Sit up, folks.

Despite the chaos of the March Google updates, the bankruptcy of independent sites, and the doom prophecies of SEO seers on X, bloggers still blog.

They're writing on Medium, blogging communities, social media platforms, and blogs. A couple of days ago, someone asked bloggers this question on the r/blogging subreddit …

What stops you from giving up?

… and the floodgates burst open. Productive bloggers gave their 2 cents on the matter. It's that wealth of knowledge I'll be sharing with you today.

After all that water has settled, here are eight tips I've observed writers say to keep productive bloggers going in their careers.

1. For The Love Of Writing

A lot of productive bloggers simply love to write. They’ll do it without pay. For some writers, blogging is a stress reliever.

Maybe blogging stresses you, but that's okay. Find out what works for you. Here's how to be passionate about blogging.

Ask yourself how writing can benefit you. Anchor your blogging career to real-life goals that matter to you. Write to solve your problem.

Are you a student who can't figure out what they want to do with their lives?

Are you a professional looking to switch industries?

Do you love what you do and seek a community that shares your passions?

Are you an entrepreneur looking for leads and sales through content marketing?

Love doesn't always have to be a burning need to write an essay. Simply attaching a genuine need to your blogging career could be all it takes to switch your passion on to blogging consistently.

The market is still there. 77% of internet users read blogs. That's a whopping 4 billion people on the planet that would click to read an article they find interesting. A crowd is out there waiting for you to hit the publish button.

You can't have the reader and writer waiting on each other, can we? So take that first step, write that article, and publish your work.

The next blog post idea is waiting to materialize.

2. The Art Of Loving Little Things

“Do not despise these small beginnings…”

Zechariah 4:10

I love the small wins. Blogging is a marathon. Better still, your blog project is your baby. No infant is born today and becomes an engineer tomorrow. That infant needs at least 23 years of love, care, and training to get an entry-level job at a top engineering firm.

The first comment on the post that sparked this article was from someone saying that small growth excites them. And that's what it should be. Stop expecting a 6-figure revenue from your baby blog. Instead, laugh as it coos, will ya?

7 blog visits today? Amazing!

50 monthly views for your 75th blog post? Wow!

3 impressions on your social media posts? That's some action!

Your idea exists in the world, and people interact with it. That's something worth celebrating! When toddlers take those first wobbly steps, we whip out our phones to record those precious moments. Don't come online nine months later demanding your baby run a marathon.

Is every blog parent out there celebrating typical blog success?

Good.

They're not you. You're on your journey. No toddler parent gets frustrated at other parents with a college graduate. Yours plays peek-a-boo and needs you.

So cut out that comparison and do what's necessary for your blog to grow, even if that means adding your 25th article to your blog catalog.

You're not a $10,000 monthly blogger yet, and that's fine.

3. Sticking To The Process

Just like any other business, blogging takes time. The game is about playing long. There are no set timers here.

One of the commenters claims to be a successful blogger who started blogging in 2013. And for the first few months, there was no traffic. They describe this time as having no traffic, feeling lonely, and the process being nightmarish.

But they stuck to the process because they had an inner desire to become successful. The commenter leaves a couple of tips for new bloggers.

Grit is the mindset that keeps you on track. Get through the painful times while maintaining a content schedule.
Go deep on one topic. Writing for 200 days straight could get you hundreds of quality articles on a topic.
Don't overthink the process. Blogging is not complicated. It's simple but not easy.

Another commenter brings another perspective to the blogging process. They say that success is the feeling they get after completing an article as a beginner blogger. The goal is a successful future blogging, but they don't try to crystallize it.

The feeling of working on their craft every day makes them hopeful of a successful future. You shouldn't change this success metric until you have 3,000 articles published for a blog of 3 intersecting niches.

Consistency is the side effect of a process-based mindset.

4. A Chance At The Dream Life

Some bloggers are consistent because their project is a chance at the dream life. The dream life can mean different things for different people. Remember the four scenarios discussed in the first tip — for the love of writing?

Okay.

Let's examine some examples of the dream life that blogging can give someone.

Student Aspirations

Students and young adults can use blogging as an exploration device to study industries, skills, and topics applicable to hobbies and career paths. They can also network with other people who share the same focus. Blogging brings rigor to study, skill acquisition, and niche exploration.

