Written on August 3rd, 2009 at 12:08 am by Darren Rowse
Every Blogger Starts From Zero – You Could Be On the A-List Next Year
Today Ali Hale from Aliventures shares some thoughts that build upon a recent post I wrote on finding your blogging voice.
Darren’s recent poll on How Long Have You Been Blogging suggests that over half ProBlogger’s readers have been blogging for under a year (and of those, a sizeable proportion have yet to launch their blog).
It’s a difficult stage to be at – and I know, because I’m there with a new blog at the moment. Checking stats daily (or hourly), getting over-excited about every comment, wondering how on earth to figure out what your readers want when you don’t have many of them … and that’s if you even manage to overcome your desire for perfectionism, or your nerves, long enough to get your blog off the ground!
So what can new bloggers do to make the early stages a bit easier? Three things that can help are:
- 1. Looking at the experiences and early posts of current big names in the blogosphere
- 2. Making a checklist of what really needs to be done before your launch, your revamp or your big promotional push
- 3. Slowly turning the focus of your blog from “me the blogger” to “you the reader”
Even Big Names Started Out Small
In blogging, very few people start off with a ready-made audience or with the financial backing to make an instant splash (socialites like Arianna Huffington excepted). The majority of bloggers on the “A list” today started off with zero readers, and grew gradually.
Perhaps one of the best-known examples is Leo Babauta of Zen Habits. Leo’s first post was in February 2007; he now has 125,000 subscribers, and has just released an ebook about Zen Habits’ success. In the ebook, he admits that in the early days, “I asked a few friends to leave some comments, just so that the blog wouldn’t look so empty.”
However amazing the bloggers you look up to are now, there was a point in time when none of them had ever written a blog post – or even heard of a blog. So if you had some blogging mis-steps to begin with, take heart: Yaro Starak, of Entrepreneur’s Journey writes in part five of his business timeline about how “although I had installed a blog on BetterEdit.com as early as November 2004 I had rarely made new posts.”
Your Voice Develops With Time
I often feel that I lack a strong “blogging voice” – partly because I write for several different blogs as a freelancer, so tend to adapt my style a lot to the needs of various audiences. There are many bloggers whose voice I admire, and even feel a bit intimidated by; it seems to come so easily to them.
It was only when I started digging right back into some great blog-writers’ archives that I realised everyone starts out sounding a bit stilted. Here’s a quote from a very early post by James Chartland, of Men with Pens fame:
- Tell potential clients what you will do. Be exact and concise. Cover everything and provide all the details.
- Ask a question about the project. Show interest and that you have paid attention to what the client needs.
(from How to Be a Professional Freelancer)
There’s nothing wrong with the language used there (James is a copywriter, after all), but it’s … a bit bland and ordinary. Frankly, if you’re a current Men with Pens reader, you probably wouldn’t recognise it as James – just compare it with this:
The train trip there was great. I love trains. The city was great, too. (Though I was heard to often mumble, “There’s a lot of people,” throughout the week.) The hotel was okay (I’ve seen better), the sights were amazing and the attractions were fun. Oh, and I went shoe shopping with Naomi. (For sneakers. Please.)
(from What James Did This Summer and Where He Got the Money)
This shows several hallmarks of James’ style: use of dialogue, chatty but zingy language, and a certain willingness to bend the rules of grammar (“For sneakers. Please.” probably aren’t sentences that your crusty English teacher would approve of.) Even the title of the post is much more engaging and personable.
So don’t spend hours writing posts and deleting them – just start getting content out there. The more you write, and the more you share your writing with an audience, the closer you’ll come to finding your true blogging voice.
What Actions Do You REALLY Need to Take?
If you’re currently planning a blog, or waiting to relaunch or restart an existing one, don’t keep waiting for the perfect moment. You’ll always wish you had more time, more knowledge, and more support, and frankly the only way you’re likely to get them is by getting started! In his ebook on the Zen Habits story, Leo talks about his situation when he started out:
Maybe you think you haven’t got what it takes? That’s what I thought when I first started Zen Habits. In fact, I started off without goals, without money, and with no time. Now Zen Habits (http://zenhabits.net) has more than 100,000 subscribers—and a thousand more are joining each week.
(from The Zen Habits Story)
And even those who have made it know there’ll never be a perfect moment: here are Darren’s words about the launch of TwiTip:
“Late last week I realized that if I was waiting to ‘have time’ to start it that I never would – so I bit the bullet and got it going.”
Try making a check list of the absolute essentials that you need to get done before the next step. Can those design tweaks wait? Is anyone really going to notice if the font isn’t perfect? Focus on:
- Creating compelling content
- Any major usability issues (eg. your RSS feed not working!)
