12 Valuable Lessons from High Impact Bloggers to Grow Your Site

The life of a paid blogger is often steeped in mystery – many successes hold their cards close to their chests, leaving everyone else asking:

Woah. How do they do it?
Can I do it?
What’s the secret?
Am I doing everything wrong?
Is this normal?

After hearing these types of questions from many of the Girls Gone Sporty Ambassadors, I decided it was time to seek out answers. The High Impact Blogging podcast was born, and after interviewing some of the top health and fitness bloggers, YouTubers, and Instagram Running Influencers, I can confidently say, “Yes, what you’re experiencing is normal!”

And if you’re not seeing the results you want to see, a) give it time, and b) try some new tactics.Check out some of the best tips and advice from true high impact bloggers:

Dr. Josh Axe, DrAxe.com

“Don’t reinvent the wheel – model people who are successful.”

Today’s bloggers have an advantage – there are lots of successful bloggers out there who are, in fact, making a living online. Don’t assume you have to reinvent the wheel.

Study the successes, analyze how they welcome visitors to their blog, what types of products they offer, how they balance free and paid content, and how they interact through social media. Modeling isn’t copying – you’re not plagiarizing or stealing their ideas – you’re simply choosing to use a tried and true method for interacting with your readers. That’s just smart!

Dr. Axe has done an amazing job with creating beautiful infographic images that go crazy on Pinterest!

Jessica Smith, Jessica Smith TV

“Continue to try things until you find something that works.”

Not every tactic will work for every blogger. When you have an idea, give it a shot! Go at it with care and precision, and be thorough in your undertaking. Then monitor your results carefully. If the program or idea isn’t garnering the response you wanted, go at it from a different angle, or try something new.

The beauty of being a blogger is that you get to decide when, where, and what you produce, so don’t be afraid of trying new things or abandoning the ideas that aren’t working.

Sean Croxton, Underground Wellness

“Never make a decision when you’re at a low point in your business.”
Everyone has low moments – they’re normal! In one of Sean’s low moments, he deleted his YouTube channel, including some videos that had more than a million views! As he counseled in our interview – don’t do that to yourself. Avoid making any critical decisions when you’re angry, sad, or frustrated – you’re likely to regret the decision down the road.

I’ll actually take this one a step further – be careful about making decisions when you’re at a high point, too. The life of an online entrepreneur (and that’s what bloggers are!) is full of ups and downs. Just like the lows can be an artificial representation of your overall business, the highs can be similarly artificial… or at least short-lived. It might be tempting to make a major decision when you’re experiencing a high moment, but be cautious – you might question your sanity when things have evened out again.

Roni Noone, Roni’s Weigh and FitBloggin’

“Do what you can, when you can.”

Roni is the queen of the #WYCWYC movement. Doing “what you can, when you can” is a fundamental requirement of a blogger, especially when you’re trying to juggle full-time jobs, freelance work, family obligations, and, well, life! The point isn’t to use #WYCWYC as an excuse not to get things done; rather, it’s a reminder that when you have time, you should put it to use. Edit a blog while your baby’s napping, or schedule your social media while riding the train to work. When you manage your time wisely, it’s amazing how much you can get done.

That said, #WYCWYC is also a reminder that humans have limitations, and sometimes those limitations mean we don’t accomplish everything we want to. That’s OK! Some days nothing goes as planned, and you have to make adjustments. If you don’t get a blog posted because your dog had a minor emergency and you spent two hours at the vet, don’t sweat it. Remember #WYCWYC, and get back on track.

Emily Sandford, Authentically Emmie

“Don’t read the internet forums.”

For real, don’t do it. As many of my interviewees have pointed out, the Internet is not a friendly place. There are people out there with way too much time on their hands who like to spend it online, bashing bloggers. Getting sucked into the hate-fest will do nothing for you, especially since you can’t delete or manage what’s being posted there.

Save time and emotional energy by staying away from forums that are set up as gossip reels for the blogging industry. Focus on your own content and message, understanding that haters who aren’t coming directly to you with comment or complaint aren’t worth the effort.

Darya Rose, Summer Tomato

“There are days you just don’t want to write, but if it’s a business, you just get up and do it anyway.”

Is your blog a hobby, or is it a business? If you want to make money blogging, then it’s a business, and you should approach it that way. That means that if you have something on your schedule to complete, then you do it. Even if you don’t feel like it.

Whitney Lauritsen, Eco-Vegan Gal

“Don’t undervalue yourself – the worst thing someone can say is no.”

Think of your blog as a piece of online real estate. Your real estate has value. Some real estate has more value, but it all has value. When talking to brands and advertisers, don’t undervalue yourself, your brand, or your blog.

It’s tricky to know what your brand is worth, but one of Whitney’s tricks is to ask yourself, “Do I feel good about this?” If you feel good about receiving free product in exchange for a review, then that might be the perfect value.

That said, if you feel like the time and effort you’re investing are worth more, then ask for more. The worst thing that can happen is the brand or advertiser says no, in which case you haven’t lost anything, you’re just exactly where you started.

Danny J, The Sweaty Betties

“Give, give, give. You can never give too much. Be super generous with everything you know and everything you do.”

When it comes to serving your audience, you want to embrace a spirit of giving. As Danny J pointed out in our interview, there’s nothing out there that people can’t find online for free. She’s right. Someone, somewhere, is giving away the information you’re holding close to your chest for free. And if your audience thinks you’re being stingy or greedy, they’ll go elsewhere to find the information.

This doesn’t mean you can’t offer paid services or products, but it does mean you need to be willing to give until it hurts. When you give, and you build a loyal following, your efforts will pay off in the end.

Monica Olivas, Run Eat Repeat

“Why not you?”

Seriously, why not you? The truth is, you’re probably your own worst critic, and you’re probably the one responsible for most of your own stumbling blocks. I can say this, because it’s true of me, too! No one else has the power to hold you back, so if you’re not seeing the results you want, it’s time to have a “get real” moment with yourself.

There’s absolutely no reason why you can’t be the one to make blogging your business, or why you can’t be the one to score a great partnership with a brand. Keep asking yourself, “Why not me?” then do what it takes to make your goals real. Because it does take work, and it won’t miraculously materialize from thin air.

Jenn Walters, Fit Bottomed Girls

“Fake it ‘til you make it. Act in the way you want to be seen.”

Trust me, no one knows what they’re doing when they start. No new mom is given a manual for how to be the perfect mom to her unique baby when she leaves the hospital, and no new blogger is given a manual for how to be the perfect blogger to her unique audience when she starts a blog.

The point isn’t to be perfect, the point is to know what your goal is, then to act like you know what you’re doing (within reason), as you move toward your goal. This doesn’t mean you act arrogantly or like a know-it-all, it just means that you embody a spirit of confidence with the knowledge that you can figure out the details along the way. Assume success is inevitable.

Amanda Brooks, Run to the Finish {hey that’s me!}

“Blogging is not a business.”

Truthfully, when Amanda laid out this little nugget of wisdom, I had an “Aha!” moment. Of course, blogging is a business for a very small minority of online influencers, but most bloggers will not make much money from simply having a blog.

Bloggers must sell something – maybe it’s advertising, or an online program, or product, or services, but if you’re expecting to simply throw some Google ads on your page and wait for the money to roll in, you’ll be waiting a very long time. Successful bloggers understand that their success comes from cultivating a business, not just writing a blog. You must come up with a monetization plan, and execute it with precision and analysis.

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