"Digital nomads use wireless internet, smartphones, Voice over IP, and cloud-based applications to work remotely wherever they live or travel. Digital nomads also often use co-working spaces, cafes, house sitting agreements, and shared offices in major cities around the world." - Wikipedia
This is the age of the digital nomad, no doubt about it. Do you dream of quitting your day job or ditching the office environment and working remotely? Consider upgrading your digital skills. Telecommuting has become a real thing and with all of the tools available to us today, there really are no more excuses not to. Adding a few basic IT skills could bring you one step closer to joining this growing trend that's taking the world by storm.
Having recently completed Blogging and Content Marketing course I thought it would be highly appropriate to share the ten most important things I've learned during this course, and which I'm implementing in my own content strategy right now.
1.
Definitive Aim
The
first question you need to ask yourself before you start is what is the purpose of your blog? Do
you have something important to share? What is your aim? Who do you want to engage with? Be
brutally honest with yourself. Blogging is not a quick way to make money. It
takes time, passion and commitment. Define your aim clearly.
2.
Great Content
There
are two types of content, namely, organic content and curated content.
Curating content involves sharing web content on your blog which you are not the author of. This is perfectly fine, keeping in mind to link back to the original
creator and not pass it off as your own. Organic content is content
which you create yourself. The latter is the most valuable and sought after content and will keep your audience coming back to your blog.
3. SEO
Search
Engine Optimisation is the process of attracting traffic from the search
results on search engines. Make sure your content as well your headings and
image file names contain the appropriate keywords and always include tags or labels to your posts.
4.
Engaging with your Audience
One
of the most important aspects of running a successful blog is to engage with
your audience. Invite them to participate in some way. Always reply to comments
on your blog as well as on every social media platform that they seek engagement from. This builds up a good reputation and gains trust.
5. Develop a Strategy
To
have a clear plan outlined is essential. Know what it is that you want to achieve and plan accordingly. This will optimise your time
management. Your content strategy should serve as a guideline leaving room for your blog to evolve naturally as well.
6.
Vlogging
A
vlog is a blog that comes in the form of a video. Do not overlook the
possibilities of utilising this tool. Integrating video as part of your content
strategy will attract a larger audience to your site.
7.
Monetisation
Before
you embark on monetising your blog, make sure that you have a consistent flow
of traffic month on month. Once your audience trusts you as an authority in
your field, only then should you look
into options like affiliate marketing, sponsorship, and signing up for advertisement
like Google's AddSense.
8.
Content Marketing
Sharing your organic content on a regular basis over a variety of platforms is the easiest way to attract traffic
to your blog. Depending on the type of content you create, make sure you
have accounts on platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
9. Measurement
Keeping
track of your progress is imperative for future analysis. To have a timeline of
past hits and misses will be an invaluable tool in the successful evolution of your blog.
10.
Personality
Be
who you are. Your audience will grow exponentially if you are a blogger who is
honest and passionate and has strong opinions. Don't just report facts. Be passionate about who you are and what you do. This will build trust and make readers come back to your blog. Aim to produce slightly less bland content than this post that I've written here...
I would love to hear your success stories. Are you a digital nomad blogger, vlogger, full-time writer/author or freelance writer? I would love to hear your story!