- Getting the word out about your blog – using social media sites and contacts
You could also take a goal-focused approach, and concentrate on trying to meet some small, immediate goals, rather than day-dreaming of your future fame and fortune (not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s what keeps me going too…)
Don’t worry if you have the feeling that you’re writing into a vacuum. It can seem like a chicken-and-egg situation to begin with: you want to create content that readers will love, but until you actually have enough readers to give you some feedback, you won’t know what they want. Just keep going – once you start getting traffic, you’ll start learning what people want to read. It worked pretty darn well for Naomi Dunford of IttyBiz fame:
“I managed to get my hands on a boatload of traffic and asked them what they wanted in a small business and marketing blog. Because they were nice, they told me.”
(from Saving You From Bankruptcy and Public Humiliation Since October 2007)
Turning the Focus from “Me” to “You”
Once you begin to build up your readership, you might need to start changing your focus. Many bloggers start out by writing about their own struggles or goals. For example, Leo started Zen Habits as a way to keep himself accountable and to write about his own self improvement (as well as to share his experiences).
Another good example is Trent Hamm, who started The Simple Dollar to work through his own financial difficulties, and again to share what he learnt. You can see this in his early posts, where his focus is primarily on lessons drawn from his own personal story:
“It was very intimidating to look at my finances in this way, and it made it clear to me that I needed to make some major changes in my spending and saving habits.”
As Trent’s readership grew, he began focusing much more on readers’ questions and problems, and this is reflected in the voice of more recent posts – notice how he uses “you” and “your” here:
As long as you’re subscribing to the overall principle of spending less than you earn – and either way you choose, you’re not spending much money here – either choice is healthy because it expands on your existing non-financial values. Frugality or career-building both trump idleness.
If you’re trying to develop a blog from the early stages, consider shifting the focus onto “you” the audience: see what people are asking about in comments, or read other blogs in your area for ideas. Keep your personal touch, but make sure the content is relevant, valuable and useful to the reader.
You don’t have to rule out a personal blog altogether, though: it might not shoot you into the Technorati Top 100, but it could be a valuable outlet. There can be a bit of a gulf in the blogging world between would-be ProBloggers and diarist bloggers, but Darren has a personal blog, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t too.
The Take-Home Message
Don’t worry about writing the “perfect” next post: just start writing. Don’t fret about your blog’s design being perfect. Don’t feel depressed because your subscribers haven’t even reached three figures. You’ll develop your voice and style, and your audience, as you go along.
With its focus on stats and instant feedback, blogging can bring out the perfectionist in all of us. Remember that everyone started somewhere – and the success stories of 2009 and 2010 are still waiting to be written.
About the Author: Ali Hale has recently launched Aliventures, a blog that explores how to get more from life. She’s also a professional writer and blogger, and has written a guide to making money from freelance blogging.
96 Responses to “Every Blogger Starts From Zero – You Could Be On the A-List Next Year” - Add Yours
Make Money Online
August 3rd, 2009 12:47 am
Great post. Defenitely gave me some inspiration to keep working hard!
mymoen
August 3rd, 2009 1:03 am
I really appreciate about the writing in above..
The first thing when i starting to blogging, it make me feel stress. About traffic, page rank, backlink, SEO, and many thing else..
When i reading the post in above, it give me more isnpiring to starting from zero to hero, that my purpose in my blogging activity, specially in online business..
Antonio Tajuelo
August 3rd, 2009 1:15 am
Great post! It helped me to keep on track =) Maybe it can help us think that top blogs from 2010 and 2011 are starting out in this months.
Dominique
August 3rd, 2009 1:17 am
Interesting and helpful tips on how to grow a blog. My blog is still in a growth stage. Will try out some of the suggestions given above.
The Casual Observer
August 3rd, 2009 1:17 am
Good advice. Patience is a key virtue for bloggers.
I felt like I was writing in a mini-vacuum (dustbuster?) for the first month or so. Nearly 6 months later, I’m not where I would like to be in terms of traffic, but it is gradually building. More importantly, I really have enjoyed writing. My focus has slowly drifted more toward my fiction stories, which appear on Fridays. Because of this, I have brought other writers on board to cover a lot of other topics.
I had to make a concerted effort to find the time, but it has been worth it.
Also, it’s surprising how helpful some of the established bloggers can be, esp if you have established yourself as a regular reader of their blog.
Akila
August 3rd, 2009 1:19 am
I guess there is no magic in blogging. Ya, you should have some talent:), but commitment and hard work make a big difference. You have to start with small steps and gradually build your reputation and brand. Some might take about 6 months and some might take about 2 years
If you look at ProBlogger, there were no 100+ comments for the oldest posts I guess. With Darren’s commitment, number of readers has grown.
