It was disheartening and discouraging, didn't it?
I was in that exact same spot at the beginning of my journey. I was frustrated because I was putting in effort and time into my blog but I wasn't getting the result I wanted. It seems like no one cares about what I am saying and then I go read someone else's blog, which naturally has hundreds of comments and that made me feel like I am an ant.
Many times I thought about quitting but that would never fix anything. I have taken a few long, long breaks but that's that. I came back because my momma didn't raise a quitter.
To make myself feel good about blogging, I even said to myself that it's kind of okay if nobody reads my blog. I used to keep a diary and it was something I kept under lock and key. I didn't blog it or post it on Facebook. So this should be okay, right?
To be honest, it didn't do much. It didn't fix anything. My readers were still minimal, had zero comments, and my followers were basically people I kind of knew in real life.
So I said “That's it. I am not giving up. Nothing great ever came easy. Let's start this all over again”
Here's to the ones who are tired of getting rejected by the world and feel like no one is reading their blogs. Hopefully, by practising some of these tips you will get a ton of readers that truly appreciate you.
Keep writing, do not give up
Alright, let's get real from the get-go. When it comes to the secret of blogging for the long haul, you gotta remember this golden rule: never, ever throw in the towel. I've had more meltdowns than an ice cream cone in the blazing sun, but there's this inexplicable mojo in putting words on the page that makes quitting an impossibility, ya feel me?
It's not just about being passionate, although that's a big part of it, in my book. If you're not feeling that fire in your belly, folks on the internet can sniff it out quicker than you can say "YouTube." And when you talk with some of the top-notch bloggers, one thing becomes crystal clear: they've got that unbridled enthusiasm oozing from every pixel.
It's not about the quantity
I've got this little saying I chant to myself, almost like my sacred mantra for blogging. You know, cranking out a ton of content might bring in some eyeballs and all that jazz, but it ain't the only road to success, my friend.
You never want to just toss an article out there like yesterday's leftovers. Just right before you go all-in and hit that publish button, do a quick gut check. Ask yourself stuff like, "Is this blog post gonna make my readers' day a little brighter?" or "Would I dive into this as a reader?"
Have goals other than traffic
I have been brainwashed by this one blog post I read a long time ago. It literally screamed “Screw traffic!” in my face. It doesn't really mean anything now that I am an adult and probably wiser. The stats are only there for me to look at and say something like “Ooh, today I have a lot of visitors from Sweden.”
It's satisfying to have thousands of visitors to your site but blogging is much more than getting traffic. Set goals and once you have one or two, it will help you focus on what you should be focusing and it's often not traffic.
Unless blogging is your source of income, then by all means. For the rest of us, we should rethink why we're blogging in the first place. Have goals. For me, I just want to have fun with blogging and if I can make money out of it, that's a bonus.
Promote your content
This is pretty simple. As a blogger, you can't just sit around and expect people to magically find your blog. Once you start promoting properly you will start to see more and more people reading your blog.
At the beginning of my blogging journey, rarely did I actually promote my content on my social media channels. People don't even know I am pretty active here. I don't know why I was so embarrassed. That's just sad.
Fast forward to a few years, I started to promote little by little on Twitter and Instagram. The key is to only focus on one or two social media platforms or you will eventually burn out. It's actually helping a lot with my engagement rate. I will never not promote my content now. So guys, be proud of your content and promote the hell out of it.
“Go out” and “meet” people
This one deserves to be under its own point rather than to be under the previous one because it's technically not the same. Let me make it simple for you. It was called “blogwalking” back in the day. I don't know if it's still a thing, but it is to me.
People normally do this by commenting on other blogs that kind of have the same audience as you. I know this sounds so simple but most people don't do simple things like this to build connection and grow their blogs nowadays.
I make it a habit to always comment on a certain number of blogs every week. It's a really nice feeling to have a little conversation with people online in my niche and to be honest, it does help my blog to receive tons of visitors from all over the world and get valuable feedback and comments too. You have got to get out there to be known. Believe in the power of networking.
Success doesn't really happen overnight
You need to remember this. This is not TikTok where you can gain fame overnight. Most people have been working for years before getting any kind of success.
Take it from me, I am nowhere near succeeding but I have been blogging for over 10 years and there are definitely some major blogging goals I have checked off. Everyone's blogging journey is different and mine took much, much longer than most bloggers. Don't ever compare yourself to other bloggers that you see.
I loved reading through this and your tips are brill! It's so important to enjoy blogging and know success does take time x
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading, Della! Yup, it's only the tip of the iceberg that people see, but it's so much more underneath xx
DeleteLovely tips and reminders here, Lenne! Thank you so much for sharing with us :) I used to be overly conscious with promoting my blog on my social media accounts, but now I just share right away (or perhaps when I'm in the mood and have the courage to do so haha!).
ReplyDeleteAnna Jo | www.helloannajo.com
As you should! More people should read your content! I really enjoy your calm and composed blog posts xx
DeleteThanks for the encouragement and supportive words Lenne!
ReplyDeleteAin tinggal blog masa blog Ain betul2 tengah naik. pv 2k sehari. hahaha Ntah kenapa tetiba rasa takda hati nak blogging. Rindu? Tipu lah tak. Everytime nampak blogger2 lain promote dorang punya blog dekat socmed mesti macam awww rindu sangat-sangat. Tapi tu lah hehehe now baru sambung balik. ish ish.
