Lessons Before Blogging

     By Mark Marino


For whatever it’s worth, there is a lot to say about what’s happening on the internet right now. Term’s like, WEB 2.0, and SOCIAL MEDIA have become collegiate level subjects with an entire system of constantly evolving sites and services attached.

In fact things are moving so fast, that inexperience is actually a positive thing. Understanding these changes are not just important to bloggers and content writers, but also about business in general. Yes owners of today can get away with not knowing what a “tweet,” or a “Wiki” is, but the days of being successful while ignoring the internet are quickly coming to a close.


5) Everyone Business Site Needs Content If you’re trying to figure out how writing in a blog translates to paycheck (or at least some numbers in your PAYPAL account besides zero,) it starts with the FACT that all business driven websites need content to stay competitive. If you no nothing else about blogging, or the subject matter that you’re blogging about, you can still make a good pitch by getting a potential paying webmaster to understand that without content other sites with content will get more attention.


4) SEO Means Relevance.
Do you know how to make your website or web based business as effective as possible? Experts will tell you it needs to get Search Engine Optimized which is a complicated way of saying that websites need a variety of tweaks to create relevance. These adjustments start with the written words on a website but they also venture to include many aspects of coding and website design. From the writers’ standpoint, you need to worry about KEYWORDS and also having a keen ability to actually write within a given topic. 


3) The Key to Writing is Reading.
 If you’ve run out of subjects to write about, or if you have a subject already that you’re drawing blanks on, than it could be time just to hit the library and suck up a few new articles. I would actually recommend getting as far away from distractions on the internet as possible and then returning with a fresh mindset. Many books and published material is being churned out to deal with the speed of the Web 2.0 evolution are available for free and deserve to be appreciated for real expert insight.  

2) Put it in Writing.
For everyone you work for, even if the work is unpaid or you’re performing intern work you should open up an excel file and record the hours you’ve worked. Having a record of the assignments you’ve completed with corresponding dates can only help. Professional freelancers don’t play around with the work they’ve completed. Full time contracted writers have only one source of income and every minute has value, so every wasted minute can get expensive. Speaking of contracts, whenever possible, get your webmaster to sign off on your assignments. Established writers can get away with this part a little easier, but contracts are great because they assure the original pay and given assignments are fulfilled, no more and no less.

1) Have Patience with Webmasters
Webmasters are often finicky people, they always have the bottom line in mind and getting them there with your content alone isn’t always going to pan out. Some businesses think they know more than they do, some know more than they need to, and others expect you to know everything they don’t. The key is to be patient, always listen, don’t burn bridges and if you do decide it’s time to move on. They key to everything happening on the internet is about engagement, because there is value in getting people engaged into a particular URL. There is an entirely new demand for strangers to collaborate online and building a strong reputation as a writer can very easily lead to more work. The opposite is also true however one bad experience could mean that businesses are talking about you negatively. In that case the positive aspects of social networking can work against you. A little patience can be the difference between losing a job and getting paid much longer.

*Remember to be an expert on the writing end of it, and you’ll never have to take full responsibility for the well being of the actual website or service, that is simply not your problem, but it wouldn’t hurt to show a little concern for the sake of being a team player.
Talking to webmasters directly is also an educational experience no matter what the outcome. Good Luck!