5 More Ways To Save Your Blog’s Life

One of the most popular posts on ScrawlBug appeared at one of the worst times for me – when my posts became irregular for a variety of reasons. As I said back then, in 5 Ways To Save Your Blog’s Life, every blog goes through the same throes.

Almost every person giving advice to bloggers says it: persistence and regular posting are good ways to get traffic¹ and make your blog earn. As I’ve always said, “earning” is a relative term and can mean money, popularity, a following or the feeling of a job well done.

Today, for your consideration, I’m presenting another 5 ways to save your blog’s life and keep your posts regular – all of which have come from my lovely, friendly visitors.

1. Come As You Are

As the very funny Jan Geronimo of Writing to Exhale said, “be your quirky self and keep showing up”.

This is one of the fundamental basics of blogging. No, it isn’t – it’s two of them. Unless your blog is a dull regurgitation of current events or factual information, your visitors don’t just come by to read the words. They come to read your words – your style, the way you say things, your humour or phlegm, your rants and silliness, your absurd conclusions from simple data.

What to do? Producing content regularly, in your own inimitable style, is key to continued success as a blogger. Running low on energy and inspiration? Create another style!

Personal choice: I adore Kate, of Itisi. She’s absolutely hilarious in her own, opinionated way and is a very genuine, wonderful person. Check her out. Not in that way.

2. Mind Map A Series

Another great guy, Andy at Comings and Goings, took a more logical approach to the problem of waning posts. Start with a simple idea and mind map² everything it leads to.

From this map, you can build a series of posts looking at the different aspects of the subject. I see two advantages here: it gives you something to write immediately – thus shooing away the beast of imminent blog death – and it gives you the chance to produce a batch of interlinked articles – thus creating a barrier of ongoing posts to keep said beast in someone else’s garden.

Two birds with one stone. Smart, efficient and makes a gooey red mess.

What to do? There are several free online mind-mappers around to get you started. All you need is the central idea. Keep reading, we’re getting to some ways to find those!

3. Keep A List Of Things That Make You Go “Hmm”

Another aid mentioned by Shack, but originating with Deb Ng of Freelance Writing Jobs, is keeping a list of interesting articles you read. As a blogger, you surely must spend a lot of time reading other folks’ content, browsing the web and generally wasting the time you should use to create a new post, right? I know I do. And at least some of that content is interesting, right?

Keep all those interesting links and thought-provoking posts in a document somewhere. A spreadsheet, a list, a text file… it doesn’t matter how you store it. You could even add a thought to each link, so you remember why you were reading about people who don’t wash, colours that attract sharks or things to build with Jell-O®.

What to do? Start a list right now. Put it on your desktop, so that it’s easy to find. Organise it (yeah, I know I’m Mr. Disorganised, but I can still suggest it). When you’re stuck for something to write about, refer to your list and pick one.

4. Pay Someone Else To Do It

This one might grate on your writing aesthetic but there’s really nothing wrong with it. As Steven, of the unfortunately now-defunct wordsworm and the still active (and rather yummy) My Magic Art, suggested, it’s entirely possible to plop a job offering on the freelance sites (Elance, Guru, oDesk, etc.) for $1 articles. As we all know, you’ll likely get crap in return but you can edit, rewrite and beat them with a halibut to produce something postable.

An alternative that’s cheaper is to fish for guest posters. Surely there’s someone out there who’d get a kick out of posting on your blog? Someone who’s just starting blogging and who’s impressed by your 20 daily hits? Or just someone who’s generous, kind and doesn’t need the money?

What to do? Cheap articles are the bane of writers who need to earn more but, assuming you can quiet your conscience to the point where it releases control of your fingers, they’re easy to find. Stump up a few quid and slap something on a freelance site. Then convince yourself that the people doing the $1 work can actually live on such small amounts.³

5. Consider The Loss

Lori, who retired her blog, suggests a bit of introspection. Consider what you’ll be losing if you stop posting and let your blog die. Think about lost revenue. Think about losing an online presence that could potentially bring you work, pleasure, relaxation or invitations to dinner with Natalie Portman.

Think about the gains as well: more time to do other things, less pressure to produce regular updates, no one calling you a pillock and insulting your writing, no spam to handle and no disappointment when those dinner invitations remain conspicuous by their absence.

What to do? Consider everything – both sides of the coin – before you make any decisions. It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing choice, either: you could maintain regular posts less frequently or mix a decision in with some other ways to keep things alive.

Once again, thanks go to my visitors for the extra tips. Anyone for any more? Leave ‘em in the comments!

¹ In the real world, they’re not the best ways. Being famous, posting naked breasts, talking endlessly about Jessica Biel or pounding out exclamation-mark-filled marketing spam all over the place work a lot better.

² Despite my loathing for all things buzzwordy and managerial, I am forced (under pain of never eating chocolate again) to admit that this one is actually rather neat. I never use it myself, preferring lists, but it’s good. Just don’t tell anyone I said that: I’ll never live it down.

³ I am so not going to get into whole “how much should I charge?” debate here. Don’t even think about it. I’m not listening! I’m not listening! Lalalalalalala!