Blogging is like a great horse race– where the steady horse finally bursts ahead from the competition in the last 100 yards and wins. Blogging is also like fine wine– the more it matures the better it tastes.
When you first start out blogging you should really concentrate most of your efforts on great content (Yeah Right). To be honest with you the content does not have to be that great starting off. What needs to be great is your consistency in writing them. Like the wine example, your content and writing will mature over time.
Don’t think everything you write needs to be a masterpiece. Did you know Van Gogh did thousands of paintings before he was discovered? Yes, I said thousands. The point is Van Gogh kept painting.
If you have seen some of his first paintings they were horrible, but now they are worth millions because of his name. All those paintings led him to the famous painting called “The Starry Night “. So, don’t worry about your content as much when you first start out. Use this time as practice and put out crappy content, because I rather see consistence your first few months then only two Masterpiece articles for one month.
I know for a fact if you blogged for 30 days in a row, your site would rate higher than if you only blogged twice in one month.
Hint: Google, Bing, Facebook, Twitter… They are all driven by “Real-Time Search”. This means they are searching for the most up-to-date content on the web. So, if you are updating your blog 30 times in one month, Google will be your best friend… Maybe Google and you can go have a beer together and invite Bing, and Facebook.
You and Google will be BFFs..
Now, if you are only posting twice a month all of our internet search buddies will tell you to go drink alone… because who really only drinks two drinks and quits? Don’t be a quitter and don’t be afraid to put up subpar content. The more you write the easier it will get.
Let me Give you a Little Motivation
In college, I was a wizard in math, but when it came to English I was dumb as dirt. I started in the step down from dumb-bell English. Even today I’m not that great at writing English. The point is that I’m still making money online because I’m consistent and my ideas are good. I write like I speak which is a huge no-no to English teachers because most of the time there is way too many run-on sentences, etc… Plus, making mistakes is a good thing. Most people will accept you if they know you are human and make mistakes.
Did you know famous copywriters make mistakes on purpose, they do this to show there is a human behind their writing. Plus, as the reader, we say to ourselves: “If this guy can make all this money and make mistakes, so can I.”
Don’t get me wrong– content is still king, but great content will take time and practice. So, if you are just starting out blogging then concentrate on consistent content, because consistency will win every time. Trust me.
If you suck at writing try these methods:
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1. Post Videos
Post videos of you talking about what you are going to write. Videos are the huge, new trend. Make a video blog. They call this “Vlogging”. Plus, videos are a great way to connect with your readers.
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2. Tutorials
Blog on How-To tutorials. This requires a lot of pictures and screen shots with very little wording.
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3. Guest Writers
Get guest writers. This is tough when you are just starting out, but over a little time and some success people will be knocking at your door to write on your blog.
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4. Interviews
Doing interviews is another great way to get out of writing a post. Sometimes, I will speak into a voice recorder and have my girlfriend type it out for me because she is a typing-queen. I use a total of 2 fingers when I type, but she uses all 10 fingers and a very fast-typer. Plus, she is way better at correcting my written English.
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5. News Articles
Copy a news article and write your opinion about it. Google does not see news articles as duplicate content because a lot of news is widely spread across the internet. With your comments within the article, it is now considered unique content.
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6. Reviews
Write product reviews. Normally, this is a lot simpler than trying to think of something original to write about. Everyone has their own opinion, so why not give your opinion.
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7. Passionate
The best way to write is to write about something you are passionate about. If you are passionate about a subject I don’t care how bad your writing is. Your readers will know right away that the topic is near-and-dear to your heart.
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8. Girlfriend or Wife
Write as if you are writing to your girlfriend or wife. When we are writing to a significant other for some reason we try a little harder and we really put love into our words. Just remember the last time you wrote sweet-nothings in an anniversary card. How did you feel when you were writing in that moment?
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9. Personal
Write about stuff that is happening in your life, even if it has nothing to do with your blogs niche. People enjoy other’s misery and successes. Also, your audience will really get to know you as a person, which is key to your success. Sometimes, on my other blogs I will talk about my cancer. I get more comments and retweets when I’m being real about what I’m feeling at that moment, and of course, there will always be someone who can relate– and this is how relationships are born…
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10. Don’t Filter
The most important goal in blogging is to not filter yourself. If you suck at writing who cares? If you cuss like a drunken sailor don’t change. If you are a funny person by nature, and are trying to be serious instead, it will not work. Just be yourself when you write posts. Don’t let your mind or society tell you what you can and can not say. The moment you filter yourself is the moment you are just following the masses and not the one standing out from the crowd.
Wrap This Puppy Up
Consistency is your best friend and your content will get better and better over time. Don’t be afraid to try new things on your blog. Somethings will work and others will not, but who really cares as long as you learn in the process. I challenge you to make mistakes. The most basic part is to simply be yourself. For some odd reason this is one of the hardest parts for people, but it should be the easiest because we are who we are.
