If you have never blogged before, your mindset would probably be, “Blogging is a walk in the park.”
And, if you are a personal blogger who recently started blogging, you probably said to yourself on more than one occasion, “What the hell did I get myself into?”
In regards to blogging, you never know what you are in for until you actually start a blog of your own.
So, before you choose to go deeper down the rabbit hole (in the proverbial sense, of course), you should know what you are getting yourself into.
You Will Need To Be Fully Committed To Your Blog
If you are the type of person who starts a project and gives up without ever completing it, there is a high probability that blogging is not for you. The harsh truth is that you are not allowed to give up on your blog when the creative juices have dried up; you will need to find a way around your so-called writer’s block.
At this point, you probably opened your eyes hugely and thought to yourself, “Do I really need to find a way around my writer’s block?”
My answer to that question would be, “Yes, you do!”
Since one of the reasons for the lack of commitment to keeping personal blogs updated regularly is this imaginary fearsome demon known as writer’s block, I suggest having a look at my article, 10 Ways To Overcome Writer’s Block (It would provide you with useful suggestions).
You Will Need To Make Time For Blogging
Blogging is one of those things that you will have to make the time for (Especially if you truly want to blog consistently).
The God’s/Goddess’s truth is that the timing for putting a blog post together is seldom perfect and in a lot of instances, you will have to make sacrifices; such as:
- Writing the draft copy of your blog post before you go to your place of employment.
- Writing the draft copy of your blog post during your lunch break.
- Writing the draft copy of your blog post after you have come from work.
Dear friend, there is no getting away from making the time for blogging (It is one of those things that you must do in order to ensure that you have a blog post to publish on your blog).
Instead of finding an excuse to not create a blog post, you can change things around by making the time for blogging (Consider it as a necessary sacrifice ― one that pays off in the long run).
Your Blog Will Be A Ghost Town In The Beginning
Yes, it is true about your blog being a ghost town in the beginning.
As a matter of fact, you will be starting from the beginning.
You will learn the hard way that it takes time to build an audience.
My article, The Power Of Being Your Own Blog’s Cheerleader, will inspire you to keep on blogging despite having little or no interaction with others.
On a positive note, your blog is not going to be a ghost town forever (It will eventually be noticed in the blogosphere).
You Will Have To Endure Your Fair Share Of Bloggers Leaving The Links To Their Blog In Your Blog’s Comments Thread
I hate it when bloggers leave, “Please check out my blog,” along with their blog’s URL in my blog’s commenting section.
My blog’s Commenting Policy page mentioned that there is no need for a blogger to add the link to their homepage in the commenting section of my blog and that it is okay to leave a single link that pertains to the topic along with their comment.
When you have reached a certain level of popularity in the blogosphere, you can bet your last dollar that some bloggers are going to do the same thing to you.
You Might Have An Encounter With A Troll Or Two
The last thing I want for any blogger is for them to be harassed by trolls via their blog’s commenting section.
Unfortunately, some bloggers abandoned their blogs when they could no longer handle being verbally abused by trolls.
On a positive note, WordPress.com is a friendly blogging platform (Most of the bloggers there are kind-hearted and the trolls are in the minority).
My article, 5 Ways Bloggers Can Handle Trolls, will teach you how to handle things the day that you and your blog are attacked by trolls.
You Might Lose A Small Portion Of Your Blog’s Followers
Most bloggers are known to lose a small portion of their followers (This does not hurt their blog when it gains a bunch of new followers).
For the record, some people unfollow blogs because:
- The owner of the blog published content on their blog way too often.
- The owner of the blog started publishing content that the viewer did not like.
- The owner of the blog stopped publishing content on their blog.
- The owner of the blog did not pay their blog a visit.
Truthfully, people unfollow blogs for a whole lot of reasons (Many of which are not listed here).
There are many bloggers who keep a close check on the number of followers that they have and they feel dejected whenever they have noticed that someone unfollowed their blog.
