How to Tell if a Blogging Gig is Right for You
As people who blog for a living, many of us have a hard to saying no to gigs, whether we’re right for them or not. We’ve discussed this before, but if you’re going to be talking about a particular subject day in and day out, you better be right for the topic. Accepting a gig that isn’t right for you only means both you and your readers won’t enjoy what you do.
So how do you know if a blogging gig is right for you?
1. You know and love your topic - When we talk about bloggers having passion, it’s because you have to absolutely love what you write about to talk about it several times a day. You have to know almost everything there is about your niche, the pros and cons, the other blogs on that topic, and you have to be willing to continue learning and talking about said topic in the years to come. And that’s really what it’s all about…knowing you can talk about your niche for years.
2. You can meet all expectations - Networks and clients all have different expectations. Some expect a post a day for a few days a week, and some require two to three posts a day for every business day. Before saying yes to a gig, ask yourself, "can I realistically write 30 blog posts a week about this topic?" Keep in mind that most bloggers aren’t only expected to write blog posts, they’re also expected to help bring in traffic. Do you have the time and wherewithal to pimp your blog on a regular basis?
3. You don’t hesitate before applying: You know how you just look at a job and say "that’s perfect!" without hesitation? The more time you spend hemming and hawing over whether or not you can handle a particular gig, the less likely it is to be something you can do day in and day out.
When we discuss finding the perfect writing gig at my blog Freelance Writing Jobs, many writers tell me they don’t have the luxury of finding only gigs that feature their areas of expertise and have to pay the bills. I can understand this, but I also believe with blogging it’s different. You really have to love what you do to do it every day. Otherwise, why leave your boring day job?
Have You Checked Back On That Blog Gig?
When applying for a blogging job, you need to treat it like any other job you might apply for.
This means that during the application process:
- You send the client what the client wants to see. Be it a resume, or short introduction letter.
- You don’t apply for jobs you’re not qualified for - if you can’t cook, you wouldn’t apply for a chef gig, so if you know nothing about Microsoft, don’t apply to write for a Microsoft blog.
- You don’t tell the client that they suck. When I worked with human resource departments in offline jobs related to health care and social work, we never got resumes from people that told us our company sucked. Yet, people find it ok to tell blog owners and networks this often. Why? Who knows, but it’s not cool. If a job sucks - don’t apply. Period.
- You need to do what you say you’ll do. Be it sending a contract back, returning a phone call, or sending further resume info.
Check back! This is a biggie. A few little birds at networks and client owned blogs have told me that people don’t always check back on their application status. This is job etiquette 101 folks. In the offline world, you send an application or resume, and later you call said job and nicely say something to the affect of, “Hi, this is Bob. I submitted a resume, and I’m curious where you are in the hiring process… Would it be possible to arrange an interview?”
In some cases a blog gig will state, “Don’t check back” and in most of those cases, I’d say do what they say. However, if they don’t mention it, one quick email can show you’re interested enough to follow up. Don’t be a pest, but do check back. This is a great way to single yourself out and get noticed.
True story: I once saw a blog gig I wanted; it had been up for months, I hadn’t applied because I figured it would fill quickly. After months of continually seeing it on job boards, I applied. A week later I emailed the network editor and noted that I was still interested and offered a few quick post ideas. The editor emailed and set up a quick interview. The interview went well, and I got the gig. My editor eventually told me that she actually had many folks apply who were more qualified (topic wise) than I was, but that I was the one and only person who checked back on my application status. That one email landed me a great job.
While blog jobs can seem more casual than article or business copy jobs, they aren’t. If you’re going to be paid real money, then it’s a real job. You need to apply with this in mind and put the same amount of care into the application process that you would with any other gig.
Blogging: One of the Top Jobs You Never Heard Of
You can make a living from blogging? Who knew? With a hat tip to Kristen King, I’d like to direct your attention to this article on Yahoo! about the top ten jobs you never heard of. See number four?
4. Bloggers:
Just 10 years ago, blogging would have sounded to most like a verb relegated to video games. But now, freelance writers, marketers, Web designers, finance professionals–even tea-drinkers–can draw people from around the world to read what they’re thinking. Businesses are catching on, which is why they’ll often hire people to blog about their products, and some bloggers can actually sell ads on their personal blogs. Are your personal thoughts worth paying for? They are, especially if you have education and a unique voice. Top bloggers can make six figures, and a handful are said to make millions.
Am I to believe blogging as a profession is such an unknown entity in this day and age? Perhaps it was unheard of several years ago, but in 2008 I can assure you blogging has become a force to be reckoned with. The proof, if there was ever any doubt:
- Look at any online job board and you’ll find at least several jobs for bloggers.
- Businesses are now hiring bloggers to personalize their website.
- Nearly every niche has a blogger.
- Blog networks are being seen as media by many publicists.
- Everyone wants their products reviewed on blogs.
- Bloggers are being interviewed as expert sources on many television and news programs.
- Major conferences are now being held specifically for bloggers.
Three years ago I could tell room full of people I had a blog and 9 out of 10 would say, "what’s a blog?" Today I could say the same thing to a room full of people and only one or two would wonder - though most have at least heard of blogs.
Now that blogging has reached the mainstream can more corporate salaries be far behind?
