The Suffering Blogger: 10 Lessons I’ve Learned the Hard Way
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Learn from someone else’s mistakes. Today guest writer Don Frazier from The Comedy Net.com shares 10 blogging lessons he’s learned that will help you to grow your blog. Edited by Blog Bloke.
Everyone has heard of the “Suffering Artist” but not many people have heard of the “Suffering Blogger” and that my friends is what this article is about.
How I Got Started in Blogging
Let’s go back to the past in my own experience which I’m sure mirrors the average bloke who stumbles into the blogging arena. I say arena because in the world of blogging it is not unlike the forums of old that the gladiators fought to the death in.
I use to flip through websites to find information about things, do a little shopping, catch up on some celebrity gossip and comedy sites. When I found a strange pimple on the back of my neck or had a pain in my chest I would frantically search medical sites for a diagnosis.
Then one day when I was running down my steps I broke my ankle and had to take off work for two months. I was given this enormous amount of free time (as I later discovered) to enter into the realm of webmastering and blogging.
Blogging Mistakes That I’ve Made
As I headed down this road there were many bumps along the way and each stop had a lesson for me to learn. For example, I first got involved using webpage making software. I created my first site and I was so proud of it (selling a diet e-book) .
I advertised (ppc) and lost money but I was glad to see visitors coming. I paid for traffic and lost money again, but I was happy that more visitors came. Finally I got tired of losing money and I was glad for even 1 or 2 visitors (no money lost).
I bought a website (a nice looking game site) and repeated the cycle. I bought another website (auto-updating content) … and yep - repeated the cycle again.
Then I stumbled upon Wordpress. Created a real site (a comedy site) and found a passion for making people laugh. I learned about Search Engines, Page Rank, Alexa, Traffic, HTML, Forums, Social Media, Domains,Hosting, Cpanels, etc. I also learned about the importance of backups after my site got wiped out when my hosting crashed.
After that happened I sat back and realized I was spending all of my time before and after my day job working on my site. I used to think “WOW, I have a website and I’m going to make millions … because after all billions of people search the web”. I didn’t realize that there were also billions of websites, and that means we could all get only 1 visitor.
I read and read, and one thing I read all the time was “Content is King“, and that my friends is true except in a way — “Content is the Prince” because “Original Content Is King”.
I applied this and have watched my sites grow and other bloggers naturally link to them. I still smile when I find visitors referring to my sites in the forums that I visit. I visit many forums and I feel for the “Suffering Bloggers”, and surprisingly not all of them are newbies either.
Well I really didn’t want this to become a book so I will wind this down and tell you the 10 important blogging lessons that I’ve learned along the way.
10 Blogging Lessons That I’ve Learned:
- If you get in this business, realize that it is work.
- Love what you do and the work will be fun!
- Realize there are no short-cuts, easy ways OR sneaky ways to do well over the long term.
- Ask questions, help others and learn, learn, learn.
- Realize there will be bad days as well as good days.
- Realize you will make tons of mistakes, and that’s okay. Just learn the lessons.
- Don’t rely on others to do things for you. Experience is the best teacher.
- When you have passion for your work visitors will feel it and come back. People love passion.
- Treat your sites like babies. Nurture them and they will grow. It takes a family to raise a child and an internet to raise a website.
- Try different things. Let nothing go stale.
If you focus on these things you will achieve what you desire in time. Do you have any lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
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One thing that I appreciate you mentioning is it’s very important to write “ORIGINAL” material. I wish more sploggers out there will take notice. Already I’ve noticed this post (like all of my posts) has been copied out there.
I also like you mentioning that “PASSION” is a necessary quality. Keep stretching yourself and learn new things, and above all acquire a good work ethic and be patient.
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They say that, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, but they also say, “When there is an ORIGINAL sound in the world, it makes a hundred echoes.”
And I choose to be one of the ones making a hundred echoes.
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The “echo” part doesn’t concern me. So long as credit is given where it’s due.
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Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:25 pm:
Your right about that point BB, the least someone could do is to give the proper credit when and where it is due.
After all it is our originality that marks our place and when people enjoy what you do they have something they naturally gravitate to.
By the way, Thanks for the posting of the article, it has given me the opportunity to reach out and share with a different group of professionals.
DONs last blog post…Obama Video-Charisma and Humor at the Top
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And don’t forget the editor either
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Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on January 21st, 2009 4:28 pm:
DON (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 8:50 pm:
DON (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:06 am:
Darn good article Don and thanks for posting it BB.
