Blog – Xhimbapoku

Why Choosing Travel Blogs is Important

For anyone who wants to do blogging, finding the right niche can be a challenging experience considering that one may risk exhausting what they can write about especially if they opt to create content about topics they are less conversant with or which they are not passionate about. For example, a blogger may face difficulties if they choose to write blogs about engineering, yet they have limited knowledge of engineering, or if they have no passion in the subject that can motivate them to explore engineering knowledge. Therefore, it is imperative that one select an area or a topic that is easy to write about.

One area that a blogger can do well is travel because a blogger does not need to have background knowledge about to travel to write what they see. Instead, one needs to understand how to describe the scenes, the people and the things they see. When one travels to a country such as Haiti, for example, they can talk about the Voodoo traditions which are synonymous with the Haiti’s culture. Similarly, one may choose to talk about the pyramids in their travel blogs in case they travel to Egypt. However, a blog writer does not have to be physically present in a location to describe it. They can write the blog, for instance, in the form of a report by giving account of the experiences of those who traveled.

Other than being easy to create or manage, the travel blog provides numerous benefits to the blogger. For example, it brings a sense of satisfaction that other blogs may not provide. As one travels, and blogs about it, it creates a feeling of personal fulfillment because when not only experiences, but they share their experience with others. The risk of boredom and burnout is high if one constantly and continually blogs from home or a single spot. With the travel blog, however, one gets the opportunity to meet new people, make friends, and enjoy the hospitality that can sometimes be offered freely by some hotels.

If one wants to find something that is less complex, therefore, they should consider writing about travel. Focusing on travel when blogging can make one find blogging to be a fulfilling experience, and it can lead to improved blogging experience. As one travels, learns about places they visit, and pen down personal thoughts about these places, they are likely to attain a certain level of satisfaction.

Style of writing blog

Before one ventures into blogging, they need to be aware of basics of writing including the various styles involved in writing the content for blogs. There are over ten styles of writing, and the style that one chooses to use usually depends on the goal they want to attain. Considering a case, in which a blogger wants to create posts that appeal to visual readers, the valid style in this case is the pictorial writing. With this form of writing, a blogger uses images, and demonstrate to the reader the process involved in a completing a certain task such as cooking.

Closely related to the pictorial style is the instructional writing with the difference being, the latter does not emphasize the use of pictures. Instead, it places emphasis on instructing the reader to get to understand the breadth of a particular subject or topic. If a blog content creator decides to use this style, they would have to give the reader a step-by-step procedure of accomplishing a certain task. This style is popular among bloggers who are experts in specific fields such as technology or hospitality. Writing style of this nature can be seen in blogs that demonstrate to people how to fix a problem such as malfunction of the phone.

Most bloggers see blogging as an opportunity to share experiences of personal encounters, and in their bid to create educational blog posts, blog writers may infuse into their posts elements of their personal experience into the storytelling process. The goal is to shock their audience or have them talk about the topic. When using this style of writing, one may cite how a certain event affected them or their emotions, and build on this to write about the topic they feel is pertinent to that particular experience. This kind of writing method is popular with those who write about the relationship matters.

However, some writers may want to indulge in creating content that fully touch on aspects of their lives such as experiencing the death of a loved one. This is where narrative writing comes in. This style is characterized by the infusion of humor into the real story to make it interesting for the reader to continue reading. A good story sales and when creating narrative blog posts, the writer should ensure that it is as captivating and interesting as possible because this is what will make the reader to visit one’s blog more often.

How to make a blog post

A good blog post is one that is thought-provoking, and one that a reader would want to continue reading. A typical blog post writing process involves brainstorming what to write about, identifying the keyword, defining the audience and writing an engaging post. Planning the type of content to write about including how to write it determines how compelling a blog post can be. Therefore, a person intending to create blog posts should develop a habit of planning or creating an outline before they write the post. However, there are other things that one needs to consider to come up with captivating content.

Introduction matters when it comes to creating a blog post because it is the part where one introduces the focus of their post. A good introductory paragraph draws attention of the reader by providing a hook, background information, and a brief highlight of what is included in the body. As one writes the content, from the introduction to the conclusion, they should ensure they write concisely and coherently and ensure the points flow in a manner that the reader understands whatever message they are conveying. When the information is understandable and clear, whoever reading it is less likely to get bored reading it.

