Guest post by Alden Tan…
So you want to become a blogger, get that whole internet lifestyle of passive income, doing what you love and living it up at some beach yeah?
Feeling totally inspired, you start your blog and being the hardworking person that you are, you read up online all the best and proven tactics that can help make your blog soar.
They should work right? I mean, these tips and tricks are by proven people with success!
But hard reality is: They don’t work. Not for you at least.
Maybe you were just overly optimistic, but the internet is riddled with so much information that only real experience and failure can set what is real, and what works for you.
I created this list which was inspired by my own journey as a young blogger. Like a lot of us, I thought it would be easy, or at least not that hard to work a successful blog.
Damn I wish someone told me this when I started out:
The 7 straight-up the truths that hurt
1) Blogging is not easy, not if you are weak.
It’s not.
The journey to blogging stardom can’t be that bad right?
I mean, you get to work at the comforts of your own home! No peak hour bullshit, no bosses to tell you what to do or horrible colleagues to deal with. You can even take a nap anytime you want.
Wrong.
If you treat a blog as a business, like most others, it’s not going to be easy.
You got to be consistent and diligent on your own.
Do you think you can manage something without any form of guidance?
Can you pick yourself up with your own hands when you’re down?
Are you able to think up marketing strategies, creative ideas for blog articles at a constant basis?
Are you ready to FAIL and fall hard to find out what really works for you and your blog?
Trust me, I’ve been at this for 7 months, and the feeling doesn’t make you feel awesome all the time, especially if you took the “quit my job to follow my dream” route like me.
That’s what “being your own boss” truly means.
2) Good content is king, but that doesn’t make for good writing
You got a really awesome topic in mind for an article. It’s meaningful and thought-provoking. And you’re pretty sure many would like it, cause after all, others have blogged about it before so there’s simply no reason why you shouldn’t receive the same amount of attention.
Sadly, that’s not the case.
There are many nuances in writing and blogging that can makes a huge difference in the overall picture.
Think about this: The Lord of the Rings books have more content, but why is it most people would rather watch the movies?
The answer may be obvious, but if it’s so obvious, why is it then there are many blogs with good content yet still struggling to make it big, while the big guys up there have it all?
It all lies in nuances of writing.
In writing, you need to have a unique perspective, your own style and ultimately, the ability to offer readability.
Good content should jump out to the reader, not for them to think and analyze it through first. By then, it’d be too late.
3) Top 10 lists of easy moneymaking tactics aren’t going to work.
You and everybody else started off the same way. You’re enticed by the “ease” of internet marketing and blogging.
Just do a simple Google search and there’d be many articles like, “Top 10 sure-fire techniques to make money in Twitter” or “Make money on autopilot while you sleep”.
And people even SWEAR by those techniques…
…but they aren’t going to bring you the incredible results you hoped for.
What you need to actually do is figure out a way to add value to your readers long-term. You got to create your own brand to stand out. You need to be able to establish a relationship with people and engage them.
You need a strategy, not just spam tactics.
4) You can’t make money with lots of traffic
Well different people have different ways of making money online, but I want to debunk the whole, “If I get 1,000 people to visit my blog, I am pretty sure one or two would buy my eBook” myth.
After all, it’s like 1,000 people walking into a shop, someone’s got to buy something! Right?
Wrong.
Not all traffic can be monetized. You’d be surprised how cold a ton of traffic can be.
They come.
They go.
And not a single f**k was given.
I actually had a 1000+ visitors day before. Guess what? I got nothing from it. Not a single click on my banners.
There are actually many more important things to focus on in a blog, such as building a list, finding ways to get people to opt-in, writing to add real value, to name a few.
How do you make money then? Check back (2) and (3)
5) It’s going to take a long while for you to succeed
It’s easy to hear about others’ road to success, like how long they fought to succeed and then tell yourself, “I can do that too”.
You read about others’ stories in seconds. Are you ready to work hard for months if not up to a year?
Effort and time go hand in hand, but man, time can really mess you up.
It can drag you down.
It can confuse you as you can’t see the future.
And it can discourage you when you don’t see progress.
So get ready to be patient, because even many of the A-list bloggers out there took a long time too.
6) Not everyone is going to support you, and that actually hurts
Every blogger has their fair share of haters, or generally people who don’t agree with what you have to say.
Source: ryanhanley.com via Ryan on Pinterest
Now, you may’ve probably read about that before.
But do you think you’re truly ready to handle detractors?
Because honestly, it can actually feel hurtful when you’re on the wrong side of the press.
It’s easy to sit by, and laugh at stupid comments in a flame war in YouTube or some forum, but when it’s directed at you, right under your own comments section, it literally takes things to a personal level.
Because at the end of the day, not everyone shares your vision of your blog, no matter how awesome or free your content is.
And the internet makes it too easy to disregard tact.
This is the part you find your audience.
