Blogging is has taken the internet by storm and there are now nearly 156 million public blogs in the world. With all those blogs circulating in the atmosphere, you’re probably thinking what’s the point of setting one up? Furthermore, what’s the point, what do I gain from it, how do I stand out?
Well here are a few tips to setting up your blog, along with the advantages of having one!

Find a Niche
There are hundreds of blogs out there and it’s hard to differentiate between them when all of them are writing on the latest fashion trends, or biggest blockbuster. It’s great if you want to write on fashion or movies, but try and pick something that makes you different to everything else. Do you like vintage fashion, or love anime films? Then write on that. Find your niche and you’ll be able to hit a particular target group which will hopefully become a loyal fan base.

Establish your own Voice
Ways of making your blog stand out against the overwhelming number is establishing your own voice. Do you like making jokes or are you very sarcastic? Then implement that in your voice! Readers will love your work if it is different and fresh. Jokes and little strands of personality will allow your reader to build a relationship with you, which will mean that you will gain a loyal readership that will read everything that you post.

Short and Sweet
No one wants to read a 20,000 word document whilst they’re sat on the loo or on their daily commute. If your blog post is over 2,000 words, your readers are going to be put off. Try and keep within 1,000 words. The best blogs are under 800 or 600 words. This is because blogs are designed to include a snapshot of information to tantalise the reader. It’s a bit different if you’re a reviewer because you have to include a bit more information to convince the reader to watch the film or to read the book. Just don’t go crazy with the information; nobody needs to know about the typo on page 6238.
Future Career
An advantage of having a blog is that it might potentially lead to a career. If your blog is successful enough, you could start making money from it through advertisement and product placements. If you’re a writer, then it’s definitely something to consider as a potential life plan.

Industry Help
Blogging will show passion, dedication, written communication skills and industry knowledge if you write about it on your CV. Blogging is a great way of getting experience when you have none or are struggling, especially if you’re wanting to go into the creative or media industries. Plus, as we’ve already seen, there are loads of blogs out there and there is the possibility that the job you’re applying for will have candidates who have blogs. So if yours is better than theirs, then you’ll be in a better position of getting the job!

Network
Having a blog will mean that you’ll have to interact with people. Whether that’s replying to your readers, connecting with other bloggers, or discussing ideas, you will constantly be in circulation with other people. This can be a great advantage because these people might be the essential part of you turning your blog into a business or getting that dream job. After all it’s who you know, not what you know! So just remember when you’re online chatting to someone, they might be a crucial part of your career development.

Charlotte Brindley | Careers Ambassador | YSJ