This week, we are focusing on small time blogging and all the while using a pseudo case study of Frank who is a small time blogger and writes about designing and programming iOS applications.
Being a small time blogger is a label I wear with pride. In many ways, I enjoy that I have the audience I speak into and know that I would not want to have it any other way. That being said, there are many times a month that I find myself envying the big time bloggers and sometimes hating the position that I am in. Some of you may have had or are having similar experiences and so I want to share a few ways to combat the feelings of insignificant that may creep up.
- Stop Obsessing Over Analytics Looking at your Google Analytics or WordPress Jetpack stats over hour on the hour is not going to make them increase at all. In fact, you may begin to doubt why your stats are not on the rise and make hasty decisions (why do people not care as much about me as I do?). Or maybe you see a spike in numbers and attribute it to such a great blog article, when really it is your spouse scouring your website or Google bots that hit your page views. Instead, remove your stats from your admin’s homepage, stop obsessing, and start thinking of ways to engage your community better better or writing even more great content.
- Rewrite Big Timer Blogger Content If you want to authentically engage your community, quit ripping off material that someone else wrote. You may not have copy and pasted it from their blog to yours (though I have already had words with people who do that with my material), but you write about exactly the same content and topics that they wrote about. Be original in your writing and stop responding or “rewriting” what someone else wrote. For Frank, this means not posting his own views of the latest iPhone or iPad update, but instead continuing to find creative ways to make great apps and finding new ways to write great code.
- Stay True To You. Blogging has the habit of making people communicate in a way that is actually foreign to them. Instead of trying to fit your voice into a mold that is already established, use your small time blogging platform to be you, otherwise you may find yourself sick and tired of blogging and not wanting to continue. That being said, small time bloggers need to have integrity with their work. If you came on the scene and wanted to share your views, then share them and not someone else’s work. Frank could simply rewrite everything that Apple and others put out there, but it is his unique content that builds his community and inspires others to do what he does.
What other tips could you give to small time bloggers to avoid feeling like a small fish in a big pond?
JasonChenoweth says
As a Micro Time Blogger (is that even a title?), I am loving and appreciating these posts. Keep em coming Jeremy!
seventy8Productions says
Only one more in the queue for this week. ๐ Would love to hear what parts were enlightening or you connected with the most.
Calvin Hanson says
Advice: Redefine success. God views success differently than our performance-based society in America. God loves communication and he loves you freely and creatively expressing your heart. He is more committed to your heart and getting closer to Him than anything else.
Also, Is your blogging worth it for the one person? The Gospel of Luke and Acts could have been written to just one individual named Theophilus. It was worth it for Luke to do all the research just for Him. He understood God’s heart to go after the one and leaving the 100 (Luke 15)!
Write freely and invite the Spirit of God into it and see where it takes you ๐
seventy8Productions says
If you blog about religious stuff, then definitely you can take that approach! This was from the small time blogger in general, including businesses, ministries, and full-time bloggers. Of course, even then we sometimes hold ourselves to a higher standard than others.
Calvin Hanson says
So true. Whoops I just found this blog, so maybe my context is a bit off ๐ Sorry about that. I’m liking your posts though! Keep it up guys.