A previous client turned (I like to think) current friend, decided to shut down her blog when she realized all her hard work was not paying off. After two years slogging away at her blog, she had had enough. But a lucky back link from a major website made her re-think things and we may be working together to re-design and relaunch the site.
Everyone’s a Newbie Once
And it’s the same story everywhere. We all start out with big dreams and little understanding. Doing your research doesn’t help all that much either. It may point you in the right direction, but all the lessons you learn about how to run a blog successfully have to be learned through doing.
The Difference Between Knowing and Understanding
I’m the type who wants to know how high the ledge is before I jump. So I went into blogging after some extensive reading and with the understanding that it would be hard, VERY hard. I believed I should expect to work ridiculous hours, get very little sleep and very little pay for a while. I knew (in theory anyway) that I should try to post frequently, read and comment at other blogs and use relevant keywords to make my site easier for readers to find.
I started out incorporating some of these principles, but only half-heartedly. I took a stab at it here and there but had nothing driving me. It was only after seeing these practices create some success as I wrote at other blogs that I understood how important it is to follow the advice the bloggers before us have so graciously laid down. It is amazing how one good back link or a well placed ad can drive traffic to your site. But that traffic only sticks around if you are delivering on your promise.
I have come to believe that every first time blogger relaunches sooner or later. We all start out doing it wrong, and that’s alright. It’s all part of the process, the learning curve. One way or another, if you’re new the blogging, you’re doing it wrong.
Get Your Feet Wet First
My recommendation is to write for another blog, where you can interact heavily with the site owner. Ask questions about how well your articles are doing, what you can do to make them better. Ask about titles, keywords, sources for images, topics, everything. This open dialog will teach you so much you need to know. You can take that information, incorporate it into your relaunch, and see success…finally!
Most blogs don’t get it right just out of the gate, unless of course it’s being started by a blogger who has already succeeded previously. All first timers do it wrong the first time, then relaunch to do it better the second time. Hopefully a third time isn’t needed, but it might be. The point is that you cannot give up. Each incarnation is an improvement upon the last.
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