Often regarded as the original digital journalists, bloggers have transformed online writing for several decades — and counting. From the dawn of the Internet, these typing wordsmiths have used any forum available — from Wordpress and Blogger to video posts and social media channels — to share their expertise with world wide web. Many bloggers have built a successful and dynamic career from their posts, often turning into modern-day influencers thanks to their impressive followings that trust their expertise, opinion and guidance.

Because of this success, many businesses have started to create their own content destinations, creating clicky, readable and easy-to-digest articles that creatively share their brand message and help to move numbers. But, starting a career as a business blogger is ripe with competition since it definitely takes hustling and a niche skill set. Even so, it isn’t impossible. Here, a few ideas to propel your work and strategy.

Much like not everyone can write about every topic, becoming a blogger takes an important set of skills. It might seem like a glamorous gig to get paid to blog away for leading and emerging companies but it definitely takes more grit than you expect. 

A great blogger knows how to wear many hats. Blogging is only about 20 percent writing and 80 percent promotion! A blogger has to be a savvy business person, and know all about social media marketing, email marketing, photo editing, graphic design and SEO. A blogger has to also be very passionate about the subjects he/she is writing about, or the blog will fall flat. The most successful blogs employ sophisticated strategies.

A great blogger is going to be someone who goes beyond being just a good writer. They need to understand a business's goals, their audience, and how the two interact. If you want to use a blog to increase sales, for example, but never once mention your product in a useful way, you probably won't see the results you're looking for. 

A great blogger is someone who knows their demographic. Staying consistent with a niche allows a blogger to provide relevant and important topics to their readers. This allows them to be in control of and confident in their voice, tone, and message at all times.

From mommy bloggers who made every new mama feel less alone (and crazy) to travel scribes who give travelers a glimpse of the planet left to see, the act of blogging has taken many forms in recent years. Most recently, business blogs have began to fester, creating a competitive landscapes for companies to think outside of the box. As we look ahead to the future of blogging, many shifts are predicted to take form. To name a few to prepare for:

More bloggers will move to video.

"We're likely to start seeing more and more video incorporated into blogging. Video gets good RPM with advertising and bloggers know that. It's also very engaging to share on social media."

Kristin Hanes, Journalist and Blogger

cv/KristinHanes

Long-form content marketing is growing in demand.

"In the past few years, I've seen more clients asking for 2,000+ word posts instead of 1,000 words, because they can provide more value and hit more keywords. I think this is going to continue, even with mobile becoming more popular, because people want full, complete answers when they're searching for the content that you're creating."

Ana Gotter, Writer and Content Marketer

cv/AnaGotter

Authenticity will be more important.

"In the blogging sphere, it's easy to get wrapped up in your highlight reel and only producing content that is perfect or what's trending. It doesn't always happen that way in life, as things change, and delving into the less than glamorous side of blogging provides readers a real look at the blogger as a person, rather than merely a personality."

Deidre Helton, Health & Fitness Copywriter

cv/DeidreHelton

The thing about business blogging is that it can mean many things: a motivational speaker or author who sheds career or investing advice. Or, a corporation who creates content around their brand —say, like ClearVoice. In terms of blogs written by an influencer, Tim Ferriss, renowned for his book 'The Four Hour Work Week' consistently provides his perspective regarding trends in the workplace.

Secrets of a Blog Writer

"It doesn't really matter if you have the most incredibly written, funny, informative blog posts in the world if you're specific audience doesn't find value in it. Consider important audience information like demographics, language used, interests, and product use case when creating your content strategy and list of topics."

Anonymous Blog Writer