by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Several months ago I hit a milestone on my person blog, The Write Conversation. I passed the 3000^th blog post published. 

I wrote that number and then had to stop and let the reality sink in.

I had no idea what God had planned when I began this tiny blog 11 years ago.

There have been some detours and dips in the road, but it’s been an amazing journey and I can’t wait to see what the next 11 years bring! To celebrate, I thought I’d share a little of what I’ve learned.

11 Lessons Learned Along the Blogging Road

1. Blogging isn’t about what I have to say, it’s about what my readers want to hear. The difference is subtle, but the focus is ALWAYS on our readers, not us.
2. Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint. We need to have realistic expectations, not wild delusions of instant visibility.
3. There’s more to blogging than just writing. We must know how to craft a compelling title, format for reading on a screen, learn about keywords and even the basics of SEO. There’s an entire skill-set that must be learned to be a successful blogger.
4. Blogging has value. Sometimes I’ve written a post and wonder what was the point. The numbers were low and so were the comments. Inevitably that was the post someone mentioned when they shared how God used this site to impact them.
5. Blogging is work. In essence starting a blog is like opening a business. We may be passionate about it, but to make it successful we have to be willing to work and put in the necessary hours.
6. Running a blog is about building a community. For a blog to have an impact, it must have readers—returning readers. That means building a community of people who gather together regularly.
7. Blogging requires a commitment to excellence. We must be willing to take the time to make certain what we present reaches a certain standard. That means editing, taking time choose images that make sense, and following a process.
8. Blogging is about interacting. We must always be mindful of those who comment on our blogs. If they took the time to write a comment, we can at least enter the conversation.
9. An unfocused blog is an unread blog. No matter how compelling the content of a site, if it can’t be found through a search engine, it won’t be read. Sticking to a single category allows search engines the opportunity to become familiar with our content and move it up in the search ranking.
10. Change is inevitable. The world around us changes, our circumstances change, even our focus changes. My blog is much different today than it was when I started—and so is my vision of what I want it to be. A successful blogger is one that is willing to embrace change.
11. Blogging is a chance to make a difference. At no other time in history have writers had the opportunity to impact the world for good without the barrier of physical location or distribution. We are called for such a time as this and we must be willing to step up and let God use us to make that difference.

These are things I’ve learned over the years. I’d love to know what you’d add to the list. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below!

Edie Melson—author, blogger, speaker—has written numerous books, including her most recent fiction – Alone, and nonfiction – While My Child is Away. She’s also the military family blogger at Guideposts.org. Her popular blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month and is consistently one the Writer’s Digest Top 101 Websites for Writers. She’s the director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and the Vice President of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, as well as the Social Media Director for Southern Writers Magazine.