What is Your Blogger Persona? Find Out Now.
Kyle
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It’s 2017, and everyone can be a blogger. With amazing tools like WordPress that makes setting up your blog simple and straight forward and promotional avenues in social media, you don’t have to have the experience to succeed.
That is not to say there isn’t a learning curve to get up and running. There’s plenty to learn, and if you’ve never worked on a blogging platform or content management system (CMS), the details and setup of the blog can bog you down.
We’ve put together five personas of bloggers and the time, effort, and resources it will take for them to get started. Whether you’ve always wanted a blog, struggling to get it off the ground, or looking for a way to earn more cash, this guide is for you.
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The Bootstrapper Persona
The Bootstrapper runs on time, energy, and passion, not money. They are focused on the ‘keyboard equity’ (you don’t sweat online) and want to build their blog while learning the ropes. They usually have little to no money to spend and understand that they can overcome that with hard, smart work.
Often this is where many of us start and this is the perfect persona for someone who has much more time than money. Understand that bootstrapping requires the most work and will require learning some moderate technical aspects. If you struggle to turn on the computer, this may not be the best route.
Some signs that you are a bootstrapper include:
- You always drive, no matter if it’s your car or not
- You order your pizza take out rather than delivery
- You make your pasta by hand
Some signs that you are not a bootstrapper
- You pay someone to mow your lawn
- You give up at the first sign of problems
- Computers make you break out in hives
If you take on the Bootstrapper persona:
- you will spend little to no money throughout this course
- your success will be directly determined by your actions
- you will invest heavily in learning new skills
- your learning curve will be steep, but the reward is high
The Penny Pincher Persona
The Penny Pincher want to be a Bootstrapper but understands their weaknesses. The are passionate and energetic but can be frustrated when things take too long. They live by the motto, “time is money, but it better be on sale.” The penny pincher usually has a small to modest budget but wants to make sure they’ve exhausted every option before paying for help.
The Penny Pincher is best for a first time blogger who doesn’t have much technical experience and understands they will need help. They want to use their limited funds optimally and focus on their strengths. They will spend time finding the right contractors and will usually want a deal.
Some signs that you are a Penny Pincher include:
- If you can’t open the pickle jar, you ask for help before getting a hernia
- When it’s raining, you consider order delivery as long as you have a promo code
- You make mash potatoes from a pouch
Some signs that you are not a Penny Pincher:
- You’ve never used a coupon in your life
- The last time you asked for help was in 2nd grade
- You buy the vast majority of your possession in bulk
If you take on the Penny Pincher persona:
- you will spend a small amount of money getting your blog setup
- you will outsource if you try and fail
- you will need to choose your partners well and ensure they help you become more efficient
- you will invest heavily in learning new skills
- your learning curve is moderate since you won’t have to be great at everything
The Outsourcer Persona
The Outsourcer understands that it takes money to make money. They want to supercharge their earning power by multiplying their output. The Outsourcer has a moderate budget, and they want to focus on what they are good at and let someone else handle the rest.
The Outsourcer wants to get started now! They want an easy barrier to entry and are ready to focus on creating great content and building their business, not learning about software. They are willing to pay if there is an advantage and understand premium products and features can be worth the money.
The Outsourcer has a lower learning curve and should move faster, but has to choose who they outsource to wisely. While this is the ideal persona if you can afford it, it also has the highest risk of long delays and frustration with their partners. The Outsourcer must choose wisely to truly get the efficiency gains that outsourcing can accomplish.
Some signs that you are an Outsourcer include:
- You have the dry cleaner pick up clothes from your house
- You’ve only seen power tools and cleaning supplies on TV
- Siri is your best friend
- You have Amazon Now, Postmates, Uber, & Lyft on your home screen
Some signs that you are not an Outsourcer:
- You’ve never used a coupon in your life
- You don’t understand why anyone would pay for lawncare
- You don’t trust the ‘internet people.’
If you take on the Outsourcer persona:
- you will spend money to fill a gap in your skill set
- you understand the value of premium products
- you will need to choose your partners well and ensure they help you become more efficient
- you will invest heavily in honing what you’re best at
- your learning curve is flat since you won’t have to be great at everything
The Influencer Persona
The Influencer has the skills, experience, notoriety and social media following that allows them to jumpstart their blogging career. What they lack in technical chops they make up for in brand identity. The Influencer can utilize their network to grow their blog quickly and take their brand to the next level.
The Influencer has power and needs to understand and tap their potential. Content is king and traffic pays the bills. Because of their unique ability to produce exclusive content combined with the notoriety to draw traffic, the Influencer has a one-two punch. They should not spend valuable time in the weeds of setting up their blog, as they can find people to help with those details. Outsourcing is a must and payment can be in the form of money or notoriety.
Some signs that you are an Influencer include:
- You have as many social followers as your local radio host
- People ask you for your autograph
- You regularly need to update your headshot
- You invented something that made it on Shark Tank
Some signs that you are not an Influencer:
- Your profile picture is still the egg on Twitter
- No one has ever mistaken you for a B-List celebrity
If you take on the Outsourcer persona:
- you should spend your time producing content and growing your business
- you should find a team that believes in you to handle the tech stuff
- you will need to choose your partners well and ensure they help you become more efficient
- you should be the face and heart of your business, but not the feet or hands
- your learning curve is flat since you already have a niche
The Baller Persona
The Baller knows what they want and how to get it. They understand that it takes money to make money and they’ve broken open the piggy bank. The Baller doesn’t have to be an expert at anything but finding the right people. Money makes growth easier, but it doesn’t guarantee success.
The Baller should look for talented, loyal staff that is in it for the long haul. It can be tempting to outsource crazy and try to go too fast, but finding a team that will do it right is more important than doing it fast.
The Baller must understand their role and stay out of the way, while still staying involved when they can bring value. The Baller is not usually a first-time blogger or entrepreneur, so this may be a persona to build towards. The Baller can be an Influencer. The combination of those two personas is the ultimate place to be.
Some signs that you are a Baller include:
- You fund your new projects from your old projects
- You’ve only seen power tools and cleaning supplies on TV
- Elon Musk calls you for advice
If you take on the Baller persona:
- you will spend money to fill any gap in your skill set
- you understand the value of premium products
- you will have multiple projects in flight at the same time
- you will need to choose your partners well and ensure they help you become more efficient
- you will invest heavily in building the best team available
- your learning curve is low since you are staying out of the way
While blogging is not for everyone, finding the right persona and understanding the skills needed will help you make the decision to jump into the blogging pool.
Now it’s your turn! Tell us what blogger persona you are in the comments below.
Hi, really enjoyed this post. I think I have “outsourcer” and “influencer” traits. Very interesting read, thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Neil. I think the combination between the outsourcer and influencer is a great place to be. Do what you do well and ask for help were needed!
Thanks again.
Interesting read! I am definitely the Bootstrapper. I need to do everything the hard way and source everything myself or in-house.
Bootstrapper is a great persona to be, especially in the early days of your business. It’s great to understand how every piece works and know what it takes to be successful.
For me, the key is understanding when and what to give up to ensure you stay productive when you have the freedom to do so! A one person business can only go so far.
Good luck!