I often wondered if my blogs would be “bigger” if I wasn’t so technically challenged. Honestly, when I first began doing this, I didn’t know the difference between a home page and a sidebar. It was only by reading, hiring out and more than a few happy accidents that I was able to achieve a certain level of success.
I’ll say this about blogging, unlike other jobs I’ve held over the past 28 years, in blogging and social media, people actually want to share the secrets of their success. There are very few backstabbers in this business (that I have encountered) and my fellow bloggers, colleagues and collaborators are more than happy to share their podium space with others. So basically, I owe my success to the kindness of others.
I’ll never forget my very first blog, launched over five years ago. Someone asked me how to find the RSS button so he could subscribe.
RSS? Subscribe?
You can do that?
In 2010 I’m not so naive anymore, but I’m still technically inept. While I handle the writing and promotion, I pay others for the design and maintenance of my blogs, and that’s fine by me. Which goes to show: One doesn’t need an advanced degree in Bloggery to become a somewhat successful blogger.
My Early Beginnings
Stop me if you heard this one before.
In 1998 or 1999 I taught myself HTML and created a very primitive website where I ranted on various topics. Mind you, it was nothing fancy and probably quite ugly, but it was a place for me to write about everything on my mind. My Dad was my biggest supporter and used to call or email each day to offer his thoughts on the Daily Topic. I didn’t know how to add a comments section, but I began receiving emails and messages to my AOL account from people who were reading my rants and wished to discuss.
After over a dozen years in traditional publishing, it was all quite liberating and led for me to freelance as a writer and, eventually, a blogger.
Lots of Mistakes
When I began blogging as we know it today, I was surprised at how easy the platforms were to use. I didn’t even need to know my basic HTML (though it comes in handy now and again) and I could handle some simple plugins and design stuff. However, I’m also famous for breaking blogs.
I made quite a few mistakes. Here are some of my greatest hits:
- I put up lots of irrelevant ads and sat back waiting for the money to roll in.
- I didn’t do enough to foster community.
- I took criticism personally
- I didn’t work to build up traffic
- I didn’t do anything beyond blogging
I know that if I spent more time on my blogs in the first few years they would have been ten times more successful. In fact, I should have taken advantage of additional learning material such as ebooks, courses and more. The truth is, I didn’t know how to go about doing these things and I was afraid to ask. Thankfully now there’s a variety of resources to choose from.
Still Technically Challenged
I learned a lot in ten years. Here are my two biggest lessons:
- You can’t sit around and hope people notice you.
- Being true to yourself is more important than being “famous.”
I also didn’t learn a lot in ten years. For example, I have a stack of WordPress books and tutorials around my desk, but have I read any of them? No. No, I did not. I still have to look up certain terms and methods and I’m still insecure about all this. I don’t know if I’m doing any of it right, to be honest.
But you know what?
I don’t care. I read all the posts about “rules” that the social media and writing police put out, but I don’t always agree with them. I think we can make our own success without having to duplicate someone else’s. So I flounder along, having to look up new terms and techniques every day to see if it’s something I can do without having to pay someone, and it all works out. As long as no one can tell I’m clueless, I’m golden.
So what’s my point?
I hate obvious cheerleading, but if I can do this, so can you. If you let “I’m technically challenged” keep you from talking about your favorite subject, you’re only grasping at excuses. What does it take for technically challenged people to maintain a successful blog:
- The ability to write engaging content
- The ability to read
- The ability to follow directions
- The ability to collaborate or hire out
- The ability to self promote
- The ability persevere
- The ability to carry on a conversation with a community of readers
As technical as all this is, anyone can do it. Do what you can and fill in the blanks either by researching or enlisting others to help. Saying you can’t blog, or do anything for that matter, because you’re not technical is only limiting your opportunities.
Do you have to blog? Of course not. This life isn’t for everyone. However, if this is something that interests you, you’re only limited by those things that you allow to get in your way.
I thought it would be fun to start a series exploring blogging from the eyes of someone who is technically challenged and some of the things I did to get ahead, despite not having a clue as to what I was doing. Maybe it’ll encourage others to move their obstacles out of the way and take on some new challenges.
What do you think?
What are some of the obstacles you encounter – and how to you get past them?
