Written on November 12th, 2009 at 01:11 am by Darren Rowse
Getting Over the Blogger’s 6 Month Itch
A Guest Post by Annabel Candy – Get In the Hot Spot
In marriage they talk about a seven year itch. It’s the time when people get restless and think about giving up on their relationship.
For bloggers that itch and desire to give up comes sooner. In fact, most bloggers give up on their blogs after only 6 months.
I’ve been writing my blog for 6 months now and I can relate to people quitting at this time. It seems as if you have put a lot of time and effort into your blog, but it’s still to early to reap the rewards of that hard work. It seems as if you’ve made every mistake in the book but you still have so much to learn about blogging.
According to psychologists having grit, or persevering with a project, is more important than intelligence or any other personality trait when it comes to success.
With that in mind, I’d like to tell you why you shouldn’t give up on your blog and how you can find the motivation to carry on.
Why you should carry on blogging after 6 months
- You’ve already invested a lot of time and energy into your blog.
- Your blog may not have been ranked with the search engines yet.
- You may have been working hard but there’s still a lot to learn. It would be impossible to learn everything there is to know about blogging in just 6 months. Even pro-bloggers are still learning and many of them have been writing blogs for years.
- Your readers are growing slowly but steadily.
- Your content is also growing and the more content you have on your blog, the better it will rank with the search engines.
How to find the strength to carry on blogging
- Enlist help. Talk to friends, colleagues and relatives. Get their advice and feedback. Actually watch them using your blog. Set challenges for them to find a certain piece of information on your blog and see how easy it is for them. This will help you learn what improvements you can make to the blog to make it easier for your readers to use.
- Relook at your goals for the blog and reassess them if necessary. Have your blogging goals changed? If so how? What did you readers enjoy best? Which were your least popular posts? Make adjustments to your blog based on these findings.
- Do a survey on your blog. Ask you readers for feedback. What would they like to read about most? What topics have you covered that the would like to read about more?
- Play to your strengths. Do a skill swap. If you’re great at writing content but the technical side of blogging frustrates you, find someone with the opposite skills to you and trade off. You’ll both end up with a better blog and a blogging ally too.
- Stay motivated by using Twitter or the power of co-motivation with a like-minded blogger.
- Understand that success will only come from preserving. Most businesses make little or no income in the first year and your blog may not either. To gain benefits from blogging you need to carry on for more than a year. Congratulate yourself on how far you’ve come with your blog so far and resolve to keep up the good work.
- Stop comparing your blog to other people’s. Rejoice in their success, congratulate them on it and see what you can learn from them.
- Compile a testimonials page with all the positive comments people have left on your blog. It will cheer you up and impress new readers too.
- Learn from your mistakes. We all make them. Successful bloggers learn from their mistakes and press on regardless. They don’t give up blogging at 6 months and neither should you.
Look at anything you’ve achieved in your life. It probably didn’t come easily. There may have been times when you wanted to give up. But you’re glad you didn’t. Take heart from that and carry on blogging.
Press on writing and improving your blog for another 6 months and then another 6 months after that. It will be worth it in the end.
Annabel Candy writes Get In the Hot Spot: a blog to inspire and inform people on how to live their dream. If you dream of travel, writing, self-employment, or just being happy then Get In the Hot Spot by email. If you know someone who dreams of change or wants to be more daring with their life, please tell them about it so they can stop day-dreaming and start living their dream.
Annabel has four obsessions: writing, travel, Internet design and helping people follow their dream. Annabel ran a successful Internet marketing company in New Zealand for 10 years before following her dream and goofing off to Central America with her husband and three kids. After 18 incredible months in the jungle the Candy family moved to Australia where Annabel is now doing what she does best: writing and exploring.
105 Responses to “Getting Over the Blogger’s 6 Month Itch” - Add Yours
Bible Money Matters
November 12th, 2009 1:16 am
I’m glad I stuck with my blog after six months – like the author mentions I did hit a bit of a wall after the 6 month point – but right around 7/8 months is when my blog started to take off.
If you want to make a positive impact as a blogger, and you want to make a little money – you’re going to need determination, and stick-to-it-tiveness. :) Stick with it – and as long as you have good content and a good niche, you’ll be fine!
Rhys
November 12th, 2009 1:20 am
Great post! A lot of people I’ve found have stopped blogging after 6 months because they are blogging for one reason: money.
They don’t realise that blogging exclusively for cash is tricky, and you need passion in the first place. If they follow that, then cash will (eventually) follow.
JCdeR
November 12th, 2009 1:28 am
best thing for bloggers is not to read “about blogging” sites, not to read “how to improve you blog” etc. etc. you will automatically judge your blog to that of others, or get hung up about the deficiencies in your blog compared to all the “advice” given.
Keep on blogging, keep your style and keep your cool…. and please forget all these “content is king” points… you are the king, your blog only a representation of yourself.
Loose yourself in your blog is the first step towards losing your blog altogether.
Eat Smart Age Smart
November 12th, 2009 1:32 am
I’ve just past the 6 months on my new healthy eating blog and I have to say that it’s not easy starting over.
I did last week take assess of which articles where the most read and getting more traffic to focus on those types of posts moving forward.
Also, I did a new keyword research to try to find keywords that pull better and that would get me more traffic.
