Pine Junction Colorado USA
New bloggers commit a common error.
Beginners believe that blogging is a quick way to make money.
Reality soon slaps all across the face.
I have been there. I had no clue what I was getting myself into as a new blogger.
You likely have been there too.
Blogging is not some mindless activity or easy hustle. Earning money through blogging is a skill. Developing this skill requires patient practice, mindful learning and a willingness to be all in for a series of years before going pro. Few bloggers commit to this process. Few bloggers succeed.
Nobody really understands at the outset how many skills that bloggers need to develop to go full-time. Even when you understand this, the workload will surprise you.
Practice Daily
I practice daily to polish my blogging skills. Becoming confident only comes with practicing religiously before earning a dime. Bloggers do not want to hear this. Practicing is difficult at times but always do-able. The more you practice blogging the easier it gets. Embrace the simplicity of it. Master blogging through powerful repetition.
Blogging Fairies Do Not Exist
Never assume that full-time bloggers magically develop talent overnight. Pros seem to be lucky, gifted or blessed to the general public. No blogging fairies sprinkle content pixie dust on grateful pros. Make no mistake about it; current day pro bloggers developed blogging skills for 1000’s of hours before the money arrived.
My mantra is to practice in private before shining in public.
Drill that idea into your mind. Adopt the same attitude to hone your blogging skills.
No one else can do the work for you.
Put in the practice to become successful.
Develop these skills to thrive as a blogger.
1: Blog Mainly for the Fun of Helping People
The way to persist through ups and downs is to blog mainly for the fun of helping people. The way to quit fast is to blog mainly for money or popularity.
17 years into my blogging career, I set aside some time tonight to write and publish this post. I love helping bloggers with blogging tips. That love inspires me more than anything else. You need that love to blog when nothing seems to happen; yeah, when you see zero traffic and zero income for a while at the beginning.
Practical TipsÂ
- blog for the joy of helping readers
- have fun with the content creation process
- commit to creating content but try not to take it seriously
- perceive traffic and money to be like bonuses
- make the blogging work the reward
2: Learn How to Blog from a Pro Blogger
Learn how to blog from professional bloggers. Follow advice from the best to become the best. Do what works, now, even if strategies do not yield quick results. Do what pro bloggers guide you to do to lay a strong foundation for your pro blogging career.
Unfortunately, new bloggers generally follow bad advice because poor counsel resonates with unclear bloggers. Following guidance from struggling bloggers makes sense to those not using common sense.
Scrap this foolish strategy.
Learn how to blog from professionals.
Do successful things from day 1 to accelerate your blogging success.
Practical TipsÂ
- follow advice only from pro bloggers
- read their blog posts
- invest money in their courses, eBooks and coaching
- confidently put their advice into action
- resist the temptation to surround yourself with struggling bloggers and follow their guidance because it feels safe, familiar and comfortable
3: Choose One Niche to Be a Specialist
Choose one blogging niche. Be a specialist in a world of floundering generalists.
Do one thing to do it well. Be a trusted specialist, not a jack of all trades, not too trusted generalist.
Choose one of your passions. Gauge demand through Google, social media and Q and A sites like Reddit and Quora. Cover one niche with demand, fueled by your passion.
Niche selection is a genuine skill. Spot how successful pros pick winners consistently. Give yourself ample time to pick the right niche for you.
Suggested Reading
4: Publish Long Form Content
Write 1200 – 1500 words blog posts. Share practical tips. Publish value to be valuable in the eyes of readers.
Long form content ranks well on Google and resonates with readers hungry for thorough resources. Detailed content increases reader time spent onsite. Good things happen if readers stick around. Referral traffic and referral business grows.
Be practical. Baby step readers through their problems. Publish one post weekly to be timely.
Develop this skill diligently. Publishing long form content takes practice. Most want to publish posts as quickly as possible. Slow down your mind to guard against this mistake.
Hold the user experience in mind to design posts effectively. Make it easy for readers to scan content.
Master this skill over years.
Getting really good at it usually takes quite a while.
This is why you never see new bloggers dominating page 1 of Google.
5: Create Offsite Content
Create through content offsite.
Guest blog and publish detailed content through social media.
Offsite content bridges the gap between your blog and the outside world.
Practical TipsÂ
- guest blog for bloggers from within your niche
- publish practical content for social media
- create social media groups to establish your expertise
- develop the skill of appeasing algorithms; from X/Twitter, to Facebook to Google, each behaves in fickle fashion
6: Monetize through Multiple Income Channels
Open multiple income streams to thrive.
Most bloggers skip to this skill without understanding its nuanced nature. Engaging in affiliate marketing is vastly different from writing and selling eBooks.
Learn the ins and outs of each channel to monetize effectively.
Consider:
- affiliate marketing
- writing and selling eBooks
- creating and selling courses
- coaching
- consulting
- freelancing
Conclusion
Follow this basic guide to treat blogging like a real skill.
Position yourself to become a successful blogger.
