blogger

Blogging starts out as hobby for many.  Before blogs became income opportunities, they were personal stories offered by their authors in a journal mode, very much like an online diary.  They were spontaneous, real, fun, and interesting to a specific group of readers.

Motivation for Blogging

A blogger who blogs because of genuine passion for a specific topic, advocacy, expertise, or interest can look at blogging as a hobby more than as work.  It is done voluntarily because of the desire to provide knowledge and information which a blogger thinks he or she can contribute to the blogosphere.  Blogging as a hobby generally does not have the pressure associated with monetized blogs.

Deadlines for postings are virtually unknown.  Search-engine optimization or SEO is some foreign word that is not a priority.  Presentation and form is not much a concern either since readers are only given two choices – take it or leave it.

What Does a Hobby Blogger Talk About

A hobby blogger talks about his or her personal passion.  No one needs to tell him or her what to say.  The words and ideas flow easily, well until the ideas dry up or have been exhausted, that is.

It is important therefore not to limit the topic too much.  Bloggers can choose to expand by including related topics to make the blog more interesting.  Having a specific niche is good but bloggers must learn to look at the chosen niche on a wider perspective.

Taking Blogging into the Next Level

At some point in time, most hobby bloggers will realize that they do care that readers find them and that it would be very nice if they would come to visit over and over again. It certainly feels good to know that someone is actually reading the blog.   This is also the time that hobby bloggers will realize that they are competing with so many other blogs for the attention of readers.

Hobby bloggers will most probably find themselves looking for ways to achieve this.  They will find out that consistency in posting is important.  In their search for better blog exposure, they will encounter terms that will tell them that they need to pay attention to content quality, right titles and keywords, and social network participation.  There is more work to be done but still the blogger enjoys doing it.

…And the Next Level

Once bloggers realize that they actually have a future in blogging, many will consider monetizing their blogs while some will choose to continue doing it as a hobby.  The decision is a personal one and there is no right or wrong decision about this. This decision has to be made with full understanding that when a blogger crosses the line between a hobby and work, commitment to hard work is accepted with it.

Monetizing a blog carries responsibilities which are different from blogs maintained as a hobby.  There will be advertisers to be considered.  It is highly possible that advertisers will be pushing for products and services that are not actually in agreement with the over-all concept of the blog.  Bloggers will have to determine for themselves what is acceptable and not.

My Say

I have been introduced to the working side of writing web content way before I even remotely thought of blogging as a hobby.  My first try at blogging was borne out of a personal frustration for what I then saw was poor customer service of a certain company.  It was seconded by a desire to counter the widespread online misinformation about our family’s registered trade name AMBOS MUNDOS RESTAURANT.  Eventually that blog became my personal platform about family, tradition, life, and my creative writings.  This blog became my venue for my natural desire to discover and provide information while my newest blog became my anchor to living.  I have never enjoyed blogging as much as I do now.