You start blogging with all your dreams. You want to proclaim yourself as an entrepreneur.
Or you may want to build that dream business you’ve always been wanting to build.
May be you want send your message out. Or may be you want to financially support your family by doing your part of “something”.
Everyone has different reasons for starting a blog.
However I am quite familiar of coming across abandoned blogs. Blog that are trashed. Blogs that are just dumped as if they are of no use anymore.
With every start-up there is so much energy, hope, enthusiasm, and of course, dreams, efforts and monetary investment involved.
So it is no joke that you start a blog and then think about quitting.
But you know what, over 90% of bloggers that start blogging think about quitting blogging at least once in their career.
I myself had thought about quitting blogging twice.
Even though I had prior blogging and online experience, I just hit the bottom at a point where I wanted to simply quit blogging.
I wanted to sell my websites and just get back to taking care of household.
But then, fortunately, very soon after this thought popped up, I bounced back with twice the strength and confidence (thanks to my hubby).
After I was stabilized, I went back and analyzed what caused the thought and why was I forced to such a situation.
I summarize those findings here.
Blogging without clarity
I started blogging without clarity, and without any purpose. I couldn’t make any money. Besides, I couldn’t get any further.
I was stuck at a point and I got frustrated and desperate. When I think about it today, it is no surprise.
When I blog without clarity and clear goals in front of me, I am essentially wasting my time and efforts.
I am simply doing pointless things. And yes it DOES take time and effort to do pointless things, don’t you agree?
In fact, it takes a lot more mental energy to work on pointless things that can easily lead to brain drain and burn out than working on clearly laid out goals.
Rather, if you have clarity in the first place, everything becomes pixel perfect. You clearly know your outcome/destination.
You clearly know the steps you are going to take (a.k.a tasks that you will be doing) in order to get that outcome.
Blogging without clarity not only wastes your time and efforts, but it can easily frustrate you.
Why? Because you would be putting in a lot of time and effort but you won’t be getting the results you should be getting. And this is really frustrating isn’t?
Once you stop doing what you are doing and start twisting your arms to find out your purpose, and your clarity, you will feel a lot lighter (stress-free).
And you will find that your “work” in general has got a new purpose and has become a lot more meaningful.
And, you will find that your confidence will naturally be boosted (yes, talking from experience here).
Blogging without a business
Oh yes, this is the most popular (or I should say a notorious) reason why most bloggers quit; because, as I’ve said many times on various places at this blog, a blog won’t make money by itself.
“Monetizing a blog” is a wrong concept! You don’t simply start a blog and then think about monetizing it.
You start a business and THEN start a blog to promote and market your business. That’s how it should be.
[clickToTweet tweet=”If you first start a blog and then think about “how” to add a business to it, you will most probably fail.” quote=”If you first start a blog and then think about “how” to add a business to it, you will most probably fail.” theme=”style4″]That’s how a lot of blogs failed that I know of.
When I first started out, I had started a couple of blogs, just for the sake of blogging.
However I did not have an intention to earn money from them (luckily).
Those blogs did fail and I had to dump them. But I was fortunate that I didn’t believe or expect that those blogs would make me money.
However it is not the case with most blogs that are started today.
Bloggers have a big expectation that their blog will one day start earning cash, mostly on autopilot so they can quit their day job and live a luxurious life.
Sure this dream is not faulty. But I see no room for a business here! How can you expect to make money without a business?
Before you think about starting a blog and before you decide on your domain name, devise your business model.
Now the term “business model” may sound too tricky and nerdy. But it is really really simple (at least for the start). Just answer these questions:
- How will your business bring in money?
- How are you going to deliver value to make it happen?
That’s it.
Sit down and analyze your business model if you have one.
And if you don’t have one (which is the most common case I see with my blog audit clients) devise an income generating business model first.
Not having enough expertise
You may have heard many people telling you that you don’t need to be an expert in order to blog on a niche.
That is true, for starters. But then you cannot be blunt throughout your blogging journey.
