Blogging is a great way to make some extra money. Being able to do something you love is a great way to work, and because it’s your content and your ideas, your passion will shine through.
But blogging success doesn’t always happen overnight. It takes time to grow your blog to the point where you can make a good income from it. It takes some dedication and a lot of patience, plus a few other tricks up your sleeve too.
Get the help you need to develop a fantastic blog with these 10 things you’ll find useful as a blogger.
Photo by Chris Adamus on Unsplash
1. A long list of blog ideas
When you first start your blog, you’ll probably be brimming with ideas. But sooner or later, writer’s block sets in. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a long list of blog ideas you can turn to the next time you’re short of content.
Get some help with this guide to thinking up a year’s worth of blog posts in an hour.
2. An Insta-worthy desk setup
Your work environment can have a big impact on the work you put out. Not only will a good desk help support you while you’re working, but a bit of inspiration around you will get the juices flowing.
As a bonus, a photo of your desk, or you at your desk, makes the perfect photo to accompany your blog or your social media promotions.
3. Some good glasses
Blogging involves a lot of time at your computer, or staring at your phone. It can also involve a lot of camera work if you decide to take photos yourself. Some good glasses or contact lenses will be very useful to stop you from straining your eyes. Choose styles that are light and comfortable, especially if you’re not used to wearing them. It’s worth getting your eyes checked regularly to make sure you’ve got the right prescription for your eyes.
4. A grammar checker
Being a good writer and a good proofreader doesn’t always go hand in hand. It’s easy to forget to proof your work, or miss some things while reading back over your posts. An online checker like Grammarly is great for sussing out mistakes and making sure your content is readable.
5. A Pinterest account
Pinterest is a fantastic tool for promoting your blog. Provided you can create some engaging visuals to accompany your posts, you could easily secure more traffic to your website and help your blog become more well-known. Pinterest has recently introduced advertising tools, allowing you to create some paid-for promotion if you want to boost your blog.
6. A decent camera
Including photos in your blog is an easy way to enrich your content and break up the text a little too. The great news is that most phones do an amazing job at taking photos, meaning you don’t have to invest in a DSLR—unless you really want one! As an alternative, make sure you’ve bookmarked some good stock photography websites to help you find free photos for your blog.
7. Some blogger friends
While your friends and family might be impressed by what you do, they might not necessarily understand it! Having some blogger friends (either in real life or online) can help you share your blogging concerns, exchange advice, and support each other’s content. Check out Facebook for some excellent blogger community groups.
8. A good content marketing strategy
It’s one thing to be able to write good posts, but it’s another to market them effectively. You can create a content marketing strategy to establish different ways of promoting your blog posts, helping you find an audience and eventually monetize your blog.
9. Coffee
Blogging can be unpredictable, so you can expect some early starts, late nights and long periods of thinking. A good supply of coffee—or other beverage of choice—will be useful to help you stay sharp. Plus, are you even a blogger if there isn’t a half-drunk cup of coffee, tea, or water next to your computer?
10. A positive outlook
Blogging always looks glamorous on the outside, but the reality can be quite different. There may be times where you feel like you’re not getting anywhere, or that your content isn’t good enough. Keeping a positive outlook will help you make it through those tougher times so that you can celebrate all of your achievements as they happen.
Whether you decide to blog for yourself or you want to make blogging your career, if you work hard, you’ll achieve your goals. You’ll be sure to learn plenty of tips and tricks along the way that will help you find success as a blogger.
