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How many of you have a full time job and trying to grow your blog and home business?
How many of you have a full time-job, raising a family and putting effort to grow your blog and business all at the same time?
Quite challenging isn’t it?
I don’t have a family, but I do have a full-time job and many times I’m on a time crunch.
I can definitely relate to all of you who are pressed for time.
But now we all have the privilege to gain the wisdom from Tom southern who was in a similar predicament.
He will be sharing some great strategies on how we can grow a blog while we work our full time jobs.
So without further adieu, Take it away Tom!
Does this sound familiar?
You started your blog to create an income for yourself, maybe a full independent income, so you can leave your job. Or maybe you wanted to keep your job and want a blog to supplement your income.
You have every intention of making it work.
But, you work hard, your hours are long and, when you’re not working, you’ve got other committments demanding your time. No matter how good your intentions your blog is getting left behind, isn’t it?
So, you want to know – How do you grow a successful blog while working full-time?
You need to have a clear result to aim for and equally, clear (and simple to follow) steps for achieving that result.
It’s not about getting tough with yourself, or making sacrifices. It’s about making what you need to do to grow your blog part-time, work. And work simply, effectively and quickly.
You need it to be simple because you want to be able to spend less time trying to figure out what, where, why and who (and how), and more time on actually doing what works.
You need it to be effective because you want results, obviously.
You need it to be as quick as possible because results are a big motivator. When you see your goals actually being achieved, you get spurred on to do more. You feel like the work and the time you put in is paying off. And this motivates you more.
Small wins keep you going. Focus on the small wins because they will make you succeed.
You also need to keep in mind these 9 important facts if you want to be successful at growing your blog part-time…
9 Facts To Bear In Mind For Successful Part-Time Blogging
1. Accept that it takes longer than people say it does.
This is true. You’ll find that you won’t really start making progress for 3 months or more. But, follow these steps and you’ll begin to see results happening for you within 5 to 6 weeks.
2. You don’t need to worry about Facebook (or any social media) in a big way.
Unless your blog is for a local business and your goal is to use Facebook to bring in customers via coupons and so on, focus what limited time you have instead on growing your blog.
If you want the best part-time social media growth strategy for your blog, then use Twitter as your main social media platform. It is vital for finding bloggers to network with.
3. Guest Posting is a neccessity but it takes work.
Guest posting is often promoted as a good way to get yourself known and to grow an audience for your blog. It is. But it’s not as easy or as simple as it’s often portrayed.
To be successful at it (and to get a return on investment from it) you need to create a clear, step-by-step plan.
4. Connect with people who’re already on their way up/doing what you want to do.
This is essential. Because as they rise through the ranks of the blogging influencer hierachy, they’ll carry you along with them – but only if you’ve taken time to create good and genuine relationships with them.
5. Controversial, but true: Don’t sweat SEO.
Seo (search engine optimisation) is all about getting links into your blog which bring traffic. The more links you have, the more likely you are to rise to the top of search engines and therefore get traffic.
That’s the theory.
In practice, it takes a long time to get these results. Longer than the three months you have.
“If you’re starting out and you have no pre-existing following, don’t wait until “people find your content on their own” or until “SEO kicks in.” The world doesn’t work that way.” – Peep Laja, ConversionXL.com
In reality SEO is only a very small part of what drives traffic to your blog. What brings in the traffic are links from other bloggers – the big names and those rising stars.
If you make the right connections with them, they’ll start linking or sharing your posts when you start writing them.
Your best SEO strategy as a part-time blogger is to get your URLs optimised. For example, Sherman uses these URLs…
http://www.shermansmithblog.com/blogging-strategies/
http://www.shermansmithblog.com/waste-your-time-blogging/
6. You don’t need to post several times a week.
I post one blog post a month currently. I get my posts shared by popular bloggers and I’m growing my list with targeted members. When I was working full-time and blogging in my spare time, I didn’t post anything on my blog. Instead, I wrote guest posts and started my email list.
Targetted readers are readers what you want to attract. These are people most likely going to enjoy reading and following you. For example, my blog is targetted at bloggers who have started blogs that have failed, (or whose blogs are failing). They’ve relied on keywords and not got the traffic they expected. Or they’ve spent time sharing their content on social media but their links have never been clicked.
They want to know what strategies really work for success online and they want to learn what I’ve got to teach them.
7. Not every piece of advice will suit your goals or your way of doing things.
This is true. You know in your heart if what you’re being told will work is what you want to do. For example, you will read about some tactics for getting traffic that just don’t “feel”, or fit with your preference.
Maybe even some of the ways to grow your blog part-time that you’re reading here don’t appeal to you. That’s okay.
Follow your gut instinct. I always recommend my readers to find influencers, or rising stars, who are succeeding by doing things in ways that resonate with them. This is important because you’ll be learning from people who do things in ways you feel good about following.
Success comes from being genuine in what you’re doing. Not just for your readers. But for your own peace of mind too.
8. FIVE things to have on your blog now – everything else comes later (when the traffic is coming frequently)
There are always people who tell you what you need to have on your blog if you hope to ever get traffic and make it online.
In my experience, as a part-time blogger, your blog needs only FIVE things to start it off on the right foot:
Opt-in page/Forms– to collect email addresses from the start. Very important if you want to build a list.
Blog header – to tell people your blog’s name and your tagline (what they’ll get from you).
“About Me” page – to tell people what they can expect from you and a little bit about your story of why you started your blog, who you are and what they can expect from reading your blog.
Check out these examples of great “About Me” pages here Sherman’s About Me Page, here Adrienne Smith’s About Me Page and here Tim Bonner’s About Me Page. (If you notice they’re not really about the bloggers themselves, more about what you’ll get by reading their blogs.).
Social sharing buttons – So people can share your content if, or when, you’ve created some. SumoMe [http://sumome.com/] is a free social sharing tool with other great features too. I use SumoMe for my social sharing buttons.
Reasonable looking theme – You don’t need to go to town and spend a lot of money on your theme.
Your goal should be to have a blog that looks a little different in some way from all the other blogs. For example, my blog looks a bit “pop-ey” because I use bright colours for the header and the images.
9. The days of quick success belong to the early days of blogging and websites.
According to one source [http://www.statista.com/statistics/278527/number-of-blogs-worldwide/], in 2011 there were 173 million blogs. Four years later, there are probably a few million more. About 90% of them probably fail within 3 months of launching because success online is not easy. There is no such thing as overnight success.
If you want to discover what so-called overnight success takes to create, read
Chris Guillerbeau’s 279 Days To Overnight Success. Overnight success comes from hard work in the back room. Or in that little space under the stairs. Or even at your kitchen table.
You need to spend time getting to know what you want – and how you’ll know
when you’ve got it.
The 7 tips for growing a blog while working full-time
If you want to start a blog and turn it into a thriving income source, then you need to get serious.
You need a plan. Simple and productive. And it doesn’t start with writing content.
In fact, writing content for your blog should be the least thing you do. That’s right. Content is no longer King [http://socialtriggers.com/content-is-king-myth/] .
If your time is limited, you need to concentrate on doing what brings in the most for the little time you have.
You have to be willing to work on your evenings and weekends and learn to turn off the television.
Blogging part-time: It can be done. At the very least, you need to put in 1 hour a day, 5 to 7 days a week. Here’s how…
1. Write in batches
– Set time aside for writing content and write a few posts at a time if you can.
You can then publish them one after the other. If you use a WordPress.org blog then you can even schedule your posts “publish” at dates and times in advance across the next few weeks and so on.
2. Start your email list
– Even if you think you’ve got nothing to say or to send them, start it. If you follow my suggestions coming up, you’ll start seeing subscribers trickle in and that’s a good thing.
What do you send them? Well, you can send them your content (see #5) and links to other people’s content you want to recommend to them … “Hey! I just read this and thought you’d like it too. Here’s a link …. Oh and by the way, mention I told you about it when you’re there. Thanks.” Something like that.
3. Realise when good is good enough.
Get your blog theme to as good as it’s going to be – you can tweek it later when things are taking off.
4. Realise that you have to space out tasks.
You can’t read blogs, tweet and create content at the same time. You need to schedule time for each task. Right now, as a part-time blogger, reading and tweeting should take around 65 to 70% of your blogging time.
The more you read and see what’s popular with your potential readers on other blogs, the more ideas you’ll get for writing popular content on your blog.
