5 Qualities Every Successful Blogger Must Possess

Blogging isn't new to me. I started to blog back in 2008 when I was heavily into scrapbooking. I found it was both challenging and therapeutic. Nine years later, I'm still doing it even though the subjects have changed over time.

While I don't scrapbook anymore I still have a wedding photography business I love and am incredibly passionate about, which led me to my travel writing passion and this website, Sometimes Home.

Friends often mention they want to start blogging and it's becoming a skill that's vital to any social media job. It often leads my mind to wonder about what makes me successful in the times I'm on the ball with the task of blogging and what, at other times, incubates my failure.

Here are 5 Qualities Every Successful Blogger Must Possess.

1. Passion

The best idea for a blog is something you're passionate about. If you don't have the passion for the topic you're blogging about your readers will sense that and they'll realize it's not worth their time to read it. You know that saying, “Find something you love and make it your job?” (Or something to that extent!)

Blogging is no exception, whether you're getting paid for it or not. (And yes, it's true – it's hard to make money from blogging but thousands of people do it everyday, so it's not impossible! If it's a goal of yours (see quality #2, below) stick to it and you'll find it's achievable. But without passion your blog will quickly enter a danger zone of falling flat.)

2. Goals

What is your goal with blogging? You won't know if you've achieved anything with your blog unless you set benchmarks for success. Is it readership or educating the public on a particular topic? Is it to make money? Is it to gain partnership opportunities with brands or to simply journal your feelings?

Identifying your goals will help propel you forward in the blogosphere and help you determine where the needle needs to move along the way to achieve what you set out to do. Goals can and will change over time but your beginning goal set will be the foundation of your website.

They should be re-evaluated every so often as your blog continues to grow and evolve. While it's important to start somewhere it's equally important to come back to a goal setting exercise again and again to know where you're going.

3. Knowledge

This includes lots of things from knowledge of proper grammar to some knowledge of how to log in on the backend of a site and post a blog entry. (My site is through WordPress though I used Blogger, Google's free blogging tool, when I was just starting out.

I then switched to Squarespace at one point too, when it wasn't as robust as it is now. Ultimately I made the leap to WordPress and haven't looked back.)

You also need to be savvy in what you're posting about, whether it's wedding photography like I blog at Mikkel Paige Photography, or travel, or your lifestyle brand or fashion. Establishing yourself as an authority on a topic will keep those readers coming back for more.

4. Persistence

This is the one thing I struggle with the most. The more consistent you are with your posts the more dedicated your readers will be, as they'll know when to expect new content.

The issue is, if you're anything like me, in the world of entrepreneurship there is SO much to do in the day-to-day, it's hard to manage blog post after blog post…after blog post. Just when you think you've done your posts for the week it's the next week and more face you for the days ahead. (For example, I am my company's own accountant, email correspondent, photo editor, social media coordinator, and phone call returner just to name a few of the hats I wear in my two businesses.)

If you find you're having trouble posting twice a week maybe start with simply once a week. Once you get once a week going try to add another day if you want to post twice per week. Or, as another tip, if ultimately you want to get to posting at the same time two days a week then first achieve the same two days per week. Then, when you're ready, challenge yourself to integrate posting at the same exact time within those two days.

I would say another “P,” PRIORITIZE, goes along with being persistent. When you prioritize your blog in your life persistence comes more easily.

And yes, no matter how many digital apps and programs I use to schedule posts and my to-do list I still find pencil and paperwork best for me!

5. Perseverance

Blogging isn't easy. Every time I hear someone's a full-time blogger I have nothing but the utmost respect for their perseverance with their website. When you don't feel like posting, when you are in a creative rut…the blogs that succeed are the ones run by people who persevere through it all.

Anyone can have a blog but what separates the successful ones from the failed ones is these 5 qualities.

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Which of the 5 qualities are you most proud you possess?