Boost That Blogging Game: Solutions to Your 5 Biggest Challenges

When it comes to achieving success as a blogger, there is no “one size fits all” approach. Effective strategies can vary based on your niche, audience, and overall objective.

Blogging challenges, on the other hand, are a bit more universal. Whether you share fashion tips or review video games, certain struggles are bound to present themselves in one way or another.

Rather than pretending like these issues are quick fixes, let’s be real here: The following challenges can be super frustrating.

While I’m still learning and growing myself, let’s explore these common problems and dive into solutions that have worked well for me.

1. You’re running out of topics to blog about.

Coming down with a case of blogger’s block? Don’t worry - we’ve all been there, and you can beat it.

When starting out, I made the mistake of blocking out times to blog without any sense of content direction.

This made things significantly inefficient, as idea-pondering began to cut into my precious writing time.

Before you put pressure on yourself to complete a new blog post, make sure you’re fully equipped with a list of potential topics.

Along with outlining deadline-driven deliverables, I now have a tab on my content calendar for evergreen (forever-relevant) content.

Rather than wasting time waiting for that lightbulb moment, a list of ideas can provide a steady starting point.

As for actually filling in those ideas, go beyond topics that you “enjoy talking about” and start drawing more inspiration from external influences.

The idea of “sharing your passion” can actually be very limiting, because bloggers will often feel that they have communicated all of their wisdom and have nothing left to give.

Snag a topic idea from a podcast line that truly stood out to you, and add your own spin to it.

Identify a common challenge that occurs at your workplace, and offer strategies that have helped improve the situation.

Recognize a topic that your audience is always buzzin’ about, and share your unique experience with it. If you’re having trouble understanding your audience or customers, grab insights using the NPS Promoter Score.

Eventually you’ll realize that you’re not fresh out of ideas – you just needed to do some fresh thinking.

2. Your engagement might as well be non-existent.

So you poured your heart out in a blog post last week, expecting some meaningful feedback from your so-called subscribers.

Much to your dismay, the blog post is seriously tanking in engagement – and you can’t help but beat yourself up about it.

Situations like this will always sting, but they also offer an opportunity to reassess your promotional strategies.

I’ve been an avid listener of the Goal Digger Podcast lately, and Jenna’s advice on blog promotion has been a game-changer.

With the weirdness of the Instagram algorithm these days, one post showcasing your new blog isn’t going to do much – because most of your followers won’t even see it.

I’ve recently experienced the value of promoting my new blog post several times across social channels, and this has made a huge impact on the amount of comments and shares.

Before you worry about blowing up your feeds with repetitive content, know this: it’s all about presenting the same content in different ways.

Using the free Canva app, I create an eye-catching graphic to promote my latest post and include teaser content in the caption. I conclude the caption by encouraging my followers to visit the link in my bio for the full story.

The next day, I create a new graphic with a quote from the article. Incorporating teaser content in the caption once again, I end with a relevant open-ended question for my followers.

These images are also repurposed for Twitter, Facebook, and occasionally LinkedIn if appropriate. As I have varying followers on each platform, this is a great way to boost engagement by reaching a wider audience. 

In a nutshell, ditch the one-and-done approach. Start expanding your promotion efforts, and watch your engagement soar.

3. Your blog traffic is disappointingly low.

Here’s another strategy that can be attributed to the lovely Jenna Kutcher: Get your ass on Pinterest. (Wording courtesy of Sara Uzer.)

Throughout my blogging journey, I would continuously hear or read about the value of Pinterest for growing blog traffic.

Big-time bloggers would coin Pinterest as the leading contributor to their explosive metrics, and stressed the importance of utilizing the platform ASAP.

I put this off much longer than I should have, as the idea of polishing up my presence on an entirely new platform seemed exhausting.

However, I quickly learned that Pinterest isn’t a social media platform – it’s a search engine. And with a little keyword-refining and strategic pinning, your blog traffic can take a momentous upturn.

While my Pinterest game is still a work in progress, I recommend pushing past your hesitations and giving it a shot.

If you’re totally stuck on where to start, check out Boss Girl Bloggers’ Pinterest Strategies e-course.

4. You’re not making money.

When seeking influencers, companies are looking less at follower counts and more at genuine engagement.

Regardless, a high (and real) follower count will always give you a leg up for paid opportunities – and that can be frustrating for budding bloggers who are still working on growing their online presence.

With just under 4,000 Instagram followers, it’s safe to say that I’m not securing big-time brand deals.

However, I am generating an extra income of around $300 per month through a series of sponsored content.  

In terms of finding good yet realistic opportunities, I suggest checking out Heartbeat.

Designed specifically for smaller influencers, this platform connects you with sponsored content opportunities based on your interests and reach. They regularly distribute relevant opportunities via email, and you can apply to those that interest you.

Other micro influencer-friendly platforms include AmbassadHer, TheSway, and Clever. You can also get paid for reviewing products on Tomoson.

Extending beyond the marketing platforms, never neglect the importance of pitching yourself. Dig around for brands that align with your overall messaging, and reach out offering your interest in promoting their products.

For another worthwhile money-maker, try exploring link-building services. Certain companies offer blogger outreach programs, where they offer payment in exchange for linking back to their content on your website.

Getting paid as a blogger is nowhere near impossible – it just takes a little extra research and perseverance to start getting your feet wet.

5. You can’t stand out from the competition.

Despite your best efforts and dedication, there will always be another blogger with a higher reach and overall influence.

It can be tempting to compare yourself to other bloggers in your niche, attempting to uncover their “secret strategies” to making it big.

However, success as a blogger ultimately comes down to your unique value – and that involves nobody else but you.

So here’s my advice for handling the competition: Don’t give it a second thought.

Make yourself your biggest competition, and focus on setting and smashing actionable objectives for growth.

Because at the end of the day, blogging is about commitment to the craft – and rivalries are just taking up space.