Why one blog connects, inspires and motivates readers and the next falls upon deaf ears?
It’s simple.
Successful bloggers never give up.
They persevere through the difficulties and have an unshakable hunger to succeed.
They are constantly tweaking, updating and modifying their content and approach.
Below are six well-known phrases that will inspire you to greatness.
How to improve your blog by becoming a better blogger.
1. Say What You Do and Do What You Say
“You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” ― C.G. Jung
This mantra has always held a special place in my heart. As business owners, it’s critical to not only say what you’re going to do, but follow it up by doing exactly what you said you would.
But, yet this phrase has taken on a somewhat different meaning in the online and blogging world.
Think about this. How many blogs have you visited that attempt to pass off someone else’s thoughts in a brand new package? Rather than speaking from experience, they mimic what others “say they do.”
There’s no quicker way to burn a bridge or break trust than offering a skewed version of reality. Stop trying to be something you’re not or a version you believe others want you to be. Write about what you know and then practice what you preach.
We live in an online world where authenticity and transparency are a requirement.
If you’re not writing blog content based on fact, experience or first-hand knowledge, it will be difficult to maintain that facade.
2. If You Can’t Stand the Heat, Get Out of the Kitchen
Lets face it. Building a successful blog isn’t easy. It takes time and a steadfast commitment to overcoming adversity.
There will be challenges. Between hosting issues, WordPress glitches, rogue plugins and content that fails to meet the mark, running a blog can leave the sanest person running for a padded cell.
Know your capacity to manage stress and surround yourself with those who can support you when things go sideways.
And if you can’t handle the stress, it might be time to get out of the kitchen.
3. Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Stop feeling as if you need to keep up with the Joneses. Your competition is not you.
Set realistic goals for your blog and know what you can commit to. There’s no need to compare you to someone else. Their goals are not yours.
Stay focused on your daily and monthly metrics. Is it more traffic you want to gain? Determine what steps you’ll need to take to reach your short-term and long-term goals.
Then go after it as my friend Sabrina would say, “like you’re angry at it!”
4. Jack of All Trades, Master of None
Similar to my first point, a “jack of all trades and master of none” blogger is someone that has lost their way.
They’ve decided to write blog content about everything and anything, instead of focusing on one main topic.
Don’t be distracted by shiny objects.
Determine who your blog is speaking to and then stay the course.
5. Stop Tooting Your Own Horn
Want your readers to keep coming back to your blog time and again? Stop dispelling your virtues and start sharing what matters most to them.
Can you imagine walking into a networking event and running around the room shouting your own praises?
Of course not!
That would be pretty boring, right? Maybe even annoying.
Get to know your readers and for goodness sake, stop making your blog all about you.
Learn what’s important to your readers and then share valuable information that speaks directly to their questions and concerns. Ask what they want to see more of and how you can best serve them.
Taking a genuine interest in your readers goes a long way in building the know, like, and trust factor.
6. Go the Whole Nine Yards
If blogging for business is your goal, then you have to take a stand.
Either go all in, or get all out. Tweet This!
You can’t have it both ways.
To succeed in anything, you must be willing to do the hard stuff. The not so fun stuff.
Pushing through and finding a solution on the days when your blogging feels in vain will only serve to bring bigger and better results.
What’s your top tip for becoming a better blogger?
Hey Rebekah,
Considering what all you have to do to build a successful blog, it’s not as easy than what most believe.
But Ive always thought this which lead me to be more hesitant to apply all the things I have learned. This is why sometimes you have to just “take the bull by the horn and run with it”. Whatever you learn is what you apply. I’ve gotten better at this but there are those times where I keep putting it off.
You’ve shared some great tips and I particularly like the advice on the first one on being yourself and sharing your own experiences. Never put up a front be a use it can always come back to you to bite you in the ass.
Thanks for these tips Rebekah! Have a great rest of the week!
Don’t try to master every social media platform out there. Start with a few and only use those that are giving you results. Great advice!
That’s it Pam…take baby steps. Don’t try to master them all at once or you’ll only end up frustrated.
Be careful whose advice you take…and don’t take everything to heart. Some advice will be target on for you, other advice will be meant for someone else. Learn to discern! lol
I am a fan of yours. You really make everything so detailed and easy. Thank you.
As a reletively new blogger, these 6 suggetions definitely hit home. Thank you so much – I am definitely taking these to heart!
I do wish people would stop comparing themselves and competing with people. I believe they do it because they don’t value what they do and feel that competing and all that goes with it serves them better. I prefer to see people as colleagues. Copy from the co-called competition is pointless – you don’t have the same goals, customers or experiences. The odds are not stacked in your favour from the start!
