Merging your work life with your blog life By David Griner AdFreak.com TheSocialPath.com

Rejected topics

Rejected topics • “ Career opportunities for the sarcastic slacker”

Rejected topics • “ Get rich or die bloggin”

Rejected topics • “ Why I use TypePad”

About Me • Huntsville native • Spent 10 years in journalism • Now work for Luckie & Co. and write for AdFreak.com

About Luckie • Advertising / digital / PR agency • Clients include: AT&T Regions Bank Blue Cross Little Debbie Alabama Tourism Express Oil Change Asheville Tourism ACIPCO The Virginia Samford

About The Social Path

About AdFreak • Advertising and pop culture blog • Started by Adweek in 2004 • Technorati Rank 2,877

Becoming a paid blogger • My story • Ben Popken’s story

“ Special thanks to Joel Johnson's mom. If she hadn't found my post mocking her son I probably wouldn't have the new job.” — Ben Popken, Feb. 16, 2006

Pros of freelancing Schedule your own time Stockpile blog posts in advance Decent extra pay Very minor level of celebrity Opportunities for guest editing/posting Work in your underwear

Schedule your own time

Stockpile blog posts in advance

Decent extra pay

Very minor level of celebrity

Opportunities for guest editing/posting

Work in your underwear

Cons of freelancing Most people suck at time management You’ll starve No benefits or security Can mess with your taxes Easy to lose steam Neighbors get tired of seeing you in your underwear.

Most people suck at time management

You’ll starve

No benefits or security

Can mess with your taxes

Easy to lose steam

Neighbors get tired of seeing you in your underwear.

Finding the right blog You’re probably already reading it Who owns it? How many writers? What's the output?

You’re probably already reading it

Who owns it?

How many writers?

What's the output?

Getting the gig Get to know the writers or editors Comment often under the same name Write response posts on your blog If you like the site, help drive traffic there

Get to know the writers or editors

Comment often under the same name

Write response posts on your blog

If you like the site, help drive traffic there

Asking for the job No harm in asking about openings Always write at least three sample posts that they could run that day Make sure your e-mail is colon-rupturing in its awesomeness

No harm in asking about openings

Always write at least three sample posts that they could run that day

Make sure your e-mail is colon-rupturing in its awesomeness

Asking for the job Get across your enthusiasm for the blog Talk about how it has evolved Say why they need you

Get across your enthusiasm for the blog

Talk about how it has evolved

Say why they need you

Asking for the job What are they missing? Is it your background? Your gender? Your location? Your traffic? Your raw sex appeal?

What are they missing?

Is it your background?

Your gender?

Your location?

Your traffic?

Your raw sex appeal?

How much will it pay? Not much

Not much

How much will it pay? Pay per post: $5-$30 a piece At 5 posts a week, that’s $1,300-$7,800 a year Pros: Steady, decent pay Cons: No bonuses for traffic hikes

Pay per post:

$5-$30 a piece

At 5 posts a week, that’s $1,300-$7,800 a year

Pros: Steady, decent pay

Cons: No bonuses for traffic hikes

How much will it pay? Revenue sharing model: Based on advertising or page views Pros: Good pay for popular posts Cons: Lots of dry spells

Revenue sharing model:

Based on advertising or page views

Pros: Good pay for popular posts

Cons: Lots of dry spells

How much will it pay? The Gawker model: Salary for a required number of posts per week. Plus bonus based on pageviews, relative to your site Other salary sites offer occasional ad revenue sharing.

The Gawker model:

Salary for a required number of posts per week.

Plus bonus based on pageviews, relative to your site

Other salary sites offer occasional ad revenue sharing.

Get creative Develop your own ideas for bonus pay: Manage the Twitter feed Update the blog's Facebook pages Do blogger outreach/PR

Develop your own ideas for bonus pay:

Manage the Twitter feed

Update the blog's Facebook pages

Do blogger outreach/PR

Social media as a career

Social media as a career Pros: Fun Growing exponentially Few rules You can make a big difference

Pros:

Fun

Growing exponentially

Few rules

You can make a big difference

Social media as a career

What could you be doing? Training coworkers on social media Maintaining company feeds Doing online outreach Creating an online voice for your business

Training coworkers on social media

Maintaining company feeds

Doing online outreach

Creating an online voice for your business

Why you? You know how to do it right—and wrong You have what's still a rare skill You have initiative

You know how to do it right—and wrong

You have what's still a rare skill

You have initiative

Laying the foundation Write at least one blog you don't mind your boss seeing Offer to do a training lunch Help coworkers set up Google alerts Teach the practical benefits of social media No luck? Find another job.

Write at least one blog you don't mind your boss seeing

Offer to do a training lunch

Help coworkers set up Google alerts

Teach the practical benefits of social media

No luck? Find another job.

Thanks for your time. [email_address] Twitter.com/griner

[email_address]

Twitter.com/griner