Starting Gophari.com changed my life. I was 26 and working as a chemical engineer in a small industrial town at the time. I have since travelled South Africa extensively, written for various publications, started a group travel business and have been recognised as one of Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans in 2020.
EVERYTHING sprung from the day I created this travel website.
Hey! I’m Farirai, the African travel writer behind Gophari.com.
I live in South Africa and I am travelling Africa from the bottom up!
I’ve been helping people travel since 2017. And now, I also help aspiring bloggers create successful blogs.
5 Great Reasons to start a blog today
1. To kickstart a business/side hustle
Kickstarting a business has been the result of starting Gophari.com. It began as a simple blogging website where I’d share about my travels. Gophari then expanded to a group travel business and has now expanded further to sell digital resources.
There are many ways of making money by having a website – both directly and indirectly.
If you already have a business/side hustle, does it have a good website? If it doesn’t – create a website ASAP!
2. To have an online portfolio
Create a website to have an online, readily-available portfolio of your work.
The added benefit of an online portfolio is that it makes it quicker for you to establish yourself as an industry expert.
This is relevant for all business types. Your customers may want to see what you have done before and having a home for that portfolio is the way to go.
You will have the freedom to display your portfolio the way you want to and to easily share links to your portfolio across all other platforms.
3. To own your content
I’ll be quick to agree that social media is great and has been vital towards growing Gophari’s audience.
However, the downside of only having a social media presence is that you don’t own those platforms.
Having your own website/blog gives your audience a place to find you no matter what changes happen on social media. You own your site and your site’s content.
4. To have a creative outlet
It does such good for the soul when you work on projects that fulfill your passions.
It might not be a travel website that will do it for you. It could be a website about fashion, getting in shape, raising children, beauty products or self care. The possibilities are too many to list them all.
Whatever that thing is for you, that thing that you would even do for free, create a website for it and let it be your creative outlet.
And as you do, you’ll find “your people,” the people who share the same interests as you or who are seeking the results that you have.
5. To be searchable on Google
When you have a website/blog your audience is not only your friends, family and social media followers. Your potential audience becomes the whole internet!
With effective Search Engine Optimization and great content, you have the potential of drawing masses from around the world through search engines like Google and Bing.
It is nerve wracking putting yourself out there for the first time.
Please don’t let your nerves or imposter syndrome delay you from starting.
Always remind yourself that your point of view is important and valuable.
Kickoff your blogging journey with these helpful tutorials
