• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Daily Blog Tips

Daily Blog Tips

How to make money from your blog

  • Home
  • Popular
  • Contributors
  • About
  • Contact / Advertise
  • Blogging
  • Marketing
  • Design
  • Money
  • Reviews
  • Productivity
  • Software
  • Technology

10 Requisites for Professional Bloggers

By Daniel 30 Comments Reading Time: 4 minutes

background image

Blogs emerged on the Internet as personal diaries where people would publish online their daily activities and personal experiences. As the phenomenon evolved, though, bloggers started to focus on niches, providing services or useful information for readers, blurring the line between blogs and traditional websites.

Nowadays very specialized blogs like TechCrunch or PerezHilton compete directly with mainstream media, and the people behind those ventures arrive to earn tens of thousands of dollars monthly.

Despite those success stories, however, making money through a blog is not a simple task and it will probably take just as much hard work as any other project, be it online or offline.

Below you will find a check list to evaluate whether you have the requisites to become a professional blogger or not. Bear in mind that most of those points can be developed, therefore the list should also work as an action plan to improve your blogging career.

1. Time: the first point on the check list is time, without plenty of it you will find it hard to build a successful blog that generates a good monthly income. Time is important not only for writing content but also for interacting with other bloggers, gathering information, keeping updated and so on. There are bloggers out there managing to generate money despite blogging only for a couple of hours daily (i.e. John Chow), but that is the exception rather than the rule, and most of the times those bloggers already had a lot of online expertise to begin with. If you are planning to earn a full-time income from your blog there is no reason to assume that you will not need to dedicate full-time to its development.

2. Expertise on a topic: apart from having plenty of time to blog you will also need something to blog about, and you must have some expertise around the chosen topic otherwise the blog will not be credible. Do not get me wrong here, you probably will not need a PhD in Physics to blog about “alternative energy sources”, for instance, but you must have a minimum background and you must also be updated with the latest developments on that field.

3. Passion for the topic: even if you know a certain subject inside out you will still need to write about it in a persuasive and engaging way. In simple words, if you are expecting to make money through your writing you better write some damn interesting things! People can feel whether you love what you are writing about or not, and if you do they will be more likely to become loyal readers.

4. Writing skills: are you able to write without grammatical mistakes? Do you have facility to communicate concepts and ideas through words? Those are some questions that you need to answer if you are planning to make a living out of your blog. Some bloggers might get away without outstanding writing skills, but only if the content is really compelling. Do not worry if you are not a Shakespearesque writer, though, as your wiring skills will probably improve naturally along the way.

5. Technical Knowledge: like it or not blogs are based on content management software, which in turn is backed by databases, located on web servers and so on. Hosted blogging solutions (i.e. Blogger or WordPress.com) probably eliminate the need for such technical knowledge, but those platforms do not offer advanced features and they are not completely customizable. If you are planning to create a professional blog you will want to have your own domain name and run it on some paid hosting service, meaning that you will need a basic knowledge of PHP, DNS servers, MySQL (mainly for backup and server transfer issues), scripts, plugins and so on.

6. Blogging Knowledge: apart from the technical knowledge to keep your blog up and running you will also need to understand how the blogosphere is structured and how you can leverage certain features to improve the visibility of your own blog. You will probably need to learn how to use trackbacks, ping services, blog carnivals, social bookmarking sites and the like. Secondly you also want to have a basic knowledge about search engine optimization. Some successful blogs get as much as 50% of their incoming traffic from search engines, so make sure your blog is optimized right from the beginning.

7. Web Design Skills: design plays a very important role on the credibility and success of blogs. Content is surely king but an appealing design will make readers remember your site, it will make it stand out from the crowd. Someone willing to invest money in his blog right from the start could probably outsource this part, but that is not the case with most bloggers. Make sure you study some HTML, CSS and website accessibility.

8. Business/Marketing Knowledge: if your blog is supposed to generate a full-time income you will need to treat it as a business entity. Every successful venture, be it personally or professionally, is based on carefully crafted strategies. Make sure you have goals and action plans for your blog. This will help you to focus your energy and time on important activities. Secondly you also need a basic understanding of marketing and how certain techniques can be used to promote your blog across the Internet.

9. Creativity and Innovative Ideas: are you able to think out of the box? Do you have creative ideas that other people might find interesting? Most professional bloggers were also innovators on their niche. Real value is not created by doing things better but rather by doing things differently. Creativity and innovative ideas will help you to write quality posts, to discover new ways to promote your blog and to find new monetization opportunities.