I’m slowly, but surely removing activities that are not bringing results in order to get a great lift for the coming six months and have a lot of positive results when I hit the 1 year mark with my healthy eating blog.
This post is excellent and the comments that have been left until now are quite encouraging.
Krizia
ian
November 12th, 2009 1:33 am
I think it is important to stick with blogging, you do invest a lot of time into it and it is important to see positive results from it and not get disheartened by your learning journey, you will what works for you and what doesn’t and become a success with hard work. I think the most important thing to remember is that everyone started somewhere, no one has instant success and no one makes money from home instantly people work hard to get where they are today and they learn from people on similar blogs.
Eat Smart Age Smart
November 12th, 2009 1:38 am
I also wanted to add that “not comparing your blog with others” is a very hard thing to do.
When you look at your stats on a daily base and read about other blogs in our niche getting 3 million visitors per month, it can be quite deflating and discouraging and you sometimes feel like you will never get there.
As to the comment on money. Indeed, it’s not easy keeping keeping on when little money is coming in.
Interestingly, last night I calculated the ad money that another site in my niche could be making with 3 million visitors per month … without having to sell any digital product and I’ve calculated that this blogger could be making about $15,000 to $20,000 just in ads and surely not working half as hard as I am and I got a bit down.
With that kind of monthly income, I’d be free from having to juggling my sites + working contracts on the side.
That said, I will keep pushing forward, as it’s the only way to success.
Eat Smart Age Smart
November 12th, 2009 1:39 am
@ Ian – great reminder.
I actually needed that reminder today.
Kevin (strongandfit.net)
November 12th, 2009 1:42 am
As I’ve mentioned, my traffic really started coming AFTER the six month mark. Keep this in mind before you give up.
scheng1
November 12th, 2009 1:42 am
I have passed the 6 months itch. Now waiting to celebrate the first birthday of my blog.
Freedomlance Inc.
November 12th, 2009 1:44 am
Time, patience and the honest belief that you are doing what moves you. Having that level of passion will bring the rewards of success naturally. Continue to learn from others that have experienced what you are going through to stay encouraged and maintain the enthusiasm that you started with.
Broderick Durisseau
November 12th, 2009 1:52 am
I would say have a 4-5 year outlook on blogging before you even start. That way when you hit the one year mark it’s not that big of a deal.
I would also say it will probably be easier to stick with it if you’ve had a reference point for persistence before you started blogging. If you’ve gone through something before that took persistence and really overcame the obstacles of it only because you stuck with it, you’ll really understand why you shouldn’t give up.
Joshua - PetSittingOlogy
November 12th, 2009 1:55 am
Thanks for the wonderful article. I, too, am just around the 6-month mark and can totally relate.
6 months is a significant amount of time to be thinking, “well something’s gotta be happening now…” and it comes down to expectations.
I truly believe I am building a top notch blog, and will continue on as you mention until the first big pay off!
Thanks.
-Josh
Dan H
November 12th, 2009 1:55 am
Although my current blog is only about to reach the 3 month mark, I anticipate reaching the 6 month mark with as much energy that I have right now.
I agree with @Rhys comment about blogging for money will quickly demotivate you, as I am a victim of this on a previous blog that I started.
I think if you look at the other benefits that blogging can provide: personal development or sharing of knowledge – these should be enough to motivate one past the 6 month itch.
Lose Belly Fat Fast
November 12th, 2009 2:11 am
Great post!
Don’t give up! Blogging is hard work, and even though you are passionate about the topic you’re writing about, the temptation to quit WILL come up from time to time.. Just suck it up and write another post!
Dan
November 12th, 2009 2:18 am
Annabel,
Great post! One piece of advice – get a professional logo designed for your site.
Tomas Stonkus
November 12th, 2009 2:18 am
Dear Annabel:
Most people want results fast and they they give up if they don’t get them fast enough. Building a blog is no easy task. Think about it. You have pick a design, write awesome posts, retain readers and so on and so forth.
Thankfully, there are many tools out there that help us to focus only on the writing part of the blog. I think the biggest question that “new” bloggers have to ask themselves is: “Why am I doing it?”
Am I doing it for the money? Is it because I want to touch other people’s lives? Is it because I want to practice marketing? Is it because I want to improve my writing skills? Is it because I want to work on creating an awesome website?
Knowing why you are doing something, should help keep you motivated through the rough times. Also, the above techniques are great to way to stay focused.
Although carrying on with a blog just because you invested a lot of and effort in it, is not valid reason to keep going. It is important to evaluate where you are right now and if blogging is really for you in the long run.
Thank you for a good reminder to keep going through the rough time.
Best,
Tomas
Thomas James
November 12th, 2009 2:23 am
Thanks for the motivational post. I’m just over 6 months with my Illustration blog, and I feel like I’m getting my second wind by reinventing the scope of the site and moving into more of a community phase.
Thomas
kosmo @ The Casual Observer
November 12th, 2009 2:25 am
Technically, I’ve been blogging for a year. I just passed 6 months of “serious” blogging, though – with my own domain and serious goal of 5-7 new articles every single week.
I actually have a staff of nine writers who write anywhere from once a month to 10+ times a month (well, just me writing 10+ times). This allows the magazine to have fresh content nearly every day without totally overwhelming me personally.
