The Importance of Blogging: Unlocking Opportunities in Digital Marketing
"A recent study reported that 77% of internet users read blogs. That means over three-quarters of the people on the internet are consuming blog content and gives you an idea of the massive scale on which blogging takes place.
But blogging is no longer the realm of individuals airing their hobbies or a place where businesses might release occasional news or updates — companies with blogs produce 97% more links to their sites. Regularly discussing striking topics expands your reach to other websites that may be sharing information about the same subjects.
The kind of content you will be looking to produce will be full of information and written to a high standard. This can proliferate an image of the author (or authors) and accompanying businesses as thought leaders in their particular area and industry. And the more potential customers trust a business, the likelier they’d be to invest or buy products."
III. Blogging as a Source of Passive Income
There are various strategies to monetize a blog, each offering unique opportunities for income.
One popular method is affiliate marketing. This is where you promote a company's products or services and you receive a commission for each sale made through your referral links. A travel blogger, for example, might partner with a hotel booking site in which they earn a certain percentage of each booking made through their affiliate links. One of my personal favorite bloggers, Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income, does an excellent job at this. He is very transparent; please review his website. He is a great example of how much money you can earn through affiliate marketing when done strategically and authentically.
Sponsored posts are another effective strategy to consider. This is where companies pay you (the blogger) to write about their products or services. This not only provides an opportunity to make a decent amount of money but also to work and collaborate with a company that you personally stand behind with confidence that they serve your target audience. A person who writes, for example, a health and wellness blog might partner with a juicer that they personally use and recommend to their audience so they create a "sponsored," blog post where they talk about the benefits of their juicer, they backlink the juicer's website, and possibly they provide a recipe or two. This is a fun way to make money! This strategy has been utilized by various influencers across various niches.
Of course, bloggers also utilize ad revenue to make money. Google AdSense is a popular platform. Bloggers make money when people view or click their ads. While this strategy might not be the highest income yielding strategy on the list, it is long-term sustainable and will accumulate over time. Bloggers who utilize this strategy have high amounts of web traffic to their blog. To increase potential profit, it is recommended to try diversifying this strategy in combination with the above 2 strategies.
Building your blog and investing in its evergreen content can also lead to long-term monetary success via passive income. Evergreen content refers to "old," content that has been strategically written to stay relevant so that people continue to read the posts long after their published date. As a result, there is an endless opportunity for bloggers to monetize old content and continue to make passive income for...until the end of the internet?
Eventually, by better understanding the blogging industry (especially which products sell well), you can learn how to make money while you "geek," out and while creating new content!
This potential is long-term sustainable, but many bloggers strategically use their audience as a protocol to, later, launch a business once the time is "ripe.''
Overall, monetization (of a blog) in general can revolutionize a person's financial lifestyle. Particularly through creating a post (such as "The Top 10 Ways to Make Money As a Blogger..."," "How to Start a Successful Travel Blog," or something else entirely), and, as a result, find personal financial success that way.
Similar to the above, established bloggers will utilize their respective platforms to monetize a digital product (like an e-book, course, membership site, or even niche coaching).
4.) Ad revenue.
5.) Passive income.
6.) Business.
I. Understanding Blogging
The act of creating and maintaining a blog – a website or online platform where individuals or organizations publish content on various topics – is known as blogging. Beginning as an online version of a diary or journal, users could easily express and interact with everyday thoughts and musings. In the years since, the medium, message, and indeed the art, of blogging have changed.
Blogs were originally pioneers of the digital marketing space. They were merely text. There were some images, and hyperlinks to outside sources were rare but fascinating when you finally understood what they were. In fact, blogs have been around since Adam. There were several platforms to start an account, but it really wasn’t until the late 1990s that there were enough early adopters for the emerging market to tip and really make a difference in the world. The year 1998 saw the birth of two of the more substantial platforms of the day – Blogger (now a Google product) and Livejournal, to name but a few. It was the number 5 most popular website. But then, social media came along and blogging exploded.
Similarly to websites in general at that point. But with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and, well, the subsequent multitudes of alt platforms to discuss, the floodgates well and truly exploded.
