Ever since I "discovered" social media blogging, my life has changed, and for the better. Although I don't have excellent writing skills - I could barely get myself to finish an essay in high school, and didn't even have to write any in college - I have stories to tell, and today this is enough to earn money online. If you have stories to tell and are willing to share them on social media, you can make money online with Internet. All you have to do is finding a place where to submit your blogs - a website to post blogs - and start writing. If you're passionate about the topics you're choosing, are active on your social media, and keep an open mind to progressively improve your social media network strategies, you'll start getting paid for writing blogs in no time, and having fun with it.
I'm a Senior Editor for the Annex Press of Film Annex, a company that offers a digital platform for independent film makers to showcase their work worldwide, and is involved in building Internet classrooms in Afghanistan. Film Annex has also a page for bloggers, with writers from all over the globe earning money in real time. I don't mean to know everything there is to know about managing a successful blog page, but I've been doing this for long enough that I can at least provide some advice, and give a few suggestions on how to increase your impact on social media more efficiently. Here is my 10-tip TO-DO list.
1) FIND A RELIABLE WEBSITE TO POST YOUR BLOGS. There are countless scams out there, especially on the Internet, so you need to make sure you sign up with a company that will indeed reward your work. I don't know any website that delivers as effectively as Film Annex does, therefore I totally recommend them. If you don't have an account with Film Annex, get one right away. Yes, it's free.
2) FIND TOPICS YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT. Nobody is going to read your work if you're not having fun writing it. When you put heart and soul into an article, this does show, and does make a difference. More people will get involved in the discussion, and you will be able to build a network of individuals with whom to share interests in common. Plus, isn't it more fun when you write about something you have knowledge, and actually care about?
3) PUT SOME EFFORT. As I described above, I've never been a writer. However, ever since I started blogging for Film Annex I have made a constant effort to improve my writing skills. I double check my typos, ensure the paragraphs make sense, and try to give my article a beginning, a body and an end. My point is that if I read one of my blogs after I write it, and I don't enjoy reading it, there's no way I will ever publish it unless I make the necessary modifications.
4) CONNECT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA. Your accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Google+, Instagram, YouTube, etc. should ALL be connected to your main page on Film Annex, so that when you post a blog on Film Annex, it goes live in them as well. This will increase your web-traffic instantly, with no waste of time. If you are not enrolled in the above social media, you should join them as soon as you can.
5) INVOLVE YOUR SMARTPHONE IN THE PROCESS. We are all busy, and the amount of time we can allocate for writing is limited. To this purpose, it's extremely important to be able to navigate our social media network from the palm of our hand. I write most of my blogs during my commute, and this ends up saving me quite a lot of time for editing and adding pictures later.
6) INCREASE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIENCE. It could be the number of "subscribers" on Film Annex, the "friends" on Facebook, of the "followers" on Twitter... it's the same principle. The more people read, "like" and share your content, the more traffic you will generate on your social media network, and the more influence you will be able to create in the virtual world. This will increase your web-status and consequently your earning potential.
7) BE INVOLVED. Just because you're doing your own thing, it doesn't mean you shouldn't make the effort to be part of somebody else's work. Browsing other writers' blogs gives you an idea of how other individuals share their topics, and provides you with a golden opportunity to make yourself known to the social media community. As a consequence, you will be able to build a stronger base of support for the work you produce.
8) BE REALISTIC. Although it IS possible to generate a significant revenue with online blogging, results will come only if you put some time and effort in it. Having the right connections can and will help you build a solid social media network, but ultimately you will be the person with the duty - and privilege - to feed it constantly and consistently. What I've noticed since I started blogging is that it usually takes a while before results start showing up, but it takes very little time to lose them. It's a commitment, no doubts about it.
9) BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. If anybody can do it, you can do it as well. As you walk through this path, you'll get more and more confident, and what you may find difficult now, will later become easier. Like everything else in life, with practice comes expertise. It's only a matter of time, but you WILL become an expert. Don't think about what you can't do, but rather focus on your strengths. The rest is irrelevant.
10) HAVE FUN. I obviously can't tell you whether or not your future blogs will be able to generate a significant revenue. What I can tell you, though, is that if you take it as a challenge and write about topics you're passionate about, it won't matter. I'm perfectly aware that some of my blogs get read much less than others. Some might even go completely unread. However, I'm equally proud of all of them, and it's gratifying just to see them live in the cyberspace.
I started writing blogs as a joke, because I didn't feel I had enough confidence, and truly had no expectations whatsoever. Then it became a challenge, and I wanted to see if I could actually make money blogging. After I realized that was indeed possible, I started thinking how I could do this and, at the same time, provide a service for others. Now it's become a wonderful tool to support those in need through social media campaigns. Writing has turned into a fantastic opportunity for me to help people in different parts of the world. I can't say whether or not I'm actually helping anybody, but at least I'm trying.
Among the blogs I've written, education, freedom and the power of social media are recurrent themes. I asked for peace in Syria and Egypt. I increased awareness about women's rights around the world and advocated for female empowerment. I cherished the construction of Internet classrooms in Afghanistan. I applauded organizations that help veterans getting back on their feet. There's no limit of the support that a blogger can provide to people in a less fortunate position. All you need is a computer and a connection to an Internet Server Provider. You're next.
Giacomo Cresti
Senior Editor Annex Press, Film Annex
http://www.filmannex.com/webtv/giacomo
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