PRAVEEN LAM: January 2014

The road to blogging success is strewn with abandoned blogs. Most bloggers quit blogging after three months yet the benefits of blogging are rarely seen for the first six to twelve months of blogging.
So why do most bloggers quit too early? And what can be done to motivate or inspire bloggers to keep blogging long term until they see the rewards?
I’m motivated to keep blogging by my readers feedback and comments, by personal job satisfaction (yes, I really do love blogging) and by increased business and writing opportunities which come to me through blogging.
I’m inspired by all bloggers who don’t quit and stick with it to keep improving their writing, business and creativity.
What motivates or inspires you to keep blogging?

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Author: Annabel Candy

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Hi Carly,
Thanks for sharing that. I’m with you and I know the love of writing, people and communication is what makes me love blogging. Love your reminder that blogging “takes time and interaction”. It’s definitely important to do it for the love of it rather than for the benefits although those seem to follow on naturally and that’s when blogging gets really addictive:)

Denise February 1, 2012 at 12:26 am: so true.. it does take time, but first and foremost do it because you love it

Cheryl from BusinessChic January 30, 2012 at 10:06 am

This post made me laugh. I remember thinking that it’d take 6months for my own blog to take off but early on met with lots of successful bloggers who let me know that I’d probably need to wait for 3-4years…! It’s fine because my blog is essentially a creative outlet where I get to practice my photography and hopefully this year, more of my writing. It’s certainly no get-rich-quick-project but it’s one that sustains me and that’s why I’ll be approaching two years in March:) also string to meet fellow bloggers is always re-energizing and FUN! X

Annabel Candy January 30, 2012 at 10:11 am: Hi Cheryl,
Tee hee, well 3-4 years might be more realistic but I think you can shorten that if you really set a clear goal and the other thing in our favour is that readers and brands are starting to understand blogging better now:)
You’ve got the right attitude to blogging and I’m sure you’ve already noticed that it’s helping you improve your photography and be more creative in general:)

Reply

Kerryn Woods (@kerrynwoods) January 30, 2012 at 12:01 pm

I guess I was lucky in that I already had an online network of like-minded souls via forums, who provided a ready-made audience for my blog. It was never all that difficult to get discussions started. If I’d had no responses to my early posts, I probably would have been discouraged.
I think it depends a lot on your definition of success too. In the beginning, I simply wanted an outlet for my thoughts, and a place to connect with people with similar interests. I didn’t really see the potential for growing my online personal training business via my blog.
I’m actually glad I began that way and not with a commercial focus, as almost six years later I still blog primarily because I enjoy it. If I saw it purely as a business-related task that needs to be done, I doubt I’d

Kerryn Woods (@kerrynwoods) January 30, 2012 at 12:02 pm

Oops, hit “return” by mistake before I was finished…
I was just going to say that I doubt I’d have kept it up.

Annabel Candy January 30, 2012 at 4:16 pm: Hi Kerryn,
Sounds like you and me have had the same blogging journey and I agree, it’s the best way:)

A-M January 30, 2012 at 2:30 pm

Hi Annabel, I started blogging 4 years ago to document a house build. At the time, I think only my mother read my ramblings and even then she never commented. It took me a while to build up readers. I still remember my first comment! It took ages to start ‘reaping the rewards’. I do marvel at how fast some blogs grow these days though! My blog motivates me to get out of bed every day (very early). It’s my ‘community’, my ‘village’. I have connected with the most wonderful, inspiring people and my blogging has opened up so many varied business opportunities for me, from design consulting, retail sales and advertising and promotion. My blog is also a journal of my life, it’s something special that I do for me. It is me. I can’t ever imagine my blog not being part of my life. Newbies, stick with it… it nourishes your soul. A-M xx

Annabel Candy January 30, 2012 at 4:18 pm: Hi A-M,
Thanks for sharing your wise words, love reading about all the fab opportunities blogging has brought you too:)

Reply

Shamelle@BetterBloggingWays January 30, 2012 at 8:11 pm

Hi,
I think it’s important to have a realistic expectations when you initially get into blogging.
e.g
Some want to make several dollars on the first month of blogging and then end up disappointed when they don’t get anywhere.
the same applies to traffic, subscriber etc…
You need to have proper goals and have an action plan to achieve those goals. I’ve seen a lot of people write goals during the start of the year, but don’t really have a follow- through plan.
regards
Shamelle

Annabel Candy January 30, 2012 at 9:10 pm: Hi Shamelle,
I agree, a goal and a plan of action to achieve it are good. Planning to make zillions or even a bit of cash from blogging when you’re new to it is asking for disappointment.

