by Ryan Biddulph | Blogging Solutions That Help You to Save Time So You Can Accomplish More |
This is a guest post by our top contributing author and travel blogger Ryan Biddulph. He is the founder of Blogging From Paradise, his course 11 Fundamentals of Successful Blogging and the author of more than 126 eBooks.
Some bloggers blog for themselves without listening to what their readers want.
Oddly enough, most bloggers make this mistake at times. Some bloggers err in this fashion for the entirety of their blogging career.
One blog I visited 5 minutes ago greeted me with Christmas music and cyber snowflakes falling across the screen. I admire the cute touch but did the blogger poll their readers before making a holiday-themed edit?
I hate being a Grinch but I love being honest. As a rule, adding music to your blog – or any site – is a no-no. Readers tend to enjoy music-free blogging experiences. Being assaulted by unexpected, loud music turns off most readers.
Perhaps the blogger asked their readers before adding holiday-themed music and cyber snowflakes falling from the internet skies. However, most bloggers make dramatic blog edits without asking readers for feedback.
Trust your gut. But be careful about making big blogging edits before asking readers. Blog readers make a blogging community. Turning off most blog readers dissolves most of your community.
I shared a time sensitive holiday edit above. December 25th or January 1st marks the respective days most bloggers ceases adding holiday changes to their blogs. But other bloggers make fundamental edits for the long haul without ever asking readers for their feedback.
Why would you make big blogging changes without asking readers if they want you to make the change? Sans readers, every blogger runs a cyber-diary. Feel free to be the shot caller of your cyber diary. Ask readers for feedback before making significant changes to your blog.
Find the Happy Balance
Find the happy balance between trusting your gut and fielding reader feedback. Never solely become a slaver to reader needs. Why would you blog unless you partially honor your inner feedback?
Readers respect, clear, confident bloggers who make some decisions based on their gut. But listen closely to reader feedback to solve their problems, to inspire them to live their dreams and to set up a seamless user experience.
My blog is essentially free content with my eBooks links and embeds mixed in. I use no pop-ups. I do not even post an opt-in form on my blog sidebar. Blogging From Paradise boasts a lean, mean and clean design. I publish content, promote my eBooks and courses and add nothing else to my blog.
I receive virtually no feedback concerning any aspect of my blog. Receiving no feedback signals my readers enjoy what I have to offer. But if a high volume of readers begged me to add an embed for joining my email list I would add an embed to honor reader needs.
A few bloggers asked me to open blog comments.
I listened closely to desiring commenters with an open mind. But each commenter rarely commented on my blog. I did not open comments because receiving a few comments monthly from legit commenters does not outweigh the huge load thousands of spammers place on my server every single month. I refuse to pay for spamming freeloaders to gobble up server space. I listened to reader feedback with an open mind but trusted my gut.
Listen closely to your readers.
No blogger needs reader feedback to succeed but wise bloggers note reader feedback mirroring patterns. Blogging friends of mine nudged me to self-publish eBooks in 2013. I feared self-publishing up to that point. As more bloggers egged me on to begin self-publishing eBooks I honored their influence and wrote a few eBooks for my old blogs.
A few more trusted blogging buddies asked me to write eBooks for my Blogging From Paradise blog after I trashed my former blogs. I listened closely to their feedback, tuned into my intuition and 120 eBooks later, I never looked back.
Ask readers for feedback. Be cautious about making any significant changes to your blog unless you ask your readers if they desire the change, first.
Listen to your readers while trusting your gut to build a large, loyal blogging community.
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Buy my eBook:
6 Tips to Grow a Rabidly Loyal Blog Community
by Ryan Biddulph | Blogging Solutions That Help You to Save Time So You Can Accomplish More |
This is a guest post by our top contributing author and travel blogger Ryan Biddulph. He is the founder of Blogging From Paradise, his course 11 Fundamentals of Successful Blogging and the author of more than 126 eBooks.
Freedom has been my prime intent for much of my 10 year blogging career.
I lost my way at times.
But I eventually observed the error of my ways and changed course.
I had to adopt the quality of having blogging posture to live a life of freedom through blogging by making freeing but sometimes highly uncomfortable decisions.