You have to develop your skills and develop expertise in your industry to stay on top. This is beneficial in two ways:
- If you develop your expertise in your industry, you get to offer more valuable stuff to your prospects (in terms of content, products, services etc.)
-
1 leads to more profits, of course!
- You can easily and genuinely become an authority and can establish your brand.
Now you can see that having expertise benefits you and your business naturally.
If you don’t take enough efforts to develop expertise, you will be forced to quit blogging in a short while.
Trying to fake it until you make it
You might have heard this phrase a lot. It used to be quite popular (even now it is very popular).
Lots of beginner bloggers usually fake it until they make it.
What kind of faking am I talking about? Well, all kinda faking.
Some bloggers might want to prove that they are experts in a field so that they can get coaching clients.
Who will want to hire a new life coach, or any other coach? So newbie bloggers might be tempted to fake their expertise.
They might put up fake testimonials, or fake income proof, or fake success stories.
This is just one example. There are people faking income reports, fake case studies and much more.
This kinda “fake it until you make it” trend might work for a while.
But very shortly people will smell the ingenuity in your approach. And very soon you might be forced to quit blogging by loosing your reputation.
So what’s the solution? Build authority and success slowly, genuinely.
A genuine testimonial or a success story is worth much more than a fake testimonial.
Plus your hands are clean so you don’t have to worry about hiding stuff in the long run or be alert always to hide your failures.
If you are starting out and need genuine testimonials, you can always get them by doing some work for free or getting the help from your blogging friends.
Never ever fake it until you make it. It is a dangerous trap that will force you to quit blogging definitely.
Not understanding your prospects well
Your prospects are the ones who will be doing business with you as long as you are in business.
If you don’t understand them properly you are already out of business.
Now, blogging is a great way reach your customers and deliver them what they want.
That is how your blog will help you get more business.
But if you keep blogging without caring enough about your customers and prospects, you will soon be out of business.
Your blog won’t gain traction. And it won’t serve the purpose.
Not understanding your prospects and blogging without serving your customers will give out a negative message that your business is not for “them” – your potential customers.
They might not be interested in reading your blog anymore. So how do you think you are going to get new customers via your blog? No, you can’t.
How to understand your prospects well and create a tailor made blog for them? That’s a topic for a new post and I will put it up soon!
Follow these tips or quit blogging
To sum up, just implement some simple tips and you will be good to go.
- Get clarity first and then proceed with blogging
- Develop a business model (a model that consistently brings in cash flow)
- Invest time and effort in building your expertise on the topic.
- DO NOT fake it until you make it.
- Take the time to understand your prospects and target customers.
Now, I would like to hear from you. Have you taken any of these tips lightly so far? If so what is it?
And how do you plan to fix it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Awesome write up 😀 really helpful to encourage blogging regularly….
Glad you liked it Radha. Thanks for stopping by!
That’s an interesting set of thoughts. It is a very good pointer that when passion takes form of a business, it can certainly thrive.. 🙂
Passion is very important Vinay. Even though it is not the only one ingredient, it is one of the most important ingredients!
Jane, I dig the new look! Infused with your personality. Clarity sets blogging success in motion or makes you want to quit, if you lack this element. I blog to be free. I also blog to connect with people who want to make money online. If I build my blog around this level of clarity I’ll naturally attract like minded folks. If I lack clarity how can I expect like-minded people to find me? Impossible.
Before you blog figure out why you want to blog. Then focus clearly on 1 target audience and build your blog – from its design, to post, to post – around this clear end, or goal, to get through the tough times. I too entertained quitting here and there Joan. We all do. So glad I didn’t know, because I’d be writing these words from NJ instead of Thailand 😉
Tweeted through Triberr!
Ryan glad you like the new look of the site 🙂 I cannot stress enough the importance of clarity. I’ve paid heavy because of that one mistake!
You are a great traveler 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the share!
And, you wouldn’t have been able to tame tigers, nor get that photo with the tiger on your Facebook profile 😛
There are many reason due to which many bloggers come to the end of their blogging. As you have explained about getting the proper idea of our niche at what we are going to blog or we can say for any online business. Every blogger need to figure out the solution. And we all know no one can become an expert with in few days. People need to devote their time for their work. Having the right direction is based on the blogger’s mind, in which he/she is going to take it. Thanks for sharing. You have explained in an effective way.