Troublesome Client Alert!
Here’s a quick tip. If you’d like to hold onto your blogging sanity, don’t attempt to work for someone who says…
“$10 a blog, I need 5-10 Blogs. Please respond with samples. Serious only Thanks.”
It’s a serious pet peeve of mine when clients call blog posts, “Blogs” - right away you know they’re going to be trouble. Why? Because obviously if they don’t know the difference between a blog and a blog post, you’re going to have to walk them through just what a blog is; every tiny aspect. As the client they should already know this stuff. This job will be a lot o’ extra work.
Apply for jobs like this at your own risk.
Thanks to Deb for the send - it was a nice morning laugh.
Landing a Blogging Job: Application Tips
Blogging is more informal than more traditional forms of writing, but you still need to be careful. Especially when applying for a blogging job. Sometimes we’re in such a rush to get our application or introductory email off before the competition we don’t take enough time to proofread. Big mistake. Here are a few tips for applying for a blogging gig.
- Be honest: If you don’t know enough about the niche, or haven’t the experience the client requested, don’t lie. Lies have a way of showing themselves eventually and the last thing you want is to screw with your reputation.
- Follow instructions: If an ad says "no attachments" or requests you put certain information in the subject line, it’s in your best interests to do so. Many employers receive tons of applications. You want yours to stand out for the right reasons. Many employers feel if you can’t follow instructions on a job ad, how will they be able to trust you to follow instructions with their blogs?
- Proofread: I’m the worst offender when it comes to typos, but hopefully not when I’m applying for a job. In fact, many times, I’ll send my cover letter to a trusted friend or relative in order to ensure it’s typo free. This is the biggest mistake people make when applying for a gig. Always proofread.
- Just list the facts: Your potential client doesn’t need to know you’re home with the kids, unless your blog is about staying home with the kids. Ditto for financial situations and other personal details.
- Check your form letter: If you’re using a form letter, do check to make sure you changed the name of the recipient as well as the name of the business. If you’re sending a Dear Mrs. Migilicutty letter to Mr. Madison, you’re getting the job.
Be yourself when applying for a blogging gig. Let a potential employer know your strengths and why you’re perfect for that blog. If you’re passionate about your subject it will show through.
Good luck!
When someone hires you to blog, which tasks are they hiring you for?
Lately I’ve been seeing these sorts of questions a lot at forums:
- Someone wants to hire me for their blog - should I charge extra for networking?
- How much do you charge for moderating comments?
- How much do you charge for each comment you respond to?
- Should I charge extra for commenting on other blogs?
- The client wants me to Digg stuff! What the?
- I just want to post twice a week - what do you charge for that?
Here’s the deal. To me, blogging has always been a package deal. Frankly, if you’re a blogger, there are certain tasks you need to do to make that blog successful. When someone is hiring for a blog, in my experience, they aren’t just hiring someone who can get words down, they’re looking for someone who can actually make the blog work as a whole.
The first thing to consider is what tasks bloggers do to make a blog a success. For now, forget about tasks like setting up advertising, tech work, and other blog start up issues (like finding a host, purchasing a domain name, and so fourth). If you blog for someone else, 95% of the time these tasks are taken care of for you.
Think about it as if the blog was your blog - what would you do to make it wildly successful? You’d likely…
15 Places to Find Blogging Jobs
When you’re a freelancer, you’re always going to be looking for work. True, a few steady clients are better than trolling the job boards each day, but it’s not good to have all of one’s eggs in one’s basket either. What follows is a list of places to find blogging jobs:
- ProBlogger Job Board - ProBlogger Darren Rowse has a great job board for bloggers. While you’re there, don’t forget to read his helpful posts.
- Copy Blogger Job Board - Brian Clark recently added a job board to his blog. Most of the ads are geared towards writers, but there are some blogging gigs in there as well.
- Performancing - A wonderful blog community with tips, advice and a job forum.
- Freelance Writing Jobs - Lists jobs for bloggers as well as writers.
- About Freelance Writing - Also lists blogging jobs.
- Craigslist - Lists plenty of jobs for bloggers each day, you sometimes have to weed through the scammy and spammy stuff though.
- Blogger Jobs - List several available jobs each week.
- Freelance Switch - Lists jobs for all kinds of freelancers, even bloggers.
- b5Media - Blogging network near and dear to my heart. Hires bloggers on a regular basis and sometimes even takes suggestions for new blogs.
- Creative Weblogging - Blogging network - not easy to get into and lists a few open gigs on their home page.
- Know More Media - Business blogging network and some of the nicest guys in the business.
- Weblogs Inc. - Successful network of blogs.
- Freelance Blogging Jobs - Lists blogging jobs now and then. Worth a weekly look.
- Indeed - A job search engine, you can find some good corporate gigs here now and again.
- BlogHer - The women’s blogging network also has a job board.
To me, the key to finding enough work to make up a full time salary is to make the job search a part of the job. Right now I have more than enough work to keep me busy and I’m not actively looking. Before this, I took two hours each day to troll all the different job boards and read up on the latest job hunting tips and techniques. If you’re really serious about finding blogging jobs, your diligence will pay off.
Good luck!
Image: stock.xchng
