Mistakes and Lessons from a 7-Year Blogging Journey
Friday, July 01, 2016
Here’s the thing: I’ve been blogging for several years now but I can’t seem to stay on just one platform.
A thorough* online search of my name would probably reveal several of my old blog accounts for the past seven years. I’ve been on Multiply, Tumblr, Blogspot, and Wordpress. Yup, I’m basically everywhere. Oh and take note that I have multiple accounts on each site. You see, every now and then, I get a whiff of inspiration to get my life together and fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a successful blogger. So, just like any excitable teenager, I would always be inspired to create an account every time I feel the urge to be creative. My main issue, I guess, is that I always get bored of my own blog. Apparently, my younger self thought that creating a new account was easier than improving the old one.
Of course, this method proved to be ineffective as I’ve been left with nothing but a disorderly online footprint. My content is scattered around the web and I have no cohesive site to show. I’ve been so frustrated by my situation that I even stopped blogging for a while.
But then I realized that this whole blogging fiasco would continue to haunt me unless I do something about it. I love blogging so why should I stop writing? Besides, I feel like I’m in a much better disposition right now after my blogging hiatus. I believe that I’m ready to go online again as a gift to myself.
So, as an introductory post, I would like to share my long blogging journey beginning with the top mistakes that I made as a blogger.
Lack of originality - As a beginner, I tried so hard to copy the style of successful bloggers. I always compared my site to other blogs because I felt like I had to meet certain standards. I was convinced that if I followed their formula, my blog would also become popular. I tried every link-up, every blog button, and every gimmick that I saw.
Obviously, that particular mindset got me nowhere because instead of treating blogging as a passion, I treated it as a competition. I found myself posting things that I wasn’t really interested in just to gain traffic. I guess that’s where the incessant blogging burnout came from. Writing got tedious because I was pushing for topics that were not really my forte. I ended up with a blog (several blogs, actually) that I could no longer recognize or enjoy. I lost my personal touch because I wanted to impress everyone. I hate to admit it but instead of being unique, I ended up being boring.
The truth is, someone would always have a prettier layout, a better writeup, and a larger audience. You just have to have faith that your personal style is more than enough.
Lack of commitment - I was a lazy blogger. I would abandon my accounts for months (sometimes, even years!) because of lethargy. I got tons of ideas for future posts but I acted like I didn’t have the time to actually write them. I could have blogged instead of re-watching my favorite series. I could have focused on blogging instead of wasting my time browsing Instagram. I could have done so much more - but I didn’t.
After seven years and zero percent progress, I realized that blogging really takes passion and commitment. It’s easy to sign up and create an account. What comes after is far more difficult. If you want to be a blogger then you have to prioritize blogging.
Wanting to rush success - I am so guilty of impulsively creating a new blog with no concrete plan or whatsoever in the hopes that it would just magically receive overnight success. I made a Wordpress blog a few months back without knowing what to blog so I decided to just repost my Candy articles. What a huge mistake! Keep in mind that my articles for candymag.com use stock photos and gifs so when I finally compiled my 50+ articles I was stumped with an unfamiliar interface. Yes, it was my content but the borrowed photos made it look like it was someone else’s. That's what I get for being impatient, I didn't strive to generate quality content so my blog didn't really amount to anything.
P.S. If you want to see my other articles, just go to my online protfolio @ Candy
Lack of interaction - I feel silly for thinking that readers would just come to my blog without promoting my content. Sikat ka, 'te? Haha! Lesson learned: engagement is very very very important!
That's basically it! Hi guys! I am very excited for this blog. Thanks for dropping by and reading my first post! :)
* I said thorough because I'm in the process of deleting my old accounts
29 comments
Hi Sheen! It was fun to read your post and I'd just like to say welcome (again) to the blogging world! I hope you'll be staying on this blog for a long time, hehe. I'm looking forward to read more of your posts!
ReplyDeleteRenee | therenalexis.blogspot.com
Thank you so much, Renee! This comment means so much to me. I hope you get to read my future posts, too! Will bookmark your blog! :)
DeleteWhy do I feel so guilty while reading this? Haha. I. FEEL. YOU. We'll get there, eventually. x
ReplyDeleteBee | http://beecaluya.com/
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYes, we'll get there eventually! We just need to exert a little more effort. But hey, at least we're doing something that we love! Thanks for dropping by, Bee! :)
DeleteHad these problems when I was starting out, but it was fun to learn from them, too! I love engaging with different bloggers now and I'm looking forward to your future posts. Welcome back!
ReplyDeletexx, Richel Goes Places
Hi, Richel! I really hope that I could maintain this blog. I just need to sort out my priorities. Thanks for dropping by!
DeleteThis post is on point! I've done all of those mistakes too.
