I just came across one of the successful bloggers’ pin images on Pinterest.
It’s unusual to see this blogger’s pin on my home feed since I’m not following them.
But the pin piqued my curiosity.
So, I duly clicked the image.
It took me to a very thin blog post comprising just over 400+ words.
Now, I’m the last person to have any right to criticise other bloggers’ work.
Remember my constant insecurity with writing? I’m truly the last one to have any right to say anything about quality.
But seriously—yep, I’m still doing it. Ha!—it makes me wonder how they’ve achieved such success in the mega competitive blogging world with little to no substance in their blog posts.
The blog post has six small headings, and each has two or three brief paragraphs underneath.
It’s so-called run-of-the-mill content.
Nowhere near punchy. Nor does it offer comprehensive information or pull you in with unique stories or personal insights.
And here I am.
Aiming to publish at least 1,000+ words as often as I can (although I know too well that quantity doesn’t mean quality).
It’s so discouraging. It makes me want to give up. Again.
For everything I do, I strive to stay on course with:
Forget what others do or don’t do. Do your own thing.
If you start comparing yourself to others, there’s no getting out of it with your soul (and confidence) intact.
Still, I’m only human.
And here’s why I think these bloggers are where they are today:
They Got in the Game Early
The number one reason is that they got in the game early.
It’s said that there are 500 million blogs out there, with 2 million blog posts every day.
Imagine what it would mean to newcomers like us.
With an eight-second of attention span prevailing these days, doing what everyone else does can’t capture or hold readers’ attention.
There’s got to be something unique about what we offer.
I’m not here to tell you what you need to do in this competitive market or how to best vie for readers’ attention.
I’d be busy doing it myself if I knew instead of ranting about it. Ha.
But ranting doesn’t make the entire thing unfair. Nor does it mean the game is rigged.
It’s not like we’re running a 10K marathon and these bloggers were given a head start, beginning at the 5K mark while we’re at the starting point.
Yes, it can feel that way, but that it’s definitely not the case.
They built the business from the ground up, just like we’re trying to do. They didn’t have a shortcut.
The second reason that helped them get where they are?
Darn Catchy Headlines
I must admit their headlines are darn good. It’s so good that I fell for it today, didn’t I?
Something to think about, right?
Of course, after reading that clickbait title, I got disappointed just as quickly.
For them, though, it did its job: it “earned” a click to the site, albeit one that was short-lived.
I’m not religious about the headlines in my blog posts, but I think it’s definitely worthwhile to learn how to generate catchy headlines.
I occasionally use this site called Portent Headline Generator.
A quick Google search brings up a few good suggestions, including the above.
Perseverance and a Strong Work Ethic
Credit where credit is due.
Knowing what we know now about blogging, it’s impossible to think they didn’t go through doubts, uncertainty, fear, insecurity, or even imposter syndrome like us.
They were once newbies. They would have pulled their hair out over countless of things, like we do.
No one gets to be an expert without being a beginner first.
Along the way, many bloggers with an equally big dream would have succumbed to an overwhelming amount of learning and givenup.
We all know that blogging can be a lonely job. There’s no immediate reward for a job well done. There’s no Christmas party or bonus.
No boss is watching over your shoulder, making up for your shortcomings, or helping you out or rooting for your success.
You’re lucky if you make the minimum wage, even after putting in an insane amount of hours.
So, I salute them for perseverance and hard work for staying in the game long enough, fighting long enough, and eventually achieving success.
Final Thoughts
There are new bloggers who achieve success quicker than most of us.
They may have something strong to offer, like their unique tone or the ability to relate to a wide range of audiences or a very specific audience.
Whatever it is, they’re in the minority.
Most bloggers stay in the frustrating zone for the umpteenth time, struggling to find their voice in the online world while going through many trials and errors.
Look at the early work of any artist and you will see an impersonator yet to find his or her own voice.
Will Gompertz
I’m sure this will not be my last blogging-related-frustration-induced rant, but for some strange reason, I remain positive.
And go back to the drawing board:
Forget what others do or don’t do. Do your own thing.
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- How to Find Your Writing Voice in the Online World
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