Here’s another question from webspear for some discussion:
“How do you keep yourself motivated, when your blog is not attracting much traffic.”
Staying motivated is a massive issue for bloggers. Without it a blog really suffers.
How do you keep yourself motivated? Do you have systems or practices that help you? I hope this discussion will be helpful to us all as blogger apathy, burnout or bloggers block is something most of us go through at one time or another!
Hi Guys, Its me again.
I thanked Darren for posting the question, but forgot to thank *ALL* of you for your thoughtful responses.
I wanted to summarize the points in this post, but found out that Syed Balkhi has already done that! Good job Syed!
The reason I asked this question is because I believe this is a burning question for many new bloggers. The number of responses to this question also indicates how many people are passionate about keeping themselves motivated.
I think people give up soon sometimes when they feel that they are late in the game. They feel there are so many other blogs doing the same thing like them. They compare their work with the leaders in the field. Looking at the leaders can be inspiring, but it can also put you down because you feel so small compared with these heavyweights.
Recently I wrote an article at my blog that echoed these sentiments. Please check it out.
http://www.webspear.com/fundamentals/your-new-website-is-not-bad-as-you-think/
Once a gain I thank you for your comments.
Motivation for these Fingertips comes in the form of #1) waking up in the Life-worn Shoes granted me these days to #2) find an inbox endlessly overflowing with brand new instances of Disability and Human Rights violations far too often highlighting Human Life loss due to a pervasive, archaic societal view of our most vulnerable populations..
Never, ever doubt that a writer with a blog using just the right tools *can* change the status quo because all it takes is a traffic count of *ONE*, albeit the right one, for a “party” to get the message your Heart sends..
Chevy Chasing off my soapbox now.. :wink:
Cyber hugs from Talking Rock..
Well I have just started blogging for less than a month so lack of motivation is not something that I have experience yet and hope that I will not. I am passionate about what I write so hopefully that will keep me motivated. My goal for the next coming months is to write write and write good articles that my readers hopefully enjoy.
In case lack of motivation happens…well I’ll go back to square one. That is I’ll go back and read the answers to these questions I wrote down when I started the blog:
1) What am I going to do with this blog?
2) Who am I doing this for?
3) Why I am doing this?
Worst case, I find something that’s happened during the day that made me grind my teeth. Then I try to come up with a smart funny way to discuss it.
Sometimes it still bothers me when there’s a lull in my blog traffic. But usually it picks back up again after a few days. It just takes patience. It also helps that I love blogging and am passionate about the topic I blog about (writing and literature). That’s probably the most important thing is loving the subject you blog about.
I get motivation from somewhere, I set myself goals and work towards them, I try and make them fun and of real interest to me… otherwise I find it hard to keep on going.
I am following a dream, that one day I will achieve my great goals that I have set out for myself… these are the main motivating factors in my blogging day.
I don’t try to get motivated … I either am or not .. .when I’m not, then I don’t write … regardless of the consequences for the blog …
Lex
You have to want to do it even if you don’t make money. It takes years to build up enough readership to supplement a pay check. For me, it’s about getting the truth out there. Not just hoping someone will click on my RSS feed.
You’re my idol.
I just check my traffic stats. My blog is only 1 and a half months old, and getting around 270 UV daily. So I just think about how I want those stats to grow even more since they have shown so much potential already, and so I keep blogging.
Motivation and staying motivated can be a struggle sometimes, especially when times are tough and giving in seems like an attractive option.
I see many comments here stating that people are passionate about what they do so it’s easy to stay motivated. But what happens when you are starting to feel unmotivated about the subject you are passionate about? It will happen at some stage and you need to have a plan to get you through that time.
It can become a constant battle between you and the little voice inside your head that tells you you’re ready to take the foot off the accelerator and apply the brakes.
I’m a recently retired rowing athlete. I’m very passionate about rowing, yet I have had many moments where I’ve needed to search for something within to get me through.
These moments come when I am exhausted from training, when I don’t get the right sleep, when my diet is not 100%, when I’m sick, or I don’t see my training reflect in the results on the water. It feels like no matter what you do, nothing is working, you can’t be bothered doing the training and you teeter on the edge of giving up.
When this happens I take a moment to work out what is bothering me and use positive affirmations to spark myself up again. Instead of the little voice saying “My body is tired”, I say to myself “With every workout my body is getting stronger”.
You could do the same with blogging. Work out what is leading you to to feel unmotivated and create positive affirmations that you can repeat to yourself. Write them on post-it’s and stick them to the side of your monitor.
I once heard a quote that I loved and I’ve repeated it to myself many times : “Successful people keep moving”.
Even if you are uninspired, keep moving and eventually you will have the “Ah-Ha” moment that propells you to the next level. And it’s a nice feeling when it happens.
For me, learning new information and sharing that information to others is what drives me! So reading through blogs RSS feeds that I am subscribed too in my Google Reader is a great source of inspiration for me. Because I learn something new every time I do it!
One thing that keeps me motivated is that my blog isn’t really about me – it’s about my readers. Sure, the subject matter is often based on what’s happening in my family’s life, but the humor that springs from it is meant to give a laugh to those who read my posts. Just knowing there are people reading and laughing at what I post is reason enough for me to keep trying to lift spirits and burdens.
