"Gusto ko magblog." (I like to blog.)
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| Photo from Pexels |
These days a lot of people like to start a blog. They want to document whatever is happening in their lives and share it to the public. They want to air their frustrations and opinions on current events and on the things that is happening around them. They want to make a review of gadgets, food, make-up, etc. People thought that blogging is something that will make them famous overnight and would make them earn huge amount of money.
But.....no. Blogging still entails hard work and charisma.
I have started my blog in 2012 but I only started to get serious about it in 2014. Now that I just bought my own domain, I need to blog more to regain my ranking because it went back to zero.
I have listed some misconceptions on blogging. I able to come up with the list based on the questions that I get from some people I talk with because they thought blogging is a glamorous job.
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| Photo from Pexels taken by Tirachard Kumtanom |
MYTH 1: Once I start a blog, I will immediately get invites to events and product launches.
This is the usual misconception I get from those people who wanted to start a blog. They see me meeting new people and getting the first dibs before it is launched in the public on my social media account. However, before companies and PR firms start to notice you, you need to build your content first. Your content should be interesting enough so that people will drop by at your site and read it. Your content should be relevant and original.
Now, the next question is: how much content do I need to have to be noticed?
We really cannot say how much, just blog and blog, share your blog to social media, and you will just wake up one day that you have an event invite on your email. It may take months or even years; just continue to blog and build your audience. Companies and PR firms will contact you should your blog niche fits to their product/brand.
Blog not because you are expecting anything in return. Blog because you like to share your life to people and for people to learn from you. Blog because you want to share your thoughts and exchange opinions with others.
MYTH 2: I will blog because I also want to receive goodies from companies.
In relation to Myth Number 1, blogging is not all about receiving goodies from companies. It doesn't mean that a blogger received a package from a brand, the blogger will not do anything about it anymore. The blogger has a responsibility to share the brand to his/her readers and to share his/her testimonial about it.
MYTH 3: I don't need to write about my thoughts, just copy and paste whatever press release given to me.
Having an original content is still the key to build your credibility as a blogger. While you will receive favors from PR firms to spread the love about their client, you are still free to spin the article or add your own words to make it more suitable to your blog and to your readers. That way, your version of the press release is unique and will not be flagged as plagiarism by Google.
However, when you are already an established blogger, you are not obliged to post all the press releases you will receive on your mail. Blogging is not free. You spend for the internet subscription, domain and hosting, and taxes. If you will be asked to post something for the brand, make sure that you will be well compensated for your efforts.
MYTH 4: I don't need social media exposure for me to be known as a blogger.
If you do not need social media exposure to be known as a blogger, how can people know your experience in cyberspace? Not unless you're highly skilled in SEO, you can survive with little or no social media exposure.
While there are still bloggers who do not have a public page, what they do is they share their blog links to their personal social media accounts and share to their respective networks/groups for them to read. Some bloggers even join syndications to generate traffic on their blog (comment for comment, follow for follow, etc.). Not unless you only blog for personal reasons, there is no need for you to share your blogposts to everyone.
MYTH 5: I will blog to get writing jobs.
One does not need to be a blogger to get writing jobs. You can get a writing job even if you do not have a blog. While a blog can serve as your portfolio, it doesn't always mean that you will only use your blog as your ONLY portfolio. To be a writer means that you can compose an article about a particular topic different from the tone you use on your blogs. Writing jobs can also be far from your blog niche too.
I still do not consider myself as an expert blogger. There are still far better bloggers out there with high following. I just wanted to write down what I think about blogging especially for those who would like to start their own blog. Other experienced bloggers can give you far better tips than mine, but first, before you start your blog establish your WHY.
Have a great day everyone!
