Why do I write my blog?
I started writing my blog after an incident happened that made me realise that I needed something else to occupy my time. I picked up my tablet and started typing my first novel ‘Rosie’. It sits at about 40 000 words and I’m fearing that I might need to spend a night on the street to finish it or spend some time with ‘Porchlight homeless charity’. People will advise you to write about what you know, both of my novels are what I don’t know, so I will need to research.
It was about June 2018 that I put ‘Rosie’ to one side and spent a few months just reading and enjoying evening television. It was then that I read online that blogging is a good way to make money. Great I thought, I can write and get paid for it. Well, this is easier said then done, yes you can make money, but you might be working freelance or being sponsored for your article. The money will not come easily, (not in my experience anyway).
I enrolled my other blog, ‘Just muddling through life’ for Amazon Associates, this earns me pocket money and helps support the cost of running two blogs. Some people make a lot of money from affiliate links, me not so much. I get excited if I have earned £2.00 in the month.
Sitting here now, eating the remains of my Pumpkin pie and drinking my tea, here are some thoughts.
What is the secret to a good blog post?
None of mine fulfil this criteria, as far as I am aware, but I know that Search Engine Optimisation or SEO is important. You need to have a keyword that ranks high, so that your post is high on a google search. Your post should also answer a question. You might have noticed that on both my blogs I’m not really answering questions. This might be something I should think about for this blog especially.
I had a look at ‘Keysearch’ this morning, this shows you how good the keyword you have chosen actually is. However, you have to sign up for a free trial to use it or pay for it. I’m not sure how expensive it is but I’m not purchasing it, yet. Maybe by using ‘Keysearch’ my Amazon posts might rank higher or not.
I learned that if the blog post answers a searchable question, and then has a nice link to Amazon when the person is in buying mode, they are more likely to click and buy. This does make a lot of sense, but there are so many bloggers out there doing this and they do it well.
The world of blogging
I can spend ages after I have typed my post, working through ‘Yoast SEO’. I have asked myself whether I’m wasting my time, but it’s quite satisfying to turn all the lights green.
Reading other blogs, I can see there are many different feelings on SEO. I try and ensure that all my posts are over 300 words. There are some posts I read that might be a sentence or 99 words only. I might be over thinking it but months ago a lady on Facebook criticised ‘Just muddling through life’ for a short post. This is one reason why I stopped joining in with various blogs that I did enjoy.
A lot of bloggers run very successful blogs with short posts, even with a large following. Some of them don’t seem concerned about frequent social media sharing as their followers are there actively reading. This is a good thing, very positive and I’m jealous.
There are so many successful blogs out there. Some of them I can see immediately why they appeal. Some you can see straight away how they would make money.
I read a while back that every post should be a quality long post, important for SEO, this again goes against some of my fellow bloggers blogs.
So why blog?
People blog for different reasons, I suspect that a lot of the blogs that I read and really enjoy are written for pleasure. The author isn’t worried about their statistics or their ranking on Google. They serve their audience and they are happy with that. This is a good thing and I know that I need to relax about it.
Months ago, I started to go back through ‘Just muddling through life’ with ‘Yoast SEO’, after about fifty posts I gave up. There are so many posts on there that I like that are buried within the website.
For now, I will continue as I am because as I write, the blog will steadily grow. I have been told not to worry about short posts, but I know many other bloggers would tell me a minimum of 1000 words per post.
Are there rules?
There are so many different ideas and different opinions. I guess if your blog is a business then SEO is more of a concern, if for pleasure, why worry?
So, what are your feelings here? How important is SEO? How important is the length of a post? I have stories on ‘Just muddling through life’ that are over 2000 words. They have very few comments as I suspect people have not got the time to read them. A short post means it can be read quickly, understood, enjoyed and commented on.
So where am I at?
I started writing my blog not just because I read I could get paid, but also because I find that writing is a good stress reliever. As a working mum of two, I do get very stressed and I find writing cathartic. I started ‘Just muddling through life’ to share my writing with the world and I try and write it every Friday, either a fiction story, a poem or talk about my children.
I started writing this blog due to writing my novels, the need to have a platform. With the novels underway, the question then is, are my blogs a business? They are a reflection of me to the outside world, back to writing long quality posts. Yes, round and round I go, who ever said that writing a blog would be easy? I think this depends on your reason for writing it. However, if you really do enjoy your blog you need to watch out because it is enjoyable and the blogging community can be amazing.
