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Blogging 101: Be Your Own Client

Byrobbi hess

Post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess 

In talking with two of my Conquering The Overwhelm clients in the past two weeks, I found they both voiced the same frustration. “How can I get my own blogging done when I have to do pet blogging work for other people?” I will freely admit that there are times I, too, struggle with that. There are times when my personal blog sits neglected while my client blogs are overflowing with fresh, exciting new content. What’s a blogger to do? It’s blogging 101: Be your own client.

What can you do to “be your own client”? Here are my tips for not only gaining control of your time, but to helping assure that your blog is home to fresh, new content. After all, if you don’t update your own blog, how will a potential new client know you’re able to fulfill any pet blogging tasks they may want to offer? Note: Before we go any further I do want to let you know, this is normal. Many of us, many of you, struggle with the same thing: Balancing personal blog writing with paid client writing.shutterstock_308424137

You are not alone, but here are some things you can do to bump your blog back up to being a daily priority:

  • Treat yourself and your blog like the business that you are. If necessary, put yourself on your daily to do list and treat yourself like a client. The same care that you put into work for your clients or for paid pet blogging gigs should be pumped into your own blogging efforts. Just because you may not see an immediate paycheck for your personal blogging efforts, the pay offs come when you are invited into blogging programs and when potential clients come across your blog and want to work with you.
  • Work from an editorial calendar. This device will keep you focused and will make the time spent on your blog more productive because you won’t be searching for content.
  • Time spent on your blog is money. If you’re a pet blogger who is getting paid to blog, then your blog is making you money. It’s not as if you’re running a blogging business and decide to get up in the morning and spend an hour or two crocheting blankets. The crochet is likely not a money-making endeavor (I do urge you to have a hobby, though!) but writing a blog post for your own website is one of those intangibles that will help grow your business.
  • Don’t lose readers. If loyal readers come to your site a few times and aren’t seeing any new content, why will they keep coming back? Your blog is competing with so many other blogs that if you aren’t going to provide new content and a reason to visit, they will move onto more frequently updated pastures.
  • Get out of the house. If you work from home it can be distracting to see the carpet that needs cleaning or the laundry that needs washing while you’re trying to work. If you can’t concentrate on your writing, grab your computer and head out to a coffee shop. Note: A change in atmosphere just might inspire you to be more productive!
  • Block out a few hours. If it’s too difficult to write a post a day then schedule a block of time where you can get all of your blog posts done for the week in one sitting. Guard this block of time, turn off all electronic distractions (email, Facebook alerts, etc.) and just know that, “I’m going to get three posts written before I get up.”
  • The more you write, the more you write. Additionally, the more you write the better you become. If practice truly does make perfect then making time to blog on your site – whether it’s one, three or five times a week will only enhance your skills.

Remember, you’re not alone. Many other pet blogging professionals struggle to balance their own blogging, client or full-time work outside of the house, walking and snuggling their pets and spending time with their family. Reach out to a fellow blogger. Find an accountability partner, but most of all, make your blog a priority and treat yourself like a client!

(Photo Shutterstock: Dog computer)

 

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