Personal bloggers took their general stream of consciousness to the next level. They began to write about a single subject of their choice. In a stream of thoughts. No, but really, they took a leave out of the book of guy who wanted to review fountain pens, and they focused on one thing, and one thing alone. Fitness. Music. Fashion. Food. Branding. Travel. Whatever that thing was, they were collapsing an industry and educating the world about its inner secrets. "Lifestyle" bloggers talked about anything (generally pretty), but even they began to ZERO IN.
On fad diets.
And neon swan.
They were "sponsored" by "big brands". People. PEOPLE! They were rewarded with gifts from "amazing sponsors". PEOPLE. LOOK AT BETHANY! -points
Standing in a parks' "pixel" nature reserve, in "nature reserve" "gear" + "freebies", Solemn standing & posing.
Chuckles
HumanAfterAll
Where was I? Ah, yes. Secrets.
Blogging is about branding. It's about "sharing secrets". Secrets NETWORK. - @WriterCMcKnight
II. Benefits of Blogging
"Regular blogging is an excellent way to improve your search engine optimization (SEO). Every business owner knows the importance of SEO, but few are aware of how influential blogging can be to your SEO efforts. Here are some reasons why:
Fresh Content: By having a steady flow of fresh content, you have an excuse to optimize for some important keywords.
Search engines prefer sites that are updated frequently, which will help increase your rankings. The more you rank, the more likely you are to be found by people searching for the products, services, or information you have to offer.
You have the opportunity to focus on long-tail keywords. People are often led to your blog from search engines when that blog post is about a keyword that only gets 10 searches a month. But if that searcher stays on your site, reads more blogs, becomes interested in your products, then ends up making a purchase, that’s a pretty good deal!
If you have quality content, it may earn you a link. We’ve talked about how valuable these backlinks can be, and getting other high-quality websites to link to your site is critical for SEO."
"This is called creating great content for your readers"
While creating content, don't forget about the benefits you can give your readers. One cool thing about having a blog means you can give your readers helpful tips they are searching for!
This is a great example of when I searched for a fun easy dinner idea."
"Shari's light-hearted personality makes her an excellent storyteller on Pinterest where she has a loyal following who anticipate her posts."
In Shari’s example, she took a boring topic, the dinner idea, in a blog post and made it sound windblown and fun. "PARTY" is an exciting word to use on Pinterest, and it invites people to click on it from Pinterest to her site to read the blog post and see the recipe. Brilliant e-commerce strategy with a simple blog post!"
"Looking past COVID-19, alternative vehicle sales are being driven in part by tightening emission standards aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions."
"Matt writes exquisitely in his blog, you feel like you're there. Experiencing LES from your home in Canada or Europe."
It feels like you're walking NYC with Matt. Done post after post, consistently, week after week, you want this brand.
The exact point of the brand, via his blog.
To get you a flight to NYC, as they also offer experiences.
Capture your customers in this way using your simple branding/blogging communication tool that anyone can afford."
"Yes, most definitely. Take a look at this video I posted on my Instagram page.""
"I'll admit access to the Tiffany's lamp was excessive. Everyone has access to a cell phone."
Here are a few thoughts in our sales increase for 2020..."
"Now, wouldn't you rather have that blog post that will live indefinitely on the internet at a cost of 1 hour your time?...or zero dollars? It's a very wise return on investment.""
"To understand the importance of a brand investment, I encourage you to read James Hammersley's presentation on Digital Transformation for CEO's, and rethink blogging for your business in 2022."
"In conclusion, regular blogging will boost your brand on multiple fronts. SEO is one of the most valuable areas it will impact. Keyword integration will make the greatest impact using this tactic. Fresh content is paramount to keep your brand updated.""
IV. Overcoming Common Blogging Challenges
Time control is vital to being the balanced blogger who wears many hats. Some of the things that have worked best for me in terms of time management include scheduling my time and knowing what should be done first.
If you follow any sort of "guru’s" advice on time management, they often say to schedule your time. I find that it works. I have my "writing" time, just as I have time blocked off for research and editing. If it’s in a cute little box on my Google Calendar, it’s easier for me to stick with it and get that work done. Tools like the "Due" app help me to set certain assignment deadlines for myself so I continue to stay on pace with my work.