Examples include:
- saying “no” to opportunities eating into my freedom, including time and energy intensive coaching and freelance work
- keeping all interactions online genuine, warm but brief
- opening solely passive income streams
- building my day around personal development first then blogging second
- completely ignoring anyone online non-resonant with my values and core intent
I felt quite scared to make these decisions initially because I feared:
- being criticized for being rude, short, curt or not responding to all messages, chats or comments
- letting go active income streams
- building my business solely on passive income streams
- not putting in enough blogging work since I devoted 3-4 hours to personal development daily
but my love of freedom became stronger than these fears.
Pier Guard Job
I became disgusted working 6 days weeks and more than enough 16 to 18 hour days as a pier guard some 15 years ago. Trading time for money equated to trading my life just to cover the bills and to save a few extra bucks. I feel grateful because this employee experience gave me contrast leading into my professional blogging career. Gaining clarity influenced me to schedule a decent chunk of my entrepreneurial day:
- enjoying travel activities with my wife Kelli
- meditating
- doing Kriya yoga
- doing yin yoga
- sleeping and napping
Re-read the prior bullet points. Even established, pro bloggers sometimes email me inquiring into how I engineered a life of fun, freedom and travel as a pro blogger who circles the globe. Some pros attach themselves to unfailing internet connections, home offices and environments of order, precision and comfort. Meanwhile, many of these folks envy my digital nomad life of circling the globe, internet connections of varying quality, different home offices and regular schedule, routine and time zone changes. I am largely free. Many pros – and a majority of amateurs – are bound.
How do I do it?
I developed posture to live a life of freedom. I never intended to be held captive by an internet connection, client base, home office, blogging routine or NYC Eastern time zone because I observed how such attachments bind, confine and flat out hold most bloggers captive. I put in my time online then get the heck offline to enjoy circling the globe, napping, working on my mindset and spending time with my wife.
Freedom Appears Different to All Bloggers
Some bloggers feel absolutely free rendering service to clients through freelancing or coaching. Follow that path if it feels freeing, fun and fulfilling to you.
But beware when your heart tells you:
“I need to start releasing clients to enjoy a few more hours offline daily. I also need to downsize my client base to enjoy a 1 week vacation without worrying about the 15 hour days I need to put in to keep up with my freelancing or coaching demand the following week.”
At this point, opening more passive income channels or simply tightening your belt by cutting costs are two clear options. I prefer opening passive income channels like:
- writing and self-publishing eBooks
- converting the eBooks to audio books and paperbacks
- creating online courses
- engaging in affiliate marketing
to expand my freedom by not trading time for money.
I still work-blog quite a bit daily but always on my terms. Minus the rare interview I accept I simply never use my alarm, nor do I always remember the day of the week. Time is less of an object to me every day because I chose to do everything blogging-wise to promote my freedom.
Do you need to make the same blanket decision?
eBook
Becoming a connected blogger is one key to develop a freeing, passive blogging business. My dear blogging buddies promote me around the clock as I both blog online and enjoy free time offline.
How can you become a connected blogger?
Buy my eBook:
13 Steps to Become an Unstoppable Networking Machine
by Cori-Leigh | Blogging, Blogging Solutions That Help You to Save Time So You Can Accomplish More |
I work full time from home as a blogger, writer, social media manager, and WordPress web designer. My daily routine starts at my desk with a coffee in hand to jumpstart the day. Truthfully I don’t know what shape I’d be in without that first cup of coffee!
While I love working from home there are challenges. The trouble is there isn’t usually tons of time available to get everything done. Such as how I manage my time and distractions. There are phones ringing, family in and out, and other demands of everyday life.
Developing habits that work for saving time isn’t easy. At least it wasn’t for me. I would commit to more than I could handle. As my workload grew the harder it became to keep up the pace.
There was a time when this created stress, overwhelm and burnout. I was always burdened by things left undone. It got so bad that I almost quit blogging! I had become discouraged and burned out!
I decided it was time to make a few necessary changes. Very quickly the outcome was amazing! I became a happier and more intentional blogger! The jobs I did for my clients were no longer challenged by a lack of motivation. The joy I’d lost in what I was doing for a living came back.
