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10 Blogging Lessons From 10 Years Of Blogging On A Different Blog

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I know some folks are going to be confused if they remember my post talking about my 7th anniversary of blogging on this blog. Well, that’s this blog… on my business blog, today is the 10th anniversary of blogging. If you look below you’ll see Mitch’s Blog and the link to today’s post highlighting it (click the picture lol). And, whereas it’s not always a good thing having a new post on a Sunday, this is the anniversary date; that’s that! lol

mitchs blog

The interesting thing is that in the 7th anniversary post I gave 7 things about blogging after giving 15 (I actually did 15 twice) and 55 previous to that. You’d think I wouldn’t have any more blogging lessons to give but I actually do, coming at it from a different point of view.

When I first started blogging, I had no idea what to do. I made tons of mistakes, had some comment that, by now, I’ve made private because it was pretty lame. As a practice I still believe it was best to have a blog; in reality, a lot of that early stuff was pedestrian. I’d cringe, but it was what it was, and truthfully, I had a gem or two here and there.

Still, I learned some lessons from that blog which helped me start this blog off just a little bit better than I might have; a little bit that is. It’s in that vein that I know I have 10 blogging lessons that are new and different from what I’ve said before. Let’s begin:

1. Putting any old thing up isn’t a blog post. Back then I had blog posts that might have been one paragraph. I had a few that were only one or two lines. I’d link to a story or a newsletter of mine and that would be that. In retrospect, I wish I’d talked just a bit more about the topic before doing that; I’m sure Google looked at those things and said “what the heck is this?”

2. Too many posts in a short time. I’ve talked about having to recover blog posts off Google after my original host crashed. What I did was recover about 155 articles, and instead of spreading them out I posted a lot of them all at once. Way too much content, and a waste of being able to reintroduce articles that were pre-written, thus saving myself having to work hard to come up with new content immediately.

3. Staying on message is a good thing. Even though I had a lot of short posts, I had some long ones also; like this blog. Thing is, some of the long posts back then, like some of my early newsletters, were all over the place. Back then I tried cramming everything I could think of into a post; now I know my topic, write only about that topic, and only toss something in every once in a while for perspective or to be funny. lol

4. Spacing of sentences. Or more specifically, not having paragraphs that were long enough to be chapters in a book. If you decide to read a book like Atlas Shrugged or anything Anne Rice writes, you’ll be convinced that long paragraphs make people happy; they don’t. At least not online. Whereas I hate seeing blog posts where every paragraph is only one line, I also hate seeing paragraphs that go into the next day.

me04

I really did look like this lol

5. Images; good! I wish I’d picked up on that one much earlier than I did. Every once in a while I’d put in an image but only if it was pertinent to the story. Images make blog posts so much better don’t they?

6. Standing up for a cause is also good. I’m a WWE fan, but back in 2005 they had a storyline that I had a major problem with. In essence they created an Arab-American character who spouted all this hateful stuff at the audiences. It was their attempt to capture the mood of the country at the time.

Unfortunately, it worked way too well. Not only was it racist, but some networks across the country refused to carry any show he was on. They removed the character pretty quickly, the guy was disillusioned (turns out he wasn’t Arabic) and he left the business.

I doubt I had anything to do with his removal (I know I didn’t) but the point is you must be willing to call out something that’s not right, even if it’s risky; just choose your words carefully.

7. Internal linking can be your best friend. I learned via that blog that linking back to previous content that’s either pertinent to what I’m writing about anew or certain words that I want to highlight within my content was smart. Sometimes people will check out posts you link to; the longer you can keep people on your site because they like what you have to say, the better.

8. Every niche can be expounded upon. I started out writing that blog only on the topic of leadership and diversity. I learned quickly that not only were there other business issues that interacted with those values but I also had my primary business that I could write on as well. When you’re trying to highlight yourself you should also be ready to highlight just how much you know… or at least think you know.

9. We all love stories. Who doesn’t like a good story? I found that the posts that worked best were those that told a story in which I was a part of. Not that people were necessarily all that interested in me but telling a story of something I dealt with or saw was much easier than telling a story in which I wasn’t involved. Not that I don’t do that even now but if you can touch people emotionally they’ll stick around longer and talk to you more often.

10. Do it or don’t. When I’d lost my blog (actually, I lost the entire website), I had a choice to make; quit or keep going. Once I decided I was going to keep going I have, obviously still writing 10 years later. During this time I also shut down a business and moved a lot of that content over here, which I introduce over time.

This is always a big decision by everyone at some point; to quit or go on. Some go on; some quit like my buddy Charles Gulotta did. Sure, there are times when it might make you look bad or might make you feel bad. Don’t worry much about that sort of thing; just do it or don’t, and let life go on. 🙂
 

90 thoughts on “10 Blogging Lessons From 10 Years Of Blogging On A Different Blog”

  1. Blogging for 10 years is not an easy job. Every journey has its way and ups and down. But you have done it, though a never has its ending. I am too much inspired by this post. Thanks for this article.