Jane, great topic and points. I started as a hobby to help others learn from my mistakes online and then started to make a little money from it along the way. I need to define my goals more and think of it more as a business too. Thanks for the inspiration on this.
I can’t believe how many blogs I’ve become across that were abandoned.
Is it all about money? Sure, many people love wrtiting, but most try to make money from it or advance in career. I think most bloggers fails due to lack of goals and planning.
Very true Kaloyan. Without goals and planning, no one can get success.
Thanks Jane for pointing out these mistakes.
Yes I learn something about blogging here and of course starting to follow your tips..thanks for sharing.
Wonderful tips! Well, totally agree with an interesting, yet important point that you made about faking. Rather than following fake it until you make it trend, building an authority and heading towards success slowly and genuinely, is what’s most important for success and long-term business. Thanks Jane for this amazing post !
When I saw title of email “I decided to sell….”, First I shocked that Why Jane want to sell. I was busy but still I started to read that. and finally I came to this awesome write up….
Great Post. Really helpful.. Thanks for sharing notes.
Makarand,
Like you, after reading her third e-mail subject which told about selling her third blog, even I thought something had really happened to Jane! But, felt nice to know after reading the e-mail, this hadn’t really happened.
Otherwise, you and I wouldn’t even exist as commenters here. And no one would’ve known one of the top 20 Indian bloggers. Jane would’ve been a common girl with a common life – eat, sleep and make work hard daily to earn a living – that kind.
Hi Jane,
Congratulations on the new look of your blog – looks great indeed 🙂
You are absolutely right – we all get such thoughts of quitting, happens with me too. But when I see the positive feedback of people through the never ending comments, their interaction on the blog and social media, and I know my blog is helping them in some ways, it gives me all the more reason to continue with greater force.
As you already know, the purpose of opening my blog was never to make money but to help others through the knowledge I had and learned slowly with time. And it’s the love and respect of people that I’ve earned and value much more than money. However, with the time I’m devoting now blogging, I’d surely be thinking of monetizing my blog in a few ways. Yes, clarity about what you want from your blog is essential as that gives you the direction to carry on and achieve your goals.
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
People says that they blog for passion,they blog to learn and share but not for money. But this is applied hardly to 5% of the blogger around the globe.
Everyone wants to monetize their blog after all money is what the main thing which encourage us to continue blogging. Am I right?
The points which you have mention and explain is really a motivating for me. I boosted my confidence to continue my blogging journey with all my skill and knowledge.
Thank you very much. 🙂
Hi Jane,
Awesome write up! Really enjoyed going through it! Could relate to many things you pointed out in the post. Like when you said that almost 90% of bloggers thought of quitting blogging after starting one up, I was like- ‘Hey I have been through the same situation while I was at college!’. Thankfully, I held on to blogging and I’m really happy that I did.
Talking about the article, you shared some very valuable, timeless tips. About that ‘clarity’ part, lack of clarity is almost always the cause behind an abandoned blog, if you ask me.
Many folks jump into the blogging bandwagon out of impulse. Say like- just to make money. They never analyze the prospects, make plans, set goals or learn things. They just jump in and fail spectacularly. Quitting becomes a matter of when rather than why!
Well written article Jane! Loved it!
Arun
Jane love the look and information. As someone who has abandoned blogs because of time commitment, I have to say that good blogging takes time and effort but the other comment I need to make and was reminded about yesterday by Andy from Comment Luv is that unless you comment on other blogs, people are unlikely to comment on yours, unless they are spammers.
Great article. We need to have a vision and mission defined for our blog. Many newbie bloggers just look at money making aspect and jump in and when they do not see income their blogs fail. When we chase the vision with passion rest of the items for the blog will fall in place. This article will really motivate everyone. Thanks for sharing this Jane.
I was too about to quit blogging as the expectation from my blog was higher than its actual position.
Well thanks to you, I will continue my blogging journey.