One thing I’d like to point out - I totally agree with #7 in a laziness kinda way, but you should also never try to go it totally alone. There’s a lot of power in making connections, and outsourcing as well.
Dennis Edells last blog post…As Promised Now You Can Edit Comments Too!
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I like to do it all myself. That’s how I grow. However, not everyone can be a geek so some of us do need help. But I would still encourage everyone to stretch themselves as much as possible. It’s like taking your car to a mechanic. The more you know the less chance you will be taken advantage of and keep your money in your pocket. The more you know, the more control you will have over the final product. Knowledge is power.
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Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on January 18th, 2009 3:58 pm:
Dennis-The most important word in No. 7 is, “Rely”. It’s okay to be assisted at times when we start stumbling in the dark, but we must also learn to hold our own light.
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Absolutely, I agree. However I wasn’t merely meaning simply when stumbling in the dark.
Outsourcing what can free up your time, joint venture partnerships, and all that jazz will in many opinions, give one exponential growth over just “doing it all yourself”.
For many, that leads to more stumbling in the dark then anything else.
That’s all I meant.
Dennis Edells last blog post…As Promised Now You Can Edit Comments Too!
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Speaking of stumbling, this post has been Stumbled. So a hearty welcome to everyone who’s never been here before.
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Beautiful segway
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Dennis Edell (@blogbloketips) reply on January 20th, 2009 9:26 am:
Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:17 pm:
Dennis Edell (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 7:58 am:
DON (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:05 am:
love the top ten list… especially #8, you can spin it the other way too, if you don’t have a passion for what you do, it will show, and mediocre work will be produced
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Scott-I love the people who put out mediocre work, it floods those people to me for satisfaction, and inspires me to constantly create a better product.
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DON (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:04 am:
Enthusiasm is contagious and covers a multitude of sins
Thanks for dropping by Scott.
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Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:43 pm:
Nice story, thanks for sharing. I definitely agree with the “ask questions” part. If you don’t ask, you won’t get an answer! Learning to do things for yourself isn’t just useful, it’s really fun!
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Corey-Many people hesitate to ask questions fearing negative ramifications, but even if you experience a thousand people who don’t want to assist you and only one who gladly will, it will be worth it.
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DON (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:03 am:
That’s the reason for this blog Corey. To help others become better bloggers. Thanks for dropping by.
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Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:41 pm:
Very nicely written. I think I live your #10 point really well, though some people probably wish I’d stick to the topic more often. Then again, we do what we do to keep our interest as much as the interest of the readers, and we hope that everyone loves what we write as much as we loved writing it.
Mitchs last blog post…Google Analytics Goes Wonky
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Topics are like trees,they are the foundation from where we start, but just like trees that spring forth many branches, we can still take those topics many places.
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DON (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:02 am:
10.5 Make time everyday to interact with your community whether that is replying to comments on your blog or leaving insightful comments on other blogs in your niche.
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And speaking of interacting, welcome to Blog Bloke Central Anne.
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Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on January 19th, 2009 4:19 pm:
I don’t remember how I found your site. I could have been surfing.
I am glad I found you. I have already referred people back to your site. It is nice to have some really good stable advise to refer to.
Thank you
Sheila Atwoods last blog post…Blogging On Blogger
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Sorry for being late to respond and thanks for the nod Sheila.
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Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on January 28th, 2009 8:14 pm:
I love it when people admit their mistakes. Makes us all feel better. We aren’t the only ones.
Thanks for sharing and guiding us all to better blogging.
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That’s why I created the Bloke’s Bloopers category.
http://www.blogbloke.com/category/blokes-bloopers/
I’m sure there will be lots more before my blogging career is over :-).
Thanks Brenda.
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Blog Bloke (@blogbloketips) reply on January 28th, 2009 8:16 pm:
This is inspiring. Some of them are my mistakes too..
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treat your sites like babies. amen, brutha.
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One great lesson I learned from blogging..I got familiar and able to edit html codes! It’s fun especially when you finally make the codes right, hit enter and then….Wow! My blog looks awesome!
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I like prince lol. However, there was once where he fell from a stage. Michael Jackson and James Brown was there too ;D
jackies last blog post…1-800 New Funk - Various Artist Album - NPG - 2Gether
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If not for the Blog Bloke, I’d have no blog. Glad to see you got your game back. -t
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