))
PB120: Should You Start a Blog? 22 Questions to Ask To Identify if Blogging is a Good Fit for You
Archived series ("HTTP Redirect" status)
Replaced by: ProBlogger Podcast: Blog Tips to Help You Make Money Blogging
When?
This feed was archived on February 02, 2017 02:28 (
Why? HTTP Redirect status. The feed permanently redirected to another series.
What now? If you were subscribed to this series when it was replaced, you will now be subscribed to the replacement series. This series will no longer be checked for updates. If you believe this to be in error, please check if the publisher's feed link below is valid and contact support to request the feed be restored or if you have any other concerns about this.
Manage episode 150331487 series 80396
Content provided by Darren Rowse: Blogger and Online Entrepreneur. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Darren Rowse: Blogger and Online Entrepreneur or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Note: this episode can be listened to in the player above or on iTunes or Stitcher
22 Indicators to Help Determine If You’re Suited for Starting a Blog
Today I want to talk about the characteristics and qualities of professional bloggers.
Lately on ProBlogger we’ve noticed a bit of a surge of readers who are what I would call ‘PreBloggers’.
People asking questions about how to start a blog and even wondering if they should.
As a result we’ve recently published a 5 step guide for starting a blog which walks you through some of the technicalities of how to start out.
I want to step back a little from that process and tackle an important question that really should come before you start your blog. Should you start one?
Today I want to suggest to you 22 questions to ask yourself if you are considering starting a blog. These are not yes or no questions. These are 22 indicators to whether or not you might be suited to blogging.
In Today’s Episode 22 Questions to Ask To Identify if Blogging is a Good Fit for You
- Do you have a message?
- Do you have something you really need to say
- A central message
- Are you a good communicator?
- Communication skills are an advantage
- You can also learn communication skills through blogging
- Are you willing to be in the public spotlight?
- Blogging is a public act
- People will analyze what you do, say, and how you look
- You are putting yourself out there
- Once you write something online it is hard to get it removed
- Are you thick skinned?
- Can you take criticism well
- Someone will write about you sooner or later
- Are you a self starter?
- Starting a blog takes initiative
- It takes motivation to get a blog off the ground
- Are you disciplined?
- Blogging requires regular attention and motivation over time
- It’s good to aim for writing everyday
- Do you have time?
- You need to be able to update your blog regularly
- You also need time for comments, promotion and social media, etc.
- Do you have the ‘energy’ for blogging?
- Blogging takes focus
- After a long day at work can you still focus and be creative
- Do you have any technical ability?
- It’s not a requirement, but it’s an advantage to be able to learn and work on a technical level
- You don’t have to know everything to start, you just need a willingness to learn or ask for help
- Do you have a blend of humility and Ego?
- Bigheadedness abounds in the blogosphere, but the humble blogger often ends up on top
- Many ‘look at me bloggers’ haven’t lasted
- You need a healthy ego and self worth
- Build something of worth and have the confidence to promote it
- Getting the balance right is not easy
- Are you an organized person?
- Bloggers need to be organized
- Most successful bloggers have some type of system in place
- Are you a Social person?
- There are advantages to being a people person and liking your readers
- Having a genuine heart for your readers and making their lives better tends to work the best
- Do you enjoy ‘virtual relationships?
- Some people who are great face to face aren’t that great online
- Being comfortable with speaking to and working with people you have never met is an advantage if you’re a blogger
- Are you willing to learn?
- Blogging is a journey where everyone knows something, but no one knows everything
- Industries like blogging also change
- Are you a creative person?
- Creativity on the web really stands out
- Do you have Stick-ability? Are you a patient person?
- Take a long term approach
- Blogs are a bit of a slow burn
- Some take years of work
- Are you Consistent?
- Blogger get into trouble with their readers by changing from week to week
- Don’t be inconsistent and frustrate your readers
- Do you take yourself too Seriously?
- Bloggers should have a sense of humor
- Have the ability to laugh at yourself
- How you deal with foolish moments is important
- Are you honest and transparent?
- Some bloggers completely disappear by being found out and not being transparent
- Most people are pretty honest
- There are some people who have gone down in flames doing things that aren’t honest
- Are you willing to step outside your comfort zone
- You are going to have to put yourself out there
- Be open for critique
- Be willing to learn
- Do you have passion?
- Sometimes passion gets over emphasized
- There is more to it than passion
- It is important with passion for your topic
- If you don’t have a passion for a certain topic, be passionate about what you are doing
- Are you willing to work hard?