Greg Ellison
August 3rd, 2009 1:20 am
You should just start a blog and just write. If you don’t start then you are never going to do it. Your idea can bring you alot of money. When you start out blogging don’t be thinking about they money. It will come, but it is hard work. Greg Ellison
Trish
August 3rd, 2009 1:26 am
For me, I have just started on this long and challenging journey but mainly the reason why I blog is to share my views and ideas with others. There’s always a starting point and humble beginning ;)
Sandy
August 3rd, 2009 1:33 am
I like the range of advice you offer here, advice that is relevant to beginners as well as more established bloggers. And I checked out your personal site, that recipe looks great!
James Chartrand - Men with Pens
August 3rd, 2009 1:43 am
Ahhahahah you made me laugh with that one. Every time I think of some really old posts (or happen to read one by accident), I cringe and say to myself, “My god, what was I thinking? Talk about stuffed into a tight suit!”
But you eventually learn to just write for you first of all and develop your own voice. (After meeting someone recently, they exclaimed, “You sound just like you do on your blog!”) And you become comfortable, and the more comfortable you are, the farther you can go with your work.
Plus, when you write really crappy posts to start with, you don’t have to work too hard to beat them ;)
John Infante
August 3rd, 2009 1:44 am
But do spend hours writing and editing posts before you push them out there. I want to have an effortless, flowing writing style, but it means nothing if it’s chock full of spelling and grammar errors (breaking the rules, not bending them). And the only way I’m going to learn to have that type of effortless voice is by finding the mistakes I’m making in the writing and getting rid of them.
Jeffrey Tang
August 3rd, 2009 2:02 am
Very encouraging. It’s hard sometimes to look several years into the future when you’re just working on your blog day by day.
The chicken-and-egg analogy is a good one; that’s pretty much exactly what I felt when I started my blog (and still do, to some extent) – but it’s so exciting when you get a few people engaged. It’s almost magical how people can somehow find you out of the millions of sites out there.
terry huntley
August 3rd, 2009 2:08 am
As a new blogger nothing works better than encouragement. Thanks for the relavent and useful info. To think when i started my own blog that what i wrote in the past and what i will write in the future might be read by more than i could have imagined. Thanks for the info i will pass it on, Terry
Dave Doolin
August 3rd, 2009 2:17 am
There’s a really fine line between “just get it out there” and “first impressions are the most important.”
I don’t exactly know where this line is. I think it moves!
But I also know that time heals, and first impressions can be mended. And that everytime someone visits your blog, you get a fresh chance to make another first impression.
Dan Smith
August 3rd, 2009 2:22 am
I started my second blog last month and have been blogging under a year total. I’ve had a lot of fun doing it as it allows me to express my ideas and thoughts and the work part is something I enjoy. I’m not worried about money. I just want to share my vision, and that takes time, so I’m in this for the long haul. We’ll see how this looks in a year or so.
Tee
August 3rd, 2009 2:25 am
Very good post. It re-motivated me on my own blog. The part about getting over-excited about receiving a comment really hit home with me. My blog is 5 months old today, and I remember jumping clear out of the chair, running around the house “woo-hooing” like a crazed maniac, and doing a dance with my dog in the kitchen for 20 minutes when I got my first real comment. I got so excited about it I forgot to reply! (Well, I replied but forgot to hit the Submit button)
Just for grins I went back through the ProBlogger archives to September 2004. The biggest thing I noticed was that Darren didn’t get as many comments as he does now. That actually encouraged me some because that does prove that Darren started out small and built from the ground up.
I also noticed that Darren posted like 5 to 8 times a day. Wow! Did you ever sleep, Darren?
Steve Kennedy
August 3rd, 2009 2:31 am
I am just getting going on two blogs. Developing my own style and voice is my priority now. Thanks for the tips!
poorblogger
August 3rd, 2009 2:33 am
I’m not from zero but I am just new to create a blog niche that can give something to me.. Yes.. the thing is money.
Alex
August 3rd, 2009 2:39 am
Great post. Yeah, Leo’s site is a very good model for everyone starting out. The content is top-notch. It can be a little daunting to do what he’s done but its possible if you build a system for yourself.
John Sullivan
August 3rd, 2009 2:49 am
Nice post
Two things I learned about blogging since I started a little over a year ago. Veterans for the most part won’t help you so I used that to my advantage and helped alot of new people.
Two That if you don’t quit you will make it :) and I now have some real friends and Life is Good but it took a while and I’m far from done.