Kejayaan tak datang bergolek. Jangan cepat putus asa
Pst : Kalau lenne rasa tak ada orang yang tengok blog lenne, Lenne ingat je Ain. Im your silent reader kalau tak comment! sebab tu lenne dalam bloglist ain hehe boleh tahu perkembangan lenne selain dkt ig :P
YOU'RE THE SWEETEST!!! <3
DeleteI'm so flattered oh my gosh! Thank you for being so supportive and I'm glad you're here again and constantly making favorable content. I love you for that. If you feel like quitting, don't. Just take a break and then come back when you feel it's time to come back xx
Thanks for sharing such a great idea!
ReplyDeleteDiana,
Ultimate Guide To Wear Sneakers
Thank you for reading xx
DeleteI think we all feel this at times. I find the best thing to do is interact with other bloggers and keep writing x
ReplyDeleteBeautylymin
That's so true. I truly believe that interacting with other bloggers will go a long way. And yes, never stop writing xx
DeleteThis is great advice. I enjoyed reading this. I think it comes down to writing about what you are passionate over and everything else will follow organically :) I love your blog by the way. http://www.bauchlefashion.com/2021/08/chanels-take-on-modernism-6-bags-im.html
ReplyDeleteThat's so true!! Everything will fall into place. Thank you so much for reading! xx
DeleteThese are great tips! I wish I could comment more regularly but I always make time on Sunday mornings to read blog posts and return comments and I love it! xx
ReplyDeleteDanielle's Beauty Blog
Aww that's totally great! xx
DeleteSometimes I can write a blog post that can get loads of comments and then some that get barely any. For me I'm just chuffed when I actually get one and it doesn't really matter. I write for me and it's a hobby, I can understand totally when it's someone's job and livelihood, I agree with your points though, just make sure you're writing content that you love and are passionate about because I think that makes a big difference on if people want to read it! xx
ReplyDeletewww.iridescentplaces.com
Oh yes, definitely. I've always loved all your content and I can tell you really have that passion in you <3
DeleteHi Lenne, I can totally relate to your writing! I stopped writing for 1 year++ and just started back LAST WEEK. It felt awkward but then I remember this is my hobby and I should enjoy it at my own pace. I'm really glad I'm not the only one feeling demotivated sometimes. Love your blog! :)
ReplyDelete-Afi (papercrabs.com)
That's great news! It's good to have you back. Your content is something that I'll definitely enjoy! xx
DeleteI've often thought this to myself too and I agree with all your tips too! I used to be so focused on traffic and it took away from the joy of blogging. Now I'm more relaxed about it, and it's been much better! And I really love visiting other blogs (like yours!) too, it helps to keep me inspired!
ReplyDeleteEileen | yesmissy.com
Aww you're too nice! I just really like being around your blog, I genuinely love the vibe xx
DeleteHehehe, I write for me..I'm my blog's biggest fan. Kekeke
ReplyDeleteAren't we all? Haha!
DeleteAt some point of my blogging life, I also experienced having this feeling, this doubt. Honestly, we all go through this stuff but if you really like what you're doing, you would hold on to it, push through, and never quit. I love your tips and I agree to all of them. Though my mindset is different now than it was years ago. I don't really care anymore if I get traffic on my blog or have readers. I am at the point of life where I went back to my roots and that is to just blog for myself like I did over a decade ago. I used to obsess over numbers and that sucked the joy out of what used to be a hobby that gave me so much pleasure. That's why right now, I'm embracing the fact that blogging is just really a hobby for me. If someone reads the content I write then I'd be happy, if nobody will then it's still okay. ^_^
ReplyDeleteI'm really liking your blog content so far, Lenne, and I've been exploring your website. ^_^ Keep it up! I have a feeling I'll be a returning visitor once in a while. :D xx
Renee Alexis | www.renalexis.com
Ahh I wish I can pin this comment because it is truly what I'm all about! Blogging back to basic <3 Anyway, thank you so much for being so sweet, Renee! Keep inspiring! xx
ReplyDeletefirst off, I have to say that I really love the energy of this post. it really highlights the two types of people who own a blog: one who owns it just because they want to write, and another one who wants to blog for business which, obviously, is completely fine too. ngl, I still feel discouraged from time to time, especially when I write things like film reviews and beauty-related stuff, where it does get kinda lonely when I don't see the engagement. for e,g, my blog is currently on squarespace and for some reason, RSS reader like bloglovin is unable to detect my blog. that really got me for a while, especially because there's no way for me to inform my followers there that my blog has moved. that was me about 1-2 months ago. now, I just tell myself not to care about these things. I never cared about SEO, so why care about such a thing now? I felt like I had betrayed my own determination to blog for the fun of it.
ReplyDeletethen I quickly remind myself that I am not in this for the views or money. I write because I want to, and maybe there ARE people who actually read what I wrote, but decided not to post a comment for whatever reason they are entitled to – and that is A-okay! it IS not an easy reminder per se, but it's one I keep telling myself and will hopefully continue to hold on to.
and I completely agree that it's not about quantity. I love it when I come across a blog and I can definitely see the blogger's determination from the posts they published. I can't quite explain it, but it's just that unspoken impression I tend to get from random blogs I came across. like, I KNOW when a blog is purposely created for business. at the same time, I also can spot blogs that are, way, more personal and close to the author's heart. of course, people are entitled to whatever they wanna write or publish, but for me, I very much prefer the latter.
anyway, what a lovely post :)
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Élise | halecyon.space
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ReplyDelete