Surviving Your First Year of Blogging

Congratulations you've delved into the world of blogging. Sometimes just getting started can be the biggest hurdle of all. A seed that was planted has been sowed, nurtured and is now coming to life. Now what to do to ensure it grows into a beautiful flower, and stay alive for years to come is the challenge.

The first year is definitely the hardest. It is the year when you are up against your hardest challenges. You are the new kid on the block, struggling to get noticed and find the thing that will be make you stand out - make you different from the rest. It is about creating an appeal that readers are searching for - that they haven't yet found anywhere else.

To keep your standards in check, we've jotted down some of the things you may expect in your first year of blogging. It's our 'what to expect when you're expecting' - for blogging.

Here goes.

Expect your blog to change course
What you may have started out with in the beginning with your blog, may very well not be what you end up with. Having your own blog is a journey of discovery - both for yourself personally and for your blog. Don't be afraid to try new things and run with where your blog takes you.

What works for one, may not work for you
There are so many bloggers and styles of blogs these days and everyone has their own tips and tricks up their sleeve. What works for one blogger, may not work for you. Listen to the advice from others and take it all on board - but don't be afraid to find what works for you - and stick with it.

Finding your niche takes time
Experiment with your blog content. As your blog evolves your may find an entirely new topic you excel in writing about and you may find you appeal to an entirely different audience than you imagined.

Gaining followers is a gradual process
As much as we would love to wake up with thousands of followers overnight, chances are this won't happen. It takes time, so try your best to be patient.

Don't expect to make money in your first year
Some start a blog for purely personal reasons and some of financial gain. If you are in the latter category - don't expect to turn a profit in your first year. It is great to start your blog on the side whilst you still have a dependable income to fall back on. If you are starting out purely to make money - you may want to assess your motivations behind starting your blog.

So take a breath and hit that first year running, with both an ambitious yet realistic frame of mind - and best of blogging luck!