5. 80/20 Rules.
Most people have blogging round the wrong way and this costs them dear. They spend their time writing content and sharing it on social media with little or no response.
If you’ve only got a few hours a week to spend on your blog, you can’t afford to get it wrong.
Instead, you should spend only 20% of your time on content and 80% building relationships and getting known by…
Leaving thoughtful comments on other people’s blogs that add something to the conversation that’s going on there.
Sherman is a great example of how to do this…
6. Don’t waste time trying to sell a product or service yet.
This may sound strange advice. But to make money successfully online you need to get readers first.
When you’ve got readers make them feel at home. If and when they feel welcome, they’ll tell you what they want to buy.
How?
They’ll start asking you questions. These questions will give you clues for what products or what service they will be willing to buy.
7. Keep going, no matter how little time you have.
Some days you’ll have only 30 minutes to focus on your blog. Maybe not even in one go. It’s tempting to say to yourself that you’ll leave planning your next blog post till tomorrow, or you’ll tweet a message to a blogger you want to connect with tomorrow.
It’s tempting, yes – but don’t do it. Because “tomorrow” will become your motto and your blog will never grow.
What I did when working full-time, sometimes shift work that tired me out. I would use commute time to make notes for a blog post. Or I would read other people’s content. Because I knew that if I stopped for one day, that one day would spread into two days, three… four…10… and before long, my blog would become a “Wish I’d kept on with my blog. It would have been good.” regret.
Don’t let this happen to you.
Keep going. Keep doing something that grows your blog.
Are you ready to start growing your blog part-time?
Yes, it’s going to take time. If you’re not prepared to make changes then growing a blog to a place where it actually works is going to be frustrating.
But it doesn’t have to be. You just need to prioritise. Do what works. Concentrate your time and efforts on those tasks. And you’ll make it.
Your blog’s future is waiting for you?
Are you ready?
Leave a comment below to say how you’ll use these 7 tips to grow your blog part-time…
Tom Southern is a blogger and copywriter who quit his job to focus on helping people like you (finally) get traffic to your blog, however short of time you are, so that you too can quit your job and grow your blog successfully. You can start now by enrolling on his Free mini email course: “Getting Traffic Smart”.
You can connect with him on Twitter and his blog by clicking on the links below:
Tom’s Twitter | Tom’s Blog
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Awesome article!
Even as an SEO consultant, I have to agree that SEO shouldn’t be your top priority right off the bat. Only black-hat SEO works like that, and it never goes well long term. If you’re building a legitimate business around a blog, black hat won’t get you anywhere.
I also really liked the point about being consistent, since ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ can easily turn to ‘I’ll do it this weekend’ and on, and on, and on. That’s something I definitely need to get better at. As much as I love writing, I love procrastinating more at times xD
Keep up the great work on your blog!
Hey Jonathan,
I have done some black-hat SEO a few years ago when it was much more accepted, but even back then when Google was going through major changes, it didn’t even help. So I kept my distance since then.
Being consistent is very important, but I’m starting to see this as being consistent in staying in front of your audience whether it be a blog post from you, emailing your email list about a webinar, being included in an expert roundup post, or doing a guest post on another blog. Doing it this way can be much more beneficial since you’re giving your audience value from other resources as well as getting “3rd Party Validation” from other bloggers.
Thanks for stopping by Jonathan! Have a great day!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Jonathan,
Good to hear that as an SEO consultant you agree that SEO shouldn’t be your main focus when starting out. You’re right too, building a business for the long term should be your main goal and that means being consistent. Keep doing something towards your end goal.
As Sherman says: “staying in front of your audience” in some way is important to building and keeping them.
Great to have your contribution here, Jonathan, thanks.
-Tom
Hey Sherman,
I sure bet a lot of people will be able to relate to this post. Low and behold I see that Tom is over here guest posting as well, great choice.
Well Tom, I can’t relate to this one since I don’t work full-time offline but I will have to tell you that if I did I’m not sure I would be online. I don’t have a family either but I remember coming home every single day just worn out and who the heck wants to dive back into working all the way up until maybe the wee hours of every single morning.
I never really saw myself as an entrepreneur but here I am doing the online thing and running my own business now. I would never trade this for anything that’s for sure. I do know that it’s the best way in my opinion to build something secure for yourself and have the type of lifestyle that people only dream of.
Everything that you shared here though is so very true. It took me years to get to where I am so people have to be realistic. It’s going to take time and if you’re not able to do this full-time then that means the time you do have to devote to your business is probably going to be shorter and take you longer.
I think it depends on the business model actually but from all the people I’ve helped over the years what I teach works. I think everyone has to find what they enjoy doing the most though and getting in front of their target audience. Like for me it was never guest posting although people were telling me back then it was the only way. I proved them all wrong and showed them a different way and one that I feel will sustain us till the end of time.
Your suggestions are all great and I would hope that anyone who is online whether they are part-time or full-time need to give it their all and know that this does work if you work it. It’s going to take time but it’s time well spent.
Great post guys and I hope you both have a wonderful rest of your week. I’m off to share this one with my friends now.
~Adrienne
Adrienne recently posted…Why Baby Boomers Should Be Blogging
Hey Adrienne,
When Tom came to me to let me know his idea for a guest post I got excited because it was right up my alley! This is my main message I want to get across.
Building your own business and making your own money is definitely a better way of living for sure. You have more control of your life from the money you make to taking those breaks whenever you want. You don’t have to get the approval of someone else like you would at a job.
In most cases it does takes a long time to even get where you are Adrienne. And if you’re working full-time, then yes, it’s going to take you a longer time than those that aren’t working full-time at all. But once you establish yourself, it would be worth the time you put in.
I do agree that you want to find something that you enjoy doing to make it work best for you. Guest posting is just one option that you can utilize to grow your business, but there are a variety of different ways you can incorporate into your marketing that will keep you progressing in your business and you definitely have proven that Adrienne.
I’m glad that you like the post! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Adrienne,
It’s so good to have you stop by and take time to contribute such a
thoughtful and useful comment, thank-you.
Yes, you’re right, it can be difficult working full-time and feeling worn out and unable to face doing more work, when all you want to do is have a break.
I suppose it’s how much you can fit in and I’m a big believer in once you start, however small, you can find things often juggle around a little to help you fit it in. I remember though getting home and just wanting to switch-off. But, often after a quick shower, bite to eat, I’d be able to do some work towards my blog, even if it was just an outline.
What your example proves is that one size doesn’t fit all. Often, you need to find your own way of doing things.
Luckily, technology is making blogging more versitile and people can do a quick thought-to-camera via their phone and upload it for people to listen and watch. Writing content isn’t the only way to blog – which is good news!
Thanks Adrienne, you always go the extra mile with your comments and this one’s no exception.
-Tom
Hi Sherman and Tom,
This is such a great post. As someone who works full-time outside of the home, has a family to tend to, blogs, and is working on a freelance business, it is very difficult. I often wonder how many people are able to do it. But then I see, not everyone’s circumstances are alike. It’s very easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to someone who is making it work, but we mustn’t do it. We need to work at it slowly and at a pace where our ft jobs and family don’t get neglected.
Thanks for sharing this post!
Brenda
Hey Brenda,
When I think of this subject I think of the story of the Tortoise and the Hare for some reason. There are some that make jokes about us who are trying to build a home business despite our minimum time, and although we work at a slower pace, eventually success finds us. Yes some of us tend to drift off and compare ourselves to others which can be a benefit to see what other’s are doing, but eventually we should make sure we concentrate most of our efforts on our goals.
Thanks for stopping by Brenda and I’m glad that you liked Tom’s post! He did an excellent job!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Brenda,
Yes, you’re right, it can be tempting to make those comparisons. But it’s always good to remember that those who are making it probably had a head start on you and maybe don’t have your responsibilities.
You can only go at your own pace. You’ll probably find Facts #4 & #5 of the “9 Facts” part of this post will be a good place for you to start. When your time is short, nothing beats making those all important relationships with other bloggers.
Thanks for adding your thoughts, Brenda.
