The internet – home of social networks to tweet our random thoughts, post pictures of our lunch, funny videos, cute cat pictures and blogs, lots and lots of blogs. Fashion blogs, music blogs, beauty blogs, travel blogs, film blogs, food blogs, there are plenty of blogs out there about plenty of different subjects with blogs being created by professionals and fully qualified journalists to novices who just want somewhere to air their opinions and write about what they love. But it seems some bloggers have become a force to be reckoned with, becoming their own brand, setting fashion trends and becoming sought after assets for lots of companies and media organisations.

Starting off as a humble blogger writing to minimal followers, little page views and usually only blogging as a hobby something to do in your spare time. But for some their small little corner of the internet that they started up a couple of months or 4 years ago can quite easily become their day job, a source of income or a way of establishing their credentials and building up a portfolio to impress any future employers.

Fashion bloggers have become particularly profitable in the online blogging community. With plenty of fashion bloggers from countries all over the globe it becomes harder and harder to find a niche. Though some rule the roost, take a look at Susie Bubble and Bip Ling, bloggers that now blog full time, getting street style spotted in the way a celebrity would, they are front row at fashion shows alongside celebs and magazine editors, collaborations with brands e.g. Susie Bubble’s collaboration with Nike a couple of years ago and featured in plenty of magazines. They’re sought after people, the type of people designers want at their shows in the hope they will give them a good review, the type of people brands want wearing their clothing in outfit posts, the type of people magazines invite to guest edit pages and the type of people that speak at fashion events giving advice to other writers/bloggers. It must be crazy from them starting out from such a small little page on the web to becoming well known and sought after, taking their hobby and making a career, lifestyle and gaining a sort of celebrity status.

Fashion bloggers are not just renowned for their big names but for their trendsetting ways, a particular piece from a clothing line or a particular brand can be raved about so much by bloggers that it becomes the sought after must have, building up popularity in a way that almost deems advertising campaigns pointless. This also happens a lot in the beauty blogosphere were new ‘miracle’ skincare/make up products receive hype status with everyone giving it positive reviews writing about how brilliant it is. Beauty bloggers own the market in making or breaking new products as many people now check blog reviews of products before making the purchase. I must admit I am one of those people I read plenty of reviews on a product before deciding whether I should buy it for myself or not. And music blogs can create the next big thing band or song, a bit like NME with their constant hype building of so many bands over the years now the blogs are doing it. Some bands may not have reached mainstream media nor had any radio plays but they will be all over the blogosphere with album/single/gig reviews and pieces all praising the band and their ‘ground-breaking’ sound. It seems the real power now lies with bloggers rather than with magazine editors, advertisers etc.

Many bloggers also use their blog to kick-start their career and land themselves their dream job. The blog you write is basically a portfolio with your work out there for all to see. Now you don’t have to wait until you secure an interview to impress employers with your portfolio, you can do it either by emailing them a link to your blog or they may well discover you themselves. You want to be a journalist or a writer then writing a blog will help to become a good writer you need to practice and have an audience giving you feedback, what better audience than the internet a place full of opinions. You want to work in fashion set up a fashion blog creating outfit posts/styling up outfits, making collages/mood boards and showing off your skills, you want to work in film set up a blog posting ideas, storyboards, scripts, videos you’ve filmed and edited, you want to be a photographer take photos and post them online around different subjects you want to explore at the time. There are so many options online with different platforms you can work with – Tumblr for the slightly more creative approach this one is always good for musicians, filmmakers, photographers and artists, for writers there is Blogger and WordPress to name a couple but there are so many options out there for everyone. In a world where it is so difficult to get a job, whether you have brilliant qualifications or not, the internet is the easiest way to get noticed, get your work out there and practice your skills all at the same time.

There is no wonder bloggers have really started to own the internet and become a group that is respected more and more by companies, the media and many others. When I was at university we were forever told to set up a blog and write as it was the best practice we could get outside of assignments. I’ve been writing my blog for 4 years now and I know that it is one of the best tools for me personally, since leaving university it has been a way for me to constantly keep up writing and using my skills and I can see some improvements after finding some of my earliest articles on my laptop the other day. The contrast in writing style is huge – I’m not saying I’m a brilliant writer but I’m definitely better than I was and that is a positive step and a good thing to know.

Bloggers may get some stick about not being proper journalists or not knowing how to write properly and not everyone is in the game for the right reasons, we all know some bloggers only start up for freebies. But if you are blogging for the right reasons and you love writing be it because you want a career writing or it’s just a nice little extra thing to do around work and life then it could be a hugely beneficial tool for you career wise or to make some friends, as the blogging communities from my experience are all really lovely. It has been proven that you can be successful, you may not reach the levels of some but then again you might and there really is a lot to be said about writing a blog and calling yourself a blogger.