How To Run Your Blog Like a Business – Part 1

How To Run Your Blog Like a Business – Part 1

Posted on 25. Apr, 2009 by Ashwin in Business Blogging

It’s funny that there are so many blogs out there that take birth and many more that aim so high, but without a gun.

Blogs are apenty; but blogs with a definite purpose, aim, structure and plan are rare. The biggest and the fastest growing blogs do have them but the little, just-started ones don’t — it’s amusing to note that it doesn’t need much except a plan and the will to execute it.

I was just reading the Blogging Blueprint by Yaro Star in which  he talks about how one could actually run the blog like a business. I find it pretty insightful and interesting except fr the fact that it doesn’t delve into it exhaustively. It leaves a lot to your imagination and I thought I will fill in the gaps with a series of posts that can help you get started with blogging as it were a business.

Overhaul Your Mindset

The first step a blogger needs to take to run blogs as a business is to ensure that the mindset is all set. Most bloggers tend to take this approach to blogging and stick to it : Experiment with free blogs> take to self-hosted blogs> Post vigorously> get lost in the melee> cry in despair> give up; go back to job.

Nah…this can’t cut. You got to follow this path instead : Take to self-hosted blog> Research niches> pick profitable niche> Post great content and set it to publish at a pre-determined frequency> bring in a professional bloggger, outsource to ghost writers or invite guest bloggers ( for pay or for their self-promotion).

Even before you start the whole process, you should have the end in mind: to run your blog as a business and not as a fancy job you could do off starbucks or your bedroom.

Here’s a Checklist for what would qualify as a business:

  • A rock-solid plan — as to where the business is and where it ought to go.
  • The business must utilize “leverage” — the collective effort of a team whether on-site or remote)
  • A business must have a model in place — how does it seek to provide  value and earn revenue. Does it sell anything? Information,Informational products, services, products, and ad space will all qualify to be things that can be sold.
  • A business must have grea products as mentioned above and a system for efficient operation.
  • Finally, a business must have  ways to collect money, an accounting system and a proper system that monitors cash-flow.

Think of how you could apply  this to your blog. Every kind of a blog can be built and expanded to fit this model.

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7 Responses to “How To Run Your Blog Like a Business – Part 1”

  1. Salwa

    26. Apr, 2009

    I believe the reason why bloggers fail to make money by blogging is because they don’t treat it like a real business.

    Nice article here.

  2. Ashwin

    26. Apr, 2009

    @ Salwa…Something about the fact that blogs, online businesses, e-commerce in general don’t have a physical presence causes this? Anything done online doesn’t bring in the amount of seriousness that otherwise comes with offline businesses. Some heavy conditioning required here, no wonder not everyone gets it. eh?

  3. blinkky

    27. Apr, 2009

    I think there are a lot of bloggers out there like to blog but they don’t have time to do it. Maybe they have other commitments in their life and sometimes they have to juggle between blog or life =). For me, blogging is one part of my life style

  4. Ashwin

    27. Apr, 2009

    @Blinkky — For you blogging is one part of your lifestyle. For some they hope that blogging sustains their lifestyle –it is for this reason that you ought to look at blogging like a business. Look at some of the most successful blogs — they are all run like businesses. Don’t you think?

    I think it all boils down to choices. Some people choose blogging over their day jobs — if this is the case, you got to hustle and do what it takes.

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