Ashley
November 12th, 2009 2:32 am
Fantastic post Annabel!
Someone once shared the following quote with me: “Everyone got where he was, began where he was” It really resonated with me on a number of levels and I think it’s especially true in terms of blogging.
Blogging is hard work, but I believe that the more passion you put into it, the more it will come back to you times 1,000. All of our blogs started off with 0 posts and 0 readers and each of us have grown from there.
I know that with each passing day, post, comment or tweet, my blog continues to grow. Had I given up after 6 months I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today, which is a much better place than I was at in month 5 or 6!
I think Annabel’s suggestions to “find the strength to keep blogging” are incredibly useful, and from each suggestion could stem new inspiration to keep you blogging for another day, month or year.
Gabe | freebloghelp.com
November 12th, 2009 2:35 am
Great article. If you can find a way to keep going past six months, you’ve done more than 90% of the bloggers out there.
I wrote something similar last month: Are you in the top 10% of bloggers who can survive six months?
Sharon Anderson
November 12th, 2009 2:38 am
Great post! I think my blog is just 6 months old although I’ve been working on it for a year now. I never want to give it up just because I love writing for it. But the thought that maybe I should be spending my time on something else to help my business has crossed my mind. Since I’ve learned so much and already invested so much time, I plan to persevere! Great to hear advice from someone else to stick with it.
Srinivas Rao
November 12th, 2009 2:46 am
I think the biggest myth about blogs and any online business is that they can be overnight success stories. Most don’t get that it takes time and effort and you really are building a business. I’m in the process of launching a second blog and building key relationships which is where I am realizing that now I’m starting to treat it as a business rather than a hobby.
@Broderick: I think the 4-5 year outlook is a really brilliant insight. I may have to sit down and write out a strategic plan for my blog that uses that time line.
Nicholas Cardot
November 12th, 2009 2:49 am
People miss out on a lot of great opportunities in life because they start things but refuse to stick with it long enough to see results.
I can think of a dozen of my friends who started music lessons, wasted some money and time, and never developed their skills. Then I think of my sister who has been taking piano lessons for 15+ years and she is just phenomenal.
If we want to see results, we’ve got to stick with it!
Ryan
November 12th, 2009 2:49 am
Annabel,
You hit on some great points. Perserverance is A1. Forget all of the technical aspects of blogging. If you don’t have something mentally, you can forget about having it physically. Successful bloggers see themselves as successful bloggers so they keep going until they are successful bloggers. The picture precedes the thing. It’s only though persistence that you’ll learn what you need to know to become successful.
Comparison is a curse. I’ve felt great about my blog so many times in the past and when I saw a flashier blog I’d get discouraged. I’d also see blogs with big readerships that didn’t carry my quality of content, at least in my opinion. What this taught me is that blogging is a highly individualized activity. The moment you compare, you’ll be disappointed because your blog will never be the same as anybody else’s, and nobody else’s blog will ever be like yours. Don’t compare, continue to create according to your own individuality.
Oleg Mokhov
November 12th, 2009 3:08 am
Hey Annabel,
A very effective method to persevering with your blog after 6 months is to always have the focus be on your passion.
Do it because you’re passionate. If it feels too much like work, then use the tip you mentioned about reassessing why you’re writing. Shift the focus to be on what you’re passionate about. Then, continuing becomes a lot easier because you not only are working towards an end goal, but you’re loving the process as well. You’d do it even if no one was reading.
It’s like with music. If you’re only doing it to become famous, make money, win awards, etc. then it’s very hard to push on if results aren’t happening as quick as you’d like. But if you love making music, then you’ve “made it” every time you’re crafting a new tune. All that other stuff is the cherry on top. Maybe you don’t have as many listeners, but you won’t stop making music because you’re passionate about the process itself.
Best,
Oleg
Ms. Freeman
November 12th, 2009 3:23 am
I like the skill swap tip…it is cool that you are also guest blogging on Problogger already! :)
Robby G
November 12th, 2009 3:27 am
6 months mark is a killer, I agree. But it does get much easier. The main thing that kept me going is that I was writing about what I enjoyed and knowing that if I stop this and start a new blog then I’ll be 6 months behind my current blog. Nice pointers you shared, thanks.
Buzzlord
November 12th, 2009 3:28 am
Good post.
I agree with Dan about the logo!
Branding is everything :)
Anna McMahon
November 12th, 2009 3:36 am
Blogging takes a lot work. After six months it is definitely hard to stick with your Blog if you are not seeing much traffic or money. I don’t know, I have been trying a lot of different things and a lot of different Blogs. Hopefully one will workout for me.
Rob Mangiafico
November 12th, 2009 3:40 am
We’ve been at it for 3+ months now, and it sure is a slow process. Our blog is designed to capture new leads, and be an industry expert in the ecommerce field. All it takes is 1-2 leads to turn into clients, and the blog has done its job.
Hopefully at the 6 month point we’ve seen enough benefits to keep it going far into the future. Regardless, we have a 1-2 year plan with the blog that is sustainable. Just gotta grit it out. :)
Rob – LexiConn
Joe DeGiorgio
November 12th, 2009 3:43 am
Nice article Annabel—
I myself just started blogging, and plan to go way beyond the 6 months…I’m hoping to follow a 5 year plan at minimum. With me, its about the writing, and hopefully having something of substance to offer the reader. Money is really not even a consideration at this stage. If it happens, great, but if not, I believe the fun of writing is the sustaining factor that brings most people past the 6 month mark.
