(This post is a guest contribution by Mr Ryan Biddulph. Read more about him in the author bio below the post.)
Three years ago I deleted 3,400 blog posts.
I trashed my entire blog.
I let go most of my online cash flow streams.
Making this move required clarity, boldness and yes, a healthy dose of confidence.
I also felt terrified to let go all of the work I put into the blog.
But I knew it was time.
I resisted letting go for months, clinging to the old, worn out blog I had lost passion for.
You may be struggling terribly to grow your blog traffic and profits. Maybe you’ve yet to make a penny through your blog.
By spotting a few warning signs, you can tell the difference between a minor hiccup or a blog that needs to go.
We all have some slow periods as bloggers but when you lose the love for blogging or for your niche you want to release on a losing venture.
Keep an eye out for these warning signs to find out if it is time to trash your blog.
1: Blogging Is No Longer Fun
When blogging stops being fun for weeks or months, you may need to trash your blog.
I became fed up with my old blog many months before I closed it down.
I should have heeded this warning sign awhile before I went ahead with deleting the blog. Lying to myself, I wasted months doing what I did not have fun doing.
Since blogging mainly for fun is the most important thing you can do it behoves you to drop any blog like a hot potato if the blog feels like hard work to you.
Hard work = fear. Fun play = love.
How do you feel about your blog? Are you still having fun with it?
If so, carry on. You are on the right path. If not, think about how long the blog has felt like a drag. Consider how long it’s been since you lost the joy of blogging. Trash that sucker if it’s been months because you have outgrown the blog and need to move onto something enjoyable.
2: You Covered Multiple Topics and Feel Unclear about it
I covered over ten topics on my old blog.
I blogged about making money online, affiliate marketing, network marketing, internet marketing, personal development, spirituality and an additional few categories.
OK; I blogged about everything under the sun, just about.
Nine times out of 10 you need to trash your blog in this scenario because people love specialists but don’t respect generalists.
If you tried to cover 2 or more categories you are going the blogging generalist route, which confuses readers.
When someone subscribes to your blog based on blogging tips themed post you published they expect someone to teach them how to blog. But when your next blog post covers some self-help themed topic they become confused. Why are you trying to wear a different hat? The reader expected blogging tips, not life tips.
Unsubscribe. Your traffic drops. Another potential long-term reader bites the cyber dust.
If you covered more than one topic on your blog think long and hard before you move forward.
Consider trashing the blog entirely if you have created too many confusing niche crosscurrents or maybe you can just delete all posts and pages related to the excess niche or niches to get clear on your blog and brand.
3: Income Streams Associated with the Blog Keep Drying Up
Drip, drop, drip, drop.
Then…..a desert.
Then a few more drops.
Then things dried up again.
Before I trashed my old blog, I was making some coin through a handful of income streams but noted how many more income streams seemed to be closing up on me.
This was a warning sign; I’d outgrown the blog, the brand, the income streams and cash flow streams associated with the blog.
Most bloggers fight the tide and wind up cyber drowning, failing with their blogs.
Realise when it is time to get out of the water.
When all income streams seem to be drying up around you, and no other profit channels are opening up freely and easily related to your niche it may be time to trash your blog.
4: Blogging Buddies and Readers Nudge You in a Different Direction
I recall respected bloggers dropping subtle hints that it was time to leave my old make money online blog behind.
They were right.
I was never clear on the blog.
Even though I made some scratch and saw some success with my old blog my heart was never fully into it, and I felt a bit like my time and talents would be best used on another blog in a different niche.
Respect your reader’s feedback. Listen to pro bloggers in your niche. Sometimes you get signals from those who care about you to trash your current blog so you can move in a more profitable, inspired, fun direction.
What to Do Next?
If you trash your blog think about your next step.
My intuition told me to start a new blog, which turned out to be Blogging From Paradise. But I could have gone in any direction, whether it was an online business or offline endeavour.
Just because you blogged in the past doesn’t mean you need to blog in the future.
Don’t box yourself in.
Follow your passion.
See where you fun leads you.
Your Turn
Are you on the verge of trashing your blog?
Are you having a tough time deciding whether or not to trash your blog?
Or do you have a blog trashing success story you want to share with us?
The eBook
I wrote an eBook on the topic to give you courage when it is time to release your blog:
Why Trashing 3400 Blog Posts Is My Greatest Blogging Success
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About the Author
Ryan Biddulph is a blogger, author and world traveller who’s been featured on Forbes, Richard Branson’s Virgin Blog, Fox News, Entrepreneur, Positively Positive, LifeHack, John Chow Dot Com and Neil Patel Dot Com. He is an author who published 126 bite-sized eBooks on Amazon. Ryan can help you build a successful blog at Blogging From Paradise.
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Image Source:Pixabay
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SUGGESTED READ:-ADVANTAGES OF BLOGGING
© 2017 Digitaldimensions4u.com The content is copyrighted to Reji Stephenson and may not be reproduced on other websites.
Hello Ryan,
Glad to see you here on Reji’s blog, You have shared an interesting post here and I agree with all the points listed here.
Thanks
Hi Lovish,
Glad to see you here too!
Reji Stephenson
Lovish thanks much for reading and commenting. Really appreciate it.
Ryan
Hi Ryan,
Nice post. Been a blogger myself for almost 10 years and have closed more sites than I can remember for the very same reasons you mention here. Blogging is not dead, but it certainly is something not for everyone these days.
Moniquiqui
Hi Moniquiqui,
Glad to note that you have been in the field of blogging for the last ten years and thank you very much for the visit and the comment. Have a great time blogging.
Reji Stephenson