Creating a successful blog has been a dream of mine since I can remember. To have my own little corner on the internet where I could share my thoughts and knowledge with the world and hopefully make a living out of it.
It took me months of thinking about it before I finally found the courage to stand up my blog.
Here’s why:
- I was scared that no one would read it.
- That I didn’t have anything interesting enough to say (silly, I know).
- That my writing wasn’t good enough and that I would fail miserably in the end…
But then something happened.
I realized that even though I was afraid of failure – even though I was giving into self-doubt – there were successful “bloggers” out there to learn from.
They gave me the courage to keep going and I continued writing, with a little more swagger in my step and a little more certainty that I could do it.
And now, after a few months of blogging, I can say with all honesty that my blog is going great and I couldn’t be happier about it.
With the right tools and secrets, anyone can create a successful blog – but it takes work. And dedication. And a little bit of courage.
So if you’re ready to embark on your blogging journey – or if you already have a blog but need some fresh inspiration – then keep on reading and you’ll learn 10 secrets to successful blogging!
1. Don’t Be Scared of Failure – You Can’t Win If You’re Too Afraid to Play
I know that it might sound cheesy, but seriously – if you never put yourself out there then you can never hope to succeed. And failure is an essential part of success.
Without failure, you’ll never learn to succeed in the future.
So take some time to think about your blog – what you want it to be and where you want it to go, but don’t worry too much if everything doesn’t come together right away.
It’s okay if your writing stinks at first or if you wind up with only one reader – because then you’ll know where to improve.
And that’s an important secret of successful blogging: You can’t be afraid of the unknown. Instead, you must embrace it and learn from it.
2. Expect Writer’s Block and Creative Burnout To Happen
One day I just stopped writing and felt like all the creativity in my brain was gone. And it took me a long time to realize that this is just another part of blogging: having ups and downs, feeling energetic and dedicated one day, and completely uninspired the other.
But don’t worry – there are tools out there like AI writing assistants that can brainstorm (AND WRITE) your posts for you. For real. AI is writing this article right now.
3. Create Content That You Would Want to Read Yourself
It should go without saying that if you would enjoy reading something yourself, other people will probably enjoy it too!
Seems obvious, right? Yet most bloggers don’t apply this simple principle. They are constantly wondering “What kind of content should I create?”
And the worst part is that they end up creating mediocre content that no one wants to read. The result? A blog with very few readers…
So if you want your readers to enjoy your content, be sure to create it for yourself first.
4. Use Social Media to Promote Your Blog
I’m sure you already know this, but it’s important enough to be mentioned again. If you want your blog to succeed then it needs readers, and social media is the easiest way to get them.
Don’t try to sell yourself – just share what you do with people who are likely interested in it.
Pinterest is a blogger’s best friend
5. Pinterest is Your Best Friend
Pinterest, Pinterest, Pinterest. If you haven’t heard of it before then get ready – Pinterest is where it’s at for bloggers!
I’m sure you already know this, but it’s important enough to be mentioned again. If you want your blog to succeed then it needs readers, and social media is the easiest way to get them.
Pinterest works like a digital scrapbook – users post images that are relevant to their interests, and when someone “pins” an image they are saving it in their own unique scrapbook. If you’re new to Pinterest, here is a list of 17 Strategies to Drive Traffic to Your Blog Using Pinterest.
And since Pinterest is one of the largest search engines out there, having great pins can be extremely beneficial for helping your writing stand out from the crowd!
6. Don’t Overthink It – Just Write
For me, this was the hardest part of blogging: writing when I didn’t feel like writing.
It’s easy to get caught up in the “I don’t feel like it” trap and not write anything at all. But being dedicated to your blog posts is integral to blogging success, so you have to learn how to just get it done – even when you don’t want to.
But remember, if you can’t bring yourself to write a post just yet then do something else. Write a description for social media instead of an actual post, or do research for another article that you can write later.
7. Keep Your Content Original – But Use Others for Inspiration
No one wants to read the same old, same old.
So get inspired by other people’s content and make sure that your writing is original enough to stand out – never copy anything directly or you’ll get caught and it’ll be bad news bears for you.
But don’t copy ideas either – use others’ content as inspiration for your starting point instead and give it your own spin with your own experiences, opinions, and unique writing style.
8. Do Your Research
If you want people to take you seriously then make sure that your blog is credible and trustworthy by doing the research before writing anything at all…
What are other people saying about this? Are there any statistics on it? What have other blogs or news sources written about this topic?
And don’t forget that if you’re writing about your personal experiences then give them all the juicy details!
9. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Personal
We are all drawn to people who are real and honest – especially when it comes to blogging. So make sure to let your voice shine throughout your writing.
Be genuine and show some personality from time to time.
Believe it or not, blogging is actually about people. It’s about expressing yourself and establishing a connection with your readers (and viewers).
So instead of writing like one of those old, boring academics that everyone hates, open up and show your human side! Let them see the real you and why you care about this topic.
10. There is No Magic Pill – Be Patient
There are no magic tricks to blogging success. Like anything else, writing takes practice, time, patience, and dedication…
It’s natural to want instant gratification but blogging is a marathon, not a sprint! So if you keep showing up and doing the work each day – then your blog will grow more than you’d expect.
So write when you don’t feel like it, stay consistent, call yourself out for mistakes, remember that content is king, do your research, get personal to establish an emotional connection with your readers, and always have a strong objective behind what you’re writing.
You are talented enough – now go start that blog!
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This article is written by small business expert, Erica Nall. She helps other entrepreneurs through her free resource blog on running an online company at EricaNall.com
