Have you always thought to yourself – what is blogging? Do you often wonder how you can turn it into a career? Top bloggers from all around the world blog about everything under the sun. From fashion and food to technology and lifestyle, there is no limit to what you can blog about and how much you can blog. For the uninitiated, a blog is a website containing a writer’s or a group of writers’ own experiences, observations, opinions, and often having images and videos.
You can put up anything you want on your blog. It’s basically just like a personal diary which the world can see. From talking about the issues in a particular industry to telling the world about your latest finds, you can share your opinions on anything and everything.
Aashna Shroff runs a blog titled – The Snob Journal. She is an award-winning blogger based in Mumbai. She started blogging because she was passionate about fashion and beauty. Today, she is a top blogger with a community of almost half a million following her work. When we asked her about her views on blogging, she said, “It has to just be an extension of your personality.”
Most people blog because it’s their hobby. However, if you pursue this hobby seriously, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate with big brands. You’ll also be able to turn blogging into a profession where you get flexible timings and to be your own boss. Essentially, blogging for business purpose means leveraging an online medium for fun and entertainment while making money by creating and sharing interesting content. The good news is that companies are allocating marketing money to blogging and social media.
Social media has contributed largely to the boom of blogging as a career option. This is especially true in a country like India, which has one of the largest chunks of internet users. Today, a blogger can earn anything from a few thousand to more than a lakh for a couple of posts.
When asked about the advice she would give to young and aspiring bloggers, Aashna says, “Blogging doesn’t feel like working because I love what I do. You have to pick one thing that you love and focus on that. Share your opinions on things that matter and things your audience wants to know. Even though the Indian audience is more inclined toward visual stuff, blogging is not just about sharing pictures. There are many people who write blogs because they love writing.”
Like Aashna, most people pursue blogging because they are passionate about a certain thing and they want to convey their love for that thing to the entire world. Even though blogging is a new career, it has great potential in India as more and more brands are looking to associate with bloggers who have a large following. To be successful, you need to find your niche. There is no place for copycats in this space.
The scope is great if you choose to write about technology, travel, fashion, food and lifestyle. But, if you write about a lesser-known space like parenting or pets, you can make it big there too provided you produce unique content. Professional and widely-read bloggers make 3-4 lakh per month. Blogging, as a career, has massive scope in India. This is because the number of internet users in our country is on a constant rise. If you’re wondering if it’s possible to have a bright future as a blogger, the answer is yes! But, you need to be diligent and innovative for that.
When asked what she enjoys about blogging, Aashna says, “I get to meet amazing people, travel, and work with the brands I never even imagined associating with. But it does come with criticism, as people often pass negative comments especially when they don’t understand our work. If you’re an emotional person, the negativity can get to you.”
What may seem like a random photo on a blogger’s page is, in fact, far from random. “I plan my day to a T. The photo may seem like a candid one but a lot of thought goes into it – every flower, colour theme, dress, pose is a well-thought effort.”
Aashna signs off saying, “If you want to blog for a career, stop contemplating and start blogging. This is because there are already established bloggers across all industries. You need to move fast if you want to make your mark.”
