Blogging is one of the best things that happened to me. It has given me wings and encouraged me to take flight. It has helped create an audience and infused some much-needed confidence in a closet writer like me. The blogosphere has a vast pool of knowledge we can all benefit from and has a place for everyone.
Although I’ve been blogging for many years now, I discovered blogging challenges only recently. My writing is all about expressing and sharing while these challenges require a discipline that I haven’t had the motivation to develop earlier. ‘Better late then never’, right?
Super Blogger Challenge 2018 is the first big blogging challenge I’ve undertaken on my self-hosted blog this year. The rush in my blood and itch in my fingers hasn’t faded even as it enters its sixth week with all the tutorials, activities and surprises involved. Assurance of good readership from fellow bloggers is encouraging.
Surviving it can be testing for the weak-penned and thin-skinned though. Professional blogging requires hard work and dedication. This challenge is a glimpse of the swiftness, critique and pressure you’ll face to sustain yourself in this growing industry. Here are a few simple tips which will hopefully help you stay afloat in this challenge.
Openness to learning
Learning is an ongoing process. Many of us attempted writing for a brand for the first time with the Instacuppa post. We didn’t participate in live Twitter sessions or have an active Pinterest account before this. The helpful pointers given by the hosts have helped us explore new topics and increase the reach of our blog. The experience was thrilling indeed!
Become a blogging sponge
The milestones you’ve set for your blog are far beyond this challenge. Be a sponge and absorb all you can from the expertise and guidance of blogging veterans around you. File it away in a safe box in your mind so you can pull it out whenever you need it for future reference. This information will help you throughout your blogging life.
Learn to like rules
The thing with rules is, they’re never easy or comforting. Many of us find the nudging to comply with them annoying. The sheer handling of such an enormous exercise though cannot be undertaken without a preset unbending to-do list that favours no one. It can help bring defaulters to book. Please, follow them.
Patience is key, always
This is true for everything in life and includes lot more in blogging. Looking at the success and readership of old blogs can be overwhelming for new bloggers. You may read more and get read less. Your stats won’t show the jump you expected. Don’t take it to heart and be patient. Write passionately, share boldly and network professionally.
Hold hands and grow together
Like I said, blogging has a place for everyone. Working or collaborating together/as a team is anytime beneficial than going solo. Your blog is one amongst millions and getting readers for it ain’t easy. The ‘dog eats dog’ concept is redundant here. Don’t think twice before sharing anyone’s post. Hold hands with your blog buddies and grow together!
Think beyond numbers
Blogging allows you to discover different genres. A good follower count doesn’t necessarily indicate a person’s quality of writing. Whether you’re a newbie or an established blogger, this challenge will help you find blogs that touch a chord with you. Connect with them and don’t forget to appreciate. Creative people crave for it. Reciprocation will happen eventually.
Don’t give up!
Challenges such as this can be taxing. You may be expected to write and read more than you’re used to. Your demanding personal and professional life might make squeezing out time for it a task in itself. Find a balance and hang in there though. Success doesn’t come overnight. The rewards will make it all worth it!
Writing is the easiest part of blogging, as I’ve realised over time. To be a ‘bestseller’ blog you have to give it a visibility boost and create a niche audience.
Do you find these tips beneficial? Would you like to add something? Please share with me.
This article is written as part of the #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 by #Instacuppa conducted by HealthWealthBridge.com, FashionableFoodz.com and AllAboutTheWoman.com and should not be re purposed, republished or use otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any infringement caused.
Hi Varsh! Very good advice and I can vouch for every point mentioned in the list. Your attitude, keenness to learn, share and gratitude are key traits to excel in this challenge…Keep going!
Please read my Week 6 post for #Superbloggerchallenge2018 here: https://thetinaedit.com/2018/03/25/top-5-key-learnings-from-the-super-blogger-challenge-2018-so-far-superbloggerchallenge2018/
Thanks, Tina. Stepping out of our comfort zone is never easy. If we want to make any headway in blogging we have to brace ourselves for the challenges involved. Glad you liked my list.
Will surely read your post.
Excellent summarized all the things we have learned till now in SBC 2018. Excellent support from the hosts. #SuperBloggerChallenge2018
Thanks a lot for the kind words, Jai. Our hosts have indeed been helpful and patient with our endless queries. We’ve learnt a lot through this challenge.
Enjoyed reading this post .Patience,perseverence and openness to learn helps all of us.Thank you for your kind words about the #SuperBloggerChallenge2018
Thank you for co-ordinating all this so well, Amrita. Thanks for making me stay when I had almost given up. Would’ve been entirely my loss.