A writer understands what the audience wants to read, and this underscores the need for anyone writing the blog post to be aware of the informational needs of the audience. Whereas some readers may be interested in learning about different types of birds, for instance, some may want to know areas where specific species of birds can be found. Exploring the needs of the audience provides a way for nurses to create posts that the audience can identify with. The stats regarding the post engagement can be resourceful in informing a writer about posts that most readers like. Consequently, they can use this information to make decisions on topics they can write about.

Although building a compelling blog often entails choosing a topic that the audience is likely to relate with, a writer should emphasize planning before embarking on writing the post. The correct use of the transition goes a long way in helping create content that the reader would want to read. Reading extensively about a subject is another way of ensuring that one creates content that is comprehensive and interesting. What matters most when writing a blog post, however, is the passion one has because passion motivates a writer to write something that they would be interested in reading.

Making Money by blogging

Have you ever thought about how one can earn money from blogging? You are not alone because there are many people who would want to know how they can generate money from their blogs. Almost everyone has a story to tell or information to share. One can give personal account of what they experienced, or share the information about the things they learned. Whichever story one chooses to tell, they can share it on their blogs and generate money. When blogging, creating content is one thing and earning money from the content that one has created is the other thing.

There are numerous options for anyone who wants to mint money using their blog, and one of these options is affiliate marketing. With this kind of marketing, the person running a blog, places an ad that directs the blog visitors to a different site owned by a company that pays the blogger for offering advertisement services. However, the amount of money that one can make using this method depends on the number of visits as well as the click through rate.

Selling an ad space is also an option for those who have interest in earning some income from their blog. Some companies may reach out to a blog owner to promote their products especially if the blog receives a big traffic. However, one may have to personally approach businesses they feel want to have their products or services advertised.

If a person is offering certain services or if they have the products they want to sell, they can advertise them on their blog. If one manages to create a following by sharing stories or by creating content that readers may find interesting, they can take advantage of this by advertising their services such as writing services. For this to work as a money generation scheme, one needs to have the right audience, and advertise services to the right people. For example, it makes no sense to advertise fridge repair services to students.

There are other methods that one can use to make money as a blogger, and what one needs to do is to find what can work for them because what works for one person might not work for another person. Before a blogger thinks of making money, they should first take time to build their blog by creating content. Having adequate and captivating content will give the audience the reason to visit the blog.

Digital technology

The advent of the first computer in 1832 marked an important event in the history of the digital technology because it ushered in an era of digital technology revolution. From 1833 onwards, there were new developments in computer technology which were instrumental in further spurring the growth of the digital technology. The invention of the transistor in 1948 and the advent of the LED display led to rapid development of the digital technologies. The contemporary digital technology is more advanced than it was four decades ago because it is more compact, efficient and effective in terms of how it can be used and applied.

One can give examples of the different forms of digital technologies without running out of options because these technologies have become part of our daily lives, and we use them in different tasks. The gadgets we use to communicate, ranging from the phones and computers to the modems, are all digital technologies. Other examples include the curved television screens in our living rooms, and the digital security cameras used for security purposes in homes and businesses. Given that the advancement of technology is ongoing process, the recent innovations include virtual reality technology and biometric security systems.

The application and use of the digital technology is seen in various sectors including education and healthcare. In education, for instance, institutions offer e-learning programs where students can learn from remote locations. The Grand Canyon University is one of the institutions that leverage the power of the digital technology to build online programs so that more students can get the opportunity to study. Recently, more hospitals have been embracing telemedicine so that they can reach more people who are in need of health services. Because telemedicine integrates digital platform that allows providers to remotely communicate with patients, digital technology is becoming a powerful tool for advancing healthcare objectives.

Given the developments that we have seen taking place previously in the area of the digital technology, the future of the technology is promising, and we should expect unprecedented future digital transformation. More businesses are projected to shift towards intelligence operations in order to be in constant contact with the consumers, and improve their service delivery. As the internet speeds grow, the delay in the processing of data including the undesirable outcomes associated with it such as poor customer satisfaction will be a thing of the past. However, these outcomes will depend on how fast digital technology develops, and how fast businesses embrace it to optimize their services.

American music

In 1960s and 1970s, the American music scene was dominated by the Soul and Jazz music. With other music genres including hip hop coming up, the music scene began changing, and today, the American music landscape has significantly changed. Most people would probably agree with the fact that the quality of the music content that artists are producing nowadays is not as good as the 90s music. Hip hop has historically been used by artists as a tool for highlighting social injustice, and in 90s, artists such as Tupac sung with passion often bringing to the fore the struggles of the minorities and the poor.