See you at the TOP :)
thanks
Stumbled
Ali Hale
August 3rd, 2009 2:52 am
Just wanted to say thanks for all the comments, it seems like I struck a chord!
Tee, I can EXACTLY picture that! It’s how I felt when I first had a guest post on a blog – I was checking for comments every few minutes!
John, good point about taking your time with writing and editing posts. Though I think this is something to be wary of agonising over: I can get a bit perfectionist about my writing, but I’m also (sadly!) aware that most of my readers won’t really be scrutinising every word.
James, glad it made you laugh, I picked on you for an example cos I knew you wouldn’t be offended… ;-)
hospitalera
August 3rd, 2009 3:31 am
Excellent tips, I like especially the point of shifting the attention from the bloggers needs to the readers needs. Something I really try to focus on, but it takes practice and a bit of self-denial ;-) SY
Jon
August 3rd, 2009 3:36 am
Great post and something I think a ton of people can relate to. I know I can.
I’ve only been blogging for four months, but when I look at my recent posts vs my very early posts, I’m amazed at how much I’ve progressed in writing style, providing valuable content, motivating readers, and just general appearance.
I don’t think it’s any secret these days that the key to blogging is about TIME more than anything else. Patience and a consistent effort to provide something useful will yield benefits in the end (where that “end” pops up is another question).
I think it’s really important to spend a good amount of time on posts; when I spend 30-45 minutes on a single post vs 15-20, the differences are incredible in my eyes. If every post is of very high quality, I don’t think you can lose.
Stef
August 3rd, 2009 3:54 am
I believe I’m ahead in terms of the from “me the blogger” to “you the reader. Occasionally I even mix it for it to be fun.
Right now I’m posting all the tech news I can, and I’m using different techniques to get traffic and comments. In fact I just received an email from someone who wants to write an article about the evolution of technology. So I just need to continue growing, and I can’t wait!
Stef
12 year old Gadget Blogger
Celes | Personal Excellence Blog
August 3rd, 2009 4:20 am
Great post Ali, and highly encouraging! =) Everyone starts out somewhere and many times people tend to lose sight of that. All they see are the big names out there without having witnessed their early days. Persistence is definitely one of the keys to succeeding.
It’s a pity that in the past 7 months I have been blogging, I’ve already seen several blogger friends setting aside their blogs because they never saw the results they were looking for. Competition is definitely tougher than ever now esp with the huge influx of people who want to jump on the blogging bandwagon and easy money (I suspect the recession made that even more so), but if we keep pressing on (and constantly improvise our strategies) we’ll get to where we want to be.
Christina Crowe
August 3rd, 2009 4:27 am
Love the post.
I started my blog Salad Sticks a month ago, though I was contemplating on how I was going to start the blog for a year before I finally did. I can tell you now that I regret waiting as long as I did. I think that, once you get an idea, you should just go with it and fill up that blank page. You can edit the page later, but just fill it up for now and soon you’ll have the perfect blog post.
teratips
August 3rd, 2009 5:03 am
these tips appreciate me for working on my blog http://teratips.com
Jennifer
August 3rd, 2009 5:13 am
Here’s my tip for good writing. Read what you wrote out loud. If it sounds strange, fix it. I started doing this in college. And when you feel like there’s no point in blogging one more day into what seems like a wasteland, call your mom or take the day off to regroup. The world won’t stop spinning. I promise.
Vicki@collegeparentcentral
August 3rd, 2009 5:22 am
This post came at the perfect time for me. Four months into my blog, the novelty has worn off and I’m getting impatient. Yes, I’ve seen some growth, but it is slow. This post was an excellent reminder that everyone starts small, that there are few “overnight successes”, and that quality and patience are key. I’m enjoying what I am doing, and that needs to continue to feed me (figuratively speaking) for a while.
Thanks for the reminder. Great post for all of us – old and new to think about.
Rob
August 3rd, 2009 6:17 am
This post is definitely relevant to me; having only just begun my first blog, I fit perfectly into that 50% category of ProBlogger readers who are new to blogging.
The post gave me some valuable insights. I especially liked the observations on how style and author’s voice are so significant in defining a blog’s audience. Being new to the blogging world, I will follow the advice of the “Take-Home Message” and just get lots of content out, letting my style develop along the way.
bum back into blogging
August 3rd, 2009 6:53 am
This is just the moral boost that I need. I just updated my blog after over two months of hiatus. And it is just like starting over again.
To come up with a good post is daunting. I often criticize myself and is always anxious if the post will be ever read by other people.
Ali Hale
August 3rd, 2009 7:18 am
Thanks for all the comments :-) It’s great to see how many people found this encouraging — precisely what I aimed at!
