Wow, it is the last day of September and I have been blogging consistently in the little corner of mine for 2 months. This is amazing and so worthy of mentioning. In celebration of the consistency and your support so far, I will be doing a bit of Q&A. These are questions asked from you on my social media pages, my comment sections, WhatsApp. I really value your questions and your trust in me. You asking questions means I must have done something right! So thank you. Without further ado, here is the September 2020 Q&A.
Q&A: INSTAGRAM BRANDING
How do you make your page cohesive and monotoned?
To make your Instagram feel cohesive, you have to plan ahead and let it feel organised. This means all my posts – images & graphics – are intentional and are there for a reason. Right now on my Instagram page, most of my pictures are taken within my parents’ house with a single filter. So my picture backgrounds are rusty and earthy in nature. Individually, they are cute and ordinary but once you view my entire feed, the brown theme is prominent. That is how you create a cohesive page – align all your images to be similar (not the same, similar) and together they will give a choreographed vibe.
Q&A: LINKEDIN
What is the benefit of a writer having a LinkedIn account?
LinkedIn is a great platform that is useful for writers to not only showcase our content but also to find potential clients. You can also network and learn from your peers. Presently, I set my LinkedIn to notify me for writing job offers and so far I got two emails and one interview. So, you see why you need to have a LinkedIn account?
Although, I must warn you that it can get intimidating when you see people sharing their professional milestone and whatnot. It should not matter, just understand why you are there and maximise your skills.
Q&A: BLOGGING & WEBSITE
How do you write engaging content. Where do you start from?
There is no blueprint for this because creativity is not a linear process. However, you can adapt to the way things are being done right now and I assure you it will yield positive results. So, to write engaging content, make sure your content adds value to whoever is seeing it. Start there first. If your content is valuable, you will gain an engaging audience. It worked for me since August so I can recommend it 100%.
How do I create my website?
If you are a newbie writer combining schooling with writing, I suggest you start with a free WordPress blog. Why? Because owning a website is expensive to start with. And if you cannot afford to renew your domain and hosting every year, your content is going to be shut down. Apart from the money, you might get a bit confused with all the techy parameters.
So starting with a simple blog is the best way to go. My first blog was on blogger.com (ellesue) then I moved to wordpress.com (suzanwrites) until I bought my own domain and created Blackprowriter.com. I already knew the ins-and-outs of blogging using WordPress, so a website was not strange for me to handle. So if you are thinking of creating a website, start blogging first and create your little corner on the internet. To know the basic equipment you need to start blogging, click here!
I am just starting out as a blogger, how do I gain an audience?
- Create valuable, irresistible, and niche-relevant content
- Join a blogging community
Check this link on how to write for an online audience.
PODCAST
How do I go about starting a podcast of my own?
Well, you are right in time because I recently wrote all about it. Click here!
Q&A: WRITING SERVICE & MONETIZATION
I am just starting out, can you help me with price ranges that I should work with?
There is no fixed price or rate you can slap on your writing services because we all know our approach towards creating content differs. So, I suggest you price your work on your worth. As a newbie freelance content writer, you can start by charging per word or per project. So $5 per word ain’t bad. Remember, to always ask your client their budget so you can give a price range that falls within their budget. You can make it seem like a package, you know like they do in a restaurant. So an additional work or a revision might cost them some extra cash. Something like that.
What are the niches I can write on?
Writing niches are plenty. If you want to focus on a writing niche, you have to discover your interests and what you are good at. For instance, I love watching movies, tweeting about it and all but when I tried creating content on it I discovered I did not enjoy it at all. I would rather watch movies that turn my sweet hobby into a job. So differentiate your hobby from your job. Choose a niche you know you can create content on professionally. Also, choose a niche that are relevant and people are searching for on the internet.
Do a google search of all the top paying niches and choose the one you are interested in.
Writing niches is a whole different topic that I need to breakdown for you so if it is something you are into, let me know so I can write a detailed blog post on it.
How do you proofread your writing?
I use Grammarly, I talked more about it on this post. Click here!
When do you know it is time to monetize your writing skills?
Ha-ha…honestly, there is no specific time. These things are not set in stone. The internet made sure of that. You can start monetizing as you begin. The thing about monetization is that whoever wants to hire you or buy from you has to see proof that you are good as you say you are. So this is why I advise you to have developed your writing skills, created an impression, and you have created a portfolio.
I remember my first writing job 4 years ago, I was already blogging with my first free blog, my Instagram page was popping, and someone saw my profile and decided to hire me to write. And I earned #2000 – my first paid job. I will always remember that feeling in my chest – that I could do this – which made me decide to improve my skills and get better. Here we are!
How do you monetize your skills as a writer?
Freelance and source jobs on freelance websites such as Upwork, Fiverr.
Pitch to brands on social media and sending them a cold email on what you can offer them.
Sell digital products such as e-books, e-courses to your audience.
Edit other people’s work for money
Offer coaching sessions for money.
Thanks to those who asked these questions. Thanks for sliding into my DMs lol. I am so glad I was able to help and I am hoping in posting your questions here, the answers will help someone else. You can follow me on Instagram, slide into my DM, and ask questions related to writing, branding, digital marketing.
This was so much fun, and I hope I will have enough questions for October so I can publish it. I usually drop a Q&A box on my Instastory, please feel free to ask away!
Cheers!