We’re coming to the end of a five-part series on how to build a successful blog. So far, we’ve discussed several things, including how to define what having a “successful blog” actually means to you. How to come up with a structure for your blog. How to drive more traffic to your blog. And more.
And now, for the final installment of this series, I have some unexpected advice for you. I want you to know…
It’s OK to stop blogging.
Yes, I really said it (well actually, I wrote it, but I digress…)
If you’ve been blogging consistently for one year, two years, three years, or more, maybe you want to keep going. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you’re not sure. Maybe you’ve put so much time, energy, and money into your blog and, at this point, it would feel heartbreaking to quit.
Wherever you’re at, I encourage you to pause and take stock of the situation. Be compassionate with yourself and be honest, too.
Are you enjoying the blogging process? Does this feel like a fun and satisfying creative outlet for you? Are your blogging efforts leading to the results that you want—meaning, are you noticing more buzz about your work, more opportunities, more clients signing up to hire you because of your blog? Is your blog leading (directly or indirectly) to a more successful brand and business? In other words… is all of this work paying off?
If you look at those questions and sigh heavily and think, “Not really. I’m not seeing much of a pay-off,” then please remember that it’s OK to change your blog (new structure, new topics, new look, new twist) or stop blogging completely.
Just because you started a blog doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it for the next five, ten, or fifteen years. You can decide, “This was an interesting experiment. I learned a lot. My writing/communication skills have improved a ton. Now I’m done and I’m moving on to a new project.”
Perhaps there’s another way—a better way—for you to share your ideas and attract clients and customers. Maybe you want to ditch the blog and start a YouTube channel instead. Maybe you want to focus on sharing Instagram content because that’s where you really shine. Or maybe you want to focus on booking speaking engagements because whenever you get onstage, it always leads to five or six new client inquiries immediately afterward. Maybe for you, thirty minutes of speaking onstage leads to bigger results than thirty hours of blogging! If that’s the case, bravo! Own it and do it!
You might worry, “But won’t people think I’m flaky or unreliable if I quit blogging?” That’s a valid concern. But choosing to shut down a blog doesn’t mean you’ve failed. People evolve. Artists evolve. Businesses, industries, trends and customer preferences evolve, too. It’s okay to shake things up and begin a new chapter.
Case in point: there’s a woman named Nicole Antoinette who worked hard, for many years, to build a popular blog called A Life Less Bullshit. She wrote about personal growth with a hilarious, snarky, biting style of writing that readers loved. She built a considerable fan base. But gradually, over time, she fell out of love with blogging. It began to feel like a chore, not a joy. She felt hungry to tackle a new kind of project.
One day, she shocked her fans by shutting down her blog—deleting everything. Years and years of archived posts. Gone. She let her fans know that something new was coming and she kept her newsletter going in the meantime, so she could keep in touch.
She was quiet for a while. Then she re-surfaced with a new project—a podcast called Real Talk Radio, dedicated to honest conversations about feminism, racism, homophobia, addiction, mental illness, and other tough topics that need to be discussed. Now in its 15th season, Real Talk Radio has grown into a successful podcast with millions of downloads to date.
Moral of the story: it’s OK to start a project (like a blog), give it your best effort, and then ultimately decide, “I’m done here. It’s time for a different approach.”
Running a business is a continual process of trial and error, experimentation and evolving. If you’ve tried blogging, and you’ve given it your best effort, but it’s just not leading to the results you want to see, or it’s just not fun anymore, you have permission to stop.
Perhaps your blog was an amazing starting point. A place for you to hone your ideas and find your voice. And now, perhaps, the best work of your life… is still yet to come.
In life, and in business, reinvention is a beautiful thing.
How to Create a Successful Blog: The Series
Part I: Defining Success
Part II: Structure & Schedule
Part III: Serve Your People
Part IV: Get More Traffic
Speak Your Mind