My reading
As you may know I have been struggling to fit in reading my book. The last few nights, I have taken my book to the bathroom at 11.30pm and read it in there. Huddled up on the floor, desperate to read it. Part three is due out Thursday 31st October 2019 – ‘GX Todd – Survivors’ . I need to get part two ‘Hunted’ finished, the pressure is on.
Facebook Live
Here is my Facebook live from last week
Today, new blog post and half term holiday – 22nd October 2019
End of school holiday – 25th October 2019 – Part one (disturbed due to children fighting)
End of school holidays continued – 25th October 2019
Newsletter
I’m intending to send my newsletter this weekend. This will include links to all this month (October’s) blog posts. If interested please do sign up below.
Today
If you have watched Friday’s Facebook Live, you will know that I was going to take the children shopping for Pumpkins. Here is a link to my pumpkin post.
I will try and come on Facebook Live later. Right now, I am enjoying my peace, the children are back at school this week. It is lovely spending quality time with them, but for now I am enjoying the break.
I am now going to re-boil the kettle for more tea, and make the most of my quiet time.
For more see, Time, writing, life and half term holiday
My other blog – ‘Just muddling through life’
22 Comments
gemmaorton
I started blogging to raise awareness, I thought I could add my bit to the world and maybe things will change. Now I blog because I enjoy it. I still hope to raise awareness, and when just one person gets in touch saying they get me or I’ve helped them in some way, even to make them laugh, that’s a highlight of all this. There are times I don’t blog, like now, I don’t feel I have anything to say. And that ok. I worry I’ll loose readers or won’t return to writing. But it’s all just still there waiting when I return.
Marian Wood
I do really enjoy your blog, as you say it does raise awareness which is important. I worry that if I take a break then I will take a longer break then previously planned.. as you say the fear of not returning. Well you won’t lose me as a reader, I guess we can only do the best we can.
gemmaorton
We can definitely put too much pressure on ourselves.
Marian Wood
Yes Gemma, we definately can.
Ritu
I started blogging as a way to chat without being told to shut up!!!
SEO etc. I’ve never looked at.
And my posts have ranged from 10 words to a couple of thousand… Yet people still follow me…
Blogging is a strange world!
Marian Wood
Hi Ritu, sorry just found you in my spam folder. Yes yours is one of the highly successful blogs that I really enjoy reading that goes against the advice given. I think it does all come down to the reason behind blogging, because you enjoy it or to make money. I need to relax more about it but I can’t help worrying. Since someone told me off on Face book for a short post, I’ve made sure they are all over 300 words and that includes poetry. Blogs that I contributed to last year no longer see me for this reason. A short 5 sentence poem or post in response to something was so easy, and then I stopped. Blogging is hard work but at the same time enjoyable.
Ritu
I honestly think you need to go with your heart for now. You’re a creative. Don’t get too technical. Enjoy what you post. Don’t make yourself write. It will come across as forced.
That’s my advice 😉
Marian Wood
Thankyou Ritu x
Amy L Blair
Okay I will attempt this comment again, although I feel it won’t be as good at the first time I typed up a big comment for this. Yes SEO drives me crazy!! I just want to write, but yet feel that it is so important to the internet world to know SEO. I struggle with it a lot. I started blogging because being a stay-at-home mom can be so lonely. I am a deep thinker and am constantly thinking and analyzing everything to death. I have a lot of time on my hands to think. I have been through a lot of really hard stuff in my life and it got laid on my heart a couple years ago to get it out. I spent months researching everything about blogs and found that most information about blogging revolves around teaching people to blog and getting money from courses, ebooks, pdfs and printables. I was so discouraged because I just want to write and get all this thinking out of my head and out into the world. I want people to see that other people struggle and are not alone. I have a great idea for a fiction book and then would love to write an autobiography. I figured blogging was a good way to start getting my name out there and make connections. I struggle with finding the time to do and learn everything I need to but I honestly love writing so much.
I truly admire your passion and determination and feel like you are going to do big things. You can tell that you love it and were made to do this, I don’t see you ever giving up.