Dear friend, do not worry about people unfollowing your blog.
Why?
Because other people will follow your blog (And that, my friend, will add to the number of followers that you already have).
You Might Have Your Content Stolen By Someone
Unfortunately, the internet is filled with lazy bastards; people who publish other people’s content and pass it off as their own.
If you write well, some people will boldly steal one of your blog posts.
Truthfully, no one likes having their work stolen.
Darren Rowse’s article, What to Do When Someone Steals Your Blog Content, will teach you what to do the day that someone steals one of your blog posts.
The sad truth is that content theft happens regularly on the world wide web.
Final Thoughts
People should have prior knowledge of what they would be getting themselves into before they create a blog of their own (It would cut down on the number of people who abandon their blogs).
To recap, people will need to expect the following things when they venture into the world of blogging:
- They will need to be fully committed to their blog.
- They will need to make time for blogging.
- Their blog will be a ghost town in the beginning.
- They will have to endure their fair share of bloggers leaving the links to their blog’s homepage in the comments section of their blog.
- They might endure harassment from a troll or two.
- They might lose a small portion of their blog’s followers.
- They might have their content stolen by someone.
Knowing all of that, do you still want to be a blogger?
Great points on the world of blogging, Renard. Blogging has been a fun hobby for me since 2010.
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🙂 I am pleased to know that, John.
I have been blogging for fun since 2008.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
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You are always welcome! It’s a great hobby, I also like ham radio and have been licensed since 1980.
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“You Will Have To Endure Your Fair Share Of Bloggers Leaving The Links To Their Blog In Your Blog’s Comments Thread”
I am SO Guilty of this upon occasion.
I NEED to Stop!
Cease & Desist!
Love all your posts.
Very helpful.
Thank you
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🙂 You are welcome.
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Great post, Renard. I agree with all of your points especially the point about people leaving links to their blog, it’s my pet peeve, feels opportunistic. I wish I knew about new blogs being a “ghost town” when I first started.
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🙂 Thank you, my friend.
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You’re very welcome my friend 🙂
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Thanks Renard. Such sound advice for anyone starting their blogging journey. Blogging can be very demanding and needs to be a balance between ‘time in’ and ‘time out’. There is no magic one correct way. It is a journey of hurdles and pitfalls that need to be overcome. Experience will dictate how one deals with them. Thank heaven’s, in WP, one is not alone. There is such a great community out there willing to help with advice and support. A recent trend, that I find annoying, is when the comment box is not only filled with URLs but complete posts as well. Have a great day My Friend. Happy Blogging.
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🙂 Thank you, Goff.
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Pleasure. Great read.
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That opening line 😂 When I first started my WordPress blog this year, I had no idea what I was doing, what I was really going to write about.. and I’m very thankful that I had a job (for some time) where I could learn about running a professional blog..
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me, Shannon.
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Yes, to answer your question. I do want to be a blogger. I didn’t know all of this when I first started. I kind of jumped into it without a specific long-term goal. It is time consuming and dealing with a ghost town was a little disheartening in the beginning, but here I am 5 years later with a significant head start and a dedicated group of loyal followers that I appreciate very much. It’s worth it in the end.
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🙂 I am pleased to know that, my friend.
Thank you for participating in the discussion.
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Thanks for the post and tips, Renard. I am wandering through that ghost town at the moment. In a way it’s like a game of hide and seek and there is a tinge of excitement in trying to be found. I think you have nailed the key to blogging here, being prepared to put in the hard work.
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🙂 You are welcome, Davy.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
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Good points for any new blogger or someone who is considering to start out as a blogger.
Many years ago when I started blogging, I never for one moment in my time of blogging thought what the heck am I getting into.
I have had a few different types of blogs and I have enjoyed the experience with everyone of them along the way.
My only shock is that I still blog. I used to wonder if I ever reach a point of stop being a blogger. But I am still here. 🙂
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me, Liz.
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I nearly gave up in blogging.
