Starting a successful blog takes a lot of work. You have to face content creation and promotion challenges. What is more inspiring in such challenging moments is to know that many people have embraced those challenges and are now reaping the rewards.
This article will discuss some of the most impressive blogger examples and briefly explain what they do and their achievements. We will also show you the best tips to set yourself up for blogging success.
If you are yet to start your blog, then take the first step by signing up with a reliable web hosting provider.
Key Highlights
- The journey to becoming a successful blogger can be challenging, but with insights from these veterans, the process can become smoother and faster
- By following successful bloggers within your niche, you will gain deeper insights into mistakes to avoid and how to avoid them, thereby helping you save time, energy, and money
- Blog engagement is paramount as it typically allows you to understand how your readers feel about your blog
- Ensure that your content is accurate, insightful, and entertaining
- Staying true to yourself and your unique perspective is crucial for standing out from millions of bloggers
What Is the Importance of Learning from Successful Bloggers?
Successful bloggers become successful by surmounting the challenges that most bloggers face. The lessons and insights they got from dealing with those challenges can be precious for bloggers who are just starting.
Whether you are an experienced blogger or haven’t started blogging, learning from the best bloggers is beneficial. Here are some key reasons you should consider learning from successful bloggers.
1. Inspiration
There is no worthwhile human endeavor that doesn’t present its challenges. When such challenges arise, quitting and throwing in the towel is easy. However, as you will learn from any successful blogger, those at the top often use the success of other bloggers to inspire themselves. They see the results other content creators are getting and tell themselves that if that person can do it, they can.
When many see someone with similar limitations or background making it in the blogging industry, they become motivated to put it in their all. And while they may achieve a different level of success than the best bloggers they look up to, they will be able to perform well and become successful in their domain.
2. Education
Blogging is not only about writing. You need to know what to write, how to write it, and the best way to share what you have written. To do these correctly, you must know about content research, keywords, SEO, blogging platforms, and blog promotion. There is much to unpack here, and many bloggers don’t know which step to take.
Successful bloggers have figured out the steps for themselves, albeit through trial and error. So, listening to their stories lets you gain deep insights to streamline your blogging experience.
3. Avoiding Mistakes
You will make mistakes as a blogger. However, you cannot afford to make serious mistakes that can jeopardize your blog. By listening to successful bloggers, you can find mistakes you should avoid.
Plenty of resources exist to help you avoid mistakes, but many focus on the general aspect of blogging. There are general blogging mistakes and those limited to specific niches. By following the best bloggers’ examples within your niche, you will gain deeper insights into mistakes to avoid and how to avoid them, thereby saving time, energy, and money.
4. Networking
The blogging industry runs on networking. The network comprises bloggers, digital marketers, web hosting providers, and other stakeholders. While there are stories of bloggers who achieved incredible feats on their own, most did so via networking with others. Networks help you achieve your goals faster and with less stress.
For instance, one of the critical factors that can accelerate your blog’s growth is backlinks. When reputable blogs link back to your blog, your blog gets a bump in SEO rankings. Of course, you can contact blogs individually and hope they attend to you. The better alternative is to network with bloggers within your niche.
This approach allows you to get backlinks, a larger audience reach, and exclusive access to resources and connections that will make you a successful blogger in no time.
5. Growth
Growing a blog is like growing a tree. Initially, it can be easy to get discouraged when you do not see tangible results. You may also engage in processes that may delay your blog’s growth. All of these can be avoided by studying successful bloggers within and outside your niche.
These bloggers have gone through the early stages of starting a blog and have a lot of wisdom to share. By following their strategies, you can grow your blog faster and avoid processes that can stifle your blog’s growth.
Blogger Examples: Marketing and Social Media
While it is important to get general blogging ideas, you should model after bloggers within your niche. If you blog on marketing and social media topics, here are the best blog examples to follow in your niche.
Jeff Bullas
Jeff Bullas is one of the biggest names in the social media marketing niche. He is renowned for his insights into leveraging digital marketing and personal branding for individuals and businesses. He also provides insights into content creation and lead generation.
He is one of Forbes’ Top 20 Influencers of CMOs. You can follow Bullas via his blog, jeffbullas.com. He also posts regularly on LinkedIn.
Mari Smith
Mari Smith is a social media expert with a focus on Facebook marketing. She also authored a book on Facebook marketing called Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day. Her content focuses on Facebook marketing strategies and social media marketing in general. She is a Forbes’ Top Social Media Power Influencer and named one of the top social media influencers by Entrepreneur Magazine.
Amy Porterfield
Amy Porterfield is one of the best-known names in digital marketing. She focuses on helping small business owners and startups to build brand awareness and leverage email marketing. Aside from her blog, she hosts a podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy. She also offers digital marketing courses and coaching.
Neil Patel
Anyone who regularly searches for information on digital marketing via search engines will have stumbled on one of Neil Patel’s articles. Patel offers deep insights into digital marketing and also provides digital marketing tools. He is one of the top digital marketing experts in the world and has successfully funded many companies by leveraging his expertise.
Gary Vaynerchuk
If you come from a humble background, let Gary Vaynerchuk be your inspiration. Vaynerchuk started from humble beginnings and is now one of the world’s most sought-after marketing gurus. He demonstrated his understanding of digital marketing by using digital marketing and inbound techniques to grow his family store. Follow him for a no-nonsense approach to effective market brand and business.
Bloggers’ Examples: Personal Finance Blogs
Personal finance is a hot topic. The niche grew tremendously after the global pandemic in 2020 and has become one of the niches with massive traffic sources. If you want to become one of the top bloggers in this niche, you need to adapt strategies from the best. Here are some top recommendations in the personal finance blogging niche:
Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey is the go-to figure for personal finance. He is famous for his simplified, effective unique finance strategies in the Baby Steps program. He aims to help his audience become debt free, live within their means and grow their portfolio. Aside from his blog, he hosts a call-in radio show, podcast, and YouTube channel.