-Tom
Hi Tom,
That note of not NEEDING to publish multi times weekly vibes with me. Here’s why: the energy of needing creates more need. Or, if you write or connect or do anything from that energy the actions will be counter productive. I clung to an idea that I needed to post once or thrice weekly to get traffic. Posts were OK, but lacked juice. Now I publish when I have something heart felt to say, whether it’s 7 or 14 days in between, who cares? My neediness is dissolving so much more, so I allow creative, heart felt ideas in, and writing these 5,000 or 6,000 word posts is so freaking easy when you do it for the fun of it, not because you need to do it.
Tom, awesome post man. Sherman, thanks for allowing Tom to borrow your blog for a post.
Ryan
Ryan Biddulph recently posted…How to Arm Yourself for Blogging Battles
Hey Ryan,
I like how you say this. Lately I have been “off schedule” mainly because of time and I’ve been pretty tired coming from work. But you know what? It’s been working out for the best since I’ve been writing when I have something great to say. Yes I see you cranking out those 5,000 to 6,000 word posts easily and I can tell with your writing that you’re having a lot of fun doing it!
Tom did a great job with this post and I’m glad that he ask to be my guest!
Thanks for stopping by Ryan! Have a good one!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Thanks Sherman, kind of you to say so. But the honour is all mine. And I’m enjoying meeting all your readers here. Thanks for this opportunity.
-Tom
The power of pulling back….how neat, right? Good for you….all flows much more easily when we create from a more detached, chill space.
Ryan Biddulph recently posted…11 Fundamentals of Successful Blogging Audio Course (Plus a Bonus Audio Course)
Hey Ryan,
It’s funny how this works! By being of value you can conjure curiousity from your audience. Doing this from a detached space can attract those looking for the answers!
Thanks for stopping by Ryan! Have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Hey Ryan, good to see you here, thanks for stopping by.
Yes, your energy for blogging and writing content always amazes me. Two points you make stand out for me: writing content only when you have something to say & knowing why you’re saying it.
Both require people to make a plan. Planning is so important when time is short. I learnt this only late in my blogging journey and it’s something I wished I’d learnt sooner. It would have saved me so much time and frustration.
Thanks Ryan.
-Tom
Wow Tom!
You really did a fabulous job! And your points are
so well laid out and extremely straight forward!
And they are really dipped in reality! I like how
you’re quick to acknowledge, your proven tips, strategies and or
techniques, may not necessarily be suited for everyone!
And that’s totally okay!
But my main big takeaway is, in the end, it’s all about
being a consistent doer!
And just making darn sure that 80% of what you do is
productive, not non productive!
Thanks for sharing some awesome ideas and great real
world insights!
I’m definitely heading over to your blog! And thanks so much
for featuring him Sherman!
I definitely learned some things that made stopping by worth it!As usual!LOL!
Mark recently posted…How Extremely Savvy Marketers Turn Take No Prisoners Customer Service Into A Powerful Asset!
Hey Mark,
Tom really did a great job on this topic!
I’m glad that he ask to do the guest post, and this topic was right up my alley.
It’s definitely about being consistent. There have been days or even a few weeks
where I just didn’t want to think about blogging LOL.. but I managed to push
myself and usually I find a new concept I never thought of or a tool that saves time.
Thanks for stopping by Mark! You have a good one!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hello Mark,
Thanks for your comment and feedback. It’s good to hear from you.
Yes, I think it’s important to say that not all advice suits everyone because it’s true. You have to find advice that not only fits with your blogging goals but also with your way of doing and your message.
And you’ll always be welcome on my blog and I hope you continue to
get a lot out of what you find there.
Hi Tom,
This is some of the most practical, insightful advice I’ve read in a long time!
I love the that you talked about “small wins!” Blogging is a process, it’s not an event. As such the home runs rarely come until we perfect our swings. That means we have to learn how to do this.
I’m writing a new eBook right titled “The 7 Invincible Laws of Business Blogging Success” and one of the very things I remind them of is that there is no such thing as an overnight success.
And if there is; it isn’t real because that person has learned from other experiences and it likely is not their first go.
The other thing I couldn’t agree with you more on is the issue of SEO. Truth be told, SEO is in major transition and as an artificial intelligent computer it’s learning more an more how to match intent, value and insights with what searchers are wanting.
We are much better off proactively building our communities that engage, refer traffic and help one another. Blogging is not a one way tool so we have to stop thinking of it as one where I tell you something and you take it. It’s more and more of a two way tool that allows for expression of thought for both the reader and the writer… and where ultimately we hope readers become content engagers through commenting.
I suppose I could go on and on, lol….
Fantastic post Tom. I appreciate your insights and I certainly got great value from your article even though I have been a full-time entrepreneur for over ten years.
Have a great week!
~ Don Purdum
Don Purdum recently posted…You Can’t Build a Business by Yourself – Finding Friends Who Believe in You and Will Share Your Message!
Hey Don,
Those small wins, if consistent, turn into big wins. Yes, blogging is a process and not an event, which makes it a step by step process, so while you’re on this journey you might as well enjoy it.
A lot of people get this idea that there are overnight successes, which I’ve believed far a long time that it’s a fib. There was definitely a lot of hard work behind the facade that is ever so commonly protruded.
The way we implement SEO has changed a lot from just a couple of years ago. Now it’s more about the interest of your audience and what they gain from it. There were much content 3 or 4 years ago that really sucked and this is why a lot of those sites got the “slap” and lost all of that tracking because it just wasn’t helpful information.
You’re right about blogging. It’s more of a way to create reciprocity where all parties can benefit. It’s not just a one way street.
I know you’re passionate about the blogging world and networking Don lol… you can get on a roll with this lol but we all love it.
I’m greatful that Tom chose my blog to guest post on a subject like this!
Thanks for stopping by Don! Have a great day!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Don,
Thanks for saying so, it’s really good to hear you say that. Everything I’ve included here is from personal experience of my struggle to make blogging work for me and how I finally discovered what really worked and what didn’t. So, I wanted to pass this discovery onto others.
Learning from “small wins” is key. Your ebook sounds like it’s going to
promote an excellent message to people.
SEO only really works when you’re successful and the traffic’s rolling in so you can use Google Analytics to check what keywords people are really clicking on. But even this is only a small part of the puzzle.
Nothing drives traffic to your blog more than making connnections. You’re right about that.
Thanks for stopping by, Don, always appreciate hearing from you.
-Tom
Hi Sherman and Tom!
Can’t say I can relate to the full-time job aspect because blogging was actually my first job and this whole internet marketing thing has become my career over the years. However, this advice is pretty solid for anyone, really.
When you’re short on time and often times even when you aren’t, you’ve to be really careful where you focus that time at, because it is limited and it is precious. You make great points about social media and SEO – so many people spend way too much time on them, and the worst thing about organic traffic in particular is we can’t control it. It just doesn’t make much sense to put so much importance on a traffic source you can not control. Some people build their entire businesses around organic traffic and end up paying the price when an algorithm update comes and wipes them out. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.
Hey James,
It’s important to make the best out of your short time when it comes to blogging and building a business. For all of us that are pressed for time, the little time that we have is so precious.
With that said, Tom made some valid points as far as social media and SEO. Especially with SEO, when it comes down to it, we really don’t have that much control over it despite the fact that we’re doing all the “right” things. There’s other productive tasks that we can spend more time on that will help push our blogs along.
Thanks for stopping by James and I’m glad that you enjoyed Tom’s post! Have a good one!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi James,
Good to meet you here.
You make some valuable points, James. Time is short for everyone and it’s how you use that time and how much you get out of it.
And you’re spot on regarding organic traffic. It touches on what I advise my clients and which is that the more links you can get through connections with other bloggers, the more they’re likely to share your content with their readers. The more popular and influential they are, the more readers they have.
Some of the saddest emails I get from my readers are those in which they talk about how SEO has cost them dear and got them little or nothing in return.
Great contribution, James, thanks for taking time to make it.
Hi, Tom,
This post is timely. And it’s beautifully crafted, by the way.
I sure have had a couple of reads about quitting jobs and blogging seriously, starting with Jon Morrow’s An Open Letter To Writers Struggling To Find Courage. Just recently, I read Brent Jones’ story (published on Carol Amato’s blog) on the serious blogger’s need to quit his job and start his digital business full-time.
Your post does take a different angle though. And I love it. What with the fact that I almost guessed you picked my thoughts and expanded on them. I’m in the middle of making a huge decision (like I published in the comment on Carol Amato’s blog).
