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5 ways bloggers can be successful in 2019

by Jodi Shaw January 27, 2019

I started blogging 9 years ago. Wow! I can hardly believe it. Back then I was a fish in a very small pond able to swim and work with whomever I wanted. Blogging back then was a dream job that didn’t require very much attention, just writing.

Nowadays with so many social media and brand influencers, that pond has grown into an ocean where survival of the fittest is a must, especially if you want to stand out amongst the crowd. But how can you as a blogger get noticed with so many other bloggers doing the same thing you are?

By marketing yourself as a blogger that’s how.

Understanding Your Readers

Marketing yourself as a blogger isn’t as simple as just leaving a comment on another person’s site. Not anymore. Posting on social media has become a prerequisite to working with brands. Algorithms have changed. Some platforms are more popular than others, and it is your job to figure out what is the most popular, what works and what your readers want from you.

One of the most important things you can do as a blogger is get to know your readers. Knowing your readers, who they are, what they like, their age, shopping habits, if they have kids or not is an important part of becoming successful as a blogger.

You wouldn’t pitch a doll making machine to a group of motorheads, would you? Or share parenting tips with those that don’t have kids. Get to know your readers. Take some polls on social media asking them questions. Find out what they like and don’t like. This will go a long way in helping you understand your readers and what motivates them to read your blog. It will also help you understand what type of content you should be blogging about.

Know Your Content

Knowing and understanding what content you are producing that is popular will go a long way to helping you get noticed as a blogger in 2019. Some bloggers have a niche such as they strictly blog about food, kids, budgeting. Or maybe they only focus on doing reviews. Other bloggers like myself are all in one. Being a lifestyle blogger is a bit more difficult as I often blog about a variety of topics.

How can you know what to blog about?

Read what is going on. Read what people are talking about. Read what the hot topics are and then choose stories to weave around those topics to interest your readers by doing one important thing. Answer a question they might ask.

For example, several of my friends were discussing online how difficult it is to get teachers to help their kids with disabilities when back to school comes. It was a truly hot topic at the beginning of that year. So I decided to write an article on How to Help The Teacher Cope With Your Child’s Disabilities. It was very well received and talked about after writing it. This is what you want to do to be successful as a blogger and help market yourself so you can be successful and give your readers what they want.

Don’t Be Afraid To Get Personal

When I first started blogging it was to share and connect with others like myself who had a child with disabilities. But then as time went on and I began working with brands, I kinda lost my way. I spent too much time focused on doing reviews and sharing my opinion (which I still believe is important) on what those brands could offer my readers, instead of talking about how those brands helped me personally.

Don’t be afraid to connect emotionally with your readers. Getting to know your readers is important, but it’s equally as important for them to get to know you. It’s okay if you want to share happy times, down days, photos of your family, places your visited. Let your readers take a peek into your world. Only then can you truly connect and become successful blogging and sharing.

Find Your Voice

The final way a blogger can become successful in 2019 is to or you to find your voice. Sharing and developing your voice is an intrical part of marketing yourself as a blogger and understanding how this can shape your future.

Nancy of Behram shares an article on how your voice is an important part of branding and working within PR agencies to make that connection with your readers you want to make. The more the readers get to know your voice the more successful your partnership for the future will be, especially when determining what sort of brands your voice and readers will love.

So there you have it. Just a few simple ways to help you market and grow your brand, voice and yourself in order to be successful this year when moving your blog forward.

Don’t get down if you don’t see the connection or numbers right away. Marketing yourself online isn’t an easy job. It takes time, consideration and understanding the core value of what it is your readers want and what you wish to share with them. Figure that out and success will be yours!

How Do You Market Yourself As A Blogger? Share your tips below so we can all benefit from learning and growing.

January 27, 2019 0 comment

Life

5 Online Resources That Can Help You Start A Business

by Jodi Shaw June 11, 2018

written by Jodi Shaw

It can be scary when you decide to start your own business. In order to start a business, proper planning and budgeting are important. There are many things for you to consider, such as how to get capital you need to start a business, and having the proper identification like your social security number or SIN number when seeking financial resources online. If you do not have a social security number or SIN, you can apply for one online at applicationfiling.com. This is also useful if you require a replacement card or number. Here are 5 online resources to help you start a business.

June 11, 2018 0 comment

Life

Don’t Let Fear Stop You From Achieving Your Goals

by Jodi Shaw December 12, 2017

written by Jodi Shaw

When I was twenty-two years old, I wrote my very first romance novel. All I dreamed of being was a writer. Ten years later, I wrote another book. Then another. And then a few more. Each one filled with unique characters. Each one sitting in a file on my laptop collecting cyber-dust.

I wasn’t afraid of failing. The truth was, I was afraid to succeed. I know that sounds silly, doesn’t it? I mean who doesn’t want success in their life? But fear of doing well, having others have expectations of me was what was holding me back. I would get anxiety just thinking about it.

