeballs to your blog. But I must warn you that you need to make sure that you leave meaningful and valuable comments. Don’t just leave a one-line comment. Give your insight. Add value. Show your expertise. This is what will get the readers interested in checking out your own blog.

 

Feature or interview influencers in your blog posts

When you dedicate a blog post to an influencer, there is a possibility that they will share your blog post with their fans. This will give your blog post a lot of exposure when that happens.

 

Collaborate with other bloggers

You go far when you work with others. Collaborate with bloggers who have a larger following than you on a blog post or a project. That will create an opportunity for you to be put in front of their audience. There will be cross-promotion of your blog and the other blogger’s blog when you collaborate.

 

Join blogging communities

Blogging communities are a great space for bloggers of like minds. Everyone is interested in helping each other grow their blogs, solve blog related problems and give encouragement and support when the journey gets overwhelming.

Such blogging communities make a great avenue to increase the visibility of your blog post. This works only when you are active. Try and be a regular face in blogging communities. They give room to share your blog posts but you earn greater respect and more readers when you give value to the community as well.

 

Do you blog? How did you promote your most recent blog post?

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