The Importance of a Daily Word Count

When I first started blogging at WA almost three years ago, I used to get overwhelmed. A 1000-word blog post was a big stretch. I have a blog in which I write about technical subjects, and each post felt like a marathon because accuracy is SO important. The last thing I need is other smarter people calling me out online :)

That said, it was difficult to stick with blogging. I used to find that I could not do 1000 words at a time, so I gave up for a few months. But you know what? I couldn't stay away. I missed writing, I had insights to share, and I missed being part of the WA community--a place where we delight in each other's success and help each other through the setbacks and difficult moments.

So I came back and decided to try small, doable goals, like blogging 500 words every day. My posts tend to be long--2000+ words--and I finally recognized that until I'm doing this full-time that I need to work at a pace that is doable.

And let me tell you, I am so glad I stuck with it. Two years in, my blog finally started making money, and my revenues continue to grow. I didn't even update it all that much for 6 months, and over that time, the strategies I learned in WA about writing posts with long-tail keywords began to pay off. I have a few posts now that rank on Google, and once I added affiliate links to those, I began to see an increase in sales.

The best thing about it is the products I am recommending are the same ones that have allowed me to learn technical skills and become a web developer. That is truly a win-win with affiliate marketing--when you're able to recommend products you know and love and connect other people with them.

So what is the takeaway? DON'T GIVE UP. Even if it's hard. If you don't have time to write 1000 words every day, start with a smaller goal. 500 words every day suits me well on difficult subjects. If that's too much, you can start at 350. If you go at that rate, you'll publish twice each week, assuming 1000 words is an appropriate length for your posts. As I mentioned, my posts tend to be 2000+ words due to the subject matter. The key is to find a system that works for you and to continue to give your readers helpful content that they will love.

I wish everyone here great success in reaching your goals for 2019!