Survival Tips For Blogging
Do you crave tips for blogging?
What tips will actually make a difference for you? Have you considered survival tips?
It’s not uncommon for new bloggers to have a rush of excitement, only to feel that excitement come crushing down on them after the first six months or so.
Why?
Generally speaking, many bloggers have not learn’t how to survive in the online world.
Image courtesy of Victor Habbick / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The first few months of blogging are filled with anticipation and excitement at learning all the new fancy stuff related to the blog.
Bloggers learn how plugins work and realise that you can make your site look really impressive whilst having little or no coding experience.
Then the 6 month mark hits!
You have been blogging consistently and you have a reasonable amount of content.
But…and this is a big BUT….you feel like you are blogging to yourself and suddenly the excitement turns to disappointment.
Do you think you could benefit from some survival tips at this point?
Take a minute to think back to when you first started out on your blogging adventure.
How did you feel when you first made the decision to start blogging?
AND
How do you feel now?
If you were going to offer someone some tips for blogging, do you think it might be to offer some survival tips?
Surviving the first year of blogging can be tougher than you initially thought.
Let’s consider this example.
“As of 2014, tens of thousands of new WordPress sites are created every day” (WordPress.com)
Did you imagine having to compete with this amount of blogs when you started yours? If you are having to complete with ‘tens of thousands of new WordPress sites’ each and every day, how on earth are you going to stand out from the competition?
This number also only considers WordPress sites, let alone Blogger sites!
So, let’s look at that question again. What tips for blogging would you find useful?
Let’s focus on how you can survive the world of blogging, but firstly, it will be useful to examine what causes people to quit.
Why do people quit their blogs?
If you are still in the early phase of your blog, you may wonder why people give up. There are a number of reasons including;
- Lack of traffic
- Lack of followers on social media
- Lack of engagement, comments and shares of your posts
- Not making an online income that you thought you would
- Incredibly tired after the amount of time investment required
- SICK OF IT!!!
Do any of these reasons sound familiar to you?
If they do, then take heart in the fact that you are not alone. I would feel pretty confident in saying that most bloggers would feel this at some stage (including myself!).
After six to twelve months of blogging at Smart Party Planning, I became incredibly disillusioned that my blog was not making money.
I had started it with the intention of turning it into an income whereby I would not have to return to work after my maternity leave. The reality was that just didn’t happen and I was crushed!
There are SO many reasons why this was the case, a few of which included:
- My site was too young in Google’s eyes to generate any real money making traffic
- I had not connected enough with people in my niche
- I had not learnt enough about SEO
- I thought traffic would just ‘come to me’ by publishing and sharing on my social media platforms
- I was comparing myself with other bloggers who “had made it” in a similar time frame and feeling disheartened that I couldn’t do the same
- I didn’t think I could compete with the experienced bloggers around me!
- I didn’t really have a product to sell!
My desire to continue blogging was still present, but I hit a big reality wall when my expectations were not met.
It’s at this point that bloggers make one of two decisions;
- Give it up because it’s “never going to work”
- PERSIST!
As you can see, I chose option number 2 and I’m incredibly glad that I did.
Am I now making money from my blogs? Yes
Am I now receiving an increase in traffic month after month? Yes
Have my social media profiles grown, so that I now have engagement and connections with other bloggers? Yes
Do I understand more about blogging and have more realistic expectations of what can be achieved? Absolutely!
SO what can YOU do to ensure that you choose number 2 when you hit that blogging wall?
Let’s look at some of these survival tips for blogging.
Tips for Blogging Survival #1: You have to love your blog niche!
I can not stress this enough! Is the niche you have chosen something you get obsessed about?
Do you love it so much that you want to research and work on it until the early hours of the morning?
Do you need to be dragged away from your site?
I’m not saying that you have to be chained to your site, but you need to have a HIGH passion level for your niche, otherwise when the going gets tough (which it will), the easy answer will be to throw in the towel.
If you have such a passion and commitment to your niche, it will be a whole lot harder to choose to give it up!
Tips for Blogging Survival #2: Be social with people as QUICK as you can!
Don’t try and be on every social media platform, because you literally wont have the time. Choose about 3 platforms that you know you can work well on, and then NETWORK.
