How to Become a Successful and Professional Blogger

How to become a blogger? Quite easy. You just create a blog and write content.

However, how to become a successful blogger like Iwan Banaran or Sugeng Riyadi, is certainly not that simple. Many things need to be done to achieve success. This is what not everyone knows.

Well, in this article we will invite you to take a peek at the secrets of how to become a professional blogger. Starting from efforts to prepare a blog properly to strategies to get profits as a blogger.

Curious, right? Let’s see more!

What Preparation Should Be Done?

Believe me, there is no way to become an instant successful blogger. All must be done gradually and must start with good preparation.

The following are the various preparations you need to do when building your first blog:

1. Set Goals

Knowing the purpose of blogging is the way to become a good beginner blogger. This is the first step that you should not just miss.

By having a goal, you know how the blog will be built. And, in which direction the blog will be developed.

This is important because blogging is not an activity that will show results in a day or two. It takes continuous effort to make it big.

What are the goals of blogging activities? To develop writing skills, share information with others, and earn online.

Whatever your goal, write it down at the beginning of building a blog.

2. Determine the Topic

There are so many blog topics that you can choose from. However, that doesn’t mean you can cover all topics and create a hodgepodge or mixed blog, right?

You simply choose one of the subjects as a topic. Then, develop the topic for the long term.

Choose a blog topic that matches your interests and expertise. Thus, there is no boredom when managing a blog or running out of ideas when it comes to writing content.

In addition, choose a topic that the community needs the most. This you usually know from the number of searches performed on search engines.

The topics we mean here are not only about technology, culinary, fashion, and others. However, these topics can be in the form of more specific discussions, such as book reviews, movie recommendations, to various productivity tips

3. Choose a Blog Platform

Choosing a blog platform is an important part of how to become a successful blogger. Because choosing the wrong platform will hinder the development of your blog.

There is currently a large selection of platforms available. Choose according to your goals and skills. For beginners, using a CMS (Content Management System) platform is the best choice.

WordPress is one of the CMS that you can use. This platform makes it easy for you to be able to manage your blog even without coding skills at all.

Not only that, WordPress is a search engine-friendly platform. That is, it will support your blog to be able to appear on the main page of Google more easily.

9 Ways to Become a Successful Blogger

There are at least nine ways to become a successful blogger that you need to know. Do all of these ways, but start with what you think is easiest first.

1. Improve Writing Skills

Articles are the main product of your blog. If you have good writing skills, the articles you make will be of high quality.

It’s a shame if you have a unique blog topic and useful information but can’t convey it well?

Keep in mind that writing skills must always be honed. So, this method applies to those of you who have just created a blog or who want to improve the performance of their blog.

What needs to be done?

• Use simple explanations. The goal, so that your article can be understood by more people. Because your readers may come from various circles with different levels of understanding.
• Use short sentences and paragraphs. Paragraphs that are too long (wall of text) are often an obstacle for readers to get the desired information.
• Avoid empty sentences. Sentences that do not provide important information should not be used. Remember, readers, come to your blog for the information they need.
• Pay attention to the structure of the article. Not everyone reads your article in its entirety. Not infrequently they just skim (read quickly) to find important information only. To make it easier for your readers, use headings to separate topics. With a good structure, your articles will be easier to understand.
• Limit to a specific topic. Creating articles with specific topics helps readers focus on certain information. If you feel a topic is too broad, break it up into separate articles. Then, relate to each other.

By doing the various ways above regularly, your writing skills will increase and can be a way to become a good blogger.

2. Manage Time Well

This method is not exclusive to bloggers. However, many bloggers fail to achieve the expected results due to errors in time management.

You might ask: “When is the best time to blog?”

Blogging activities are not binding to be done at a certain time. However, the sheer number of things to do makes timing important.

So, you can know when it’s time to plan content, write articles and do blog optimization steps.

Here are some tips on how to become a successful blogger in terms of time management:

• Define your post target. By knowing the purpose of the target post, you can find out how much time you need to spend blogging. For beginners, you can try with one post per week.
• Maximize your productive time. Do work in your productive time for better and faster results. For example, many bloggers can write better in the morning. Not infrequently who can write faster at night? Whenever your productive time, use it well.
• Jot down content ideas at any time. Not infrequently you get inspiration for content ideas while working on other activities. Does not matter. Take notes first, then develop at the right time.
• Do some of the same. Doing several jobs at the same time can increase the efficiency of your work. For example, at one time you can focus on creating multiple drafts of content. Other times, you can make image optimization efforts in several articles.

