Lifestyle Bloggers National Conference: Growing A Business with/from Your Blog

  • Posted by Alaia Williams
  • On February 22, 2015
  • #lbnc15, blogging tips, lifestyle bloggers national conference
Lifestyle Bloggers National Conference 2015

Photo credit: Calvin Lee, MayhemStudios.com

I recently spoke on a panel at the 2015 Lifestyle Bloggers National Conference. During the panel “Building A Business with/from Your Blog” I shared my experience about how I’ve used my blog as a business asset and shared tips on how bloggers in the audience could do the same. I’ve actually been a blogger since 2000. I started my business in 2006, but it took a year or two for me to realize that I could use my blog experience in a professional way. I thought I’d share some of my key takeaways from #LBNC15 here:

Decide whether you’re building a business or growing a hobby.

Some people have a business and use a blog as a marketing tool. Other people have a blog that they’d like to turn into a business. No matter which angle you’re coming from, the keyword is business. If you’re looking at your blog as something to bring you a little extra revenue, that’s great! Nothing wrong with that. But if you want to run a business, understand that it takes work – and a lot of it. Very few people are overnight successes.

Know your audience.

What does your audience want to hear from you? I’d love to spend my days writing about my favorite Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episodes, the new Brandi Carlile album I’m anxiously awaiting or the best new food I discovered this year (so far) . But you know what? When my potential clients explore my site, they want to know that I know my stuff. Yes, my obsession with SVU is a quirky personality trait, but when a busy professional or business owner comes here, that’s not the most important thing for them to know. They need to know that I’ve tried a million and one systems, I like solving problems and that I’m easy to work with.  So, I write about important systems that they need and how they can organize their lives. What does your audience look to you for?

Decide if advertising is right for you.

If you’re monetizing a fashion blog, ads might make sense. If you’re focused on getting people to sign up for your services, banners and a sidebar full of ads might be distracting. That’s just my take – you’ll have to decide what works for you and your potential customers.

Comments. Who cares?

During the Q& A, someone asked if she was the only one dealing with a decline in comments. She definitely wasn’t! My co-panelists and many people in the audience were in agreement that comments are on the decline for many of us. That’s okay. I understand that not everyone wants to put themselves out there publicly or take the time to comment. I’d LOVE for you to leave me comments. But it means just as much when you contact me with questions, explore my upcoming events or share my content on social. Comments are nice, but they aren’t everything.

Comments are nice, but they aren’t everything. More #LBNC15 blogging takeaways: 

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Get the right tools.

What you need for your fantastic food blog or fabulous fashion blog might differ from what I need to run my business. But I’m also sure there’s some overlap. Here are some of the tools I use and mentioned during the panel:

  • CoSchedule
  • SproutSocial
  • Yoast SEO
  • Get Clients Now! (marketing plan resource)
  • Goal setting guide
  • Contact paper – I ditched the expensive white board and put clear contact paper on my walls. It wipes clean with a paper towel or Windex and when its time to replace, cutting a new piece off a roll is a lot less expensive than a whole new board.

These tools help me get more viewers on my blog post, create a plan to help me market my business and help me brainstorm and plan.

 

I had a great time at #LBNC15 and my co-panelists also shared a wealth of great information. If you’re working on growing your blog, I hope these tips are helpful!

 
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