Number 4 was a big challenge for me. Once I started posting my focus was revealed to me. I began posting about significant events in my life then realized what I truly love to blog about is how to find your passion, overcome adversity, and find true happiness on your pursuit of purpose in life. Glad I got that cleared up! Great post!
Hi Rebekah, What an Awesome Post! you have such a great way with words GF!! I have been trying to become a better blogger and know #4 has been a huge problem for me in the past.. I am more focused now so now it is time to see what happens from here..
Thanks for sharing.. Chery :))
Great tips. I’m just getting reorganized and think that defining my focus may help. I write about bookish things and spiritual topics. I just started a Tumblr blog for the library and bookish things so I can still write on those topics but post that news on Tumblr rather than on my O2B Heavenly Minded WordPress blog/website. I’m thinking two narrowly focused blogs will make for happier readers too. If you’re only looking for library related posts you won’t have to sort through mindfulness posts to get to them.
You have great advice for any blogger….Sometimes an old hand at blogging looses their course and often a new blogger has to find a path…..My own experience, You have to be real or they won’t come back!…..so I think #1 is the Most important….Time brings out if a person is really transparent or not….I have been guilty of biting off more than I can chew…..Which is kind of hard to overcome…..Because first you have to overcome your own disappointment in yourself and keep working at it ….even if it means you have to back off and take smaller bites….Thank you for sound advice and reminders for me to improve my own Blog…..Smokey
Hi Rebekah!
Great suggestions here, especially “tooting your own horn!” It just makes a blog post boring!!!
So true what you said about blog and blog hosting. Many people think it’s a breeze, but once started, one has to have knowledge of all the moving parts of a blog. And decide what they want to do.
As for jack of all trades: One has to be focused on the “end game” i.e. what they want to sell, or create a brand etc. BEFORE starting a blog.
These are great tips!
-Donna
This is exactly what I’m all about: “Stop trying to be something you’re not or a version you believe others want you to be.” That’s the most important thing, in my opinion. Write and run your business from a core of authenticity and strong self worth.
Hi Rebeakh,
Excellent post today and some very good advice to all. Tip #4 used to be my biggest problem. I could never decide on just one thing to focus on, so I was all over the place.
You have to decide on that and sometimes it’s right in front of you and you still don’t see it. Once you see it and move forward, it is amazing the changes that will take place.
Have a great day. Monna
Can’t say as I’m other than a hobb blogger.. or there for my offline world of people… Your tips here have given me some things to focus more on so that I can get myself more directed in what I would like to do with this online world! I’m not sure if #3, 4 or 6 are my worst culprits!! Thanks Rebekah!
Rebekah, Great advice for new bloggers to give them focus and keep on track with there blog and how they come across. Scheduling you posts and keeping them close to the core of your blogs message and you can’t go far wrong 🙂
Rebekah,
You shared a great and friendly list of what to do or avoid to do here, I know it will be very helpful helps me along the way and make adjustments.
Thanks for pointing out all these important things to consider, always looking to improve and grow in every way so that I can be of better service to others!
Thanks so much again.
_nickc
It is hard for me not to write as I speak and only can share usable information from my lifetime experiences. I mix it up from personal development and then business growth.
I love starting from the beginning and have taken my readers through the first steps of setting up a real solid Operational Budget and then foundation prior to even creating a company. We are not telling them how to create sources of revenue establish their company. To many things out here to make money offline and online. Yet, I do consult with people through making the right choices based on their passions.
Great supportive information and I would not expect anything less from you!
Classic advice and I’ve also found myself veering into that jack of all trades area from time to time. I do love blogging, but even after 4 years it’s tempting from time to time to fall into the “you MUST do this to succeed” rants from online gurus. Recently I left a comment for an article Christ Brogan had written about the virtues of starting a podcast explaining that I know it’s a good business move, but I’ve put it off because I’ve never enjoyed listening to podcasts myself so it’s been hard to get energized to do it, though I said I was determined to make it happen this year. He sent me the greatest note talking me out of it – saying life is simply too short to do something you really don’t enjoy and it would be better to focus on the things I do well and enjoy. I truly appreciated that reminder to be true to myself!
I find a friendly list of what to do or avoid helps me along the ways a a check and adjust lesson. Thanks for pointing out these items to consider. I am always looking to improve and grow my skills so that I can be of service to others!
Hi Rebekah
Amazing how you blended all these famous power phrases into the context! Wow!