Aqif
November 12th, 2009 4:00 am
Thanks for this article. I do feel like giving up in blogging most of the times. But after I realized what I’ve been through in blogging until now, I’ve changed a lot. Some people call me information-machine because I always share information, giving tips and many more that related to my blog.
And I realized that I’ve fight until this far. Why in the hell should I quit? I must finish what I’ve started. :)
Antonio Tajuelo
November 12th, 2009 4:22 am
I’ve been blogging for 6 months now. In my case, some big rewards happened, like decent traffic and some comments in every post I wrote. Now I’m starting a newsletter mail list and trying new marketing tools so I can get my blog to the next level :)
Dan Smith
November 12th, 2009 4:27 am
When I was trying to set up my blog last year, I found that all the names I wanted to use were taken…by blogs that were no longer active! It was so frustrating, but after nine months of blogging, I understand the frustration they went through. I have wanted to end it too.
I’m glad I haven’t, but I do have a lot to learn. This post is a good start.
Eric C
November 12th, 2009 4:43 am
I’m right at the six month point right now. Whats motivating me? A publicity push. I’m focusing on commenting, advertising, submitting guest posts and brainstorming other ideas. It has really energized me.
Blog Ideas
November 12th, 2009 4:55 am
Good Advice, I’m only at two months right now and it’s starting to get frustrating, I keep building links, writing content and joining communities but my rewards seem to be going slower than I imagined, and I’m not even talking about the money. Thanks for the advice though its very reassuring.
David Walker
November 12th, 2009 4:56 am
Easy come, easy go, they say. It’s the things that tax us and drive us to greater accomplishments that we value, and this includes blogging. If you’re new to blogging and have heard about most people giving up after six months, you should write down what you would do then to keep you going and refer to that in six months. It’s easier to throw in the towel but better awaits those who persevere. It would also help if you don’t expect to make money from your blog for over a year so you can concentrate on dishing out valuable content and building links
Rod Kirby
November 12th, 2009 5:26 am
Great article Annabel. I’m actually right at the 6 month line with my blog-a-zine, The Success Center. It’s been an interesting journey and I’m definitely grateful for your inspiration. I love the idea of watching someone use the blog to figure out where improvements can be made. I’ll definitely be trying some of these and continuing with my mission to take over the world, one blog reader at a time. Thanks again!
Rod
http://www.rodkirby.com
Justin
November 12th, 2009 5:56 am
I think this applies to literally any month after a period of fairly consistent posting. Eventually there will be a point where you have to slow down when you post as you simply cannot keep generating new content on the topic. At that point, its time to start looking at new options for your blog, possibly write about new topics.
Dark Fairy Adventures
November 12th, 2009 6:02 am
Inspiring post. I haven’t reached the 6-months-mark just yet but I definitely keep this in mind if I do.
WebTraffic
November 12th, 2009 6:05 am
This is a great point. I think we all come to this thought at some point. Even the most successful blog owners had at least a pinch of this on their mind at some point. The ones that carried on strong reaped the success eventually.
The Photo Gal
November 12th, 2009 6:08 am
What a timely article for me today. I hit my initial challenging point at 11 months. I’m now at the 15-month point with my photo blog and, admittedly, am not posting as frequently as I did for the first 11 months. Some of that is due to facing the reality of time constraints, realigning life priorities and the need to attend to projects that help pay the bills.
Thanks for the encouraging words.
Deb Phillips
Armen Shirvanian
November 12th, 2009 6:15 am
Hi Annabel.
It was good to read this. This is a very strong post for anyone thinking about if their path is going the right way as far as site-writing. The time factor is a huge one that keeps many from giving it a long-winded try.
Your point about not comparing your site with those of others is just right, because there is no point in that. It is like looking at Microsoft’s success right now and then getting discouraged because catching up to it seems so hard. There is no value in that.
Empowering set there for those early in their site, among others.
Nisha
November 12th, 2009 6:26 am
Its almost 2 years now, and blogging is too much of a passion to have given it up by just 6 months. As soon as i wrote my first post, i knew i’d live here forever.. in others words, its the place where, and why i spend most of my time apart from household chores and kids! Great tips, i would give a thought to the second last one. Thanks for sharing :-)
MrWes
November 12th, 2009 6:36 am
Annabel,
My blog is just reaching the 6 month mark. I realize in the grand scheme of things that my blog is just a baby. But I plan on blogging for life, so quitting is not an option for me. Thank you for the timely advice.
Annabel Candy
November 12th, 2009 6:59 am
Thank you everyone for all your comments, kind feedback and ideas so far.
I’m enjoying your recommendations for carrying on blogging despite setbacks. They seem to fall into 8 main categories:
1. Be passionate about your topic.
2. Cultivate “stickiness” or perseverance. Promise you’ll finish what you started.
3. Take time to assess progress so far.
4. Make and bear in mind long term goals.
5. Love your community.
6. Envisage success.
7. Don’t compare.
8. Keep what moving forward.
Justin, I agree. This isn’t just a problem at the 6 month mark. I’ve thought of giving up on my blog many times previously and I may want to again in the future. I’ve noticed it’s a common problem for new and not-so-new bloggers and I’m delighted that this article shares that.