Marian Wood
Thanks for your massive comment. Yes SEO is hard because there is so much advice on it and so many blogs reinforcing how important it is. If I just typed my post and then published it, I would have more time. Instead I need to turn the traffic lights to green, have a key word mentioned a number of times, sometimes more then eight. Have section headings, and not repeat the same word at the beginning of a sentence three times in a row. I can spend ages finding a third repeated word and working out which section is more then 300 words. I really should relax about it, but it is my blog and I need to be happy with it.
Blogging is so much work, but cathartic and rewarding at the same time, which is why I guess so many of us do it.
Keep on with your writing Amy and you will get there… one day we will both get there… just feels a mighty long road right now,.
Yes it does seem to be those that blog about blogging that make the real money.. or travel bloggers with good affiliate links. I’m happy with pocket money from Amazon for now.
You have passion too, you can feel that in your words! I honestly do appreciate your support and your encouragement! It really does mean alot! Just wish you lived down the road, then we could meet for a proper chat over tea or coffee! Thankyou! X
clairelomax2018
It is such a secret world when you start, I had no idea about ANYTHING!
I still don’t really know what I am doing. Great post Marian x x
Marian Wood
Thank you Claire, yes there is so much to learn. X x
dgkaye
Informative post Marian. What you said makes sense about blogging. Personally, I add links where necessary, highlight keywords (sometimes), don’t use annoying sponsored ads either. Like many writers, I started blogging to build a platform when I started writing books. I don’t write short blogs, but I also try not to write long ones. I don’t care what SEO says. As bloggers, we have lots of blogs to read and I can’t spend 10-15 on long blogs or I wouldn’t get anything else done. It’s a blog, not a book. 🙂
Marian Wood
Thankyou, I read a post once they said a blog post should be about 10 000 words, a crazy length. Some of my longest are about 3000 words and have very few comments , I think due to time, which makes sense. I always try and add links, even if its just to my own blogs.
You are very right though, it is a blog, not a book.
I don’t like sponsored ads either. Amazon affiliates feels less intrusive then ads, and earns me a little pocket money..
dgkaye
Do you only have Amazon affiliates on your other blog? I didn’t see any here. Also, can you tell me a bit what happens when you join for affiliate? Does Amazon put up ads? Do you choose the ads? How much can one make, and does someone have to purchase or do clicks count? Thanks. 🙂
Marian Wood
Hi yes, I only have amazon affiliates on just muddling through life. You have to be approved by making three sales within three months. You add links to your blog posts or to your blog. When people click on the links Amazon records it, if they buy something and they are not a friend on Facebook or a relative, then you will get paid. If they buy directly from your link you earn more, for example, your link is for a kindle and the buyer purchases that kindle. If a buyer clicks on your kindle link and buys a book you will still get paid, but a smaller percentage. Some people make alot of money from it, I earn pocket money, but it is worth doing.. Yes you can choose the ads and obviously choose what posts you might do or where you might add a link. You may choose to not have ads directly on your blog but links in some posts, it’s up to you. Hope that all makes sense.
dgkaye
Thanks so much for explaining Marian. Yes, makes perfect sense. I was concerned I had to add a bunch of widgets down my sidebar or ads popping up for my readers, which I don’t like. 🙂
Marian Wood
You are welcome. No it’s okay. No I don’t like ads either, they frustrate me.
thatblogwherecheriemovestogermany
I blog to tell friends and family about our lives since we moved abroad. Now, through blogging, I have made many more friends. I could care less about SEO, or trying to make money. Blogging is just my way to interact with people.
Marian Wood
And that’s a very good reason to blog! I think there are alot that blog because they enjoy it. Some won’t have considered SEO. Yes it is a great way to meet people, one reason why I really enjoy it.
josypheen
I think your blogs get better and better Marian. Recently I’ve been popping in to the fb blogging group a bit less, so I don’t always see them, but I am always please to catch up with you.
I’m not sure how much SEO helps with your style of fiction writing. As often it’s not things people search for. However the writing community is sooo friendly. I think you are doing well at building up your network of online friends.
The problem with the posts about making money from blogging, is they are often making money from other bloggers. It’s a bit like a pyramid scheme.
Marian Wood
Thankyou Josy, I’ve been on the group less as well. Blogging is a lot of work, thanks for your comment , I like catching up with a walk and a lark!
I always work on my SEO, but I’m sure I’m wasting my time. Yes fiction writing is not really what people search for. Yes the blogging community is great and so supportive which is great!
You are right about making money, I make pocket money from Amazon, those that make a real profit really know their stuff and are not writing primarily fiction.