The internet scene in India is growing at an exponential rate.
However, there are many online jobs that traditional Indian parents find hard to understand.
Especially if you live in a rural part of India, it becomes fairly tough to explain your job as a blogger or a freelancer to your parents or the parents of your (current/soon-to-be) spouse.
The other day I received an email question from Mahesh, a blogger from Andra Pradesh.
He asked a question which seemed like an issue faced by almost all bloggers (be it men or women).
Here is what Mahesh’s question was:
Hi Harsh Agrawal,
My name is Mahesh; I am also a blogger and earn about $7000 to $8000 per month.My family is looking for brides in our community, but they are unable to understand my job & also they do not believe me when I say I make money on the internet.I live in a municipality in Andhra Pradesh.How do you explain that you are a blogger to a bride’s family?
People do not believe me or my earnings… 🙁
How can you explain your blogging career to your future spouse’s family?
I believe there is no right or wrong answer here, as long as you keep the focus on your future life partner.
However, I did my best to give an answer to Mahesh for his query.
I also asked the same question on my Facebook wall & got some interesting answers from bloggers around the country.
I have shared my answer & other great answers below with the hopes that they might help others win the heart of a bride’s or groom’s family.
My suggestion for explaining blogging to your future family:
Mahesh,
I see your problem.It is really hard to explain this to relatives, and especially your future wife’s family.
IMHO, the best way to tackle this is:
Tell them you are a Solopreneur who is a proud owner of a business. Explain to them that having a website online is the same as having an office offline. The only difference is, people don’t have to physically visit your store/office.
And if you have a team who works for you, that team consists of your employees.
They might ask how you make money…
Instead of getting in the depths of ads & affiliate marketing, you can relate this to commonly used business terms. If you are making money using AdSense, tell them you are a partner with Google (you actually are). If you are an affiliate with other companies, like Amazon, tell them you are a partner with that company.
Speak in a manner that they understand. They need to understand what you do because they also need to explain this to others. Give them words that define you & are easy for them to explain your work.
However, there will be a few members who are tech savvy or understand the internet; in these cases, you can explain to them in detail what you do. This is important as these family members will make you feel good, as they will be the only ones who understand what you are actually doing.
Before explaining all of this to them, you need to stop seeing yourself as “just a blogger”. You are actually an entrepreneur, a creative person, and someone who has already cracked the code of making money online.
Speak in a way that they understand, and remember that at the end of the day, it’s all about your partner. If you can explain this to her, and if she understands what you are doing & your future ambitions, you will also end up finding the right wife in that girl.
Wish you luck!
Well, that was my answer to Mahesh’s query.
Here are some more answers from bloggers around the country:
Digamber Sharma:
Interesting questions by Mahesh and Harsh is also explained perfectly. I think an entrepreneur is the write words with revenue details. Most of the bride’s parents willing to know about earning things as a priority.
Madan Gehlot:
It’s simple. No one would believe in this income figure. Your personality, living standard, house etc. speak itself. Not saying to show off completely but if someone has attained that income level and is constant, one should raise working environment. May be coworking space, the small office on rent, etc. or very simple things show the latest ITR personally.
Bigesh Chandra:
Making a person understand in the way he understands is a great skill. I will tell a short incident from last week when my aunt asked me where I got this money from, I simply said I made it from my website, she didn’t understand, after a couple of minutes she finally made a decision and said me *so you are a computer operator !*, I have to agree with her, because she was totally unable to get my words.
Mankali Koushil:
I would just say ” am working in Google ” because many people don’t know what it is actually even educated people can also not understand (my experience) so I would say just “am working in Google” that’s it.
What do you think of these answers? Do you have any more suggestions or ideas for Mahesh or someone in his position? Would love to hear your opinion in the comments section below…
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Thank God, i am married and decided to become full time blogger after marriage.
I say everyone that I’m a Web Designer as my People surrounding me doesn’t understand Freelancing, Bloggers or, Digital Marketing.
That’s nice !
This is something really important for those people who are looking to convince their spouse’s family especially in the Indian community.
Hey Harsh,
I can totally resonate to this situation. Though no one is looking for a bride for me still the relatives also bother me as if what do I really do on this shitty piece of the plastic and metal.
I totally agree with Digamber. Letting everyone know that you’re an entrepreneur is the best solution.
