How To Transition From Blogger to Business

Contributed by Kelly Brito 

Going from blogger to business is something many of us want, but we’re not sure how to get started. Luckily, it can be easier than we expect! I have worked with many bloggers that were initially interested in getting clarity for their brands, so they could create a better blog for their readers, but ended up realizing their full potential and went ahead to start their own businesses. We may not realize or intend it, but being a blogger is one step from being an entrepreneur. Everyone has something unique to offer the world, and bloggers are one step ahead, because they have already started to dive deeper into the world they love and share it with their readers. So, how do we make the transition from blogger to business, in a smooth but effective way?

Define Your Niche

Because we want to find our voice, be unique and make sure we have something distinct to offer our community. The best way to be remembered is by being specific. If this is something we’ll be talking about or working with, it better be something that we either really know about or really love.

Define Your Audience

Once we know what we want to do, the next step is to find and define the right audience for us. Not everyone will be interested in what we have to say or to sell. And that’s totally fine. We do not need nor want to attract everybody. The more specific we are about who we want to attract, the better! By defining the ideal audience, we’ll have a clearer idea of how to find them, how to develop the right service or product, and it will be easier for them to find us.

Create Your Product or Services

Now we know what we love doing (or are really good at) and who we would like to work with (our ideal audience). The next step is to create a product or service that will attend our audience needs. What is it that YOUR audience needs?

Most bloggers find the transition into coaching the easiest. For seasoned bloggers, coaching new bloggers on how to start a blog, organize their daily activities, building a successful blog, etc, is something that comes naturally. For fashion bloggers, doing fashion consultation is usually the easiest route.
There is an infinity of ways we can help other bloggers/businesses/people and make money with it.
Of course, we can also create products. What products can you make and your audience needs? The options are so many… Here are some:

• Blog templates – because many of us can write a blog, but not design it.
• Logos and branding – branding has become something huge, so if you know how to design, help others create their visual identity
• Creative copy – writing a blog post is one thing, writing a killer copy that sells is a whole different ball game
• Styled stock photos – anyone can take photos these days, very few can take good photos -and even fewer have the time to shoot beautiful and styled photos
• Social Media strategist – some people have the hardest building their online presence and using social media efficiently
• Coaching and consulting – if you know things that could be really helpful to others, well, then help others!

 

Create Your Brand

A blog is not a brand. A business is not a brand. A logo is not a brand. A brand is the whole feeling and experience that people have when they get in touch with you, your services, your product, your business…
A brand is relatively complex and cannot be nailed down in one try or one day. That’s completely fine! While our business develops, we understand our brands better and better. Branding is an ever changing process, that helps us define the brand and send our message across clearly.
There are many steps in branding, some important ones are:

• Visually defining the brand – logo, website, social media, newsletter, etc
• Brand message – defining what the brand message will be and what the visitor should feel from being in touch with your brand (before, during and after)

 

Continuously Share Value

Don’t be afraid of giving too much for free. That’s something we are often scared of when starting a business. Don’t worry! We will hardly run out of ideas or services. In fact, the more we work on something, the more ideas we have. Sharing good content for free, will attract more and more of your ideal audience -and it will help convert the prospects into buyers. People often think: “If she is sharing this for free, imagine her paid content!”

Be Organized

When we first start a business, we are usually a one-woman-business. There’s a lot to run behind the scenes and it’s really easy to get things pilled up without noticing it. Then things get messy and we lose the excitement. Many entrepreneurs fail in the beginning, for pure lack of organization. Keep a solid calendar and always plan ahead. This step is a must!

Connect With Your Community

Be present. Everywhere. Find out where your audience hangs out and join them there! If they have problems that relate to your area of work, offer help by sharing advice, be truly helpful. Be honest and connect with people on a personal level, when possible. In my years doing this, I’ve learned that people do business with people, so they value honest human interaction a lot.

There are many other steps to be taken, most of them you’ll discover on your own. But if you need help, get in touch. Ask. Reach out! Starting a business is hard and there is no such thing as “one truth” that will work a miracle for all entrepreneurs out there. There may be moments when we feel like giving up. Don’t! Always remember why you started! Good things hardly come easily, and that’s why one of the first things I suggest is that we do what we love -this way, every day we work, we’ll actually be having fun!

Last Updated on February 27, 2024