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My first 11 months of blogging were a failure. This is that story. I hope that by sharing this with you, you’ll take from it and avoid these same mistakes.
Over the past 11 months, I had so many plans and dreams for my little blog. But that wasn’t enough. I didn’t dedicate the time or energy that was needed in order for it to grow.
The Beginning of Living Well Millennial
I started my blog last September under my name as the URL. I didn’t come up with LWM until much later.
I dove in head first and began taking free courses, downloading all the opt-ins I could find and reading every single ebook I got my hands on.
That is where the hurricane of my first year of blogging started. The analysis paralysis set in and I just knew that this was going to be the magic course. Or that next ebook was going to give me my big break.
Then I was going to be successful. But after 12 months of my blog, I’m still at square one. These lessons are all things that could have been avoided simply with planning or putting my heart in it. Don’t make the same mistakes I did.
1. Burning out because I didn’t have the right priorities
I will admit that when I started my blog last year, it was my second attempt at blogging. The first one I started in 2015 and I am absolutely kicking myself for not following through back then.
The problem back then and the problem I continued to have with this blog is I didn’t put you first. I focused on trying to come up with what to write based on what I wanted to write.
Based on what I thought was going to make money. And based on what would get me there the quickest.
That is not what I want my blog to be about. I want to help you. My readers are the most important thing. I also want to change my life for the better so I can lead you by example.
Write for your audience to avoid this blog failure
When you start a new blog the #1 most important thing that you need to do is defining your avatar. This will give you an idea of who you are writing to.
Yes, you read that right. When you’re writing your blog posts it’s much better to write to 1 person vs everyone. You cannot, I repeat, cannot, please everyone and everybody with your blog.
More importantly, you don’t want to please everyone out there. Well, you might because you’re a natural people pleaser. But I’m here to tell you to let that shit go Elsa. Just let it go.
2. Not coming up with the right content
Since I didn’t know who I was writing to, I really didn’t know what to write about. I also didn’t take the time actually do brainstorming sessions to come up with content.
Now that I know who my avatar is, I want to help her. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a deep desire to help people. I’ve never really known how I would be able to do that until now.
I want to use my blog to help change people’s lives for the better.
Solve problems to avoid this blog failure
To do this, I read through my avatar profile that I wrote up. Next, I think about the problems that my avatar is facing in her life and I come up with the solutions for them. I craft answers and solutions to share through the creation of content.
How can I make the solution better? Can I teach her something? Can I just provide support and encouraging words to help guide her? I’m thinking about all of these things when I’m brainstorming the content.
3. Focusing on the look of my blog
I’m a creative. I love making things pretty and colorful. The problem is that doesn’t do anything for my blog.
Yes, it’s wonderful for it to be beautiful. But the problem came when I was redesigning my blog every other month and I was producing zero content.
There have been good things to come out of this, I’ve found a love of design and I’m working towards making that an income stream to help with my overall plan to leave my 9-5.
Pick a theme and leave it to avoid this blog failure
When you’re first starting out, your blog might not be the most beautiful website out there. But that is okay.
This is part of the learning process and it will be eventually. But for now, start with a simple theme with a lot of white space in the background. This makes your blog look clean.
You also want to have a very clear navigation menu so that your readers can make their way around your blog with no problem.
4. Not being consistent
My blog posting has been really hit or miss. If you look back through my archives you’ll find some months I posted a lot. While others I didn’t post at all.
Being consistent and posting on a regular schedule is very important. It helps you create a habit and it lets your readers know when they can expect new content from you. Remember, it’s all about the reader now.
To avoid this blog failure plan an editorial calendar and stick to it
Get yourself on a set schedule. ASAP. Give yourself a deadline and make it non-negotiable.
This is one of my biggest issues. If I have an assignment from some else, I have not problem completing it. But I am the first person I break a promise too.
Plan your editorial calendar each month. You won’t be flying by the seat of your pants if you have a plan in place for content.
If you’ve got a lifestyle blog like mine then you can do seasonal content as well. That takes care of some of your planning.
5. I haven’t done the work
When I first started blogging, I got into it like most people do. I saw all these posts on Pinterest about how it’s super quick to set up a blog. Two clicks on Bluehost and you’re off to the races.
While it was easy to set up my blog, there’s also about a billion steps after that. Those posts don’t really tell you that.
When I did start figuring out what blogging takes, I didn’t set aside the time to do the work.
Redesigning my blog, as fun as that was, is not the work. It’s just a distraction. Like my friend Pete, over at Do You Even Blog said in his BloggerU course, sit in the chair and write.
When I heard him say that it was like a light bulb smacked me upside my face. Of course! That’s the work as a blogger.
Do the work to avoid this blog failure
Blogging is super hard work. And it’s not always sunshine and rainbows.
In order to be successful, you have to do the work. Plan and write the blog posts. Schedule your content. Strategize your social media. Show up for your readers.
So plant your ass at your favorite coffee shop, or in your home office. But do the work that is required. If you don’t know where to start, there’s a Google search bar that you can type anything into to figure it out.
I believe in you but you also have to believe in yourself. I can cheer you on until I’m blue in the face. But if you don’t do the work that needs to be done, hang it up.
6. Not treating it as a business from day 1
I kept telling myself it’s just a hobby blog until I make money. That was my fear creeping in, more on that later.
Because I kept telling myself “it’s just a hobby”, I continued to give myself permission to blow it off. Which isn’t cool.
Treat it like a business to avoid this blog failure
If you want to eventually make your blog a business and earn money from it, start planning from day 1. Set it up like you’ll earn money from it and work your ass off for it.
Do the research. Plan for the business. Set everything up as if it already is a business. That way when you’re ready to head that way, everything is already in place.
7. I let fear + self-doubt cripple me
I have a serious fear of not being good enough. I let that little voice whisper in my ear when I know better.
My biggest vice is binge-watching Netflix. I don’t really enjoy my day-job so I let myself succumb to the mindlessness of TV most nights.
I hate that I do this to myself. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve been trying to let go. I was constantly in a cycle of doing it then beating myself up because of it.
Little did I know that fear was the main driver of this. If I slipped off into a drama on Netflix, I didn’t have to deal with the emotions that came up when trying to write.
I was so scared of actually putting myself out there and being vulnerable that I just didn’t.
Get past the fear + self-doubt to avoid this blog failure
We all think about it. At some point, I am sure you haven’t felt like you’re good enough for something.
Well, I’m here to rain on that parade. YOU. ARE. ENOUGH. There I said it. You are uniquely and wonderfully made.
It’s super easy to say and very hard in practice but feel the fear. Feel the self-doubt then recognize it for what it is. It’s the ego sneaking up on you.
So let it go. Lean in. It will be much easier to let go of.
Brené Brown’s Daring Greatly is a great place to start learning about vulnerability.
You can do this
Take these lessons that I learned as your own to help you avoid your own blog failure. I’m practically starting again except I’ll have the advantage of having 20+ blog posts to start.
Do the work. Start the blog you want to start. But realize that this isn’t a simple feat. It’s hard and it’s an emotional roller coaster. But with the right tools in place you can overcome it all and thrive.