And as you have suggested, telling them about having a business, Google AdSense would add the value.
It’s the struggle of every Indian blogger.
Thanks for bringing this up.
~Ravi
Hahaha!, I have never thought of it this way. I have been having problems trying to explain what I do for a living and every time I say I am blogger, everyone gives me that look, like asking, “seriously, what do you do!” Thanks for the pointers now I do not have to beat around the bush, I can easily explain what I do, without hesitation. I love blogging.
Great Topic.
Others are not wrong and one should worry about future financial condition as blogging is not stable. If you are totally dependent on Adsense and one day you get suspended, your career is over.
But for the sake of an answer, in the simplest words, I would answer, I am employed at this company, where I am at the highest position. I am earning good, enjoying life, traveling and living a life better than my college friends.
Sure it is risky, but nothing in the world is guaranteed just like recession destructs employment. Finally, say, I will keep your daughter happy. 🙂
Hi Harsh,
Married to my wife Kelli who does the same thing; our family knows what’s up 😉 If they did not, I would directly them to Blogging From Paradise and show them that I am not skilled with Photoshop 🙂 Easy way to demonstrate that blogging works, and works well. As for service rendered I’d say consultant or freelancer and leave it at that.
Ryan
I say everyone that I’m a Web Designer as my community doesn’t understand Freelancing, Bloggers or, Digital Marketing.
Hello Harsh Sir, This is a important blog. I have read this blog and I this can say that our next generation will get an important information by reading this block And I want to thank you that you that you write such important blogs and give us good information.
Hi Harsh Sir… this is very good article. It’s a real problem of Indian Blogger.
Hmmm sincerely speaking I have once be in this shoe but this was with my parents and not spouse family. They thought I am doing something else on the internet to make money. They got confused that how could money be coming from the internet but I couldn’t explain very well. With what I read here today I can actually give them more hint on my work and they should fully believe me without doubt by now.
yeah Many people don’t know what is blogging.
Mostly people prefer go for the job not like blogging.
Yeah Its great article you have explain About blogging.
Thank you harsh
@Jafar
Thanks for your comment.
Something really new and interesting topic you discuss here.
Thanks again for this.
@Hamim
Glad you liked it & dropping by.
Hi..Harsh very nice content. It’s a real problem of Indian Blogger. More of people hearing about blogging is like first time. I think Mahesh’s would be wife must be educated girl. Mahesh can explain to her and insist to read few famous blog site and their life story. If she understand well‚ then she can explain well to her family better than Mahesh
You are right.but what if mahesh wife is not too much educate.(Here Mahesh refers other Indian blogger who has same problem)
BTW I got a solution And Now I can say I work for or a partner of Amazon and Google.
Yes You are right. But initially no one will believe Blogger is a partner Of Amazon and Google. We have explain to others what is the earning procedure. It is better to say we are working for Google and Amazon as a commission basic and anyone can do it from home with website
Very ineresting article and question asked by the Mahesh and Mr. Harsh give the perfect reply of his questions. This problem is mostly all of the rular areas.
Very Interesting Question by Mahesh and beautifully replied by Harsh Sir.
We want this kind of post in future. :).
An interesting topic indeed. I worked 5 months full time for my blog and family always asked me the question what am I doing! They also asked me is there any benefit of doing it. If your income is not high enough, this challenging to understand people what blogging is! However, the tips in the post are awesome!
Same thing happened to me but I handle this situation carefully. I showed them my Google Adsense receipts, my bank accounts, my ranking blogs, my well maintain office and finally they convinced. Now I am happily living with my better-half. 🙂
Hi Harsh,
While I don’t live in India, I do believe that it’s hard to explain it to our loved ones here in the United States as well. It is for me anyway.
Most people don’t understand what I do. It’s especially hard when you’re just starting out and you’re working on the computer all the time.
The money isn’t there yet, but yet you’re working all the time. People think I am crazy and should get a regular job. However, I know that with persistence and consistency, one day my blog will grow.
Once people around me see that it’s possible to make money online, they’ll feel differently about the blogging world.
Great article and I definitely enjoyed reading it. Have a great day 🙂
Susan
hi harsh
this is such very big problem with people
they just want to understand that we can also earn from online work
they think that we are doing any illegible work.
thanks for sharing this