The second part of this, knowing what should be done first, or recognizing your most important task, is crucial. For me, the task that often has the potential to pay me the most is the one I consider my most important task. I need to focus on creating content specifically for potential clients who might find my page and give me their business, which is why this post exists!
Come up with a few different article ideas every so often. For some reason, I’ve found that people have a difficult time trying to figure out topics to write about. Maybe you do too. If so, congratulations, you’re human!
If you want to create revenue from your blog, you need to consistently post content. Stay on schedule, and outline your blogs to make the best use of your time. Along with figuring out what to write about, you need to make sure that you stick to your writing schedule.
Your fans need to know when your next post is going to be, so make sure you stay consistent with your writing. Aim for always posting at least once a week, every week, preferably more. Or figure out a schedule that works well for you and your personal style.
You also need the flexibility to adapt if something comes up or something happens. Don’t be so hard on yourself for not getting things done that day. It’s okay to reschedule a posting day and instead spend time with a friend who needs you right now. Be kind to yourself, and continue writing whenever you can.
"Blogging" is a term that you are undoubtedly familiar with as a website manager. However, it might not be in your list of priorities. But did you know that blogging has some crucial advantages that can improve your website’s performance and visibility? Below, I will present my arguments and observations that will hopefully change your mind about blogging:
It helps your search
If there is a marketing tactic that can help your site more visible, you would undoubtedly want to learn. Well, that process is simply blogging. With every piece of content that you generate, it should be your goal to create something enumerate, thorough, and informative. Say that you are the manager of an "ecommerce" website. Publishing a blog advocating against shopping addiction is a good way to chase visitors away from your site. It simply sends the wrong message.
SEO works best when it is tricked into thinking that the content is specially made for readers, not search engines. So, every digital marketer must strive for this kind of interaction or engagement. Instead of directly saying “Buy this product or that product,” it would help if you can provide alternatives or supplementary content that will help visitors buy your product. This can be in the form of advice or tips. Remember, the goal here is to be enumerated and informative.
For a pet supply store, these can be some topics to blog about:
• The checklist to have when buying a new dog
• The ten most essential things a cat lover should have at home
• The best gift ideas for pets this Christmas
• The best ways to get on your new cat’s "good side" (it will also be cool to link to "How to Train Your Dragon" because we all know that cats are dragons in small quadruped bodies).
I just love doing it
Blogging is something very personal for me. In a way, it helped to keep my creative juices flowing. Most of my weekdays are composed of managing tasks and relationships. It is not so bad, but I would appreciate a creative outlet every now and then. And that is exactly what blogging does.
Blogging allows me to express my insights, observations, arguments, and reflections. Oftentimes, I can do this in a manner that does not require a lot of formality. So, it really contrasts against the role that I am forced to perform for the rest of the week.
I don’t want to miss out
The fear of "missing out" is a powerful psychological concept—and a scary one at times. But in this case, let me use it to illustrate my point. Every time that I see something great, memorable, or noteworthy about digital marketing, I like to remember it as much as I can. And considering that most of my time at work is spent in front of a computer, I believe that blogging these observations down is the best way to preserve these experiences.
For more than two years now, I added the habit of copying the URL of pertinent blog posts, articles, and social posts right before reading them. If the content is related to what I do, I usually make sure to have it documented inside a Google Docs or Google Sheets document for future reference.
I might not have a specific use for it yet, but I am fairly confident that I might need it later on. Especially when creating new posts, using these articles as references helps convince both returning and new readers that I am generating real, reliable content. In times when I have plenty of creative juices, writing everything from scratch is a piece of cake. But in days when I barely have the energy to stay productive for more than eight hours at a stretch, cheating from these articles helps me a lot.
I help others understand
For someone who manages learning materials (both digital and paper-based content), this blog blends fairly well with my vision. I always tell myself (and this applies to everyone working on a global platform) that I have an international audience. Of course, I am not expecting everyone in every part of the globe to be reading this entry right now. But still, imagining how at least one person in Europe is reading this content right now fills me with so much joy.
