Everyone experiences failure in some capacity in life. Failure is simply feedback from the Universe, a step along the journey to success. What defines us is not our failures, but how we choose to deal with them. My experience with a failed blog helped me to have the courage to start this one.
My Blog Story
In 2014, I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Sports Management. I had been working in Athletics while in school, but the job was taxing on my mental health, so I decided to leave.
In searching for the next step in my career, I stumbled on a website called Wealthy Affiliate. I did some research and thought that it would be a good idea to sign up and start an affiliate website. At first, I struggled with what type of website to start. I wanted to utilize the skills I had just obtained in school, so I wanted whatever I started to be sports-related.
I ultimately decided on a website called Sports Apparel for Her. It was a blog about helping women put together cute outfits to wear to different sports games, even if they weren’t a die-hard fan of the team they were going to see play. I would put together a cute outfit based on the colors of the team they were rooting for.
You might be wondering why that blog never took off. Well, there are 3 reasons.
Reason #1
I had no idea what blogging entailed. I didn’t know how to blog or what to blog about – all I knew how to do was put together the outfits, dassit! I had no idea how to write the actual article that went with the outfits I created.
I didn’t know how to set up my website so that it was appealing to my audience. I didn’t know anything about branding, creating an email list, or how to use SEO to drive traffic. I didn’t know shit! All I had was the affiliates I signed up for, which brings me to reason #2.
Reason #2
I didn’t research and invest in the time that it took to REALLY start a blog.
In stumbling on the Wealthy Affiliate website, I saw that I could make money off of selling other people’s products and I saw dollar signs. I was spending so much time applying and going on job interviews to not get a job offer that I was desperate.
I NEEDED to make money ASAP and I thought starting an affiliate blog would be easy. It wasn’t. I quickly saw that I did not know what I was doing.
I did not do my due diligence and REALLY research what it took to start a blog. I also didn’t look into depth how I could have started an online website without the blog, which brings me to reason #3.
Reason #3
I didn’t take full advantage of my Wealthy Affiliate’s membership. For those who are not familiar with Wealthy Affiliate, it is a membership site designed to help people start an online business using affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is a marketing arrangement by which an online retailer pays a commission to an external website for traffic or sales generated from its referrals.
It is a great resource for beginners who want to start an online business. It offers services to help you get started, such as keyword research tools, live help, beginner training courses, community forum, and one-on-one coaching.
I utilized the community aspect of it the membership site to help me decide on a niche, but that was probably all I took advantage of. I should have engaged more with the site so that I could feel comfortable with getting started and really putting myself in the mindset that I was going to set up my blog.
All the work I had to do to get started made me feel overwhelmed which leads me to reason #4
Reason #4
I gave up too soon. I remember creating a fit for the Kentucky Derby. The outfit I designed was fashionable and cute (you be the judge) and then when I was time to write the article that went along with the outfit, I had no idea what to write.
I was so stuck on the formalities like how should I structure the post and the overall voice of my blog. I knew that I wanted the post to be about what to wear to the Kentucky Derby, but dassit.
It created so much anxiety for me that I eventually said f*ck this sh*t and decided to give up.
I wasted a lot of money also because I invested in the $49 a month premium price tag, so it made giving up even worse of an idea.
My failed attempt at blogging definitely taught me some valuable lessons
Lesson #1
Make sure you know who you are writing for and make sure your content reflects that.
As stated above, Sports Apparel for Her was a site for women who wanted to be fashionable to sporting events. That was it. It didn’t solve a problem for anyone.
This is probably the main reason why I couldn’t figure out what to write about once I created the looks. I should have focused on creating my ideal customer profile first and then focused on the outfit boards I spend time creating after the fact.
If I could do it all over again, I would focus on helping women who don’t understand sports gain knowledge about it. I could have taught terminology for the 4 major sports in the US while including the fashionista aspect. Showing women that they can create an outfit for a sporting event without spending money on a jersey.
I could have used my expertise from my education to create my content. But instead, I was concerned with getting affiliates that I never received income from
Lesson #2
Don’t Operate from a place of scarcity
I really got into blogging out of desperation. I had left my job for mental health reasons and I had no backup plan. I had family to help financially but I did not want to depend on them forever.
Also, I had just graduated with my Master’s Degree and felt as though I had a degree, there is no reason why I should have been unemployed.
I put so many expectations on myself to be successful that I began to operate in desperation that ultimately repelled any abundance that I was supposed to receive.
Lesson #3
Don’t spend money unnecessarily
This is a huge lesson that I learned. I spent so much money unnecessarily on the Wealthy Affiliate premium membership without taking advantage of the premium services.
What I should have done instead of getting the premium service, was use the money I spent to gain more knowledge on how to blog. The knowledge business has grown at an exponential rate over the last few years.
Even 6 years ago, there were plenty of resources that could have helped me to be successful. I would have much rather spent my money gaining valuable knowledge than waste money on resources I didn’t take advantage of.
Lesson Learned #4
It’s okay to fail
This lesson is probably the most important lesson of all. In my failed attempt to set up my first blog, I was able to move into the understanding that I now have about what it takes to start and grow a blog.
It helped me to make sure that I do my due diligence if I ever decided to try to start a blog again. I have worked on gaining the knowledge that I need to be successful this go round and I am super excited to see where this blogging journey takes me.
So if you want to start an online business blogging, creating courses, selling things online, etc. don’ t be hard on yourself and understand that everything has a process.
I welcome you to come along my journey into the blogging world.
I also have a free resource library full of some goodies that I am sure you will love. All you have to do is subscribe and I’ll send the password right over to your email address.
Okay loves, see you in the next post
Peace,