7) You have to be brilliant to really become whatever you’ve heard about
That blogging is easy and making money online is not a problem.
A fellow blogger inspired me once when he was telling me how hard he worked on his blog.
This stood out, “Unless you’re brilliant, you’re going to need to invest a lot of time and hard work. I am not brilliant”.
So you got to work hard like the rest of us normal folks.
That being said, isn’t that a wonderful thing that all of us can actually achieve greatness with just a little hard work?
Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
[stextbox id="warning" image="null"]GUEST POST by Alden Tan is a rock star blogger who quit his job to follow his dream to be a writer. He blogs about inspiration, and has the uncanny ability to not care about what others think.[/stextbox]
In my opinion – Unless you’re brilliant (and even if you are), you’re going to need to invest a lot of time and hard work to make a success for yourself. Nothing in life these days come easy – except spam.
Anton Koekemoer wants you to check out… Online reputation management for brand awareness
Anton…
Great thoughts… Great achievements take Great Work!
Thanks,
Ryan H.
I like the realness man! In particular, when you wrote about not everyone liking what you write it really spoke to me. I am a very new blogger and I struggle with this a lot. It can be really challenging because what one person likes another person despises.
Over the past few months I have learned that if I take everyones advice I end up with Frankenstein… And none of it is my voice.
On top of that, the only way to make sure everyone likes it is to be mediocre and half ass in all forms. When I speak the truth I am bound to have some people disagree.
I’m still learning (and I imagine will be forever learning) how to decipher between writing people don’t like because they don’t agree and writing people don’t like because the writing is crap.
It’s a journey.
Izzy wants you to check out… I’m in the Prime of my Life!
Izzy…
It’s a Journey is the understatement of a lifetime… The only thing I will tell you is to BE YOU.
People will like you people will not like you be either way it will be fun and it will be your message. Trying to do anything else will feel wrong and sound wrong.
Best of luck!!! It seems like you already have a good feel…
Ryan H.
Call it as it is, I always say. Anyone who wants to become a full time blogger must start off part time and have one or more income streams to sustain him or herself until the blogging yields dividends.
No doubt Wade!
Thanks for stopping by.
It will take a few months before you see your first dollar. You have to inject a lot of effort into marketing your blog and improving it. As with any business, a capital investment is important. In terms of blogging, you have to invest in a paid yet good hosting plan. security services and even a few themes.
Just a nice dose of reality…I started my new blog to align more with my ‘real’ job. Success WILL COME…but patience can be soooo hard. At least I know I’m not alone!
Thanks for this post.
Selena,
You are definitely NOT alone. And the fortitude to stick it out through the low spots will pay HUGE dividends in the long run.
Thank you!!
Ryan Hanley wants you to check out… The Reality of Online Marketing and Working Harder
Patience is so hard if you don’t have it.Patience is a Fruit of the spirit and it is not something you gain. Ask God for it.
I l ike what you said about being prepared to fail and fall hard. I think they say, “failing fast” makes great entrepreneurs. It’s so easy to try and get the answers by reading everybody’s blogs, but I think it’s better we find out for ourselves what works and what doesn’t. For example, some say they can’t get business with cold-calling, others swear by it. Who knows if it’ll work for us if we don’t try and apply ourselves.
As for blogging yourself. You stuck at it for 7 months! You’re doing awesome!! Thanks for the post”. These types of posts are encouraging to me.
Gemma
You’re killing it Gemma! Keep it up and glory awaits!
Great post, and a must read for anyone blogging or interested in blogging. It’s not easy, it’s not quick money, it’s not guaranteed success. Like ANYTHING it takes hard work, dedication, and persistence. These myths are all accurate. It takes 10+ years to become an overnight success… Are you willing to put in 10+ years of hard work??
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Amen brother… Amen… Do work.
Most people think that earning online is very easy, and when they try to start out on their own, they give up because it’s very frustrating for them and they don’t have the patience and the passion for it.
This is by far the most thought-provoking post I have read today. Thank you very much!
Sylvia wants you to check out… World worst boyfriend
Well you are very welcome Syliva… Alden absolutely killed it with this post.
Nothing wrong with a good dose of reality. The sooner people get real about earning income online, the sooner there will be few casualties. It takes time, patience and persistence to become successful.
Neil Butterfield wants you to check out… Digestive Health: How to avoid discomfort & stomach ailments
Neil,
No doubt brother… It’s a business like any other. Read anything that Chris Brogan has written about being an Overnight Success.
Thanks!!
Great no-nonsense article that just goes to prove the truism: The harder I work the luckier I get. With about 180 million bloggers out there I reckon hard work and a strategy are key.
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No doubt Johanna!
Thanks for stopping by…
I think one big key is that you need to have a blog and content that offers something unique, differentiated and distinctive in the space you operate in. Too many blogs are covering the same ground in the same way. Those that wil do well and survive will be those that offer something unique. This is also why blogs covering a specific niche will – and do – perform well. They stand out and meet a real specific need.