I hold a part-time that’s not only sinking its teeth into my love for writing and building digital businesses, but also, well, eating into my health. Brent gave a good headstart that he left his job at 29. That’s thrilling. I wish to call it quit on the job even at 28 now.
The downside? That security issue. Nothing to fall back on. But here’s the thing, if you could advice a young fella who’s bored with a job that sort of pays his bills slightly but doubly distracts him from fulfilling his dream to build digital businesses, what would your tip be?
As a part-time blogger, I found reading and tweeting takes up 80% of my time and yet, that progress is seemingly slow. Sort of like blogging successfully can only work if you’ve got a good deal of your time on creating epic content and building worthy relationships.
I’ve never been rock-solid on SEO anyway, but this tip about how to use it is a good one. I’ll be applying it.
You’re so right about keeping on and never letting “tomorrow” slip into our motto. Missing a few weeks of writing content has caused a rut in my content creation skill. Still hustling to get that back.
I’ll be leaving with “FIVE things to have on your blog now”. Starting an email list hasn’t been so strong on the priority list for me, but then, it’s an overflogged topic that must be considered seriously or…it’s better not to own a blog anyway.
Adrienne Smith’s comment is encouraging, too. It’s going to take time to build a successful online business. But do you think working another job stretches the time it’ll take to smell the spotlight? Plus, knowing you’ve got to stand out amidst the web’s vast noise, creating memorable content may just be tough while you’re holding down a job? What’s your take, Tom?
Thanks a lot for sharing, Tom.
Yusuff Busayo
Hey Yusuff,
I haven’t read Jon’s Story but I did read Brent’s story and it was very inspirational.
If you have a job that’s eating at your health, then it’s best to look at other options you have. If that’s your only income, I wouldn’t suggest that you don’t quit, but to keep making improvements with your blogging and look to see if you can find another job. This is my own opinion since I was in that predicament.
As far as being a part time blogger, there are ways to work smarter. I myself use automated tools like Revive Old Post and Buffer to syndicate my published content. They both have free versions and also you can connect twitter to Facebook so that with each tweet you put out, it also posts on Facebook. It’s killing two birds with one stone. You can also do this with LinkedIn and connect it to Twitter. In this case it’s killing 3 birds with one stone.
SEO is great to implement, but it’s only a piece of the puzzle. I don’t like to put all my eggs in one basket, so there are still a lot of benefits to SEO.
Consistency is important. You definitely want to stay consistent when it comes to writing and publishing. But more important is promotion. Do what you can do today instead of waiting on tomorrow.
Building an email list is very important. It’s yours to keep and it’s a great way to build competency so your audience to get to know, like and trust you. And at the same time it’s important for you to get to know them so that you can deliver content that they find valuable.
Yes, it’s going to take a while to build a successful online business. Getting two or 3 jobs isn’t going to help a lot with you time. Sometimes you do this in order to pay your bills, but honestly I believe having that many jobs should be temporary.
Thanks for stopping by Yusuff! I hope you have a great day!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Yusuff,
Good to have you stop by and contribute such a full and engaging comment. Thanks also for reaching out and asking how to manage a job you don’t like much and is affecting you negatively. I found myself in this kind of situation and here’s what I did:
Jobwise: I reframed my job as much as I could into a financial support – something that was earning my money while I first created and then followed a plan for what I wanted to achieve blogging-wise.
Blogging: It took me a while to realise that making friends with other bloggers was the best thing I ever did (and still do). I didn’t realise this until late on in my blogging journey. But now I know just how valuable it is.
So, to anyone I would advise these 2 strategies:
1. Reframe your job into a financial support. Save as much as you can.
2. Create a list of 5 to 10 bloggers whose message and way of blogging resonate with you and start making friends with them online.
3. Read as much blog content as you can. Sooner or later, you’ll discover a gap in which you can slot your own message and blog.
4. Keep going.
And you can read and subscribe to my blog, of course. You’ll be more
than welcome. And keep in touch and let me know how you get on.
Thanks for your comment, Yusuff.
Hi, Sherman and Tom
i used to have a job before i joined the blogging world. Finally, I decided to be full time blogging. But there were so many things to learn that I still can’t have enough time to do that .
Your advice are practical and useful. I am doing in the opposite direction from your suggestions The biggest mistake is SEO which I almost focus completely to get the traffic.
i will implement your suggestions into my blogging daily activities.
Thanks a lot!
– Stella Chiu
Hey Stella,
When it comes to blogging there’s a lot to learn. Especially for the fact SEO is changing and you have to figure out how to implement it within your blog posts so you can get the best out of it despite the other tasks you have to do.
Tom made some great suggestions here and we all should definitely implement them to get better results!
Thanks for stopping by Stella and I hope you have a great day!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Stella,
Yes, you’re right blogging is full of things to learn. It can be overwhelming sometimes, can’t it?
Keep in touch to let us know how these tips work for you, won’t you.
Feedback is always good to have.
Thanks for taking time out to comment, Stella.
-Tom
Boy, can I relate to this post. I am currently working a full time job during the day and working on my blog whenever I can.
It is tough sometimes for me, as I get up at 5 am, catch the bus to work and back and usually not home until 7 pm on the week days. Sometimes all I feel like doing when I get home is rest.
I do use my commute time to do some of the things you talked about, as I have a iPad and I read some articles, respond to comments, emails and such. I try to set my self up to work on the blog the most on the weekends, but then, I don’t get much of a weekend.
My one solace is that I know there are other people just like me, so I am not alone in my quest to build my business. This keeps me going, as I know a lot of people have probably given up. But some have made it and said goodbye to their daily job. I know I will eventually be like them.
I love this article as it totally vindicates what I am doing now. I feel like I am doing your seven steps now, especially trying to build relationships, as I feel this is one of the most important things you can do to become known in the blogging world.
Also, I have all of the 5 elements on my blog that you mention. Not that they are great, but still there.
Thanks again for this encouraging post and I hope you have a great weekend! Unless your working of course.
Hey Rob,
It’s tough trying to work a full-time job and make time to blog.
You come home tired, and if you have a family, they can take up more time as well (not that it’s bad)
That’s great that you use your commute to read articles on your iPad, respond to comments, and emails. You sound like me. I’m luckily to walk from site to site at my job and in between those times I’m on my mobile reading blog posts. Weekends do help, but i can understand that you just want to rest for the weekend or maybe go out and do something else.
There are a lot of people that are like us trying to build a business. Any many cases, there are many that give up while other’s have pushed through and said good bye to their day jobs.
That’s great that you’re doing these tips already. They will definitely benefit you in the long run. Doing the little things will help you accomplish the bigger things.
Thanks for stopping by Rob! Tom did a great job on this post and I’m glad that you liked it! Have a good one!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Rob,
Your situation rings a real bell for me. I too had a long commute by bus and I also did night shifts for a while which added to the tiredness
and just wanting to do nothing on my days off, except catch up on sleep.
Glad to hear you found some vindication that you’re doing things right. And you can build on these as you go.
I’d recommend that you start building relationships with other bloggers. This is an excellent strategy for anyone but especially for people like you with little time to spare. You can start by tweeting and emailing bloggers whose content you’re reading via your iPad and like
to compliment them.
Keep on going, Rob, that’s the Number 1 strategy.
Thanks for stopping by and good to meet you here.
Hey Tom and thinks for the reply.
See, this is why commenting is such a good part of the relationship building process. You find other people that are going through, or have already been through, some of the same things you have. For me, this is encouraging, as I feel I am not along, and I too can succeed.
Who knew, that we would both be bus commuters! I hate to drive these days, and with bus commuting an option for me, I feel I can get a lot done on the commute, whereas otherwise, I would just be stressed out from having to deal with road rage drivers.
This article has really pointed out to me, that I do need to focus my work on the most important tasks, and not try to do everything at once.
I agree with you that relationship building is the most important for me right now. As you need to have that community of followers and friends that are like minded to help you out in lean times.
Thanks again for writing this article as I feel it posed a turning point for me.
Hello Sherman,
Great write-up.
I have been managing my blogs along with my full-time day job for more than 4 years, and yes it was tough to manage well but if you make a schedule and don’t focus much using FB and other distracting sites, then you can manage it well.
However, I am now working full time on blogs, and that is awesome.
Atish Ranjan recently posted…Create Amazing Facebook Covers with FotoJet?
Hey Atish,
Tom did a great job on this subject and I’m glad he write it here on my blog.
