I occasionally get asked how long I have been blogging for now, and every time I do, I experience a fleeting moment of internal panic because I’m not entirely sure how long I’ve been blogging. I know I started back in university, perhaps in my second year, and have continued writing daily blog entries up until now.
I did take a brief hiatus for a few days after I got married, but in my defence, I needed a few days to get my own shit together. Aside from that break, I haven’t stopped.
An additional question I sometimes am asked is how I manage to maintain a daily post routine. It is rare to come across a blog that pumps out entries every single day, and that is not intended to sound arrogant or cocky – it is an observation of my own, and if I am incorrect in what I am saying and you happen to be familiar with a plethora of daily blogs, please correct me.
To be entirely transparent, there are days in which the absolute last thing I feel like or want to do is write a blog post. Life gets busy; creativity can find a wall and hit it hard; sourcing out new ideas to write about is a whole different matter. But, despite how damn hard it is some days, I force myself to maintain a daily blog because it is great writing practice, and furthermore, because my daily posts are one element of my blog that sets me aside from most.
Starting and maintaining a blog is one thing, but getting people to read your content is another. When I first started my blog years ago, I think I earned three followers in the first year. Now, I have over 1000, and while that might not be anything wild, it is significant to me because it indicates growth and progress.
Check out some more ways to promote your blog:
“Get Serious About SEO
“Visitors can find your website via a variety of sources. But there’ll arguably be no source more consistent in driving visitors to your website than Google. You’ll likely know from your own internet use how important the search engine is for finding websites. You probably invested some time/effort/money into SEO when you first launched your website, but keep in mind that SEO is continually evolving. The tactics you used several years ago may be obsolete. Getting an SEO report for your website can help to highlight which areas of your efforts require work.
“Guest Posting
“Looking for a smart and effective way to win new website visitors? Then take a look at guest posting on someone else’s blog. This is effective because it allows you to tap into their existing audience. With a single excellent guest post, you could seriously bolster your website visitor numbers. Keep in mind that not all guest posting efforts will be effective. For instance, it’s best to avoid blogs with minimal visitors or that operate in a different niche; to attract visitors, you’ll need to post on relevant blogs.
“Shouting on Social Media
“Social media is, after Google, the best place to promote your blog. There are some 4.9 billion worldwide social media users, which should be enough incentive for you to get serious about posting quality posts and building your audience. Of course, getting attention on social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram can be difficult. Depending on your budget, you might hire a social media expert to help develop your strategy. However you do it, you’ll find that your website visitor numbers increase in line with the number of people who engage with your posts.
“Real-World Promotion
“You don’t spend all of your time online. And neither do your target audience. As such, why not consider utilizing your offline time to promote your blog, too? This is easier — and often more affordable — than you might expect. For example, you can print some custom stickers that include your branding and blog name. Another option would be to include a QR code that leads directly to your website. There’ll be places around town where you can put the stickers, though try to ensure that the area is frequented by people in your target audience. Also, another effective real-world promotion method is to simply tell people about your blog when the opportunity arises. Every visitor counts, and you never know what it might lead to!
“Host a Podcast
“You’re primarily a blogger. But that doesn’t mean that that’s all you are. Really, the goal should be to get people to visit your website, especially if you’re hoping to generate money via advertisements or selling products. To build your visitors list, consider publishing content via a host of different mediums. Hosting a podcast, for example, can be a great way to attract visitors who don’t like reading, but who do like listening to content. It’s a lot easier to host a podcast than you might think — you really only need a microphone and some software. You can use one of your popular blogs as the basis for your discussion points.
“Build Your Email List
“Even if a person likes your blog, it’s unlikely that they’ll be visiting every few days. People have a lot of things on their digital plates, so you can’t expect them to check in with your site as often as you’d like. You’ll need to give them a gentle reminder from time to time. Ideally, they’ll see your social media posts when you publish a new post. But don’t bank on it. It’s recommended to build and utilize your email subscribers list. Sending the occasional email with links to your latest posts can be an effective way to ensure they come back time and time again.”
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
ontheedgeofeverything 