Okay, this isn't the only secret (did I get your hopes up?). While it will take "hard work," dedication, and consistency (mostly dedication paired with consistency), there's a secret to success in the blogging world.
Want to know what it is?
Writing.
Yea. I know... duh, right? I mean, to even have a blog, you have to write. And I don't mean that you have to be an English major and know how to use commas. I mean, write thoughtfully. Compose your thoughts in a well-organized fashion.
Okay, I know you know writing is critical, so what's the secret (and what's the point of this thought)?
Don't get caught up doing other things.
A writer should focus rather than getting caught up doing other things. But as bloggers, we also have many other things to do for our websites.
Things like:
- Researching
- Editing
- Designing
- Marketing
All important parts of blogging but not the most crucial role. If you're trying to get to the point where your blog gets enough traffic to earn revenue and potentially replace your 9-to-5 job, you need to write.
And write... and write... and write. Consistently, for a long time, and with patience. As-in, at least six months to see any meaningful results, but more like 2-years to reach "quit day-job profitability."
But the task that will take you 90% of the way there is writing.
Fortunately, when you're blogging for yourself (or, as my dad would say, "for the love of it"), it's easier to resist the temptation to do other things.
When you're stuck, write. When you don't know what else to do, write. When you feel like crafting that next Pinterest pin, FB post, or tweet... write for your blog instead.
Write, write, write. Write when you're tired. Write when you're bored. Write even if there's a weird smell coming from your cat's litter box (trust me on this). 🙂
Write until there is nothing left to write about. Then write some more. That's the secret to blogging success.
As the IncomeSchool guys would say. If there is a day that goes by where you did not press publish on a new article, you're probably doing something wrong. Okay, maybe not every single day -- but very frequently. Probably more frequently than you are now.
TL;DR
Bite the bullet and write. Consistently. For a long time. Your blog will thank you because your traffic/revenue will skyrocket (over time).