Yes it can be tough when you’re working full time and trying to grow a successful blog. But you have to use your time wisely by focusing on the more productive tasks. If this is consistently done, then you’ll experience the growth.
That’s great that you’re working full time on blogs. All of that work paid off!
Thanks for stopping by Atish! Have a great day!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Atish,
Good job on getting to the step of being able to quit your job. You’ve achieved something many bloggers aspire to.
Making a schedule is great advice. To make a schedule that works you need to know what you want to achieve – and why – first. Then you know what you need to do to achieve it and this helps you create a schedule that makes you want to follow and complete it.
Appreciate your comment, Atish. Thanks.
Hi Tom,
Great to see you here on Sherman’s blog. You have given such valuable information for those who are working and blogging. There are so many that need this so that they won’t get discouraged.
It takes time, and if one is doing it part time just double that time and be patient. I’m also glad you brought up SEO..I do feel the same way. We cannot bang our heads against the wall when focusing on this.
We all have to work smart and if one is a part time blogger they really need to work smarter. Persistence and Patience is the key and yes, it can be done. I know plenty of part time bloggers that have monetized their blogs and are doing great because of that.
Thanks so much for putting this together. I will pass it on because this is one piece that is so encouraging for the part time to full time bloggers as well.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted…Does Story Telling Work On Your Blog?
Hi Donna,
Good to see you here. You’re right, it’s about working smart and Persistence and Patience. Too many people give up to soon and that’s what I did with one of my blogs that failed.
There’s too much advice out there that makes blogging sound an easy win. In reality, it’s like any business, you need a plan, an outcome and the ability to stick at it until it starts paying off.
Of course, finding advice that is actually helpful is frustrating at times. So, I’m pleased to hear that so many people are finding my advice here
useful and valuable. That’s my goal.
Thanks for stopping by and taking time out to add to the conversation here, Donna. Much obliged.
-Tom
Hi Tom Southern, Honestly I was feeling down about my blog but your post filled me with a bit of hope and Sherman I got here to your platform via Adrienne Smith, she shared this motivating post, hope we all succeed.
And yeah Tom I took a bit from your great piece as quote of the day “Small wins keep you going. Focus on the small wins because they will make you succeed.” and shared it with my dear readers.
Have a nice day all of you
Hey Arshad,
Those small wins matter a lot. Why? Because they lead of to Big wins. I’m glad that this post was motivating for you and gave you the energy to keep going. That’s what we’re all here for !
Thanks for stopping by Arshad! I’m glad that you like Tom’s post!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Arshad,
Good to hear from you. I’m glad to hear this post has inspired you and
helped you find motivation.
Adrienne Smith has helped a lot in promoting this post, bring in some
great readers like you.
“Small wins” has kept me on track so I know it’ll help you and your
readers.
Thanks for adding your thoughts here, Arshad.
Hello Tom!
Lovely to meet you here at Sherman’s pad… and what a very helpful blogging blueprint, which clearly spells out some of the myths newcomers are led to believe!
Time is always a factor, and I am taking forever to reach my goals because of those restraints, and going step by step, but I’m going!
Setting up with your 5 things focuses the task ahead and I really liked your particular 80/20 rule. I had a think about that one…
I am about to start a new guest posting experience, with some trepidation… it is challenging being inside someone else’s blog and following their structure, and of course the ‘will it be good enough factor’!! But as you say, it must be done, and I’ll soon get the process sorted.
I’m a social media nut, so I have to say that is a part of my blogging marketing too, but I can see it both ways 🙂
You have shared a wealth of mega tips for part time bloggers with us, thanks so much Tom… I’ll be giving you some social sharing (like it or not!!)
~ Jacs 😀
Jacs Henderson recently posted…Networking Superstars School… You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know!
Hey Jacs,
There are many of us that don’t have the time we want to work on our blogs. Tom was in this predicament too and he’s shared some great, insightful tips on how we can make the little time we have productive.
There’s that 80/20 rule which can apply to a lot.
Yes, doing guest posting is an experience of itself. I was afraid to start doing it, but I’m glad that I did and I’ve gave more from it. So yes, definitely add it to your schedule.
Social media is a great avenue to take, especially to grow our blogs. When it comes to social media, this is where you can also build a great reputation.
Thanks for stopping by Jacs! I’m glad that you like the post!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Jacs,
Lovely to meet you too. Yes, keeping on going is key. It helps to have real advice that works too.
Guest posting can be good, as I’m discovering from this guest post here 🙂 . There are some great how-to posts you’ll find useful. Tweet me and let me know if you’d like some links.
Glad to hear you’ve found this post useful. Ha-Ha, I’ll grin and bear the
social shares :). Thanks Jacs.
– Tom
Hi Sherman an Hello Tony,
I must say this is an action plan for many struggling to bid good bye to their bosses.
Tony, Though I earn a living online and work full time on my blog, I would say these tips wold be quite handy when I was struggling with my offline work and blog almost a year ago.
I agree your take on SEO, nothing better than providing value to your audience.
An about page, a brand-able header an a list building option are must-haves for any blog.
Loved your tips Tony,
Have a great weekend 🙂
-Swadhin
Hey Swadhin,
Tom’s action plan is an honest way for all of us who have full-time jobs to execute. I’ve seen the change myself when I started implementing and action plan like this earlier this year.
The goal is to provide the value your audience want as well as an engaging About Me Page, brand-able header, and the option to subscribe. This is definitely a winning combination and gives you blog longevity.
Thanks for stopping by Swadhin and I’m glad that you like Tom’s post!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Swadhin,
Glad to hear you’ve found this post useful.
Yes, knowing what you want to achieve out of blogging is a must for any good action plan. Especially if you’re limited for time.
Thanks for adding your thoughts.
-Tom
Hey Hi Tom and Sherman,
I didn’t hesitate to come down here when I saw the title of this article on Facebook and I am glad I am here! This is indeed a timely post, looks as if this article is speaking directly to me.
Tom has done a great work by pointing to the truth behind blogging while keeping a full-time job. And just as my friend Adrienne clearly stated, Tom shared nothing but the truth and I can count myself as one of the many that have been blessed by it.
Sherman, thank you so much for this awesome collaboration!
Do have a wonderful weekend this great team!
~Jackson
I can count
Jackson Nwachukwu recently posted…Content Upgrades Pro Review~ An Awesome Lead Generation Tool For Bloggers and Online Entrepreneurs
Hey Jackson,
I’m glad that Tom’s post was able to resonate well with you. I can definitely relate to it myself!
Tom did an excellent job with this post, and yes he spoke nothing but the truth. You and me can both relate well with all you have to do while having a full-time job. It’s a big challenge but it’s definitely possible. We just have to work smarter.
You are very welcome Jackson, and I’m glad that Tom approach me about this post.
You have a great weekend as well Jackson!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Thanks Sherman! Appreciate your kind words.
-Tom
Hi Jackson,
Good to meet you here. It’s so good to hear this post has been useful and valuable to you. It means my hard work has paid off and that motivates me to keep on sharing my experience and message to you and other bloggers struggling to grow a blog.
Adrienne certainly did me an awesome service by sharing this post with everyone. Big thanks to her too.
Thanks for taking time out to share your thoughts with us, Jackson.
Hi Tom and Sherman,
Great post and a lot to digest!
Although I quit the rat race in 2006, I can still identify with the topic because I am dealing with people all the time who want to do what I’m doing.
To hold down a full time job AND build an online business on the side is not easy. In fact it’s hard, and people need to know that upfront if for no other reason than to screen out the instant gratification junkies, and the get rich quick crowd.
I agree with all of your points, and here is my two cents worth:
– People don’t need to make multiple posts a week. Just one a week is fine.
– Building an email list (and communicating with it regularly) is not optional.
– Content promotion is the name of the game (possibly more important than content creation)
– Networking with other bloggers who are at their level or just above is a good medium to long term promotional activity for newbies. There’s strength in numbers!
I love this post – thanks for taking the time to create it
Kim
Kim Willis recently posted…How to Use a Blog to Give You Instant Credibility, Even If You Donât Have Any
Hey Kim,
It’s quite a challenge to build a online business and at the same time work a full time job. You definitely want to make the best of your limited of time as much as possible. And the instant gratification junks as well as the get rich quick ads doesn’t help either.
You’ve made some really valid points kim which I greatly agree with. Just through my own experience I can vouch for each of your points.
