Are successful blogs the product of hard work or sheer luck? Or both? I am here to find out.
I have always been in awe (and slightly envious) of popular blogs, websites, and the like. Not only are they generating a healthy financial income, but anything they post is likely to be seen by a respectable audience. Their publications have the ability to make a difference in the world. They have supporters and the power to deliver a message. The authors are literally on the front lines of change.
The questions I have about these sites are probably the same as most of yours: How hard is it to get there? How often do you have to post? Does the writing get easier over time, or does the pressure of always producing good content present new challenges? Do you have to become immersed in social media promotions? How long does it take? Is search engine optimization something that really matters, or does good content trump all? If I truly put in the work, will it be enough? Is it more luck than skill?
One hundred days from now, I will attempt to answer at least some of these questions. I will post an article on this blog at least once per day during this time period. I will also submit writings to other publications as well. The idea is to spend as little time promoting the blog on social media and as little time perfecting search engine optimization as possible. A majority of my focus will go towards producing superior and thoughtful content. At the end of 100 days, if this blog is successful, the experiment was successful.
At what point can a blog be considered successful?
In this case, I am more concerned with increasing viewership and impact. Generating an income along the way would be nice, but is not a necessary component. We can consider this a success if the blog accumulates a minimum of 50 email subscribers and at least 1000 unique visitors per month. These numbers pale in comparison to other sites, but are definitely a huge step up from where I rank now. There is also the possibility that the blog may begin to grow exponentially.
Some rules to follow…