Things you need to know before you start a blog in 2022

Last Updated on June 24, 2022

So, you want to start a blog in 2022. You may be enticed with articles about the amazing benefits of blogging, or even the amount of money you can make.

While blogging can be an extremely rewarding journey, and can also generate a ton of passive income for you, there’s definitely some misconceptions about blogging you should know before you start your blog.

Here are 10 hard truths about blogging in 2022 for you to consider:

1. It’s much more difficult to succeed now than it was even 5 years ago

The fact of the matter is that each year, it becomes increasingly difficult to succeed at blogging. There are more factors working against you than ever before.

One huge factor that makes it more difficult to succeed at blogging in 2022 is simply the sheer amount of blog content that already exists. In fact, 4.4 million blog posts are published each day.

With each new post, it becomes more difficult for you to create content that is better than the competition.

This isn’t the only thing working against you in 2022.

Bloggers, especially in the lifestyle space, used to rely on Pinterest to drive traffic to their blog. But Pinterest changes its algorithm each year, and is making it harder than ever before to use Pinterest to drive traffic to your blog.

Why? Pinterest, like many other social networks and search engines, has focused their algorithm on keeping traffic on the app rather than helping people leave to other places.

If you want to start a blog in 2022, you’ll have to accept the fact that you’re going to have to put in more work than you could have gotten away with previously. You’re going to have to write more, better, content, and find creative ways to drive traffic to your site.

2. You’re going to write a lot of content no one will ever read

Here’s a hard truth… You’re going to put a ton of effort into content that no one will ever read. When I first started blogging, I can vividly remember the feeling of spending hours on a blog post, publishing it, and waiting for people to read it.

I can remember checking in days, weeks, or months later only to find that my post had only reached the eyes of a single person.

Did they read it? Was it useful?

Was that even a person? Or could it have just been a bot?

Sigh..

When you start out blogging, it can feel like you’re writing into the void.

Sometimes, you are.

Be prepared to write thousands of words that no one will ever read.

3. You have to drop your perfectionism

If you’re a perfectionist like me, blogging can be a difficult journey.

When it comes to blogging, I don’t necessarily agree with the phrase quality over quantity. Because, honestly, blogging requires a balance of both quality and quantity.

You need to overcome your perfectionism in favor of moving quickly. Accept the fact that your blog will not be as perfect as those who have invested thousands of dollars into the perfect WordPress theme or social media content.

Yes, there are typos on my website and there are things I know could be better, but I had to sacrifice my perfectionism to help my blog succeed.

I didn’t have time to be a perfectionist, and neither do you. Done is better than perfect when it comes to blogging.

Find ways to be efficient and still create content you are proud of. When you start a blog, you have to wear many hats. If you try to be perfect at every little thing, the details will drive you crazy.

4. It can take years to make money

People starting a blog will sometimes say things like,

“I’ll give this a go for 6 months to see if I can actually get results.”

Months?! For most people, this is not going to be enough to see real success with a blog.

If you’re starting a blog in 2022, consider the possibility you won’t make meaningful money until a couple years down the line.

Yes, some people find success faster than others. But the majority of successful bloggers have to put in years of work without seeing results.

If you want to be successful at blogging, you have to be in it for the long haul. You have to be patient and dedicated.

I’d recommend you adapt a mindset of, “If I work hard at this for long enough, and am always learning new things, I will eventually succeed.”

When I was starting out with my blog in 2020, I always reminded myself of a quote that goes:

It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you don’t stop”.

Confucius

I told myself I didn’t care how many years it took, It would be worth it if I could make a career out of blogging.

Would the same be true for you?

5. You’ll likely be rejected

When I started blogging, it multiple tries for me to be accepted into Google Adsense. I was rejected from multiple affiliate programs.

Even just last week, I had an affiliate program reject my site.

I am not afraid to admit this, because it’s a common experience for bloggers.

As a blogger, you’re going to face rejection.

It’s most difficult when you’re just starting out. Trying to prove the value of your blog without the stats to prove it.

