It’s an amazing feeling to start a blog. It’s an opportunity to express yourself and expand in ways you didn’t know you could. And just like starting a business, a lot of effort is required. You don’t become a successful blogger by accident. You need to have intention and work, even when you feel like quitting. Actually, ESPECIALLY when you feel like quitting. Here are 14 harsh truths you’ll learn in your first year of blogging! Please take these truths with a grain of salt. I say this with love.
What are your thoughts on these harsh truths? Have you experienced any of these first-hand?
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1. No one cares about you. No one knows who you are.
You’re entering a sea of bloggers in a world where no one knows you. You need to put yourself ahead of others by asking yourself, “What am I good at? What kind of advice do people ask me?” This is an opportunity for you to create a voice based on your strengths and what you’re naturally interested in and then people will start noticing you.
2. You’ll be blogging for months & months, creating amazing content, and not everyone will see it.
–except for your close friends and family. And that’s totally fine. Just keep going! Something important to know is that blog posts take 90 days for it to rank on Google. So don’t feel bad if your posts don’t immediately get views the moment you put it out there into the world. Assess each post 90 days after publishing and makes changes to improve it if things aren’t working.
3. If you are a travel blogger, you’ll be spending the majority of the time in front of your computer, laptop, and phone.
–and not actually traveling. Your time will be spent researching your destinations, writing posts, learning how to use creative programs, editing photos, designing graphics, posting on social media, replying to direct messages & emails, contacting brands– the list is endless.
4. Not everyone has the mindset to be a blogger and you’ll find out if you’re one of them or not.
A lot of people think they need to be a good writer to blog, or a good photographer or a good   (fill in the blank)  . But what they don’t realize is that these are skills they will learn as soon as they start blogging. What’s actually hard is having the mindset to push through & quite honestly, eat sh*t for a long time. And it’s all going to be worth it in the end. Success is inevitable and it’s just a matter of really holding on even when you don’t feel like it. You have to be willing to be clumsy, embarrassed, messy when starting something new. And you can’t expect to be skilled & graceful right off the bat.
5. You’ll get frustrated by how painstakingly long it is to get your first 1000 followers/subscribers.
Like it could take 6 months. This varies from platform to platform. But the more followers people see you have, the more likely they are to follow you. It’s a psychological thing. So the more you have, the faster you’ll grow. Actually, when I started, I cheated by renaming my personal Instagram account of 300 followers to my blog’s name so that I didn’t have to start from 0. Sure my friends unfollowed me but it’s better starting from nothing.
6. You’ll be spending more time promoting your content than creating it.
Because if no one’s going to see the valuable content you’re creating for them, why create it in the first place?
7. You’ll get a lot of followers and a lot of unfollowers.
That’s the nature of growing a following– it’s never linear. It will go up and it will go down. Just remember that when it goes down, you’re not losing followers but rather, your following is becoming much more loyal and that’s much more important than having a larger number of followers who aren’t genuinely interested in you.
8. You’ll be comparing yourself to other bloggers.
It’s not fair to them and it’s especially not fair to you. You can’t compare yourself to someone at level 70 when you’re level 2. When this happens, you enter a not-so-good place and begin putting yourself down. So mute their accounts or stop following them,
9. You’ll find many reasons to quit and it’s up to you to let those reasons get in the way.
Majority of the time, it’s ourselves who get in the way of our own success as we constantly tell ourselves, in one version or another, “I’m not good enough. I’m a disappointment. I’m a failure. I’m doing everything wrong. I’m not special. I’m bad. I’m ugly. I suck. I’m unlovable.” And it’s okay to have these thoughts! You’re a human being and it’s natural to go through those feelings. Just remind yourself that your inside voice is only a voice and it’s going always be there. And that inside voice is not you.
10. You’ll be confronted by all of these harsh truths.
And it’ll be worth it because–
11. You’ll meet amazing people like you.
–and instantly become friends because you not only understand the struggles firsthand, but you also help lift each other up. And I’m talking about the community you build and the connections you make with people in your industry.
12. You’ll be admired for your generosity.
–because you’re willing to share your knowledge and experiences for free without asking for anything back.
13. And your dream life is worth jumping through countless hoops for.
–because experiencing yourself as a badass, powerful, go-getter living the dream is priceless. If there’s one thing to know now is that patience is key and–
14. Nothing about the blogging world is instantly gratified.
It’s all about long-term gratification. Ask yourself, “Am I willing to invest my own money and work long hours for no pay, sacrificing personal time and lifestyle, for maybe years? What’s going to happen to me if this venture doesn’t work out?” Be patient & stay grounded. Remember, success is inevitable. Make a plan, show up with energy & intensity every single day and good things will happen.
Conclusion
And there you have it; the harsh truths you’ll learn in your first year of blogging and this is relevant for bloggers of all niches.  I wrote this based on my experience during my first year as a travel blogger. Which means… TRAVELING PETITE GIRL IS ONE YEAR OLD!! I had no idea where Traveling Petite Girl would be a year after I started but here I am now with 26,000+ followers! Thank you so. much. ❤️ I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.
What are your thoughts on these truths? Comment below if you experienced any of these struggles and if there’s more you want to add because it’s endless!
Talk to you soon! ?
This read was amazing! I’ve just started blogging and started my IG a few months ago. I’m making progress and I have learned some of these truths already. My website launches at the end of this month and I’m just super excited and ready to see where this journey takes me.