Reply

David Stannard January 30, 2012 at 8:30 pm

Hi Annabel,
Blogging for us has two purposes really….firstly it has been an amazing way of recording the week by week progress of our small start-up vineyard and business. And being an organisation built around Sustainability values, open-ness and straightforward communication to all our stakeholders is a must. Secondly it is starting to become (after nearly two years) and some good work from yourself, a real part of our brand and a means of getting our name out to potential customers. Paradise Rescued Blog turns 2 in thr first quarter of this year.
David

Annabel Candy January 30, 2012 at 9:11 pm: Hi David,
Two is a big milestone and great to hear the blog is proving to be a powerful communication tool with more opportunities opening up from it the longer you blog. Well done for sticking with it:)

Reply

Jason Scott January 31, 2012 at 2:56 am

Hi Annabel,
I didn’t have a project or goal in mind when I started blogging. I just had something inside saying, “Just write.” So that’s what I do. I like to help people out, so I just starting writing things that I thought could benefit others.
My blog is still in it’s infancy and, like most everyone else, it’s taking time to develop a healthy collection of readers. I have a couple of loyal followers that I really appreciate, and I already feel that quitting the blog would be quitting on them. Not that I’m anywhere near the ledge yet. I know it’s going to take time, but as long as I have things to say, my keyboard and I will keep stoking my blog’s fire.
Keep writing everyone!

Annabel Candy January 31, 2012 at 8:45 am: Hi Jason,
Your loyal followers are gold. Keep doing what they like and they will grow:) You’re blogging for all the right reasons and I’m looking forward to watching your blog grow and evolve:)

Reply

Hajra January 31, 2012 at 3:36 am

Hey Annabel,
I did take a break from blogging in between and I truly missed it! I think the sense of community, the amount of material I get to read and learn from others is always a motivator to jump right back in!

Annabel Candy January 31, 2012 at 8:46 am: Hi Hajra,
Yes, I’ve learned so much from blogging too and not just about blogging, about people, life and creativity:)

Reply

barbara January 31, 2012 at 5:19 am

As I approach my 2nd blogoversary I’m amazed at how this journey has evolved! I think I’m fortunate that making money from blogging wasn’t even on my radar when I began. That’s good because I still haven’t made any directly from the blog.

What has transpired is a pretty good platform for a book or two. It’s really about the writing for me and that’s fine. I think those who enter into a blog for the sole purpose of making money are on the wrong track from the get go. If ever there was a place the expression ‘you get what you give’ held true I believe it’s blogging.
b

Annabel Candy January 31, 2012 at 8:49 am: Hi Barbara,
I agree re “those who enter into a blog for the sole purpose of making money are on the wrong track from the get go” – it does seem to be a recipe for disappointment and failure. But as a platform for your books it should pan out well:) Congrats on sticking with it!

Reply

Jay January 31, 2012 at 6:03 am

Hi Annabel,
I blog for a couple of reasons. I love to write and get a kick out of coming up with new and interesting stories for my recipes. But I also blog because it’s a great way for me to keep in touch.
My blog is only 3 months old and I do get discouraged as I never get any comment. It could be that I need to wait a little longer, it could be that a recipe site doesn’t attract those that want to share – it’s witty, not controversial, or it could be that my content isn’t good enough to comment – although those that I know who receive the blog make great comments to be personally without me prompting them. Any ideas that anyone here may have would be gratefully appreciated as it does get discouraging at times.

Annabel Candy January 31, 2012 at 8:54 am: Hi Jay,
Hmmm, it might be true that straight recipes don’t elicit much response in the comments. I wonder if ending with a question would help? Eg. what’s your favorite recipe with ginger in it?
Personal posts tend to elicit more comments so something like:
My Biggest Cookery Disaster Ever or
10 Things I Learned in the Kitchen Last Year
Might get more comments.
And of course the controversial also gets comments too. Eg.
5 Reasons Packet Mixes Suck
Why Fish Is Not Good For You
Keep mixing it up and trying different things or just be at peace in the knowledge that your recipes are so good there’s nothing to add:)

Reply

Tracey Carmichael January 31, 2012 at 8:27 am

Hi Annabel, I am only new to blogging, but am really enjoying the fact that have a platform to share my knowldege and experience and help others. I am inspired when i recive positive feedback.
regards Tracey

Annabel Candy January 31, 2012 at 8:56 am: Hi Tracey,
Yes, getting that feedback motivated me to stick with it. We shouldn’t need external motivation but it definitely helps me:)

Reply

Dave Doolin January 31, 2012 at 8:28 am

I’m in it for the long haul. Just passed the three year mark for taking it seriously, although I have material from 2006 still on line.

