Blog Manager: A Job Defined
Sometimes, all you need to do is name something to give it form. Take, for example, the term "Blog Manager." Coined by The Blog Studio, Blog Manager describes a person who swoops in to help a blogger optimize his or her blog for search engine placement, ad revenue and affiliate relationships.I've been toying with this very idea -- albeit in a "hmm, I wonder if that would work" kind of way -- but I hadn't latched onto a job title until now. To me, "Blog Manager" is a perfect description for a nascent profession. As The Blog Studio notes, thousands of blogs are missing opportunities to turn traffic into revenue. These revenue-deficient bloggers (or site owners -- they don't have to be pure bloggers) are adept at content development, but they don't have the time, inclination or knowledge to develop advertising and affiliate relationships. Moreover, they may not even realize that these relationships can be formed with no out-of-pocket cost. Enter the Blog Manager.
This is an exciting start, but there are obstacles with the Blog Manager concept that need to be surmounted. They are:
- Establishment of trust. A discussion about Blog Managers at ProBlogger poses the idea of Blog Manager regulations. That's a possibility, but then you get into issues of who devises these regulations and who enforces them. I think trust is best formed in the marketplace. Blog Managers who consistently deliver excellent service will form solid client bases. Less attentive Managers will fall by the wayside. Or so I'd like to believe.
- Appealing to the small blogger. I'd venture that the vast majority of bloggers are people who blog on the side, which means they're not particularly interested in shelling out big bucks to some "blog expert." So the question is: How can Blog Managers appeal to the individual blogger?
A couple ideas: Revenue sharing. Low flat rates. Low monthly rates.
Clearly, I need to do more thinking in this area, but there's a definite tipping point in here somewhere. (Your thoughts and comments are welcome below!)
The enterprise opportunities for Blog Managers are more obvious. I can see how Blog Managers could sell their services to companies, especially those that know a blog could help their marketing and publicity efforts. The Blog Manager would be especially inviting as an independent contractor: for a monthly fee, the Manager will write, maintain and optimize your company's blog. The company is only responsible for the contractor's rate -- no benefits and no overhead.
Comments:
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