- If your goals are to build a large audience and have an income stream, you will need to work hard
- Blogging for income is not a passive thing
If you have gone through this list and answered no. You are not alone. I struggled with many of these things, but I still did it. This list is to give you some areas to work on and be aware of before you start blogging.
I asked on my Facebook page for bloggers to tell me the top 3 characteristics and qualities that they see in bloggers. I was thinking I might get a handful of responses that I could use in this episode but the response was quite overwhelming.
I’m going to list some of the first responses below but even by the time that I’d gotten these in there are many more already being added. So to see the full list of advice head here.
Top 3 Characteristics of Bloggers From My Facebook Page
- This sounds so cheesy but passion. If you aren’t passionate you aren’t going to succeed. Passion get you through those really tough moments (and there will be plenty of those along the way). When you are passionate magic happens.
- You have to be true to you. You don’t worry about what others are doing and trying to keep up with them. You find what works for you, what your audience wants, what is on brand and you do it with enthusiasm and confidence. Don’t think you need to do what every other blogger is doing.
- A thick skin. It’s not an easy career path and you need to know when to take a moment and be upset and when to dust yourself off and continue forward.
Trudie Bristow – Success is many things to many people, but as for qualities and characteristics that allow particular bloggers to connect with their audiences and do it well I’d have to say:
- Genuine and authentic desire to engage with others and to affect change in others as well as being open to it doing the same for them.
- Being brave to try things that scare them or are little left of field whilst having the stamina to get up and look for a new angle and reassess if things weren’t received how they envisaged.
- Being real and truthful, in an online world where so much of it is highly curated I think the ones who have the staying power are those who aren’t living a different life behind the mask of their blog. Bottom line is once you start sharing online it’s there forever, if you’re not going to be real or truthful you’ll slip up at some point and it will all fall apart.
- They need have genuinely good intentions (not be greedy mean people), they need to be truly unique (the weirder and more honest, the better) and they have to have to have a Teflon arm shields for pew-pewing away all the negativity.
Kate Shelby
- Being Genuine and Showing your Personality.
- Being genuine and addressing people’s questions no matter how insignificant they may seem and showing your Personality. It doesn’t matter what your doing you can bring your personality into it. Otherwise I’m going to assume you don’t enjoy your job or you are holding out in some way.
- As a reader that keeps me engaged.
- Optimism and the ability to see opportunity in every situation,an understanding of what makes them happy and a desire to see others happy too. smile emoticon Happiness all round.
- Successful bloggers need to be business minded, resilient to failures, and truly excited about their niche.
- They need to be honest as karma will come bite them on the bottom, organised to the hilt and know exactly who their target group is.
- Successful bloggers have a genuine desire to connect with readers, something to say, perseverance and imagination.
- I think bloggers need to be organised, likeable & relatable.
Brooke Ciccozzi – A great blogger should be:
- Relatable – Even though you may be an SME in your niche, no one likes a smug ‘know it all’. Readers respond to an empathetic vibe
- Responsive – Able to be timely and contribute constructively to current posts/threads/views in their niche or industry
- Generous – Share knowledge, experience and support kindly to build a genuine sense of family amongst your readers
- I love to read blogs that are entertaining, pictorially brilliant and provide great information (in an interesting way). There is nothing more boring that a bland account of information!
- Driven, business minded and passionate (about niche and blogging – it’s hard work!)
- Strong voice. Very strong voice!
- Consistency, Persistence, Clear voice/brand.
- They are consistent, they have a clear message, and they value their fans.
- Persistence, authenticity, and audacity
- Continuous learning ~ effective time management ~ persistent.
- Awareness – of themselves and others. Practice the ‘Learn, Do, Teach’ methodology. Endurance. A lot of endurance!
- real experience, attentive to the external world, personality
- Good time management, patience, and the ability to think outside the box
Enjoy this podcast? Sign up to our ProBloggerPLUS newsletter to get notified of all new tutorials and podcasts below.
Never miss an episode – Subscribe to the ProBlogger podcast on iTunes
Got a Question You’d Like Me to Answer?
I base many episodes of this podcast upon questions answered by ProBlogger Podcast listeners and Blog readers.
You can use the following widget to ask a question. Please include your name and blog name (if you have a blog).
The post PB120: Should You Start a Blog? 22 Questions to Ask To Identify if Blogging is a Good Fit for You appeared first on ProBlogger Podcast.
179 episodes
Share
