Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
Blogging slaps most upside the skull.
I wish that it spared the rod but this is not typically the case. I slammed into heavy resistance early during my career (See below).
Most bloggers suffer a rude awakening. My inbox proves it. My replies bleed this rough blogging reality.
Imagine finally falling to sleep after tossing and turning for 5 hours in bed. The sweet release feels immensely peaceful. Until the rooster next door screams into your ear. Or the kids wail for your attention. Perhaps traffic rouses you from your slumber. Reality sets in; it doesn’t feel fun to have the rugged pulled out from underneath you.
In any case, the wake up call comes uninvited and quite jarring.
I know the feeling well as a world traveler. The alarm clock wakes me in the middle of the night for those delicious 5 AM flights. I never relish the abruptness after sleeping for only a few hours. Shaking off the cobwebs takes a bit.
Blogging: The Rude Awakening
I recall 17 years ago when I bought my domain and hosting.
I believed blogging would be me writing and publishing blog posts to receive money. Bloggers in 2007-2008 seemed to largely offer this view of blogging; at least in circles that I chose, at the time. But a rude awakening quickly floored me. Blogging was not just:
- writing posts
- publishing posts
- receiving money
A wide range of skills made up a professional blogger’s repertoire. Wow. Did I ever feel like someone threw cold water into my face the moment after waking from a deep sleep.
I considered quitting on day 2 of my blogging career. I wanted to get my money back after buying my domain and hosting. Feeling completely overwhelmed by what I had to learn and practice, my wife walked me off of the cyber ledge. She revealed how this temptation felt normal because unexpected twists send most scurrying for comfort.
What Blogging Is
Many bloggers think that blogging is writing and publishing posts to receive money. But reality reveals that blogging is:
- listening to reader problems
- writing posts to solve those problems
- formatting posts properly
- monetizing your blog through multiple income channels
- mindset training
- engaging in genuine blogger outreach
in addition to cultivating other skills lesser of nature but still important.
How many people buy a domain and hosting knowing that learning, practicing and honing each of those six skills usually plays a part in becoming a professional blogger?
I genuinely believe almost no new blogger knows that pro blogging usually involves becoming proficient in each skill. All bloggers receive some level of awakening the moment individuals learn from pro bloggers. Usually, this learning period unfolds well into a blogger’s career after many blogging struggles, much straining and tense striving.
We have all been there.
The challenge now is to commit fully to learning, practicing and honing all aspects of blogging. At the very least, outsourcing various blogging aspects you cannot currently handle is the wise way to become successful. However, learning and working each skill establishes credibility. Do it consistently to become trustworthy. Be what you teach. Become credible by practicing diligently. This is the way.
My Gig
For example, I preach for bloggers to open multiple streams of income, but have I personally opened multiple income streams? Yes I have. I sell an online course. I sell eBooks. I did this to help you, to help me and to also give you proof that I do what I advise you to do. In the past, I worked on more income channels. Yet I still diversify through multiple streams.
However, imagine if I preached opening multiple income channels but relied solely on one income stream. Would you believe my advice if I did not follow my advice? Would I be a credible blogger if I taught some technique I never learned, practiced and became proficient at working, myself?
Practice. Be it. Become credible.
Develop Your Blogging Skills
Start developing your blogging skill set now by dialing in on a few skills. Become a skilled content creator by practicing your writing offline on a daily basis. Write skillfully by mindfully engineering each blog post you publish. Engage in a genuine blogger outreach campaign to befriend professional bloggers from your niche. Honing your creating and networking skills opens the doors to developing other vital skills.
Prolific creators develop their monetizing skills by self-publishing content through eBooks and courses. Connected bloggers who receive guest post invites slowly but surely develop their guest blogging skills.
Perfecting each skill creates a synergistic effect molding your overall blogging success. No one becomes a master by developing multiple blogging skills quickly. First, you may become a skilled writer but perhaps your blogger networking skills need work. However, becoming a skilled writer and slightly better networker increases both your traffic and profits through a combined effort.
Maybe you drive no Google traffic and perhaps you are no brilliant story teller but at least you can write simple, powerful blog posts, monetize effectively and network genuinely. As you bring up search and story telling skills your creating, monetizing and outreach skills accelerate your blogging success.
Frame blogging as a multi-skill commitment, not just writing posts and receiving money.
Conclusion
Avoid being bopped on the head by this rude blogging awakening.
Learn how to succeed from pro bloggers.
Develop multiple skills to gain credibility.
Blogging is a helluva lot more than writing and publishing blog posts.
