Around 3 years ago, when friends and readers ask me the question, “Is it still ideal to create my own blogsite?” My instant answer would definitely be a “Yes” but nowadays with the advent of technology and the popularity of other mediums, I find it hard to answer in an instant and would always ask the person their intention in doing so.
But is it really still good to create a website today? Continue reading and will tell you my thoughts about it.
I’ve been in the blogging industry since 2013, back then TikTok was not yet a thing. YouTube and Instagram were not yet a staple here in the Philippines. People are drawn to search online and read articles if they needed information. Hence blogging was a thing.
I was introduced to blogging by a friend who was already doing big at that time. Initially, my intention was to just document my activities and make my blog more personal, like a daily journal I could re-read over time. But an opportunity to earn came in. I’ve been invited to cover events in exchange for something in the hopes that the news could land on my website.
As to how I remember it, it took me a year or two before I receive that significant traction from readers. And since then I’ve been writing paid and personal articles almost every day.
But as technology progresses and other platforms become more mainstream, personal blogs have been put on the sideline. I am not saying that it’s dying, because as of this moment, I am still receiving writing projects and paid postings for the website. It is still relevant and useful for SEO purposes. It’s just that clients now have more options to reach their clientele. Hence, full-time bloggers tend to adapt to the change. You’ll see now bloggers turned vloggers, Instagrammers, TikTokers, etc., collectively becomes content creators, which has the main purpose to create contents online. Each has its purpose, advantages, and differences. The more you create a name on a platform the better you can land a good opportunity.
So going back to my original question, is it still relevant to do blogging in 2021? My answer would still be a big “Yes” but it comes with a why? Why did you choose to pick this platform? What would be your intention?
Because honestly speaking the blogosphere is a whole new world. You’ll need to learn a lot of things just to be able to do it. It is usually a one-man team of collecting data, taking photos, learning codes, SEO and most especially creating well-written content. I can describe writing a blog or an article as a pleasurable burden, it is tough most of the time but is also enjoyable to do.
As the quote says, “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Blogging is a hobby but could also be a job. It is a well-paying job that most of my blogger friends quit their day jobs and focuses on their blogs. Some just like me, keep the balance of both blogging and the corporate world, others do it as a therapeutic escape from reality. Hence, knowing your intention would really be important, because your drive to do it will be anchored to it.
If you decided to pursue a career in blogging, better learn everything from the ground up. It would be difficult at first but you’ll eventually reap the benefits over time. Opportunity in blogging comes in many ways, adding google ads on your blog for one can get you a head start on earning. Introduce yourself to the world by creating well written-SEO-rich content. But still do not forget to enjoy the whole process of creation.
And to help you started, here are some other tips that might be useful.
- Choose a platform you are comfortable using.
- Go and create evergreen content. These contents can help you rank in google search faster.
- Look for trends. Post it while it’s hot.
- Add google ads to your blog and/or apply in different influencer marketing platforms to possibly land projects.
- Make articles more personal and incorporates your experiences to make them more relatable.
- Enjoy creating.
