We are about our business. Blogging is a business. So, let’s chat. If you have been following my blogging tips or Pinterest blog ideas board, you know I have been working to create an enjoyable and substantial experience here. One of the things I enjoy about blogging is the endless possibilities it can branch out to. From content series, collaborations, and expansions, there is always some experiment to tinker with and share. For example, I have been pushing myself to incorporate more visuals in all of my posts and I am enjoying the challenge of thinking outside of the box when I write.
With that being said, as lovely as all of this content is, we all would like to be paid for our brilliance. Understandable. As the blogosphere has evolved over the past few years, I have noticed a trend for uniform monetization. Advertisements, affiliate programs, and sponsored posts are level 1 and webinars, e-courses, and e-books are level 2. Additionally, if you are not interested in being a life coach, blog coach, or some coach, you can sell mugs or planners with cute quotes. Now, I salute all the bloggers out there who are providing these services or learning how to provide these services. You are changing the face of entrepreneurship and dissolving barriers.
There are a few things I am not too keen about with this monetization trend. I feel like some of us have lost sight of the bigger picture. There are too many empty blog posts being written today. Must every post lead to a semi-sales pitch for a newsletter? Must all readers be lured as aimless consumers? Must all of our social media accounts be engaged robots? I think we need to create a balance.
As big as the web is, it has become saturated. As content creators, we are always thinking of the best way to share our work to reach the biggest audience. Even with the automated services, pre-scheduling strategies, and hashtag practices, are we willing to sacrifice our substance?
I do not have advertisements on my site (except for the little ones WordPress keeps to persuade me to upgrade to premium). The links in my life or style posts are not affiliated. I genuinely share other products or content because I think it is cool and figure you might like it too. My preference in monetizing, which might be influenced by my experience as a freelance journalist, is based on content and community. I prefer getting paid to produce work that is authentic to enhance my community. A digital influencer should not only direct you towards what to buy. The purpose behind our gifts stretches beyond that. The challenge is recognizing that value.
Again, blogging is a business. I am excited to see all the innovation growing from it. Maybe we can also re-define what kind of business it is.
What do you think about monetizing blogs? Do you treat your blog as a business? How do you balance the value of your content with the value of your profit? Let me know in the comments below.
Dagny Zenovia 