All these tips are awesome..and these always inspire to do blogging all the time.. thanks for it
Hello,
Well I guess you are totally right about each and every reason for quitting blog and I must say I was in dilemma to quit blogging for sometime but later I worked on that.
Thanks
Great tips. Specifically I liked the point made about fake it until you make it. Once you start faking it you get used to it and you can never strive to learn those skills actually..
😀 Yes Raspal , you are right. Jane is not common girl. that is why she is having such a great blogging and right always something awesome.
Hi Dear,
A BIG bouquet of thanks! I have just gone through the guide and it’s really awesome. Thanks for sharing your guide. I always love getting freebies and this one will definitely help me out with my own blogs. I’m a new blogger therefor this post is helpful for me.
This guide is loaded to the max with invaluable tips and resources. I love this post because it is useful and
informative for me.I have shared and tweeted it. Always enjoy your posts. 🙂
Thanks again !!!!
I will never quit my blogging hobby. Reading your post I can say that problogging success realy stands what it is named after.
Hi Jane,
The problem with most of the bloggers in the starting of blogging career is that they thinks about money and not focus on building up a brand and gathering blog readers.
I always recommend such bloggers to first find a niche in which they are having some kind of experience, target their audience and build up readership. Once you are able to drive good traffic to your website, then start monetizing it 😉 .
Anyway thanks for sharing the useful tips in this guide.
Hello,
Well I guess motivation is necessary to keep the passion and interest towards blogging as long as we can. And also we don’t have to focus on earning money from blogging.
even i was also thinking for quiting blogging as i didn’t get enough time and even not even got any thing in return except some good bloggers guides and friends
I also face the most common reason for bloggers quit blogging which is due to the fact that they lack a clear plan and vision for their blog. I typically do not have a clear grasp as to which niche/topic it is that I want to dedicate on blogging.
But now I have got some confidence back after reading this post and so will try hard for focussing more on my blogging content.
Hey jane,
Great content and Yes, blogging require lots of hardwork, consistency and patience and due to lack of these characteristics many people quit blogging. people who started blogging just to make money online never get success and quit blogging. Guidance of an expertise really helps in getting success in blogging. Thanks for sharing this post with us.
Great post, This will must help all to go in the right direction of Blogging. Thanks for sharing your views among us.
nice article and i totally agree with your point without clarity and business we can not increase our income and all the work we done is wasted. nice tips thanks to sharing with us.
Very well said @Jane without proper aim of your work you cant get success. Every one have their own point of view regarding the blogging. Some people blog for money but some do blogging just for fun.
Great Share! These are real things that bloggers go through and you managed to express about very comprehensively. There will be times when we feel like its time to quit. But it is quite difficult to get over that thought. We have to keep working and success shall follow us.
Hello
Jane,
Very informative and inspiring post from your side and it will be very helpful for bloggers especially for newbie. This post is loaded with lots of crucial information about blogging. I totally agree with all your points. I like the points Blogging without clarity and Blogging without a business and here, I have learned a lot about these facts.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a great day ahead. will share this post on my social media accounts.
Praveen verma
Great tips!!! Blogging for the wrong reasons will always lead to failure. Keep you passion and you will keep blogging!
Thanks
Awesome post! Really enjoyed reading it! Could relate to many things you pointed out in the post. Like when you said that almost 90% of bloggers thought of quitting blogging after starting one up, I was like- ‘Hey I have been through the same situation while I was at college!’. Thankfully, I held on to blogging and I’m really happy that I did.
Jane,
Great article. Thank you for encouraging us burnt out bloggers!
– Rhodes
Hello Jane,
Awesome and very informative post. I actually never wanted to quit blogging as it has now become the passion. However, When I first started my blog I was a victim of sabotage as someone created lots of spam backlinks for my blog and I am not able to overcome from it. It hurts my blog drastically. Even the Google disavow tool don’t help me a lot. Finally, I dropped that blog and started my new blog with new energy and passion. You know when you have the dedication and hard work then it should definitely yield to success. Brilliant points.
Have a Great Day 🙂
Vishwajeet