  2. Obviously sounds like a great history of blogging. You have set a benchmark for ideal bloggers. I wish this to be continued for several more decades as I want to havemore from your side. Thanks a lot for such a contribution to our blogging community.

  3. Hey Mitch, I checked my first blog and found out that my first post was in April 2005. That means that I’m coming up to my 10th anniversary as well!

    Wasn’t I surprised that I actually linked to an external site in that post. lol

  4. Wait, Charles, Quit? … {scrambles across the WWW to see}.
    Dern. Well, you’ll just have to pick up the slack, Mitch. 😉

    Heck, you write enough for three bloggers!

    Cheers,

    Mitch

  5. WOW!!! The last time I wrote a post there was last April. I didn’t realise it was that long ago. Mmm, maybe I should write something sometime soon 😉

  6. Ugh! That happened to me too. One day I was fussing around in my PowWeb backend and accidentally deleted my website. While thing was gone. I thought PowWeb was backing up my site. Nope. Seems I had somehow turned that feature off. So the question was should I cry, quit or start over. I chose start over and Version 2.0 was born.
    Say, regarding internal linking, does a program or app link ‘related posts’ satisfy that need for internal links?

    1. You wrote this same question on Peter’s blog and I answered there. lol However, the quick down and dirty is that I don’t use apps for any of it; that would be lazy and I think I know what I want to link to within my own blog.

  9. I completely agree with #9! My best/favorite posts that I’ve written are story-like. I hope to be able to have the brain power to write more of those types of posts once my kids are older and I can have more time to think 🙂

    Happy Commentathon!

  10. I have been blogging for about 7 years now and still find myself making these mistakes – I need to stop rushing to get content posted (almost) daily and make sure that I have quality posts over quantity.

  11. This was great information!! This gives a vivid checklist for those of us who are new to blogging or just had no idea what to do with it! I am still thinking on a business blog but this gives me ideas in case I do! Thanks!

  12. You make a lot of good points, but I particularly like the one about the long paragraphs in Atlas Shrugged not making people happy, lol…I couldn’t finish it.

    1. Jennie, I did finally slog my way through it, though I have to admit that I skimmed a lot of Galt’s diatribe; that was grinding! lol Overall I liked the book but that part… got on my nerves.

  13. Wow, ten years, I am a new blogger. I am glad to read how to avoid.I laugh cause my first month I made some of your mistake. I am still in the learning phase and I am glad you point these out. Thanks for sharing.

    1. No problem Patrice; thanks for your comment. I think we all have a learning curve when it comes to blogging and I’m glad I had my other blog because it helped me decide what to do with this one.

  14. WOW! Congrats on 10 years of blogging. You have some great lessons that have been learned over your years of writing on both of your blogs. Cheers to 10 more glorious years!

    1. Thanks Toiia; I’m certainly hoping I can go 10 more years… although it’s for the other blog. I’m just hoping I have enough left in my mind to reach 10 years on this one. lol

  16. Congratulations! You are quite the veteran. Thanks for sharing from your vast experience. I can’t imagine losing my blog, but I know just what you mean about starting over when you have to!

    1. Thanks Corrine. Yeah, it was an interesting decision at the time, but every once in a while I wonder how life would have changed had I decided to just abandon blogging…

  17. Hello Mitch!
    First, thanks for stopping by and comment to my website.
    Second, thanks for sharing from your experience with others. I am glad I found your website and I will stop by here again for sure!
    Regards!

  18. Thanks for these ideas! I am just starting this blogging journey and your tips are great to help me along. Thanks so much for being a great resource! You should pin this article on Pinterest!

  19. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge. As a newer blogger, I need all the help I can get. You have many good reminders to be intentional about the product that we put out there.

  20. GREAT TIPS!! Congrats on 7 years too….I’m just getting started so these tips are incredibly valuable to me. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and insight into the pros and cons of various blog post content!

  22. Thanks for the helpful tips on blogging! I am still jumping here and there as I try to find my niche content wise, and I appreciate your advice.

  23. I love reading about what people have learned from blogging! #7 and #9 are things I want to work on in 2015; stories and interlinking them would really help my blog 🙂

  24. Congrats on such a milestone! I\’ve been blogging since the late 90s. That blog is still alive although now its been branded and has a domain instead of blogspot. I also have other sites that are on WP.I think when a lot of people start a blog thinking they will make money they don\’t really understand what that entails. It is a lot more than just writing a blog post.

    1. I’d agree with you on that one Chrystal. There are lots of ways to make money but one has to decide how they want to do it and whether they have the mettle to do it. I’ve found that one way works for me and the other ways… I just don’t stomach them as well. Looks like you’ve been blogging as long as I’ve been writing online, though back then it was really more journaling or diaring (I know it’s not a word but I like it lol).

  25. This was a really interesting post, especially as I am a newbie blogger. Thanks for sharing what you’ve learned 🙂

  26. Thanks for your tips. I am relatively new to blogging and guess I haven’t figured out if it’s for me or not.

  27. Always appreciate “tips and tricks” from an experienced blogger. Have only been blogging for a couple of years, but need to work quickly to get up to speed. Your post in making that a whole lot easier.