Annabel Candy January 31, 2012 at 8:57 am: Hi Dave, good on you – you’re an old-timer! I get really excited when I imagine where blogging will have taken us in 10-20 years:)

Reply

Nikki @ Styling You January 31, 2012 at 9:17 am

I see a lot of “urgency” with new blogs now, which is ok but if you appear to urgent to grow a readership, urgent to monetise that can actually get in the way of you producing great content and working out exactly what it is that your potential readership want to read.
I think this could be the biggest cause of early blogger burnout – a bit like a sprinter trying to do a marathon race. Yes, have goals and go hard but plan to be in it for the long haul because it’s so worth it.
I’m excited to say that 2012 is looking like the year that I’ll be calling myself a full-time blogger. That hasn’t come quickly or easily. It’s been a 3.5 years of hard work, morphing, and developing my voice which has brought readership, which brings interest from brands. My blog has also given me a platform that’s now brought freelance blogging for another site.
It’s been an amazing ride and I don’t plan getting off any time soon! Keep on inspiring everyone Annabel!

Annabel Candy January 31, 2012 at 9:22 am: Hi Nikki,
Ah yes, I guess it comes from us all wanting instant gratification these days:)
Thanks for sharing the realistic three and a half years to become a fulltime blogger figure! I reckon you did that fast though because you are so focused:)
It is an amazing ride and I can’t wait to see where it takes us all in the years to come!

Reply

Seana Smith January 31, 2012 at 1:41 pm

Hi there Annabel,
There’s nothing like mixing business and pleasure. I kept hearing that all authors need a blog and so started one, but wasn’t sure what I’d write about. It’s been a good marketing tool, but also evolved to be a place where I can be creative and learn a lot (esp with photos), and the new one is more just for fun, to be creative and to keep a record, plus make connections. All a good wheeze.

Annabel Candy January 31, 2012 at 4:54 pm: Hi Seana,
Lol, I haven’t heard that expression for ages:) It is fun and I want to keep it fun. I think that’s part of the secret. If you take it too seriously you start to feel pressurized and then it becomes a drag. Let’s make sure we never go there!

Reply

Jennifer Flint Designs January 31, 2012 at 3:14 pm

I started my blog recently to help market my spiritual jewelry designs and services, but really it’s just a lot of fun to have an outlet where I can talk about whatever I feel like on any given day, or post weird poems about radiators that look like dachshunds, or run psychic experiments, or pretty much anything else!
I don’t really try to fit a specific pattern, because my blog is me, and I sure as heck don’t fit one!

Annabel Candy January 31, 2012 at 5:00 pm

Hi Jennifer,
Great to see you here and to read that you and your blog are breaking the mold;) It sounds like my cup of tea:)

Jennifer Flint Designs February 1, 2012 at 6:30 am: Ha ha, funny you should say that – there’s literally a cup of tea on my home page. I will definitely be blogging about that too! Mmm, tea.

Andra@FrenchPressMemos January 31, 2012 at 5:43 pm

What a great find this site it! Motivation is a constant and uphill battle. It is my choice to do it- to write, to share, to cook. I have committed to it but also agreed with myself on a certain standard of photography, writing, etc, and that is where the motivation finds ways out. If all the pieces of the puzzle come together- great. If not, I chicken out and lose steam. Truly though, at the end of the day, motivation for me comes from commitment, taking pride in what I do, building and maintaining an audience.

Annabel Candy February 1, 2012 at 1:04 pm: Hi Andra, great to see you here. Maybe we need to slay our perfectionist tendencies in another post! Love your inner motivation and how you keep you eye on your long-term goals.

Reply

Angela Artemis/Poweredbyintuition February 1, 2012 at 12:25 am

Hi Annabel,
Great question. I have wanted to quit many a time but, I didn’t. My love of writing and connecting with other people keeps me going. I have made so many wonderful friends in the blogging community in the last two years that I would be very sad to walk away from. My dream of writing and publishing books depends on my having an audience so that’s another reason. Plus, keeping my name out there brings me intuitive coaching and mentoring clients that I love working with.

