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How to fail at blogging for profit: Blogging for beginners
I have been blogging for about five years. The first four of which were spent writing to an audience of 83 people and created no income. It was a hobby that I pursued because I loved writing and sharing my thoughts with others.
Recently, I decided to delve into the vast sea that is blogging for profit. And I am all in, no life jacket, no plan B, it is truly sink or float!
I made this choice not just because I would absolutely love a morning commute be a couple of seconds as I hope out of bed and head to my home office; But also because I was thrilled with the idea of actually being able to make a living doing what I loved, writing.
Needless to say, with a blog that made no income for four years, I consider myself an expert on what not to do if you want to be successful at blogging for income.
Let’s look at some of the things I neglected in my previous blog.
SEO, Schmeseo!
For years that basically could have been my motto when it came to SEO. I didn’t even know what SEO stood for until recently, let alone how big of a part it played in driving traffic to my blog.
Like I said throughout the four years I spent on my hobby blog, I got a whopping 83 followers. Which, I’m extremely grateful for and was excited each time I got the notification of someone interested enough in my anecdotes to have the desire to receive consistent updates.
If you are wanting to make a living from your blog, it is essential that you optimize.
Inconsistent blogging
With my previous blog my posting was highly sporadic. One year I posted weekly, the next every couple of months if that.
From my research, taking some time away from posting can be okay for a blog that is established. But if you’re just starting out, consistency and quantity are key. Not however over quality.
It is important that you create a regular posting schedule & stick to it as much as possible.
Make a blogging calendar, it makes life so much easier!
Site hosting
Having a blog that is self hosted is essential to being able to monetize and possess more autonomy over your site.
Even with having a self hosted website, you’ll want to carefully consider and research your options before diving in.
Using the anti-marketing strategy
In no way did I even attempt to drive traffic to my blog. Like I said this was a hobby, not a career choice (at the time).
I may have added a couple of post on Facebook and had it on my tagline but that was the most marketing I did for the blog.
I wasn’t consistently getting the word out about my blog and it showed. Driving traffic to your blog opens so many lucrative doors and targeted marketing is the key.
Don’t invest in your blog
Over the lifetime of my hobby blog I spent about $20 per year on the domain name. That was it, I hadn’t given much though to investing more money into the blog.
But if your desire is to get money out of the blog, you will have to put some money into it. Make sure you budget for a minimum of a couple hundred dollars to get your blog going.
Don’t invest in yourself
Even more important than spending on your blog, you have to be willing to invest in yourself.
Take courses, attend conferences, join paid groups or find online or local workshops.
Educating yourself on the strategies and nuances of blogging probably won’t come cheap. There are a multitude of classes, workshops and private groups that will give you invaluable information. Going in prepared to invest in your businesses future is a must
I also have some ideas on how you can access all the free information you need to know to start a blog here.
Keep your blog a secret
This goes along with anti-marketing, but in this instance I am speaking of keeping it secret from family and friends.
I may have shared my blog with a few friends and my mother, but otherwise it was a pretty well kept secret.
For whatever reason I was a little weirded out with my close friends and family reading some of my most intimate thoughts. It was easier to share with strangers who I would probably never actually lay eyes on.
Trutfully, your family and friends are probably going to be your biggest cheerleaders. So, while it may feel a little weird at first don’t be afraid to share your post on facebook, send them in private messages or discuss your latest blog at dinner with friends.
Your family and friends want to support you, so give them the opportunity to do so!
Be hermitized
Hello, my name is Courtnye and I was a hermit blogger!
As a blogger, I worked in a silo. Interaction with other bloggers wasn’t even on my radar, I was full out hermitized (yes I made up a new word, I need to call Webster). I had social media accounts but wasn’t very social and I didn’t consider joining blogger groups or attending physical events.
There are great ways to get out and meet like minded bloggers. Usually, the relationships you form are mutually beneficial as you can give each other great information and pointers.
I talk a little bit about some of the events and ways you can connect with other bloggers here.
Believe you can’t make money blogging
Belief is everything! We are ultimately shaped by the limitlessness or limitations of our beliefs. I knew you could make money from blogging, but I had no idea the world of opportunities that existed within the craft.
When writing in my previous blog, I was not business minded at all. There was no thought given as to why I wrote an article or who I wrote for. My posts often lacked a central theme, outcome or call to action.
It is always good to have the business of blogging in mind when writing but also believe that it can serve as an avenue to creating a life you love.
If you are starting a profitable blog, first God bless in all your endeavors! I proud of you for starting on the path of your dreams. Second, I hope these pointers gave a quick run down of what not to do!
I would love to read and share your blog once you have it up, so share your links below!
Don’t forget to download your freebie while you’re here!
Court
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