When you’ve got a problem or you’re down the best feeling is knowing that you’re not alone because other people have had, or are having the same experience.
Dan and Buzzlord – Sorry you don’t like my logo. It was designed by a friend with an MA in graphic design, but it is a bit out there:) Maybe time for me to run a poll on that…
Tyler Staley
November 12th, 2009 7:11 am
Great post! It is nice to see some of these types of posts every once in awhile. One can easily get discouraged blogging.
Teen Blogger
November 12th, 2009 7:31 am
Nice Post.
I also think that way too many bloggers give up blogging after 6 months. The most common reason is because they dont see any income or because they dont see any positive results.
Blogging is a long term commitment and it takes longer then 6 months to get some success or see some money coming in.
Lydia, Clueless Crafter
November 12th, 2009 7:35 am
How happy I am that you wrote this today.
Blogging can be the greatest blessing and most fun ride of your life.
On the other side of the token, you can feel a bit bulldozed over, and that feeling is just too painful to deal with sometimes.
Push on.
Joshua
November 12th, 2009 7:47 am
im 4 and half months in. Almost to that 6 month mark cant give up.!
Im relaunching my old blog up to make me some money. My community i have is happy to see me back.
Also i make more money in adsense on my blog because the keywords my blog targets.
Carolyn Cordon
November 12th, 2009 7:57 am
Thanks for the post Annabel and Darren. I’ve been blogging for over a year and a half, and things are improving. But there is so much guff out there it’s too easy to get tempted to swap and change as you go with the Next Big Thing.
I’m going to go back to what I started with and hope to slowly build that way, and maybe pick up more friends and followers.
Webwordslinger
November 12th, 2009 8:45 am
Nice piece. There aren’t a lot of bloggers who maintain a blog or two just for grins. There’s usually an ulterior motive, i.e. create another target to drive traffic to a web site, sheer vanity, to exchange family information, plan a class reunion, etc.
It takes drive to get up every day to write another post, and no, not all pro bloggers shave their heads. Some of us are just going bald naturally.
PL
kalyan
November 12th, 2009 8:46 am
Very nice topic to write about and posts like these inspires people to “keep Swinging” and that is more imp.Thanks for Inspiration.
Amelia Burton
November 12th, 2009 9:17 am
As with most things in life, consistency is key. Whether it’’s fitness, weight loss, money making, we’ve just got to keep on keeping on.
Ironically Darren it’s your feature article that I refer to if I am lacking motivation.
Also don’t make it just about money. A blog is way more than that…
Amelia
Dana @ Online Knowledge
November 12th, 2009 10:20 am
Congrats for your 6 month of blogging life and thanks to inspire me to at least keep blog for six month. Keep the good work and good luck!
Enrique Alvarado
November 12th, 2009 11:45 am
Thank you writing about this topic. I just launched my first blog and will definitely learn form all the experience that contributors like have to offer.
The one thing I could anticipate being the biggest demoralizing factor is the lack of readers. I wonder what is the right time frame before one could expect some readers and visitors?
kpb
November 12th, 2009 12:16 pm
I am also glad I stuck with mine.
Its a great feeling when someone emails me, or posts a comment telling me “Thanks” or “This post was exactly what I was looking for”. That’s what keeps me blogging.
Thanks Darren, and keep up the great work.
Gordie Rogers
November 12th, 2009 12:26 pm
Great stuff Annabel,
I got a 7 month itch just recently and was frustrated and down, but after reaching out and telling my readers how I was feeling they cam back with so much support and great advice. I will keep on blogging!
External Hard Drive
November 12th, 2009 2:31 pm
I use this method and it works great.
However, comment redirect works only for first time commentators. Many times, comments of even regular comments are marked spam. I use Ajax Edit Comments to display a custom message when comment is marked as spam. This can also help!
Jannie Funster
November 12th, 2009 2:52 pm
Annabel, to not compare our blogs to others’ reminds me of this awesome quote…
“Do the kinds of things that come from the heart. When you do, you won’t be dissatisfied, you won’t be envious, you won’t be longing for somebody else’s things. On the contrary, you’ll be overwhelmed with what comes back.” ~ Morrie Schwartz
Isn’t that a super-cool quote?!
Thanks for your inspiration in this post, a nice little shot in the arm.
links of london
November 12th, 2009 2:58 pm
When I was trying to set up my blog last year, I found that all the names I wanted to use were taken…by blogs that were no longer active! It was so frustrating, but after nine months of blogging, I understand the frustration they went through. I have wanted to end it too.
Technology Slice
November 12th, 2009 3:11 pm
Very true post! I’ve been starting to get the itch lately but quickly pull myself in line.
Mike Consol
November 12th, 2009 3:41 pm
The statistic I’ve heard is that 50 percent of blogs are fallow, abandoned by people who are either discouraged or don’t consider them a priority.
This post is terrific and timely for me. I’m going on just three months of blogging.
Lady HotchKiss
November 12th, 2009 4:43 pm
At 6 months I am just starting to hit my stride . . . EVERYTHING is working. Want “things” to go faster; but happy with the progress so far. I have already proven that it works for the original intent . . . now to GROW that. I have had a HUGE number of hits and have (what I think) is a good number of hits each day. Working on more comments is the next thing.