Fear of Success Is Harder to Deal With Than Fear of Failure

Self-sabotage is the number one reason people fail. It’s easy to fail. Okay, maybe not for some. But honestly growing up we are constantly told as kids when we do something wrong. So failing just becomes a normal part of achievement. Fear is the enemy. That’s why today, I decided to ‘out’ myself and share my fears with you.

Putting Yourself on Display Even Successfully Can Render You Paralyzed with Fear.

Putting myself out there means opening myself up to being scrutinized and criticized on something I am truly passionate about and love to do. It’s like someone putting down my kids.

My temper rises and my ‘mama bear’ instinct to kick-ass shows up. It exposes me to new demands. I often wonder what if I can’t meet the challenges that face me? So, I just don’t take the risk.

Fear of Change and Being Someone Else Can Be Scary

When I think of authors like Stephanie Myers and J.K. Rowling. Two women who fell into success overnight basically through their amazing storytelling.I look at them today, and I’m grateful it’s not me. Not that I am saying I’m as good of a writer as they are.

I have days where I can’t string two sentences together and need the help of places like http://domyspeech.com to give me some creative insight. But grammar checkers, online plot helpers and even advice from professional writers cannot force you to reach our goals when fear is a blinding wall of darkness surrounding you.

When I think of successful people, writers, actors, politicians, anyone famous, it’s frightening to think of losing myself and becoming someone else within the process of finding success. But change means growing. Change, means expanding. It’s about embracing all the good things you know about yourself and adding to them. Not taking them away.

I guess I’m afraid that if I become successful in my writing, it will mean more demands will be put on me. But then hubby says that’s not true. The only demands to be put on me are those I put on myself. I still have choices to make, and I have to be comfortable making those choices. More choices can lead to a richer life.

So How Can You Stop Yourself From Being Afraid of Success?

Boost your confidence by reminding yourself daily you are worth it.
Join a network in the field you hold interest or passion in for support.
Remind yourself what success can bring you – more choices = more opportunities in your life to grow and expand who you are.
Remind yourself you are doing this for you and nobody else. Other people’s opinions matter but they shouldn’t change your want to meet your goals.
Trust yourself more with what you know about yourself in being honest with yourself.
Think of criticism and opinions like building blocks to the structure you’ve already built. They can only make it stronger if you allow them to be part of the foundation.

Do you have a fear of succeeding at something? What tips do you offer to those who do?

December 12, 2017 0 comment

Life

Is Hot-Desking The New Office Trend?

by Jodi Shaw December 20, 2016

written by Jodi Shaw

If you are unfamiliar with the term ‘hot-desking’, you aren’t alone, despite the fact the term has been around for a while. Hot-Desking is the practice of allowing more than one employee to use the same physical workstation as everyone else, usually at different times and on a reservation basis to help reduce the amount of resources needed to accommodate employees working different shifts.

It’s hard to argue against cost reduction through space savings that hot-desking provides, especially when real estate and work space prices are at a premium. Hot-desking allows companies to get more bang for their buck. But could there be a downside to hot-desking? Here are some things to consider and why I and many others don’t particular like the idea of sharing space.

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Workstations are Unhygienic

It can’t be proven that hot-desking is a breeding ground for unhygienic workspaces. However the chances are greater when sharing workspace with larger flows of workers on a regular basis. Eventually an illness might be transmitted from one person to another, even if employees are encouraged to wash their hands frequently to avoid transmission of those illnesses. Some studies show that the typical office keyboard contains more germs than a toilet seat. Although bacteria and viruses can’t live for long periods of time on non-organic materials like plastic. The flu virus can survive on a hard surface for a whopping 24 hours.

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Hot-Desking Can, At Times, Be Inefficient

The office instant messaging tool may solve many communication problems, but there are times, according to hot-desk detractors, where a face to face encounter is a must. Not knowing where a person is sitting from one day to the next can lead to wasted time searching for the individual – especially for new employees.

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Lack of Designated, Personal Space Can Make an Employee Feel Disassociated with the Company

Things like family photos and personal mementos can help an employee make a workstation their own (and foster a sense of belonging within the organization), but those that are constantly in a state of flux are much less likely to bring these items in on a daily basis. When I worked for a company hot-desking, I never really felt part of the company or the team. I always felt disorganized and truthfully like I was more a number than a productive and important member of the company.

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Hot-Desking Can Be Frustrating When Adjusting Your Workstation’s Ergonomics

It stands to reason that one of the benefits of a permanent workstation is that the employee has the ability to set the physical characteristics of the space as they see fit in order to lower the chances they’ll suffer from carpal tunnel or other repetitive motion disorders. It doesn’t take a great deal of imagination to surmise that an employee that’s taken the time to find the sweet spot of the adjustable height workstation or other office furniture or accessories won’t be thrilled at the idea of having to share a workspace with someone else.

Hot-desking, as an idea, isn’t a bad one. It seems however that the more you delve into it, any potential savings in cost are quickly offset by the negative impact it could have on your workforce.

What do you think about hot-desking? Have you ever worked for a company where hot-desking was the setup? Share your opinions with us in the comments below and please share our article. Thanks!

December 20, 2016 0 comment