The fact staring us in the face is that written content is more respected and far-reaching than spoken content in my work. So, if I wish to make an impact in Fiji, my chances of speaking my thoughts directly to the island chain are very slim. After all, it would cost me an arm and a leg to go back to Fiji and afford only a pint of beer (even with my salary, it is a place I can visit only once a year).
So, instead of talking to anyone, we can reach out to many persons directly through "written" means (in this case, a blog). We potentially talk to persons in every internet corner in the world.
A blog gives me focus
There are thousands of digital marketing "best practices" out there. But there are very few tips and advice that people can give you about yourself. Blogging is kind of a time-lapse video move in slow motion. It lets me see the progress that I made over the past two years (five, if you count everything). And although it is not something quite visual to look at, it makes me content.
So, I implore you not to care what other people might perceive about your writing. Remember, everybody started somewhere, and this is your (and my) "somewhere." In the end, a blog post should be about yourself: What are your viewpoints? What are your arguments? What do you want to improve? Remember, writing with a pen is good; writing on a computer is better; but writing with a brain is the best.
A blog post helps me prepare for the future
There are still many things that I would like to do in the future. For those who have been lucky enough to meet me, I, without a doubt, am someone "eager to learn" new things. I am even convinced that where I live today is not the neighborhood that I will retire in (and I am not even afraid to admit of looking forward to retiring in another country).
Somehow, this blog serves as a reminder for me. When I am old, gray, and have nothing but time to relax, I intend to give this so-called “digital marketing” a time to rest (and literally rest).
I would really hate this scenario, but if I were to die today, at least there is written proof that I was the nerd who never stopped talking about digital marketing (and some proof that I was passionate about work, too).
To immortalize my thoughts, a blog is a very good strategy. What do you want people to perceive you as? If you wish to be remembered as an SQL master, a University CMS guru, a content extraordinaire, or a leading voice in the search profession, tell the world about it! A blog post is good for driving traffic, sure. But in the end, what people want to read about is who you really are. Or even who you desperately want to be in ten years’ time.
It enjoins people to leave comments
I need more people talking. Not anything specific or even related to what I do. But I just need someone to say that my cause or my efforts are meaningful to them. I just believe that I could change the world (even one person at a time) if I put my thoughts and emotions into these electronic "thoughts" that I am publishing.
Its purpose might not be so grand at all. But I strive to provide some sort of continuity in helpful and inspiring content—one of the reasons why I encourage people to like and comment on my blogs every time.
And if I have moved you in any way (preferably in a good way), please share this article (or you can just share it if you like the artwork that we included). Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter will do. I need YOU to tell me (and keep the ball rolling).
Anyway, the reality is that some blogs do serve a very specific "hidden” purpose. Frankly, this is very good for clever blog marketing. Now, is there anything that you would like to share in the comments? Hmm?
Every visitor matters
Of course, I am not discounting the fact that a blog is very good for driving sales organically. But still, we need to consider this: every person is different. Some people are more visual, while others can best perceive content orally. Others, who are more classic, respond better to reading. It is these people who we need to convert. In fact, never forget about these people the next time you release a blog post. In terms of keywords, they are more than just sales. They are supposed to be treated better by everyone. We are talking about our website users like they are actual, living, human visitors.
Every website user deserves good content. If it really matters for us to bring our website’s visibility to the top SERP (search engine results page) lines (or pages), the user intent must always be determined. It is what makes a professionally written blog stand out among others in its field. We want our next organic visitor to say, “Hey, this website is really good!” Otherwise, who are we even writing for?
This is a shoutout. I know you want to. There is nothing wrong with that. For any business, the chances of growing through digital means are very possible in this period. The digital market has evolved so much in recent years. Which is why we cannot just wait for more changes to happen. Now is the time for action. That is why we who work in digital marketing should do something about it. Because becoming "visible" on the net is not an overnight thing that happens. It is a long-term commitment. I know. Because I have been with it for ten years.
It pleases our partners
A blog is actually part of a chain. This chain leads to the buy-in of a new audience, while it offers more business with a partner in the long run.
Every time I write a blog (or manage one on a website), readers almost always look at our articles like they are looking for “someone.” If you heard these questions before, there is a good chance that it is being read by a curious reader who doesn’t know how he or she got there:
• “Do you think we can try doing this?”
