Napa California
Look closely at the image above.
I invested a decent chunk of my life since 2008 sitting in front of a laptop blogging just like this.
I developed blogging skills over 18 years to be the blogger that I am today.
Could a specific blogging tool replace 18 years of blogging practice? No.
If anything, using tools amplifies effective work and does nothing for ineffective work.
Skills create blogging success.
Tools serve as aids.
Yet bloggers believe tools to be sentient entities capable of completing critical tasks for bloggers.
The AI blogging craze proves it.
AI Blogging Craze
How many bloggers believe AI to be a “set it and forget it” deal?
Look at advertisements for AI. Forget ads; scour content. Bloggers who push AI make hefty promises. Why is this approach ridiculous? AI bloggers deliver the “facts” about how AI does most if not all blogging work for you quickly. Everyone has found the shortcut. But all suffer soon from a rude awakening.
Most think that blogging is as easy as getting AI to spit out truly helpful content at a dizzying clip. Organic traffic and blogging income must surely follow quickly, right?
Wrong.
Blogging tools cannot replace blogging skills. Tools are crutches. Tools are aids. Tools offer a little boost. Blogging skills draw organic traffic and blogging income.
I’ll Be Nice
In the name of good taste, I never would shine a spotlight on AI-generated content because it is in poor taste. Even the alleged “good” stuff lacks vitality. The bad stuff is comical. Why wouldn’t it be? Artificial intelligence cannot be the real thing. Something artificial lacks love, heart, wittiness and experience to draw upon. What do you expect to come out of AI content? Something original?
Everyone knows that generic content misses the mark. You and I read the first few sentences, process an AI-generated post then bounce immediately. AI bloggers sound like one another. Why wouldn’t these individuals sound like parrots? Each types in similar prompts. AI spits out similar or nearly identical content. Some edit this generic content. But how far can that go? Generic content is generic content until you delete posts to write exclusively from your center.
Blogging tools cannot replace blogging skills.
Working on what matters – for a long time – drives organic traffic and blogging income.
Develop blogging skills.
Reach the top of your niche.
You can do it.
But let go the desire to get something for nothing.
Ain’t gonna happen.
Top Earner Killed It
I recall a top blogging earner from almost 20 years ago.
I was new to blogging back then; still in the research phase.
He rocked it out with a basic theme and nothing else. I assume he used few if any tools based on his no frills delivery.
Why did he earn big bucks through blogging?
The blogging leader spent hours developing his blogging skills. Most of all, he wrote his ass off. Sometimes he published clear, concise, practical 4,000, to 8,000 to 10,000 word blog posts. I mean this dude was on the money. No bloat. No waste. Just the facts, ma’am.
I only advise 1200 words per post these days. This works nicely to drive organic blog traffic.
But my point is this: that dude wrote 4,000 plus words *consistently* to master his writing skills. God knows how many words he wrote at the end of a month. I remember him publishing a few posts every week or so. He practiced writing tirelessly. Developing his writing skills netted him a large, loyal readership and financial fortune.
Blogging tools cannot replace skills.
Where Do You Focus?
Do you search for the latest tool to do the blogging work for you?
Maybe you believe a tool to be the breakthrough for your blog?
Sorry.
Blogging never works that way.
Practicing your ass off creates skills. Blogging skills create the big breakthrough you crave but it never happens in dramatic fashion. Organic traffic trickles in along with a wee bit of blogging income. Cumulative gains add up to something significant over the years. No one hits a blogging home run to become a millionaire overnight. No one jumps from making $5 a month to $50,000 a month over 6 weeks. Pros practice in private for a long time to shine in public well down the road.
Successful people practice their rump off for years.
Everyone else disappears.
Blogging works the same way.
Every pro the object of your envy put in a volume of work intimidating to most bloggers.
Blogging Tools Never Do Mission Critical Work for You
I set aside 1-2 hours to write this post.
Before setting aside 1-2 hours to write this post, I spent 15,000 plus hours honing my blogging skills since 2008.
Writing a post is easy after practicing blogging for 15,000 hours.
Writing a post was not easy after practicing blogging for 10, 100 or even 500 hours. I still struggled during those days. I suffered through heavy unconscious mental blocks regarding my worthiness. It was a bit of a blogging poop show.
Anyway, if I tried to shortcut writing practice by using tools to generate content I’d need to set aside 3-4 hours to write this post. Actually, I could *not* write with this clarity if I tried to generate blog content exclusively with tools.
Practical Tips to Follow
- practice writing daily to develop the pivotal blogging skill
- publish at least one long-form post weekly to gain credibility and exposure
- surround yourself with pro bloggers; learn how to handle your blogging self through osmosis
- use tools as light aids to enhance your skills
Blogging tools play a tiny role in your success.
Blogging skills set the table for a full-time blogging career.
Practice!