After struggling to make post for some time😂
That’s 2018. Plus health issues anyways.
Now, am determined more than ever😊
Thanks so much for reminding me why I shouldn’t give up again 😂
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🙂 You are most welcome!
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Good topic. Not everyone can stay as a blogger
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🙂 Thank you, my friend.
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Your welcome
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You’ve observed the blogging world well, and thank you for sharing this with the world, especially with new bloggers like me. An interesting thing I’d like to share here with you. Even if you’re a new blogger whose blog is just a ghost town, there still are people out there leaving links to their blogs on your wall without showing any genuine interest in your content.
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me, Bahanur.
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The writing and time it takes I find easy. What takes up more time is accessing and re-sizing photographs to fit the blog. But then, maybe that’s because of my subjects!
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me.
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I think some new bloggers may not realize the etiquette or even the way that links work (or the importance of them). They may just be genuinely excited about sharing. I’ve never shared my link in a comment, but I did ask someone to follow me (ha! Embarrassing!) years ago when I started my other blog about eating gluten free. She became unfriendly, and I didn’t get it! The way I looked at it — it was something I would do if the tables were turned.
Maybe it’s just me, but I think that unless there is a motive to get ahead, some of the newbie behavior should be excused as naïveté!
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🙂 Thank you for sharing your perspective, Suzanne.
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Great post Renard
As a new blogger, I have to say that these points of yours are helpful to me
Thank you
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🙂 You are welcome, Adenike.
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Do you agree that the number of followers is no indication of how many people actually read or visit a blog? A blogger may have few followers but get readers from 100 countries a day.
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🙂 I am in full agreement with your statement.
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Just to be clear, ‘followers’ are that folks that receive posts via email, is that correct?
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🙂 Actually, followers have the option of receiving or not receiving email notifications about posts (It is somewhere in the settings).
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Oh yes, I forgot. Thanks.
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🙂 You are welcome!
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Excellent points made, Renard, especially the discussion about those that leave their link in the comment section to gain attention to their blog. That is a pet peeve of mine and I send their comment to my spam folder.
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🙂 Thank you for letting me know how you go about handling that annoying situation, Eugenia.
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You’re welcome, Renard.
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When that happens I edit the URL to be my own blog’s 😅
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🤔 Hmm. Changing the URL to your blog’s own homepage (That never crossed my mind).
The problem with that is that if the offender leaves the URL for their blog’s homepage along with their comment, you will have to change the URL to your blog’s homepage.
I rather remove the URL to their blog’s homepage and tell them the reason why.
Thank you for participating in the discussion.
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That’s what I do 😈. I leave their link’s name but edit the URL itself.
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I am probably guilty of not writing as many posts as I should to keep my followers entertained… But I enjoy writing when I have something to say. It may not be as regular as others but I hope when I do say something it is enjoyed by my followers.
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me, Denise.
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Great advise, I was encouraged when reading.
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🙂 Thank you for reading and commenting.
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I stand up at 4 A.M. to write in peace. It’s a ritual. But lately I noticed somebody is stealing my poetry and putting it on his blog. It’s very annoying. I tried talking to him about it. But he said:’you are popular, I want the same for my site.’
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🙁 That is not good. I suggest that you file a DMCA takedown notice.
People should not steal your poetry and get away with it.
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Exactly 💯
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I do so like the line …. “Unfortunately, the internet is filled with lazy bastards;” that sums up everything in one line tracer – well done Renard – another excellent post.
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🙂 Thank you, Rory.
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Very Engaging and Interesting Post Great Work!!!
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🙂 Thank you!
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I confess the ghost-town feeling of my new blog led me to put links in comment sections more than once…Thanks for this post so I know I’m not alone in either way.
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me, Todd.
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Dear Renard, when you are talking about a necessary sacrifice, I think the main question is, what is my personal reason / purpose for blogging? If it is strong, the sacrifice is certainly necessary and will be welcome.
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🙂 Thank you for your valuable input, Dolly.
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You are welcome, darling.
