Have you ever been hired to write regularly on a blog? Would you consider it if you were? I’ve been writing for Wisdump for about a month and a half now, and it has been a very rewarding experience, but it’s not for everyone. Let’s take a look at the upsides and downsides of taking a blogging position.
The Ups:
1. Opportunities to write on different topics than your regular blog. The best practice is to keep your blog to a reasonably narrow focus. If your readers are interested in gadgets and you write too many posts about widgets, they may get frustrated and leave. Writing for another site can give you the venue to explore other topics without alienating the readership you’ve worked so hard to build on your own site.
2. Exposure to a new audience. Wisdump has over 3,000 subscribers and is a PR6 site. That’s the reason I agreed to do it in the first place. Where else could I get that kind of exposure to potential new readers and even potential clients?
3. Networking opportunities. One of the best things about blogging is the chance to get to know other bloggers and to build a network of colleagues and friends. I’ve appreciated getting to know new writers and the exposure to the company that owns Wisdump. New business opportunities have already come along because of the networking I’ve been able to do. Writing for a blogging network such as B5 Media for example, can open up many doors and the chance to rub shoulders with some high profile bloggers.
4. It stretches your writing muscles. If you take a job writing for a blog that already has a large audience there will be high expectations to come up with engaging content on a regular basis. I am not a natural writer so it takes me a long time to write what I consider to be a quality post. I will not post empty, boring drivel, which is why you don’t see new posts here every day. Having to write a post at another site every week has forced me to become more methodical and focused in the writing process.
5. Cross posting opportunities. If you’re writing for a blog that is on a topic that is similar to that of your own site, the research you do for a post on one blog can provide good content for another. For example, I surveyed the top 4 mini-blogging tools at Wisdump, and then continued the discussion here with more of a personal opinion post. It was a great way to maximize the time I had spent researching the topic.
The Downs:
1. High expectations. If someone is going to pay people to produce content for their site, they expect to get a good bang for their buck. In general, when you’re hired to write for a site, your work has been evaluated and at the very least, the same level of quality content is expected. I have high expectations of myself, and anyone who is putting resources into hiring writers for sites they own naturally has high expectations too, and that can be stressful.
2. Impact on others if you fail to produce. If you write poor content for your own site, you are the only one impacted. Do a poor job writing for someone else, and you’re bringing their site down as well. They’ve invested money in the blog and are expecting a return on that investment, and if you bore and alienate readers, you’ll end up just being a drain rather than an asset.
3. Regular deadlines. I’m expected to post once a week, on Thursday. When that deadline starts to roll around every week I have to put aside whatever else I’m working on and get a post in. Though the editor is very understanding when there are delays, missing deadlines too frequently creates a terrible impression, and it’s an easy way to get fired.
4. It takes time. I think most people find that time is a precious commodity, and there never seems to be enough of it. Writing for another blog will require an investment of your time, and possibly a significant one if you’re as slow as I am, or if you’re required to post very frequently.
When deciding whether to take a blogging job, you have to evaluate whether the you’re going to get a good return on the investment of your time. You’re probably not going to get rich doing it, by the way. The money you make from writing will likely be only a small part of what you’ll gain from the experience. The main thing is to try and work with the best people you can on the highest profile site possible.
If you’ve read the above, and decided a blogging job is something you’d like to pursue and no one is knocking down your door to offer you one, check out the ProBlogger Job Board. You’ll also want to read the article at ProBlogger about how to apply for a blog job.
If you have a blogging job, chime in – do you agree with my list of ups and downs? Do you have any to add?