All week this week, we’ll be talking blogging! I know it’s a break from regular travel posts but with a lot of questions swirling around the internet about blogging and after having been asked some of these questions regularly, I thought it worth while to commit a week to discuss this crazy world of blogging. And hopefully, you’ll walk away with some answers to your own questions too!
If you’re just getting into blogging or you’ve been doing it for a while, there is an incredible amount of resources out there these days to help you learn about all things blogging. There are also a lot of posts floating around out there telling you to do this or that, that this is the only way to do it or that if you’re not doing this, you’re not blogging correctly. I’m here to tell you today, take all of that with a very large grain of salt. If I’ve learned anything in my 3+ years of blogging seriously, it’s that doing your own thing and not worrying about what we all “should” be doing has been the most liberating and most successful thing I’ve done. Not to say you can’t take advice, because I totally recommend that, but realizing that you might do things differently and realizing that that is totally fine and even better, it’s probably better for you as a blogger in the long run. So if you’re wondering which advice to take, here’s what I suggest to do your own thing.
1. Don’t follow every rule you hear.
There are a million posts out there telling you how to gain followers, how to post, how to do your graphics and on and on. My one piece of advice would be: don’t listen to all of them. Pick the ones you find relevant to you or the ones that you think might fit with your blog, but ignore the rest. The way that my blog operates or gains followers is completely different than someone else’s, so know what works for you and ignore the rest of the rules floating around out there.
2. Don’t let negative comments get you down, know who you are and don’t listen to anything else.
I’ve had my fair share of haters along the way through blogging and in the beginning I would read all the negative comments and really let them bother me. I once had a forum thread tearing me apart piece by piece, saying things like I wasn’t even really born in the Middle East (which I was, you can see my birth certificate) and I had made it up, to tearing apart posts I had written. It was awful, but one thing I walked away from that with, I don’t even read those comments anymore. I know who I am and what I stand for and how I want to live and I don’t need that negativity in my life, nor does anyone else. It’s ok to delete the comments that bother you and to ignore the people that are so unhappy in their own lives that they have to tear everyone else around them down. Just ignore it and move forward.
3. Do things your own way.
I hear all the time, do this to promote your posts. Do this to gain more followers. Do this to increase your SEO. And guess what? While some of the advice might be worthwhile, I’m a true believer in doing things your own way. I know I could be gaining way more followers on Instagram if all I did was post travel photos from a DSLR all the time, but instead, I actually like my followers to see my every day life, travel and my normal routine at home, all shot on my iPhone. I know I could be reaching out to new audiences and gaining more views and followers through increasing my SEO, but the most I do on that is use the SEO plug in on WordPress because it’s all I really have the time or inclination to do right now. Don’t worry about doing things the way everyone else is doing them or going with everything everyone tells you to do… do it your own way and it will work out just fine.
4. Passion vs. Making Money.
Land of Marvels for me has always been about the passion for writing and travel instead of the money. I hardly make any money from my blog but what I do gain from it is the exposure to work with travel brands, the incredible community in the blogging world and a fulfillment in my passion for travel and sharing that with the world. I genuinely love writing each post and sharing travel secrets and amazing places with my followers, so much that I am still writing 5 posts per week years after starting in the blogging world. Land of Marvels still is and I hope always will be, a place for my passion of travel.
5. Do what feels comfortable.
There is a lot of information floating out there telling bloggers to do this and that. The key at the end of the day is doing what feels comfortable to you. If you’re not comfortable using Instagram, then don’t. If you’re not comfortable sharing personal information, then don’t. Do what feels natural and comfortable to you and your followers will support you.
Looking for more posts on Blogging?
See our archives here for Blogging posts.
Bharat & Supriya says
You’re so right Casey 🙂 As a lover of old school style blogging, it just feels weird to be out there and push posts and keep thinking of “traffic” all the time. I oscillate between wanting and not wanting to do that. For us as a couple, getting to travel more is priority, documenting it is important and makes us feel good but so far we haven’t let it take over our lives. Thanks for writing this one.
Casey says
I’m so with you on that. I have some days where I’m all about trying to push myself and get more views and followers and then others when I could care less because I love it so much just myself. It’s a balance but the most important thing, as you said, is still not letting it take over your life.
Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki says
I so agree. Do you own thing, I think that is the best advice for blogging!
Casey says
So true… to each their own!
Restless Cat says
Very good post!
I think most advice in the beginning is very helpful just to get an idea how this whole “blogger universe” works but I think after some time it’s easy to find the own “voice”. I’m not sure whether I already found my own voice, but I working on it 🙂
Casey says
Totally! Finding your voice is a process and taking advice that works for you is great, but don’t feel like you have to do everything everyone tells you to!
Angasa @ Capricious Leo says
There’s so much blogging advice out there that you feel like you have to follow everything they’re saying (especially when you’re new at it) but I agree that you should just do what feels right for you and you blog. Great post!
Casey says
YEs! There is so much floating around out there, it’s important to narrow it down and do what’s right for you!
Lynn & Meg says
Great post. I think it’s all about learning from those who have become successful and taking tips from all sorts of different blogs and applying what makes sense for your own. Thanks for posting!
This Rainy Life
Casey says
So true! Apply what is best for you!
Kristin says
Such a great post – the things that draw us to blogs are the things that make the voices behind them unique. If you start following rules or guidelines or money-making schemes, you lose those things. You’ve done a wonderful job of keeping your voice behind the blog here – keep it up!!
Casey says
Thank Kristin! I so appreciate that! I think that’s so important and it also comes from doing something because you love it verses doing it for the money!
Elen says
All good advice! My blog is fairly new and my issue is that I’m more interested in producing good writing and developing as a writer than all the other stuff. I get that it’s important to know how to promote your work, or to have a good design, but at the end of the day I consider myself a writer. There are a lot of blogs out there that look great but read horribly, and I don’t want to be one of them. So, as you say, do your own thing. I’m hoping that will pay off in the long run 🙂
Casey says
Exactly. I have found there needs to be a balance between great content and a good design, but enjoying the parts of blogging you love is super important!
Eric Støen (Travel Babbo) says
Great advice, and it’s what everyone should hear when they’re starting out. A year ago I signed up for some online travel blogging courses/workshops, paid money, and then never utilized them at all. I found that I was able to grow my followings doing things my way, posting on my schedule, and concentrating on as many or few social networks as I wanted – basically ignoring the conventional wisdom. Everyone needs to figure out what works best for them. Following you now on Twitter and Instagram – glad I found you through Bloglovin.
Casey says
So glad to have you and glad that you found me on Bloglovin! Its so true though, everybody does things differently, so to each their own!
Mo Explores says
I feel like most people should look at these “How to’s” and “Guides” for blogging more so as advice. Similar to the way they would take a friend’s advice on what to do with their life. It’s your life, it’s your blog. Listen to others’ advice if you must, but decide how you do things on your own.
Casey says
Exactly! It’s important to get all the information and then decide which to add to how you want to do things!