What Do You Need for Blogging?

53 Comments / Blogger, Blogging Tutorials, Guest Posts / By /
What all do you need for blogging? What qualities? What skills? What is important to blogging? What is important to a Pro-blogger? What is important to you?
For many years, bloggers have been blogging about Content creation, promoting and networking. But most of them forgot to mention things that indirectly influence all these – The qualities and skills needed for a blogger.

Work Like An Ant

Work Hard. Ants work hard. They try hard even if they know that they are not going to make it. Have you seen a row of ants working together. Even if they find something of unusual size like a dead cockroach, they pull it all together – they put themselves into the deed – they give it their best effort. Bloggers have to work like Ants to achieve a successful blogging career. If you are not getting expected results, then you know one thing : You are not doing it hard enough. Haven't you heard of this quote:
“It's hard to beat a person who never gives up”
So are you that person? If you are not, try to be that person. Work like an Ant. Try accomplishing tasks that are above your capabilities. If you try hard enough, then you can achieve it.

Be Determined like a Spider

Have you seen Spiders? They work hard too. Along with their hard work, they have one more quality: Determination. Spider webs are strong and fragile at the same time. They can hold any big insect but they are so fragile that a strong (not even strong) wind can put it down.  But Spiders don't give up. They try harder. They are determined. They will built the web again. Be determined like a Spider. Where there is a will, there is a way. Think about how the world would have been different if everyone in the world was determined like a spider. Determination is the reason why we have so many successful inventions and discoveries. Think about how different the world would have been if Darwin, Edison, Gandhi or Martin Luther King thought that they wouldn't be able to change the world. These people were determined. One determined person is just enough to change the world as a whole. So be a determined blogger.

Patience

Patience is a virtue. Patience is the key to success. You need patience to achieve even the simplest task (like reading this article). So we know that everyone of us has patience. The only difference is that we use it on different levels. My perspective of patience is entirely different from yours. When bloggers are patient, they are able to achieve great things. You may not get expected results as soon as you start blogging but if you are patient, then you will get your expected results as you blog. Patience plays an important role in blogging. Many bloggers today are driven by the money they can make by blogging. But not all of these bloggers are patient, that's why we have so many abandoned blogs in the Blogosphere.

Be Helpful like a Dog

Dogs are helpful. They guard our surrondings when we are sleeping (or when we are not around). A dog is a man's best friend. Isn't your dog helpful? (if you have one). Dogs help humans in different ways, like for example: dogs help police in a murder scene. Anyway, let's get back to the blogging talk. Be helpful like a Dog. Help other bloggers. When a newbie blogger (like me) asks you (pro or upcoming problogger) for a help, please don't deny it (I know that you wouldn't). There are a lot of helpful blogers now a days. My list of helpful bloggers is my twitter list – @bloggers. To mention a few would be bad. I don't want to forget anyone. Be helpful.

Think like a Newbie Blogger – Thinking Skill

Think differently. Think uniquely. Take notes.  Thinking is amazing. Thinking can take you to new heights. My principle is to
1) Think about What Your Topic Is
Choose Your Topic. Think about it. Check back on your old post to get new ideas. Come up with unique ideas. Frame Your post. Ask Yourself a Question: What Do I want to Blog about or What should I blog about or What do my readers expect me to write?
2) Use Adequate Tools
Use different tools to come up with new ideas. Google is an excellent source for your research. Sites like Blogengage.com and  Bloggerluv.com can give you creative ideas to blog about. Use your useful tools.
3) Take Notes
Write down your thoughts. Frame an excellent post using your notes. You can use the notes later when you are typing up your post. Writing notes will help you to identify your strengthens and weaknesses.

Write Like a Pro Blogger

Write down what ever comes to your mind. You can edit it later.  Your blog is your voice. Let the world know of your opinion. Your opinion matters. A single voice is powerful enough to change this world. So be that voice! Write what you think. Write unique content.
Think about these things :-
1) Use Your Knowledge – A professional blogger uses his knowledge (he gained through world experience) to blog. He applies his life experience to create unique content. Apply your life experience to your blogging.
2) Avoiding Errors  Stay away from errors
Read your content once again (after you write it) to take out errors.
3) Converse with your Readers
A pro blogger is the one who speaks to his readers through his post. Your reader must feel like you are talking to them. (I am doing it right now).
4) Informal writing over formal writing
Don't write like professor. Informal writing is better when you are blogging.
5) Writing Medium Sized Articles
Writing short, sweet, informational articles are way better than short or long sized articles.
6) Fluffing
Add some fluff to your post. This will make your blog post more interesting (this will also help you to increase your article length). But beware, don't use it too much.
7) Catchy Content
Write catchy titles and conclusion. These will trigger emotions in your reader's mind – catchy content will attract more traffic.

