4 Reasons You Should Push the Pause Button on Your Blog

It’s possible I’m going to cause a riot here. In fact, in writing this post, I’m going against something I believe in strongly – blog post regularity.

I think posting regularly keeps your blog viable. It’s like in-person relationships, most fade when not nurtured on a regular basis.

However, sometimes consistency can be a blog killer. Rotely sharing posts because you “have to” is not the way to create a vibrate community or add benefit to your readers. In fact, it will have just the opposite effect.

If you can’t keep your readers attention or write posts that will get them to stop what they’re doing and read what you have to say, then perhaps you shouldn’t bother.

Yes, it’s true that most successful bloggers are consistent. However, they also know when they need to pull back.

With this post, I’m officially giving you license to push the pause button on your blog every once and while.

Here are four reasons you need to may need to consider taking a short break on your blog for the benefit of your readers AND your business:

1. Your posts are lifeless.

People can smell a forced post a mile away. It reeks of mediocrity and lacks imagination. If you aren’t “feeling it”, then your readers won’t either.

Yesterday, Mack Collier talked about how business blogs would be a lot more exciting if people injected some passion into it. He’s right.

If you are phoning in your blog posts, it might be time to stop and readjust your strategy.

Step away from the computer and seek some inspiration. Look for it in unusual places or don’t even focus on it at all. Sometimes, a killer blog post can come to mind when you’re not forcing it.

And, if you’re still coming up empty, here are some blog post ideas to help get your creative juices flowing.

2. Blogging isn’t helping your business.

Blogs can be a great way to get your business noticed online, build a community of support and even drive sales. However, if your blog isn’t helping you move the needle for your business, it might be worth pulling back momentarily to adjust.

Take a look at your goals and see what worked and where things are falling short. Brainstorm some ideas of things you can do differently to help you get the results you’re after.

And, if you’re not sure how to improve your blog, ask your readers. Not only is this a great way to involve your audience, but it will help you deliver information that they will find useful and entertaining.

3. You have more important priorities.

As a business owner, you have to be adept at juggling priorities. But sometimes, your plate can just get too full.

If you have a big project that you need to focus on or a looming deadline, you might need to take a short break on your blog. Get through your big project and then work on getting back on track. You can’t let your blog get in the way of doing the things that are going to be the biggest benefit to your business.

4. Life gets in the way.

Sometimes, life has a funny way of getting in the way of our blogs and our businesses. Maybe you have a family emergency or you have an important life event that takes place.

Don’t sweat it. Life happens. Your blog will live on. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t let your blog get in the way of the things that matter most to you, like your family or friends.

How do you get back on track?

If you want to have a successful blog, then it’s important to quickly get back in the habit of blogging. A break from blogging is only devastating if it’s permanent.

Here are a few things you can do to get back on track with your blog:

• Don’t beat yourself up. Everyone has missed a blog post before. Even me. If you get knocked off your schedule, just dust off your chaps and get back on that blogging horse.

• Forget the excuses. No one wants to hear where you’ve been or why you’ve neglected to blog. The old “sorry I haven’t posted for a while” line just won’t cut it. Just get back in there and provide interesting, useful content for your readers. That way, your readers welcome you back with open arms.

• Set a realistic schedule. Be honest with yourself about how often you can blog moving forward. Start slowly with one post a week or even a couple of posts a month and then build from there. Starting small makes it easier for you to stay on track.
• Develop a habit. In addition to setting a schedule for posting to your blog,  you should also set a schedule for writing. Get in the habit of writing regularly or setting aside designated time to write. You’ll find it’s harder to quit blogging if it’s ingrained into your schedule.

• Plan ahead. If you know there are projects or life events that are going to get in the way of your blog, plan ahead. Line up some guests posts or have a couple of evergreen posts handy that you can use in an emergency. By planning ahead, you won’t lose any momentum you’ve built with your blog.

What do you think? Is it ever okay to take a break from blogging? If so, how do you get back on track?

Image credit: Eran Finkle