Annabel Candy February 1, 2012 at 1:06 pm: Hi Angela,
3 fab reasons to stick with it then. Hopefully you’ll join me on my mission to write a book this year. Sounds like we share that goal along with many other Successful Blogging readers:)

Reply

Raj@ Blog Writing Service February 1, 2012 at 7:58 pm

Blogging for purely making money, according to me, is a difficult proposition (not impossible). But the most convincing reason to take up blogging is to establish yourself as an expert in the field of your interest. So your blog can be your basecamp for sharing knowledge that you have gained about your niche. By way of sharing useful content with others, and of course after doing all the right things of marketing your blog, you create for yourself a presence in the blog-community. That, according to me, can reap loads of rewards…What do you think?

Annabel Candy February 2, 2012 at 8:59 am: Hi Raj,
I’m with you:)

Reply

Marissa @ Beautifully Organised February 2, 2012 at 7:48 am

I’m motivated to keep blogging for a few reasons:
* Because I love living in this little online world I’m a part of – the community is amazing, so supportive and passionate!
* It keeps me organised in my personal life: I have an organising blog and I put a lot of focus on role modelling the practices I blog about
* It’s fun! Organising and blogging are my favourite things to do so it’s my escape from a stressful day.
I’m also in love with your ebook Annabel – it’s been a great source of inspiration and motivation itself

Annabel Candy February 2, 2012 at 9:00 am: Hi Marissa,
Loved that you added fun into the mix:) That’s what really keeps us all at it and thank you so much for the feedback re my book. So glad you find it motivates and inspires you in your blogging!

Reply

Penelope J. February 4, 2012 at 4:03 am

Annabel,
Blogging, as you well know, can take time and effort as readers’ comments and feedback don’t just come in from the blue. New bloggers have to work at finding an audience, and keeping it, and I think that is the part that fazes many of them.
After 1 year 1/2 blogging with middling results, I was addicted to social media, but had stopped writing/working on my books. I took a hiatus from blogging and social media and have since rewritten several hundred pages of one book, proof read and corrected another, almost finished ghostwriting a memoir for a therapist, will be editing another writer’s memoir (at his request), and am plotting an e-book series. For me, this is more fulfilling than blogging.
However, I intend to revive my blog in a few months with a new design and more focus on other people’s case histories of turning their lives around/making new starts.

Linda ~ Journey Jottings February 4, 2012 at 11:35 pm

Going by all these responses, blogging is alive and well and most seem to be in it for the long haul -
I certainly am!
I’ll be coming up for 3 years in the next few months and its been a great journey -
My writing has definitely improved, with the help of some of your great pointers Annabel

Motivation and inspiration?
The endless sea of Australian travel topics and ways to highlight those holiday adventures!

mike February 5, 2012 at 10:14 am

True enough most people quit the moment before they’re ready to break through the ice… I have a client that we were putting together his first radio campaign and he asked as many do “So when can we expect to see some results” I said 105 days, he looked at me with amazement that I was so direct on 105 days, he said really “why 105 day’s” which my reply was “because most people quit after90 days.”

Samuel February 6, 2012 at 5:53 am

Love the article! Even if its that short. Rather have short and to the point than long and not fond.

I love the process, even though I just started this month. I plan to go on till I die

I wrote myself a poem on my blog, on how your supposed to blog for the love of it, and not only for money.

Annie @ knitsofacto May 3, 2012 at 7:54 pm

I gave myself a year to get going but was prepared to wait three to be doing well(ish). In fact ebuzzing (Wikio as was) put my blog in their top ten for it’s niche when it was just a year old. I still have a long way to go to be where I want to be but perseverance can certainly pay off. I wouldn’t be doing it though if I didn’t love it. I’m motivated by the fun I have and the wonderful connections I make with folk around the world.

Sebastian Aiden Daniels May 9, 2013 at 6:11 am

It comes down to patience. I am very very new to blogging, but I am assuming that most quit because they don’t get the viewership they wanted right away or they don’t have much to say or share. It takes time. You have to be patience and you have to be doing it even if very few people are reading it. Success will hopefully come in time. Good succint blog post. I like to think my blog posts help people in some way, so that’s why I have started blogging.
findingonespath.blogspot.com

Shawn Gossman September 26, 2013 at 1:36 pm

I see a lot of bloggers make this mistake and its sad. Why work so hard only to let it all go to waste in the end? My recommendation is that you only choose a topic to blog about that you hold great passion for. The reward should be hitting the publish button and knowing you just wrote that bit of content that might help someone else who finds it.

