It seems like everyone has a blog these days. However, very few people have a successful one.
That may be because too many people start a blog without realistic expectations. Simply put, a lot of people start a blog for the wrong reasons.
To make sure that you’re setting yourself up to succeed and setting the right type of expectations, here are some of the right and wrong reasons to start a blog.
The Right Reason: SEO Success
“Content is king” has been the mantra in digital marketing for years, but it has never been truer than it is today. If you’re just starting your journey, you might want to read these 10 steps to building a WordPress website the right way.
Google’s algorithm rewards fresh and relevant content and the use of organic SEO tactics. The highest-ranked companies are the ones who take the time to create quality, well-optimized content. And your blog remains the best place to publish this content.
The Wrong Reason: Overnight SEO Success
Despite what we just wrote above, your blog is most likely not going to help you overtake the #1 ranking on Google in a few weeks. Or even a few months or years.
There are always case studies for aggressive SEO growth and companies that skyrocketed up the rankings. However, this is not a realistic place to set your expectations. You also need to know that their growth most likely didn’t just come from their blog. It is almost always aided by a strong off-page SEO strategy, with link building and influencer marketing.
The Right Reason: Thought Leadership
Your blog is also a great home for you’re earned knowledge and industry acumen.
You most likely started your business because you’re an expert in something. Whether that something is pet grooming or auto mechanics, your mind contains invaluable experience and expertise. If you can effectively get it out of your brain and into a blog, you stand a great chance at becoming a thought-leader in your space.
However…
The Wrong Reason: You Want to Go Viral
Becoming a thought-leader or influencer in your market likely won’t happen overnight. And it most likely won’t happen with a single blog that goes viral.
Writing a blog or shooting a video with the hopes of going viral basically holds the same odds as buying a lottery ticket.
Don’t set out hoping to find overnight success after hitting a homerun. Set yourself up to strategically build a following. That is more achievable and something you can work towards. At the same time, the results you will see from taking the long road will last much longer, whereas the fame and success from a single viral piece can be fleeting at best.
You may have noticed the overarching theme here. The right reasons to start a blog all involve working strategically to grow your SEO clout and following, while all of the wrong reasons include looking for overnight success or fame.
Enter the world of blogging with the right expectations and you can steadily work towards success. However, if you enter it with the wrong expectations, you will most likely get frustrated and quit.
Can your blog make you rich? Maybe. But you’re going to have to put a lot into it before it starts giving back.