Hear Mum Roar
November 12th, 2009 7:11 pm
Thank you for the great post! My current blog is one and a half months old (if you count the blog I moved away from because I wasn’t happy with wordpress. If you don’t, then my blog is not quite 2 weeks old. I have comments on most posts, am slowly building followers, have a domain, and am just waiting to hear back from my graphic designer, to see what my custom made layout will look like.
This is an exciting time, yet I can see how easily bloggers could get the ‘itch’. Great to have a warning, and advice.
Custo Icon Design
November 12th, 2009 8:03 pm
Thanks for your great post,it will help to all the new blogger.
Basant Singh
November 12th, 2009 8:42 pm
I think for 1st six months we should NOT concentrate more on the periphery of blogging like SEO, marketing, traffic, design etc. Our focus should be on the Content. Everything else will auto-follow
health stores
November 12th, 2009 8:54 pm
I think the most important thing to remember is that everyone started somewhere, no one has instant success and no one makes money from home instantly people work hard to get where they are today and they learn from people on similar blogs.So need to focus on the new assertive assets.
Annabel Candy
November 12th, 2009 9:33 pm
Delighted that I’ve encouraged so many people.
Amelia – I have to agree, checking back to the Problogger site when you’re not sure what to do next is a good plan. I always find a new nugget of info I want to try out which keeps me on track.
Everyone – Reading your comments it’s great to see that many of you already have plans for what to do next to improve your blog and are relaunching or rethinking the concept. Keep reassessing, tuning and fine-tuning and try not to watch the stats:)
Twitter Tips
November 12th, 2009 10:11 pm
I also had the same experience with my music blog. After about 6 months, I gave up on it.
Not because of the money but because I wasn’t getting the traffic I wanted.
So I stopped blogging for about 2 months and in that time, I started to get more traffic without doing anything and that’s what encouraged me to continue blogging.
The sky’s the limit now.
panduantnx
November 12th, 2009 10:33 pm
i guess, i should try my bext to make money from blogging. Need to be serious.
mirc
November 12th, 2009 10:54 pm
Thanks for the motivational post. I’m just over 6 months with my Illustration blog, and I feel like I’m getting my second wind by reinventing the scope of the site and moving into more of a community phase..
WP Themes for Bloggers
November 12th, 2009 11:03 pm
Regardless of the time period its really important to press on if you are making any progress at all. Too many bloggers call it quits after just a few months. They mistake the success they are having for complete failure.
Patience and perseverance are two of the most important traits for blogging success.
Health Mind Spirit
November 12th, 2009 11:07 pm
This is a great tip,
and thanks for boost,
You do feel like giving up sometimes,
but if you stick with it the rewards are
there,
this is a great reminder for every blogger,
thank you.
Steve
November 12th, 2009 11:10 pm
I think for me the important thing is to ensure you still enjoy blogging – if it is fundamentally the case that you do, then it is worth continuing. If you don’t, there’s no real point, as that lack of enthusiasm will come through.
I also think, just like a shark, a blog needs to keep moving or it will die. I’m playing with shifting my focus a little, and thinking about some design changes and that’s certainly given me the motivation to carry on. Even small changes can stop a blog appearing tired, and can give you some more impetus to blog.
Setting new challenges and goals, whatever they may be, can’t hurt.
Anand Srinivasan
November 12th, 2009 11:46 pm
With a low entry barrier, such as free Wordpress, the itch is much higher..in some cases as less as a fortnight..
Keith Mazikowski
November 13th, 2009 12:15 am
Excellent Post!
“The race is not always to the swiftest, but to those who keep on running”.
Thank you for the motivation! I have bookmarked this in Delicious to refer back to.
dziekuje!
Online Business
November 13th, 2009 12:18 am
i believe, six months is a very long time if you have blogged for that duration and most of newbies expect the results the next day.
i would suggest, have a forecast or plan for your blog and stick to that (irrespective of the time that takes to achieve). Generally, if you are clear about the plan and your activities, you may not think about the end. For sure, it yields you credits back some time !
- Mr.Ven
Golf Gurl
November 13th, 2009 12:44 am
Great post Annabel – I appreciate your ideas. I’ve started two or three blogs over the past years, and now realize how hard it is to keep them up while working full time. I have decided to focus on one blog rather than the two that are now active. Focused energy should help me grow traffic as I continue to add content.
work at home
November 13th, 2009 1:13 am
Yes blogging is not only for money. Most of new blogger things that only by setting up one blog they can make lots of money, but truth is that for make money by blogging they should have to wait and work hard for development of their blog.
pochp
November 13th, 2009 1:33 am
I can’t imagine why someone would quit his blog after 6 months.
Not to contradict but if someone doesn’t get his desired results in 6 months, I think he should really quit because he’s got the wrong motivation and weak skills for that to happen.
Anyway, I salute you for encouraging those who deserve it.
Great work!
Jacob @ Safe and Dry Blog
November 13th, 2009 1:56 am
I saw this post through email and was like “that was totally me.”.
Any blog I started up seemed to slowly die out into a blue-moon-post area for selfish dribble.
