Wow, I am behind on this challenge. In a way, it is for a good reason. I have been busy with other blog-related work, plus a little something for another site so this “spring cleaning” is a priority, but hasn’t been getting the attention it deserves. I just can’t say enough how pleased I am that Mariana at Riding With No Hands decided to start this challenge again and how I am also so pleased that Problogger created it in the first place. It has caused me to realize more and more that I want to go to the next level with my blog and that I am truly doing what I love to do. It is a lot of work to have a successful blog and although I am not there yet, I will be.(at least my personal definition of success)
For today’s assignment we were asked to analyze a successful blog in our niche. My niche? This has been such a huge challenge for me, to really determine where I fall as far as a niche is concerned. I mean, obviously by the title of my blog, I love to talk about the topic of living a green lifestyle, but there is so much more I want to share as well. Turns out, I am in a pretty saturated niche. That is okay with me because I try to bring my own personality into what I do and when I talk about something. It can be hard to set yourself apart, but then why would you want to? I really love to see others succeed and I won’t hesitate to connect people as a match even if it means I may sacrifice a possible “connection” for myself. I would rather see others connect who are truly passionate about something than to keep it to myself when I may lack the true love and desire regarding that same topic.
So, although I am a very competitive person, I also realize there are people way more successful than me and more importantly, that I can learn from these people. Sometimes humble pie is yummy!
Next part of the assignment: Share what I learned from visiting a more successful blog.
First of all, to compare yourself with someone way more successful can lead to a couple of outcomes. One outcome could be that you get discouraged and just throw up your hands and say to yourself that you will just NEVER reach that level of success. With that attitude, you surely never will. On the other hand, it could motivate you to work harder, build a strong community, and create long-lasting relationships. I am going with the second choice. Doesn’t it sound exciting? One of the biggest things I found on the site that I visited was that she had lots of content this is well organized. This includes a small community forum, video posts, many advertisers, and affiliate links.
What I learned from this was that there are some necessary changes and additions I need to implement for the future success of my blog. It is going to be a lot of work, like adding lots more content, creating a much more user-friendly experience, and changing to a different comment system. These all excite me, though. I can’t wait to dig in and, ideally, keep you(and maybe a few of your friends) coming back for more…..on a regular basis!
As a Newbie, I am continuously browsing online for articles that can aid me. Thank you