It does get easier, but it doesn’t end.

As a blogger, you’re going to have to learn to take rejection and use it as fuel to keep going. If you quit at the face of rejection, you’ll never succeed in the blogging world.

6. When you tell people about your blog, they might not take it seriously

In 2022, there’s quite a few stigmas people have about blogging.

The first is that blogging is dead. People will tell you you’re a day late and a dollar short. There’s no money in blogging, They’ll think it’s cute you want to start this hobby, but assume it won’t amount to anything.

When faced with these people, I always like to point out to them that the last time they clicked a google link on their phone, they likely visited a blog.

Another misconception is that bloggers and influencers are the same thing. Yes, there’s definitely an overlap, but not all bloggers are influencers.

If you tell people you’re starting a blog, they might associate what you are trying to do with becoming famous, rather than starting a business. Not that there’s anything wrong with either, they’re just different pursuits.

It’s difficult to get people to take you seriously when it comes to blogging. The silver lining is that, they don’t have to.

Even in 2022, the insane success you can reach as a blogger is still one of the best kept secrets. Many do not know just how much you can earn with a blog, and It might be best to keep it that way.

You’ll have to learn to disregard what others think of your blog, or not tell them in the first place.

7. Writing is only a small portion of what you’ll do as a blogger

If you want to start a blog because you love to write, you’ve got another thing coming for you.

Blogging requires so much more than just writing.

You’ll have to learn to become an armchair web designer, graphic designer, email marketer, social media manager, amongst other things.

Writing is probably less than 50% of what I do as a blogger.

Blogging is a unique careers because it doesn’t hinge on one single skillset. Somedays, you’ll spend the whole day writing. Others, you’ll need to setup something on your website or try to promote your posts.

If you’re a great writer, it will certainly be helpful in your blogging career, but be prepared you’ll have to rely on several other skills as well.

8. You can’t just write about your interests

If you want to be successful with blogging, you’ll have to write about things people want to read, not just what interests you. Yes, you can strike a balance here, but you do have to consider your audience.

Of course, you can have a blog that you use as a diary or journal, but don’t expect it to generate a lot of traffic or money.

If you want your blog to be a business, you’ll need to center what you write around the needs of your readers, rather than whatever you want to write about on a given day.

You ever wonder why so many blogs feature list-style posts like this one? Because people like them! They are easy to read and summarize.

9. You’re going to sacrifice a ton of time if you want to make this work as a career

Like, a lot of time. So. Much. time.

The average blog post takes over 4 hours to write. I spend around 2 hours each week making content for Pinterest. Creating a website, even with the best theme or drag and drop builder, can take multiple weeks.

So yes, you’re going to have to sacrifice a lot of time to succeed blogging.

I’ve probably spent thousands of hours on my blog, and while there are parts of blogging that I love, it’s not always been easy. I’ve sacrificed a lot.

If you want to succeed at blogging in 2022, you need to be prepared to do the same.

You’ll sacrifice other things you love to do, sometimes for unglamorous tasks. Instead of going out with friends or watching TV, you might spend you evenings blogging.

To make this kind of sacrifice worth it requires a leap of faith and a lot of grit.

10. Blogging can be lonely

I know exactly 0 other bloggers and real life.

When I’m struggling with something related to my blog, I sometimes feel like I have no one to talk to who will truly understand.

Blogging can be really lonely. You’ll spend a lot of time by yourself working on your blog. Even when you do share, it’s likely most people just won’t understand what you’re talking about.

WordPress… SEO…Social media strategy.

There’s a lot to learn as a blogger, and a lot you’ll want to share with others.

It can be difficult embarking on such a solo journey.

After all this, is it even worth it?

For me, the answer to this question is absolutely. I am a life-long learner and I have found the challenge of creating and building this blog to be a great learning experience.

Not to mention, it’s been so rewarding to see my hobby turn into a business that generates thousands of dollars in passive income.

But truth be told, the answer to this question is different for everyone.

You have to ask yourself if, knowing all of these things, you’re still committed to starting and growing a blog.