Blogging if English is not your native language can be rewarding but also challenging.
Non-native English speaking bloggers sometimes make mistakes because this crowd resists doing uncomfortable things. Avoiding discomfort pulls you away from the success fundamentals. Pulling away from successful strategies prolongs failure.
ESL Blogger Disclaimer
I grew up in the United States. English is my first language.
However, I have observed 1000’s of ESL bloggers over my nearly 15 year blogging career. Seeing these inspired folks in action revealed what works, what doesn’t and how to identify and correct common errors to accelerate your success.
Blogging From Paradise has drawn readers who blog from:
- India
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Nepal
- Brazil
- Cameroon
- Ghana
- Nigeria
- Kenya
- Cyprus
- Turkey
- Indonesia
- Germany
- Costa Rica
- Sri Lanka
during its 9 year existence.
At times, our community looks more like a “United Nations of Bloggers” more than anything else which I love.
Most of our readers do hail from the Western world which offers ESL bloggers a golden opportunity for networking, befriending and learning in English.
Success Fundamentals
Successful ESL bloggers blog simply, patiently and intelligently even though doing so feels highly uncomfortable in moments.
Anyone who tries to learn a second language knows the feeling of “looking stupid“. But any blogger who succeeds steps through this fear in order to work patiently on the road to increased traffic and profits.
Overcoming common ESL blogger errors gives you peace and mind and worldly blogging success.
Picture yourself riding a bike. Falling off of the bike hurts the first few times but practicing builds momentum that keeps you on the bike. Balancing the bike gets you from point A to point B without scraping your knees.
The ESL blogger journey is like riding a bike. Bruise yourself a little bit at the outset, practice daily and eventually you will reach your destination successfully.
Address these common mistakes to accelerate your success as an ESL blogger.
1: Little/No Writing Practice in English
The most powerful tool you have as a non native English speaker is improving your ability to write in the language of money.
English is the language of money as it’s the universal language.
Yet ESL bloggers often resist writing in English save for publishing blog posts. If you barely practice writing in this language you can’t gain confidence.
Practice in private to shine in public.
Write 500 words daily offline (no distractions) in a Word document. Trash the document after finishing your practice session.
Hassaan Khan practices writing diligently to sound like a native English speaker.
Practice writing to become a skilled writer. Boost your traffic and profits by seamlessly communicating with a global market through the language of money.
2: Relying 100% on AdSense for Blogging Profits
ESL bloggers often depend fully on AdSense for blogging profits.
AdSense may be the easiest – or most common – way to get paid as a blogger in your native country.
But this is an error for a few reasons: doing this instills fear in the mind and you need hefty, quality traffic to make any money through ad placements.
For example, most AdSense success stories involve persistent bloggers who worked for years to generate 100,000’s to millions of highly-targeted visitors to reach that income. Sans that kind of traffic you usually make pennies or flat out zero blogging ad income.
Relying on only one income stream creates a deep fear in the mind breeding attachment to the single channel, tension and the worry of loss.
Never mind the fact that AdSense income grows after generating a titanic amount of highly targeted traffic. Most ESL bloggers struggle to drive heavy, quality traffic as beginners or even veterans.
Open multiple streams of income through products, services and ads.
African bloggers; look to Enstine Muki for inspiration and income ideas. He profits through many channels online.
Indian bloggers; look to Harsh Agrawal for inspiration and income ideas.
Pakistani bloggers; look to Syed Faizan Ali and Myilraj G. for inspiration and income ideas.
Plus, these bloggers can teach you how to receive money through creative income channels in your home country if more globally accepted means are restricted.
Open multiple income streams. Diversify to feel abundant. Feeling abundant boosts your blogging income.
Income Ideas
- engage in affiliate marketing
- create and sell online courses
- write and self-publish eBooks
- offer consulting services
- offer freelance writing services
Do you need creative ideas for building online courses and writing eBooks? Click the links above pointing to Blogging From Paradise online courses and eBooks. Perhaps you can find inspiration in what I offer through Gumroad and Payhip to expand your imagination.
Opening any of the above income channels nudges you outside of your comfort zone but this is where your blogging profits await.
Patiently develop your blogging skills to gain confidence in your blogging business model.
3: Not Networking with Native English Speakers
I know it feels scary to communicate with people who do not speak your native language.
I’ve circled the globe for 14 years; I know what this feels like.
Non-native English speakers often err in not connecting with native speakers. English speaking bloggers guide you on your ESL journey. Get comfortable with befriending these folks. Most deeply admire your desire to succeed and happily support you on your blogging journey.
Nudge into your fears. Connect with native English speakers through genuine blog comments and by promoting these folks.
Vishwajeet Kumar does a fabulous job communicating with and befriending native English speaking bloggers. Follow his lead. Connect with bloggers from all over the globe through the English language.
4: Relying Solely on Follower Threads for Traffic and Business
Depending only on blog follower threads for traffic and business is a mistake because traffic from these sources is not:
- organic
- highly targeted
- qualified
Non native English speakers see these threads as quick, easy, comfortable ways to get traffic and comments. But when you realize that fellow bloggers on the thread usually:
- struggle
- participate in threads mainly to get traffic from you
- participate in non-targeted threads from a high volume of blogging niches
you understand how these traffic sources are rarely credible, quality or targeted.
Blogging success hinges on driving highly-targeted blog traffic organically not through manipulative sharing threads.
Write long-form blog posts persistently. Gain credibility to drive highly interested people to your blog. Hungry readers tend to:
- buy your premium offerings
- hire you
- increase your referral business
Connect genuinely with native English speaking bloggers via blog comments. Promote these bloggers both on your blog and through social media.
Blogging friends gradually promote your blog posts to their targeted, loyal readerships. Blog traffic and profits increase through these organic collaborations.
For example, each blogger I linked to through this post gains exposure in front of the Blogging From Paradise community. Organically, some of these bloggers will promote this blog post to their communities. We all win because collaborating frequently increases our collective traffic and blogging income.
Conclusion
Becoming a successful ESL blogger is worth the temporary discomfort you face on the journey.
Imagine the fun and freedom of being a full time blogger to walk slowly and steadily toward your dreams no matter what obstacles pop up on the horizon.
