If I tell them that I’m blogging for a living, they give me a funny stare. They believe it’s sort of a joke. I say, how serious is blogging? It can’t be like a true profession, like a doctor, a lawyer, or a bank teller. While every blogger has a different story and perspective, most of us do similar things every day, and every week, and every month as we expand and monetize our blogs. And I’m here to shed some light on what it’s actually like to be a full-time blogger.
BLOGGER: A Day In My Life As Someone Who’s Into Brand Deals And Influencer Marketing
I’m going to preface this topic with a little fact: blogging as a full-time career is really very hard work. Especially if you have bills to pay and you don’t ask your family for money to buy your own toothbrush… or any other commitments, I would say.
I think making a decent living, working wherever you like, taking a few trips, paying for all your trips, checking out cool new technology, etc. sounds too good to be real, let alone sound like a career. It’s fun and flexible, but it’s still working! If you’re considering blogging as a career, don’t buy a six-figure hype while you’re sitting on the beach with a gin and tonic – for most of us, that’s not what a blogger’s life is like.
To help parents and other elderly people appreciate this new viewpoint, I’m going to discuss what a disciplined blogger’s life looks like every day. I’m doing this to help all my fellow young entrepreneurs in various parts of the world who have a heavy family backlash to choose blogging or other online writing and social media-related professions.
What Do Bloggers Do All Day?
They’re going to be a little different for each person based on where they are on their blogging journey. A brand-new blogger typically works on establishing a foundation while a veteran blogger works on development or leveling. But bloggers, for the most part, operate their own online business. At first, I was then a hypocrite, telling the idea that I am doing this only for the sake of fun. It’s no joke to actually know how much it costs to start a website for blogging. Not to forget Internet fees, electricity bills, monthly phone plans, and a lot more. Keeping a good blog requires a lot of moving parts, too.
I write for a living. I design websites for a living. I get to test to keep the cool gadgets for free (and sometimes not free). I get to travel the country and attend and talk at conferences. I get to work from where I like. I get to take some time off and pay my own flight, back and forth, to visit my family for Christmas. Last but not least, I make money and do what I love.
My dream job was to become a journalist and work for a local newspaper (SunStar, ehem.). But when I told my mom about my plans, all I got was “No! If you want to live longer, don’t!” I can still hear her voice because she was trying to convince me that being a journalist is dangerous, most especially with tackling issues on politics and reporting corruption in corporate businesses.
But, yes, as a blogger, we do researching, writing, editing, optimizing content, marketing, networking, and photography. And also admin management, social media management, branding, graphics designing (thank you, Canva), working with PR companies, working with brands, working with affiliate managers, and continuing education. Very true, we wear a lot of different hats on any given day.
A Day In The Life Of A Full-Time Blogger
Well, I wake up early. I make a cup of coffee and I begin to schedule my day by writing things down both in my notebook and on Microsoft To-Do. I write down everything I need to do on the same day, so I don’t miss anything. Seeing stuff visually really helps inspire me to do so.
And if you want to know what my everyday work routine is like, then here are the basic ones. Each day, my tasks are different and the same:
- Every day, I write blog posts on various subjects.
- I answer emails from my readers, and every day I hear something new from them.
- I track my social media accounts and I’m talking to friends and followers.
- I look at analytical data to see where I am and how I can step up.
- I take phone calls to prospect clients and brands.
- I attend chat messages from aspiring bloggers to discuss the status of of their blog we’re both working on.
- I create and conceptualize graphic design for posting.
- I schedule my blog post publishing and social media posting.
- I write down my initial to-do list for tomorrow.
Somewhere in between, I eat, too. Yes, I’m not as conscious about my health as I should be. It probably doesn’t sound like a real career or something tough, but I spend about 10 hours a day working. The uniqueness of this is that I’m working in my house. But mostly in my home office (that’s my room, by the way), and sometimes in a coffee shop or a workspace.
Sponsored Works On Weekends… Or Any Time Of The Year
If you do a sponsored work, you are basically promoting products, tools, or services for another business or brand. You communicate their material with your audience, either to raise awareness or to encourage clicks, shares, and profits.
A few of my favorite gigs landed me to a non-exclusive but mutual agreement with a smartphone brand to become their partner as a smartphone photographer in Cebu City that lasted for 3 years. Another sponsored work allowed me to an all-expense-paid trip to Manila to represent the city for a nationwide conference on food tourism. And some free gadgets, hotel overnight stays, and brand deals, a long-time-dream-come-true fan meet-up with my favorite childhood boyband, and a couple of exclusive VIP access parties with the celebrities you saw on TV.
But sometimes, working with brands and PR companies is not easy-breezy. After submitting my proposals and drafts, and get approval for release, I can also get an urgent assignment to redo everything, and it’s already 9 PM, and the changes must be made available the next day before lunch, on a Sunday. Smile.
I also get writing assignments for promoting brands without any incentives at all. It’s like having to work with a client with low income and you need to render your services for free. Yes, pro bono, that is. Then, all you know that they are using your content to tell potential customers that “This blogger from Cebu loves our products, so you will surely love it, too.” A very sad and disappointing story but that’s how it is sometimes for some who don’t give worth to your value as a blogger.
But to give light to breaking such bad news, you can also have lucky chances to network with fellow bloggers and they recommend you to the brand they are currently working on. Note: You must never forget to thank that one blogger because that blogger is an angel. You can also get inspired from their work, like Darryn Melerine, a brand ambassador and influencer from New Orleans, whom I don’t personally know or meet but has a very interesting and motivating story as someone who worked his way into influencer marketing for brands through social media.
Making An Impact With An Unusual Career
Sure I don’t save lives every day as a doctor would, but I believe that what I do as a blogger is making an impact. Over the years, I’ve empowered aspiring bloggers to start blogging the right way, and small businesses and individuals to get an online presence. I even had the privilege to help financially support an organization to provide school supplies, medical kits, and education to underprivileged youth in the Philippines, as well as those who are victims and survivors of natural calamities, conflict, and poverty. All of my pledges since 2012 came from my income as a blogger.
I know it’s hard to conceive of blogging as a career. This violates the tradition because my career requires me to work from home. It breaks the tradition because my work doesn’t require me to get a college degree (even though I do; I’m a Computer Engineer). It changes the rule that I don’t have to wait for time off, I can pack up my bags and bring work with me. It breaks the rule that I make money while I’m asleep. It violates all the traditions that my parents and their generation and the generations before they grew up in.
Breaking social norms is frightening, but I advise you not to push your children and try to encourage them. Not every child is going to be a doctor. Always remember, blogging, as well as working as a social media influencer, is like a college degree. It is a path, or shall we call it’s a career or a lifestyle not attainable for everyone. Stop forcing them to be one.
Learn more about this growing online career field, such as blogging, social media, influencer marketing, etc. Trust me, those careers are here to stay.
ALSO READ: 5 Ways To Help Yourself Grow Your Blog With Content Efficiency
With all of these things, they are not meant to stop you from being a blogger at all. In reality, quite the contrary. If you’re a driven entrepreneur who likes a challenge and wants to inspire people with your content, then blogging is a perfect career option for you.
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