I read a lot of blogs. I read a lot of blogs that all kinda say the same thing "I don't want to write anymore, I don't know if I am going to still do this" These come from "unsuccessful" bloggers. On the contrary, there are "successful" bloggers that give the rest of us tips and how-to's on how to be like them. Things like "comment on other blogs" or "Search Engine Optimization Blog Titles" pop up everywhere!
After a while all the advice starts to sound the same. There is an underlying formula that I was trying to figure out and adapt to.
After a few months I hate blogging. I wanted nothing to do it. Because that wasn't why I started.
If you read some of my first posts they are just about my everyday life. Baseball games, local events etc.
Then soon after I started I saw all these "successful" bloggers that make money blogging. I didn't even know that was a thing. Turns out it is. I wanted to do that, I wanted to be a good blogger. But I hated it.
Because everything seems so fake.
Sponsored posts, product reviews on things that don't fit in your everyday life? I don't buy that - and I don't think you even believe it yourself.
Comments on my blog because I commented on your blog? Genuine
Replies to my fake comments? Even Faker.
Take better pictures, have better lighting, write this Pinterest in mind. etc etc
I hated it.
Until one day I was sitting in my office, filling out a "find your blogging niche survery" and looking at all my blogging stuff and I had an epiphany.
None of this is my story. None of this is why I started my blog. This is all fake crap.
I decided to forget about what I am supposed to be doing. What the "experts" say I should do grow my blog. I wanted to just write about things I genuinely care about. So I did.
I felt so much freedom and, and happiness. "I'm going to write about what I want to write about! Yipee!!"
And So I did! And I had fun! I wasn't nervous that people wouldn't like me, or my blog. If people don't like what I have to say, I am not writing for them anyway.
I wrote about some wedding tips I got when I was planning my wedding, I wrote about what felt like a failure in my marriage, I wrote about some yoga tank tops I really want.
And ya know what happened?? I started getting a lot more views!! I started getting emails from other bloggers to work with them, I got replies from shops to work with them and try out their products!
So here are my Top Blogging Tips:
1) WRITE ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT
2) Only share what you would actually use day to day
3) Don't comment on a post if you don't want to
4) If you are having fun and you want to grow in your blogging skills - research and take the advice that works for you.
What is the best Blogging Advice you have ever gotten? Why do you read blogs?
I've been looking forward to this post since you started contemplating it!!! Thank you so much. On my bucket list is to someday have coffee & scones (because, OMG, I love scones) with you. You inspire me to be me - and I love you for that. And I commented on this post cause I wanted tuh!!! HA!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. I just realized this myself only recently and it's so freeing.
ReplyDeleteThese are EXCELLENT tips. I wish I had realized some of them earlier on. At first, some of my stuff was silly (like what my last.fm account said I was listening to 5 years ago), but no one knew me, so no one cared. But, now I think it would be a fun post to have.
ReplyDeleteI also took on reviews for products that had no place in my life.
Personally, I've made the conscious decision not to do any "sponsored" posts - like create recipes or whatever. I'll do product reviews, if, like you said, they fit in with my life.
And genuine comments are a MUST. I stopped participating in the comment threads in Facebook groups because the comments were so bland that I couldn't respond. I put a lot of thought into my responses, which is why I'm sometimes slow to respond, but if someone took the time to leave a comment, I want to respond with the same thoughtfulness.
I read an interesting post when I was making the decision to moderate comments (mostly due to trolls on a negative review I wrote on a service which I paid for myself, which was just a review of MY experience, but the people who had like 2 day old accounts were all leaving two comments each in the same pattern, which made me suspicious, eventually, that they were hired by the company, but I'm digressing--they were personally attacking me for my own opinion). The post basically posited that comments are part of the community of your blog, so you don't have to feel obligated to allow all of them. Of course, I allow them if they aren't like the above described trolls and fit with my comment policy, but there is nothing worse than reading a comment where someone TOTALLY missed the point (like they obviously skimmed it) or are going through Bloglovin and just leaving mindless "great thoughts!" posts...
My comments are notoriously long. As are my emails. Sorry! I love this post and it generated a lot of thoughts for me, which is a sign of a good post, in my opinion! (Ask Cassie over at Sage... she wrote a post and I left a comment, plus wrote a long email...)
People get so wrapped up in popularith, comparison & being the next "big thing"....
ReplyDeletei dont ger it. I've been blogging for 8 years now & still do good to get 10 comments in a day.... & I'm ok with that because about 90%arent going to make a livng blogging so you might as well enjoy it yourself & appreciate looking back on the memories you have..... not about product reviews you dont even care about.
1. I'm super glad that notebook made the picture :)
ReplyDelete2. This is so true! I've been feeling so in a rut lately and trying to figure out why I am not enjoying blogging. I love writing and I love sharing my life with people, but I do not seem to be making it a priority anymore. Funny how accepting that it's not about money but about me changed my whole attitude <3
you are just the sweetest! I love coffee and I love scones! We will make that happen, one day!!
ReplyDeleteIt really is! I loveee it!
ReplyDeleteSarah, you are one of my faves! You are so genuine - there isn't anything fake in you!When you comment - you mean it and I love it!! you are my hero blogger!!!! I feel bad for all of the fake comments I have left on people's blogs. There are times I read a blog and I liked it, it made me laugh, or made me think but I have nothing to say that will add value - so sometimes I add a quick "loved this" but I usually try to say why! thanks for your thoughts :)
ReplyDeleteI got caught up because I didn't know it was possible and I was like 'that would be a dream job!' haha but ultimately I want to chronicle my life and share things I find interesting. I love Amish Fiction and mooost people don't - that's ok - I am still going to do book reviews! You are so sweet Rebecca Jo! :)
ReplyDelete1) LOVE THAT NOTEBOOK
ReplyDelete2) that's right its about YOU haha
most people don't make it big blogging. My big 500 view victory is pennies to some people. I just gota keep on doing my thing :)
Amen!!!! This is such a good post! My favorite part about blogging is building relationships with others - not just reading and commenting, but emailing, sending snail mail, meeting up in person when possible, etc!
ReplyDeletePreach! This was inspiring to me. I say this not because it's a pretty, generic comment but because I really mean it, and I needed to read this. I've been blogging for 4-5 years now publicly, and when I was pregnant (both times), people interacted like crazy. They wanted to see what was going on, and I was honest and had a lot of real content during that time. When people post forced things, it's obvious, and people just aren't as into it. Now, with 2 kids, it's HARD to find that quiet time to sit and think, let alone process and write about it...but I want to. I want to be intentional about my writing. Sorry for the book...but thanks for this! :-)
ReplyDeleteall the amens. love you and i'm so proud of you. it's weird and funny how i feel like you and i are kind of flip flopping in our view of blogging, you know? but i like journeying through blogland with you <3
ReplyDeleteYES! Community and learning from others is my FAVORITE part of blogging!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laura! No need to apologize for sharing your heart! I can imagine when you were pregnant people were following and I am sure people want to know how you're juggling mommyhood but I can only imagine it's incredibly hard to find time to write! Genuineness is so much better than "content"
ReplyDeletewe really do! I go back and forth butttt I just want to be genuine LIFE BLOGGING! also 13 days!
ReplyDelete