The blog i’m currently with and working on I found had that same time slope. But the thing that changed for me was the fact that simply going out into the community was enough for me to find more inspiration, connect with other bloggers, or connect with readers.
In live as in college,every now and then you need to get out and see what else is going on.
Alex Crabtree
November 13th, 2009 2:07 am
This rocks!
The biggest truth in the entire post was the lowest common denominator. All success takes perseverance.
Instant success usually leads to instant failure., but an honest and well worked effort will reap the rewards of a lifetime of success.
Avil Beckford
November 13th, 2009 2:48 am
Hi Amanda,
Thanks you for this wonderful post that is so timely because I was having a “blah” day. It’s a great idea to having a testimonial page and thanks for the suggestion because I wouldn’t have thought of it.
Sometimes I find it difficult to come up with article titles but I do not give myself a break, I force myself to write a post and it turns out okay and often better than okay. I have been blogging for about eight months and I really enjoy it. I keep going because I have a great newsletter Ambeck Edge and I took a break from sending it out, and for two years now I have been trying to get back into the routine of writing it every month and it’s been difficult, so I do not want to do that to my blog.
You have given me much food for thought and I will take a lot of the advice that you have given in the post.
Thank you! Avil Beckford
Galvahaha
November 13th, 2009 3:06 am
I would say have a 4-5 year outlook on blogging before you even start. That way when you hit the one year mark it’s not that big of a deal.
I would also say it will probably be easier to stick with it if you’ve had a reference point for persistence before you started blogging. If you’ve gone through something before that took persistence and really overcame the obstacles of it only because you stuck with it, you’ll really understand why you shouldn’t give up.
Jessica Nunemaker
November 13th, 2009 3:10 am
I am curious to see if the “rule” still applies to me…my blog has been an idea in the making for over a YEAR but only “live” for about two months now.
What can I say? LIfe kinda got in the way there for awhile but ideas they were a percolatin’! ;)
Plus, it is something I feel very strongly about: I didn’t get started by thinking of dollar signs and my motivation doesn’t come from there, either.
Beth Andrus
November 13th, 2009 5:14 am
I was so relieved to read this. I started blogging last spring to bring attention to my book. I really love doing the blog, but the burnout factor creeps in sometimes. It helps just knowing that this is a normal part of the experience. Thanks.
Brandi U.
November 13th, 2009 6:04 am
This is just the motivation I needed today. Thanks for posting this!
Kelsey
November 13th, 2009 6:21 am
These are GREAT hints. I started my blog and July and am already feeling the itch. However, I was lucky to find guest bloggers and writers who would write great content for me for a minimal cost, in exchange for a short bio at the end of the article.
Annabel Candy
November 13th, 2009 2:54 pm
Thanks so much for sharing all your amazing thoughts here.
It looks as if some bloggers burn out faster than others. I speak to people who give up after only 2 posts! I suppose they didn’t think about what their aims were and how much time they were prepared to put into it before they started blogging.
Broderick – I like the idea of having a 4 or 5 year plan but I think it could put some people off. I know a lot of bloggers who understand the importance of blogging in the longterm but the longest period they can commit for is a year. That seems fair as it should give you enough time to start to understand what you’re doing and why. Hopefully there will have been positive results after a year and at that point you can project that if you carry on for another 4 years the good results will multiply.
Steve – Loving the idea of keeping moving our blogs forward like a shark:) It is good to assess, fine tune and make changes as long as they’re for a reason. Pointless fiddling for the sake of it won’t get you too far though.
Jessica – I jumped right in to my blog and wasted a lot of time altering and changing it because of that. I’m a web designer and spend hours planning my client websites to avoid making mistakes so why I missed this vital step before setting up my own blog is a mystery. Your year of peculating your ideas will have been well spent.
I’m delighted to have inspired and helped so many people by having an article posted on Problogger. Personally, I’m having fun writing my blog, keeping myself engaged and my mind active because there’s so much to learn and giving myself a creative outlet too. Keep blogging everyone – who knows where it will lead and what you’ll get out of it?
Randy Primm
November 13th, 2009 4:17 pm
Nothing comes easy and thats the truth. I have been working on an interactive travel blog for six months exactly…hmm weird I just noticed that. Anyway there is a rush at first especially since I’m on the road in my RV while I blog, but after a month or so it slows down and the energy and determination seem to to fade.
But if you are truly determined to make your blog work, you must believe in it no matter what the results. For “there is no trying, only doing or not doing”
Also unless you quit… you cannot truly fail.
I have just hired a Blog Manager to assist in my blog and I have found a new sense of determination and passion in the fact that I haven’t given up so far so, and don’t plan on quitting anytime soon.
Cheers!
Randy
crazy blogger
November 13th, 2009 7:32 pm
Great post on blogging.
i found that my blog is getting good readers and also i got pagrank. so now i will continue my blog.
Paul Hassing
November 13th, 2009 7:58 pm
This was a ripper, Annabel. A lovely end to my week and a great introduction to your writing. Many thanks for your beautifully articulated insights. Best regards, P. :)
Kory Taylor
November 14th, 2009 6:05 am
You did a great job with the article Annabel. Gives a lot of value on how to persevere when times get you down. I really like the pep-talk you gave: “Look at anything you’ve achieved in your life. It probably didn’t come easily. There may have been times when you wanted to give up. But you’re glad you didn’t. Take heart from that and carry on blogging.”