I agree with what several of you have said about many bloggers giving up too soon; I think it’s worth giving yourself at least six months (ideally a year) to plug away at it, regardless of whether you think you’re seeing results or not.
Good luck to you all..!
Brian
August 3rd, 2009 7:20 am
Thanks for this post! The idea of digging into the beginnings of seasoned and successful bloggers is something that I’ve tried to do often. It really helps to see that most bloggers who have made it big all started off small and all seemed to be finding themselves just like I feel I am today.
After three months of blogging I continually set myself short term goals and enjoy every day for what it’s worth. As traffic slowly grows I find that I know who I am as a blogger better and I feel like I have more of an audience that I can lean on. My niche is disease prevention, if I may, I’d like to invite anyone interested to stop by and give me some input.
Thanks Darren for all the blogging wisdom and thanks Ali for the motivation!
se7en
August 3rd, 2009 8:20 am
I have a journalist friend who kept saying you should write a book or magazine articles – gasp, stumble, stop! The thing that really got me loving blogging was when I realized that you can post without perfection… If you have an incomplete idea – say so – write what you think and fill in the gaps in a later post… If you haven’t finished with a topic then just write part 2, part 3,… to be continued… Obviously edit and read over before hitting “post” – but not every post has to be pure shining excellence. You just cannot sustain endless excellent posts… but as your material increases so your base of key posts, that get searched and read again and again, will grow amongst the all the rest.
Trees Full of Money
August 3rd, 2009 8:53 am
Nice article, appreciate the fact that we all have to start somewhere. My blog achieved decent success in the beginning and eventually reached its peak a year ago.
I became frustrated and wrote fewer articles which caused my readership to fall back down causing me even more frustration.
You are absolutely right about continually writing not worrying so much about things not being perfect.
I’m reenergized to take my blog to the next level and I hope my focus on meaningful content, frequent updates, and improved marketing will help my blog stand out!
I invite all of you to stop by over the next week or so I roll out some exciting new articles on personal finance, alternative energy, and living green!
Thanks,
Ben
http://www.treesfullofmoney.com
Zero 2 Hero Blogger
August 3rd, 2009 8:59 am
Wow, that is exactly the inspiration for my blog, which is an infant still. Http://zero2heroblogger.com it’s funny because I was reading zen habits way before I knew what problogger was.
Denise
August 3rd, 2009 9:02 am
I can definitely relate to your post. It’s also encouraging to know that you’re not in the boat alone; even when you feel like you are. There are many groups of us, all at varying levels. One thing in particular I always seem to have to work on is trying not to be such a perfectionist. However, this is my nature, so it is a struggle. Sometimes, when you’re a detail oriented person, it can be a hinderance to overcome. As you said, we just need to go for it and the more we work, we will develop a more in tune voice for our audience to be shared and hopefully appreciated.
Free Mp3 Download
August 3rd, 2009 9:13 am
Great post. but i am a professional blogger and working hard to improve my blogs .. :)
Regards
James
Technology Slice
August 3rd, 2009 9:24 am
That’s good motivation. Everyone starts from scratch.
Kay Rennie
August 3rd, 2009 10:00 am
Excellent advice, especially for those just starting out, but also for established bloggers who might be suffering a little burnout. Just step back and tell yourself it’s really not that hard.
needmoney.com
August 3rd, 2009 10:08 am
The best thing about Zenhabits is the content. You virtually never read a post and feel like your time has been wasted. And Leo is a guy you can’t help but love.
Shannon Rubio
August 3rd, 2009 11:22 am
The compelling content for the reader….I always have to remind myself about that. It’s not always about me. :) In fact, I should probably be the last one considered?
We Fly Spifires
August 3rd, 2009 11:24 am
Awesome advice and a great article.
Shannon Rubio
August 3rd, 2009 11:25 am
Keeping the focus on the reader, that’s what I have to continually remind myself. It’s not always about me. :) In fact I think I should probably be the last one considered-what do my readers want to read about?
Strength and Fitness
August 3rd, 2009 11:38 am
My fitness blog has gone from a brand new blog to about 800-1000 hits/day in under a year. I only regret I didn’t start it up sooner.
If you are thinking about a blog, just go for it–you never know until you try.
Duncan Riley
August 3rd, 2009 12:07 pm
Good advice slightly soiled by a bad premise: this idea that you have to get to an “A-list” to be successful. Who’s A-list for starters, because there’s so many of them. The goal should be about becoming successful, lists mean nothing.
Tracy
August 3rd, 2009 12:10 pm
Thank you for the advice. I’m one of those that is always fretting about my style and what type of articles to link for my blog.