I’m glad you’re already familiar with some of these truths! It’s really hard getting your blog started in your first year but there are a lot of little things that make it rewarding! I can’t wait for your blog to launch Kai!! ❤️
These truths are hitting home right now. We are just starting out. Accidentally published a page to our blog before i was ready so i just let it go out into the world even though we are not 100% ready. I guess it is good to be thrown into the deep end.
Cannot wait to get to that 1k following and then go from there. Definitely noticed the numbers grow and drop but we are looking for loyalty as we try to find our own unique style. Thanks for the post, loved it and cannot wait to read the next one, as that will be helpful too. x
There are definitely a lot of positives being thrown to the deep end. And at the end of the day, it’s loyalty that’s important, not numbers. I’m rooting for you! And I’m glad you found this post helpful, I hope you’ll find the next one helpful too!
Love it, especially #11!! So true ?
it definitely is!!!
Hi Jojo,
I have started my blog a couple of months ago and frankly, working solo along with a tiring job at an office. The job is not physically demanding, but it takes every bit of energy out of our minds. Due to that, I have very little time for the blog and also working alone on it.
Leaving aside all of that, I wanted to appreciate you for this awesome blog post of yours and also want to let you know that this particular blog infused a new spirit in me.
I was frustrated for a few days as I have very few visitors in my blog and most of them are my close friends and work colleagues. I knew that my blogs are still basic, but I was tensed.
I have followed your Instagram profile long back and recently came across your blog.
So, I was going through each of your posts and I clicked on this. It made me realize that I am worrying in vain all this time when I should be working towards the improvement of my blog.
Thank you so much for making me realize this.
i’m so happy to hear this Chandan! It’s usually ourselves that get in our way right? This is something I battle CONSTANTLY and I wanted to share that it’s normal. Thank you Chandan, your comment inspired me too.
Thank you so much, Jojo. Looking forward to reading your next blogs…
Hi Jojo, Just loved your videos. I actually remember my early days of blogging. Can I cover your content on my Flickonclick, would love to actually
sure! thank you 🙂
I’m on my first month travel blogging and I already agree with this list. It’s insane the amount of time I’ve spent in front of my laptop so far. Most of the time, it’s not even about content writing, but learning things like SEO! But oh well, it’s all part of it, I love doing it anyway 🙂
Thank you for this good read! x
you’re welcome Rai! I’m glad you agree with this post too!
I absolutely LOVE this post! I have been blogging for 1 year now and recently just quit my corporate job as an International Marketing Manager to dedicate 100% to my blog. You are so right! It is a looooong and hard way to get where we dream to be. It requires tons of dedication, study, strategy and learning experience to be able to be successful! Thanks for being honest and share this article
I’m so glad you agree! I thought I’d write this post for anyone who was experiencing the same thing. It really takes discipline, dedication and an entirely new mindset to be successful. You’re welcome Paula!
I really like the list.
#1 is definitely something you learn in the first 4 weeks. I have been there several times and it still disappoints me to see how much work you can put into a blog and you still do not get any visitiors. Patience is the key. 🙂
You’re right Laura, I agree that patience is key and I think it’s the #1 value every blogger learns. Thank you 🙂
I love this post, Jojo – basically because I am going through every single one of these truths you’ve described. I started my blog four months ago, and I’m just going to come right out and say it – blogging is HARD! Especially in the beginning. Oh, and that psychological thing you were talking about – how people are more likely to follow you if you already have a lot of followers – that’s so true, and it can feel so disappointing for someone who is just starting out.
But I love every bit of the journey, and I’m learning something new every single day! It’s difficult, sure, but it’s also SO totally worth it.?
i’m so glad you understand! blogging really is a journey and for someone to do well in it, they have to love the process. More power to you!
This is a great list, JoJo. Thank you:)
you’re welcome 🙂
What a great list, seemed like you were reading my mind ?
Awesome! Thanks Newton
Marketing is the hardest part and certainly takes the most time. Like you said, if nobody reads it, what is the point?
Exactly! Thanks Ryan
It is very useful and top articles and I love this article. Some articles have no longer following the best however right here I new way of writing.
Hey Jojo, Thanks for this insightful post.
I am new to write blogs and I am sure that after reading this I will be able to write my blog in meaningful and correct manner.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for this video and what you have shared…I’m proud of you that you have endured til this far that you were able to share such valuable info…the truth that stuck with me the most is about the negative thoughts that are so human for us to think….You are well appreciated. I hope you continue to succeed…
Thank you Mauna 🙂
Before starting a blog we know nothing about the problems that may come, Within months of start one may find difficult to see the expected results or even tackle some situations. SO, its always good to know about these things before starting a blog. GOOD POST FOR BEGINNERS!
thank you Rahul 🙂
Thank you for this. I’ve tried a few blogs before and now starting from scratch so doing it “right” or close to it, this time.
I’m trying to find my niche. What am I good at? I’m a mom of 2. Wife of a navy sailor about to retire. Substitute teacher. I’m a lot of stuff but answering the question “what are you good at?” Is super hard for me. I’m resting and brainstorming and trying not to rush the process.
Thank you for this post. Lots of good information in it.
thanks for such a great post!
Thanks for writing this post. I really wish I knew these things before I decided to jump into the pool.
Hii i am from India i love to to read and write i allready writen a blogs but I didn’t published.
What I should do publish or not???
Thanks for the list, Jojo! I appreciate the help. Looks like you have provided a lot of great information.
This is what I needed! Now I can take a deep breath, roll up my sleeves and move on. Thanks Jojo 🙂
You’re welcome Magda 🙂