Few days back I was talking to one of the budding blogger on Phone and he was worried about his motivation for Blogging. Here is the first few line of conversation I had with him over the phone. Let me call him Mister X.
- Me: Hi what happened? Why so demotivated?
- Mister X: Harsh I have worked on my blog for many months and this is my 4th blog and probably the last one. I’m still getting only 100+ odd views and people are commenting just because of back links like “Nice post” “useful posts” and at times I do get negative comments and that discourages me a lot.
- Me: Why did you start Blogging?
- Mister X: I started Blogging because I like it and it’s my passion. I’m Blogging for last 4 years and I like when people like my post and follow me. Secondary reason is money, which is not the main reason but will be a major one later in my life.
- Me: What kind of people you follow on Social networking sites?
- Mister X: Mostly Bloggers and internet marketers.
- Me: How do you feel when people talk about their success stories on Facebook or Twitter.
- Mister X: Some of them motivates me and few of them demotivates me. People who started with me and doing great demotivates me, where as blogs like ShoutMeLoud, HellboundBlogger motivates me, as I want to be like them.
Honestly, when I was having this conversation with Mister X, I was aware of his problem. This is one common phase of Blogging life, which most of the Blogger faces and are facing. I have faced it too at the initial days of my blogging and I faced it recently last year, when ShoutMeLoud got hit by Panda.
And then I shared few of my experiences, gave him few tips and at the same time it gave me idea for this blog post. I’m sure many of you (New and budding bloggers) are also facing the same issue and until unless you don’t take any action, you might end up as a failed blogger or quit blogging.
In this article, I will be sharing few tips which will help you to bring back the motivation for blogging again and stop being demotivated.
Bring back your motivation factor for Blogging:
Blog for yourself first and then for others:
You must have read a lot about writing for readers and it’s true. Though, to capture the audience for your blog you need to write for yourself first. One of the mistake which new blogger do is by copying someone else style. Your blog is your personal space and it reflects your identity and your voice. You might not capture thousands of fans in a day or in a month or even in a year, but if your blog post is helping even a single person, it’s worth your time.
Just stick to your niche and write anything that interest you. One of the biggest misconception is, what’s the point of writing something which is written hundred of times. But the fact is, every day new internet user is born and your blog might be the first few Websites which a new user will come across. He might have never heard about Google analytics or even blogging before. So, write everything that you are learning and doing in your day-to-day life. Repeating myself again: stick to your niche.
Start from Basic to advanced:
This is another mistake with your blog content strategy. Most of the blogger starts from middle or directly goes to advanced. For instance, you end up talking about Hostgator hosting but you have never shared what is Webhosting and why you need one, how do you expect to build a readership with no end to end content. When I talk about readership, you need to have pile of content that make a reader stick to your blog and help him understand ever ins and out of topic he is reading about.
For example, in this case mister X has written about one of the premium SEO plugin and he was not happy with the comments he was getting. Well, first few questions which you should ask yourself:
- When you see a Blog content with affiliate links, how do you feel?
- Have you covered the other topic in the same niche?
- Have you told them what’s the benefit of SEO, why SEO is important for your Blog?
Solution: Sit down and plan a content strategy for your blog. Write down every basic to advance topic you can cover. This will help a starter to learn something new and when your content is moved from beginner level to intermediate level, your blog readership level will grow.
Blog without any materialistic view:
There is always a motto behind blogging and when I started, It was all about knowledge sharing. I write about anything which interest me and money and fan following was never in my mind. Even first few thank you comment helped me to motivate a lot for blogging and to write more. This is my story and yours may be different.
But when you blog with such materialistic motives, you miss out the most simple fundamental of Blogging: I blog because I like.
Your Blog is your personal space and you should write anything that comes in your mind and that interest you. Sooner or later, all like minded people will follow you and will love to learn new things from you. Don’t blog for money or for fan following, Blog for yourself and let it be a reason through out for making yourself one of the A-list blogger.
Forget social networking, focus on Blogging:
Yes, I know social networking is important but at the same time Social networking is a big demotivating factor for many. When you sit in a room for hours and you see someone updating about his trip to Las vegas, you feel miserable. To be honest, I feel miserable and I badly want to do that too. I want to get out of my office and take a trip to some new destination. Though, I know time will come and I will get a chance to do that too. But in that situation, such updates are not very healthy and I had a great discussion about this with one of my psychiatrist friend.
Similarly, when other blogger keep talking about “my blog achieved this” “My blog earned this much” it become demotivational factor for many.