10. Network of contacts: you know what they say: “It is not about what you know but who you know”. Having a network of online contacts might make the difference between a money making website and a small blog that attracts a hand full of visitors. Contacts include bloggers on your niche, bloggers on complementary niches, web designers, web developers, advertisers and the like. One of the secrets to success is to pursue win-win situations, remember that.

10 Requisites for Professional Bloggers Photo

About Daniel

Daniel Scocco is a programmer and entrepreneur located in São Paulo, Brazil. His first company, Online Profits, builds and manages websites in different niches. His second company, Kubic, specializes in developing mobile apps for the iOS and Android platforms.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avatar of CeeJayCeeJay says

    at

    Some good tips but interesting you don’t mention getting to grips with Technorati and Feedburner. Surely they are essential for the modern day blogger?

    Reply
  2. Avatar of TatilTatil says

    at

    I’ll be a good blog and continuous tracking thank you master anaikin

    Reply
  3. Avatar of Ajay JhaAjay Jha says

    at

    Thanks for tips. These tipes ate really usefull for me.

    Reply
  4. Avatar of Bang KritikusBang Kritikus says

    at

    Thanks for your tips.

    Reply
  5. Avatar of autocarautocar says

    at

    This was very informative. Thanks.

    Reply
  6. Avatar of RealBizRealBiz says

    at

    I think that time is the main and everyones problem. But we all have to try at least.

    Reply
  7. Avatar of AneeshAneesh says

    at

    I am not a proffessional blogger.I am a student who blog out his ideas at times..I am soon planning to become a proffessional blogger..Thanks for the tips.

    Reply
  8. Avatar of exsmokerexsmoker says

    at

    Reply
  9. Avatar of JoLynn BraleyJoLynn Braley says

    at

    All are very good points. Being a professional blogger is not a get rich quick project, and it does take A Lot of time, if you want to truly realize a full-time income from it.

    I think it is so important to really think about whether or not you have any desire at all to turn your blog into a pro-blog….if so, don’t even spend the time with a free account. Get your own domain and build your site from there. 😉

    Reply
  10. Avatar of angieangie says

    at

    He he he
    Still worry, tuvie?

    Reply
  11. Avatar of tuvietuvie says

    at

    nice list, but the hardest thing would time, since I’m still 9-5 employee, but then again, if you enjoy what you blog about, you won’t stop blogging …

    Reply
  12. Avatar of BobBob says

    at

    If they were to given priority then Network of contacts should rank top.

    Reply
  13. Avatar of ShashankShashank says

    at

    nice read…
    Time and passion is what is required for blogging……..but i think of the all points presented above time is a major hurdle as every other thing will come to you if you have enough time..its not over if you have time then you will need to know time management..which i am trying to manage 😀 really its not easy sometimes..

    Reply
  14. Avatar of Luke C.Luke C. says

    at

    This was very informative. Im new to the blog community and need all of the help I can get. Its saddens me that I research for hours on end just to find one legit person who is trying to help.
    Thank you…… Luke

    Reply
  15. Avatar of FollowtheMusicalRoadFollowtheMusicalRoad says

    at

    For me, just starting out, it is going to definately be just getting some viewership and people responding to my posts. Second that with the time factor and you have yourself a semi-frustrating beginning few months of a blog. Good article.

    Reply
  16. Avatar of NocturnalNocturnal says

    at

    4, 7 and 9 are great ones. Those are simply ones I actually need to focus on. For the most part, I think I’m getting there. Like you said, writing will get better with time. My grammar is there but writing efficiently is another thing. Sometimes I get lost in my own words and thoughts. Almost impossible to relay the exact message I’m trying to relay without having to resort to deleting my entire post and starting all over again.

    Reply
  17. Avatar of WakishWakish says

    at

    Hello there.. Very interesting article here..
    From my point for view i will say: “personal knowledge of what you are doing + creativity” are the 2most important factors..

    Btw, i’m a new blogger and it will be nice if you guys could drop by to my blog for some advice/comments 😉

    Yours,
    wakish

    Reply
  18. Avatar of TerryTerry says

    at

    I’m glad you put time on the top of that list. 😉

    Reply
  19. Avatar of Bes ZBes Z says

    at

    Good points Daniel! Well explained also. #8 is one of the most important things people should focus on. If you have the most brilliant idea and do not know how to market or sell it, you won’t be able to do anything with or about that idea.

    Reply
  20. Daniel says

    at

    Andy, the purpose of the list is rather ensure that as many bloggers as possible make money from their blog. But in order to make money they need to be aware of what it will take, and what competencies they must develop.