David Stannard September 27, 2013 at 8:25 am

Awesome as always, Annabel!
As already said above, persistence and patience are the keys. 200+ blogs and #WineTips later, our blog is quite simply underwhelming!! We may be lucky to get one comment every quarter!
But that’s not the point..! Our blog is an integrated part of our overall marketing effort…it’s where we write and capture our media within our web site! It is therefore at the heart of our Social Media Marketing strategy. The weekly discipline of a blog and micro blog post gives us enough material to feed into our other SM tools, has pushed our Pinterest and LinkedIn portals to #2 and 3 respectively in terms of Google seraches for Paradise Rescued and has therefore been a conduit for new customers and developing our USA market. Building a successful micro-brand is a long term project consisting of many small specific steps.
I am also in no doubt that it was viewed many times in the assessments that led to our recent international new business award.
As we have commented previously, a blog should be part of a bigger SM and marketing strategy, not just a tool in itself. Once the bigger picture and integrated nature of a blog is understood, then it can get to work effectively… irrespective of whether it attracts direct comments or feedback.
Our blog started as a storybook, now it is the window to our brand.
Keep up the amazing work, Annabel, talk again soon,
David Stannard
SAS Paradise Rescued

Gemma Hawdon September 27, 2013 at 10:58 am

Hi Annabel! My blog is now 9 months old and I’m loving the creativity, building relationships with other writers and learning about my industry through researching topics and material for posts. My traffic is far from high, but interaction is strong and writing feels a less lonely place

Jovell September 27, 2013 at 10:15 pm

For me, it’s more of how blogging has continually helped improve my writing skills and online marketing know-how which is great because I offer both services too! Thanks for this reminder Anabel.

Lucy Chen October 4, 2013 at 1:44 pm

Hi Annabel,
My blog is a little more than 2 months old now, and I’m pretty happy that every post always attract some comments. I drive most of my traffic from Facebook.
As a fine artist, an Expressionist, to be exact, I express myself through my art, my paintings, my choice of colors and use of symbols. As I started blogging, and sharing my ideas in words as well, I start to realize that I really enjoy writing, too. It is a way to communicate to the general public about my art.
Of course, comments, comments, are always are the best motivator.

Annabel Candy October 6, 2013 at 7:46 pm: Hi Lucy,
Love that blogging is expanding your creativity and I agree. Blog comments and regular readers are the best motivator. It’s great to see you here.

Reply

Gouri Shanker October 15, 2013 at 8:56 pm

Hi Annabel Candy,
I hope that you are right and I totally agree with you. almost everyone makes this mistake while blogging. I will try to avoid it.
Once again thanks.

Surat October 28, 2013 at 7:34 pm

Nice article Annabel. Patience and constant hard work is key to success for any business. For a new shop, it takes years to build up permanent customers and good will. Same applies for blogging. Blogging takes quite less time compared to a success of any new physical store. This example motivates me the most to keep on blogging.

Magnolia Miller October 29, 2013 at 9:59 pm

I too started blogging because I love writing. But, somewhere a long the way, I began to see the opportunity for a bono-fide business and career. Not just as a blogger, but as a writer of online content in general.
I’ve been faithfully at it for about 5 years now. I have been very deliberate in how I’ve gone about it and have been very specific in terms of my blog focus and mission.
It has meant I’ve turned down a lot of opportunities and business offers which didn’t fit with my vision and mission statement. But, it was the right thing to do for me.
I’ve steady and very slowly built a very solid following and readership. The last two years have seen the kind of growth and results that have kept me motivated.
I see blogging as a platform to support other ventures. I do admire bloggers who have made it a full time job. But for me, it’s one of many things that I do. I see myself blogging and writing indefinitely for sure.
Magnolia

Arun Kallarackal November 20, 2013 at 4:59 pm

Hi, I agree with you that many bloggers quit blogging when they don’t see results. But the problem with such bloggers is that they expect results fast. They expect too much. Their main aim is to earn money blogging.
When I started blogging, I had a similar mindset. When results didn’t showed up after 3-4 months, I decided to quit. After a hiatus, I started blogging again. This time, I set realistic goals and achieved them.
I guess this is what keeps me motivated to hang on and continue blogging. I set realistic goals and targets and achieve them. I also like to share my experiences and teach others.

Michael Phi December 8, 2013 at 1:52 am

Hi Annabel, I am only new to blogging, but am really enjoying the fact that have a platform to share my knowldege and experience and help others. I am inspired when i recive positive feedback.

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