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I didn’t even think of being a blogger. I was on Google Playstore looking for coding apps and bam, WordPress app popped up. I was like, Okay, I guess I can do this, writing should be a walk in the park. Now, I realise it’s hard to have a blog, but I won’t give up. I initially thought of blogging to be a way I could keep myself busy, since my University has been on strike, but it’s been really exciting.
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me.
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Great post! Yeah, I’m guilty of leaving and coming back. I started my blog in 2014 and stopped posting in 2017. Now, I’m back and I plan to keep it running. I’m a fulltime freelance writer now, so, I want to share my experiences with others and keep my steam going.
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me.
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No problem!
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This is very helpful, and I’m certainly finding a lot of truth in it! Thanks for sharing!
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🙂 You are welcome, Holly.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
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I’m just starting out, I really appreciate the tips and encouragement.
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🙂 You are most welcome, Lex.
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You sure hit on all of the issues bloggers face and have to overcome! I’ve been blogging for over a decade and can attest to the truths you’ve included in this post. Well written!
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🙂 Thank you!
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I am new here and this post has helped me to guide through the rash incomprehensible strides to become a writer. I might need some advice too, So I am following.
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🙂Thank you for checking out my blog post, Alan.
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Welcome, I truly loved your content. It provided much needed details about blogging that I intend to start
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Interesting. 👍🏻
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😉 Indeed!
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Thank you for all of the terrific advice! Very helpful. 🙂
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🙂 You are welcome, Victoria.
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Blogging requires more than just time but a whole effort is needed
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🙂 Thank you, Israel, for reading and commenting.
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My pleasure
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These are all right. To grow your blog, you need discipline and consistency not just motivation.
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🙂 Indeed, Hannah.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
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My pleasure
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Yes I haven’t been a blogger for that long but in the short time that u have been I’ve learned that it is not a walk in the park and it requires a lot of hard work. For me it’s making sure I have content and also make time to put that content out
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me, Valerie.
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Love this, and some really good points. I’m quite new to blogging and think I’ll probably get to the whole “no one reads this it’s a waste of my time” point in the future, when I do I will refer back to this blog!
I do have to say though that at the minute I do find blogging quite a cathartic and empowering experience. Almost like writing a diary but with more vulnerability as everything is public.
Thank you again for such a great post to keep us going when we need it!
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🙂 You are welcome and thank you for reading and commenting!
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I really need to read your theft advice. I really appreciate this list my friend and I’ve learned it well. It’s a good collection of what to expect when you dive in and get serious about it. This is my first year posting regularly (with the exception of my accident that injured my right hand, and the break-in that rattled me and fixed me into taking a couple weeks off). I love blogging and the friends I’ve made here. Reading other content is so much better than reading the news or Facebook 🥰🤗
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🙂 Oh, yes. Reading content on WordPress is certainly better than reading the news or checking out Facebook.
I deleted my Facebook account some years ago and I can proudly admit that I do not miss it.
Also, the news can be very depressing.
Thank you for participating in the discussion.
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I still have my Facebook but I post the link to my blog there for friends and family to read
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🙂 Well, it sure looks as though you are using Facebook wisely.
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Definitely!
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I recently had to cut down from 3 game nights to 2, because I was having a hard time finding time to put out good content. Finding time, in this busy world, is one of the hardest things to do.
Good blog! 🙂
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🙂 Thank you!
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Much love! Can’t wait to see more from you 🙂
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Thanku so much… For sharing all the things you mentioned is really helpful for new bloggers like me.. ❤
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🙂 You are welcome!
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Yes I wish and I want …pls can u put me through I want to lean to no more about blogger
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🤔 Okay, I will need some clarification on that.
Are you referring to being a blogger?
Or, Blogger the blogging platform?
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What is the difference from the blogger and blogger the blogging platform ?
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🙂 A blogger is someone who blogs and Blogger (also known as Blogspot) is a blogging platform that is owned by Google.