    I agree with the points you mentioned, but most of them could be enclosed under “Business Knowledge” (i.e. project management, outsourcing and people management are stuff you learn on business schools).

    Reply
  21. Avatar of Andy BeardAndy Beard says

    at

    Ultimately, this is a list intended to ensure that only 1% of bloggers make any money. You forgot to pay any attention to what people really use to make money.

    Outsourcing
    Project Management
    People Management
    Automation
    OPC (other people’s content – legitimately)

    Whilst 9 partially covers this, you have to have a “niche”

    Reply
  22. Avatar of ThilakThilak says

    at

    As Ajay said time is everything in blogging. The more you interact, the greater are you’re chances to come under the radar.

    Good one 😀

    Reply
  23. Avatar of MakiMaki says

    at

    I dugg it. 🙂

    Writing is the most important element to me. Blogs are basically 98% text and everything else is just dressing.

    I love reading bloggers who can write creatively while expressing themselves with ease.

    Reply
  24. Avatar of Ashish MohtaAshish Mohta says

    at

    @CeleverDude:Dont wait for your blog to stabilize.Its always a constant change, you learn while u blog.Dedicate reading some blogs You will learn from them

    Just one cent of mine

    Reply
  25. Avatar of Clever DudeClever Dude says

    at

    I’m finding that once my site design starts to stabilize, then I can focus more on reading others’ blogs to get the lay of the land.

    I started out with no experience, but other bloggers have definitely helped me to get where I am today.

    Reply
  26. Avatar of Ashish MohtaAshish Mohta says

    at

    Great points Daniel.Not only from probloggers but some points can be taken for even part time bloggers.Its all about managing things

    Reply
  27. Avatar of GeorgeGeorge says

    at

    Great list Daniel. Time is probably the biggest hurdle for most of us. I know it is for me.

    Reply
  28. Avatar of egonegon says

    at

    Time is my issue too. The tough part is trying to make a fulltime income from blogging part time. You can’t really quit your job to blog full time if you aren’t making enough. A lot of the other skills can be learned along the way, although it’s good to know from the beginning. Technical knowledge is a must, but again, you can learn that if you have the time and are serious.

    Reply
  29. Avatar of DanielDaniel says

    at

    Ajay, I agree that time is the main issue, specially for people that get into blogging while still having a full time job.

    Reply
  30. Avatar of AjayAjay says

    at

    I believe for me Time is a major hurdle. Besides blogging I’m handling a lot of stuff that results in limited time. I prefer coding so WordPress development takes a good amount of time with little monetary return.

    Contacts… is another issue, but its improving now.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Trending Today

Popular

  • 28 Ways to Make Money with Your Website 514 Comments
  • 43 Web Design Mistakes You Should Avoid 474 Comments
  • 4 Steps to Increase Your Blog Traffic 188 Comments
  • How to Find Advertisers for Your Website 126 Comments
  • Top 25 SEO Blogs 243 Comments
  • 101 Blog Tips I learned 177 Comments
  • 30 Traffic Generation Tips 351 Comments
  • 6 Ways to Speed Up Your Site 51 Comments
  • 9 Hacks to Show Readers Your Best Stuff 21 Comments
  • 50 Simple Ways to Gain RSS Subscribers 145 Comments
  • The Best Website Taglines 127 Comments
  • What Is Success? 57 Comments
  • How to setup a 301 Redirect 52 Comments
  • The 7 Characteristics of Good Domains 76 Comments
  • 7 Ways to Promote your Site 133 Comments
  • Top 25 Celebrity Blogs 44 Comments
  • What Is A Blog? 81 Comments
  • Blog Setup: 40 Practical Tips 57 Comments
  • 10 Tips To Write Your Most Popular Post 79 Comments
  • The Blog Post Checklist 75 Comments
  • Interview: 12 Top Online Entrepreneurs 98 Comments
  • What Is Bounce Rate? 42 Comments
  • 20 SEO Terms You Should Know 28 Comments
  • How To Choose A Blog Name 15 Comments
  • 10 Tips to Sell Your Website on Flippa 37 Comments
  • Top 25 Web Design Blogs 80 Comments

Online business done right. Take your marketing efforts to the next level with tips and resources to get visitors to your website.
As featured
CNBC copyblogger problogger Entrepreneur Lifehacker Hubspot Business Insider Wordpress Showcase
Privacy Policy| Terms of Service | About | Contact

777 Brickell Ave #500-14648, Miami, FL, 33131, US
DBT Logo
DBT is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of DBT or any other organization. All Content Copyright ©2006-2023. Daily Blog Tips unless otherwise noted or credited.