The ability of the 90s artists to infuse the styles their predecessors used before primarily played a role in these artists producing good music. The traditional music including folk, jazz and blues gave rise to the R&B because artists would always borrow the rhythm of these sounds to create good songs. During the 80s and 90s, the society strictly enforced family values, and there were times when artists received condemnation for using explicit lyrics in their songs. This probably shaped how artists made music content. When NWA began releasing songs, their popularity grew especially among youthful minorities some of whom were victims of police profiling.

The American music landscape in the 90s was largely diverse with artists such as Dido producing pop music to Usher releasing R&B songs. Musicians such as Destiny’s Child became popular for releasing songs such as Say my Name. The diversity and versatility of the music during 90s is what makes the 90s music good to the ear. In contrast to the 90s, the contemporary music scene is chaotic, just to say the least. The emergence of the “mumble rappers” has watered down the quality of the rap music. Artists of other genres of music including pop have disappeared from the music scene, and not many American artists produce good songs like artists used to twenty years ago.

It appears the era of the good music is long gone, and for those of us who grew up in 90s, we can only look back and appreciate how 90s music kept us entertained. The legacy of this music will last forever, and even though the contemporary artists have been producing and releasing some good songs, what we have today cannot match the 90s music. Therefore, this is a challenge to artists and producers to put in efforts to produce good songs because as music listeners, we yearn for good music.

How technology affects human life

The internet technology is shaping how we consume, move, work, socialize and communicate, and from early 1990s when the internet first went public to the present date, the world has seen tremendous development of the cyberspace technology landscape. Currently, people can order food and products using mobile apps on their phones. They can equally use some of these apps to transfer or receive funds, and share information. As much as the technology has played a significant role in easing how we do certain things, it has its own share of imperfections.

The compulsive need to use the internet or internet addiction, as it is popularly known, is becoming a serious problem considering that millions of internet users spend a considerable amount of time hooked on social media platforms. The more time people spend on these platforms, the more they become unproductive, and in a workplace environment, paying workers who spend a significant amount of their time at work on social media, can have negative effect on the company’s financial bottom-line. It may also result to missed targets and decline in customer satisfaction. A country that is competing economically, and that has a significant number of its populace hooked to the internet, may fail to achieve its growth targets, and economically lag behind others.

The overuse of the internet can have numerous serious health implications ranging from weight-related health issues to mental health problems. Using internet for longer hours is associated with physical inactivity which can cause one to gain weight. Considering the health risks linked to obesity, spending too much time poses health risks. The effect on the mental health can also be serious given that spending too much time browsing the social media sites until late hours into the night can interfere with one’s sleep, and cause anxiety. Furthermore, the feeling of inadequacy may result if a person excessively uses the social media because when they see others doing better or looking more attractive than they are, they may begin to feel inferior. This can have a toll on one’s mental health.

Looking back three decades back and reflecting on where we are as a human race, there is no doubt we have managed to make significant progress in terms of advancing technological landscape. Unfortunately, the same technology we have developed to help us solve problems is creating new problems such as the rise in obesity-based illnesses. Humans can however build on the previous experiences and successes to come up with ideas that solve the new issues that are emerging out of the technology.

The impact of technology on businesses

Trade has been part of human societies for centuries, and even before the advent of money, people exchanged goods with goods using barter trade method. With the introduction of money, the bartering method was faced out, as people embraced money as a tool for trade. Although the introduction of money eased the way people transacted, the discovery of the internet is perhaps one of the events that have had a profound impact on trade. Because of the power of the internet, one can provide services from remote locations, and receive funds paid via mobile banking apps such as Chase.

The e-business landscape has rapidly developed, and the internet has largely been responsible for this growth. Amazon’s success story can be attributed to the progressive development of the internet technology because when the company started in 1994, as an online marketplace for books, the World Wide Web (WWW) began. As the internet technology further developed, and more people began accessing internet-enabled devices, the population of internet users grew. Online marketplaces became common with companies developing websites to advertise and sell their products. These progressive changes have culminated into the growth of the popularity of the online retail sites, and some businesses are shifting from the brick and motor business setup to selling online.

The social media platforms are playing a significant role in connecting businesses with consumers. Thanks to increased internet penetration. Businesses can advertise their products on platforms such as Facebook to create product awareness, and inform potential customers where they can purchase their products. These platforms, still, provide avenues where sellers can receive feedback from their customers, and also provide information to customers about the products. The close contact between sellers and buyers brought by the social media ensures businesses constantly receive feedback, and work on this information to add value to their services and products.

