‘I’m SO blogging about this!’ read a keychain that a friend handed to me, laughing as she said, “This is you!” I forced a smile and replied, “That’s not really how it goes though.” Well, sometimes it is since I’m including this in my post, huh?
Blogging has become my occupation. It’s where I make money for our household, whether to pay off bills or to go out on dates with my husband. People often look at me sideways when I say I’m a blogger, especially if it’s as an answer to do a job question. I’ve started adding more to my brief explanation by saying something like, “It’s not just writing about how my kids are cool or something, I get paid for writing reviews.” This seems to help people understand a little better but even then, I get so many questions on how it works or what I do and how I started. I thought maybe it would be fun to do one post attempting to explain how the process works and why I call it a job.
How I Got Started
I used to blog for fun because I enjoyed writing and felt that I needed to really exercise my mind once in a while. While pregnant with my third, I made a friend who ran a very successful blog called Everything Mommyhood. I asked her how she got to that point and for tips. She told me to begin by reviewing products in my household to establish somewhat of a review portfolio. I wasn’t feeling confident in myself. I felt like nobody was paying attention to my blog and I didn’t know how to get them to.
It turned out, somebody was! An acquaintance from high school (who has since become a friend) was friends with me on my Facebook and noticed that I had an affinity for writing. She reached out to me to offer me the job of contributor at a blog she was managing, Eighty MPH Mom. She taught me the ropes and explained everything at length, then it took off from there!
How the Process Works
First, there is the discussion with public relations representative of the company to talk about the details of the product. To get to this point, I’ve either searched far and wide to find the company rep’s contact information or they have contacted me, requesting for me to review them. Since I am still small, it is usually the first for me. I go back and forth in e-mails discussing my follower numbers and the terms of our agreement. I talk about which products I’ll review, the estimated post date, links and promotions they’d like included, whether or not they’d like to sponsor a giveaway for additional exposure, etc.
Once I receive the product(s) for review, I DO NOT TOUCH them until I am ready to stage the first photographs! If it’s a kit or something with multiple parts, I need to take out each piece and display it in an organized fashion. I have to make sure I’ve got good lighting and a decent background. I take multiple photos from several angles in an attempt to get that “picture perfect” shot. If it’s a product that I can photograph in use, I do that as well. I’ll have the children stand in front of a pretty background to model clothing or take a before and after picture to show the effectiveness of a product.
Some products are a little more difficult than others, like the time it was rainy and cold but I had to take pictures of grilling tools in use or receiving a huge batch of makeup and trying to find time to doll up with it each day, taking step-by-step photos every time. I need to resize and edit each picture that I’m using, sometimes adding watermarks. For giveaways, I have to make an attention-grabbing photo and be sure to include informative text, like what the giveaway is for and when it ends.
Writing the post seems simple enough but there’s a bit more to it. First, there are all of the rules. By FCC laws, I have to include a disclaimer that states that I’ve received the product for free in exchange for or payment for my review. As per Google rules, my links in a sponsored review post should be “nofollow” so I have to include that HTML in there. I’ve got to include links for my readers to connect with the company on social media, and also where and for how much they can purchase the product. I write about the background of the product and company, as well as my experiences with the product. I set a goal of 500 words minimum for myself to make sure that I’ve covered it thoroughly.
Search Engine Optimization is intricate and important. Keywords, descriptions, specified topics, there’s a lot to it. I use a plug-in to help me make sure that I am getting the maximum about of SEO on each post that I make.
I promote my posts on every social media possible, although I recently learned that it’s important not to share them on all social media pages at once but staggered so that it isn’t repetitive for someone who may follow you on more than one of your pages. Currently, I use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (my favorite!), Pinterest, and I try to use Google+ but often forget it’s there because it just seems so dead. At a blog conference recently, we were told that sharing to Google increases the chances that you will appear in search so it’s important to try and share to Google+!
If the post has a giveaway attached, I set up the giveaway and likely use a giveaway widget. I add as many options as possible to encourage further interaction with the brand for additional entries in the giveaway. Upon completion of the giveaway, I see who has been chosen as a winner and verify that they entered properly. I contact them to inform them that they have won and give them a limited amount of time to reply so that I can promptly send their information to the representatives for prize fulfillment.
Keeping It Up
Blogging is a constant thing, like any other job. I have to keep up with it on a regular basis. I have to produce content that will interest my readers, such as recipes or DIY projects for my blog specifically. I keep a notebook by my bed so that I can jot down late-night ideas and I also have an app on my phone to take any notes that might come to me while I am out and about.
Networking is extremely important to me. I am in a lot of groups to connect with other bloggers and we follow and interact with each other, sharing posts and promoting each other back and forth. To go further, there are guest posting opportunities and group giveaways, among so many other fun ways to get involved in the blogging community.
Recently, I attended my first blog conference to gain some knowledge on how to best reach my audience and get myself out there. I met up with some new and interesting brands and exchanged business cards with fellow bloggers. This is something I think is important to stay involved with also, to keep up with changing media and learn as much as possible, plus constantly expanding my network.
The Cost of Blogging
I try to keep my costs down for now and it fluctuates from blogger to blogger, depending on their personal budgets and needs. I currently only pay for my domain and hosting. There are a few image editing programs that cost and many go as far as to get Photoshop, which is obviously costly but worth it, as I’m told. You can pay for a designer to create your logo and website, which I may consider doing at some point. There are paid plug-ins that people find absolutely essential to the blogging experience. Blogging is also recognized as a personal business by the IRS and you are expected to claim the items and money you receive on your taxes, if they surpass a certain amount.
Blogging is Work
In summation, blogging is a job. I work hard to put myself out there and set my best foot forward, cranking out posts even on days when my brain wants to shut down and drool. Brainstorming is a constant. Posts can take up to hours at a time, between set-up, delivery, and promotion. If asked, I will absolutely tell you that blogging is my occupation…but I will also tell you that it’s my dream job. I can dote on my children or share learning experiences that might help others, try new things and share my thoughts on them, be that person who tells someone who “never wins anything” that they’ve finally won something, make new friends, and so much more. I never knew that blogging could be so much fun and require such diligence at the same time. It is the coolest work-at-home job I could dream of and my goal is to educate and inspire others, whether it’s to become a blogger or to make a tasty blueberry crisp!
Did I cover everything? Is there anything I missed? Do you have a question about blogging that I can answer?