    You have the dubious distinction of being the 51st and last entry on my Commentathon list. Thank you for being such a special part of it!

    1. Cool Pat! Actually, I commented on all the blogs I could make comments on in one day; I’m just like that. 🙂 Actually, I wouldn’t wish my initial speed on anyone, as I was writing almost every day for this blog at one time. It wasn’t hard but it was a bit of overkill. Good luck with yours.

  28. As I read this I burst out laughing. I remember my very first blog post on my very first blog. It was simply a quote by Stormie Omartian! That’s it….nothing else. Lol! Now THAT must have made Google wonder ‘what the heck is this? Congrats on your 10 year anniversary. As the saying goes “You’ve come a long way baby”!

    1. Thanks Keesha. There are some blogs out there that are just quotes and such. They get no rank and no visitors and the owners probably wonder why. lol

  29. cheers to 10 years blogging and 10 more to come! I am inspired and hope to see myself there in 10 years too 🙂 (I launched my first blog in November and it is a roller coaster of aha moments). If you don’t mind me asking, what was the main purpose you began to write your blog 10 years ago?

    1. Thanks Rachel. I started 10 years ago because I’d read an article saying how business blogging could help you show your expertise to potential customers. Later on I realized it also helps with SEO, which of course helps get more people coming to your website. So, it’s all good!

  30. Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m pretty new to blogging, so I’m thankful to learn from those with more experience.

  32. 10 years is a long time for anything but it’s forever in blogging! I , too, look back at my earlier posts and cringe. Great tips

  34. This is a great list 🙂 I really need to work on linking within my post. I have only done it a handful of times. Wishing you many more years of blogging.

  35. Congratulations on 10 years! That is impressive. Thank you for sharing lessons you have learned over the years. You made great points here; I especially liked what you said about sharing stories you know about.

  36. Congrats on the 10 anniversary! As a new blogger, I appreciate your lessons learned and hope to learn from them too.

  37. I’m in my 6th year of blogging and have learned quite a bit so far, but I know I still have a long way to go. Thanks for all the advice on blogging!

    1. A quick question Victoria. If you’ve been blogging for 6 years have you been commenting on other blogs for 6 years also? I ask that because you don’t have an avatar/gravatar, which most people get within at least a year of blogging. That’s why a lot of folks end up in moderation here first; I don’t moderate comments per se, but I do check comments without an avatar first since lots of spammers don’t have images.

  38. Wow! 10 years?!?! Congratulations! These are some great tips. I’m nervous about not having enough to write about or losing readers because I’m “off-topic” but after reading this I feel more confident.

  39. I love all of your tips for blogging. There are very helpful and I plan on using a few to improve mine. Thanks

  40. I continually question whether running my own blog is something I want to do (I’ve had two in two years), but there are great tips. What is the best reason, in your opinion, to have a blog? So far, my reasons haven’t stood the test of time…

    1. Jennie, it’s a tough question to answer for anyone else so I have my two reasons.

      For my businesses, I blog to help show that I know what I’m talking about. For this blog and one other, I blog because I have stuff to say. Since I write way more on this blog, I guess I really have lots to say. lol

  41. Great tips for blogging! You’ve had some experience, obviously! Thank you for sharing!

    Miss–

  43. It’s always nice to get tips from an experienced blogger. I really work had at quality images as I love the traffic Pinterest sends me 🙂

  44. Hey Mitch,

    Wow, 10 years is a long time to be blogging and as you know most never make it to one.

    So I’m really late getting by here but wanted to congratulate you for making it this long. Knowing you the way I do now I know you never run out of things to talk about. There are always lessons to be learned about pretty much everything.

    One thing that still does irk me today is when people are told to blog about anything and their intention is to build a business. Really? It breaks my heart people are still being fed the wrong information after all these years and it’s a good reason people get discouraged easily.

    Thank you for sharing your lessons with us and here’s to another 10 great years my friend.

    ~Adrienne

    1. Adrienne; glad to see you here!

      I’m assuming you’re talking about #1 and you’re right on that front. I do tend to believe that it helps to have a theme to write on most of the time. I don’t want people always getting locked into one thing though because you’ve seen people suddenly figure they have nothing new to offer, and that’s when they stop writing. Business writing is definitely different than personal writing, that’s for sure.

      Still, the idea is to write, so write! 🙂 Thanks for your comment; you’re someone I hope others check out and potentially follow, as you’ve been really helpful to lots of folks over the years.

  45. I’ve learned a lot in my blogging journey too but I still have a lot to learn. I am nodding in your points (especially that one where paragraphs are too long to be a novel) 🙂

  46. Ten years of blogging is incredible! Congratulations on making it this far and having so many amazing things that you’ve learned.

  47. Thanks for the post!

    I’m a starting blogger myself and really find value in your tips. I’ll be sure to follow them myself.

    Great to read up on advice from experienced bloggers like yourself!

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