Comment Like an Extrovert

Are you an extrovert ? Even if you are not, you must be one when you are blogging (I do know this – People are introverts due to their brain, not due to their behavior). Introverts are people who don't like to socialize (they like to sit alone most of the time). Extroverts are the opposite. I consider myself an introvert (I like to sit alone, think, write and talk to myself, although I am not mad). (I may be wrong at this consideration). I like to be an Extrovert when it comes to blogging. Comment, Engage and network like an extrovert. That's what you want to be when you are blogging. Being an introvert is not bad at all – Introverts have an advantage – they have more time to think, write quality content. There are more definitions to introverts and extroverts, but since it is connected to blogging, our definition is enough.
Our definition is :-
“Extroverts – People who are sociable – interact with other bloggers”

Make Decisions like a Smart Blogger

Be a smart blogger. Make good decisions. Be smart in your word choice. Choose the best titles. Think, Write, Promote and Network. Follow a blogging plan, but don't get excessive with your plan. Stand out from others. Think differently. Write Passionately. Write Persuasive (and unique) Content. Promote in different forums, sites and social media networks. Network and engage with other bloggers. Make smart decisions like a smart blogger.

Promote and Network

The skill to promote and network are amazing. They can bring you good traffic to your site. Don't Promote excessively.
As Daniel of Infocarnivore says
“Promote Yourself by Promoting others”
Promoting Yourself is really important to blogging success. Networking is also important. Networking will allow you to gain friends, gain traffic, increase your subscriber count and eventually achieve blogging success.

Conclusion

So What is important to you? Are these things important to you? What do you think? I want to know of your opinion. Thanks for reading my Post!
Related articles

53 thoughts on “What Do You Need for Blogging?”

  1. Dana

    Hem… you make it is hard to be a real blogging but yeah– I agree with you. Blogging is not an easy way as many of us thinking. It is needed a lot hard work and luck to be success.

  2. Suresh Khanal

    One man and hell lot of roles. Hey Shakespeare! you’re no more true.
    All the world’s a stage,
    And all the men and women merely players:
    They have their exits and their entrances;
    And one man in his time plays many parts,
    His acts being seven ages.

    What seven? Here we need to play hell lot and each is more harder than the other.

    Thanks Jeeven for this wonderful post. I love the way you write long posts in concise way! Where is your fluff? Each sentence is more weighty an worthy. Great job!

    1. Jeevanjacobjohn

      Yes, we have to play a heck lot of roles in this world : from a baby to child to teen to adult, from a student to worker to retiree etc etc. The list just goes on. As bloggers, we have to accept certain roles to achieve success.

      Thanks for the great quote !

      Welcome. Thanks and Thanks once again.

      Thanks for the comment, Suresh !

  3. Ileane

    Thanks Jeevan, you covered many points I hadn’t thought about before. This is what I call an all-inclusive post. Thanks so much for your contribution here. You’re welcome any time!

  4. Dennis Edell

    “If you are not getting expected results, then you know one thing : You are not doing it hard enough”

    Hmm, I see where you’re going, but it’s a little backward. IMO.

    If you are not getting expected results, then you should ultimately try something else; you know the definition of insanity, don’tcha? 😉

    “Don’t Promote excessively.” – A post explaining this fully might help. You may have just confused all your beginner readers. 🙂

  5. Jeevanjacobjohn

    I love to hear different opinions. Thanks.

    Yes, I do ;)) (Of course we all are insane).

    I should have thought of that. I meant that bloggers should time their promotion (have a schedule for promoting). Thanks for the reminder.

    Thanks for the valuable feedback, Dennis !

    Jeevan Jacob John

  7. Rahul

    Hey Jeevanjacobjohn,
    Wow, I am wondered!
    In your introduction you’ve said you’re just 17 but working like 70. All things you’ve described was most important and two sentences, “Don’t write like professor. Informal writing is better when you are blogging.” demand little more description to me. This is, I think, you’ve introduced a new topics to me.

    I’ve taken your three major ideas, ‘Work Like An Ants’, ‘Be Determined like a Spider’, Think like a Newbie Blogger – Thinking Skill”. Once Again, A superb post, keep it up.

    Cheers,
    Rahul

  8. Kissie

    What’s left? There can’t be anything uncovered here.

    Great job!

    P.S. Never knew that much about a spider but always knew about the dog. 😉

  9. Whiztechy

    Hey Jeevan, excellent article and after reading it I don’t feel that you are a newbie blogger. All tips seems to be from a pro blogger, I agree that you need to be patient as well as working smartly when it comes to write articles as well as promoting article. Nice read 🙂

    1. Jeevanjacobjohn

      Thanks. But still I don’t think that I am good as those pro bloggers. Glad that you agreed with me. Thanks !

      Thanks for the comment,
      Jeevan

  10. Ramona

    These are excellent ideas. Working hard, commenting and being out there can really make a difference. Getting the blog out off ground is not easy at all, but it’s worth all the efforts.

    1. Jeevanjacobjohn

      Thanks. Yes, they are among the basic elements of blogging. With a lot of hard work, anyone can achieve success in blogging.

      Thanks for the comment.

  11. Mike

    I have seen quite a lot of posts about what you need to blog and why you don’t earn money yet type of post recently but your approach is quite unique. Interesting. Keep it up, Javeen 🙂

  12. Darran

    I love the analogy you made between blogging and animals. Excellent points mentioned. For me, quality content and engaging with other bloggers is extremely important. I am working on the second point myself.