Network on OTHER people’s blogs. Leave comments!
Network on OTHER people’s social media platforms. Ask questions.
Join communities and forums.
Not only will these networks help keep your blog alive, but you will find support from them when things get tough.
You can be guaranteed that each of those bloggers will have felt the same as you at some point, and their encouragement could be just the thing to keep you going.
Tips for Blogging Survival #3: Set your goals
Image courtesy of joesive47 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Make sure you know WHY you are blogging. Your WHY needs to be bigger than your HOW.
Not sure what I mean by that?
You don’t necessarily need to know how you are going to achieve your goals at this moment, but you need to know why you are doing what you are doing.
Unless you can remain focused on WHY you are doing this, it will be difficult to carry on when the going gets tough.
The ‘how’ can be developed as time goes on, but your passion will only remain if you have a burning why!
If the ‘how’ is really an issue for you, I would recommend that you sign up to a program that will teach you exactly how!
The learn how to blog program was literally a life savour for me, as it provided me with the support and tuition that I needed to answer all my questions. Literally no question was too small to ask, and I can tell you….I asked a lot, and I still do!
Tips for Blogging Survival #4: Only you can make the decision to persist
At the end of the day, hundreds or thousands of bloggers could tell you to persist, but only YOU can make that decision.
Only you know why you started blogging, what your goals are and whether you actually made any!
Only you know whether that desire is strong enough to keep working hard even when it feels like there is no reward.
Successful bloggers are those that have been blogging for a number of years. It is very rare that you see someone make any huge gains in a matter of months. It can happen, but the reality for most bloggers is time and effort.
But if you love what you do, keep persisting because it really will get better!!
Do you have some survival tips for blogging that you would like to share?
What have you done in the past, or doing now to make sure that your blog has stayed alive?
I would love to hear your thoughts below.
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Written by Catherine Holt
Catherine Holt is the founder of Blogging Tips 101. She has been an internet marketer since 2012. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Google and Pinterest.
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for this post. Survival tips are definitely necessary. I’ve seen many people give up too quickly over the years because of disappointment or feeling like they weren’t making progress. I think having realistic expectations is essential. People who are comfortable with putting in time for 6 months to a year without really getting anything (financially) out of there effort are much more likely to stick with it.
It’s definitely a marathon rather than a jog isn’t it Marc. It can be so easy to give up, but knowing how to get through those hard times could make all the difference. Thanks for stopping by
Hi Catherine
I would say these are winning tips as soon as one sticks to them he will surely be a successful blogger sooner or later.
Tip No3 and 4 are more powerful. Setting goals is the most vital element to achieve success. Also it is you who finally has to decide either give up or stay consistent.
In preamble of your post you mentioned several eye opening facts including the haste of bloggers to be successful in short period of time and start earning money. It can be anything but a logical thinking.
Thanks for sharing a very useful post more particularly for those who just dived into this amazing world of internet marketing where success is must for those who stay consistent with a proper strategy.
Thanks for your comment Mi Muba
Setting goals is so incredibly important and I don’t understand why a blogger would not do this. A blog without a goal has no clear direction!
Hi Catherine,
Nice post! It’s funny… Your post and mine (“There is no magic formula for achieving blogging success”) were published minutes apart, and they touch on similar aspects of blogging.
Yours looks at the reality many bloggers give up (and how they can survive this), mine looks at how blogging isn’t easy and requires hard work and dedication.
Great minds think alike.
Ha ha Kevin, we must be on track with each other! Looks like your post is the perfect one to read after this one
Hi Catherine,
Perfect, perfect, perfect. I’d offer each tip and may add to know why you wish to blog. The reason needs to be tied to some form of freedom, to something bigger than yourself and it needs to be strong enough to carry you through the 6 month mark….if things haven’t taken off by then.
I loved my last blog but didn’t feel passionate enough about it because it didn’t have a clear cut direction. I had knowledge in a few different areas, and loved sharing inspiration, my quotes, my views on social, and a few other niches.
I had to scrap it though because to survive you need to do one thing really well, and be uber passionate about that one thing. This energy attracts the very people you want/need to meet IF you aggressively network from Day 1, making friends, building bonds and bolstering your network.