Numbers are good and slowly creeping up to the 3-digits. Just have to keep on keeping on :)
Fiona boyd
August 3rd, 2009 2:08 pm
Thanks Ali, this is a really, really useful piece. We all forget that everyone starts somewhere. It’s worth keeping that point in mind and building on the crumbs of positive feedback at the beginning to get ourselves some more readers and support. Thank you again, I appreciate this piece a lot.
Aidil Sharizaq
August 3rd, 2009 2:36 pm
As a new blogger myself, this post just gave me a boost to keep on doing and produce good contents.Great! THanks.
http://www.YouJumpIJump.net
Mitchell Adams
August 3rd, 2009 3:56 pm
I am currently in the begining phase of my blog. I have had others other the years but this is my first “professional” blog. This was encouraging to say the least. In the last week I have taken to answering computer and tech questions on Yahoo Answers and linking back to my blog. I have noticed its made a significant change in my viewers, but I am still not at the stage where I am getting anu comments.
gemal
August 3rd, 2009 4:03 pm
I especially liked the observations on how style and author’s voice are so significant in defining a blog’s audience. Being new to the blogging world, I will follow the advice of the “Take-Home Message” and just get lots of content out, letting my style develop along the way.
shahzaib
August 3rd, 2009 4:38 pm
Its nice to read about your problems, what you discussed above is looks like my personal thoughts and problems regarding my blog.
TheManRevolution
August 3rd, 2009 5:16 pm
Very inspirational!
When I get famous, I’ll always remember you Problogger! :P
Kerenne Jessop
August 3rd, 2009 6:39 pm
Every great blogger does start from creating an experimental blog. The skill in blogging grows with experience, from observing others, from getting tips from experts, and from bravely trying it out yourself. Persistence, hard work and the humility to be taught are important keys to succeed, even in blogging.
The Conscious Life
August 3rd, 2009 7:31 pm
Thanks for the great post, Ali. How I wished your article was published earlier.
Instead of waiting for the right moment, one should “just do it”, as far as blogging is concerned. Over time, things that you worry about: language, style, content and readers will be taken care of along the way as you write persistently and consistently.
Catherine White
August 3rd, 2009 7:59 pm
Blogging is a mindset and discipline that pays dividends in time.
If a blogger is pitching for fame, they’ve already lost the aim, which is to create something of worth for your reader.
Catherine
http://www.twitter.com/divinemisswhite
Asif
August 3rd, 2009 8:53 pm
After 2 years of blogging, I think I have Imporved allot as a blogger.
Asif
August 3rd, 2009 8:54 pm
After 2 years of blogging, I think I have Improved allot as a blogger.
Tote Bags
August 3rd, 2009 8:55 pm
We own and operate a http://www.simply-bags.com and just started our blog last week.
The reason for starting the blog was to promote our business. After reading your post, I will focus more on the reader.
Any suggestions on some starter posts
Thanks
Joshua Elliot
August 3rd, 2009 9:12 pm
Ya, my blog is less than a year old too. I have not given up, and now the traffic is coming in.
Reza Winandar
August 3rd, 2009 10:51 pm
Shit! You are right! I was fault in blogging, but you change my mind, is there anything I can do for you?
Isaac | Go Blogger (dot) net
August 3rd, 2009 11:01 pm
I really love this post! It’s down on earth and so realistic. Very touching!
Btw Leo asked his friends to comment when his blog was brand new? That’s interesting. My blog is one month old. Should I ask my friend to comment? That could work. But why don’t I ask Darren Rowse to comment on my blog? :D
Darren?
fas
August 3rd, 2009 11:34 pm
Everyone starts from scratch, its where you reach that matters. Hard work and dedication is of prime importance.
Kat Eden
August 3rd, 2009 11:45 pm
This message was really brought home to me a couple of months ago. I’d all but stopped writing for my blog, for no reason other than that it all just seemed like too much. I was overwhelmed at all the possible failures that lay ahead.
Fortunately I received some very good advice relating to weekly content production and to building relationships with other bloggers, and this was just the inspiration I needed.
I’ve since kept my eye on all the possible wins ahead, and seen my subscriber numbers more than double!
Aaron Ulbricht
August 3rd, 2009 11:55 pm
Great Post!
The point about realizing that the big names didn’t start out with their “blogging voices” is something I have to keep reminding myself.
I’ve been reading a lot about finding out what your readers want. But for some reason it never stuck until I read this post! I’m going to be doing that for sure today. Thanks so much!
Casey
August 3rd, 2009 11:58 pm
Great words! Now if only I had readers to cater to… Still at that stage where my comments are empty.
