Blogging can be a vital part of succeeding online and most bloggers launch into the blogosphere with incredible energy, committed to making their blog a key tool in their efforts. Some stick to blogging and enjoy incredible ROI on the time and effort they expend. But many of those that start powerfully run out of fuel and fall back to earth pretty hard.
So, why do blogs fail? There are a variety of reasons we’ll look at and the important thing to keep in mind is that they can all be fixed. Here are the 10 most common reasons blogs don’t survive and what you can do to avoid them.
1. Discouraged for a lack of results
It is easy to get fired up when we read about a blogger with heavy traffic flow and significant profitability. It can be discouraging when our early numbers are very small in comparison. It is hard to realize we have to start somewhere and that place is not at the top. To overcome this problem pay little attention to results; focus on the right methods and strategies and the results may very well begin to follow.
2. Positioned in the wrong niche
If things aren’t clicking like you want ask yourself if the niche has any buzz to it. If not, find a new niche and start over again something most successful bloggers have done. If the niche does have energy perhaps it simply isn’t an interest of yours. Wait for the synergy between a solid niche and your personal passion. That’s where fulfillment will be found in all the right ways.
3. Lacking a consistent and frequent posting schedule
If a blogger isn’t posting at least weekly he or she will lose readers, almost inevitably. If readers enjoy your posts but look for something fresh and don’t find it they will start looking elsewhere.
4. Criticism or negative comments dull the enthusiasm
If you are saying something worthwhile then people will feel strongly about it and some may take the other side of the issue. That’s good! Dialogue in a blog will inspire interest. Enjoy the conversation with the sincere and ignore the cranks.
5. A busy schedule
This happens to us all, but if our blogs are a priority we simply must carve out the time it takes to do them right. Schedule your blogging time just like you schedule other non-negotiables.
6. Poor writing
One of the foundational skills a blogger must have is decent writing ability. If you are a poor writer then work on your grammar, read plenty of other blogs which will improve your ability to communicate, or seek a copy writer to write for you or edit your writing.
7. Lack of focus and direction
Before starting to blog adopt a strong viewpoint through thoughtful consideration and then communicate from it consistently. It’s okay to change your mind about things, but just not as often as you change your socks.
8. It becomes a copy-cat blog
We all grab ideas from others once in a while and seek to put our stamp on them. That’s okay. But simply echoing another blogger makes one redundant and people who read widely within the niche will lose interest.
9. Monetizing too early
New bloggers should start with very few ads, deliver fantastic content and build readership. Then when they are well-established they can up the ad quotient without getting unreasonable about it.
10. The burn-out factor kicks in
If a blogger doesn’t keep up their own interests in the topic by reading widely on the subject, gaining new insight and fostering compelling ideas the blog will become drudgery. Stay fresh by exposing yourself to good writing and intriguing perspectives.
Blogging takes time. Blogging is tough mental work. Blogging will pay dividends if you stick with it. Knowing these realities going in will help you prepare for the long haul, staying in the game long enough to see your efforts bear fruit.
This post was contributed by James Adams who is an in-house writer at a toner cartridges store. Much of his day is spent writing reviews of newly released hardware like the Q6000A. When he enough free time, James also writes about advertising and media design on the CreativeCloud blog.
Anuj@WordPressHAck says
June 16, 2011 at 7:31 amI agree with each of the points above and ultimately it comes down to a lack of planning. All blogs should have a content strategy, and a clear idea of who will research and write posts, which includes setting aside enough time for this to be done.