Thanks Kim for sharing your insight and I’m glad that you like Tom’s post! I hope you’re enjoying your weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Kim,
Good to hear you made the break and are enjoying your own path. That’s so encouraging for others still working at doing the same and wondering if it’s possible.
Hard is the word! You’re right there. It’s no cake walk.
Spot on with your advice too, Kim. Agree 100% with you.
Thanks for such a brilliant and inspiring contribution to this conversation. Good to meet you here too.
-Tom
Hey Sherman and Tom,
Thanks for these awesome tips. There are people who are working with SEO as their priority and then there are those that keep relationship building as the first step. My opinion is that both work for different types of people.
Moreover, there are people who are doing quite well without much relationship building but I haven’t seen people doing well without SEO. Take Matthew woodwards as an example. He is enjoying golden days of his life and that too by focusing purely on SEO.
And he is also of the thought that you can start selling things right away coz you can get visitors from search engines. Not in a nasty way but with detailed case studies, comparisons and tutorials.
I don’t say that relationship building is not the way to go. I myself do it when I get time and that is what I have come here for but I have seen people doing well without it.
Just my 2 cents.
Have a good day friends.
Hey Nabeel,
When it comes to people like Matthew there are three you want to look at.
1. The quality of his post (Cases studies, Tutorials, Comparisons)
2. The engagement that he has on his blog posts.
3. The popularity of his blog posts.
This is something I assume since I never been to his website. But I have seen the changes in SEO, read quite a few articles about it, and seen how and why I would lose traffic or gain. I believe Neil Patel’s post about what to focus on is spot on. Here’s his post http://neilpatel.com/2015/11/05/6-seo-trends-that-will-sustain-your-search-rankings-and-organic-traffic/
But when it comes down to it, I do believe that building those relationships is the way to go. And yes, it also depends on who you build those relationships with. That’s key!
Thanks for stopping by to share your opinion! Have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Nabeer,
Glad to hear you liked these tips.
SEO works best as part of a larger traffic generation strategy. But most
of the popular bloggers use it only because they a large audience already. They almost always have built up their audience through networking with other popular bloggers. Or they got into blogging when the bloggosphere was a lot smaller and people searched Google
just as they would Yellow Pages back in the day. Or they had enough money to invest in advertising.
The bloggosphere doesn’t work like that anymore. Even SEO consultants are saying so now, as the quote from Peep Laja from ConversionXL I included in this post shows.
I’m not familiar with Matthew Woodwards so I’ll check him out. But if you’re wanting to blog (as opposed to just having a website), SEO is not a good tactic to rely on when starting out.
Good to hear from you, Nabeer and thanks for adding your thoughts here. It’s always good to have different ideas because they give added interest to a conversation.
Hi Tom and Sherman,
I remember how hard it was trying to juggle a full time job and working on my blog. It was so hard. Now I am retired and I am growing by leaps and bounds. I have a lot more time to work on the computer.
You put the focus on using our time more wisely with the time we have with the time we have to spend.
I learned from a coach that you need to comment on 5 blogs a week to succeed in business on blogging and that is what I am doing. It just takes time as Adrienne said. I will go on to say, it takes time, patience and consistency to move forward with our blogging efforts.
If we need help then we must get it. I struggled with technical issues so I got myself a coach. We should never allow things to hold us back.
Loved your post!
Thank you for sharing, Tom and Sherman and you have a wonderful weekend!
Linda
Linda Schrier recently posted…10 Social Media Tools To Boost Your Social Media Marketing
Hey Linda,
It can be a pain knowing that you want to be a successful blog and create enough income to leave your job but yet you don’t have enough to do so because of the limited time you have because of working full time. That’s great that now being retired that you’re able to focus more on growing your blog.
Yes it does take time as Adrienne said! But if you really want to get this going you definitely need a lot of patience and stay consistent because the little triumphs you accomplish each day adds up.
There’s always options when there are obstacles. We must take notice and take advantage of the options there are out there for us so that we can keep progressing.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your insightful comment. I’m glad that you like Tom’s post. Take Care!
Sherman Smith recently posted…7 Tips For Growing A Blog While Working Full-Time
Hi Linda,
Good to see you here. Thanks for adding your thoughts. Yes, investing in a coach is a great idea.
Commenting is a good tactic. I would add that you need to ensure that you’re commenting on the right blogs where your potential audience might also be.
Patience and Consistency – they’re key.
Glad to hear you enjoyed this post.
Hey Sherman and Tom,
This is an interesting piece. Working full time and blogging could be overwhelming for the “unplanned”.
Blogging successfully is not mean feat even for the full time blogger, so the part-time blogger should really get serious.
There are lots of things that aren’t black and white after we commence blogging, but with smart goal setting, good plan and dedication to success, it becomes easier to gain traction with blogging.
Two points shared in this post always resonate in my agreement when it comes to blogging:
– Connect with people who’re already on their way up/doing what you want to do.
– Apply the 80/20 Rules.
These can help new bloggers to grow their brand as they engage rightly and devout more time to promote effectively!
I left the above comment in kingged.com where these tips were shared.
Hey Sunday,
Working full-time and blogging can definitely be overwhelming! But you can make it work!
Full-time bloggers have much more time to focus on their blog, while part-time bloggers have to be wise with the limited time to grow their blogs.
Blogging can be an up and downhill battle for all of us whether your full-time or part-time but this should deter you from putting in the energy to make it work out. Building a support team, learning and constantly implementing will make the journey less challenging.
The two points you brought up are vital. It has helped me along my journey and it’s helping many others.
Thanks for stopping by Sunday! I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Hi Sunday,
Thanks for adding your thoughts here.
Good to hear this post resonated for you and that’ve got value out of it. I hope you’re able to put this advice into action growing your blog.
Let me know how you get on.
Thanks again.
Hi Sherman and Tom,
I have to agree, social media doesn’t have to be a major focus when you’re starting out. I think it ends up being a time waster more than anything. Social media just has a way of sucking you in, you can spend hours on there a accomplish very little.
Personally, I have not posted more than 2 or 3 times a month since I started. I just couldn’t imagine juggling everything else while coming up with content for my blog several times a week. I don’t know how others do it without becoming overwhelmed.
When I first started I thought I only had the weekends to work on my blog but that didn’t work well at all. Your right, a little time each day is much better, you make more progress instead of putting things off.
~Lea
Lea Bullen recently posted…Stop Being Lazy! Simple Ways to Get In the Groove
Hi Lea,
Oh yes, and what a time-waster it can be. And it sucks people in too. I have to admit to being a addict, especially of those darn cats 🙂 .
Quality always triumphs over quantity.
Yeh, I’ve been there, trying to cram everything into a weekend. It’s those “small wins” that make your progress.
Thanks for your comment, Lea.
-Tom
Hey Lea,
Social media doesn’t have to be your major focus. There’s so many different options out there on the internet now days that overlooked now. But I do have to say that social media is a great start when finding people who are like you.
I can understand why you only post 2 or 3 times a month. I one point I was posting one every week but since the summer I’ve been slacking a bit. I’ve been posting 3 times a month and I’m thinking about publishing maybe 2 personal ones a month and have guest posts for the remaining of the month. But still thinking about it.
Working in batches work the best when it comes to blogging when you don’t have a lot of time. It works the best for me and I’ve gotten a lot out of it.
Thanks for stopping by Lea! I hope you have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
This is an interesting pot Sherman, I couldn’t agree more with your insight and tips on how to grow a blog while working full time.
I’ve list of bloggers that are working full time but successful in blogging so one shouldn’t worry much on how to be triumphant.
I agree with you. It takes time and lots of effort to be successful. For full time workers, worry less about Facebook and other social media sites unless your blog focus on them or on local audiences, worry less about publishing several blog posts a week, always consider SEO and try guest blogging. Work and make a wise decision and action step by step because in no time, your efforts will be paid.
Last but not the least, this takeaway caught my attention and I believe this must be shared “Not every piece of advice will suit your goals or your way of doing things.”
Hi Metz,
Glad you liked this post. For busy people growing their blog, I always recommend they find 2 or 3 goals they really want to achieve, then concentrate on those.
Thanks for your comment, Metz.
-Tom
Hey Metz,
Working full-time while trying to grow a blog can be a challenge but it’s not impossible to do it. I’m doing it myself. It’s just that you have to use your time more wisely than those that don’t have full time jobs.
