In my case, as someone building a community blog, in fact I’m actually trying to create my own job. We all have a story and I won’t boar you with mine right now but I’m at a point where I want to create my own job that will carry me for years to come. It’s no secret, I spend a ton of time going hyperlocal and I eventually want to be paid handsomely for it and why not?
I want complete control over what I do and when I do it. I do not want to be censored in any way. I don’t want to answer to anyone about what I do and how I do it. All of this and I want to be paid for it. Great work if you can find it right? Am I crazy? Who has a job like that and gets paid? Hopefully you and me. Like I said, I’m creating my own job. Why not create the perfect job description while you are at it? If you know your description, build a plan around achieving that exact goal.
I enjoy serving my community with my hyperlocal blog. I really enjoy the satisfaction that comes with it. Satisfaction does not buy the groceries. I want to let you know where I’m ultimately trying to go. The ultimate goal is to build a site or sites that will pay me a residual income. I will need advertisers to accomplish this goal and you will too. This is where things will get tricky I do believe. Monroescoop.com has been published now for 4 months. I write what I want and when I want. I have total editorial control. I control the graphics and all of the video content. That’s the way it is now and that’s the way it must stay. If I want someone to tell me what to do, I’ll go get a corporate job. I held one for 24 years and I don’t want to go back.
My philosophy is simple about my job description and getting paid. Create something that other people want to be a part of. Create value on your hyperlocal community site. Build something your Mom would be proud of. If you do that, you can control your own destiny. You can be paid for being your own boss. Consider who your audience is and deliver good stuff to them. Your community will begin to let you know loud and clear if you are delivering the goods or not. The requests for articles will start to come in. You will find yourself on Press Release e-mail lists from various organizations in your hyperlocal community. I can promise you, if you are publishing junk, no one will want to be a part of it. When you discover that your community wants to be associated with your site, you are on the right track.
Build it and they will come. Advertisers that is. Build something great and then sell seats on your hyperlocal freight train. I have never built a plane, but I’ve bought seats on one because it takes me where I want to go. Build a great site that becomes a destination for readers in your local community. Once you have done the work, sell the seats that others (advertisers) may arrive at their destination. This is my philosophy in a nut shell. Stick with me and lets see where we eventually arrive.
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Steve, I started my photo blog with many of the same goals you’ve cited:
– Following a self-determined, independent business path.
– Drawing advertising.
– Interacting with and serving a community.
In addition, I also had the following objectives in mind.
– Creating an outlet for and a repository of creative photography.
– Building a website/blog that someday could be sold for a considerable sum — which will, of course, require a great deal of commitment and accumulative quality content.
Thanks for the thought-provoking post.