Best Regards,
Kory
Vanessa D. Alexander
November 14th, 2009 8:01 am
You can grow out some blog topics and need to move on in that case. A number of bloggers have had several blogs before landing that topic that stabilizes. It’s a growing process. I think you have to enjoy blogging. It’s like a home based business, why try it if you don’t like being at home?
I’ve been blogging since 2003 but not the same blog. I finally landed in my zone after I took up photography along with writing. It is a learning process. You can grow out of a blog like growing out of clothes as you get older. It’s not always a bad thing. You get to a point where you mature and no longer grow out of clothes, you just improve on your own style. Good article…
dsi r4
November 14th, 2009 11:34 pm
Leave your blog. No blog is an island, and the bloggers that leave their blogs and ‘join the community’ by participating in the comments on other blogs are rewarded with more visitors, not to mention the benefit of learning from other bloggers.
Chris Mollo
November 15th, 2009 3:07 am
It’s funny you wrote this post right at the time I’m approaching the six month mark. I wrote a post just the other day about how I was getting so frustrated and thinking of giving up. After five months I’ve managed to get listed with the search engines and get my PR up to 2, but still don’t have many readers. I do have over 100 feed subscribers and over 100 followers, so I guess that’s a good thing. Heck, it’s keeping me going! Your post helped a lot, too.
Bill Morgan
November 15th, 2009 5:32 am
Just saw this article. I am 4 months into it and it’s tough to keep it up consistently as it’s an evening projects to help my career. I’m a recruiter and my blog is for all people to find the job they seek.
I’ve learned so much though:
1. Keep the blog topic narrow, not so broad (mine is a career blog that speaks generally on jobs and careers. I now realize it should be much more focused towards certain demographics, types of careers, etc..
2. How more people use RSS Feeds then email and Twitter (which I’m just learning) is incredibly huge.
3. Videos get so much more traction
4. The people that blog are generally some of the coolest people I’ve ever met. Bloggers really like helping other bloggers.
5. You’ve gotta blog about what you’re passionate about
6. The wackiest topics often get the largest attention.
7. Don’t pre-judge what people want to read
8. Making money at this is very difficult and what worked 2 years ago may not work today
9. Be genuine
10. Don’t crowd your blog
I make most of these mistakes still so I have a lot to work on. Anyone else have inspirational things they’ve learned?
Annabel Candy
November 15th, 2009 9:39 am
It seems that the 6 month itch is definitely a common thread with bloggers. And if it doesn’t happen at 6 months it’s because the blogger has already given up.
Vanessa – You have a point. Some blogs may have a natural life cycle and end quickly because of that. But any blog you’ve maintained and written for even a short amount of time will have given heaps of valuable lessons that should make your next blog quicker to get off the ground and more successful.
dsi r4 – Great idea to connect with other bloggers by reading their blogs and leaving comments on their posts. You’ll be encouraging their writing and many of them will then visit your blog and leave a comment which will give you a boost.
I love reading all these stories about how people nearly gave up but hung on in there and are now being rewarded for these efforts. Thanks everyone!
Jason
November 16th, 2009 6:17 pm
I want to thank you for writing such a great post. I have been doing this for less than a year and wanted to give up many times, but kept pushing on. I still have a long way to go, but I feel as if I’m starting to see a little something starting to happen and I feel a whole new level of excitement! One word I would use to describe what it takes to start and see the mission through is, relentless.
Web Designer
November 17th, 2009 3:30 am
Lots of people have higher learning curve. It may be lesser or more than 6 months. But I stress more on the action part. I spend way too much time on reading, but not contributing much of quality content. That’s one thing, I want to rectify.
Thanks for the post.
Durkin
November 17th, 2009 4:40 am
Great post. One of the hardest things is keeping a blog going month after month. Persistence definitely pays off though.
In my experience of working in small niches It took me about a year to get established, and the same amount of time to be grabbing the top spots in Google.
Thanks for the post
Durkin
Living with Balls
November 18th, 2009 8:28 am
I’m approaching that six month mark and I am definitely frustrated. I’m not ready to give up though because I feel I am putting out a good product. I’m going to work at for a year and then evaluate if I should continue.
Thanks for the post.
Dean Saliba
November 18th, 2009 10:51 am
There have been times I’ve wanted to give up on my blogs but if I did I’d miss the money they bring in.
QwkDrw
November 19th, 2009 6:58 am
Annabel Candy’s self help & development blog posts are interesting, often inspiring, occasionally humorous, and provide a perspective on one’s own life skills. The technical features of her blog, and the complete attention to encouraging readers to return, are indeed awesome.
You may wish to also become a follower of my blog: GIVE ME A MOMENT a lifestyle. Active since 2007, newly researched content (hopefully widely interesting) currently publishes bi-weekly on Thursdays. Writing under the moniker QwkDrw, I fancy GIVE ME A MOMENT an internet-based “column” containing easily researched written pieces with links to additional information, sometimes written in series, that are interesting to someone of my background and often more widely appealing — a sort of Cliff Notes or Reader’s Digest version of larger matters or subjects that are still interesting when condensed into a reasonable amount of reading time
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