If you’ve been blogging for a while, I am pretty sure you’ll agree that the Bloggosphere is an awesome playground for sharing. We share knowledge, we share feelings and thoughts. Some are more on the giving end, and others on the receiving side. We give and take what we need, or at least, we try.
While many of us will claim that we’re just doing our little business and don’t bother compairing our blog with others’, I have a feeling we all do it anyway, from time to time. We wish we published more posts, wrote longer stories or better poetry. We wish we had more time to read other bloggers’ work and interract with them.
It is easy to compare. All we see is what people post online. Which is pretty much like watching ducks on a pond. They gently float around, but what we fail to see is the flip flapping of their little legs underwater.
We all have a life, that makes us paddle beneath the blogging surface. Studies, work, fighting health issues, raising a family… It takes time, and it is just natural. Some bloggers will give you tips to be more constant and prolific, and although they are often really good ways to improve your blogging, it is important to realize that not all of them will suit you. Here are a couple of them…
Scheduling your post:
I have to say, I admire people who manage to do that. But I have accepted that I’ll probably never achieve being good at post-schduling. For three good reasons. First, I don’t have that kind of discipline, period. Second, I write too slowly to build up a series of posts ready to go out later in the week… I’d probably have to take a couple of weeks long hiatus to be ready to be a good scheduler and that’s not going to happen. And finally, I always write about things that inspire me at the moment that I am preparing my post. Therefore, I feel compelled to publish as soon as I am done writing. I think it would be torture to wait for days before knowing if people enjoy the read or not. I am too instinctive a blogger to use this tip.
Using social medias:
If you are looking for more readership, using alternate social media platforms is a great way to boost your blog’s stats. Wether you decide to promote your posts through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other network, more exposure naturally means more chances to get visits. That’s the Yay! part. But you also will have to put some time managing the messages and reposts. If, like me, you already struggle giving your readers the love-back they deserve, more job is definately not the best idea. So if you have extra time on your hands, go ahead, it’s really worth it. If not, save yourself the trouble!
Joining popular challenges:
If you haven’t stumbled on a single challenge during your journey, I highly doubt that you are blogging at all! Challenges are everywhere, and you’ll find some about pretty much any subject you might think of. Poetry, fiction, photography… Name it, there is at least one challenge out there, for you. The best known are followed by a lot of bloggers, and participating creates some mingling around, which will bring new traffic to your blog. They also offer something to get inspired by, and motivate you to post on a regular basis. Win-win, right? If you spot challenges that won’t overwhelm you. An example? Sure… This will be the third year I hope to join the Nanowrimo challenge. The first year, I learnt about it way too shortly before its beginning to nail it. Last year, I was in Paris when it took off, and obviously didn’t have enough time on my hands. I have prepared for this year’s edition, but if it ends up being too stressful, I’ll just quit again. Challenges, like blogging should alway be fun, and not something that puts you under pressure.
Blogging is a marathon, not a race… It’s a competition with yourself only. Find your voice, follow your path and listen to people’s tips… But only when they are good for you!
Happy blogging!
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Cyranny's Cove 
Excellent post, Catherine.
I’ve to admit… You make a lot of good points.
I, myself… just started learning how to schedule posts… At first it seemed easy enough, but I’m finding it a little more difficult as I have so many other things I’d like to do.
So, with that being said… I think I may slow down a bit with scheduling.
Good advice, Catherine! 😘
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Thank you, Beckie 🙂
I did notice when you mentionned you had started scheduling your posts, and I was impressed! Not because I doubted that you could do it, but it just seems like a lot of work to me, for someone who posts daily.
I think the important thing, here, is that new bloggers shouldn’t feel like they ”have” to use any of the above tips, in order to have a good blogging time 🙂 We all make our own rules, with what works for us…
*Big hugs* xx
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I most certainly agree with you. Heck, I’ve been blogging for a little over 3 years and I’m just learning how to schedule.
The reasoning for me to schedule ahead, is because I want to read more of my fellow bloggers writings/posts.
For newer bloggers, they have to get their feet wet first, discover for themselves what makes them comfortable, find their niche. Most importantly… Love what they are doing for themselves.
