Blogging Tips

If you’re starting to show the signs of blogger burnout or are working your way to exhaustion, it may be time to look after your health and get some help on your blog. There are also other good reasons why you might consider getting an extra pair of hands:

• your blogging work has taken off and you have less time to maintain your personal blog
• you’re finding it harder and harder to come up with great ideas
• you’re mentally fatigued and need a complete break to recharge.

Is Your Blog Your Baby?

Whatever your reasons, deciding to hire another blogger is not an easy decision. Many of us see our blogs as our babies – and we wouldn’t hand our babies over to a stranger, would we? So there are a couple of choices: either limit the functions that you hand over, or find someone who loves your blog as much as you do.

Tasks to Outsource

Let’s look at the first option: handing over some of the blog management. There are lots of things we do on blogs that don’t necessarily need our personal input. These include:

• approving comments
• getting rid of spam
• scheduling posts
• finding images for posts

All of these can be handled by a virtual assistant. You’ll need to find someone who’s clued up about your blogging platform, and to assign that person a role that allows your VA to handle only the tasks you want to assign. WordPress has some roles built in which are a useful start.

Hiring a Blogger

Then there’s the biggie – getting someone else to write content for your blog. The first time I thought about doing this, some time last year, I did so with trepidation. I mentioned on Twitter that I was looking for someone and one of my blog’s readers stepped in to offer to write. I’d known her for a while and was happy that she’d take on a bigger role. Nine months on, she’s ready to do her own thing, and I’m hiring a couple more bloggers.  This time I’ve added Facebook to the list of places to advertise the opportunity, as well as my blog, of course.

Tips on the Process

I find it best to make a short list of what you are offering and what you expect. Many blogs offer a nominal payment and exposure to a key audience in exchange for posts at regular intervals and replies to comments. If you don’t know the blogger’s work, a quick trip through Google should address that, but it’s still important to see if that person’s style is right for your blog. Try getting a sample post and list of ideas to see if you are on the same wavelength. If you’re happy, sign an agreement and get the user set up.

What’s the Verdict?

If your readers respond well, you know you’ve made a good choice and can take the time you need to recharge, while leaving your blog in good hands.

(By the way, I don’t suggest abandoning your blog altogether, as you have a relationship with your readers, but they will all understand if you have to scale back your involvement for the sake of your sanity. When I hired a writer last year, I reduced my posting  frequency on the blog, but was able to generate more original content for my newsletter and Facebook page.)