When you first start off as a blogger you’ll be full of enthusiasm and grand ideas. But keeping up a blog can be tough. If you really want to make a success of your blog you have to work at it consistently. Developing some good habits early on will make it easier for your blog to thrive in an online world full of tough competition.
- Post consistently
You don’t have to be spewing out new blog posts every day of the week, but you should be posting regularly. Try to post on the same day, at the same time every week. Your followers will soon get used to your schedule and know when to expect new material from you. Audiences love routine, so don’t post haphazardly and confuse them.
- Take your time
If you rush to get a post out it will look sloppy. Rather take your time and make sure it’s word-perfect before you hit the ‘publish’ button. Even successful copywriters check every little detail before they send their work off. It’s a good habit to develop early on in your career and save the embarrassment of having your errors pointed out to you by eagle-eyed readers.
- Collaborate with others
As a junior blogger it’s important for you to develop relationships with your peers and other brands. Working together on a project such as webinar or podcast is a great way to get more exposure for your blog and grow your audience. Don’t be shy to work with more experienced bloggers. Grab these opportunities with both hands as they will help you to grow and improve as a writer in South Africa.
- Don’t compare yourself to others
While you should always embrace the opportunity to work with others, you shouldn’t compare yourself to them. Blogging in South Africa is competitive, but don’t let that put you off. Keep working on your blog and set your own goals. Success means different things to different people. Decide what you want to achieve with your blog and don’t worry about what or how others are doing. With practice and persistence—you will get there.
- Plan ahead
Whether it’s your monthly content calendar or your five year plan, you should always be thinking ahead. It helps if you know what you want to achieve, but planning is essential for success. Don’t be rigid with your plans, allow some wiggle room. Things change and you can’t always be prepared for everything. For example, if you’re blogging about a specific industry and a new development happens, clear your schedule and write about it before it becomes old news. Planning is there to guide you, not dictate to you.
Most writers in South Africa start a blog because they are passionate about their subject and passionate about writing. But even then, passion can fizzle out and reality sets in. Blogging becomes a chore and it shows in the work. Developing good blogging habit early on may not seem like fun, they’ll stand you in good stead to build a thriving blog.