On Saturday 1 February, the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) hosted bloggers for the first training in its 2014 calendar. The theme was “Blogging as a Profession” and there was a great panel of established bloggers on hand to take the rest through the process of how to monetize their online content.
Moderated by Samuel Mbugua, the bloggers: Nancie Mwai, Sam Wakoba, Mwarv, Dennis Machio and Steve Biko were on-hand to share the various tips that have made them successful in blogging. Here is a summary of what each blogger had to say on the issue of blogging as a profession.
Sam Wakoba, the brains behind Techmoran spoke on the issue of why you should start blogging. He says blogging is a great way of interacting with your friends and followers. Starting a blog requires you to have a passion for what you write. Create a niche where you are seen as an expert on the topic at hand. Originality and consistency are key to having a successful blogging business.
Sam Wakoba @TechMoran says find your passion, have mastery of subject, be ready to learn, know business models & regulations #BAKETraining
— Rayhab Gachango (@potentash) February 1, 2014
He also touched on the .com or .co.ke issue when registering a domain. The domain should reflect on who you are and what your content is all about. If you are tailoring it for the local scene, then .co.ke is more appropriate. If you want your blog to be global then .com is the choice to go for. Don’t register a domain without knowing the direction you want your blog to take in future. Know your audience as well.
Fashion blogger Nancie Mwai talked on the issue of online marketing and making of rate cards. Online marketing is very vital in running a blogging business. Before you go out and market your blog, analytics is very important. This means knowing who is visiting your blog, when they visit it and how long they stay there. Get different applications and services to help you with this. Google Analytics is one key product Nancie has used to track her blog.
She says that online marketing involves more than just using Facebook and Twitter. Other Social media services like Pinterest and Instagram can also be used. Don’t be shy to put yourself out there. Look up different companies and send out emails to ask to work with them. Come up with rate cards to explain how much you charge for a service and why. Make it official and invoice every payment. Create a logo that reflects you and the brand of your blog, make it professional and use it to market yourself. Your audience are the key to helping your brand grow.
Know your audience. Listen to your readers and learn from them in creating your brand
– @nanciemwai #BAKETraining
— BAKE (@BAKE_ke) February 1, 2014
Mwarv was also on hand to talk about photo blogging. He says that this type of blogging is a “what you see is what you get type of blogging”. Photo blogging has changed events coverage. Today you can get to display all the photos you take online. You don’t have to send them to an editor who will only select one image to use. There is unlimited space to showcase your talent.
“Your blog is your legacy. Ask yourself what do you want your audience to remember you for?” he says.
In getting a .com or .co.ke you should look at your future plans. Look at where you want to reach – @SamWakoba #BAKETraining
— BAKE (@BAKE_ke) February 1, 2014
Dennis Machio, from michezoafrika reckons that one way to make a blog successful as a business is to focus on what mainstream media will ignore. This is how michezoafrika operates and it’s doing well. To him the only way to make your blog pay is to write factual stories. Be as credible as possible, check and re-check your stories before posting them.
You should credit people when you get content from their stories. Don't plagiarize – @michezoafrika #BAKETraining
— BAKE (@BAKE_ke) February 1, 2014
Steve Biko of sokodirectory talked about how your content can drive audiences to your blog. Your work will only earn you money if people visit your site. It means you have to put up content that will be of value to them. Original content is of the utmost importance. Let it be factual and in the right context.
As you go out to look for stories anyone and everyone can and should be a source. Create networks everywhere you go. In a business, even the watchman can get you the information you need. Don’t overlook such small details and don’t limit your networks to the higher ups in a company.
Steve says that the one way to blog as a profession is to ensure that everything in place is legal. Get KRA pins for everything. The need to make money is something everyone wants when they start a blog. But it does not mean you have to go to extremes of breaking laws or putting up shady content. Follow the law in posting your content.
"Don't let desperation dictate the identity of your blog and how it will be monetized" ~ @SokoAnalyst #BAKETraining @BAKE_ke
— Okwi Okoh (@OkwiOkoh) February 1, 2014
The issues between bloggers and media was also discussed in the panel. Many bloggers are faced with issues of stolen content by the media. Copyright infringement is at play and bloggers will have to find ways to protect the work. Find ways to make sure people know the original work is yours.
The training was great as new and already established bloggers still learnt a few things. Every speaker had different ideas but a few key things stood out across the board. It seemed to be agreed upon that video blogs are the next new thing. It’s a better way to summarise content and interact more with your audience.
It was also agreed that originality, consistency and passion are the key to running a successful blog. To blog as a professional, you have to put yourself out there and risk being turned down a few times before anyone can approach you to work together. Get standard rates to charge for adverts and advertorials. Disclose the truth behind your content and be as factual as possible.
For the first training of the year, it was well received if the full room was anything to go by. We hope the next one will be just as informative and interactive.