We all go through it, don’t we?
Those times when you wonder why you bother. Any number of things can bring it on, a slump in traffic, a nasty comment, the housework piling up around your ears (just one more tweet and then I’ll do it). If you’ve ever found yourself wondering if now is the time to make your blogging exit try these tactics, and if you still feel like giving up then you probably should
1. A new theme/widget
It might be that you’ve become tired with the look of your blog, perhaps it doesn’t reflect the current you. It might just take a new photo, an updated about page and a few new widgets, or it may need a bigger overhaul, it’s all the rage you know, over the summer English Mum, Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy? and Dulwich Divorcee have all had makeovers, as have I.
It’s a bit like your hair though, a tidy up can perk you up for a while, until suddenly you decide to get a number two all over and die it red, ok maybe not that drastic (caution woman at work will warn you about making rash decisions) but you get what I mean, be sure before you start pulling the HTML apart
If you’re feeling lacklustre about your blog try a makeover. On wordpress it’s as easy as installing a new theme and customising a bit, but if you want to go all out it’s time to call in the web designers (a wee bird tells me that Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy Laura’s hubby is the go to guy for a facelift of the blog variety, or just a little botox if you’d prefer).
2. New blogs for the reader
Has the community you were once a part of progressed and you feel like you’ve been left behind? It may be time to look outside your current circle and find some new blogs to read. Check out your current blogs reading lists and see who you aren’t already reading. I’ve found some new blogs this way, Insomniac Mummy, Being a Mummy and Rosie Scribble to name a few.
The blogosphere in Britain is growing and it’s impossible to keep up with all the blogs, unless you make it your full time job so another idea is to immerse yourself in the blogs that are local to you – Hi Mother at Large, Mummy Do That and Clinically Fed Up – just a few of my fellow Scottish bloggers.
3. Read blogs in a different niche
Sometimes if we only read blogs in our own niche our own writing may become stale, the same stories and memes go round and round and you run out of fresh ideas and wonder whether you’ve reached the end of the road. Try adding a few blogs that are in a completely different niche, they give you lots of new ideas for posts that you may not have thought of. I read blogs about cookery, finance, blogging, business, entrepreneurship and marketing. None of them are part of the parent blogging community and most of them aren’t based in Britain.
4. Pick a different topic to write about or start a whole new category
Over time your interests change and your kids grow up, when I first started littlemummy.com it was heavily focused on sharing practical information with other new mums. This stage is behind us now and I find myself writing about wider parenting issues but I’m also enjoying dipping my toe into blogging recipes, I may not be that good but I’m enjoying it. I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t get stuck in a rut if you’ve exhausted a topic move on.
Linda has been a great example of this, she had a blog which only focused on news and information about twins, there came a point this year after writing hundreds of posts on the subject where she felt she’d had enough of writing solely about that topic, she re-branded her blog as more personal and now writes about anything from parenting to business and even short stories. Her blog has soared up the Top 100, it can be done, don’t give up before you’ve explored all avenues or you may regret it.
5. Look back over old posts
Reviewing old posts often reminds you why you started, y’know before the spam, the bad pr pitches and everythingelse that’s crap about blogging.
6. Step away and take a break. Take the week off.
If all else fails it’s time to take a hiatus. If after a month you still can’t be bothered it’s time to make your blogging exit.
Please add any other ways you’ve combatted blog fatigue…