It does take time and effort to be successful at what you do. But you must focus on the right daily activities that’s going to be productive in the long run instead of trying to do every task possible. There’s always a smart way to propel yourself.
Yes that last tip is a goldmine. I remember trying to implement every advice from the ‘gurus’ until I found out there isn’t just one right way. The only right way is what works best for you!
Thanks Metz for stopping by and sharing your insight! I hope you’re having a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Hey Sherman,
Thanks for having Tom as a guest here on your blog. Boy does this ever resonate with me. As you know I work full-time have a family – my little one Evan is 20 months old and oh yeah I have some residential investment real estate that needs my attention sometimes more than others. Which was why I only had one blog post in October. Busier than a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest no doubt about it.
One thing I picked up from what Tom wrote about was spacing out tasks more important social media. Now I try to do social media while I am reading and commenting, but will do social media sharing on a different day. Just makes more sense after I read and thought about it for a minute.
Spending a majority of your time building relationships is key as that can possibly propel you to where you want to go. I think one other thing I do that helps is only pick a maximum of 2 to 4 things to do on a daily basis maximum. That includes anything family related as well. The reason why is it allows me to give sufficient time and energy to what really needs to be done and I will be able to give it the attention it deserves.
I will say this I am dead tired having been up since 4:00 a.m. this morning and here I am pounding away at the keyboard leaving comments at 9:30 p.m. at night. Nothing will stop me from getting where I wan to go!
One last thing to add here is about your email list. It is the perfect way to ask your audience questions. Really find out what their needs, wants, and desires are. Ask them for their feedback on a blog post you were thinking of creating next. Get to know them on a more personal level, engage, strengthen the relationship.
Thanks for all of your tips Tom. I appreciate you taking the time to share them.
Kurt
Kurt Kummerer recently posted…Blog Color Schemes: Their Impact Discussed [With Infographic]
Hey Kurt,
Good to have you stop by. You certainly have a full schedule. Ha-Ha, yes I like your analogy.
I think for you, automating your social media could help a lot. TweetDeck and Buffer are my favourites.
I always collect “tweetable sounbites” as I’m writing my posts. I add links from tinyurl.com (or Buffer shortened links) after I publish. Then I schedule them in TweetDeck. This saves me time and I recommend you try this, see if it saves you time too.
I agree with you 100% that building relationships is key, especially when your time is short. And, you’re right too about the value of having an email list when it comes to creating content that increases traffic.
Excellent points all round, Kurt. Thanks.
-Tom
Hey Tom,
Thanks so much for offering your solutions. I will be implementing Buffer and Tweetdeck here shortly.
I will try your suggestion to see if it saves me time, but on the face of it I believe it will.
Appreciate the help Tom.
Kurt
Kurt Kummerer recently posted…Blog Color Schemes: Their Impact Discussed [With Infographic]
Hey Kurt,
I can imagine how pressed for time you have. I have only have a full time job, and I feel for those you have a full time job and a family. I remember you mentioning you have a baby and I know toddlers at that age can be a handful. I didn’t know you had some investment properties. I also have one investment property, but I have a property management company taking care of most of the problems which is helpful.
It’s wise to pick a minimum of things to do on a daily basis. It’s hard to try to go over that although sometimes I try it and some how those tasks come out a bit sloppy. I do that building relationships are key when it comes to business, both indirectly and directly. When it comes to building any business or attracting genuine opportunities, know the right people is vital.
I commend mend you for staying up so late to leave a comment having been up so early. I’ve done this a few times and I have to say that it’s just not me lol..But if you’re ambitious enough and passionate about what you do, then we can definitely overcome the odds.
I agree that your email list is a great way to ask your audience questions and get to know them on a more personal level. In this sense they’ll feel more connected with them and feel that you respect all of their feedback.
Thanks for stopping by Kurt and I’m glad that you liked Tom’s post! He did an amazing job!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Sherman,
I can tell you having a toddler running around, working full-time and managing a few pieces of investment real estate is like drinking out of a fire hose, but I do the best I can.
Is your real estate that you own residential or commercial Sherman? Mine is residential.
I am highly ambitious, but that is my nature. Sometimes I think it’s a character flaw:)
If you don’t ask questions you cannot find out what issues someone is having, therefore don’t know if you can help.
Have a great Monday Sherman.
Kurt
Kurt Kummerer recently posted…Blog Color Schemes: Their Impact Discussed [With Infographic]
Hey Kurt,
I have to tip my hat off to your for being about to handle all that you do. Being an introvert, I don’t know if I would have enough energy to do all of that lol
I have commercial property and the good thing about it is I have a property management handling it and plus it’s nice to get a check every month. I’m looking to buy more properties in the near future.
I can tell that you’re highly ambitious and go after what you want. I give you mad props!
Have a good one Kurt!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Hi Tom
What an awesome post and it resonated with me so well. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed because of work which is why your strategies are great.
I agree with all your points and you are right that there are some things that part-time bloggers should focus on if they want their blog to grow.
Thanks for sharing and have a swell week.
ikechi recently posted…When Positive Thinking Goes Crazy and What You Should Do About It
Hi Ikechi
Good to have you stop by. Yes, I’ve been there too, overwhelmed with the hours and pressure of work. But, keep your dream close by and know what you want a blog to achieve for you and concentrate on what brings you closest to it each day. However small the step.
Thanks for your contribution.
-Tom
Tom Southern recently posted…How To Start Getting Traffic To Your Blog
Hey Ikechi,
I’m glad you were able to resonate with this post so well. There are times where I feel the same and these strategies that Tom have are right on point.
Yes, when you’re blogging part-time then there are certain tasks that much take priority over others and will be more productive.
Thanks for stopping by Ikechi! Have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Hey Tom and Sherman,
People work hard to build their blog. But few get success. I mean it isn’t that much easy as people say.
I agree with your point that it will take the time to build a better blog. 80/20 rule is needed to be accepted and followed. People should promote their blog posts more than just writing.
Making connections with other bloggers is one of the most important tasks to do.
You have added some great points here.
Glad to read this post.
Have a great week ahead.
~Ravi
Ravi Chahar recently posted…Couldn’t You Find Your .htaccess File? Create a New One
Hey Ravi,
The 80/20 rule is productive when use in a constructive way. Promoting yourself and your blog posts should be focused on more so than writing them.
It’s not just about syndicating your content either, but also showing people within your niche how valuable you are to them.
Thanks for stopping by Ravi and I’m glad that you like Tom’s post!
Have a great weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Hi Ravi,
Sorry for this late reply to your comment. I appreciate you taking time to add your thoughts here.
You’re right when you say blogging isn’t as easy as it’s made out to be. My goal is to make it as simple and successful as possible.
Great to hear this post was useful to you.
-Tom
Tom Southern recently posted…How To Start Getting Traffic To Your Blog
Hi Tom!
It was a pleasant read, and a very much needed brush-up on my SEO and blog-promotion skills. I thoroughly enjoyed this article and have marked this post and your site for further and future reading.
As time permits, I would definitely come back and read more of the articles that are published at your site and implement them on my site so as to gain more followers and develop a community around mine. Your blogging blueprint is very helpful for newcomers who believe that by starting blog, they can start earning immediately and see results from day one!
Newbies to blogging do not factor in the time and effort that they have to put in to writing content, its promotion, and then bulding on what they have established. You guide and tips and tricks have clearly laid out what needs to be done and hoe to do it. Kudos to you on a well-written article that goes through the intricacies of SEO and its related aspects.
Thank you so much, Tom, for detailing such a lovely article. I’ll be sure to give you a social share for this wonderful article!
Devesh Prabhu
Hey Devesh,
I’m glad that you took the time to stop by and check out Tom’s post. It does take in a lot of time and effort to grow a blog and Tom did a great job conveying this!
Have a great weekend Devesh!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Hi Devesh,
Gosh, sorry for this late reply to your comment. I appreciate your taking time to add your thoughts here.
Thanks for saying how useful My goal is to make it as simple and successful as possible.
Great to hear this post was useful to you. You’re right, newbies to blogging don’t always factor in the time they need to put into making their blog work. Growing your blog does take time. How much time depends on your goals and what strategy you use.
Obliged to hear you’ll share this post on social media. You’ll be welcome to visit my blog too.
