How to (maybe) be a prominent or successful blogger in South Africa SA

A lot of the mail that I get is from people that are interested in starting a blog, but not sure how to go about it - or people asking for general advice for their current blogs: How to improve their stats, get more traction, attract PR agencies or fill their niche. I LOVE blogging because I love writing and Raising Men acts as a creative outlet and communication platform for me. I know that I will never stop writing - it pumps through my veins; this is who I am. Blogging for me is not the same as blogging for you. I work in Social Media and Digital PR by profession, so I'm going to share some thoughts with you based on my own experience from ALLLLL the angles.

• Starting a blog to get free things is like getting married to have a wedding. You need to think about why you want to be a blogger, and absolutely start it for personal satisfaction, not monetary or any other gain. 
• Try pick a name that has no shelf life. Eg "Expecting Christopher" is not a good blog name if you want to continue writing after your pregnancy. If we ever have a daughter, I am a bit screwed with a blog name, see? 
• There are two popular platforms for blogging: Blogger / Blogspot and Wordpress. I prefer Blogger because its just easier and I'm used to it. I am moving to Wordpress eventually because to my knowledge, Wordpress is better for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I would recommend Wordpress, although it is more complicated. You can choose and pay for your own domain with both and choose your own design template for both.
• With Wordpress, you need a developer to help you. The guys I use for all my website and blog things is a company called Joomper. Werner (werner@joomper.co.za) is incredibly helpful, nice, efficient and REALLY affordable. They work fast and always manage and exceed your expectations. Werner can do great things like help you with analytics, adding social media buttons, tabs, domains, hosting, customizing and design. Tell them I sent you and that I say hi!
• You need a great banner / title and some professional design work done. I am happy to recommend illustrators and designers that I've worked with - mail me any time.  
• There are many popular themes for blog content. These include: Travel, Parenting, Personal, Business, News & Gossip, Fashion, Food, Beauty, Photography, Design, Sport, Advertising, Media and Men's Lifestyle. 
• I would recommend picking three themes and focusing on those. Eg:  Men's Lifestyle / Sport / Travel. This way you're not boxing yourself too much, and can offer a larger variety of content for your audience. 
• You MUST ("please!!!" cries the entire PR industry) have the following tabs on your blog: About, Contact, Search and Social Media Buttons. It's useful to have a "Most Popular Posts" section as this gives new readers a nice introduction to your blog, writing style and personality. 

•  Have a personality and stand out in some way. Every blog has its own key spices that makes their dish unlike any other. I have seen MANY blogs start up with the intention of making money (especially in the parenting and fashion fields) and you pick up that stench from a thousand suns away.
• Write about whatever you like and whenever you like when you start. Once a week, three times in one day - just let all those words and ideas seep on to your blog like a huge creative outlet celebration. Do NOT take it too seriously. Be YOU. 
• Understand that if you want to be a professional blogger in any way, it takes time. It took me two to three years of writing almost every day for readers and brands to value my opinion. I did not write FOR them, but I have found ways to incorporate a few great brands and products in to my content over the years. 
• Nobody is a professional full time blogger in South Africa. You will not make enough money from blogging, PR and sponsorships alone to fund your life. What blogging WILL do is open other doors and resources - like food bloggers that launch cook books, and fashion bloggers that get styling jobs. There are many opportunities that will arise FROM blogging, but you cannot be a full time, all expenses paid professional blogger in South Africa. Not now, not yet. Not easily.
• Do set up a Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Facebook account for your blog and build this audience like a crazy obsessed stalker person.

• After a few years of blogging, you'll start to build a nice audience.  You get to be a successful blogger the same way that everyone else does: Post for post, word for word. There is no long lasting, organic shortcut. 
• Set up a rate card for your blog. Ask freelancers in your field what they charge per hour and sort of try work it out from there. If someone offers to pay for content, then work out how many hours work that would be for you, and set budgets around that. 
• Definitely set up an invoice template for your blog so that you can easily quote when the opportunity arises.
• It is completely acceptable to charge for your work OR to accept an exchange of trade. Eg: If you know that you charge ten chickens and half a horse for a sponsored post, and someone wants you to review a product to the value of a chicken braai pack  - that may not be in line with your expectations and this will help you to manage your workflow better.
• As you grow in to a professional blogger, you will need resources: A professional camera, hosting, developers, illustrators and designers. Great blogs have bills and take time to craft - as FUN and exciting and important as your blog is to you, there are going to be times when you need to open your wallet for it. 

• After some time as a serious and continuous writer and blogger, you can choose to add some advertising to your blog. There are great affiliate programs out there, and I am happy to put you in touch - really just drop me a line. You can find my details in my "contact" tab. 
• There is an amazing agency that has just launched called Webfluencial. They regulate and manage payments and expectations with brands, influencers and PR agencies. As a blogger or influencer, you should definitely sign up with them to help manage your inquiries and to assist with building relationships.

• Share your posts with your friends, family and on social media. Most of my traffic comes from Pinterest, Twitter and Google Searches. 
• Attend events, socialize and build relationships with your audience and with other bloggers. Some of my best, most solid friendships have erupted via Raising Men. You will meet the most incredible people. 
• Always write for yourself first. Brands and opportunities will come and go, but you'll always be in that room alone with your blog, after everyone else has left. 
• If you want to be serious about blogging, then be serious - work at it, improve your skills, writing style, increase resources and write almost every day. Do it for the love and passion of it and don't give up. 
• Unless you're not enjoying it, then don't do it.
• Blogging is fun, rewarding, social and can open up many opportunities for your career and with meeting new, fabulous and interesting people. It is NOT for everyone. It's definitely for me. 
• Nothing makes me sadder than finding a great blog that hasn't posted since last year April. DON'T PLAY WITH MY EMOTIONS PEOPLE. 
• Most importantly have FUN, don't get competitive, don't do it for the money as it may never come.  Be yourself, add your amazing personality and perspective and join in. Its nice and warm in here!

Know that these are mostly my personal thoughts on the subject. The next post will be more technical about understanding AVE (Advertising Value Equivalent) and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) but here is the sort of funner stuff for now. Okay bye. NO BLOGGERS MAY ATTACK MY OPINIONS (bloggers love to argue, especially me). 

PSSST If you like this post, please nominate me as South Africa's Best Mommy Blogger over  ---> HERE. Thanks friends! 

A few great South African blogs to look at for inspiration in the following fields are PARENTING: Living Lionheart and PERSONAL Indieberries and Midlands Musings. For Fashion and Women's Lifestyle / Design and Health I would suggest Emma Jane Nation and Tails of a Mermaid and Miss Milli B. For food, look at Simply Delicious and Drizzle and Dip and for men's lifestyle I would look at Bangers and Nash and Khaya Dlanga. Okay bye.