Each tip is dead on. Start publishing but more importantly, promote others freely, comment on their blogs, thoroughly, be genuine, be authentic in all of your dealings, and practice again and again at detaching from outcomes to survive and then thrive as a blogger. This blogging bit works so well – my ocean front view now in Fiji proves it – if you follow Catherine’s powerful tips guys.
Thanks Catherine. Tweeting this in a bit….have an awesome day.
Ryan
Spot on Ryan! Passion and direction go hand in hand, one without the other will not give you a blog that will run the distance. The more you throw yourself into the pool and work with others, the more you will benefit (and enjoy) blogging.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Ryan
Enjoyed the post Cathrine. I’d guess this applies to 95% of bloggers. They get all excited than after a while they don’t see the results they expected and they give up.
Course it happens to more that just bloggers. The Easy Button didn’t work.
For me, what’s helped is to do commenting and networking with related blogs. Least when you see comments coming in, it gives you some hope, your getting some attention. People are not only visiting, but they are interacting with your content. It’s a start.
Your right there Ron, we all like to see the comment love…so thanks for leaving one
I think there is a high expectation for what can be achieved for bloggers and the reality is often quite different. I know I certainly didn’t have a clue just how much work it would be and how much learning would be required. Networking on related blogs is definitely the key to getting yourself established, but also makes it more enjoyable as you make online friends and can learn from each other.
Thanks for your input!
Hi Catherine,
Great blog post! It’s great to see more bloggers frankly talk about their early days and how they refused to give up, despite not making money within months of starting their blog. I believe the reason people get easily discouraged is because there is a lot of misinformation that leads people to believe that once you have your website up and add some good posts, you will start making money. As a result, they are more focused on the money rather than building a foundation for their online success.
I blog about the things I am passionate about- sharing blogging/business success tips, as well as poetry. I am so excited about my blogs, I lose track of time when I am working on my posts. I am looking forward to a successful, long-term blogging career. Quitting is not an option for me, since I will do it anyway, even if I didn’t make any money!
I look forward to reading more from you!
Thanks for your honesty too Onyeka. The best way to have a successful blog is to have a huge passion for it, and that sounds exactly what you have. If you love your blog you will want to work on it regardless of whether you make money or not. The money will come in time (if that is the intention), but focusing on it will not be healthy for your sites growth.
Thanks for stopping by
Hi Cathrine,
They are all important tips to understand. I like the last tips, the real key is in ourselves. We decide the faith of our blog.
Thanks for sharing the post. Wish you have a great week.
Oh absolutely Okto. We really need to take responsibility for our own achievements (or lack of). No-one can do it for us, and your headspace certainly needs to be in the right place. Thanks for your comment
Hi Cathrine,
All the factors you mentioned are on point!! To me, what really worked and inspired me to continue blogging was point 2.
I networked with bloggers leveraging on the incredible power of commentluv.
From here, I tapped into the endless pool of social media networking strategies.
Thanks for sharing this helpful post, it will sure help newbies.
Regards,
James
Networking with others is absolutely critical for a successful blog. If you can really leverage this well it will do wonders for your blog.
Thanks so much for your comment
Hey Catherine,
These are some excellent points that are so worth being mentioned. I like how you laid out the negatives we can potentially feel.
I think to many of post on this topic fluff this and don’t leave new bloggers with all the information they should have.
I have to say that thing really changed for me once I started to set short term goals. Bi Weekly helped me focus on what I felt needed to be accomplished sooner than later.
Thanks for this Catherine!
Thanks Steven. Whilst I don’t want to discourage new bloggers, I do believe it is important to be honest. Blogging is not the straight forward easy task that many newbies believe it to be, and if you know where you stand right from the word go, it will be easier to stay on track.
Setting short term goals is a great idea and it sounds like this has really benefited you.
Thanks for your feedback Steven
Hey Catherine,
This was some sound advice!
The two most important tips I believe are #1 and #3 having a passion about your niche and to have a why. If you don’t have any type of passion then how can you be successful? You sell by fulfilling a feeling in someone, and if you don’t have a passion for your niche, then you won’t be able to connect and pass this feeling over to others you market to.