• “What does our "CEO" think?”
• “Do you think there’s someone who has tried this before?”
I feel the voice of the "community"
At one point, I saw myself as a community "manager" because I was working for a certain company's support page. I was the guy who was expected to respond and help others when they needed it. It was not a hard or physically exhausting job. But I just felt the responsibility of officially living in a certain part of Canada where the internet service was better than ever. The same thing applies for university marketing, especially if the webpage generates quite the buzz and is expected to benefit (not just one content page or CMS).
University pages are short-tailed pages. I mean, it does not have to be "keyword" short, but… you get the point. I hope.
The odds are really high. Almost all university site managers—and exclusively, "students"—are on the marketing team by default. So a single website’s SEO longevity depends widely on the success of the website’s blogging journey. But along the way, almost everyone is required to link their SEO work to respective CMS departments. So, feasibly featured blog papers that are categorized into modules should have universities in mind.Resume applications (just like resume paper) are also recommended for this type of discussion. That way, you are “somehow” promoting work through the digital content industry.
Final thoughts
Ever wondered why I have always asked you questions the same exact way for two years on my office’s website? It is because that is precisely how I talk in a more informal context. Writing, like working, is very formal. I just cannot believe how my boss forces me to write something like:
“SEO is very important and beneficial for every site manager. As someone who deals with this often, and thanks to my last post, I am here to push you on your path forward.”
There are days when you just want to tell your boss:
“_!”
No. Just… No.
Let me start by telling everyone that writing for a school-related CMS platform is so frustrating. It is the stage that a lot of other marketing agencies don’t get. Universities in this day and age meet certain "norms" that (usually) prevent change from happening. I mean, only a few live people can relate to this: “Yeah, I know how you feel.
I feel like the professor who taught CMS readers 'how to do what' needs to realize this: whatever their first CMS professor said about being consistent in EVERY 'published idea' in this world is quite the NS for them. That would have been true if they were in China and only spoke English. I mean, we all know that that itself is very lonely.
These well-written blogs are, for the most part, just calm pieces that contrast with academic abstracts that are research-based materials. Yes, that is why you numbered them first and third persons. Again.
Never mind the persona. There is a good chance that there is always a “sense of persona” in each document. I mean, just be straight up honest about what you are writing. That is the reason Google endorses and employs people who are (usually) honest about their work. I just realized it one day… Google was a young lad who never fails to please. So I am forced to do it “according to how schools want it.” If we were to say that there is “this tactic” that is best for your site, let’s say that professional writing is… just blogging (quirky little devil, isn’t it)?
If you are the writer behind a deep-rooted company website (like a university), it must look awful reading an enumeration combined with a "#Topic-per-Heading" blog post. But all I’m saying is that a blog post "is" totally different from all other web marketing stuff. An undergrad’s senior thesis (much like my own) is also different from how everyone else in my "field" does work. And as I am trying to be as different as I can, I am also trying to evolve my style while staying the same (or being present until the end). That is the style of… my MASTER. Being plainly realistic and overly detailed is one of the ways to be different.
Going back to "topical relevance," these pages that a freshman in high school might "perceive”" as a blog necessarily differ from how Blogger’s clients do blogging. You should limit how you speak and stay away from writing something that says “avoid” in a shopping site. Be cause-specific. You should annoy niche haters, then you will win the hearts of local universities when it is "due." Just keep writing what you know—and be realistic about it.
The main reason why I wrote this piece of content is that I do not like rich ads that are mostly bold. All in all, I have attempted to disprove what people almost always request when doing SEO for blogs: "Be enumerated." I'd rather stay relevant—and "natural." The rest of this kind of people's perceived "online success" is (almost) reverse-engineered by blogging-type analysts. They do know-how drawing traffic usually goes, but what they usually cannot do is nurture the completion of an entire marketing funnels.
So in trying to… coexist “with how blogs are coded,” I wish to rewrite everything concerning strategy and digital marketing. Having the guts to rewrite history does not help much if the resources on your site are divorced from the content in all "study topics." I mean… again?
