There is an incorrect assumption among many that the internet is generally for young people. We tend to assume that because blogging requires a basic understanding of technology, that it is outside of the capabilities of the elderly.
This however is far from true. It’s never too late to teach an ‘old dog’ new tricks, and there are plenty of examples of successful web entrepreneurs who aren’t in their teens. There’s nothing to prevent you from learning how to build a site and making money from it, even if you aren’t all that young any more. In fact, there are a number of different advantages to running a blog as you get older. Here’s how to do it and how to make your blog really shine, even if you aren’t a pro when it comes to IT.
Step One: Creating Your Blog
If you don’t know a whole lot about computers, then the easiest kind of blog to make is a WordPress one. This is something that can be set up relatively easily, and from there you can easily post new content by simply writing your articles then hitting ‘post’. If you don’t like the sounds of setting up your own hosting account and installing WordPress in order to make it work, then you can always outsource the process to a favourite nephew. Otherwise if you know your stuff, or you’re willing to learn, you can skip this step and make something technical yourself.
Step Two: Knowing Your Niche
If you’re nephew is helping you with the basic creation of your blog, then where does your niece come in? Oh sorry, that’s niche. In other words you need to think about what sets your blog apart and gives it a unique USP. Who is your target audience and what’s your area of interest?
The best way to decide this is to choose a subject that you have a personal interest in and feel passionate about. If you don’t care about the subject you’re writing about, then you’ll find that it’s a struggle every time you need to come up with new content and post something new. This is the most important step then.
If you are looking for something unique to offer as well though, then you might also consider using your advanced years to your advantage. By offering a unique perspective for people in your age group, you can target a specific market that is largely untapped and potentially avoid too much direct competition as a result. An elderly perspective on football, on weightlifting or on dating is something that there’s a lot of demand for and not much on offer.
Step 3: Making it a Hit
Now you need to make your blog a hit if you’re going to make any money from it. To do this, one of the most important requirements is that you post high quality content and that you do it regularly. If you are retired then you can use this to your advantage by writing content in your extra free time. A few posts a day will mean your site is uploaded more often than most and help you find your audience.
Next you need to market your site. Don’t underestimate the power of word of mouth and try using your network of silver surfers. On top of that, consider using social networking sites to promote yourself further and maybe outsourcing some SEO to get your site ranking in Google.
About the Author: Vadim Kirichenko is an internet marketing consultant with a well known website optimization company. He enjoys writing about SEO tips and often shares his opinions with readers
