Expert Interview Series: Tamal Anwar of Blogkori

Payoneer Community

November 21, 2016

This interview is part of Payoneer’s Expert Interview Series. Check out our previous interviews with Hazel Bernadette Gapuz of Blogapalooza and Vipin Nayar of Acodez.

Tamal Anwar is a blogger (BlogKori), freelance web designer, developer, and an online teacher. He is also the chief instructor at his IT Academy in Habiganj, Sylhet. We recently asked Tamal for his advice and insight on working as a freelance web designer and developer. Here’s what he had to say:

Can you tell us about your professional background?

“I am a self-taught web designer and developer and I work mostly with WordPress. I started working online by making my own website and blog. I always wanted to have my own internet website and later my site visitors asked me if I could build sites for them, at which point I started working as a freelancer. I also blog at BlogKori.com, I’ve been doing it since 2008.

What do you love about working as a freelance web designer?

I love the freedom of being my own boss. I can work from anywhere I want, anytime I can. I am a designer because I love to make new things. I get to learn so many new things every time I work on a project.

To what do you attribute the success of your business?

I work with passion. I love building sites, helping people who need my talent. I value my clients, that’s what’s made me successful.

What tools have you used to grown your business? How have you found your clients?

My blog helped me a lot to get found from web search. I published useful content on various social media channels, which also helped build my brand and get clients.

“I value my clients, that’s what’s made me successful.”

How did you make the decision to monetize your blog? What considerations should bloggers make when determining whether they should monetize?

I started my blog with the intention to make money and I am not ashamed of it. Yes, you should monetize your blog, but in ways that does not bother your readers such as paid reviews, affiliate marketing, etc. A blog costs money to run, so you need to make money to pay the bills and keep yourself motivated.

Where should bloggers begin when trying to monetize?

You should first focus on building a loyal base of readers. Then once you have enough content and readers, you will have advertisers contacting you for deals. Also, make an “Advertise” page on your blog to let people know that you are accepting opportunities.

How has Payoneer helped you run your business?

Payoneer has completely changed my freelancing game and catapulted me to financial freedom. No, I am not getting paid to say this, it’s coming from my heart. You see, in my country, Bangladesh, we don’t have e-payment options. Payoneer allowed me to collect funds from freelancing sites and from clients. Without this service, I wouldn’t be able to grow as an online entrepreneur.

What final piece of advice can you offer aspiring freelancers on building a successful business?

Constantly learn new skills and adopt new technologies. This field is constantly changing, so try to stay relevant with your skill sets.”

If you’re a freelancer with a global client base, find out how Payoneer can help streamline your ability to get paid.

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