Again, the scheduling was a means to lighten my load in order to enjoy reading as well as participating in other bloggers posts. 🤗
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I guess everyone finds what works best for them ❤
There are not set rules are there 🙂
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I absolutely agree 🙂
It makes me smile when I see people posting stuff saying you ”have to” do this and that to survive in the Bloggosphere… After almost 4 years of daily blogging, I’ve learnt a thing or two, and I am glad to share my thoughts, in case it could help some newcomers… But I always make sure to point out that these things work (or don’t work) for me. I think there are a thousand (+++) ways to be a good blogger, and that’s what makes blogging so much fun… The diversity 🙂
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Oh dear. That’s three out of three that I don’t do. If an idea comes into my head (a rare event, to be sure) I write it down and post it with no thought as to who might be around at the time. The whole process takes about 10 minutes and then it is forgotten. I don’t take part in any challenges that actually are a challenge. I have an Instagram account (as you know) but it’s only to look at other people’s pretty pictures.
I’m not really a blogger, I guess.
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If you, good Sir, aren’t a blogger, many of us aren’t either 😉 As you might have noticed, I don’t use any of these three tips myself, with the exception of a couple of challenges, but only if they are weekly things (ok, I did participate to Sarah Doughty’s November Notes, but that’s an exception, because I just love the Lady 😉 ) Keep blogging in your very unique ways, Brutus… I know I’m not the only one who enjoys your presence here!!
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Yes! you are quite right Catherine it is a marathon. I don’t compare my blog to other horse blogs as most of them are not regular posters . I do schedule but not several posts at one time just perhaps one or two for later in the week. I share to Facebook but really cannot keep up with any more than that.
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I must say that I haven’t seen many other horse blogs during my 4 years on WordPress, and maybe it’s because they are not regular posters, as you mentionned. Yours is really a one of a kind blog, and one of the big surprises in my blogging journey. Like a lot of people I love horses, but I never thought I would have found any interest in dressage. You have a way to present it that is both very professional, and non-initiated friendly 🙂 (and I love the Biasini talking posts, they are a lot of fun to read!) Keep up the great job, Lady!
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Thank you Catherine! Biasini is just about to speak again! I am off on holiday for two weeks so he had to get a word in before I go.
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Agree completely! I schedule posts occasionally, usually for the following day or for several hours if I managed to write a couple posts in too short of a window. I have issues with them actually publishing sometimes though.
Social media is another area I don’t do much with. If you already have a huge social network it would help but I simply don’t. Challenges I enjoy but they also influence what you post about so can be disruptive if you have a particular message. Very good points all around!
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts, James 🙂 Blogging should always be fun, and I think you found your own ways to keep your blog alive while not stressing over it. How long have you been on WordPress? I am curious 🙂
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Well, I started just over 2 years ago but have tended to go silent in January until about the middle of summer both years now. Not healthy for the blog of course. From this point on I intend to stay active the whole year 🙂
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Great ideas!
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Thank you, Sadje 🙂 I enjoy sharing the little things I have learnt after 4 years of blogging… If it can help one newcomer, my job is done!
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You’re welcome! I think all of us can benefit from them.
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Great post! I sooo agree with the scheduling posts one. I too write what comes to me at the moment and yes I am too impatient to put it in a draft folder and just wait! The “horror!” LOL!! 😃
Love how you end the post. We do all need to find our own voice and not compare ourselves to others! Be yourself! Hugs and love sweet Cyranny! ❤
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I absolutely agree. I don’t do any of these things–I’m especially bad at promoting myself on social media. And I can’t do challenges–it’s enough if I can get out a post every Sunday!
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You are right Cyranny, there are many ways of being a blogger and different things we all do to keep our blogs alive.
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Great post, Sis! And I agree with everything you said. I don’t do hardly any of those things … mostly because I’m lazy.
I do actually do the scheduling thing, but it is only my pathetic attempt to get more readers by posting something I just wrote (usually very late at night) at a time when I think more people might actually see it. So far, the results of that has been mixed at best.
Long story short: I’ve given up on being a super popular blogger. Now I just post things because I enjoy writing.
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The best advice ever is that it’s each to their own… Nice to hear you add in how you feel. I thought you were a blog scheduler. Just goes to show eh? 🙂
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Thanks for helping me realize that I don’t have to follow any particular rules to be a blogger. I don’t participate in challenges because my blog is about how I view my world, and what catches my attention. I will never be prolific in the number of posts I publish, but that’s okay, right? My readership has grown slowly, and I’m fine with that too.
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You’re welcome, Candice 🙂 I think it is really cool that you don’t feel obliged to follow all the trends… Blogging is about diversity, and doing things our own way. Tips are great, if they fit your way of blogging, otherwise, you should keep ignoring them 😉 xx
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