Being new to the blogging scene, we get these ideas of what we’ll be like in the future. Maybe we’ll be a hot-shot blogger that gets a million views a month. Or, become a successful entrepreneur with a great business.
No matter what we’re aiming towards, it’s easy to get ahead of ourselves. We have to slow it down and remember we haven’t established ourselves as a blogger yet. That’s the first step. Before we create a following, we’re just people writing for fun or for passion. With that said, there’s a few things we do in our first couple of years that hold us back from greatness.
Let’s take a look at them and how we can overcome it all.
Focusing Too Much on Social Media
Don’t get me wrong, social media is great when used as a marketing platform. And when we create our blog, we create all the social media profiles for it as well. But that creates extra work. We then have to think of what to post, when to post it and oh yeah, be consistent.
When you divide your attention between too many platforms (including your blog), it’s guaranteed you won’t do your best. To solve this, you need to focus on one thing at a time. Create your blog, create some content and work on building a readership first. Then once you start gaining some traction, divide your focus between your blog and social media.
Writing Short Posts
This is a topic that’s a tad controversial. There’s plenty of debates out there that say long posts are the way to go while others think short articles work best.
And honestly, both parties are right. Long posts are great for SEO. Short posts work for those looking for a quick read.
But there’s also downsides to each. If you write what looks like a novel, you can easily lose readers’ interest. On the other hand, short posts can exclude a lot of information. I think it’s best to have a balance. Write both long and short articles. This way you offer your readers a variety.
Reporting On What Everyone Else Already Has
When writer’s block hits, we may find ourselves on a favourite website, scouting for ideas. Unfortunately, this could lead to us writing a post about a popular topic.
While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it can turn into one. For example, let’s look up “fashion trends for spring” on Google. Over a million results pop up.
Now let’s say you wrote a post about that same subject. Sadly, you won’t make it onto the first page. Especially being a newbie (don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with that). The reason why is because you’re outshined by other websites with a larger following. With that said, you’ll most likely show up after page five.
Keeping with the aforementioned example, instead of reporting on the latest spring trends, get more specific. Think of something your audience will search for but that the big-leagues haven’t wrote about. That could be how to wear the newest spring accessory or how to incorporate your favorite hat with a sundress. Now’s the time to think outside the box and get a step ahead of your competition. All while providing valuable information to your readers, of course.
Not Asking For What You Want
The blogosphere is now an oversaturated market. That means opportunities are harder to come by and those who have started long before you are lightyears ahead. Instead of sulking about it, you need to start creating opportunities for yourself. For starters, asking for backlinks.
Backlinks are a great SEO boost. This tells Google your site is worth ranking well because people are linking to it. And when they’re from credible sites, it’s even better. But when you’re just starting out, asking your favorite bloggers for a shout out is a good idea. If you’re nervous about drafting an email to ask, don’t overthink it.
You can’t waste the days ahead being scared to ask for what you want. And frankly, what you need. Just remember to not sound spammy or for that matter, desperate.
Not Writing When You Can
All the excitement of blogging wears off after the blog is created. Then you start worrying about building content, tending to the site and promoting it.
I see a lot of new bloggers have great concepts for their blogs but it becomes overshadowed by their lack of content. And honestly, who wants to read a blog that doesn’t push out content consistently? I understand getting that momentum down is difficult at first. It’s okay to work at your own pace as you’ll eventually get into a rhythm.
But putting writing content at the bottom of your to-do list is a huge no-no. As said above, we focus on too many things related to our blog, except the blog itself. Take some time to write a bunch of drafts. And let them be badly written. You’ll come back, reread it and the writing will start to flow.
Having Excuse After Excuse
I’m sure a lot of us can relate to this. We’re not feeling well or maybe we have a headache that day. We tell ourselves it’s okay, that we’ll come back to our work when we feel ready.
It’s not okay.
The only thing holding you back in that situation is you. You’re preventing yourself from writing a great post because you’re tired or mentally drained. Once you push past it, nothing can stop you. Heck, you might even find yourself in the best groove of your life to where you’re pushing out content left and right.
Sometimes the best cures for sickness and headaches is to pick up the pen (or keyboard) and write without thinking.
In Conclusion…Stop Holding Yourself Back!
You won’t be able to quit your day job or have a successful blog if you keep holding yourself back from it. Blogging is the stepping stone to achieving what you want so make every hour you spend on yours count.
Did you realize something that was holding you back? Let me know in the comments!
Last Updated on
