A home of your own. The first thing every blogger needs is a website, and these days, that’s expected of just about any business. Using your space to highlight your work just makes sense.

Know-Like-Trust. Every business is different, and every business owner is different. Blogging allows people to see not just what you do, but who you are. That goes a long way to establishing loyal customers.

Discoverability. Search engines like Google and Bing use the content on your website to determine when to serve you up in search results and to whom. When you blog, you raise your chances of appearing in searches - which means more people find you!

I even recommend that my students and private clients who want to grow via a podcast or YouTube channel maintain a blog to host their content because blogs remain the most discoverable content on the web.

Long-Term Access. Unlike social media, which is controlled by an ever-changing algorithm, and has a life-span counted in minutes, your blog will continue to bring in new people for years to come!

But how can you actually utilize blogging in your specific business? Well, let’s dig into how the four most popular teacher side hustles can benefit from blogging.

Direct Sales

Also known as network marketing or multi-level marketing, this is one of the most popular teacher side hustles. When you join a direct sales company - think Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, or Beachbody - you are provided lots of support, content to use, and even a personal website. However, those who really flourish in network marketing are those who make personal connections with potential customers through their own, unique content.

Let’s think about the examples I gave above of direct sales companies:

A Pampered Chef consultant can use a blog to share recipes, give tips for kitchen organization, and review new tools as they come out. People are much more likely to click on a recipe than a blatant sales pitch, and by creating your own content, you can be certain that customers are clicking through to your sales page, not just the company’s main page (which looks exactly like yours).

A Mary Kay consultant can share his or her morning routines, techniques for using the makeup, tips for makeup hygiene, updated looks for new seasons and trends… it’s limitless. And just as with food, people are more likely to click on something that can help them than something that’s only trying to sell them.

Beachbody trainers can use a blog to share workout tips, previews and reviews of new programs, inspirational posts for motivation, and success stories of customers. Again, people want to be helped, not sold to.

Digital Service Providers

A digital service provider is a person who helps small business owners manage their time and business. They do this by taking administrative tasks off the business owners’ plates, allowing them to focus on the things that are in their zone of genius.

Virtual Assistants, for example, can offer general services like email management and support with paperwork and other behind the scenes basics. Others can be more specialized, like social media managers, podcast editors, or graphic artists. Beyond that there are online business managers or launch specialists that take care of more high-level tasks and manage teams of other VAs.

A blog can entice potential clients by offering tips on efficiency, productivity, and even how to do some of the things that they provide as services.

Some people worry that creating a blog that gives tips on how business owners can manage their own tasks will cannibalize their business, but it rarely works that way. Most business owners quickly realize that it’s much easier, efficient, and cost effective to hire someone than it is to do everything themselves. And if they do it themselves for a while, they often come back to the person they learned from to take over when they’re ready.

Digital Product Sales

A digital product is anything people buy from you that can be accessed online. This huge category includes a few types of digital products, all of which can use blogging to market and attract customers.

Downloadable Products. If you want to offer something that people can download and use immediately, like an ebook or teaching resources, a blog is the perfect marketing tool. People who pay for solutions to their problems want to know that the person they’re giving their hard-earned money to knows what they’re talking about. Your blog can be a teaser for what you offer in your paid content and serve as a way for people to get to know, like, and trust you so they feel comfortable that you have the right solution for them.

Digital Courses. When someone purchases a course, they want to learn from someone who knows their stuff and can teach them in a way they understand. Free content, like blog posts, offer a taste of your personality and teaching style that let’s potential students know if you’re a good fit for them.

In all situations, a blog is the most cost effective way to set yourself apart from the rest of the marketplace.

After all, what makes you different is YOU! Let your audience know who you are, what you do, and how you can help them so that whenever they’re ready to invest, you’re the person who comes to mind.

I don’t know what I want to sell

Many people who come to Side Hustle Teachers and think about starting a blog, don’t know what they want to sell. In fact, many are dead set against selling anything, especially at first.

The good news is that you can start your blog knowing what you want to write about, the kind of help you want to offer, and just make money through ads, affiliate links, and even sponsored posts. Then, as you grow, you can choose how to grow your income without limits because whatever you choose, your blog will support it.

So, yes, blogging can benefit any business. Not sure how? Come on over to the Side Hustle Teachers Facebook group and ask! Myself and the other 10,000+ members would be happy to help!

Have you grabbed your ticket to Edu Side Hustle Con yet? Happening in Hollywood, FL July 12-14 this 3-day event is a cross between networking and learning and should not be missed. This is the conference I wish they’d had when I was starting out. This year I’m thrilled to be a speaker and I want to meet and hug as many of you as possible. Check it out by clicking here!