-Tom
-Tom
Tom Southern recently posted…How To Start Getting Traffic To Your Blog
Hi Tom,
Great post here, my friend.
I like that you referenced the 80-20 rule at the end… I’m a firm believer that there are more important things to do as a new blogger than to simply put out mediocre content every single day.
I do think, however, that Google+ should be added to your list of must-have social platforms for new bloggers.
I can say — without any hesitation — that Google+ has accounted for more blog traffic for me than any other social platform, and certainly much more engagement than Twitter. Google+ communities are also excellent for connecting with other bloggers.
Oh, and Sherman —
By the way — sorry. I know it’s been a little while since I’ve stopped by your blog.
I wasn’t try to be rude. I was on the road for nearly four weeks, and the last few weeks have been nothing but playing catch up. Thanks for understanding!
Chat soon,
Brent
Brent Jones recently posted…How I Wasted a Year Blogging – and Here’s What’s Next:
Hey Brent,
The 80-20 rule is a clever way to blog. It get’s you to focus on the more productive ways to grow your blog and home business.
I do agree that Google+ should be added. I use it just about everyday, especially for the fact that Google is the top search engine out there and it would be wise to use some of their components
No need to apologize Brent! You did tell me before hand that you were on a road trip and i know you’re having a fantastic time. But I do appreciate the time you took to stop by!
Have a great rest of the week Brent!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Hi Brent,
Gosh, I’m so sorry for this late reply to your comment. I missed notice about your reply here in my email and only saw it when I popped back to tweet and saw the increased comment count. I do really appreciate your taking time to add your thoughts here.
You’re right, content isn’t the only thing for making your blog work. Promotion is a big part as you say. Social media can help in promotion and I recommend people try out different social media platforms but to be aware that not all social media platforms work for all topics.
I plan to do more videos so I’ll be using Google+ more. What do you recommend people use for their blog, Google+ profile or Google+ page?
Good to see you here, Brent.
-Tom
Tom Southern recently posted…How To Start Getting Traffic To Your Blog
Hi Tom,
No worries. No harm done. 🙂
To answer your question, if your blog is your show — ie: it’s you blogging and not a whole team of bloggers — I’d just go with a personal Google+ profile.
A page is great because it gives you access to analytics, but it really isn’t necessary for most of us. I use a personal Google+ profile.
Now, if you’re creating a blog with a whole team of bloggers and it’s going to be under the name “Awesomesauce Blogging Tips” then perhaps a page is best, and every other can be set up as a page manager.
Just my two cents.
Merry Christmas!
Brent
Hi Brent,
Thanks for getting back to me so soon. And thanks to for this info. I’ll be keeping my profile as it is now I know the difference.
Merry Christmas to you and Family.
-Tom
Tom Southern recently posted…How To Start Getting Traffic To Your Blog
Hi Sherman,
Great post by Tom here!
These are valuable tips for someone who is trying to build their blogs online, part-time, while working a full-time job.
Personally, I don’t know how that is because I blog online and earn from affiliate marketing full time now. But I did start blogging while having a Construction Job.
And I would read books and learn, on my lunch breaks, at work. And I would brain storm a lot, while painting or doing some other labor jobs lol
But I did that for just a few month – and then I just went for it online full time. It was a very dumb decision, I would admit. But it just happened that way, and it only pushed me to make this work fast, no matter what.
Anyways, the tips here are awesome! … because even someone with a lot of time to work on their blog, can use these tips.
One of the most important tips, I would say, is the 80/20 concept – that was actually the game-changer for me.
Because I started to blog less on my main blog, and blog more on other blogs and other websites online – where you can publish content.
I think, content marketing is one of the most effective ways to build up the daily traffic flow to your blog.
There are many sites online, with a good and active community, where you can publish content and link back to your main blog.
I am now implementing that more. And I’m going to track everything, so I can see how effective this simple strategy is.
Awesome topic here, by Tom!
It is going to help a lot of part-time bloggers, for sure!
Keep up the great work guys!
Have a fantastic rest of the week! 😀
Freddy Gandarilla recently posted…EPISODE 5 – What is the Best Way to Make Money on the Internet? [Podcast]
Hey Freddy,
Thanks for sharing your story. I knew a couple of people that took the plunge by quitting their jobs to work on their businesses and they made it work just like you.
But yes, this not only applies to part-timers but also full-timers.
The 80/20 concept is ingenious, especially when you’re putting yourself out there on other blogs. It’s a great way to build your reputation.
Content marketing is by far the most effective way because not only does it establishes your personal brand, but also shows how competent you are which is the door way for people to get to know, like and trust you.
There are definitely a plethora of websites you can leverage to link back to your blog. I’m about to follow in your footsteps myself lol.
But yes, I commend Tom on this topic! He did an excellent job!
Thanks for stopping by Freddy! Have a great Thanksgiving!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How You Can Easily Create SEO Friendly Blog Posts
Hi Freddy,
Gosh, so sorry for being late in my reply here to your comment. Thanks for taking time to add your thoughts here and sharing your story.
Yes, writing guest posts is a good way to promote your blog, especially if you write for top blogs, like Sherman’s here, with a big engaged audience. But your goal for guest posting should be more than just links. A big part of guest posting is to promote your product or service – and why people should pay attention to you rather than all the others out there.
Yes, tracking what’s working and what doesn’t is a good strategy.
Great to hear you’ve got a lot of good advice from this post. Thanks.
-Tom
Tom Southern recently posted…How To Start Getting Traffic To Your Blog
It’s really hard to make a mark in such a competitive profession. Blogging has become a hell lot competitive since the last decade. It really takes huge risk if you leave a professional job and totally depend on Blog.
Hi Sherman,
Blogging can be an easy and comfortable field to earn good money but it takes a sheer dedication, hard-work and time to grow your blog. It becomes quite useful if you have a good network. People in this profession are quite helpful and also it will beneficial for you too if you help others.
Your tips are realistic and it is clearly seen it has come out of experience. People like you encourage new-comers like us to experiment in this field.
Thank your for this amazing article. Hope to see you again. 🙂
Hey Sarah,
I’m glad that you found this blog post realistic and helpful. It was actually Tom Southern who wrote the post and I’m glad that he approached me with this topic.
Although there are a lot of people blogging these days, one thing you want to focus one is branding, networking, and promotion. These 3 lays out a strong foundation for your journey.
But one thing you mention that you’l find is that a lot of bloggers are very helpful. I don’t know where I would be today if it wasn’t for many of the bloggers I’ve connected with. But definitely we are all here to help and give each other support.
Thanks for stopping by Sarah! Have a great week ahead!
Sherman Smith recently posted…Google URL Builder: Quick And Easy Way Of Tracking Your Sites’ Performance
Hello sherman sir,
No words to say about you, your blog and blog posts.
As they all are awesome and i am really impressed on your writing style…
Thanks for sharing this awesome post and keep sharing
Hey Manjunath,
I’m glad that you like the blog post. Yes it can be difficult to grow your blog if you work full time, but anything is possible. We just have to be smart about it.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week ahead!
Sherman Smith recently posted…9 Tips For Introverted Solopreneur Bloggers To Create Productive Goals
Hi, I like your last point of little time.
everyday i got very little time for this thing.
and still getting good result.
Hey DD,
I’m glad that that last post was helpful. There are many of us that don’t have a lot of time to grow our blog. We have to figure out ways to work smart enough to optimize a blog so that we can get the results we want.
Thanks for stopping by DD! Enjoy your weekend!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How To Build Trust And A Loyal Following With Your Blog
I definitely agree 120% with everything stated in this article. I wish I could have read this post when I started my first blog about two years ago. Being a father of two and the only support of for the family I was not able to quit my 12 hours job so easily, but today I’m happy to say that I have my own office at home where I work as an interpreter, web designer and I also manage 4 blogs.
My best suggestion for anyone who is trying to succeed as a blogger, it’s to start up by building good relationships with others who have already established themselves, write guest posts, share their content and they will gladly share yours.
Thanks for sharing!
Hey Ronald,
You are definitely a great inspiration to many. I know it takes a lot of hard work to manage 4 blogs and to be able to work independently at how. Especially for the fact that you’re raising two kids.
thanks for the tip Ronald. I’m sure my audience will appreciate it!
Have a good one!
Sherman Smith recently posted…How To Build Trust And A Loyal Following With Your Blog