That day is today.
But who is a professional blogger anyway?
And how did I became one?
A definition of professional blogger.
Oh, the profound uselessness of titles!
When I play music I can call myself musician, and when I blog I can call myself blogger, right?
One thing I had learn some time ago, is that you don’t have to wait for other people giving you a title: just go get it.
Do you wanna be a poet? Just start presenting yourself as such.
So I’m a blogger, as I recently wrote in a short bio for a project I’m collaborating with.
So far so good. But still. What makes a blogger a professional blogger?
I like the description of Ashley in 7 Signs You Might be a Professional Blogger:
Professional blogging is a state of mind more than anything else.
If you threat blogging as a serious activity you believe in, then you’re acting professionally so you’re a pro blogger.
Fair enough, but still…
Using this definition, I should have been in my life already a professional LEGO builder, motocross rider, tennis player, motorbike mechanic and Salsa dancer.
I feel I’m missing something to consider myself as such, and I’m too ethical to just self-define myself as professional in any of the activities mentioned.
There’s something about professionalism related to the most grounded measure system: money.
If there are money involved, then bingo! you enter the pro league. So if you make money out of your blog, then you’re a professional blogger.
Great step ahead but…. how about that 10$ I got paid to publish a guest post on online coupons?
Did that make me already a professional blogger?
A poor one, maybe.
A more elaborate definition is given by John Saddington:
A blogger who makes a living (or a significant source of income) through their blog both directly (salary) and/or indirectly (endorsements, promotions, etc.). They receive payment for their performance.
10$… a good start, but no thanks, I was still a blogger.
Being true to myself, today is the day I became a professional blogger.
How did I become a Professional Blogger.
There are surely few business models to become a professional blogger:
- Get paid for your beautiful writing (obvious one!)
- Write a book and use your blog to promote it
- Endorse product/services and get paid for it
- Be an authority on what you’re writing about and earn from offline activities like conferencing, coaching, training etc.
Those are just few ideas.
To me, professionalism arrived in a form of luck, with luck being preparation meeting opportunity.
Here is the story. Four years ago I bought my apartment in Amsterdam. The whole experience was great, I learnt a lot of new things and I decided to share them on my blog.
So I wrote two articles:
How-to buy an house in Netherlands (English version)
Comprare casa in Olanda (Italian version)
Soon after I started receiving comments and inquiry from people all over the World, especially Italians, asking me for more info and suggestions… I did what I could to help.
Only few months ago I realized that not only people loved the articles, but Google did too!
My blog ranks number #1 for Italian keywords related to buy an house in Netherlands, and it’s also in first page for the English equivalents!
(Let me say a bravo to Google, that sometimes do it right and put interesting things on #1 position)
Involving my favorite local house agent was the next logical step to capitalize on this strong online presence… houses are not exactly cheap commodities, and I can provide him with potential customers.
But this is not how I became a professional blogger today.
One summer morning, while I was cycling across the Baltic countries, I recevied an email from an Italian entrepreneur providing international house services that, after reading my article, contacted me for a collaboration.
But this is not how I became a professional blogger today.
After our initial Skype talk (I was in an hostel in Liepaja), it turned out that he was struggling with his previous Web Agency that completely failed to deliver a new website for his business.
So he asked me for my WordPress Development services and one month later his new website was online.
Today I got my invoice paid.
A substantial amount of money indirectly generated from my blog: I’m a professional blogger!
At least for a little while 😉
And you, how do you define professionalism?
Not the most canonical way to become a professional blogger, but hey, sounds legit anyway!
I’m a bit battled about how to define “professionalism” as it seems to me it’s becoming yet another overused word: you use and abuse some words that they start loosing meaning, so that anybody can fill them with the meaning they see more fitting to the occasion.
In one of my previous office, we used to play bullshit bingo: each one of us had a card with some words. We would sit at meetings and crossed over the words.
It looks like professionalism right now has mainly to deal with getting some kind of benefit back from what you do, either some monetary compensation or some other form of benefits.
But can it be just that? Shouldn’t we highlight more that professionalism is not simply cashing the money, but actually devoting our time, brain and sometimes our heart too, to create something actually worth it? And that sometimes all the “professionalism” you pour into your work doesn’t translate in an increase of your bank account balance?
Anyway, I’m really curious now to know how you’re gonna become a professional blogger another day, maybe with the estate agents support? Who knows, I can see many possible path, so I’ll be waiting (not so) patiently for another post!
Ciao Zia Virgi!
Thanks for the comment, I agree with you and I’m also not convinced that professionalism is all about money.
I think it’s the most accepted parameter, but not the only one.
Your description resonate, but is it possible to be a professional volunteer? 🙂
Can professionalism be independent than be a “professional” at something?
Mumble mumble!
Hello Mr Professional Blogger. Congratulations and I hope this is just the start of a blossoming career.
I will be keeping my amateur status for the foreseeable future but always entertaining to see how the pros do it.
Keith… 🙂
You never know what Internet will bring!