Either you can think like me, and take action to reach there or you can simply stop using such social networking sites for Blogging. Use Social networking sites for creating real-life connection. Connecting with right set of people and learning new stuff.
If you are just sharing links and expecting hundred of people to jump on your blog post, it’s not going to happen. Use blog commenting rather. Comment on other blogs and not only it will drive targeted traffic but you will end up creating lots of genuine connection.
Another reason here for Mister X demotivation is, his social networking site is full of Bloggers and they are already aware of things which he is writing most of the time. Obviously, it won’t interest them a lot and instead of focusing on them, he should focus on people who are new to this field and want to learn more.
My story: When I started blogging in 2008, I commented a lot. I commented not for backlinks, but I commented for right reasons. I commented on Blog posts which motivated me, which taught me something or which triggered my thought process. I ended up commenting with my view, my disagreement, adding something which was missing in the topic and this way I ended up creating lots of comment. Yes, I got the benefit of branding, backlinks and I created lots of connection with this process. And it’s one of the big reason for ShoutMeloud growth.
Use Social networking only for right reasons, use it for networking and not for self promotion.
Have a blog business plan:
Now, at the same time have a business plan for your blog. If you wish to make money, have a plan for the same. Make a content generation plan, blog monetization plan, marketing plan, growth plan and so on. With time, your blog plan will change according to readership and according to need of your readers.
- Simple and Effective business plan for Bloggers
- How to write a simple business plan for your blog in 9 easy steps
Things not to do:
- Don’t blog, just for money.
- Blog for passion and blog for yourself.
- Before publishing a blog post ask yourself one question: Is it helping me or is it helping even a single person, and then hit the publish button.
- Ignore other blog and bloggers which discourages you instead of motivating you.
- When you see other successful blog, think what action you can take to reach there and start taking action.
Remember, Success takes time and you can’t be next Darren rowse or John Chow in a day or two. You need to work not only hard but also need to work smartly, to be successful.
- Read: How to transform your life today?
- 20 motivation hacks
- How to boost confidence and motivate yourself
- Take a Self motivation quiz
When ever you are demotivated for Blogging, go back to past and ask yourself: Why I’m Blogging and why I started Blogging. Go through your old content and read the happy comments, that helped few to learn or help them in fixing their problem.
Do let me know what things demotivate you from blogging and how you bring back the motivation?
Subscribe Updates, Its FREE!
Article by Harsh Agrawal
Harsh has written 1206 articles.
If you like This post, you can follow ShoutMeLoud on Twitter. Subscribe to ShoutMeLoud feed via RSS or EMAIL to receive instant updates.
→ 
→ 
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
I have just started my blog.I am also in a condition similar to Mr.X.This post gives me a lot of confidence.
I motivate myself by rewarding myself by buying gadgets whenever I feel down. Usually I spend 5% of my income.
Sometimes the way forward is to pause once in a while, a clear mind is a mind with vision, therefore translates into motivation.
@Harsh very nice article, Thanks for the updates
and yes i seriously mean it,
i do agree with the fact that blog for passion and money will flow with times
also ask yourself why this is useful for yourself or others then only they would be interested
Keep it up ..
Hi,
I like the concept that you have shared. Sometimes, it do happens with bloggers when they do not get full success, they get frustrated and just stops blogging. Infact, this shouldn’t be done. I like the motivating tips that you have shared!!
Hi Harsh,
first of all, Appreciate for Guiding me for motivation. I totally new to blogging. This will encourage me a lot. And Thanks once more and keep going.
Thanks Harsh,
It is very motivated posts and very nice to know about your experience, I really liked that thing that ‘to whom you are following in facebook and twitter’.
I started blogging When I learned about Internet during my +2 exam, I used to write that time only for personal diary purpose, that time I did not get it that what is the purpose of blogging.
Now I blog to share useful information in my field and want to give benefit to the people.
Off course, like others, I also want to earn some part time money from it.
Thanks for motivation
Harsh your this article was an antidote to me as i was unable to give time to blogging and my blog’s pagerank decreased from pr4 to pr2.thanks for motivating me.Hats off.
Passion is the backbone of blogging success. Success in blogging takes time. Internet is expanding and its not easy to become popular easily. Passion is all needed. great post !!
I’m sure everyone had gone through such a situation in their blogging life. Mostly this happens due to lack of plan and trying to be like someone. And focusing of too many things at a time and prioritizing wrong or unimportant tasks than on focusing on main areas.
Really thanks for this article. I was searching a lot for such stuff. I am this days into motivating my juniors in my college to blog about something. This article will surely help them out.
