Disclosure: collaborative post
Right now, many of us are looking for new sources of income or new careers. Why? Well, the coronavirus and Covid-19 pandemic has seen endless changes to our day-to-day lives and many of us have lost our jobs or usual income as a direct result of the virus. Government guidelines in regards to social distancing and social isolation have saved countless lives, but they have also left many businesses unable to operate, or unable to function to full capacity, resulting in company collapses, redundancies, minimising working hours, or reduced salaries. The good news is that if you are struggling financially, there are countless ways to make money. Many people are using this as an opportunity to switch from a dull career to a role that they genuinely enjoy. If you like blogging or have your own personal blog, one option available to you is turning your blog into your career. This may sound odd, as we associate blogging with personal journaling. But if you can get enough readers on board, there’s plenty of money to be made. Companies will pay you to advertise on your blog or to write posts about their products. If this sounds good to you, here are some steps to take!
Registering as Self-Employed
The first step you need to take when becoming a professional blogger is to make sure that you register as self employed. It’s important that you do this before you generate any money. Essentially, registering as self employed will ensure that the government know that you’re working for yourself. You’ll be invoicing from clients and will consequently have to calculate and pay your own taxes at the end of each fiscal year. When you register as self employed, you will receive the UTR number necessary to complete your tax returns. You can also get information and reminders from the government to pay your taxes on time and with other useful information.
Seek Out an Accountant
It’s also a good idea to seek out an accountant who can keep track of your earnings, what you should be putting aside for tax and who can help you to actually file your return on time at the end of the year. This will simplify matters massively.
Know What You’ll Charge
It can be hard knowing what to charge your customers at first. At the end of the day, few people know fair prices for ads on different blogs. Factors that impact this figure will include readership and demand. Collaborate with specialists in Competitor Price Intelligence to make your prices competitive.
Create a Website
When we get started out in blogging, most of us will use free platforms. But if you’re going professional, it’s a good idea to collaborate with professionals to help you build a proper website. Some people to consider include:
- Web designers
- Graphic designers
- UX designers
As you can see, there are a fair few steps to get through before you even have your blog up and running. But each step will significantly help you along the way in this new venture!
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