Also know your why. It’ll definitely help keep you from quitting. It is the fuel that you need when you run out of gas from frustration and not progressing. Once you’re aligned with you ‘why’, from my experience, the ‘how’ shows it’s face! It’s weird how that works out, but that’s how it is!
Thanks for sharing and I hope you’re having a great week!
Hi Sherman, thanks for stopping by. You have put that perfectly. Your passion certainly does need to be completing something for someone else, and if you can’t pass that excitement over, then others are simply not going to pick up on it. If you feel dull and boring then guess what…you will be dull and boring!
I can’t express the need to know “WHY” you are blogging enough. It is the why that keeps you going, the why that stops frustration, the why that fuels your desire for more. If you don’t know your why, I’d take a step back and figure this out before going on.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts
Great tips!!! THanks so much! I am a newer Public blogger and I have learned so much! I appreciate the encouragement!
~Valerie @ http://www.SmartMomFinance.com
Awesome Valerie, that is great to hear! Just remember that everyone had to start somewhere, so take one day at a time
Thanks for leaving a comment, and hope to see you here again soon 
Hi Catherine,
A beautiful post there. You are right, At some stage all the newbies feel low and want to quit due to the failure of achieving success. When they don’t achieve things which they expected in a time period they ultimately lead to loss and quit blogging and what can be worse than this “They never return”.
But your post is a must read for every blogger out there. No matter Professionals or newbies. We all need inspiration. Thanks for Sharing Catherine.
- Rohit
Thanks Rohit. It’s so true how many bloggers quit because they don’t see the results they are expecting. However if you keep on pushing through you will reach your goals, but it depends whether you are prepared to see through those hard times. It really comes down to WHY you are blogging and whether that WHY is enough to keep the motivation high. It’s also important to set realistic goals and expectations so you can monitor and celebrate little successes along the way
Hey Catherine,
This was a great post that really hit home for me! About a year ago I started my own blog but quit 6 months in due to a few of the reasons you listed above. The itch for the niche never went away and I came back with a new revived energy that literally keeps me up at night and wakes me up in the morning.!
Your piece of advice about just being social is something that I will definitely take with me to work on.
Can’t wait for the next one!
Jeff
I love reading posts like this that are so motivational and help so many people. Can’t wait for the next one
It sounds like you hit that wall that so many bloggers hit Jeff. But the fact that you have come back bigger and stronger is a credit to you. It sounds like you now have a burning passion for your niche which is awesome. I’m sure you will see different results this time around
Thanks for leaving your feedback and hope to see you back again soon!
at present days blogging is most competitive place to earn money.we should update our knowledge and our thoughts to improve traffic to our blog.we earn money until there is traffic for our blog.you have clearly explained the survival things for blogging.those will helps many bloggers.thank you for your post..
Hi Harish
There certainly is a lot of competition online to make money, and many bloggers become disheartened by this. But if you have a passion, a determination and a willingness to learn and work hard, it is possible. Knowing how to ‘survive’ the journey (especially in the early days) is so important for a bloggers success.
Thanks for leaving your thoughts
Hi Catherine
I can relate to all those thoughts of how it was in my early days of blogging – and I have to confess I’ve scrapped a few blogs in my time because “it” either didn’t happen as quickly as I’d been led to believe – or I just ran out of steam on them, despite my initial passion for the subject.
Now my initial desperation has passed and I’m blogging and building a community more for pleasure and I have understood that it takes time. I suspect that anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or using short-lived “bad” tactics.
I believe it was Edison who said “1% inspiration, 99% perspiration”.
Enjoy the rest of your week, Joy
Hi Joy. It sounds as though you have had a lot of experiences to bring you to this point. Scrapping blogs is not a bad thing, because it means you have progressed and moved forward. Sticking to something that just isn’t working is not going to do you any favors. Having the guts to cut the ties, learn from your experiences and build a better and stronger blog will!
The fact that you are also now blogging for pleasure will mean that you will naturally be more successful. Your relaxed nature will be evident in your posts and if you are relaxed then your readers will be too. It sounds like you have this blogging gig totally under control!
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us