The doo-to-door delivery is the next frontier of business innovation, and already, businesses are delivering goods directly to consumers. The internet is playing a crucial role in this area because people can place orders on businesses’ websites, and businesses can use deliver using technologies such as drones and robots. Amazon is an example of the companies that are delivering products using drones. Because customers want to experience better services, those involved in developing technology solutions need to come up with new methods that can make it possible for customers to know or track the status of their deliveries. This is an opportunity that those intending to venture into e-business should consider.

Mobile Phone

The cellphones have traditionally been used for communication, but in recent times, we have witnessed tremendous advancement of the mobile phone technology. The current cellphone technology enables people to send and receive money, and forty years ago, no one would have imagined people would be able to use cellphones to transact. The use of cellphone as a payment solution spans two decades, and some developing countries have immensely contributed to the development of the mobile payment solutions. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the mobile banking is popular in countries such as Kenya where even the most basic phone can be used to transact. Kenya in particular is revolutionizing this technology because M-Pesa, a mobile money payment technology in the country, integrates features that enable one to access various services including loans.

While the industrialized countries especially in the western world have dominated the global tech industry, there are some things people in the west can learn from Kenya and other countries where mobile payment is popular. When M-Pesa began in Kenya in 2007, there were a handful of outlets serving a population of more than 40 million people. These outlets served as mini-banks where customers could deposit and withdraw money. With time, however, the number of the outlets increased so that in every corner of the street, there was an M-Pesa outlet. The growth of these agents was supported by the rigorous investment on the telecommunication infrastructure. This is one of the reasons why mobile payment spread fast in Kenyan.

The public will and support is critical to the success of a new technology, and if a new idea receives limited support from the public, the chances of the idea materializing or becoming successful are next to null. When Safaricom introduced the mobile payment in Kenya, it already had a foothold in the country considering that it was already a popular brand. Safaricom was already part of the Kenyan society, and it was the dominant player in the country. Furthermore, it embraced a product promotional and advertisement strategy in which it made adverts containing messages of patriotism. Thus, the company became a national brand.

Considering the success of the M-Pesa in Kenya, startups and the players in the tech sector in the west can borrow a leaf from some countries in Africa. A key lesson that one can learn from Kenya is getting the right partners, and collaborating with these partners is crucial if a new startup wants to grow fast. The other lesson that western startups can draw from Kenya’s experience is company owners should keep the customer characteristics in mind when promoting their products because choosing a method that appeals to customers can drive up sales.

Dealing with Blogging Challenges

The thought of making good money from blogs may entice one to venture into blogging, yet blogging requires sacrifice and dedication. Bloggers experience various challenges that range from low visits to decline in passion for blogging, and if one is not emotionally and psychologically prepared to deal with these challenges, they may end up giving up. Even if one is already an established blogger, they may still have to deal with some challenges. An aspiring blogger or a blogger who is already established needs to understand the ins and outs of blogging to be adequately prepared to manage a blog.

For most people who want to blog, finding a niche can be a challenge, and this is complicated by the fact that some people may not like content on certain topics. For example, one may create content on travel when their audience want to learn about tourism. To settle on a specific subject to write about, one should conduct self-assessment to identify what they have passion in. It is also important for one to carry out research to identify the topics that people might be interested in.

For a blogger, getting readers to read the blog content can be a challenge, and in some cases, it may take time for one to even receive a single comment. This is common with recently created blogs, and unless one has a significant number of social media followers that can visit the blog, making during first few months of starting a blog can be hectic. Creating stories that elicit emotions or stories that people can identify with, can get the blog visitors hooked.

Not everyone may have the inspiration to write, and the lack of inspiration may cause one not to be consistent when writing. With inconsistency, one may lose potential followers or audience. Writing impeccable blog posts require a certain degree of creativity, and for one to write creatively, they need to have inspiration to write. One can get inspiration by relaxing, listening to soft music, or taking a walk outside.

Blogging is a journey with obstacles that one has to overcome, and for a person starting a blog, being aware of how to navigate these challenges is the first step to succeeding as a blogger. An individual who wants to become a blogger should carefully choose a niche. Choosing a subject that one is passionate about can save one from issues such as experiencing boredom. To also succeed, one needs to invest their time into creating blog contents and promoting the blog on their social media.