I’ve been blogging for nearly 8 years now and I’m only just beginning. I like to say I started blogging before it was cool. It began as a form therapy and self-justification. I had abruptly withdrawn from classes for a slew of medical reasons during the fall of my junior year of college. Blogging was my way of processing the new reality of my life while keeping my friends and family in the loop. It kept me connected without letting people get too close.
My blogging career thus far has been sporadic with limited success. I have recently decided to take my hobby more seriously and have discovered several reasons for the limited success of my previous blogging endeavors. It all boils down to one unfortunate (but common) mistake: I was selfish.
Don’t get me wrong; you should always blog because it is something you enjoy. To see success in any endeavor, we must invest in something we are passionate about. Every decent blog is rooted in the heartstrings of its author’s soul. For a blog to be successful, however, we must be able to communicate our passions in a way that enriches the lives of others. This is the part that gets a little bit tricky.
This summer I decided it was time to get serious. I took my 8 years of experience (blogging and otherwise) and put them into action. I evaluated my strengths and weaknesses. I did a lot of research. I continue to spend hours upon hours reviewing blogs and tweaking mine. I always will. But here are the highlights of what I have learned so far:
- Blogging is a team sport. You cannot blog in a bubble. Don’t think of other bloggers as competition; they are your allies. Make friends! Visit other blogs!
- Share the comment love. When you visit another blogs, leave a comment! Let the author know you were there. It’s the nice thing to do. Plus, you usually get to leave a link back to your blog. This increases traffic to your own website!
- Social media is your friend. Social media gets a bad reputation for replacing “real” relationships. This may be true in some aspects of life, but if the only people who are reading your blog are the people you know in real life, you’re not going to get too far. You need to branch out and form relationships with your audience. This is where social media cannot be ignored.
- There is such a thing as social media etiquette. Learn it. There are a ton of resources available for the ever-increasing variety of social media platforms. Personally, I recommend picking 1 or 2 platforms to start with. There is a lot to learn and you shouldn’t post the same content on every platform. Only invest in the things you have time to do well. Otherwise you will get overwhelmed and discouraged. Don’t forget that an important part of social media is sharing other people’s content. Some sources say that 70% of the content you share should be other people’s blogs, pins, and links. AKA: Don’t be selfish! This also takes some of the pressure off of keeping your social media updates fresh!
- Don’t compare yourself to other bloggers. Visit their blogs, comment, and observe. When I visit another blog, sometimes I see a feature and think, “Oh, wow, I really like that.” I return to my personal blog and tweak it a little bit to incorporate features that I admire. Other times, I visit a blog and get frustrated that it won’t let me doing something I want it to do (leave a comment, share a link, etc.). I return to my personal blog and make sure that my blog performs the way I expect others’ blogs to perform. These things are healthy and enrich your blog. But do not visit other blogs and get discouraged! You and your blog are unique. You have something different and special to offer. Cast your insecurities to the side and embrace your identity!
I could go on and on, but I’ve also learned a fair amount about blog length and reader attention span, so I’ll go ahead and wrap things up. Blogging is a journey and it’s one you don’t have to travel alone. Join a community. Participate in Blog Hops and Linky Parties. Put yourself out there. Ask questions. I have found my fellow bloggers to be some of the most helpful people I’ve met (and I haven’t even physically met them). They are always willing to give advice and share their experiences. So step outside your comfort zone and embrace the journey!
Brittany is a 28 year-old mother, student, and writer. She thrives in the academic community as both a student and instructional technician. Brittany is passionate about life; the good, the bad, and everything in between. She has been freed from the chains of an eating disorder, the shame of divorce, and the darkness of depression. As a reformed perfectionist, Brittany now takes pride in her mistakes and views her weaknesses as opportunities to grow in strength. Always looking for the silver lining. Brittany considers herself a realistic optimist and enjoys helping others to see the bright side of things.