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Okay
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Love the points this post makes, as I have experienced everything on this list at some point or another over the four years I have blogged for. 🥰
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🙂 Thank you for sharing that with me, Jaya.
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Thank you
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🤔 Since you did not tell me what you are thanking me for, I will have to assume that you are thanking me for posting this information on my blog.
You are welcome!
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Yeah. I am thanking for posting this wonderful information. I was about to delete the app but I saw your post. You are my mentor now🤗
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🙂 Oh, I am deeply touched. Thank you for the kind sentiment.
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You are welcome
Kindly follow me on my blog.
I am creating mental health awareness.🤗
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I just finally created my blog on here and this piece is god sent. I’m hoping that I am able to stay consistent and that people relate to my stories, I’m in no rush for a big audience though but if people engage then that would be encouraging.
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🙂 I am pleased to know that you enjoyed this blog post.
I would also like to wish you all the best in the area of blogging.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
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Thank you!
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🙂 You are welcome, Abigail.
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Just started blogging like yesterday and this really motivated me. Thank you
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🙂 You are welcome!
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Thanks for these truths 🥰
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🙂 You are most welcome!
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Yes, I do! Blogging is my passion. Great posts. Good points.
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🙂 Thank you, my friend.
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I do want to be a Blogger and even Make a career out of it too. I love writing and when I started in 2020 around May , after publishing my first blog post in my website: Men’s Fashion & Style by Mthobisi, I liked the structure and the images I used, I was amazed and that’s where the drive began, I love to blog and I wouldn’t abandon it not now not ever. Also, thanks for the tips here Renard you are a genius & wise blogger 💯
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🙂 Thank you, Mthobisi.
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Great tips! Thank you Renard
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🙂 You are welcome, Ashley.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
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I think the hardest part of blogging is remaining consistent and staying optimistic about my goals. I really get bummed out about incoming traffic but this year I am finally coming around to just enjoying sharing my writing. I know that everything else will follow when I just enjoy the experience. How long did it take before your blog was no longer a ghost town, Renard?
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Just to add , u picked another hobby
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Yeah I have try to add already existing hobbies altogether and it just didn’t work.
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Typo I meant I 😉
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Oh haha! Well it fit for me too.
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So I started making Music instead 😉 I mean I did write a book .. coz u know there are so many people in world , n 99% writing useless blogs … but music has a way of reaching out to people if it’s good …
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Yes music making is such a fun and beautiful craft. I agree with you. Music really has a way of reaching people. Writing a book is on my list of things to do but I have just been stuck trying to figure out my approach.
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Yo ! No worries! Anytime reach out .. !! Cheers an all da best 🤟 but really, ain’t about approach, it’s about expressing.. write wat u feel ! Fiction non fiction.. don’t matter
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Thank you! I appreciate your advice. You are totally right.
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🙂 With my first blog (which was over on Blogger), it took me over one year.
On my WordPress blog (which is this one), I was lucky that I did not have to wait long; I attracted readers right away.
At the time, I had a Twitter account with a fairly large following.
Also, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into when I created this WordPress blog and I was fully prepared.
If you use the appropriate tagging system, people will find your WordPress blog via the WordPress Reader.
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I started the same exact way as you. I deleted my large Twitter account though (I regret it) but I am working my way back up. I have been blogging on WordPress for some time but at times I feel like I am missing something. I didn’t realize the tags were important when it comes to the reader. I will keep that in mind. Thanks for sharing!
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🙂 You are welcome.
I deleted my Twitter account approximately two years ago; I have no regrets of ever doing so.
The WordPress Reader makes up for the now-gone Twitter account.
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Wow really? Your traffic is coming from the WordPress Reader and Google solely?
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How does WordPress reader work
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🙂 Hopefully, this should be of help to you:
https://apps.wordpress.com/support/ios-support/what-is-a-reader/
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Exactly how do I put the tags ?
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🙂 This should be of help to you:
https://wordpress.com/support/posts/tags/
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