Curious Professionals

A blog can be an outlet for professionals seeking new adventures. An accountant who loves to write about sports could build a portfolio of articles on their blog. Soon enough, they'll have enough pedigree to switch professions without much fuss.

Entrepreneurs

Blogging could be the marketing breakthrough to skyrocket your sales and brand impact. Tweaking your blog and content strategy could be the difference between an early retirement or an extra 20 years of toil.

Passionate Personalities

You could become a professional content creator if you're passionate about a particular topic. Many examples of content creators make a living just by communicating their passion for a specific topic.

For many bloggers, life on their terms is the dream life. One commenter says they just need one blog to become financially successful. In their words, that would be life-changing.

Consistent work makes the dream work.

5. Building A Career Safety Net

Blogging as a second job brings with it its pressures. A significant part of your life depends on the growth of your blog. So, consistent blogging effort becomes a habit.

Another commenter talked about having a stable income while working on their blog until it succeeds. If you're in such a position, there are several ways to help you start blogging in 2024. But here is a short breakdown of steps to start your blog as a second job.

Blog Identity

You need a purpose for your blog. The theme of your blog should include topics where you have skill, experience, and interest. Then, choose a name that sets your blog apart and drum up a content strategy to grow your blog.

Content Management

Create, publish, and distribute content to platforms where your ideal readers hang out. People can be found online on social media platforms like X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also add a YouTube channel and a podcast as well. Start building an email list as soon as possible, too.

Reader Engagement

Reader engagement focuses on the interaction your content receives. Do you get engagement with specific blogs or social media posts? This indicates that people are seeking more information on the topic. Go deeper.

Being a professional blogger means consistency.

6. The Burden Of A Unique Mission

A blog project in a unique niche can keep a writer focused on growth for a long time. Bloggers can feel a moral burden to provide online information in an industry with underrepresented activity on the internet. Two commenters shared this bais under the Reddit post.

If you have such a blog, here are three things to consider to keep you productive as a blogger. They're adjacent communities, content study, and deep engagement. Let's explore these below.

Adjacent Communities

These niches and audiences relate to the topic you want to discuss. No blog niche is truly an island. So, I will engage with such communities through guest posting, social media platforms, YouTube, and podcast interviews. These practices will help you see how your unique blog niche fits everything else.

Content Study

Study content strategies deployed by other brands online. Your blog niche could differ from others, but you share the online platform. Engage their content strategy, engagement patterns, and publishing routines, and observe their audience. This approach will help you find your tribe and communicate with them effectively.

Deep Engagement

When you find people who care about what you blog about, try to build relationships with them. A deeper engagement level with your audience is an effective way to grow a unique blog. You don't have the luxury of a broad audience, so use what you have efficiently.

The breath of fresh air from a unique blog could be all you need to keep going.

7. Blogging As A Creative Outlet

For some content creators, blogging is a creative outlet. For example, freelance writers who have blogs usually write to find expression. Their main jobs can involve tons of writing projects, but they may feel stifled by commercial demands. Blogging is an opportunity to connect with what made them love writing in the first place.

Some say that when they blog, they enjoy the process because they don't have someone controlling the creative process. And I agree with that. I have nothing against following the creative direction of my clients, but blogging gives me the freedom to express myself.

Blogging as a creative outlet comes with a couple of benefits. One of them is increased creativity. The ability to experiment on a side project improves skill in the main job.

The need for a creative outlet keeps some bloggers publishing content over time.

8. Growth Metrics Keep Some Bloggers Motivated

Some bloggers keep publishing content because of the reactions they get to their articles. Watching those page views increase sparks the energy to work on your blog project. What used to be an idea in your mind is now alive and kicking in the real world.

A commenter said they can't imagine stopping now with the recent growth they've seen on their blog. Another said they keep track of their statistics and use the numbers as motivation during tough times. This brings us back to the second tip to blogging consistently — celebrating the little things.

There's a twist to the growth metric way of staying motivated as a blogger. Some bloggers use growth metrics to decide whether a project is worth the effort quickly.

A reply to the Reddit post said that positive growth metrics help them stick to a blog project. But that negative growth metric let them quit to work on another blog project. They didn't specify how long to wait to determine when to quit.

Almost any niche has a crowd on the internet; you just have to write till you find it.

That Being Said…

You have to find out what it does for you. Remember the why behind your blog as you work daily, and you'll have a better chance of staying the course.

8 Tips That Keep Productive Bloggers Going