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I started blogging on a blogger site in 2012, or maybe earlier can’t recall it anymore, but it did not work out because I did not put my mind and heart into it. Since I founded my business (photo booth company) nine years ago, it has become my full-time work. I was occupied running the business. Although I created my business website, I did not dwell on blogging on that site. It was not my priority to blog about everything I did. But when the Pandemic hits us, it affects all businesses, including us. The event-related industry is some of the affected companies due to covid-19. Big events and parties are prohibited, which is one of the primary sources of my business.
Several lockdowns resulted in cancellations of almost all of our bookings for the whole year of 2020. These bookings are mostly weddings and corporate events. Sadly, it happened that way, but we understand that the lockdown is for all of us. It is all for safety. I don’t want to sour grapes about it, that I lost our income and mostly my bread and butter. I am grateful my husband has a steady income to support our basic needs. I believe that when it’s over, we can go back to our everyday life, like the way it used to be.
The lockdown allows me to look back and reflect on what else I can do to be productive amid a pandemic. I was not doing anything during the lockdown, traveling was limited, and boredom hit me. I decided to blog again. At first, I hesitated to pursue it since I was not confident enough to write; hence I do not have perfect grammar. I always love writing, even not professionally. Writing has a place in my heart that I can genuinely enjoy. I believe that if you are passionate about it, everything will follow. I may have a lot of learning curve, but this is my passion. I pulled myself together and created a new blog site, and this time I signed up with WordPress. I worked on this new site for a few months during the lockdown. After polishing everything, I launched “Just a Lifestyle Vibes” in November 2020. So, it is a very new blog.
Right now, I am not backing out into blogging. I realized that even if you have a passion for something like writing, or any skills and talents, it will be a waste if you do not put your heart and soul into it; it would not benefit you if you did nothing. I came to my senses that I regretted stopping that time. Oh, well. Here I am; I am back to blogging.
It has been long overdue for me, but it’s not too late to start again.
For long years, I have been following popular lifestyle bloggers, and I admire how they present their topics and how they present their photos on their blogs. I am a photographer, but I do weddings, and lifestyle photography, especially lifestyle photography is a different genre. I remember some of these popular bloggers; they started at the same time as I started my old bag.
In re-starting my blog, I noticed that the struggle is a day-to-day topic; sometimes, I don’t know what topic to write about on a specific day. Even if you’re good at writing, if you don’t know what to write about, it is useless. Bloggers need to develop regular ideas to write about; it is not how perfect your grammar is. It is how you present your topic. You need to be creative and conversational. The subject is the core idea of blogging.
It seems easy to say, Oh, right! I will start my blogging site and launch it, monetize it, and make money. If your purpose is to make easy money out of your blog, perhaps blogging is not for you. But I also believe that earnings will come your way in due time, but you need to work hard on your blog. Nothing is easy in this world, if you want to have something, work on it, and your hard work will pay off in God’s perfect time.
Meanwhile! I am enjoying myself writing; while I am staying at home, I am productive.
If you want to start a blog for this new year, 2021. Here is the step-by-step guide to help you create your blog site.
- Come out with the name or title of your blog.
- Pick a blogging platform to launch your site. For example, you can signup to wordpress.com or WordPress.org. Wix, and other blog sites. WordPress.com has a free plan, but you can upgrade to the paid plan if you want a custom domain. You can also signup to wordpress.org; this is free, but you must pay a hosting company and domain. Whatever works for you, make sure it is manageable as you create your new blog.
- Signup and activate a theme, and start designing your website. Nowadays, you don’t need to know coding to create a website. Most websites now are pre-installed and just drag and drop.
- Pick your niche or topic you want to concentrate on writing.
- You need to have your own photos to use in your blog; you can use your mobile phone as a starter to generate pictures for your blogs. And later on, you buy an excellent camera. Do not use photos that are copyrighted. If you will use it, cite your source and make sure you have permission.
- Write your first blog post.
- If you have at least ten blog posts, start monetizing your blog, you can signup with Amazon – and you can recommend any product, and if your reader purchases through your link, you get a commission. Other affiliate marketing is commission junction or CJ affiliates, and many more. Don’t expect to make money immediately; according to research, bloggers can start earning after six months or years. But there are many ways to make money out of your blog.
- Write at least three times a week or more to keep your traffic online.
- Network and create a page for social media. Share your post on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Invite your friends to follow you to keep them posted on your latest blog.
- Keep posting.
When I started my blog, I also researched how to start a blog correctly. I found out that most women bloggers are moms; nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that you can’t start a blog if you are single, married, childless, and so on. Opportunities are endless, and you can write stories about whatever status of life you have right now. But if you are a mom and want to become productive while raising your kids, you can start a mom blog; it can be your side hustle. Get this guide to help you create your own blog.
Finding what you like will give you happiness and fulfillment; blogging is a hobby, but it is a profitable hobby if you know how to grow your blog. Words are powerful, and I am convinced that everyone has their hidden talents, just waiting to unleash them. If you think you have a passion for writing, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with the world. Discover what you love that will make you happy. You will never know that someone out there will be inspired by your content.
As the bible says about talents and gifts:
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things, God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 4:10-11
Thank you so much for reading my blog. Have a great day, and I wish you all a fruitful new year, 2021.
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