Blogging is no easy task for me, and I don't think I'm the only one who feels this way. Even though it's a fulfilling hobby or profession, there are times when I struggle with things that relate to it.
We all have our own struggles, but if you're interested to know about mine, feel free to read on.
Who knows? Perhaps you can relate to some, or if not, all of them. Haha.
Who knows? Perhaps you can relate to some, or if not, all of them. Haha.
1. Thinking of a good blog name (and URL)
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In the past seven (7) years in the blogging world, I've already had five (5) names for my blog including the current one I have now. I just find it hard to be satisfied with blog names since I don't think my ideas are good enough even though I settled for them at some point. It's hard to think of a catchy and appropriate name as well. There are times when I have thought of a good blog name, but then the URL or the name itself is taken, so I have to think of another name again.
Also, new blog names should supposedly come with a new URL, but then since I haven't figured out a no-hassle way to redirect another Blogger URL, I decided to stick with my vannice95.blogspot.com until I was finally able to buy a custom domain which works like a charm in redirecting, not until I can think of a much better blog name and URL, then my custom domain won't redirect to the blog anymore, so that's another problem I have to deal with soon. Huhu.
Also, new blog names should supposedly come with a new URL, but then since I haven't figured out a no-hassle way to redirect another Blogger URL, I decided to stick with my vannice95.blogspot.com until I was finally able to buy a custom domain which works like a charm in redirecting, not until I can think of a much better blog name and URL, then my custom domain won't redirect to the blog anymore, so that's another problem I have to deal with soon. Huhu.
2. Stressing about how my blog looks and whether it's good enough or not
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Coupled with comparing my blog to others and being concerned if mine would stand out as well in terms of how inviting it would be, it just worries me to think, does my blog look good enough for the readers? What more should I change? Do they want a more minimalist look or an artsy, colorful one?
3. Finding time to blog
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Academics, extracurricular activities, work, social media, household chores, mall errands, unavoidable issues, eat, sleep, and other stuff you can think of - well, it is sometimes hard to squeeze blogging in the schedule. Because of this, I have neglected my blog a lot through the years.
4. Not getting blog readers and follows
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This! For all these years, I only have a few hundred followers on my blog, and I don't even know how many of those actually read my posts. I would then think, is my blog not good enough? Is the content I share not enough for them to hit the Follow button? This isn't even limited to my blog, but also to the social media accounts that come with it such as my Facebook page where I invited 1/4 of my Facebook friends to like but only 50 out of around 500 I invited liked the page.
5. Getting spam visits and comments because I'm not getting any legit traffic
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I have been getting a lot of spam visits from Ukraine and Israel lately and a techie friend I know told me that it's because I'm not getting any legit traffic. He also told me that the only way to stop it is ..*drum roll*.. get some legit traffic! Well, I do have some organic traffic, but it's a struggle to make it consistent. *cries*
Also, while I was neglecting my blog, when I finally got the time to revisit my dashboard, I noticed some spam comments on my posts, but thankfully Blogger detected some of them. Still, they are never welcome on my blog. Spammers, go away, please.
6. When I want to accept sponsored posts but my stats aren't high enough
I still have a long way to go. Huhu.
7. Thinking about guest posting instead but I don't know what to write and which blog to guest post in
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Honestly, I have never guest posted in my entire blogging life. Haha! I got to admit that I am new to this concept since I haven't been involved in the blogging world for quite some time in terms of observing what others do to promote themselves. But then again, it's a struggle for me since I'm not even sure what to write that might be worthy to be posted on other blogs, moreover, I don't know which blogs would accept guest postings, and if I do, I'm not sure what will satisfy them.
8. Dealing with blogger's block
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There are times when I can't even think of anything to write at all. There are also times when I have thought of a good topic to write, but then when I try to write about it, my mind goes blank for a few hours, which causes me to finish the post 6 or more hours after or if not, put it off until the next day or the next week instead (sometimes, never).
9. When the internet just doesn't cooperate
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I live in a country where the internet is the slowest in the world. Even though this is the case, the internet is pretty decent for me most of the time (I got the hang of it, and I think I will be so amazed when I could someday try out the internet in South Korea), but then, when time comes that it will be slower than ever, or if the internet goes down altogether, this is where I'll go crazy, especially when I have ideas running wild but the internet doesn't seem to cooperate in saving and publishing them.
10. Publishing a post only to realize that I have errors, so I frantically edit them immediately before anyone sees it
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This happens to me a lot! LOL. There are even times when I thought that everything's all set, when I already turn off the laptop and lie down in bed, and while reviewing my post again on my tablet before I sleep, I see another error or an idea that I'm not satisfied with, so I can't help but turn on my laptop again and edit it even though it's already 1am.
11. Thinking about how many blogs I should visit and comment for the day
So, now that I got my published post, I would want my blog to get noticed once again. What I'll do would be to visit other blogs and comment on their blog posts, but then, how many blogs should I go to? How much is too much, or too little? Moreover, how do I read and comment on a certain amount of blog posts in a given time that I allotted for it? Fast reading and typing skills are needed, so it's a struggle for me. Haha.
