I love this quote by Seth Godin:
The challenge for an insurgent is not to try to battle the incumbent for the slot of normal. The challenge is to be edgy and remarkable and to have the market move its center to you.
Lots of people start new blogs every day. Many times when someone tells me they are going to start a blog of their own, they recount a thought process which goes something like this:
- They saw another person's blog they liked.
- They thought, "I could write about that! I'm going to do that too."
- They then model their blog after the one(s) they are familiar with and know.
Now, I'm not knocking how this works at all. It happened to me (and probably to most bloggers at some point!). It's a perfectly legitimate and even useful way to start; in fact, one might argue this is how we learn most things in life.
But how's the fit?
At some point we realize that what works for one person doesn't quite work for us. It's like putting on a pair of someone else's broken-in shoes. Those shoes are perfectly comfortable for the person they belong to, but for anyone else, they just aren't quite the right fit.
In blogging, this is especially true. What makes blogging so great is that each blog has its own personality, its own look & feel, its own "voice" — all reflective of the very unique person behind it.
The benefits of being new
No doubt, there is a huge learning curve in blogging and I think sometimes being overwhelmed makes new bloggers latch onto another blogger and the way that other blogger does things.
But if you're a new blogger, embrace your newness, your fresh eyes and your don't-quite-know-how-this-is-supposed-to-go perspective! It might just be that you've got an idea that nobody has thought of or tried…or were too afraid to pursue out of fear that it wasn't the "right way" to blog.
As I've said many times, one of the best things about blogging is that it's very forgiving. So, experiement. Try things others aren't. It's great to be new since you can fall on your face many times before you've got a huge audience monitoring all your fumbles!
Be legal…then do what you want!
Make sure you do what's legal. Don't violate copyright. Don't click on your own affiliate links. Know and follow any Terms of Service for affiliate programs you choose to participate in.
Other than that, don't get uptight about whether or not this is right or that's right or if this is working or that's not. Go with it. Enjoy the process. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You'll figure it out as you go!
Need some practical tips?
For some practical tips about finding your voice, you might also like to read my previous post How to Find a Unique Angle in a Crowded Niche.
Are you a new blogger? Where have you gotten hung up? Have you been blogging a while? How did you navigate being new? Anything you wish you did differently or would do all over again?
Photo by nickwheeleroz.
Here at BloggingWithAmy you'll find tips, tools & tutorials about blogging and websites. In plain English. Want to 
Nice Godin reference.
Hi Amy,
I started blogging as a way to lend my voice to the conversation. The topic may be as serious as politics or social justice, or as whimsical as heartfelt family moment. Most of what I have read in terms of advice for bloggers has included strategies such as: finding a niche and sticking with it, using lists in the title (Ten Best This; 5 Worst That; etc.), and a heavy reliance on social media. I've found that trying to adhere to any of those suggestions tends to limit, rather than enhance, creativity and individuality.
If my goal were to mimic what others are doing, I would probably have given up on blogging long ago. The number of people who consistently follow my blog is small, but those that do visit tend to engage in the conversation, and that makes the experience worthwhile.
I agree that blogging is a marathon, so I don't focus on how to get people to visit my blog. Instead, I focus on ensuring that there's something interesting there for them when they do.
Ray
Nicely said.
My hopefully profitable someday blog is new. I've had a private family blog for several years now. It took me forever to finally decide to spend the money to register a domain and pay for hosting. Now that I did, I spend a lot of time working on it. I wish I had done it sooner, but I'm glad I finally did it and I'm working to make it profitable someday. I love your blog – thank you for sharing your insider info.
Not sure I'm such an insider — perhaps just a little further down the road — but it's great to be able to share a bit of what I've learned along the way. All the best!
I'm a newbie as far as being a serious blogger. I had a blog back in 2008 that I wrote just for me. Now that I actually want people to read my thoughts I worry a bit. I have been getting some great feedback so far but I feel like I have so much to learn! The whole affiliate thing and when to do that and how to do it well is on my list of things to figure out. Right now, I'm just humbled and flattered that people actually read my words.
Sounds like you're in a good spot — it'll all pan out.
I've never thought of writing on my blog as a marathon – what a great concept!
When I first started my blog I wrote whatever I wanted to – I had so much fun! Then I started reading other people's blogs and I naturally tried to copy what they were doing (didn't copy what they wrote, copied their style).
I started struggling with my blog and writing my posts was taking FOREVER.
I almost stopped blogging because I diskliked it so much. Finally I remembered why I started blogging…I want to help people. If I only help one person with their "job" as a homemaker then it's worth it to me.
After I re-wrote my goal for my blog and came up with theme days, everything seemed to come together. Before I write a post I look at my goal which is this: "Is this post helpful to someone?"
What a wonderful perspective, Johnlyn. I like the idea that you have a written goal for your blog and that you focus on that before writing each post. Thank you for sharing your perspective and such a wonderful tip!
I was reading someone the other day (I forget who now) but they suggested you keep your goal(s) posted in front of you at all times so you are constantly reminded of where it is you want to go. Good advice.
I'm a VERY new blogger, 16 days to be exact (although I started writing some of my posts behind the scenes 3 months ago – thanks to your wonderful advice!)
I know from my short, VERY short, blogging time a good post…a REALLY good, well thought out post that has substance, and a smooth, "natural" flow takes a l..o..n..g time. I spend a good 3 hrs on EVERY post (not including any photo shooting or photo cropping/resizing). I truly appreciate the time you've poured into all your posts to help guide us through our own successful blogging experience.
