Should I Start a Blog? [+ What Kind of Blog is Right for You Quiz]
Starting a blog certainly seems like an attractive proposition!
Especially if you’re an introvert like me or you have social anxiety.
After all, you get to work from home (or anywhere in the world with Wifi). You get to be your own boss, set your own hours, and design your own days.
And there are also many other reasons to start a blog, including that it allows you to:
If you’ve been thinking about starting a blog for a while, then you’ve probably done the research.
You know that blogging is a unique opportunity that makes all these wonderful things possible!
But you may be questioning, “Should I start a blog?”, or “Am I really cut out to be a blogger?”
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You Don’t Need Any Special Experience, Education or Connections to Become A Successful Blogger
When I first started out, I had no idea what a blog even was. I had absolutely no prior experience and I was most definitely not tech savvy.
I also had zero social media followers and no connections in the blogosphere.
But, as with most things in life, these obstacles can be overcome with ingenuity and determination.
Don’t let lack of experience, connections or technical know-how hold you back from starting a blog if you really want to.
That would be like setting out on a road trip and then turning around the first time you hit a speed bump!
So, if you are struggling with writing or you’re feeling overwhelmed by the technical side of blogging and things like WordPress, themes, plug-ins, digital marketing, email automation, opt-ins, etc. like I was – just know that – in the words of Marie Forleo – everything is figure-out-able.
*Here are some blogging resources I use on my blog, many of which are free. *
Update: How I Get Over 1 Million Monthly Views on Pinterest
Is Your Blog Going to Be a Hobby or a Business?
If you are starting a blog as a hobby or otherwise personal endeavor, then you shouldn’t have any problems. You are free to write about what you want, how you want, when you want, as often as you want.
But, if you are planning to make money from your blog, know that there is a lot of hard work, dedication and perseverance involved.
You must treat blogging as your job and consistently keep at it for a while before you start raking in the dough.
So, is it worth it to you to invest all that time and energy? And are you ready for the challenge?
Blogging Isn’t for Everyone
Blogging certainly isn’t for everyone, including people who:
- Aren’t willing to work hard- Like almost anything worth having in life, blogging requires a lot of consistent hard work and discipline. If you think blogging is easy, think again.
- Are not self-motivated: Because you are your own boss, you must be driven and self-motivated. If you think blogging/working from home involves watching TV or being on social media all day, you probably won’t succeed.
- Don’t have the time/can’t be consistent: You’ve got to be consistent when it comes to your blog. If you are too busy to consistently create content and interact with your audience, blogging may not be for you – at least for right now.
- Expect instant success - It will most likely take some time for you to start making money from your blog. It doesn’t just happen overnight (despite what some “expert” bloggers would lead you to believe). If you are looking for to get rich quickly and without much effort, you will probably quit before making your blog a success.
- Are closed-minded - To make money blogging, you have to be open to feedback and new ideas. Successful bloggers are constantly learning and growing. If you are not open to criticism or you’re not willing to change, you will probably not reach the level of success you desire.
- Don’t like to write - If you hate writing, then you probably shouldn’t start a blog. However, there is always the possibility that you may grow to like writing as you practice and improve, so don’t give up on it right away. Vlogging is another option – have you thought about starting a YouTube channel? Video is continuing to grow in popularity – Forbes calls it “the future of content marketing”.
On the other hand, you’d probably be a great blogger if at least a couple of the following statements describe you.
You:
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Start Your Blog This Week
“You may delay, but time will not, and lost time is never found again.”- Benjamin Franklin
If you have even a few of these qualities and you’re willing to put in the work, I encourage you to start your blog today!
Just think where you could be one year from now.
I don’t know about you, but it always amazes me how quickly time seems to pass.
My first year of blogging went by so fast I can hardly believe it’s been that long!
It seems like just yesterday I was getting a domain, setting up hosting, and designing my blog.
Pro tip: Get your domain, even if you don’t plan on writing a single blog post for the next few months.
At least you will be building domain authority – domain age is one of Google’s 200 ranking factors for 2019.
So, basically, the longer your website has been established, the better.
The One Thing That Guarantees Failure
“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” -J.K. Rowling
The one thing that guarantees failure for aspiring entrepreneurs (and anyone else for that matter) is: not going for it.
If you don’t try, you will fail by default.
I get it. It’s difficult to put yourself out there. It’s natural to worry about things like whether you’ve got what it takes, what people will think of you and the possibility of failure.
You don’t know for sure whether you will succeed in what you set out to do. No one does.
But, don’t let fear hold you back from finding out. Instead, let it propel you towards uncomfortable opportunities.
As an aspiring entrepreneur, stepping outside your comfort zone and taking advantage of those uncomfortable opportunities is critical because if you want something you’ve never had, you need to do things you’ve never done.
Take Action Now
Once you make the decision to start your blog, it is important that you take some action to back it up right now.
It doesn’t have to be anything huge; it can be something as simple as marking the date you will start your blog on your calendar.
Or it could be deciding what you will blog about or coming up with a name for your blog and registering your domain.
Or setting up your email list.
Whatever action you decide to take, do it NOW. It will never be the “perfect time” so just get started. Time and experience will work out all the kinks.
And don’t worry so much about “failure”. We shouldn’t think about it as some negative, unacceptable, shame-inducing outcome.
Failure is not final. It’s simply a learning opportunity that brings you one step closer to your ultimate success.
Thomas Edison went through 10,000 prototypes when trying to come up with a commercially-viable light bulb. He is famous for saying,
“I have not failed 10,000 times, I have not failed once. I've succeeded in proving that those 10,000 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
Share this & help someone else!
Are You Ready to Start Blogging?
I hope you found this post useful and that you have more clarity on whether blogging is for you.
If it is, don’t waste any more time. Back your decision up with some action today.
Please leave a comment and let me know if you are going to start your blog – I’m here to help you and I am rooting for you all the way!
If you want to start a blog but you’re not sure what kind of blog you should start, take this short quiz to find out what type of blog best suits your personality and blogging goals.
