So you started a blog. Now what? Blogging may not be what you expect. Here is the ugly side of blogging – the hard truths no one tells you.
Starting a blog can be a little overwhelming at first. There is so much to learn. Today, I’m sharing the ugly side of blogging. These are hard truths that no one really tells you when you first start. You may see lots of people making a huge income on their blog. It can be really discouraging when you don’t see your blog taking off immediately. That’s why I’m sharing some revelations about how blogging really works.
Before you leave, be sure to read my post What I Learned In Four Months of Blogging. This post will also provide you with a lot of helpful support as you are first starting. You may also enjoy 10 Mistakes You’re Making as a New Blogger.
The Ugly Side of Blogging
Your Blog Needs a Medic
Your blog needs a IT person – oh wait…that’s you! Let me tell you, I was totally unprepared for this! As we speak, my comments box won’t work. It was there one minute and gone the next. I’ve checked all my WordPress settings and everything is as it should be. I’ve scoured support forums and asked fellow bloggers – they suggest what I’ve already done. If there is one thing I didn’t anticipate, it was how much my site would need debugging, recoding, and other technical things I’m clueless about!
To an outsider, my blog is functional, perhaps even pretty. No one would guess how many technical issues I struggle with just to keep it up and running. Plug-ins fail and start havoc when they create conflicts with themes or new versions of WordPress. You get broken links, page not found errors, and images that won’t load. Widgets that won’t work. Forms that don’t send. Like any website, there are bugs and hiccups that need to constantly be worked out. Websites need maintenance and your blog is no exception. For me this is the ugliest side of blogging since I’m not very savvy.
What Helped Me
- Asking other bloggers for help and support
- Dedicating time every week to learning about the technical aspects of WordPress
You Need to Grow Thick Skin
Blogging is a great way to put yourself out there and share your unique ideas and opinions. The bad thing about blogging is you’re putting yourself out there and sharing your unique ideas and opinions. Seriously. Not everyone will like what you have to say. It doesn’t even have to be controversial!
Being opinionated or even just openly sharing your views will leave you open to judgement, attacks, and arguments. It’s jut the nature of the business. Being in the spotlight means being under a magnifying glass – it’s means you leave yourself open to criticism and let me tell you – you need to grow some thick skin. I am incredibly thin-skinned so this has been an added challenge to blogging.
What Helped Me
- Remember, just because someone says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. Consider the source.
- You can black list people who are perpetually negative or nasty on your blog – use it!
- Remember that it’s easy to strike body blows from behind a keyboard and screen. It’s easy to be a bully when you don’t have to look anyone in the eye.
Readers Aren’t Interested In Reading Your Diary
I see a lot of start up blogs that read like a diary. The creator is concerned because no one is reading the content. Let me be honest, very few people are interested in reading your diary. Your content should provide something for your reader. Think of it as an exchange for their time. I have found, the best way to do this is to answer a question, debunk a myth or provide help to a problem.
That is not to say you can’t be personal. Quite the opposite, you need to establish a relationship with your readers. Blogging is all about community. But your blog should also entertain, engage, and provide something valuable to your reader. It’s all about finding balance.
What Helped Me
- Pay attention to the questions people ask about your niche.
- Balance personal posts with informational ones.
- Pay attention to the engagement trends – this tells you what your readers are interested in.
- Use email lists to share more personal things.
You Might Feel Like Your Writing to Yourself
Ugh. This is a tough one because it can make you want to give up. There is nothing more deflating than spending a week creating a great post and knowing that it is full of useful tips and information – and only for no one to read it. When I say no one I really mean just a handful of people. Keep in mind, most people don’t even read – they skim. They pick up the gist and move on. You may try very hard to engage readers only to hear crickets. I know. I’ve been there before in my seven months of blogging. It’s depressing.
What Helped Me
- Algorithms can often be to blame for this. Facebook for example, doesn’t prioritize the post if it contains an outside link. Sometimes it can be as simple as the social media account not sharing it in a lot of newsfeeds.
- Don’t take it personal. Even your best followers will not read every single post you write.
- It takes a long time to build a following. It doesn’t happen overnight.
Promote and Then Promote Some More
This leads us to the next topic: promotion. When you first start your blog, you may be shocked by how much you need to promote it. You can’t be bashful and run a successful blog. You have to be a little aggressive and very consistent in your promotion campaigns.
What Helped Me
- Don’t assume your readers know what to do with your post. You need to tell them to share or comment on the post and e-mail subscribe or follow every chance you get.
- 80% of your time should be promotion. Promote your blog, posts, products and services on every social media account.
- Don’t forget to promote older posts now and then. Every time you promote it, it will reach new people.
- Bloggers are good about helping other bloggers. Join blogging communities on forums, Twitter, and Facebook groups. Lots of them will share your posts in exchange for sharing theirs.
- Don’t wait to set up your email list. Utilize it for help build regular traffic.
Money Is Slow
If you’re like me, you see all the Pinterest click bait posts about making money blogging. Like lots of money! But I want to be honest with you. Making money is slow. This is because it takes a while to build up your traffic. It also takes time to learn which affiliates pay well and which ads attract people. A money making blog isn’t built overnight.
If you’re selling digital products, it takes time to create them, post them, and promote them. If you think getting people to read your posts is hard, it’s harder still to get someone to buy something or spend money. Also, when it comes to affiliates, it can be discouraging to see you get mere cents for page views. This is why high traffic is so important.
What Helped Me
- Keep your advertising relative to your content
- Utilize every affiliate network you can
- Monetize every blog post
- Advertising should not take the place of quality content
- If you’re selling products, run discounts, giveaways, and FREEBIES to help engage potential buyers
It Requires Investment
Starting a blog doesn’t cost a lot of money. All you really need to get started is a domain and hosting. But there is a rub. If you really want to be successful, it will cost you something. It may be a blogging e-course, a professional theme, or premium plug-ins, but chances are you’ll end up spending money along the way.
You’ll also invest a lot of time. Not just in writing and promoting, but also in learning about the industry. Either way, you will need to commit to investing time, money, and energy.
What Helped Me
- Do your research before spending money
- Set a budget for how much you are willing to spend each month or year
- Determine how much you will post (set up an editorial schedule) and how much time you will dedicate to your blog. Then prioritize it in your schedule. I’ve found using a planner is helpful.
I hope this post, The Ugly Side of Blogging, sheds some light on how blogging actually works. If you’re just getting started, I encourage you to keep going. Don’t be discouraged, you’re off to a great start!