ReplyDeleteWannderzel by Hazel
Thanks for dropping by, Hazel! :)
DeleteI could totally relate with all these "blogger dilemmas" too! Haha. I find it so hard to commit to consistency before. Maybe because I struggled to put too much on my plate without even identifying what my purpose is. But now, I think I already learned. And I'm actually enjoying the slow pace, while building a bigger network/community little by little. Hehe. Hope to see you around, Sheen!
ReplyDeleteLove, Da | The Diary Queen
Hi Da! I agree. I wanted to do so many things with my old blog that I forgot my purpose na. I've been backreading your blog, btw! My fave so far is your thrift shop haul! Gaaah, I'm so jealous haha! Thanks for reading! :)
DeleteYou actually just wrote what I felt in my blogging as well. hahaha! anyway, I also felt bored in my own blog aswell before, yung nagsasawa ako sa content and the design especially then I decided to bought a domain, theme and even host, I guess spending in my blog works well for me para makuntento na sa page ko. lol!
ReplyDeleteoriginality, commitment, success, interaction. everything is true, everything relate, as in relate talaga girl. Hahaha! Glad I found I blog that has a similar mind and interest as mine. nice to meet you and welcome back!
xoxo,
rej | reeejoyce.com
Hi Rejoyce! OMG hahaha diba? May times talaga na nakakasawa. Minsan pasulpot sulpot 'yung commitment ko sa blog haha. I'm actually thinking of buying my own domain para seryosohin ko na talaga hihi. Thanks for leaving a comment! I really appreciate it. :)
DeleteHi, hello! I am currently in your problem right now! Been to many platforms but I landed to Blogger (now I'm thinking of moving to Wordpress.org). Whenever I do blog hopping and see blogs who has lots of comments, I get jealous (hahaha) but I know we'll get there soon! :) I'm sk excited to read your upcoming blog posts!
ReplyDeletexx,
Kai Rafanan (www.intensity-miles.net)
Hello, Kai! Ako naman from Wordpress to Blogger. Medyo naconfuse ako sa Wordpress so I switched haha.
DeleteI know exactly what you mean! Sometimes I get jealous of high traffic too but oh well, baby steps! Thanks for visiting my page, Kai! :)
I can totally relate especially on making blog accounts in other blogging platforms and then ended up, regretting why on earth I've registered. Good thing, I decided to stay on Blogger for good because of the several good changes that happened to me as a blogger. It's nice to reflect upon these mistakes. :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to blogging! <3
Augustin Ra | Indie Spirit
Hello, dear! I made my first blogspot account years ago. As I've said, I went to so many platforms before going back here. Blogspot feels like home kasi haha it has a familiar interface so I enjoy using it. Plus, it's less complicated than Wordpress but more advanced than Tumblr (I think haha). Thank you for taking the time to read my post! :)
DeleteHello Sheena (and fellow Iska)! So nice of you to share your previous blogging mistakes. I'm just like you. I also tried to "get in" the competition but then again, after so many discussions with myself, I've eventually learned to stick to what I really love doing and writing about. I was also all over the blogging world before and now I'm on Blogger/Blogspot despite all the talks about Wordpress being better. I'm still sticking with Blogger until it's alive! Hope you keep the blogging fire burning! ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Rea! Glad to find a fellow Iska here on Blogspot! Thank you for sharing your blogging experience. I think I'm gonna stay here too. I love your page, by the way! Thanks for the encouragement - I would definitely continue blogging. Have a nice day, Rea! Hope to see you again here. :)
DeleteThank you for dropping by my page Sheena! Also looking forward to reading your posts. So keep posting na! ;)
DeleteHAHA Rea, nahuli mo ko! I've been MIA for the past few days. Will come back soon, promise! Haha. Thanks, Rea! :)
DeleteGood luck girl! I love you!
ReplyDeleteThanks, girl. Love you too! :P
DeleteYou just have to have faith that your personal style is more than enough -- natamaan ako dito hehe! i love this blog post sheen. i feel like you are very relatable and that is going to be your strength as a blogger thatll set you apart from the rest :) will follow you on twitter feeling you youre a very madaldal <3
ReplyDeleteHuhuhu Shayne, you are very sweet! Thank you for your kind words! :) I followed you back on Twitter! Tho, I must say, I'm a very quiet person irl. HAHA maybe online lang. Hihi, thank you for reading my post! <3
DeleteGuilty as charged!! Haha. I'm still on the road of searching my own path to take! Hahaha. But the thing is, I am really busy. HUHU. I really need to manage my time better!! Anyhow, I'm glad to find you on Bloglovin' (bcos you followed me. Haha), I have another blog to read more often!! Yaay.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Kelly | http://www.kellyjessica.net
I'm glad that I followed you, Kelly - you're a good writer! <3 Post more tv reviews pls! I love your recent Grey's Anatomy post huhu. Nice meeting you, Kelly! :)
DeleteWow I can totally relate with these and I am guilty as charged. Thanks for sharing your experience. Hope to see more from you
ReplyDeleteCamie from https://hellocamie.blogspot.com
same thoughts ! consistency + commitment :)
ReplyDelete