Being honest, I too find myself in situation to Mister X sometimes, but I fight back. I know why I restarted my blog. I worked on it. I though my design is not appealing, I redesigned it. One should listen to himself first and ask ” Should I quit blogging because I am not making money like others?”. This will solve their problem.
I see newbies posting on facebook that they made this amount of money, that amount of money. At times I don’t understand their reason to showcase it. But maximum number of time they do this to get other people follow them and admire them.
I have earned big bucks at times, but never showcased it on social media.
If you don’t give up, success will surely come. To some it comes soon and to some it take time.
Hi Harsh
Thanks for sharing this post at this time because it help me lot to move forward in my present situation . I Too started one blog before 6 months on blogging niche presently i m not blogging, As you told in the post by following other blogger on social networking sits can demotivate us . I think that was reason why i leave blogging its really makes me so sad when other bloggers who started their blogs at the same time when i was starting my blog,when they are posting about their blog success it make me bit nervous to focus on my blog. Thanks for your tips because it not only motivate but also inspire me to start a blog for my passion not for money
As always Harsh Great Post , guess what i resumed to blogging after one year break, Sold my previous blog due to other commitments . Came to your blog and Like always gathering some inspiration.
Thank you for that wonderful article, I was very motivated now, I was on the verge of losing the desire in blogging. One factor also is that you lose your inspiration when you see others are very good in blogging that you cannot compete with them.
Thanks for reminding, i was confused what to write, and was searching for things what will attract users instead of what i am interested. I am confused about one more thing, I have named my blog Embedded world as i originally planned to write only on Embedded systems and Technology. But i get thoughts and ideas an thoughts which i want to share , but stop myself thinking i should not mix up the blog with articles of totally different topics. What would you suggest ?
Indeed a very good post. I believe this is something which all new bloggers should follow.
Liked the very first point itself. And ofcourse liked another good old post linked in the 3rd point about the confession.
Well, I would have seriously not written for money. Initially it was not the intention for any blogger. But later on things will change its priority. Blogging as passion will become a requirement and source for money. Once we start blogging, we should never stop with silly reasons. What harsh told is true, Blog for yourself
Not for others 
Anyway, All the best Mister X 
Simply Great.
It makes me remind Bhagvat Geeta message of “Nirpeksha Karma ” :
“You have Power To Act Only.You Can’t Influence The Results.Therefore Act Without Anticipation Of The Results & Without Succumbing To The Inaction.”
OK This was a one hell of a post , Harsh you nailed it , The issues you discussed are real and the solutions you presented are simple and achievable , I got motivated That’s for sure !!
lack of motivation for blogging is a must be seen phase of every blogger journey and i also face it often because my niche is not biology research and education which is not quite sufficient to drive traffic of millions of people. I love to blog because i wanna help fellow biologists so able to cope up from the psycho trauma of demotivation quickly.
Your blog is like a panacea for bloggers whoever they Are a newbie growing or mature.i am your blog from 2009 and learned a lot. Thanks for such a nice article.
Thanx for motivation sir.bloggers like you motivate me regularly.i read your all about me page.sir i m also doing b.tech final frm ece.bt lil confuse which course i should do. web design or java n one more thnk i want to be a good blogger like u in next few years. plz help me out.
A wonderful article for bloggers I have ever read. We should write whatever our heart says, regardless of others.
Seriously, this article is a must read for every blogger. Awesome line – “Write for everyone and you write for no one, write for yourself and you write for everyone.” Thanks.
Thank you, this article motivate me a lot. Start from today I will write for myself and everyone just like you said.
Thanks a lot Harsh!
you helped me realize my major demotivation sources.
I’m glad if this article helped you
Thanks! for this article. This is a really big help for me coz I’m currently I feel down on my blogging efforts right now. I’m surely gonna follow this tip to make myself get motivated again.
The concept itself is unbeatable and is very quite common phase for each and every blogger be a successful one or a failure blogger who always complains about things the way to get out of this is to concentrate on proper business plan yeah I reiterate a proper business plan for blogging is very much essential when you have the goal of making money through blog.. the fame which you (may) expect will follow once you reach a sustainable level in blogging.. I strongly suggest people prepare an execution plan that works (atleast for you) you can always learn from your mistakes if some thing goes wrong..
Exceptionally brilliant case study, my story is also similar to Mister X, few weeks ago I too tackled a similar situation, there was also no hope, no inspiration nothing. But then something triggered me, all i can say is that, Just keep blogging! Sooner or later you will get noticed.