So here we are 10 years after the first post was published.
Firstly, I am still surprised that I am still going. Back in 2011 when I started, I was a Made for Mums community manager and a few of those was blogging. I had also read a few blogs and seen a few doing it and thought why not. I genuinely didn’t think I would still be going today, let alone with 5 blogs in total and earning any sort of income.
It has been a bit of a rollercoaster though throughout the whole journey, I find that I fall in and out of love with blogging and all it brings. I don’t think anyone who has not blogged or been behind the scenes of a blog can appreciate just how much effort goes into keeping a blog running. From the admin, updates, emails, theme changes and all in between. Blogging changes so much every few months, you have to learn to adapt a little and take on board what you read and are told.
There is so much more to it than just that though and this all comes down to what you want to take away from your blog. If you are just using your blog as a platform to share your thoughts and journey, then don’t worry about everything else. Use the blank page to share your thoughts and accept it takes you where it doesn’t. For those of you who want to blog to make a difference and to maybe earn some money or even an income, you will need to take on board a lot more of what you are told and absorb every bit of information that you need to make it a success.
There is so much I’ve learned throughout the years though and here are just a few words of wisdom to share.
Blogging tips
- It’s your blog – You will find everyone has an opinion on what you should do, such as don’t take less than £x or you should publish a new post 3 times a week, etc. Remember it is your blog, only you can make the decisions on what you should be doing with your blog. Of course, there are things you legally should be doing, such as disclosing paid work, etc, however, everything else is down to you. Listen to what others say but make a decision that is right for you and only you, it is, after all, your space on the internet.
- Don’t compare yourself to others – There will be other bloggers who have more followers, get more page views, earn more money and have better interaction on their blogs. Don’t get drawn into comparing yourself to everyone though. This can be extremely disheartening and can destroy any confidence you have in your blog. Everyone does things differently and achieves goals differently, but this is just life. When you start comparing, you will find it hard to blog as there will always be something holding you back.
- Make your own choices – You will receive emails, tweets, and messages offering you potential blogger collaborations, reviews, and guest posts. Make your own choices on whether you would like to feature these. There is no right or wrong, like I said before, it is your blog. If you want to see what others think, find yourself a blogging buddy to bounce ideas and thoughts off each other. I have the lovely Fiona from Savvy in Somerset as my blogging buddy and we share ideas and thoughts on what is good or not so good. It doesn’t mean either one of us is right and the other is wrong, it just gives us a different perspective for something we may have missed.
- Don’t take what you have for granted – If you have a successful blog (in whatever terms you class as successful), don’t take it for granted. I have found over the years that it is only when the effort is put in, I get the rewards. In the months where the blog has been quiet or I’ve not really paid attention to what’s going on, my income and emails into the blog to discuss collaborations have dropped off. If you want to make your blog your income/business then you need to keep a little consistency to it all. This doesn’t mean blogging all day, every day. It just means making sure you focus on what you need to do to keep up with your blog readers’ expectations. So for me, I try to blog 3 times a week. Currently, I am about 2 weeks ahead in my schedule as I am to write posts in advance now, this would allow me to take some time off should I choose to.
Can you actually make money from blogging?
I get asked this question so many times and the simple answer is yes.
Like I said above though, you need to put the work in to get this. It doesn’t just happen overnight and it requires some effort but everyone can make money from their blog if they want to. If you have a passion for food and are considering a food blog, here are some ways that food bloggers make money.
It has taken me a long time to work out what I want to achieve from blogging and how to get there, but once you crack it, blogging can be so rewarding and this is on lots of different levels. I am very grateful for being able to do this on a regular basis and appreciate all the opportunities this has given us as a family over the last 10 years, now here to our next 10 years!