If you can manage your time well, there will be more blogging activities that you can do. Thus, you have applied the right way to become a professional blogger.

3. Keep Learning New Things

Blog visitors not only come to get useful information, but also new information.

So, if you want to get an increasing number of visitors, always learn new things. That way, you can continue to create unique content that is interesting to read.

You can learn new things by doing your experiments or reading from books or other official sources.

For a blogger, there are several main things you can learn as a way to become a successful blogger, including:

• Editing photo. With the ability to make photos look attractive, it will be easier for you to make illustrations. While you don’t have to create all of the images on your blog yourself, this ability will make your blog unique.
• coding. You can indeed run a blog without coding skills. However, for some vital things like blog performance and security, knowing a bit of coding can help.
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The science of SEO is always changing so you have to keep updating with the right blog optimization method. The goal, to make your blog can still appear on the main page of search engines.
• Build networks. It is impossible to achieve success as a blogger without the support of good connections. Especially, with fellow bloggers. Knowing what to do to build a network can help you be recognized on a wider scale.

You certainly know what other things you need to learn according to the topic of the blog you are building. Do this regularly.

4. Communicate Well

Mistakes to build communication with readers can be an obstacle in how to become a successful blogger.

Professional bloggers know this and are always trying to improve their communication efforts with their audience.

Communication as a blogger with the main audience is done through the comments column. Although there can also be questions submitted through your blog’s social media account.

Here are some things you need to pay attention to when building communication with your audience:

• Try to reply to all comments. Unless it’s spam, all comments you receive need to be responded to properly. For that, schedule a special time to check all incoming comments.
• Reply to the comment yourself. Many software can reply to incoming comments automatically. However, it’s best if you answer all the comments yourself. In addition to a more precise answer, closeness with the audience can be built well.
• Reply to comments sufficiently. Answer visitors’ questions briefly and clearly according to the topic being discussed. There is no need to expand into other unnecessary discussions.
• Use simple language. If forced to use jargon or abbreviations in responding to comments, provide an easy explanation. This is to make sure your answer can be understood by as many people as possible.

Respond to comments politely. Not infrequently you do not agree with the comments given by visitors. Keep answering politely with the reasons for your disagreement.

5. Build an Extensive Network

You may be able to create your content. However, to develop a blog, collaborating with other parties can be a fairly effective strategy

Why is that?

You can make blog promotion efforts easier. Because, without promotion, the time it takes to make your blog big will be longer.

Not only that, but you can also get useful information in the form of solutions to blogging problems that you encounter.

To be able to build a wide network, what do you need to do?

• Join the community. the blogger community began to be found. For example, Beauty Blogger, and others. By joining the community, you can get many benefits.
• Start by sharing. Before you get the benefit of the other party, share important information with others first. You can answer questions from other members on the forum. You can also share links to relevant community member blog articles.
• Offer collaboration. Feel free to invite other bloggers to create content together. Especially, bloggers who have advantages in one particular topic. Another way, you can write articles on their blogs aka guest posts.
• Don’t be limited to one topic. Establish communication with many bloggers even with topics that are not the same as yours. Even though you can’t collaborate on content right away, you can still exchange information about blogging.

By implementing the steps above, it will be easier for you to build a wider network and make your blog bigger.

6. Stay Productive

Blog by default will display the most recent posts above. If visitors only see old posts, the impression that arises is that your blog is not managed properly.

Therefore, be productive and update your blog regularly.

Of course, being a productive blogger is not easy. Especially, for new bloggers. Fortunately, there are various ways to become a productive blogger. Here’s what needs to be done:

• Use templates. To create articles more quickly, use a template that includes formatting settings for certain post types. You can create more than one template. That way, you don’t have to create every piece of content from a blank page.
• Make a mind map. Running out of ideas can be one of the causes of your productivity stalling. If you have a well-documented idea map, your content plan will be more organized. Using a mind map is a way to become a productive blogger.
• Use the Pomodoro technique. Out of every 30 minutes you create content, set aside a dedicated 5 minutes for a break. Can be used to reply to WA messages, check email, wash hands, and more. That way, you can focus on 25 minutes to complete the content.
• Create project management. In addition to managing work time, organize your work by type. For example, divide it into 3 types: planned, in progress, and completed. You can use apps like Trello to monitor your productivity. So you can know how much is pending or has been completed within a certain time.
• Perform content updates. If you haven’t come up with ideas for new content, update your old content. The step of updating content is also part of the productivity of a blogger. Content that is always up-to-date can increase the credibility of your blog.

