I struggle with the idea of growing this blog. Don't get me wrong I want followers, I want lots of followers but at the same time that scares the crap out of me. The responsibility and pressure of that is kind of terrifying. But at the end of the day blogging takes time and effort. I put a lot of work into this blog of mine and I want it to be shared.
In the ideal world I would want this blog to grow simply by word-of-mouth and not by me paying for ad space or joining hundreds of link-ups- although I know that is typically how it is done. And really with everyone and their grandmothers having a blog these days how else to do you get the word out about your little space in the blogosphere?
Sometimes I come across blogs that have thousands of followers and I honestly just don't get it- their content kind of sucks in my not so-very-humble opinion, so naturally I think my blog is better- yet it's teeny tiny. Probably to my own fault. It's not that I don't want to put the work into getting more followers- it's that- I guess I doubt myself. I worry that once I get a big following everyone will realize I am just a fake. Jenni at Story of My Life said it perfectly in this post here. We often get in the way of our own goals.
And I do have goals for this blog- I have ulterior motives. I want to utilize this blog as a tool for my career goals in the fashion industry. I want to help promote the company I work for. I want to build friendships and make connections. I want to be important in the Utah fashion industry. I want to open the door to more opportunities.
And I want this blog to help me do that.
Like many of you- since it's nearly impossible to avoid- have read all the blogger rules and tips on how to grow your blog and for me I don't want to create a Facebook page or a Twitter account for my blog. I really don't need another thing to manage and take me away from my life beyond the computer screen or more accurately my iPhone screen. Once upon a time I did have a Facebook and Twitter account for this here blog and I deleted them this past Spring in my effort to "disconnect" and declutter my online life.
Many successful bloggers have written posts on how hard it is for them to find a balance between their blog life and their real life and I want to start the growth of this blog with that balance in place from the beginning. I understand that those tools help connect and build relationships with our readers and other bloggers but I am not willing to sacrifice even more time to social media. If you want to connect- email me.
These are just some thoughts that are swirling around in my head. Some thoughts are unfinished and still materializing but I needed to get them out.
Can anyone relate? Have advice? Feedback? I would love to hear about your own challenges, doubts, thoughts, solutions? Whatever you got- connect with me.
And please go ahead and tell me if my content sucks. Honest feedback is always encouraged over here in these parts.
Thanks for
4 comments:
I just found you through the bloggers do it better challenge and started following on bloglovin. I loved reading this post because I feel like I'm in the same position. I've had my blog for over a year and only have about 60 followers total on all platforms. I know there are things I could do to get followers but I keep telling myself (falsely, obviously - based on the number of followers I have) that if I just produce good content and good outfits people will eventually find me. Not true! I also get a little embarrassed to promote myself in other ways - i.e. tell my real life friends about the blog.
I guess for you (and for me) you have to ask yourself if those other goals (promoting your company, making friends, possibly building a business, getting into the fashion industry) are important enough to you that you can compromise your original idea that the blog will grow by word of mouth. Maybe it's time to re-create the facebook and twitter pages - I know there are apps out there where you can merge your content on those two platforms so that would at least take away some time from posting something twice. For me, I think I am going to stick to the "old fashioned way" of getting followers the slow and long route purely because I am stubborn, lol.
Good luck with everything and thank you for this post, it made me feel a little better inside knowing I'm not the only one!
Nice "Chambray" short there doll. Loving the denim on denim (er I mean Chambray) look on you. Killer heels too.
I am so with you on all of this! I have a twitter account and was trying to use it for blog, but it was way too much work. One of the things bf told me when I first started blogging i that I have a life so I won't have as good of a blog as others. I brushed it off, but now I know he was right.
I also agree with the followers stuff. I go to some blogs that are great (not even comment worthy) and they have TONS of followers and comments and I think how?!?!??!
I wish we could get together over coffee to talk all this through. I have lots to say, and agree with you on so many levels.
Great post. I think I am kind of with you on that. I started doing a personal blog to write or comment about things in fashion (or otherwise) that I could not do so for my work (I briefly did their blog as well). Sometimes I wish for more readers so I do not feel as if I am writing out into some black hole. But then I get nervous about losing my anonymity.
Anyway, great post. And great outfit. And whether you want it or not you have another follower. So there.
I just found your blog and I love everything about this post! I too have similar feelings as you do. I don't want to put all my personal life out there on the internet, but then i feel my content isn't very strong. This is my biggest battle.
I've been blogging for almost 3 years and don't have 100 followers yet, I've only done 1 giveaway and just stick to outfit posts. It was and still is frustrating at times and I feel that I'm blogging to no one out there, but then I decided I'm not doing this for followers, I'm doing this for the fun.
Like i said before, LOVED the post and I'm your newest follower! :)
Nikki
Fashionsonthefly.blogspot.com
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