Lierally I have had 1 single comment and that was a little over a week ago!
Ellen Allard
August 4th, 2009 12:23 am
I think it’s important to read the comments on your blog. They offer significant insight into what your readers are looking for and are a great blogging tool for helping you provide content that is tailored specifically to your readers.
~Ellen
http://www.Iamglutenfree.blogspot.com
PraShawn
August 4th, 2009 12:23 am
Great post thanks for sharing. I just checked out the e-book of Zenhabits on how to get 100 000 readers. It contains some great information . You give us hope.
JenniferG
August 4th, 2009 12:27 am
I feel like this post was written specifically for ME. :) I am working on converting to a more “you” focused blog now.
Thanks so much for the terrific ideas and straightforward delivery. Much, much appreciated!
turisuna
August 4th, 2009 12:33 am
I agree that there’ll never be a perfect moment. before I made my blog, I always waited until I was good enough in English, but then I realized that I won’t be able to write English perfectly because I’m not English native speaker. Then I tried to make English blog, and of course I got criticism from here and there. Well yes it felt hurt sometimes but didn’t mean I should give up that easy. Till now I keep trying to improve my English, I know I still make many mistakes, but at least I have made little step forward, so I won’t regret anything.
Ali Hale
August 4th, 2009 12:34 am
se7en, I love your point that “not every post has to be pure shining excellence” — as well as blogging, I write the occasional magazine article, and it’s MUCH scarier! I’m also attempting a novel…
Duncan, I take your point, and I agree: I didn’t intend to imply that “the A-list” should be a measure of success. For one thing, all of us will have slightly different aims with our blogs (some are blogging to promote services, others want to create, build and sell blogs, etc). And for another, simply being “big” doesn’t constitute success. I guess I intended “A-list” as a slightly clunky shorthand for “bloggers you admire and aspire to be like”.
Thanks to all those who’ve commented, it’s really wonderful to read how this post encouraged and motivated you. I think blogging can be really tough and quite lonely in the early stages, and sometimes we need to be reminded that this is just part of the blogging growth curve that pretty much everyone goes through.
Igor Helps You Succeed
August 4th, 2009 1:24 am
Just as in many situations in life, the majority of soon-to-be successful bloggers lack action.
People procrastinate too much and get caught up in thinking and learning instead of taking massive action and adjusting in the process.
That’s the way to make it big-take action on daily, hourly, basis and you will see results.
Great Post!
~Igor
BloggerDaily
August 4th, 2009 2:38 am
It makes me remember the day I start blogging.
Yeah, everybody start from zero and it’s not impossible for everyone to gain success in blogging =D
S.K Sharma
August 4th, 2009 4:54 am
I love your content as a Guru(Teacher).Absolutely correct,
We should not frustrate and give up blogging.
“Rome was not built in a Day” .Like Google,Yahoo or other major brands struggled a lot in starting stage…..
David Stillwagon
August 4th, 2009 7:12 am
I think that it is also important to include the “me” as well as the “you” in the blog. A lot of readers are drawn to the personal aspects of the blog’s content.
KB
August 4th, 2009 8:17 am
Very inspiring. I’m in the early stages of blogging and it’s nice to know that some of the big leaguers were once exactly where I’m at right now. Thank you!
Naeem Congo
August 4th, 2009 12:15 pm
This article is what all new bloggers need to hear and see. Just keep writing, and don’t force your writing. They article is right. Your true voice will eventually emerge.
And most importantly, just keep writing and writing and writing.
Shannon Rubio
August 4th, 2009 1:29 pm
I tried to reply last night but had some errors, I hope this doesn’t come through numerous times. The thing i always have to remind myself is to write about what the reader wants to hear. It’s not always about me.:) I mean it is about me but not really. Great point.
wiseinvestor
August 4th, 2009 5:46 pm
When starting out, do not concern too much about the perfectness of writings since not many people is going to read it anyway and in addition, need some blog posts to make the meat of the content.
But as time goes by, if want to increase the conversion of readers from organic traffic into long time readers, definitely need solid content.
For the case of blogging, it is not much the writings or expression of ideas but the quality of ideas in blog posts.
Anatoly
August 4th, 2009 10:36 pm
This post is very inspiring.It’s very hard to convince yourself to write and write when the results are not impressive yet.
But, like I wrote in my Blog “Every long journey begins from the single step”.
That’s why, no choice! We have to keep doing!
Thank you for such positive message!
Richard Tea @ netParticles
August 5th, 2009 12:32 am
You mentioned something about checking stats hourly and I can relate. I wrote a recent article on How-to: Stop Wasting Your Time Checking Your Website Stats to try to counter that. But in my case, I only picked up another addiction instead: Digg.