In this post, I offer several tips guaranteed to help you work smarter and not harder.
Create a Daily Plan of Action
Whether you work full time from home or fit blogging into an already busy schedule … you need a plan. Something you can consistently adhere to. I know many writers and bloggers who have full-time jobs outside of the home.
They have to squeeze in the time to blog and write. Usually, they pick a time of the day or evening that works best. This is especially helpful when developing a writing routine.
Developing blogging and writing action plans work! Doing this will be a roadmap for you to follow. Eventually, you’ll form new habits. Resulting in saving time and accomplishing more!
Time Blocking
Blocking time set aside to work on certain tasks has helped me tremendously! I picked up a kitchen timer that sits on my desk. The timer is set to the allotted amount of time for each task. When the timer rings I stop and move to something else.
Doing this has helped me with writing my posts as well. I set the timer for 15-30 minutes and free-write on whatever the topic is. When the timer stops I’m always amazed at how much I wrote.
When I’m working this way I don’t have any other browser tabs open. Allowing me to focus on the one task I’m doing in that moment. Removing online distractions helps me to stay focused.
Take Breaks Frequently
The benefits of taking breaks help your focus, work quality, and motivation. Things that are difficult won’t be as frustrating. We need to step away. Walk around. That break in concentration is good.
I used to sit at the computer for long periods of time. I’d stay there hoping to complete whatever I was working on. Writing a blog post requires focus. I’d stay there writing as much as I could.
The results of my efforts are always of higher quality when I take frequent short breaks.
Sitting for too long isn’t healthy. Our bodies require for movement and exercise. Michael Hyatt solved this issue by using a desk he stands at with the option to sit when needed. You can read the post he wrote about it here.
A popular item sold that has gained popularity is Varidesk referred to as the active workspace. In this digital world where we often spend much time on the computer! Veridesk and other options available to accomplish this can be quite affordable these days! This is a fantasic idea!
Avoid commitment overload
When we over-commit our schedule/routine becomes overloaded. If I commit to more than I can handle I’m thrown off balance in all areas of life. What about you?
Be intentional about how many things you will commit to each day. Less is more and easier to manage.
You can always add to your list of commitments later. It’s more important to know you can keep up with all you set out to accomplish. Stress and burnout happen when we over commit.
When we work from a place of stress and burnout we can’t enjoy what we do. Give yourself permission to do less and accomplish more! Doing this will enable you to have fun while you work and write!
Develop a content creation routine
Blog post routines are certainly important to your audience connected with you! It’s true that keeping a regular tempo of creating quality content is time-consuming. The best thing to do is create a routine you can manage providing consistency to your readers.
I was running three blogs that I have now reduced to two. Writing blog posts regularly for each one can was extremely difficult. While I tried to create a blog posting routine my readers could rely on… this was a challenge with 3 blogs. After reducing to 2 blogs it became much easier.
I don’t publish more than once per week on either one of my blogs currently. It is a consistency that I can manage. That said I guest post on other blogs and accept guest posting on both as well.
Opening up your blog to guest posting has great benefits. Doing this enables you to bring in content from other bloggers in your niche. This helps you to expand your reach to a larger audience. Your guest bloggers will drive their readers to your blog.
Another tip is to batch create blog content and schedule the posts for publication. In WordPress, you can schedule your blogs posts publication in advance.
Utilize Social Media management tools
It’s all too easy to spend tons of time on social media channels. Integrating a few tools that work to save time has incredible benefits.
There are many social media management tools available. Utilizing a few of them can help you to save time by simply batch scheduling content.
Below is a list of a few social media management tools;
Both Hootsuite and Buffer enable you to schedule your social media content to share across various platforms. They are available for free or upgrade to premium.
Tweet Deck is a free social media management tool for managing your Twitter accounts.
Conclusion
Working from home, being a blogger and establishing an online presence is work. Developing work habits that save you time will go a long way in helping you to reach blogging success.
The best part is you’ll have more time to do other things you enjoy!
Join the conversation
I’d love to hear from you!
- What are a few key things you do consistently that help you to blog smarter and save time?
- Do you use any online tools that help you save time?
This post was previously published at PublishousNow.com