  13. Bryan

    Hey Jeevan,

    That is the most comprehensive list of things to do on blogging. Terrific job. Must have taken you a while to write this post. You can make an ebook out of this 🙂

    1. Jeevanjacobjohn

      Thanks ! Yeah, Took me about 3 hours to come up and write this post (I am sure that Other bloggers would have taken less time). Thanks ! Thanks for the Awesome comment !

  15. Kimi

    Jeevan,

    How can i miss this post of yours? LOL, i love it!

    How true points you have made, i never thought about how hard ants works, but indeed we need to work hard for our blog.

    I feel it too LOL. The one thing that p**sing me off, is i have found another blog which embed one of my video tutorials in his website yesterday, and it was my hardwork, plus it steals the bandwidth.

    To notice it, i realised bad people are everywhere and ruining my hard works. For this, i was thankful to spot this site, and immediately prevent people from hotlinking my site images and video.

    Thanks Jeevan, looking for more posts of you, you are young but full of knowledge!

  17. Jeevanjacobjohn

    Glad that you liked it. Thanks !

    I know, I have seen many people stealing content (I really hate people who do that ). Good decision !

    Welcome ! I hope that I can write more. Thanks for the awesome Appreciation !

  18. EPIC

    Following some researches that most people (about 98%) always getting failed when doing online business.

    Maybe they going wrong way or they can’t patient 😀

  19. S.Pradeep Kumar [HBB]

    Whenever I create blogs for my clients, I advice them to be patient, but they don’t care a damn about it. Patience is something which blogger needs, they think they should get comments, money, traffic just after publishing their first article. 😐

    Thanks for the article mate, enjoyed reading it! 😉

  20. James Fulton

    Jeevan, Its an wonderful post…I never saw anyone at this age wrote something like this… Even after one year of my experience in internet marketing i am not able to pin point the techniques for blogging.. You have done a great job man..Keep writing,love to read your posts..

    James

  21. Patricia

    Well done Jeevan. And yes it does take time to write a quality post. Whether we are experienced bloggers or just starting out; and you have done a great job. Covered lots of important points here. Thanks for sharing Jeevan.

    Patricia Perth Australia

  22. Charles

    Excellent article; people sometimes need to remember that not everything is like an iPhone where it can all be done on one device and in mere moments. Sometimes it takes time, dedication, patience and more than anything determination. It’s a waste of time if you give up easily just because the results are not instantaneous. I’ve been blogging for years and my readership has always been minimal unless I touch a particular topic but I don’t give up. I keep trying because I will eventually figure out a way to make my readership grow. This is why I’m trying to make a comeback to the blogging world thru my new blog.

  23. Basam

    Hard work and determination are the basic keys in the any field for success.Patience always delivers you fruit of your hard work.If you have a lot of patience you will go high to the career. Your network make you social in the blogger community. Being the active member of blogger network,you can promote your blog very quickly.

  24. Arelthia

    Jeevan, Really great post. I really like the comparison to the spider. It made me think about how no matter how many times you knock down a spider web the spider will rebuild the web. The basic theme I got from the post was don’t give up.

  25. adsfarm.co.uk

    nice post! like the way you compared the blogging needs with the powers of some animals…we really need such qualities. I have to work a little bit more on focus and patience 🙂

  26. Maria Pavel

    Hello Jeevanjacobjohn,

    Great article, you are a little fellow but you sure do have a lot of great knowledge, congratulations for your excellent article!

    The single thing my blogging needs is …. patience, I don’t like to wait, I most of the time cannot just wait… Keep up the good work champion!

    Best regards,

    Maria

  27. Megan

    It is some times difficult to think like a newbie and still come across as an expert. I try to keep my mind fresh with ideas by going to new places and watching a lot of foreign tv.

  30. Raymund

    I think patience is the most important ingredient in successful blogging career. Many bloggers expect earning just weeks after they build their sites. When they didn’t see money coming in, they quit blogging. They don’t have patience, that is why they quit easily. It’s so sad that there are thousands of abandoned blogs in the blogosphere.

  31. Danny

    Great post.
    I believe many introverts in social situations are more extrovert when they are in an environment where they feel like they can be themself.
    Many introvert people that I know are more extrovert when it is in an email or on msn.
    But many are still a bit more introverted when it comes to social sites like facebook because that is still too open.

    But when you are almost totally anonymous it is easy for almost everybody to be an extrovert. Also when it comes to commenting.

  32. abhinav

    Really great tips for blogging. Its very useful tips for tips for improving my blog. thank you so much for sharing this post.

  33. Hussain

    Everyday is a new day and you learn new things like a newbie and you are right Patience is a Key to succes.Very inspiring Article great work.

  34. Sanjib Saha

    Hi Jeevanjacobhohn,
    I am pleased with the way you wrote this article. Feels like reading it once again. Well i read it three times. I must say you are right regarding blogging. It requires a lot of hard word and tremendous patience. You need to keep working, and after your lots of efforts, slowly you start getting noticed. Getting success here is not easy. Nice points! I am sure if anyone follows these steps, he will surely get success in blogging! Looking forward to some more articles from you in future!
    Sanjib

Comments are closed.