How To Blog Consistently Like A Pro

I would bet my entire life’s savings that, if you’re a blogger, you’ve had at least one moment in your blogging career where you just didn’t want to blog.

Between taking the time to write content and then actually ensure that you have readers for said content, there have been numerous times I have wanted to give up on blogging. In fact, there have been stretches of time where I did throw in the towel on this blog, at least temporarily.

It’s only been within the last year or so that I’ve managed to start getting consistent with my blog.

If you’re a blogger looking for some tips to help you blog consistently, these are all things that have worked me.

Note: This post does contain affiliate links, meaning I make a small commission if you choose to purchase through one of my links. As always, I only recommend things I absolutely believe in.

1. Write something that inspires you

This is probably the biggest thing I’ve learned, and it will only work if you’re open to having some flexibility in the kind of content you write.

Let me explain…

If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you’ll know I have a hard time writing on one specific topic. I’ve set rigid niches for myself in the past, but if one month I’m not inspired by that specific topic, I’m just not going to write. Or, if I do manage to force myself to write, the article is either going to be poorly written, or so painful to write that I’ll start to resent blogging.

To combat this, I’ve started writing about… well, whatever I want (within reason).

I write about what inspires me. If I start using an amazing makeup remover and I want to share it, I’ll write an article. If I read an article on personal development, and I have my own thoughts on the topic, I’ll cover that. If I’ve been in a home decor phase and want to talk about some easy ways I’ve updated my home, I’ll write about it.

I’m not going to blog about my weekend or share random stories that aren’t useful, but if I feel inspired to write on a topic, and I think it will help people solve a problem, I’m all for it.

I know this blogging approach isn’t for everyone (especially if you have an audience that expects a certain kind of content), but I think it’s also important to keep in mind that the entire world isn’t watching your every blogging move.

If you put out an article that steps outside your niche, the world isn’t going to explode. If your readers aren’t interested in that topic, they might not even notice.

For me, the key to blogging consistently is to always write on topics that are inspiring, fun, and easy to write. 

If you’re forcing it, staying consistent in your blogging efforts is much more difficult.

Pro Tip

The key to this blogging approach is to have a solid Pinterest strategy in place. This is the approach I used to majorly increase my blog traffic using Pinterest.

You can also read more about this no niche approach to blogging here.

2) Stop doing the things you hate

Here’s an easy one: stop doing the blogging tasks that you hate.

Unless it’s absolutely necessary to the blogging process (i.e. writing), there’s really nothing you have to do.

For example, for me, as a writer, I hate taking pictures for my blog. It’s too time consuming and it just slows me down. To combat this, I bought a subscription with The Styled Stock Society, and use pretty styled stock images, like this, for my blog.

If you want to learn more about what the The Styled Stock Society can do for you, check them out here.

This not only saves me time, it also ensures I”m not having to constantly engage in a task I hate.

3) Stop listening/reading/consuming other people’s content

We all know this so I’m not going to linger here too long.

When you’re feeling unmotivated to blog, it sometimes feels like the best solution is to go out and get some inspiration…

Sure, sometimes this works, but in my experience, this just leads to comparison and over-thinking.

If you want to get out of a blogging rut, stop reading/thinking/brainstorming, and JUST WRITE. Don’t look for inspiration in others, find it in yourself.

Even if you write something that doesn’t get you a lot of traffic, sometimes it’s less about traffic, and it’s more about motivating yourself out of a blogging rut.

When in doubt about what to do: just write!

4) Update old posts (submit to Google Search Console)

Having said that, as a writer, I know from experience that sometimes, no matter what you do, writing is just not going to happen.

In this case, I always recommend people go back and improve on old blog posts. This still keeps you engaged with your content, but it doesn’t require writing a full article.

When updating old posts, some things you can do include:

1) Adding new paragraphs/points if you have new ideas/thoughts on the subject

2) Adding more headings to make the article easier to read

3) Interlinking articles (especially if you’re updating an old post and you’ve written a lot of related content since then)

4) Submitting the updated post to Google Search Console. Doing this ensures that Google has the most updated version of the post indexed, which increases your chances of having that article rank.

5) Set ONE (actionable) blogging goal for yourself

I’ve kind of already alluded to this, but one of the biggest roadblocks to writing (in my opinion) is overwhelm.

You’re reading about all these things you should be doing to help promote your blog, and because you’re overwhelmed, you actually end up doing nothing.

This was me for so long.

In order to overcome this, I’ve simply set one goal for myself: write a blog post everyday.

Of course I don’t end up writing one every single day (I have client work and other commitments), but by having this goal at the forefront of my mind, I know what I should focus on when I’m feeling overwhelmed.

As I already mentioned: When in doubt, JUST WRITE.

Whatever the goal just make sure it’s actionable.

Trying to get 25,000 pageviews is not actionable. It’s simply a milestone that you hope to reach.

Instead, create an actionable goal that will get you to that 25,000 (i.e. write a post everyday, make a new Pinterest image everyday, etc.). By setting a goal that’s actionable, it ensures you’re actually doing something to help you reach a milestone.

If you’re interested in setting goals that stick, make sure you check out this review on Powersheets.

 

6) Give yourself a (mini) break

Sometimes when you’re trying to be consistent with blogging, the best thing you can do is to take a break.

And when I say break, I mean really take a break. Don’t brainstorm, don’t listen to podcasts, don’t check your analytics… Allow yourself to take a true break from blogging.

Having said that, though, make sure you set a predetermined set of time for your break.

I’ve found that when I’ve taken a break, it’s easy to let it extend into a lengthy blogging vacation.

If you let your break go too long, it’s much more difficult to get back into blogging.

For me, taking a 2-5 day long break is usually the ideal amount of time to get myself back into a creative flow.

7) Stop looking at analytics

For me, whenever I’ve become uninspired or unmotivated to blog, it often stems from a place of being frustrated with my blog’s lack of growth. I become obsessed with checking my pageviews.

Ugh. This is one of the worst things you can do for your blog when you’re trying to consistently blog.

When you get into this phase, force yourself not to look at your analytics. Remember the one actionable goal you set for yourself, and become obsessed with it.

Constantly checking your analytics is going to do nothing for you except overwhelm you, distract you, and frustrate you.

8) Set yourself a dedicated writing time (schedule it into your day)

I don’t believe in editorial calendars.

As I alluded to earlier, when I’m forcing myself to blog, or I’m writing on topics that don’t interest me, I’m incapable of staying consistent with my blog.

Having said that, one thing I do think you should do when trying to stay consistent with your content is set a scheduled writing time for yourself.

For me that means writing after breakfast. I’ve been awake for an hour or two at this point, my brain is ready to go, and I’ve had some time in the morning to think about what I want to write about.

In addition, I’ve started holding myself accountable to my To Do List.

If I write it down, I have to do it. That’s the rule. Plain and simple.

Of course it doesn’t always happen, but if I write it down and know exactly when I’m supposed to be writing, I’m much more likely to do it.

If you want to learn more about how I use my bullet journal to keep me accountable, I highly recommend this post.

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As mentioned, I know not everyone is in a position where they need to/want to write everyday.

However, I do think, no matter what position you’re in, blogging consistently is always a great step to blog growth.

I hope some of these tips have given you some inspiration and motivation to blog consistently. I know it’s not always the easiest thing to do, but when you intentionally try to blog consistently, you’re much more likely to follow through.

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