If you’re a blogger, you probably came across this New York Times article peering into the world of design/DIY blogging. It includes interviews from several prominent bloggers and their experiences with burnout. Yes burnout. Like every other career in the universe, bloggers experience the feeling of just being fed up with work. It’s not all pretty pictures and happy times like social media would have you believe. It has moments of excitement brought on by new opportunities or posts gone viral, but that is short lived and only a very small portion of the experience. Not to mention this only happens for a select few.
Which brings me to the title of the post, “Someone Please Explain Blogging to Me”. I believe there is a huge misunderstanding floating out in the world about blogging. Blogging is definitely one of those industries that can only truly be understood if you’re in it. The outside world sees what it is allowed to see or what slips out accidentally. There are a lot of late nights, sacrificed weekends and expensive investments. Other ugly components to blogging? Unwanted comparison to peers, jealousy, self-doubt rejection and disappointment. You can learn all the skills in the world, create amazing stuff and still have no one read your blog. Making it big, so to speak, is just as tough as becoming a celebrity. To get the readership brands and other employers/contractors will pay attention to, you have to constantly churn out great content then win a series of popularity contests over social media. I think this would make anyone feel burned out after a while. I know I have.
So what all goes into blogging? I’ll use myself as an example. I am a blogger, but also a photographer, stylist, crafter, writer, web developer, accountant and designer. I’ve had to learn all these skills on my own because paying someone else is not an option. It’s not an option for most bloggers. I’m proud that I can be a one-woman show, but it is draining and places me at risk for burnout and often.
But, how does any individual get through burnout in her career? A deep motivation. Whether that’s money, status, talent or passion, something has to get you through the burnout phase. The fuel behind most blogs is passion. We are writing about something we genuinely care about. We want to share our thoughts, ideas and inspiration because maybe it can brighten someone’s day.
Motivation will only work for so long. We have needs and expenses that have to be met. One can only work so many hours, days, weeks, months without pay before becoming frustrated. I’ve watch many friends fall off the blogging bandwagon for this reason. It is not a constant ferris wheel of gratification and reward. We are not coasting through a life handed to us on a gold platter decorated with pretty flowers.
So what keeps me going? The desire to uphold a commitment. I completely left the world of traditional careers to pursue something I care about. Boy the looks I still get when people find out I’m a Harvard grad. It’s what gets me through stressful nights when I can’t figure out how to share a post in the way I think is best. Design and lifestyle blogging puts a huge emphasis on perfection, but it is impossible to always be perfect. My Instagram feed isn’t always going to have amazing quality photos. My posts will have typos sometimes because I’m also working on SEO keywords, optimizing navigation and photo editing simultaneously. I may not be able to post everyday because I don’t have a team of contributors to fill in when I’m working on projects that bring income. But I uphold my commitment by posting when possible, taking classes, attending conferences and doing work on the sides that will make me better at this career.
What you have to know about this industry is that you can’t just do one thing. It’s a challenge for many including myself. A blog alone is not enough anymore. My old clients at work used to freak out about this all the time. They panicked when advertising revenue decreased. You have to put yourself out there, everywhere really, to bring attention to your brand. Yes a blog and all it’s entities are a brand, a reflection of you and your taste. It takes years to build a successful brand. The brand exists in the back of your mind at all times, in the midst of every decision for your business. It sucks because sometimes you have to walk away from opportunities that just don’t fit. Even if it meant earning a few extra dollars to help out with expenses.
So how is that some bloggers are able to shine far beyond the masses? Some are veterans, in the game before it was even cool. Others are extremely talented, got lucky, got noticed, stood out from the crowd. And then there are those with money. Like any other business or industry, money is a powerful tool. Some of these lifestyle bloggers have been blessed with wealthy husbands, families whatever and were able to invest way more. The best blog design, SEO strategy, photographers, materials, etc. I think the worst effect that newcomers are given false hope. They see this select few shoot to the top quickly and believe they can replicate their success. The class system doesn’t discriminate the world of blogging. Some of you may even think I fall under that category. Not at all! My husband is the breadwinner but we are far from rich. I saved my ass off while I worked a full time so that I could pursue my own business. We have extremely high bay area rent, student loans and all the everyday expenses everyone else encounters. Yes our home looks nice in pictures because we bought affordable pieces that better than they are, or were sent to me in exchange for hours of hard work for this blog.
Many bloggers do the same so that we have something to show you all of you, to keep your attention and interest. Sometimes we’re actually paid, but you have to be so large to even reach that point. Agencies and brands care about monthly readership numbers, in the tens of thousands and millions. Social media following is the same. At Federated I couldn’t seriously consider a blogger unless they were over 100,000 in audience size a month! Do you know how many quality bloggers that leaves outside? That’s like having to buy a storefront and have years of profit before the bank will even consider giving you a business loan. A strong business plan is not enough in this world. We work for free or for pocket change in hopes to get noticed. We accept products as payments to build trust with brands. There are a few brands out there who are compassionate and pay fair prices to bloggers. Still, many bloggers are getting ripped off or ignored completely.
The pressure to be on all the time causes a lot of lifestyle bloggers to check out. You hear about disconnecting, unplugging, and getting offline because it is draining to be present in this virtual world every single day. I do it all the time because I want to keep my sanity. It is not healthy to sit there and consume images from your competitors on Instagram all day. It might be inspiring for the first minute or two, but after that you’re just hurting yourself. Yet we’re expected to like, love, post, comment 24/7 to grow our following.
The blogging world is constantly changing, evolving and no one really knows where it’s headed. Many design and lifestyle bloggers are venturing down other paths like product lines, books, and video to sustain their brands. Add all those on top of running a blog and it’s no wonder some are going on breaks, posting less frequently or switching gears all together. It is hard to constantly redecorate your home, churn DIYs out of a stuffed craft closet and stage stylish parties in your home. It is a lot of money and there isn’t always the support of a major brand. I’ve had to cut back for the same reasons.
All this to say, I hope that understanding is shifting into people as they read articles like the NYTimes and others popping up all over the internet. Let’s dispel the myth that lifestyle and design blogging isn’t a career. It has the same issues as any “respectable” field. There are some brilliant artists working in this field. All the hard work that goes into running these small businesses is just as valid as an office job. Bloggers have done what many are afraid to do. We put our voices, are skills, our lives on display in hopes to entertain, help and spark change in your life. We’re human. Sometimes we won’t post. Sometimes we won’t share the events of our day. We aren’t perfect and life isn’t always pretty. I love what I do it, but it is just as tough as building any other career, if not harder because there is no clear map. It is a new industry, new medium and uncharted territory. You sort of have to care about what the world thinks to be successful in this field. It’s draining and sporadically rewarding. Who knows how long we can keep this up, but for now it is what we have to express ourselves freely. It is a field driven by deep creative passions and talent.
If you have read the article or just my post, I would love to hear your thoughts. Whether you struggle to understand this world, trying to enter, following a traditional career path or blogging right along side me…
