There can be so many challenges when blogging, right?
Finding time to blog, then finding inspiration, followed by putting the right words together, can mount up and create huge pressure.
It’s easy to question the purpose of blogging and whether your efforts will ever translate into more business, greater engagement or successful freelancing.
It’s one thing having traffic pass through your website, either organically or through deliberate visits. But encouraging users to read beyond the first three lines and, furthermore engage is also another huge win or defeat.
In 2015 we built a lifestyle blogging site and started professionally blogging for several companies. And over the years this grew. We had doubts, wondering whether our efforts were sustainable. Since then we have built up a strong reputation and delivered a confident style. We were really surprised how supportive people were with our work. We had it in our heads no one would want to read what we had to say, but they did.
Its natural to have doubts and lose direction. Sometimes it can take just one reader to leave a message and reach out. Then it feels like you are back in the world and not just sat behind your screen.
Stick with it…
Admittedly, there are so many bloggers out there creating amazing material. However, there are also billions of people viewing content daily. A few things we learnt over the years is… creating content that is recognisable in style and to stick with blogging…
Consistency in style and productivity.
We read blogs a little differently…
Most people don’t read blogs in the same way they do magazines or books. Blogs look to provide answers, advice or offer tips. Most bloggers will create a narrative. For instance, this maybe dictated by the industry your in. You might provide information to your readers about products or services.
Your narrative….
It might be an on going story that you’re sharing through blogging, that offers help to others. Whatever the content is, your blogs will need to offer consistency.
Avoid preaching. Yes, you have the answers….
But it’s more personable to deliver them as if you are having a friendly conversation with a friend. A bit like sharing support rather than lecturing.
Content should be easy and user friendly. Readers wont stay long in your wordy quick sand – they will just disappear- and unlikely engage. Consider the words you use. Is it industry jargon? if it is…
Will anyone else understand it? Are you having a conversation with average Joe, or an industry expert? – consider your audience. Yep! That’s a biggy.
Opinions vary…
Some pro bloggers might advise you to ‘get straight to the point’ or edit out the ‘fluff’. But you no what, as long as the fluff doesn’t last for 8 pages and the specific content lasts for half a page, 6 pages in – then we say – go for it.
Just approach with caution…
But ultimately a bit of fluff here and there can create a sense of identity, a little insight – like you are having a human conversation. That you might not get if you ask ‘Alexa’ a question. Humans enjoy human interactions… so go for it, fluff it up (a little).
We hear you…
Its hard to maintain the dream. You want your blogging to take off. You’d love readers to indulge in your content – reading it inside out. Just imagine them going on to buy products or services from you….
Wow. And it can happen. If you have something to say, someone will be listening (or reading).
Stay positive, deliver the answers and tips, edit out some of the bits that won’t help your readers and…
Avoid huge chunky lumps of text where your eyes just end up spinning around, resulting in the x being clicked – escaping the terrible layout.
And most importantly- stick with it, share your content on social media and guest blogging sites.
Tell the world all about your ideas, services and products and be confident (and consistent, of course)… You will know when you have done a great job (back tapping essential)… Go get ‘Em!
