If you are a blogger, you probably have had the guts to introduce yourself as such to a group of people. Even gone ahead to give out the url and title of your blog. Proudly. What can we say, us bloggers are always looking to grow our audience, both online and offline, aren’t we? But maybe you became uneasy and doubted yourself when this group of people that you introduced yourself to, gave you strange looks, which was unexpected since you had been chatting animatedly a few minutes ago.
Maybe one of them, who does not possess tact as one of their strong points will blurt out “Blogger huh? So you are one of those guys who always writes bad stuff about people?”
Then that strange look will make sense. And you will be at pains to explain that a blogger does not necessarily fit into that one notion.
Have you ever felt that by calling yourself a blogger, you are inviting a lot of skepticism from people around you? Ever felt that you have to keep explaining that what you do is not only respectable but serious as well? That it even has the potential of making you some money?
Have you ever felt like getting into a sermon to explain that just because a couple of people do not engage in responsible blogging that this does not mean that every blogger is doing it purely for the ratings from sensational posts and that not all of us have little or no regard to the people our blog posts affect?
I am sure you have wanted to inform others that even though sometimes bloggers get muddled in hate speech, defamation, corruption and other such cases, that they should understand that there is the other side of blogging. The side that you (I want to assume), me and other responsible bloggers reside.
This is the side of blogging that they might not be aware of and that if they took the time to know about, it would make them immensely proud of you and even impressed by what you have built for yourself.
You should go right ahead and tell them that:
a) Blogging is very hard work and by blogging, you are building your brand online.
b) You are a source of information and a voice of authority in your niche.
c) You have an audience (regardless of the number – even if its five people) that visits your blog regularly to read what you have put out for them.
d) You take your craft seriously and though you might have started out as a hobby, your blog has the real potential of earning you money.
e) You are not a propagandist-not every blogger is – and just because there happens to be bloggers whose main agenda for running a blog is to spread propaganda, it does not mean that you have the same agenda.
f) You are a professional. This is especially for those who always think that just because you have a blog, you will use it to make every piece of private information public for all to read. Where is their trust in you, you could ask.
What other misconceptions do people have about you as a blogger? And what would you like to tell them? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.