Blogging sponge is an interesting concept and it really struck a chord with me Varsh. I am amazed at your analytical skills to decipher the blogging world into the manageable, practical and relate-able knowledge chunks.
I shared what I observed from veterans around me, Anagha. Every day we learn something new and that’s the most exciting part of blogging. ‘Blogging sponge’ was coined by me though. 😉
Glad you liked it!
This is such a great and on the point list, and I agreed that we all bloggers not only learning a lot from this challenge but at the same time forming a strong community as well. it is really great to get connected with you, with this awesome challenge, hoping to had long term relationship. #Superbloggerchallenge2018
I hope to form a long term relationship too, Surbhi. Blogging communities are the best fallback for everything from blogger’s block to learning new and innovative techniques.
Hope to keep in touch after this challenge is over too.
Loved the write up! For me blogging has simply been a hobby. But now I realise there are so many avenues to it. Networking being the most important of all. Thanks for this great share ❤
I started blogging just like you, as a hobby. Realised over time though that my love for writing can help me achieve lot more through this platform. Networking is an important part, true.
Thanks for visiting. 🙂
Become a Blogigng sponge. Wow that’s superb 🙂
Thank you, Zainab. 🙂
These are some excellent tips. Blogging is something a fun to do and a hobby for me. #Superbloggerschallenge2018
Thank you, Shubhada. Blogging is indeed fun. For me it is an extension of my writing hobby. 🙂
Agreed to all points and yeah patience is the key and sharing knowledge is another to grow
Loved all the tips and yes not giving up is something that can test the patience. But is worth it
It’s a must read post for every blogger, I enjoyed reading it till last…i love the point join hands and grow together, great post
These are some great tips for a blogger to enter challenges. Thanks
These are some great tips.. I am going to be participating in my first blogging challenge ever and am quite excited a well.. these will surely help me through
I can so well relate to your blogging tips here. When i started blogging i was clue less and now with this post i am sure many will get good benefit.
Agree to whatever you said! I have learnt this hard way! Very useful tips! And all the best for the challenge!
Blogging is the best thing tat happened to me too.. Don give up is the most important point
Be a blogging sponge! I think that should be our mantra
#SuperBloggerChallenge2018
Becoming a blogging sponge and learn and aboard the knowledge is such an important point. Being patient is another key.
Blogging has become a part of my life now and you have mentioned very useful tips here .. All the best for the challenge..
These are such important tips to keep in mind while starting the blogging challenge. Loved reading this.
These tips will be very essential for all, specially those who are new
This post is so me. Yes blogging is best thing that ever happened to me. I learnt a lot from blogging and still counting
well said! We all have learnt that these are key to being happy bloggers 🙂
I have recently started blogging and these piece of advices are really helpful. Thank you for sharing
Hi Varsh. Such a well written piece of advice! It’s been a pleasure to be a part of this challenge. This year has been good fpr my blog as well. Shifted to self hosting after attending a indiblogger meet and now learning new techniques to blog and promote. In #superbloggerchallenge. cool Three months??. More to come. ?
Mann?
#superbloggerchallenge2018
I faced a lot of issues in my initial days of blogging. This article would be insightful for beginners.
Nice takeaways for all new bloggers/
photo bloggers like me.
Thanks for sharing ?
These are golden words from an equally golden heart blogger. Lovely advise, and thanks to blogging that we bumped into each other.
Hi Varsh. Some really great tips. You’ve sunmarized it so well! I always blog as a hobby but I learnt so much more from your post
Totally agree with these wonderful points. From. Not going the ‘dog eat dog’ way to giving time and not losing faith when stats don’t increase dramatically, all this is really relevant
It is a really wonderfully written piece. I agree with all ur points. N probably my story is same as urs. I used my blog just to express n expected views. But after SBC I have realised, as u have correctly stated, writing is the easiest part. Being a successful Blogger needs tremendous dedication n hard work.
Pls read my week6 post for #superbloggerchallenge2018 #instacuppa https://www.talestotell.co.in/single-post/2018/03/27/Living-a-dream-is-never-an-easy-option-SuperBloggerChallenge2018-Instacuppa
This post is actually the crux of what I have learnt from last five years of my blogging career..
Agree completely with all the tips and truly believe in writing passionately, sharing boldly and networking professionally.
Hi there! Great post- love your voice and your useful tips! -Annabel (new blogger)
Love all these excellent tips! Just what I need as I start my own blogging adventure 🙂