There is a lot of noise out there when it comes to blogging.

Blogging has become so popular in that there are now podcasts, books, courses, and products that are dedicated to it.   It’s important to note that all blogging advice should be taken with a grain of salt. Sometimes people are not telling you the entire truth behind their results or income.  

In Facebook groups, there are a lot of conversation threads where many people feel overwhelmed about blogging or frustrated about blogging because they’re not seeing results right away.  More often than not, people tend to give up way too soon, when they’ve barely scratched the surface. I myself have given up temporarily time and time again, only to find myself constantly starting over from square one. 

Based on my experience and what I’ve learned since 2012, I’d like to reveal some of my own blogging truths.

 

10 Blogging Truths

1. It’s not a get rich quick scheme.  

Not even close. I can’t stress this enough. Anybody who’s told you otherwise is probably doing a lot of things that Google frowns upon. Or they could only be telling part of the story.  I don’t believe that money should be your main focus when you first start blogging or else you will become disappointed very quickly.  Here’s a truth: I originally started my blog thinking it’d be a quick, easy way to make money. I was clearly mistaken. However, I kept on blogging sporadically because it was a cathartic release for me and helped me get back into writing. 

 

2. Your blogging journey is going to be completely different from Sally’s, Tom’s, Bob’s, etc.

 No two blogging journeys are alike. So just focus on staying in your own lane and getting further ahead.  The more you focus on Sally/Tom/Bob, the less you are focusing on growing your blog. Track your progress and celebrate every win, regardless of its size. 

 

3. It’s free to start a blog, but it’s going to take a TON OF TIME and EFFORT to grow it.

More than you ever thought. At one point, you may feel like it’s your baby and you will obsess over it. Or maybe that’s just me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve yelled or cursed at the computer. Or the many mini meltdowns (try saying that three times fast) I’ve had due to technical difficulties. You can continue to blog on free content management platforms, but if you’re going to take it to the next level, you will end up spending money for hosting, possibly a theme (I strongly advise against the free ones, unless they are recommended/provided by a trusted source) and registering a domain name. There’s no way around this.  

 

4. Nobody achieves success on their own.

There are so many courses and people out there who can help you. Use them. Learn, ask questions. Rinse, repeat. Truth: I thought I could learn everything and do everything on my own.  That was probably one of the main reasons it took so long for my blog to get anywhere combined with the fact that I wasn’t consistent. I didn’t ask for help right from the start. It was until many years later I became really serious and hired a mentor.  There are so many people who are willing to help out. Don’t be afraid to ask. Someone else might have the same question as you but was too afraid to ask.  You can learn a lot more and progress much faster if you seek the help and support of others.  

 

5. That not everyone will see it as a viable side hustle, springboard for your business/passion/career or get excited the same way you do.

They may forever see it as a hobby or think of it as a waste of time and that you should be focusing on other things in your business. Ignore them. Seriously. Or use it to help fuel the fire even more and prove them wrong.  Even though blogging has been around for several years, it is still quite new compared to other industries. The reality is that unless you actually have friends in real life that blog, they most likely won’t get it or won’t be that interested. Some will, some won’t. And that’s ok. That’s why meetups and conferences exist so you can find your fellow bloggers or maybe even meet some of your fans. 

 

6. It has the potential to change your life. Again and again.

You’d be surprised where blogging can take you. You may not necessarily become a “full-time blogger”, but it can help lead to other opportunities and help you get found by other people. 

 

7.  Like with anything worth pursuing in life, you need passion and persistence to help you get through the tough times.

It’s like that saying, hustle and heart will set you apart.

 

8. There’s more to it than just hitting publish.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. You will spend a significant amount of time promoting the post itself vs writing it. While social media scheduling apps can help you set it on the various platforms on different days and times, you can’t forget it entirely. 

 

9. You will learn so many skills from blogging.

Aside from becoming a better writer, you can learn a whole new skill set that is enough to create a career from it. These skills are worth putting on your resume because they are high in demand.   Businesses of all shapes and sizes now realize the power of blogging and the value it has in creating an online presence. 

 

10. You will learn a lot about yourself.  I certainly did.

 

What blogging truths have you learned that can be added to the list?

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