Deidre
August 5th, 2009 12:38 am
Thanks for the post. It’s very encouraging, just started my blog approximately 3 weeks ago and well it’s not the easiest of roads…but perseverance is the key and we all need to start somewhere.
Needed the boost today…Thanks again
Blaine Bullman
August 5th, 2009 1:42 am
This post came as exactly the right time for me as I just started my own blog, a thousand thoughts running my each day thinking of what to write, are the posts good enough, will visitors come back and so on but there is nothing better than to just start your blog and start writing.
I think you should “always be doing”, always strive to do better and give as much value as you can each day. If you can focus on doing your best in the short term with clarity of your long term goals, then things will start to fall into place.
I find starting my blog like is like getting a plane off the ground, I have to go full power to get off the ground but hopefully once I get higher and a good readership base, I can pull back and less effort is needed but focus on the more important parts of the blog.
It’s so true to stop waiting for the perfect moment to start your blog or publish a post. Also about having a check list, an overall view of what needs to be done is important and is something I personally have and use everyday to remind me and show me what I need to get done.
My favorite point though of the whole post was change your thinking and focus that the blog is about ME to thinking that it’s about my readers and how can I help and give something of value to them.
Blaine
Sean
August 5th, 2009 4:16 am
Great article.. I just re-launched my blog a couple of weeks ago, looking forward to see just where I can take my blog in the future..
Lee
August 5th, 2009 8:10 am
Hey Ali,
Really, really great post!!! You bring-up a good point that Alex Jeffreys keeps pounding into my head…it is not about me the writer, it is about the reader!! While it is easy enough to say, it is more difficult to remember when writing! :) Will have to work on this…
Looking forward to your next post!
Best Regards
Lee
ITrush
August 5th, 2009 2:35 pm
Very challenging and encouraging.. thanks for mentioning the checklist it’ll surely help us guide our way straight up.
Justin
August 6th, 2009 5:40 am
Ali, I completely agree with what you’ve written. However I do think these things are certainly easier said than done. Its very difficult for a new blogger with no connections (like myself) to follow these guidelines.
I find that social bookmarking sites are simply too overcrowded for anyone to notice your new posts. I think the blogosphere is hugely saturated with what probably are good quality blogs and I wonder what the actual reader story is. Are these readers bloggers themselves?
It saddens me to say this, but I think the day of launching the new blog is long gone.
Earner's Vision
August 6th, 2009 12:09 pm
great analysis and good point. but from idea to success from words to the real stuff it’s always a long way to walk.
SURVEYS FOR MONEY
August 7th, 2009 1:49 am
Knowing that every successful blogger has to start somewhere is extremely motivating. We have to eventually find our voice and learn to write for our readers. Reading the early experiences and posts of top bloggers is also a great tip for beginning bloggers.
John
August 8th, 2009 12:34 am
Good advice. This definitely helps when starting a new blog. It has been frustrating for me at times but this column helps to keep me motivated knowing that even the best blogs struggled in the beginning.
Peter - TheDJPodcast
August 8th, 2009 6:20 am
Very motivational and encouraging for a new blogger to read. Blogging is definitely not a form on instant-gratification. I think it takes everyone a little while to realize that.
Syed Akram
August 11th, 2009 2:09 am
Every Business is a people business.
No matter what busines you’re in, your success depends on your ability to communicate with people…listen to people…atrract people…help people…sell to people…teach and train people…inspire people…share with people…and love people.
The internet is a powerful tool, but we must never lose sight of the fact that it’s still tool to enrich the lives of other people.
TheManRevolution
August 13th, 2009 2:15 pm
Very inspiring post! Thanks.
As a budding blogger myself, it really energized me.
dvd
September 24th, 2009 10:24 pm
So true. I thought about my list of categories a few months back and thought “this is too many. how is this usable for my readers?” so I drastically cut back the numbers, and recategorized many posts. It feels so much cleaner now.
Sonia Simone
October 9th, 2009 1:56 am
This is such a great point, Ali! It’s hard to believe, but it really is true. Every blogger you admired started pretty much in the same spot. The wall seems impossible to scale, but it isn’t.
Sonia Simone
October 9th, 2009 1:59 am
Oops, I also thought of one more point. You don’t have to get into the Technorati Top 100 to have a wonderfully successful blog.
Some of the most successful (making plenty of money, great connection with their audience, great reputation around the web, good search engine traffic, etc.) bloggers I know have well under 10K subscribers. (And I know that sounds like a lot at first, but it’s really very doable.) Many have fewer than 5K subscribers. It’s not about getting Darren-level numbers, although that’s nice too. :)
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