By coming here
While I am passionate about the topics I write, I do understand for myself that I am not at a high everyday. What I like to do, during times of lower motivation, is to take a break to center myself. It can be anything – meditation, playing with my kids, taking a walk, etc.
When I hit my desk again, I find myself feeling driven and often, more energized than before!
Evelyn
It is a very tough job to continue blog writing and updating the site regularly unless you are a full-time blogger. Read the post “Hold Tight, It Will Only Get Easier” from DailyBlogTips.com and see the most important message for newbies.
I guess it all comes down to enjoying what you are doing. If you like blogging you wouldn’t need any extra motivation.
Just create an entry that you love about. make a general topic for your blog, so you can write any think there. keep blog walking to get a new spirit..!! :)
My may motivation comes from the feedback i get. Even if my blog keeps getting low traffic i get, from time to times, some great feedback. That really motivates me because shows that people not only read what i do but also enjoy it.
However most of the feedback isn’t in my blog (in the form of comments), but in other places i visit. I sometimes think that this its putting me back in traffic.
My main motivation comes from the feedback i get. Even if my blog keeps getting low traffic i get, from time to times, some great feedback. That really motivates me because shows that people not only read what i do but also enjoy it.
However most of the feedback isn’t in my blog (in the form of comments), but in other places i visit. I sometimes think that this its putting me back in traffic.
As is often said, the key to this is blogging for enjoyment first. If you enjoy doing it and love talking about a subject that fascinates you then it doesnt matter if no one is reading initially. Having run a number of sites over the years this idea has always worked for me. And now I even run a blog which has no intention of making big bucks.
I always love the saying, make your hobby your job and never work again.
I already did that in my day job, running sites is now just another hobby and if something comes of it then great, if not then I still have enjoyed the experience. Win win!
Reading blogs like these, being patient, constantly learning; remembering that I’m in this for the long haul even if it means mixing things up, doing thing differently: that it’s not just about embarking on a short term- get -rich -quick -win- a- lottery -scheme!
For the same input, some plants grow faster and yield fruits. Some grow slowly to yield fruits. All plants are not alike. Same way all blogs are also not alike. I consider my blog as a plant. Longer the time it takes to grow, it is going to remain stronger.This is how I motivate myself.
My Mom used to say with a sigh, “There are some days!” They were days when she was “down”. I didn’t know it then – as a child — but I have learned that there are those kinds of days for all of us. You don’t feel up to par – or worse – you’re really “down in the dumps” and don’t feel like working at all.
By nature, she was very contented with life, even in the hard times. But when those “days” came along, she just kept on going. There was work to be done, and she did it. In response to my occasional “belly-aching” she would say, “Just DO IT! The quicker you start, the sooner it will be done, and then you can enjoy the results.” She developed a work ethic in us that remains after 80+ years.
The same goes for working on starting my blog. Nothing works perfectly all the time. Their will be times of discouragement, lack of motivation, even despair as to whether anything is working for you. “Just DO IT.” I’ve developed a mindset that no matter what comes, no matter what obstacles there are, “Just DO IT.”
Here is what I do:
1. Remind myself why your doing this (blogging) daily.
2. Have goal for the number of entries you are going to add a month/week (Mine is 1 per week)
3. Have a specific earnings goal and deadline for that goal.
writing a blog is really inspirational, one has to have a flair for writing, because blogging entails writing , and i know i have developed the passion to write more effectively.
What I do is:
– Stay watching the traffic for keep my spirit to write interesting articles
– Searching some new on the net and “offline life”
– Must have target which wish to be reached every day
Cigar Inspector is right, and there are also some free software out there that can give you your stats on a regular basis in a concise report.
It seems to me the absolute key is picking the right subject for your blog that ties into your deepest values. Something that you’re passionate about. Blogging is really about sharing information. Ask the question “Why do I care if others receive this information?” I think the better you can answer that question, the more motivated you’ll be. And when you burn out, if your answer is honest and true to who you are, that ultimate goal for which you’re sharing the information in the first place will remotivate you.
I developed my blogging routine based on the book “Clear Blogging by David Walsh. If you ask a group of people what section of the newspaper they read, they have a favorite. Walsh asserts that people like that in your blogging too. I write (at least) 3 “collumns” a week for sure and I try to do them on the same day every week. I write other stuff too as it comes to me, but these things are constant.
The other thing that does for you is gives you a structrure so you aren’t left with the inevitable question “what do I write about” (at least not as often!)
Thanks! Love this blog…great job guys…
Rob
I am really new to blogging, but i love to write about my niche. Its been a month since i have started blogging, i do post regularly. I also read stuff on motivation, i think it helps me a lot.
Googol Rider,
Just remember to stay consistent and keep your posts regular.
I look at Darrens stats. This might sound discouraging, but I know I’ll be there some day so it motivates me.
P.s. Don’t know if the thread / post is dead.
Is it me or is it the recession? Visits are plummeting to the earth’s core. Losing 50% visitors as well as $$ week on week. Anyone with a similar problem? I hope its the recession.