7. Always Creative

One of the reasons visitors come to your blog is that it provides useful information, which is not found on other blogs. So, being a creative blogger will help the blog’s success

Blogger creativity can be shown in several ways, including:

• Share new information. Writing new information that has never been created can be an effective blogging move. Of course, this must be supported by sufficient knowledge. You can research other sources or do your experiments. For example, you can create articles “Tips to Whiten Skin without Cosmetics” or “Tips to Lose Weight without Strict Diet”, and others.
• Use a new approach. Even if your information is the same as other blogs, a different way of delivering it can be a good blogging strategy. This can be a way to become a successful blogger.
• Take advantage of supporting media. If so far other blogs only offer explanations with text, you can complement your explanations with videos, infographics, and more. Not only that, if articles on other blogs only allow readers to read online, you can create an ebook version. The goal, so that it can be read anytime anywhere offline.

You certainly also have other tips to be creative, right? Whatever it is, use it to make your blog grow better.

8. Consistent

Having consistency is the main secret of how to become a successful blogger. The reason, blog success takes time.

For beginner bloggers, this is not easy. After struggling to create content and only getting a few visitors can be frustrating. Not infrequently, most beginner bloggers, do not want to continue the process.

Even though the success of a blog can only be achieved if you stick to the plan you made and run the plan until it succeeds.

For beginner bloggers, this is not easy. Knowing that the blog is only visited by a few visitors can certainly reduce the enthusiasm to continue to create content.

Here are some tips to be consistent in blogging activities:

• Start with small targets. Setting a high target at the beginning of building a blog is not a good idea. Because, if you don’t get it, you might be bored and disappointed. It’s best to start with realistic targets. Then slowly increase the target. This target can be the number of words you write, the number of posts per week to the number of visitors per month.
• Schedule posts. If your posting schedule is once a week, then do it according to that plan. This means that even if you have completed 2–3 pieces of content, keep publishing according to your original plan.
  Create a writing habit. Doing activities regularly until it becomes a habit will certainly be easier to implement. No exception writing habits for your blog. If you have enjoyed the content creation step, this will no longer be a burden for you.
• Perform measurement results regularly. One of the things that keep you motivated to create content is when you achieve results. Therefore, measure the results of what you have done. For example, whether your daily word count target was met, or whether your monthly visitor count target was as desired.

With these efforts, your blogging efforts can be more consistent. This is your provision to be a successful blogger.

9. Avoid Beginner Blogger Mistakes

The last way to become a successful blogger is to avoid beginner mistakes when building a blog.

Most newbie bloggers make almost the same mistakes. By knowing these mistakes, you can avoid them so that your blog-building efforts can be more effective.

What are these errors?

• Wrong choosing a blog domain name. It should be noted, the domain name for your blog is very important because it is related to your online identity. If something goes wrong, inevitably, you have to start all over from scratch. If the blog is used to support business, this will certainly cause losses.
• Wrong intent. Creating a unique blog is a must. However, you need to keep an eye on what visitors want. For example, if visitors like the simple look of your blog, don’t make your blog full of annoying animations and knick-knacks.
• Using a bad hosting service. Ease of accessing your blog is the key to visitor trust. If your blog is slow or difficult to access, visitors may not want to come to your blog again. If supported by an optimal hosting server, the success of your blog can be increased.
  Violating copyright. Everyone else’s work should be appreciated. Both in the form of articles, pictures, and others. If you are using photos from other parties, make sure to get permission first. If using from a free source such as Pixabay, include the name of the author according to the provisions.
• Ignore SEO. Search engine optimization is very important for a blog to grow. If the SEO efforts are made right, it will increase the number of visitors to your blog. However, many beginner bloggers only write content without taking into account the SEO factor. As a result, the progress of the blog becomes slow because the number of visitors does not quickly increase.
• Lack of patience in the process. Many beginner bloggers expect instant results from their blogging activities. In fact, as the number of blogs increases, the competition is certainly getting tougher. That is, it takes extra effort and the right strategy to make your blog stand out from the rest. In addition, getting loyal visitors also requires perseverance in creating interesting content.

