If you have been following my blogging journey, you would know that my birthday is also the “blogversary” of the Moj In Touch blog. This blog was the gift I gave to myself 5 years ago for my birthday and I am so grateful that I embarked on this journey as it has shaped me, groomed me, broken me and re-moulded me. This journey has helped me to discover who I am, what I want and what I do not want and most importantly has directed me to my purpose in life. Today, I will share what I did for my birthday and some lessons I have learnt from blogging….
Birthday First!
I had a quiet one. I spent the morning with a group of women to praise and pray. I returned home to a treat from my husband and children with gifts and home cooked meal by my husband. We were meant to go out to a dinner which is our own birthday tradition but the weather didn’t cooperate. All in all, it was a good birthday. Thanks to you my dear social media family for the love, I do appreciate it very much. I am truly grateful for another year added to my life. God be praised.
Lessons I Have Learnt From Blogging
I will do this based on my own personal journey and I believe very much that it would help someone somewhere….
1. Blogging is Not for the Lazy or Faint Hearted
A lot of people see the glamorous side of blogging especially fashion blogging and they think, yep, I can do that but truly, blogging goes way beyond the clothes, it takes a lot to even get the outfit post out. So to all you social media critic or “chief judge” of this world, before you blame a blogger for those not so good photos, know that it is not that easy…..
From clothes selection to photography to finding the right location to take photos to writing the post to marketing it on social media to the right audience to SEO and much more, a blogger does it all. If you are not willing to get your hands dirty, you may not be able to blog successfully. You must be willing to put in the work, sometimes till late in the night (I have done this uncountable times), if you want to be a successful blogger, you must be ready to work for it…..
Depending on what your vision or goal for your blog is, you MUST not see your blog as just a hobby but a business. If you treat it like a hobby, it will always be a hobby or even a joke to other people BUT if you treat it like a business, people will see it like that too. Be sure to do legal paper works once you turn your blog into business.
2. Blogging Won’t Make You Rich Instantly
This is another misconception a lot of people have about blogging that once you start blogging, you get rich instantly. People also assume once they see Adsense showing on your blog, you sure are a “millionaire”. Someone basically asked me how much I make from Adsense because they visited the blog from a certain location and Google fed them a targeted Adsense from a brand. Dear friends, Adsense don’t pay bloggers thousands of euros when you visit their blogs – noted?
If you play the blogging cards right, you can make good money from blogging. Blogging brings opportunities you can monetise your way, you just have to maximise those opportunities. It takes work but doable. I have done it and I still do. I am grateful for the opportunities that has come my way.
3. Blogging Helps You Find Your Voice
When I started blogging, I started out to blog fashion and that was it. Along the way, I discovered my gift of encouragement and I banked on it. This was what gave birth to the motivation bit that I do. I have since written 2 best selling motivational books, spoken motivation in many events (home and abroad), write motivation and encourage many people (young and old) with my gift of encouragement.
Give yourself the chance to discover yourself. If you do, you will do more and become more.
4. Blogging Shouldn’t be Your Last Bus stop
I said in the points above that blogging brings opportunities and blogging can help you discover yourself. A lot of people make the mistake of making blogging their bus stop .i.e they blog alone and hope to do that forever. In my humble opinion, you can’t build a lasting brand and wealth by blogging alone. For you to maximise your voice as a blogger and build a lasting brand, you must create products and services that people need. For example, I have written books (Use What You Have & Create the Life You Want) – these books will never expire, I teach masterclasses, I have created digital courses that I sell over and over again and still creating more and I have other chains of other small businesses – merchandise for a target market for example and more like brand opportunities. See image of a few of some brand I have had the opportunity to work with……….
5. Blogging Connects You With People Who Would Buy From You
I have learnt that blogging can create a wrong impression especially in my kind of blogging – fashion blogging. As a fashion blogger especially, lot of people may not necessarily understand what you do because of all the clothes you wear and share, so they assume you have it all. Don’t worry, misconception is a price every fashion blogger has to pay but you have to learn to ignore people who assume wrongly.
As a Blogger, your most important job is to strategically find the right people who believe in what you do and have to offer and ones who would “buy” from you. Blogging can connect you with with those people, like one of my friends would say, you just have to find those people. Once you find those people, they are your tribe, treat them well and fair.
6. Blogging Makes You Popular But Popularity is Hyped
I am on a journey, so, I am learning which means I do not know it all or have it all. I personally do not have a lot of following on social media but I tell you, I have managed to connect with the right people who buy into everything I have to offer.
However, on the other hand, I have seen people with so many followers who are very confused and broke even with their large following. Blogging can make you popular but popularity don’t pay the bills. You must learn to do the right things with the audience you have, if not you may just be wasting precious time.
7. Blogging is an “Art”
I told you when I started blogging, I wanted to blog fashion and that was it. As I went on the journey, I discovered who I am and starting doing things that aligns with my purpose. That is me and my own journey…..
A lot of Bloggers miss it in the sense that they do what everyone does because they think it is the right thing to do. No, it is not. Blogging is like drawing on a canvass, paint your own picture the way you like. Provided you are happy with your painting and it is making your fulfilled, you are on the right track. Don’t do things because other people are doing those things, do your own thing and find the right tribe for your crafts. This will not only bring you fulfilment, it would help you “sell” what you may have to offer too because you are doing it your own way and for the right set of people.
In conclusion on this post, one thing I know is that I set out as a Blogger to help people by sharing the things I know, use and love and I believe many bloggers are out to help people too with their creativity and skill. Let us not forget that it is in giving or sharing our gifts or crafts that we get rewarded. If your only reason for blogging is to make quick money, you may be disappointed because it doesn’t happen that way. For you to make money, you must understand the business of blogging and do the work….are you ready to do the work? To check out my “Blog Like a Boss” programme, you can check HERE
Read: Blogging Mistakes to Avoid
Old Photos – I was wearing: H&M Dress | Primark Sandals | Topshop Choker
So, that was how I spent my birthday and some lessons I have learnt from blogging. There is more to share but allow me to stop here today…..shall we say to be continued? 🙂
I want to thank you so very much for stopping by and for reading. Please do share this post on your social networks, your friends and family may find it helpful.
Here is wishing you a great day today.
Much Love, Mojisola
To celebrate my blogversary, my book, Create the Life You Want is now available to you for just $0.99 for a few days only. Grab it by clicking on the image below….enjoy and be inspired as you read.
2 comments
Belated birthday greetings to you. Thank God for another year.
Thanks for sharing too. I find the lessons you have learnt about blogging very useful. I will come back here often to be reminded of the lessons.
Congratulations MJ.
Thank you for been a great blessing to me especially for sharing with us. You are celebrated.
Lots of love and light.