What I Learned After 3 Years of Blogging

Hey Guys,

Before we get into today’s post here are a few facts:

• I’ve been blogging on and off for about three years now *whoa*.
• I’ve had about three name changes finally sticking with ATBA.
• When I first decided to start blogging I had no idea what I was doing.

I wish I could I remember my first post to share it with you guys, but overtime I’ve revisited the earlier years and “cleaned up” some posts. Reading over old posts shows you just how much you’ve grown and the way in which things change. Anyway enough chit chatter here’s what I learned after three years of blogging:

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

I’m always preaching this phrase anytime someone asks me for advice on blogging, but I have such a hard time practicing it. There are some months where I’m posting frequently and working on my blog, and other months where I don’t even care to open the webpage.

Being consistent doesn’t only mean publishing frequently, it means being present in your viewers eyes. You can’t expect to post three times a week starting off then once a month as you continue. It’s quality over quantity, don’t be in too much of a rush to gain readers/popularity.

Tip #1 : It’s helpful to have a notebook where you can brainstorm topic ideas as well as schedule upcoming posts.

NICHE OR NAH?

Niches are nice, but they’re not for everyone. Personally, if you’re like me I think they limit your potential. At first I used to only see fashion/travel/food blogs and I knew even though I had little interest in those things I couldn’t settle on one. I wanted to share my experiences and inspire people, even it includes me doing DIYs, cooking or traveling. However, I thought it would make my blog seem haphazard. I still went with it. Thankfully for WordPress there were categories in which you can separate your posts into.

Tip #2 : Don’t limit yourself by trying to stay in one category; try different topics and see what works for you.

BE YOU!

If you’re just starting out and begin to compare your site to others it’ll either motivate you or discourage you from continuing. Everyone is different and that’s the thing about blogging. No, it isn’t oversaturated. There are so many people in the world that we each attract our own audiences.

All you need is a little patience in your blog and know that what’s for you will be for you. No-one finds success in anything overnight, it takes hard work and dedication (where the consistency also comes in).

PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE

My other blogs most likely failed because I thought after hitting “publish” on a post that was it. First off, I wasn’t open to sharing the fact that I was blogging to friends and family so I wanted to build an outside audience. However, I did no research and thought if I just published posts I’d get the feedback I hoped for. Well, wrong!

You actually have to advertise your posts – when I created a twitter and instagram page for my blog I was receiving more views and engagements than ever before. I was connecting with bloggers all over the world and receiving support from people I don’t even know.

Tip #3 : Don’t be afraid to promote your content. I can promise you, there is someone out there who needs/wants to hear it. 

INVESTMENTS

One of my major investments is TIME. However, I’m still trying to find a way to invest more (money) into my blog. I see the potential for its growth and my aim is to become self-hosted. Other investments you’d probably see yourself making in order to progress your blog include – purchasing a theme, domain name, security, stock photos/photography tools, blogging courses etc.

Tip #4 : Don’t get discouraged about not having enough funds. There are many free resources that can get you started.

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It’s as a learning process.

Well there you have it, just a few simple lessons I’ve learned while blogging. I can assure you I’m no pro and still have lots more to learn.

What are some lessons you’ve learned while blogging? How long have you been blogging?

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