12. Staying motivated
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Excuses, procrastination, lack of inspiration, not enough energy to sit in front of the laptop for hours to write a blog post, tired after a long day, justifying everything - these are the reasons that make me put off blogging until I feel like it. I know that this is really a bad habit, but I can't seem to stop it. Sometimes I think that I should stop blogging altogether, but then I think about all the efforts that I put into, so I guess it's better to just gather some motivation for it, but how?
13. Blog monetization
Academics, extracurricular activities, work, social media, household chores, mall errands, unavoidable issues, eat, sleep, and other stuff you can think of - well, it is sometimes hard to squeeze blogging in the schedule. Because of this, I have neglected my blog a lot through the years.
4. Not getting blog readers and follows
This! For all these years, I only have a few hundred followers on my blog, and I don't even know how many of those actually read my posts. I would then think, is my blog not good enough? Is the content I share not enough for them to hit the Follow button? This isn't even limited to my blog, but also to the social media accounts that come with it such as my Facebook page where I invited 1/4 of my Facebook friends to like but only 50 out of around 500 I invited liked the page.
5. Getting spam visits and comments because I'm not getting any legit traffic
I have been getting a lot of spam visits from Ukraine and Israel lately and a techie friend I know told me that it's because I'm not getting any legit traffic. He also told me that the only way to stop it is ..*drum roll*.. get some legit traffic! Well, I do have some organic traffic, but it's a struggle to make it consistent. *cries*
Also, while I was neglecting my blog, when I finally got the time to revisit my dashboard, I noticed some spam comments on my posts, but thankfully Blogger detected some of them. Still, they are never welcome on my blog. Spammers, go away, please.
6. When I want to accept sponsored posts but my stats aren't high enough
I still have a long way to go. Huhu.
7. Thinking about guest posting instead but I don't know what to write and which blog to guest post in
Honestly, I have never guest posted in my entire blogging life. Haha! I got to admit that I am new to this concept since I haven't been involved in the blogging world for quite some time in terms of observing what others do to promote themselves. But then again, it's a struggle for me since I'm not even sure what to write that might be worthy to be posted on other blogs, moreover, I don't know which blogs would accept guest postings, and if I do, I'm not sure what will satisfy them.
8. Dealing with blogger's block
There are times when I can't even think of anything to write at all. There are also times when I have thought of a good topic to write, but then when I try to write about it, my mind goes blank for a few hours, which causes me to finish the post 6 or more hours after or if not, put it off until the next day or the next week instead (sometimes, never).
9. When the internet just doesn't cooperate
I live in a country where the internet is the slowest in the world. Even though this is the case, the internet is pretty decent for me most of the time (I got the hang of it, and I think I will be so amazed when I could someday try out the internet in South Korea), but then, when time comes that it will be slower than ever, or if the internet goes down altogether, this is where I'll go crazy, especially when I have ideas running wild but the internet doesn't seem to cooperate in saving and publishing them.
10. Publishing a post only to realize that I have errors, so I frantically edit them immediately before anyone sees it
This happens to me a lot! LOL. There are even times when I thought that everything's all set, when I already turn off the laptop and lie down in bed, and while reviewing my post again on my tablet before I sleep, I see another error or an idea that I'm not satisfied with, so I can't help but turn on my laptop again and edit it even though it's already 1am.
11. Thinking about how many blogs I should visit and comment for the day
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| SOURCE: https://giphy.com/gifs/pe9sMq9ChKyKQ/ |
12. Staying motivated
Excuses, procrastination, lack of inspiration, not enough energy to sit in front of the laptop for hours to write a blog post, tired after a long day, justifying everything - these are the reasons that make me put off blogging until I feel like it. I know that this is really a bad habit, but I can't seem to stop it. Sometimes I think that I should stop blogging altogether, but then I think about all the efforts that I put into, so I guess it's better to just gather some motivation for it, but how?
13. Blog monetization
Seven (7) years of blogging, and yet, I haven't earned a single dime from my blog. Of course, I could justify that with the fact that I have been blogging as a hobby all along, but still, I was actually struggling to monetize my blog all this time. I tried to sign up for Google Adsense, but then it was untimely that I was still 13 years old that time, so I was disapproved. Well, I tried signing up again, but there were some glitches that I don't understand, so I resorted to collaborating with an Adsense expert instead, that's why I already have advertisements now.
In the past, I also tried incorporating the Donate button from Paypal on all my blog post signatures, but unfortunately, no one took the time to donate, so I removed them instead. Haha!
I have also thought of selling courses and other digital products, but then I haven't established my authority yet, so it isn't my time to do that. For now, along with the ads, I incorporated some affiliate links on my blog, but so far, I haven't earned anything from them. Again, the struggle is real.
14. Keeping up with the change
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It took me a while to realize that blogging isn't entirely about writing overly personal musings anymore, but instead, it's already about writing experiences and interests that others can learn from. Since I failed to adjust as soon as the changes took place, my blog was in a slump for how many years, and now I'm struggling to bring it back up.
