Bodega Bay California
Guess what?
Within the prior few days, readers visited my blog or engaged my offsite content from:
- Rumble
- Medium
- Substack
for the first time in weeks. OK; for the first time ever, most likely. I rarely if ever worked these channels save my recent distribution shift.
Nothing happened for weeks or perhaps close to a month. I published content to these channels. Then one day, a month down the road…..boom! Someone reads an update. Someone likes an update. Someone visits Blogging From Paradise Dot Com because I published content patiently to these streams while no one appeared to be listening.
Blogging is not what it seems.
Look closely at successful bloggers.
You may believe that the pros publish content for a built-in audience.
However, ever blogger begins at zero, despite what most bloggers believe.
What’s even more flummoxing?
Genuine pros work marketing channels consistently before people show up. No one shows up for them in the beginning. Yeah; just like every blogger who ever blogged. We all blog and distribute for crickets before slow organic engagement manifests. That would be code for before a single person reads one update through a particular distribution channel.
Every successful blogger publishes for no one across multiple streams at the outset. Numbers increase slowly or perhaps barely at all through certain channels. Everyone quits at this point save the few who become professional bloggers years down the road.
I noted my first feedback among a few new marketing streams that I only added a few months ago.
Developing an abundance mindset nudged me in the right direction.
I intend to give freely without psychologically attaching to statistics.
Doing this influenced me to embrace this sneaky aspect of blogging.
Distribution Confusion
Distribution confuses most bloggers.
Imagine sharing a new blog post to twenty five distribution channels.
Twenty of those distribution channels generate zero engagement right now. Perhaps for 3 weeks; 90% of bloggers quit 3 weeks down the road after claiming, “This strategy does NOT work at all!”
The strategy works fine but the blogger decided NOT to “work” the mental attribute known as “being patient”.
The sneakiest aspect of blogging is this: distributing content when nobody appears to be listening until they start to listen.
Most bloggers write off distribution channels too quickly before giving streams a fair chance.
I suffered from this painful mistake for years. Being impatient, I cut the legs out from my distribution strategy.
I tried to get max traffic from all tactics. But distributing successfully never works that way.
Go Wide to Distribute Aggressively
Target each channel but go wide. I mean really wide.
Maximize exposure. Keep showing up. Promote blog posts across a heavy range of marketing strategies. Some generate steady engagement within a short time frame. Others lay goose eggs for a few weeks. Others generate zero engagement for a few months.
Never abandon an under performing channel until you work it consistently for an extraordinary stretch of time. Pros do this. Everyone else quits.
Never be quick to cut losers. You may be stunned at how grinding it out influences people to follow you. Establish an abundance approach.
Driving traffic through dozens of channels stimulates exponential organic traffic growth over years.
I cannot claim that this is easy.
Everyone wants to cut the losers and run with the winners quickly.
Overcoming the limiting belief takes your blog to new heights. Grinding it out during lean stretches fosters organic growth sooner or later.
My Blog Post Distribution Strategy
I distribute a new blog post to twenty five channels.
Three channels generate heavy engagement.
A few more channels generate moderate to light engagement.
Over a dozen channels generate zero engagement for days if not weeks.
But something fascinating happens as I post consistently to these apparently dead channels.
Users eventually show up. Someone likes one of my updates. These people visit my blog. I generate organic traffic. I increase referral traffic. I breathed life into a seeming dead stream.
Why is this sneaky?
Overcoming the:
“Why would I publish content along these channels with zero followers?”
fear feels highly uncomfortable.
But defeating the fear reveals something fascinating; people show up because you persisted.
Engagement grows based on your content not on your quitting.
Let that idea sink into your mind.
Nobody engaged any of my Substack posts until today. Someone on the network liked one of my updates pointing back to Blogging From Paradise Dot Com. The same thing happened three times last week on Medium. Someone followed me from Medium to X to drop a genuine comment.
The Challenge
Successful bloggers conquer self-doubt.
Challenging your doubts feels uncomfortable.
The distribution resistance discussed above triggers self-doubt. Imagine publishing helpful content to a marketing channel for three weeks. No one engages the content. No one follows your handle. Nothing happens. Well something happens; self-doubt arises in the mind.
Facing, feeling then forgiving crippling doubts feels highly unpleasant. Trashing the distribution channel seems like the easy choice. Complaining about the stream feels familiar. Most bloggers take either route. Most bloggers never crack the distribution code.
Step into your fears. Ride out the distribution doldrums.
Keep these tips in mind:
- Create a vision.
- Value organic growth.
Create a Vision
See your blogging goals.
Look past the distribution doldrums.
Let your vision guide you past resistance. Seeing your blogging goals in clear detail motivates you to look beyond meager blogging results.
I held my goals in mind as an anchor to weather the inevitable lack of engagement through distribution channels.
I focused on long term growth to remain calm. Focusing on the end game got me past the good old engagement goose egg everyone experiences in the beginning.
Believe in your vision not temporary results. Small numbers are appearances. Eventually the numbers conform to your vision if you get clear on blogging goals.
Practical Tips
Set aside time to see your blogging goals. Add details to your vision. Write your goals on a piece of paper.
Become emotionally involved with your target.
Let your vision guide you.
Believe in yourself.
Conquer self-doubt.
Forgive temporary struggles.
Work distribution channels consistently to break through.
Value Organic Growth
Organic growth seems slow but remains dependable.
People who want your content establish a granite-like online business foundation.
One targeted reader does the work of one hundred readers gained through inorganic methods.
Organic traffic is the only goal. Forcing traffic appeases the ego but does little for your blogging bottom line.
Note the reader who found my content through Medium. The individual referenced my Medium post to organically expand my reach on the platform. The blogger migrated to Twitter/X to amplify my organic growth over there by engaging via a thread.
Organic growth moves the needle. People who want your content increase organic traffic and blogging income.
Conclusion
Becoming a pro blogger hinges not on driving big numbers but sending hungry readers to your blog.
Hungry readers show up slowly but surely.
Never let beginner blogger distribution droughts frustrate you into submission.
See the marketing journey through. Readers show up after you publish helpful content not before.
