How To Be Successful As A Blogger (Even With 0 Followers)

For the record, there’s a hell of a lot that goes into being “successful” as a blogger — whatever that means.

I mean, only those who have 1,000+ followers are successful, right?

Only those who have 50,000+ page views per month are REALLY doing this thing right — right?

Wrong.

Gary Vee talks a lot about looking at things on a Macro and Micro level.

In summary, we pin “success” in blogging to follower counts, page views, and email subscribers.

Heck, I did that for a long time.

Let me just come right out and say it..

Blogging “success” means being able to make money from your writing.

And I understand, not everybody writes to make money, but judging by all the “Locked” posts I’m seeing around here lately, there’s a SIGNIFICANT portion of people who do want to get paid for their words.

To the 60–70% of bloggers who are in this to actually monetize their writing in some way, you need to stop focusing on followers, page views, and email subscribers.

There’s something WAY more important, right in front of your face, that you need to think about..

The human being that just commented on your article.

Let me explain..

I Didn’t Know The Value of 1 “True” Follower

Early on in my writing career, before I had 13,000 Medium followers, I was too obsessed with the numbers.

I literally got upset when I didn’t get more than 10 recommends on an article I wrote. Instead of weeping in the corner about my shitty article, I could’ve been doing something else..

I could’ve been checking out the profiles of every single person who just recommended my article (or clapped for my article in today’s terms).

I could’ve returned the favor by reading their articles, clapping for their words, and maybe even leaving a response of my own.

Would that have gotten their attention?

Now — to them — I go from random person who’s article popped up in their Daily Digest to human being who just commented on THEIR article.

What a crazy effing’ turn of events, eh?

How To Turn Readers Into Tribe Members

The more followers I get, the more I realize how worthless thousands of followers really are.

It’s all about the few.

Looking back on the people who have purchased my online course, subscribed to my email list, and regularly clap for my articles, I realize I don’t have an audience of 13,000 — I have an audience of 50–60.

But the powerful thing about these 50–60 people are that they’re tribe members.

They read everything I write. They engage with everything I put out.

How do you turn readers into tribe members?

By being a decent human being.

By spending 10 hours reading other people’s content instead of tweeting about your own.

Spoiler Alert: It’s fun to be a good person. It’s fun to see other people grow over weeks, months, and even years.

It feels good because you know it’s real.

And that’s ultimately how you turn readers into tribe members yourself.

The ironic thing is that many of us begin commenting on articles/being decent online because we WANT tribe members.

We’re ultimately doing it for ourselves because we want views/claps/etc.

Then, by the time we’ve made it a habit, we start commenting on articles/being decent because we WANT to keep up with others.

And that’s when the magic happens.

Only by losing sight of your end goal, in this sense, can you truly accomplish it.

How ironic.

How You Can Gain Tribe Members Right Now

Here’s a list of ways you can start building a REAL, MEANINGFUL audience right now without ANY followers whatsoever..

• Check out every person who clapped for your article. Read their content/comment on some of their stuff if they write.
• Respond to every single comment/check out the commenter’s content as well.
• Personally thank every single person who tweets your article, and tweet one of THEIR articles also.
• Try to find everyone I just mentioned on LinkedIn + connect with them.
• Write down the name of every single person who engages with your content into a Google Doc, and try to circle back around to their content on a weekly basis.

If you do these things, you’ll lose sight of the end game. You’ll start engaging just to engage — because these people are your friends now, and that’s the REAL end game if you think about it.

How I Made $3,000 From My Tribe Members

I hate that subtitle. It’s way too money-centric. For an article that’s all about other people, why would I end it by talking about money?

Because I want you to see that, oddly enough, being a good human being DOES pay off in the writing world.

SHORT VERSION: A couple weeks ago I opened up registration for a new online course of mine. We exceeded my expectations for sales, and I made about $3,000 in 3 days.

Many of the people enrolled in the course were my “tribe” members — they had been reading my content for months, and engaging with much of it, too.

This course experience has been amazing, and I’ve really given it my all because I love the people taking it.

Guys, I’m telling you, being REAL and GIVING is so underrated.

It gives you a whole new level of purpose when you start caring for others instead of chasing statistics.

Believe me.

Want to build an audience of your own on Medium? I have a free 5-day email course called “Your First 1,000 Followers” that will teach you how I did it! Sign up for it right here.