15. Doubting my blog's worth
As a blogger, I have my doubting moments, especially in those times when my stats are declining, my follower count isn't growing, and other discouraging happenings that relate to blogging. Not that I care solely about those things, but when my blog isn't getting any better despite my efforts, I would definitely doubt if I should still go on or not.
But then again...
...I know that whatever happens and despite all these struggles, I should keep in mind that blogging is a fulfilling endeavor and there will always be a community of bloggers who will be there for me through it all. *Awwwee*
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So yes, that's it for now. I hope you learned a lot from this post. :)
Till here :*
But then again...
...I know that whatever happens and despite all these struggles, I should keep in mind that blogging is a fulfilling endeavor and there will always be a community of bloggers who will be there for me through it all. *Awwwee*
So yes, that's it for now. I hope you learned a lot from this post. :)
Till here :*
I feel you dear. During my 2nd month after getting self-hosted, i was disappointed with my site saying it wasn't good enough that only a handful actually bothers reading it. But as time went by and engaging with my readers, i found out that my site is not merely to monetize. I am touching lives!
ReplyDeleteTake time to engage with those few readers and you will know how much your site means to them! Then the low count won't bother you anymore. I stopped checking my view count. I am just happy that every day i get to make someone smile. I make someone react. That's all that matters now. Surprisingly, the site picked up speed. The followers were slowly increasing again. But my focus is no longer about follower count but the weight of the engagements. We make people feel. We make them more human.
Wow! I thank you a lot in making me see things in a different perspective. I guess I should focus on the impact I'll be giving to my readers instead of stressing about my blog stats. Now I know how important it really is to write engaging content that would touch the lives of others. I just hope I'll be able to master that soon. Again, thank you so much!
DeleteSuper agree on these. The struggle is real lol
ReplyDeleteSheenaLovesSunsets
Glad you can relate. Haha!
DeleteWhat do you mean?
DeleteTrust me, I can relate with almost all the things you wrote there. Bu you know, every time I see my blog is not read, or nobody leaves a comment, I am thinking that I also write for myself, to keep track of my experiences, to remember something beautiful, to reflect on things I learned, the have my little corner. I try to share my experiences and I am trying to show people what I've been through and what life lessons I've got, but it is very good for me to acknowledge these things. Don't worry about it too much. Be grateful for this amazing place you have to come back to every time you feel the need.
ReplyDeleteYou have a good way in dealing with the things we usually worry when it comes to blogging. It reminds me about the true essence of blogging, which is to treat it as a way of reflecting on ourselves through sharing what's on our mind, only that it would be better if we're able to give a good impact to anyone who reads what we post. Even though I felt that being too personal isn't the way to go in the blogging world anymore based on what I have observed now with others (it's pretty much all about sharing experiences and hobbies coupled with teaching what we have learned and know, as well as reviewing products and services), nevertheless, I believe that since we're the ones who own our blog, we can always choose what we want to write or what purpose we may want to use it for. Thank you so much :)
DeleteI get what you mean! I mostly blog for fun though, so that really helps me with some of the stressful parts of it!
ReplyDelete7% Solution
Same here, I also blog mostly for fun though, but then it just worried me how I'm already behind other bloggers who were in the blogging world for about the same amount of years as me, in terms of progress. I've been blogging for 7 years now (almost 8), but then I haven't really established myself unlike my counterparts.
DeleteOh well, you also have a good way in dealing with the stressful parts, so I guess I'll just see things that way. :) Thank you!
These are all legit reasons
ReplyDeleteYes they are. Haha
DeleteJust like you I experienced those, especially having a lot of URLs and not having a lot of readers but I brushed off the thought. It's still my struggle tho but we have to keep moving forward and continue to write our hearts. Legit visitors are coming naman, eh :)
ReplyDeleteKai
www.kairafanan.com
Yes, I agree :) we have to keep moving forward despite our struggles. After all, this is our passion for most of us in the blogging world.
DeleteI really related to this blog post omg! It's just the everyday struggles of bloggers! I think finding time especially for me is hard. It's a little bit easier now I have to say since I started working 9 - 5 everyday because I can usually fit it around. But it's still a pain when I've been on the computer all day :(
ReplyDeleteDespite this though, i still find motivation to blog and I love it :)
http://pawlean.com
Haha! Glad I'm not the only one :) well, I just hope I can also fit it around when I'll be in Law School soon, too. Classes are 5:30-9:30pm for me. xD
DeleteYes, same here :)
I can relate! Everytime, I deal with these struggles and everytime, I change my blog. I'm going to stick with my new blog from now on. The first struggle is finding a good blog name, I gave up so I am just using my name. Uh, these are all relatable :)
ReplyDeleteWith Love, KANDICE
Well, it's even a struggle for me to change my blog like you since I'm worried that all the efforts I put into my old one would be put to waste and I'm not the type to be always comfortable in starting all over again especially for things I worked hard on for years, so that's why I stayed with this one. XD It's also good that you have a unique name :D
Deletewell you are doing a great job on your blog, there's no need for you to change :)
DeleteI agree to this post! I've been blogging since 2009 too! But I never earned through it! Lol. I want to learn though. By the way, I change blog URL yearly hahaha
ReplyDelete