Where have I gotten hung up? Hmmm… It might seem silly, but some of these widgets have been a nightmare… I mean a wonderful learning experience
to learn and navigate through. I've Googled my brains out on some things. I don't think some experienced subject matter experts realize that a 1 or 2 sentence answer only leads a newbie down a path of 10 more questions. I sooo appreciate your videos and your STEP-BY-STEP approach. I spent probably 1 – 2 hrs just figuring out how to get the Facebook like (with the floating profile of people) onto my site. Another one was getting my button CODE, (not the button image, that was easy) on my site, even after doing my homework on how it should be done. Someone, who will remain anonymous, after visiting my site contacted me to let me know that I had my code wrong and if I'd send her the text I was using she would fix it and send it right back. It was not the first time she had been such a blessing to me.
What I'd do differently – MORE posts ahead of time. I didn't have the 10 recommended posts ready for my launch day. That's what I'd do differently. 10 – 20 posts.
LOL! Me too!!
This confirms EXACTLY how I've been feeling over the past few months. I've taken a risk by trying some things that aren't the norm for my niche. It's scary on one hand – trying to veer in a direction I've not yet seen anyone in my niche do – but also exciting knowing I might be carving out unexplored opportunities where I would not have to compete with my peers.
It can be sooooo easy to start falling in line with what everyone else is doing. I believe successful blogging means being proactive and not reactive.
Thank you for this post, Amy. It was just the encouragement I needed today!
I agree. I'm always on the hunt for ideas. My problem is I get stuck in idea-hunt mode and then never get around to implementing 3/4 of them!
Yay for doing your own thing!
this post was very interesting:) i definitely HAVE been on a steep learning curve which often keeps me from the writing that i have been surprised to find enjoyment in.
thank you amy for your help in simplifying the learning curve that has been SO complex.
it was interesting to read that many people get into blogging to do what others are doing. i was just the opposite:) i started reading blogs and found a place where something was missing–the voice of older women who had raised their families and had a broader view of life and parenting! that was what motivated this non-writer to blog. talk about jumping into the deep end *eeek*
now that i'm trying to actually make some money from this venture, i've learned the term "niche" but i'm having a hard time finding the people in mine.
Finding a hole and filling it is a great thing to do. I do think there are a more moms with younger kids who blog as opposed to more seasoned and experienced moms — we need more! I'm trying to think of some. At the moment, the one that comes to mind is Mary at Owlhaven. She has young kids, but also has several older ones, so she spans the gamut. Can anyone else think of any?
Very good and helpful advice. I have been learning a lot from you lately. Thank you!
I'm a very new blogger (only doing this for about 2 weeks). I didn't find your blog until after I started my blog on a whim, so I wasn't prepared. Needless to say, I am taking a crash course in blogging and trying to balance this with a time consuming job.
I've realized that blogging involves good and creative writing skills. I didn't get into blogging for my love for writing, rather my love for deals. It's been hard for me to express who I am in my writing.
It's been easy to get discouraged as a new blogger because I have very few followers (and the only ones I'm aware of our family and friends). It's hard to stand out amongst the numerous of other deal bloggers. I have been trying to also focus on ways my readers and I can help others with our deals (i.e. helping those who are in need, something that is always on my heart). But, I don't think I'm doing this as well as I could!
It takes a while to find a groove, I think. Hang in there! I think we can all relate.
Hi Amy, I found you via moneysavingmom.com I have read through most of your "how to build a moneymaking blog" series. It took me a while, but while in the kitching cooking, my idea "came" to me. Lol really it did, so I started kitchencheatsheet.com. My question is (and I can't find this anywhere on your site), would a website make money? Or should I keep it blog-ish, like putting blog posts as well as info pages? I have done more research, and lots of sites say that food and recipe blogs don't really make money. Any take on that? Any help you can give me would be much appreciated! Oh, p.s. I did buy my domain through your link! And when I'm ready to pay for hosting, I'm going through your bluehost link :0) I love your site and all the information you give out!
I imagine the amount of money food/recipe bloggers make varies widely; I'm sure it depends on how you monetize. Probably the easiest way to monetize is to secure private ads or be part of an ad network or possible something like Google AdSense. However, in those instances, traffic, and specifically, a lot of it, are key.
As for your question about a website (as opposed to a blog) making money, I would say yes, it's definitely possible but is likely to be more difficult unless. The benefit of a blog, though, is that you are constantly updating and providing fresh content which helps search engines find you easier and is generally better for traffic since people will hopefully visit you more often.
So funny that I was just writing about some of the ways that I plan on staying motivated with what I like to call my blogging project. As a newbie blogger, I've gotten really hung up on how my blog looks. I keep wondering if it looks like a total amateur put it together (which is really true because I'm really new at all of this, but I just wish it wasn't so obvious). I plan on staying focused by remembering that it's your content that matters the most to readers. After reading your post Amy, I'm starting to think that I should add -don't be afraid to try new things- to my list.
Hey, I'm a new blogger, been doing it for about 5 months now. I've just been struggling with getting new followers. I do the blog hops and promote my new posts using my facebook status, I put a link on my page, I have a facebook page for my blog, and I tweet all the links. But I still only have aroun 50 followers so I'd love to know the secrets of how people have hundreds of followers!!
Time is the key, I'd say. Sounds like you're doing the right things. I would also suggest commenting on other blogs, taking part in forums and doing all you can to offer useful input whenever possible!