“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen” – is my favorite and speaking of hosting and WordPress issues, I have seen people giving up on blogging because of that. And others, came online to build business that they already had, and became so submerged into the ocean technical things, forgot business and became techies 🙂
And you know what, I have been guilty of a couple of them myself. Such as “jack of all” and “bite less than you can chew” types. But then, life is all about improving, learning and keep moving. I am happy with the journey and the changes I’ve been able to make to take things to the next level.
Thank you for sharing these. Have a glorious rest of the week!
Regards,
Kumar
Hi Rebekah,
Thanks for the great post with a lot of valuable insights for a blogging newbie like myself.
Going by your post, I’m somewhat guilty of flouting “Jack of all trades” rule. I write about 3-4 categories that I feel strongly about. I am still feeling my way around. As I gain skill and confidence I will have a blog focussed purely on business.
For now, I am learning everyday and enjoying the ride while I’m at it.
Cheers,
Thanks for the tips. I need to work more on being a better blogger. Thanks for the advice.
Thanks for the great advice. I learned a few months ago that writing your own content in your own words is the best way and also doing videos. But I have also seen videos from these so called gurus that sounded like they were reading it from a cue card or something, I really hate that I feel that if you are going to do a video at least try to sound natural people don’t want rehearsed or at least I don’t.
Thanks!
Hi Rebekah
Some gems in that list.
People do tend to try to do too much and think they can achieve more than is realistic in a short space of time, but then we all have dreams!
I would say the biggest issue I see is empty content. People have the tendency to regurgitate the same kinds of posts without adding value or their own voice. It is a tough thing to learn, but worth it I think.
have a great week
ashley
As a new blogger, I am eager to soak up good advice like this that will help make my blog successful. I appreciate the advice.
Your first point is exactly what my husband gave me as his single request when I began: “Be real”. Although I blog exactly where I am, it is still challenging to make sure the picture I am painting remains accurate. Thanks for the reminder.
I also liked point five. I’ve been reading more amateur blogs like mine and have noticed that readers don’t particularly seem interested in reading online diaries, but rather interested in what the blogger has to offer them. That seems to me like a huge divider between a mediocre blog and one that is going forward.
I appreciate all the great advice and am pinning it! Thank you for sharing.
Your husband is one smart guy, but I’m guessing you already know that Karen! 😉
I think you’re absolutely right on point #5. There’s a time and place for online diaries, but it’s not when you’re marketing a business.
Thanks for this post. I love how you mentioned the various things that can go wrong with your blog! I am fairly new to all this, and it can get so frustrating when these things happen, and they tend to happen all at once!
I would add that “patience is a virtue” because if you are looking for instant gratification, you aren’t going to find it here, with exception of the gratification you get by doing it.
Thanks again for this post!
Sabra
Hi Rebekah,
Thanks for a great post. These are all valuable and excellent points. 🙂
As to #2, I had all sorts of shared hosting issues. I finally went to managed hosting with excellent service. #5, I’ve experienced someone at a meeting and it was all about him and the millions he was going to make. Yuck!
I also think discipline is incredibly important to blogging. Without it, a blog can easily be disorganized.
Kind Regards,
Bill
It’s been said that developing your intention… your goals and what you want to achieve… is only half the story of success.
The other half is giving that “intention” the “attention” it deserves.
This article demonstrates that perfectly, Rebekah.
Intentions are critical to meditate upon. Attention is what we have to do when we open our eyes from our deep trance, and get into the workshop, where our dreams become reality… Reality of our own doing.
I love every one of the phrases you shared here, especially the “bite off more than you can chew” and “jack of all trades” admonitions. I’m sooo guilty of those, and struggle daily to stay on the path of focused attention.
Thanks for the inspiration, here.
#3 is something that I see a lot of. I know for me personally it is always a challenge to stay focused and avoid the temptation of trying to do too many different things and spreading myself thin.
Rebekah – Great lists and suggestions here.
If I could add one more suggestion that might help some newer bloggers it would be to create some consistency with your posts so the readers know when they can expect to hear from you.
In the days when almost every home got magazines delivered to their mailbox, they could count on columnists sharing their thoughts on sports, politics, religion, parenthood or whatever the main focus of the magazine was. Bloggers need to strive for that consistency too by posting on a regular schedule. It doesn’t need to be daily like Seth Godin or Arianna Huffington’s team but it could be a weekly message or semi-weekly. Pick a day of the week that works for you to write and make it a habit. Your readers will come to expect it.