6 Skills Every Blogger Should Master to Thrive in 2020

Whether you’re writing blog posts for yourself or others, there are certain skills to perform well in this industry. Writing ability, per se, is not enough.

Have no fear, once you can grasp these concepts the work becomes easier and more fulfilling.

1. Selling

Selling is the top skill for a reason—you must be able to sell yourself and your works. There is no way around it.

If you don’t, you could be stuck applying for low-end positions known to favor the lowest bids. Or continuing to write on a blog no one is reading hoping they will show up someday.

Although applying for positions or adding content to your blog are integral parts of the process, if you aren’t doing anything to sell yourself you may be missing an opportunity, your work may be all for nothing.

When applying for work or pitching reputable blogs to guest post on (for increased credibility and traffic), make sure you appear confident, experienced, and professional. Employers and publishers need to know you know what you’re talking about.

They have a specific need and it’s your job to fill it so their time isn’t wasted. So, respect their time by preparing and success rates will be markedly higher.

2. Networking

Now that you know how to sell, make sure you understand the importance of networking. The top bloggers are masters at building relationships with those in their niches.

Don’t expect to get a life-changing post on Entrepreneur or Forbes without first building relationships with someone involved and discussing how you can help them. It may sound like a daunting task, but it’s key to set yourself apart from other bloggers on the web.

Once you have networks established, you can easily get quality backlinks to your website or have high Domain Authority websites accept your guest post pitches frequently. At the very least, you’ll have experts and mentors willing to help you with the ins-and-outs of the blogging business.

This pays off much better than the reclusive blogger refusing to leave their website.

3. White Hat SEO

In case you aren’t aware, black hat SEO tactics are a thing of the past. They’re still around, but as far as search engines are concerned they are irrelevant in the long-term.

Because of this, not only do you have to learn the basics of Search Engine Optimization, but the practice of white hat SEO. In this way, search engines will love you and promote your content.

White hat SEO, in essence, involves being genuine about your content. Use quality keywords, but don’t overuse them. Use solid backlinks and internal links, but make sure they’re used at the right time and for the right reasons.

Ensure your content is unique and not duplicated anywhere. On top of this, keep your titles appealing and accurate with helpful subheadings.

When learning white hat SEO, like anything else just keep learning. There is so much to understand in this area, but all pays off big in the long run.

4. Website-building

Now, I don’t mean go learn programming languages and get to coding (although it does help), but you do need a website as an online blogger.

If you own a personal blog already, you already understand some of a website’s value. If you’re a blogger for clients or sites, you still should have a writer website to showcase your portfolio, past work experience, qualifications, and a contact form for incoming traffic.

When writing for big websites, they’re looking for your website to vet and refer to you. It tells them you’re in the game to stay and are willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.

Applying for blogging work with only a resumé won’t beat a fully-fledged website, even if the information inside the resumé may be superior to the website’s info.

You don’t need to code as there are excellent website building choices available nowadays. I use WordPress for my site due to its easy learning curve and straightforward block adding but find what works for you.

Just make sure you have all the important aspects of a website covered and it will continue to pay off for months to come. Keep on oiling the machine.

5. Discipline & Time Management

All this development can be quite time-consuming. That’s why discipline and managing your time is an invaluable skill set to develop.

A high level of discipline takes time but the key is consistency. Do the smallest amount of work you can comfortably do and do it all the time. Then, as you adjust, add time to your important tasks.

Time management involves organizing your work for the day in advance (I do so the night before so there isn’t much decision-making involved).

If needed, use planners or calendars to make sure you are hitting your deadlines. It’s understated how relieved people can be from you simply showing up on time and producing. It goes a long way.

6. Damn Good Writing

I know, it’s an obvious skill for a blogger and one you may already be really good at.

That said, if you take courses on persuasive blog writing, SEO-friendly content, how to write words that sell, creating powerful and high readability copy, or many other parts of excellent writing, you are learning to maximize your potential. This is about setting yourself apart.

Every time I took another course, I would go back to some of my previous writings and be taken aback by what could be improved.

Brilliant blog writing is a complex art that stimulates the minds of readers in a meaningful way. This cannot happen on accident and must be learned.

There are some incredible blogging courses on Udemy that have helped me immensely but find the right learning option for you. You will not regret it.

Seeing Clearly in 2020

With this information as a starting point or checkpoint to your development, take it day by day, or hour by hour, and never stop improving all areas of your work.

Treat your work like a business because it is, and you’re the CEO. It’s hard work, but it’s a magical thing when things start coming together, knowing you didn’t get here on accident.

Keeping these skills in your arsenal, there’s no doubt your writing results will reach extraordinary levels of success.

Guest article written by: Ty is an online content writer and has a writer website at tycali.com. He is experienced in mobile applications, tech, and internet services, and covers articles in these areas as well as in fitness and motivation. When he’s not writing he’s coding, lifting, or running.