Try to avoid beginner blogger mistakes at the beginning of your blog building. That way, efforts to make your blog big can be done in a faster time.

3 Advantages of Being a Blogger

You already know how to become a successful blogger. Then, what exactly are the advantages of being a blogger?

Knowledge Increase

As a blogger, you certainly have to do some research when writing articles. Without you knowing it, your knowledge will increase. Because you will certainly study a topic seriously to be able to create quality content.

As time goes by, you are certainly learning new things more often to support the information in your blog content. Compared to conventional learning methods, managing a blog will encourage you to continue to learn new things without getting tired.

Considered an Expert on a Topic

The more you learn about a topic, the more you will master the topic. Not infrequently, you will become a reference for information by your readers. In a broader scope, you will be considered an expert on a topic.

One example is blogger Iwan Banaran who was a commentator on automotive shows on national TV. This is of course thanks to his deep knowledge of automotive which is shown through various articles on his blog.

Earn Money

You can earn from a blog. This is one of the advantages of being a blogger. You don’t have to wait for your blog to get big to get these benefits.

Where can you get money from blogging? There are many ways that you can use it. Here are some examples:

1. Advertising

Showing ads is the most widely used way to earn income from blogs.

As a blogger, you simply join one of the advertising platforms, then add a script to your blog. The platform you use will then display ads according to the topic of your blog.

The results you get depend on the type of ad served. If the type of CPC (Cost Per Click), you will get money when the ads on your blog are clicked by visitors.

One of the advantages of being a blogger is getting income from advertising.

In addition, the price of each ad click is different, depending on the topic of your blog. For example, if the topic of your blog is about cell phones and shows a lot of cellphone ads, of course, the price per ad is higher than a blog about children’s toys.

If you are interested in this method, you can sign up for the advertising platform first.

2. Affiliate

You can earn huge income from affiliates. John Chow is an example of a blogger who uses this method and claims to earn up to $83 thousand per month.

The essence of affiliate activities is that you will get a commission from every sale of other parties’ products by using a special code, affiliate link, or banner that you place on your blog.

The commission you receive is determined by each platform you follow. Some give 10% or 25% of each successful sale.

3. Endorsement

You are certainly familiar with this term. Endorsement is a way of promotion by reviewing a product.

If your blog is successful, you will often be contacted by other parties to promote their products. If you agree with the cooperation offered, you will get money from the promotions carried out.

As a blogger, you simply create an article that describes the product. Starting from the various features it has and its advantages.

Don’t worry about the results you get. If they are satisfied with your efforts, the value of their cooperation may increase. This means that you will get more money.

4. Selling Products

If you have a business, you can use a blog to increase online sales. Whatever the type of product, both goods and digital.

For example, you can sell clothing products on your blog which provides a lot of the latest fashion tutorials. This kind of blog is certainly the most attractive to potential consumers. The reason is, in addition to getting a good product, they can ask about these trends on your blog.

If you have writing skills, creating an ebook can be an option. This step is certainly easier for you than having to involve publishers in printing physical books.

5. Offer Services

Blogs can be a way of making money by offering your expertise.

For example, if you have expertise in coding, you can offer website creation services to your visitors. However, of course, you must be able to show your skills through the blog first.

By creating interesting and solution-based content, it will be easier for you to convince potential customers of your expertise.

Blogs can be a way of making money by offering your expertise.

If you have expertise in coding, you can offer website creation services to your visitors. However, of course, you must be able to show your skills through the blog first.

By creating interesting and solution-based content, it will be easier for you to convince potential customers of your expertise.

Closing

You have learned many ways to become a successful and professional blogger. This can be your provision when you want to build a good blog.

You are certainly getting excited to immediately manage your blog for a long time. Moreover, after understanding the advantages of being a blogger, it turns out that there are quite a few. The main thing is to earn money online.

There are many ways to earn money from blogs. Starting from advertising to selling products. Decide which one best fits your skills. And, achieve online success with the blog!