Gary Bembridge wants you to check out… Can only young marketers drive social media and digital marketing?
Gary,
I couldn’t agree more! The Internet is destroying the Generalist…
Thanks!
Alden,
You laid it all out there. As a get-rich quick scheme, blogs are a tough racket. Thanks for the great post!
Tom Treanor wants you to check out… Three common Blogging #Fails and what to do about them
Blogging is a Grinders game… Thanks Tom!!
These truth really did hurt you do not lie. I am going to be honest when I say that when I first started I was in the whole easy boat. I now know that it is possible to be successful but not as easy as I first imagined.
Steven Papas wants you to check out… Webhosting Plans
Great post and so true. It takes time, commitment, lots of hard work and good strategy. Thanks for sharing on Bizsugar.com
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Thanks again for stopping by and commenting!!
And I completely agree with you!
This is so true, especially the part about being able to ride out those low times. Even with all the networking, connecting, and engaging that comes with blogging successfully, at the end of the day, a blogger can still feel lonely. And until those readers start coming, commenting, and sharing a blog can feel like a grain of sand in a desert.
Adam Gottlieb wants you to check out… How to Include Self-Employment & Freelance Work on Your Resume & Cover Letter
Adam,
You are so right dude… It can feel lonely and it can be hard to push through. But if you do. If you stay true to your goal the right people will find you.
Thanks!
Awesome tips, these’ll help bloggers everywhere. I’d like to see this find it’s way to more beginner bloggers
At Ryze, I don’t accept guest posters who I don’t feel have a masterful voice and ability to impact the audience, that’s just my personal standard for content + quality.
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When you talked about readability this blog easily has that (its written as a list, the font is pretty and varies a lot, and images to the side keep us readers engaged).
So sometimes its just small tweaks to be made that make a big difference. Its true that a lot of traffic is cold and useless for making money, but some of that depends on what kinds of ads are on there. If you can find CPA lead programs which allow incentives, that’s probably the best thing for general, average, “curious” traffic (in which not many people are in a ‘buying’ mode.) Do you guys agree, or disagree with this.
Dan N (part time blogger) wants you to check out… Affiliate marketers against spam
Dan,
I completely agree when you say that small tweaks can make a difference. The game of Internet Traffic every little tweak counts… They all add up.
Thanks!!
Ryan Hanley wants you to check out… 7 Straight-Up Truths About Blogging and They Hurt!
Hey Ryan
Very good to see it indeed you really present it in a truth way and also my advice for people who think blogging is overnight success so it’s very frankly no it’s long term journey that never end.Indeed many bloggers are successful and making money but it’s just the return of there struggle and handwork.
By the way Ryan I am very surprised about recent updates and also mostly my bloggers Facebook friends didn’t like the recent update agree Google give more important to content as usually they do last with panda updates.Hope you write about Recent Google Updates and it’s impact on blogger in next couple of days.
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Hey Rizwan,
Thanks for dropping by!
Yes I think this is something most people don’t get to see in blogging. There’s no such thing as overnight success, not to me at least. It’s the hard work and diligence!
Alden and Ryan,
Thanks for sharing your realistic experience of blogging.
As Chris Brogan recently observed, it took him 8 years of working his ass off to become an over-night success.
Walt,
Thanks… Alden killed it with this article. Have you ever seen the “Overnight Success” series that Chris did via Video. It’s very good.
Thanks!
No prob Walt!
Alden wants you to check out… Your greatest foe is yourself. Your best ally is failure
Dear Ryan,
Very good article. Thanks for sharing.
I like especially number 5: “It’s taking a long while for you to succeed.” Very true!
I read a lot of these articles about get rich quickly. I am convinced it is not working. It is like with most of the things in life. Good things need time. But I do not think that is sad, quite the opposite. In the end you will find that things are more worth to you if you worked hard for it.
Bernd wants you to check out… Are you different from your competitors?
I completely agree Bernd! Actually I couldn’t agree with you more…
Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for dropping by Bernd,
Yes indeed. It takes awhile! Success seems to like to takes its time.
Alden wants you to check out… Your greatest foe is yourself. Your best ally is failure
Love this…
“Success seems to like to takes its time.”
so true.
The truth can smack you in the face. Sometimes that’s what I need. Thanks for providing consistent and valuable insight.
Brent Kelly wants you to check out… Why Every Organization Needs to Protect Its Directors and Officers
Dude you’re doing a Fantastic job… Keep it up and you’ll get there no doubt!
The painful truth to me, is better than any kind of cover up.
It may hurt at first, but it’s the painful lessons in life that are the real ones.
Alden wants you to check out… Your greatest foe is yourself. Your best ally is failure
[grin] I’m famous for delivering the ‘painful truth’, as gently as I can
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