The Main Reason Your Blog Will Never Last

I’ve seen a lot of changes over the last 18 months both for the good and the bad. I guess we could also call them “trends.” There is so much noise online today you almost miss these sudden changes without even realizing it. A shift begins to happen. Little by little you hear other bloggers talking about it. Momentum begins to shift. Those that last makes the adjustment, while others get left behind.

As bloggers we need to constantly be evolving. We should be open to trying new things and not stuck on the way things have always worked. I know many people who have dropped out of the online business world all together because their entire business model was based on Google search. When Google began to make changes, their house of cards fell flat. Their income dried up in a matter of days.

If I had to choose one main reason why your blog will never last, it would be this:

You’re blogging in isolation.

“Blogging in isolation” may seem like an oxymoron, but it really is not. I am convinced more then ever that successful blogs today are built on the backs of aligning with other passionate bloggers. Sure good SEO can get you a nice, passive traffic source. However, the traffic you have today may not be the traffic you have tomorrow.

My personal blogging journey has been in and out of isolation. As I look back, there were too many times I was trying to go at this thing all alone. I was convinced that it was a one man show and the world was my competition. If that describes you, then let me give you some kind words of advice.

How to Stop Blogging in Isolation

Below are some random thoughts about how to come out of isolation and surround yourself with other passionate bloggers.

1. Stop viewing other bloggers as competition. It is easy to fall into this trap. We mistakenly think that other bloggers in our niche don’t want to hear from us. Not true.

2. Surround yourself with other passionate people. Jim Rohn is known for saying, “You will become the average of the 5 people you most hang around.” The problem with most bloggers is they never get around other bloggers.

3. Participate on other blogs in your niche. Please don’t comment on other blogs just for the sole reason of trying to get traffic to your site. Make your focus instead to contribute, add value, and leave a positive footprint everywhere you go. Make adding real value your highest priority. If you want to get the attention of a blogger, you do so in the comments section.

4. Email other bloggers and thank them when their blog posts have helped you. Reach out to other bloggers without anything in return in the beginning. I emailed 3 bloggers in the past few days because I just wanted to thank them for what they had written. All 3 of them emailed me back within a day. That is how you form an online friendship.

5. Join communities and add real value in the lives of other bloggers. Be willing to spend money investing in conferences, webinars, and products if it will increase your learning and connect you with other bloggers.

6. Join a blogging mastermind group. Do you have a tight nit group of bloggers that challenge and inspire you on a regular basis? I see this trend growing especially as technology makes this easier with Google Hangouts. When we see others taking action, it inspires us. A mastermind group can also hold us accountable.

Questions: Are you blogging in isolation? What specific steps are you going to take this year to surround yourself with other passionate bloggers?