Over the last week or so there have been some really negatives articles circulating Facebook and the internet, one, in particular, was written by a former mommy blogger, I can’t speak for ALL bloggers but I know many of the things that are being said don’t apply to my blog, blogs of people I mentored or blogs I follow, so I have decided to pour it all out in this post about my blog and debunk some of the things being said.
Myth #1:No One Reads Mommy Blogs Or Review Blogs.
Truth: I know 10,000 page views a month doesn’t sound like a lot…but it shows people read my blog, I have had local people stop me in the store or the street to talk about something I wrote about on my blog. I personally am grateful for every single person that reads my blog and even if many people didn’t read a blog, I started it for me! A place for me to vent about my chronic pain journey without judgment and it has since blossomed into what it is.
Myth #2 You Can’t Be THAT Happy
Truth: I am actually very happy, My blog gives me a place to escape from the real weird and occupy my time, especially since I can’t work outside the home right now. I am grateful every single day for my blog and also am very proud of it. I am naturally a really excited person and tend to be really excited when I talk about something so of course my writing would reflect that.
Myth #3 Your Confused and So Are Your Goals
Truth: I have one goal and that is to keep my blog going because it gives me a place to express myself. Traffic is always a great thing but it’s not my main focus. My goals have never been to get as much traffic as I can or earn as much money as I can…My main goals have been to have a place I can expressed myself and something to pass the time.
Myth #4 You Are Wasting Your Money
Truth: While many of the posts I have seen talk about bloggers wasting money on conventions, I have never been to a big blogging convention. I tend to focus on smaller local conventions and try to build relationships with local companies. I purchased a really affordable layout(for $15) and made all the graphics for my site(which was very easy) and then purchased hosting and my domain when Go Daddy was running a deal. My site costs are under $200 to run a year and with the money I make from sponsored posts I can easily cover costs. Personally, I have NO desire to attend a blogging convention or conference…you could note even PAY me to sit in a room with a bunch of women regardless of the things I might learn or connections I might make.
Myth #5 Afraid To Post Honest/Negative Reviews
Truth: The reason why there are SO many positive reviews on my site is I have been lucky to not have encountered many issues. Normally if I have an issue I email the company and they make it right by sending a replacement item and 90% of the time the replacement item serves its purpose. However, I am not afraid to post negative reviews…Just read my review of Six Flags , Six Flags begged me to take the review down and even offered another set of free tickets but I refused, I felt I had a duty to give an honest review. I have had a few run its with companies that were just RUDE and I was NOT afraid to tell them how it will be. No company is going to walk all over me or treat me like garbage REGARDLESS what company they work for and what product they have sent/offered to send. I have actually had a few run-ins that ended with me returning the package to sender because it was easier than dealing with their rudeness. I could honestly careless if a company blacklists me and sends my information to other PR agencies or companies all because I give them a negative review. If a company or PR agency cant accept constructive criticism then I don’t want to be associated with them.
Myth #6 You Are Wasting Your Time
Truth: I have been blogging for around 6 years now. I started on another site and then branched out on my own. Never have I felt like I was wasting my time. I feel like my blog is my hobby and I don’t feel like I am wasting my time anymore than anyone else with a hobby. I have always felt super proud of my blog and the blogs I have been involved in.
I think if YOU want to start a blog do it! Don’t let anyone tell you that you or your blog sucks. Honestly, In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what others think. I created a blog for my self and NO one else! If for some reason tomorrow I lost all my followers I will still write my blog because I made it for my self and I write on my blog for my self. I work closely with companies on reviews but all of the reviews are my own! I feel that if I posted anything fake on my blog I would be lying to both my self AND my readers and I would feel completely guilty if I did that. My blog has given me the opportunity to grow in so many ways! It allows me to share my story and opinion while also building my writing skills. I have connected with some GREAT companies, bloggers, and readers and I am forever grateful for that. While the things I mentioned above are relevant to MY blog I can not speak for all bloggers, like in any field you are going to have people who lie, cheat and deceive, I have always made it my mission to tell the truth and be honest.
For more information on starting your own blog please check out my post called The Burning Question: How Do You Do it?