When blogging first began taking hold in the early to mid-2000s, social media was almost nonexistent and smartphones were far from reaching critical mass. At that time, blogging took place at home, in front of a computer (no posting on-the-go), and the amazing exchanges between bloggers and readers came via comments on the post. There wasn’t a 140-character tweet, Facebook like, repin or share. In a way, those were the pure and simple days of blogging.
With the number of social networking sites in the dozens, we now have more opportunities to connect than ever before. Beyond the “big four” of social media, it seems like there’s always another “next big platform” cropping up – and many of us feel pressure to maintain a presence everywhere.
Is the need to keep up with this rapidly growing, ever-changing social media landscape taking a toll on bloggers who make it their business to regularly and actively participate online? Instead of making us feel more connected, is the pressure to be at the top of the social media game leading to disconnect IRL (“in real life”) and contributing to blogger burnout? With the number of New Year’s Resolutions to “unplug” more often and vows to simplify, we’d wager that the answer for many may be “yes.”
At The Motherhood, we deeply respect and appreciate the role of professional bloggers. Perhaps what we value most is the honest, genuine glimpses into bloggers’ lives, families and homes. That authentic slice of life brings rich meaning and value to what bloggers do. It translates to being a trusted resource, an advocate for important issues, a valued go-to for so many readers. It’s what encourages many other bloggers to create and share personal, meaningful stories and thoughts, and it’s what inspires action from bloggers’ communities.
It’s important to protect that passion and drive. The Motherhood has some tips to help ease the social media strain if you’re feeling spread too thin:
1. Remember what fuels your fire.
Can you think back to when you first began blogging? As Cooper and Emily recall from their days as some of the first and only women bloggers, they wrote primarily for themselves on topics they felt closely resonated with other moms. They loved sharing real-world advice and getting ideas from other moms for practical solutions for everyday problems.
As your growing sphere of influence opens doors for professional collaborations, we’re huge advocates of remembering what kinds of posts you most love to write and seeking out or creating those opportunities yourself.
We love Just Jilly’s idea of “old school blogging, just chatting about life.” These kind of throwback posts, which are not meant to be shared with every social media outlet under the sun, can be energizing and help you remember what motivates you as a blogger, and your readers will sense that enthusiasm.
2. Don’t be afraid to say “no.”
For parents, spare time is often hard to come by. While one of the great aspects of blogging is that it can be done from nearly anywhere, any time of day, the fact of the matter is that we don’t want to miss spending moments with loved ones and enjoying life. Therefore, as you consider taking on a partnership, ask yourself a few questions:
- Is this a product, service or cause that fits with the focus of my blog and do I believe in it?
- How will my readers benefit from this information?
- Do the program requirements and associated deadlines work with my schedule?
You don’t have to say yes to every invitation that comes your way. Declining an opportunity that doesn’t work for you for any reason means you can reserve your energy for something else that speaks to you.
A prompt “no thank you” to the person issuing the invitation, possibly with a short explanation about why the program isn’t the best fit for you, often will keep you top of mind when another opportunity comes up.
3. Recognize that you don’t have to be all things to all people.
What is your favorite social media platform and why? Maybe you love the fast pace of Twitter and find yourself thinking in 140-character bytes. Or maybe you have an eye for framing up the perfect photo and love the double-taps you get on Instagram. If you love collecting and curating beautiful imagery, Pinterest might be your passion.
If your burnout stems from feeling like you have to be too many places at once, optimize your time based on your interests! Give yourself permission to become a specialist, not a generalist. Focus on one or two platforms that mean the most to you – whether that’s what you personally enjoy or what generates the most blog traffic, or a combination of these. When you dedicate the majority of your energy on what drives you, your community there will grow organically and the rest will fall into place.
Featured image courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons user Ervins Strauhmanis.
