Why should moms take classes to learn to blog?

I received this question today via e-mail from someone curious about why she should take a blogging class. F. wrote:

Hi,

[My sister-in-law] was telling me about your blogging academy the other night and that you were specifically interested in “mommy” bloggers with interesting content.

My question to her, which she told me to ask you, was why would you say a limited income mom such as myself would need to spend $200 for a class to learn how to blog? What is the incentive behind being a “professional” blogger?

The reason I ask is because most of my friends who are “mommy” bloggers, as you are looking for, are stay at home moms with very limited incomes. I was curious what the financial payoff would be, if any, for having a blog with a high flow of traffic. As you can imagine, most folks I know would not look to be professional at this just for fun. 😉

Thanks!

F.

My reply:

That’s a great question.

As you pointed out, millions of mommy bloggers are already out there, with hundreds more starting each day. One payoff in learning how to blog more effectively is to stand out, whether by focused content or smart marketing.

It’s not necessarily about high traffic. That can be a losing game. It’s about finding your audience. I’d rather have 1,000 loyal readers rather than 1,000,000 “drive-by” readers who aren’t coming back.

What does that mean in terms of payoff?

For a mommyblogger, it depends first and foremost on her goal. It could mean:

• access to products and services to review (clothes, books, appliances, toys, etc.)
• compiling content for a book
• networking with other moms to share helpful tips and information
• strategies for blogging over the long haul (how many blogs fail/stop within 6-12 months?)

Notice how none of the things I’ve listed have to do with ads and payment. You can do that, too, but again, it depends on your goal.

Maybe professional is the wrong word. Many people with cameras take photography courses, not to become professional photojournalists, but to take better photos. Here, we want people to make better blogs.

You should note that it’s a risk-free opportunity. On the site, I offer a double-your-money-back guarantee.

I do hope you can attend, or pass it along to friends at those organizations already blogging.

Thanks for your interest!

Wade