Robert Kiyosaki
Robert Kiyosaki’s name is popular due to his international bestseller book Rich Dad, Poor Dad. He has also published several books on personal finance and is one of the influential figures in personal finance and investing. He maintains a blog and speaks at seminars and other speaking engagements.
J.D. Roth
J.D. Roth is a veteran personal finance blogger and has built a large following through his down-to-earth writing style. He uses his personal experiences and sound financial advice to help his readers get out of debt, take control of their finances and increase revenue. His finance blog, Get Rich Slowly, provides compelling articles with a relaxed style and deep practical insights.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner is a blogger that became debt free after graduating with over $38,00 in student debt. Her personal finance blog, Making Sense of Cents, generates over $1 million annually via affiliate marketing and sponsored content. Her blog contains advice based on her experiences and solid, practical financial guidance. She also offers courses for those looking to start and monetize a blog.
Ramit Sethi
Ramit Sethi is an influential speaker and author specializing in helping people increase their revenue, savings, and investments. He is famous for his 2009 bestseller, I Will Teach You To Be Rich, and his personal finance blog, IWillTeachYouToBeRich.com. Aside from personal finance, Sethi also provides insights on digital marketing via his GrowthLab.com website.
Bloggers’ Examples: Healthcare Blogs
Here are the best examples of bloggers who write health and fitness blogs:
KevinMD
KevinMD is a healthcare blog founded and maintained by Dr. Kevin Pho, a board-certified internal medicine physician. Forbes described the KevinMD blog as a “must-read health blog.” The blog posts draw from Dr. Pho’s experience and interaction with patients, nurses, policy experts, and other health professionals. The topics covered on the blog include medical ethics, healthcare policy, and patient advocacy. It can also be an inspiration for fitness blogs.
Dr. Eric Topol
Dr. Eric Jeffrey Topol is a well-known American cardiologist and digital health expert. He is the author of several groundbreaking healthcare-themed books, including Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again and The Patient Will See You Now. Aside from his blog and books, he shares his insights on public speaking engagements and renowned medical publications.
ZDoggMD
Dr. Zubin Damania is the founder and speaker on The ZDoggMD Show. He also publishes articles on his blog on various healthcare topics like healthcare policies and medical research. Dr. Damania stands out due to his unique presentation method. He interweaves his content with humor to make his articles and videos easily accessible and memorable.
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is a British physician focusing on a holistic healthcare approach to investigating and treating health conditions. He is renowned for helping patients recover from conditions such as autoimmune disorders, food allergies, migraines, and autoimmune disorders. He has also published several books and hosts the Feel Better, Live More podcast.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a board-certified neurosurgeon who doubles as a CNN correspondent. He is a respected medical community member for his breakthrough insights into health and wellness. He has published many books and hosts the Sanjay Gupta MD show. Any blogger looking for inspiration on how to start a healthcare blog can glean insights from Dr. Gupta.
Bloggers’ Examples: Lifestyle Blogs
Lifestyle is another excellent blogging niche. What makes the lifestyle niche appealing is that it requires no special qualifications.
This low entry barrier makes the lifestyle niche highly competitive, so you must stand out in your presentation and content. You can use one of the best web builders to create an active lifestyle or fitness blog.
Here are some successful bloggers to model after:
Joanna Goddard
Joanna Goddard is a New York writer who owns a lifestyle blog called A Cup of Jo. The blog covers various topics, including parenting, travel, fashion, design, and food. Gooddard also writes for famous publications such as O, The Oprah Magazine. She is sought after for her down-to-earth weekly recipes. She is an excellent example of how to cover a wide range of lifestyle topics with a single blog.
Emily Schuman
Emily Schuman began blogging in 2008 with a blog called Favorite Things. She morphs her blogging career into Cupcakes and Cashmere, a lifestyle blog for women. The blog covers baking, fashion, beauty, and traveling. She also creates content for people with children. She became popular due to how she engages with her readers and the support from her readership community.
Grace Atwood
Grace Atwood used to be a social media director. She currently blogs at The Stripe, a lifestyle blog she launched. The blog content features book reviews, travel guides, and tips on DIY projects. Other topics include travel reviews and fashion trends. She is also a co-author of The Wellness Project, a book highlighting her experience with improving her health and well-being.
Carly Heitlinger
Carly Heitlinger’s blog is called The College Prepster. It features articles on fashion styles, reviews, and travel. She has a massive following on her social media platforms and has also been featured in renowned publications like Teen Vogue and The Wall Street Journal.
Julia Engel
Julia Engel is a lifestyle blogger focusing mainly on fashion and beauty trends. She is very popular in the fashion scene thanks to her blog, Gal Meets Glam. Her blog receives hundreds of thousands of monthly readers. Her content revolves around home decoration, personal style, and beauty tips. She is also popular on Instagram, with well over a million followers. Her books include Paris in Bloom and A Moment of Chic.
Bloggers’ Examples: Food Blogs
While many lifestyle blogs often dabble into food, some bloggers focus solely on food-related topics. Writers within this niche include chefs, self-taught cooks, nutritionists, and reviewers. Here are some food blog examples you can look up to for inspiration in the food blogging niche.
Deb Perelman
Deb Perelman is many things in one. She is a self-taught cook that shares her recipes on her blog, Smitten Kitchen. She is also a photographer and author. Her books include The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook and Smitten Kitchen Every Day. On her blog, readers can access mouthwatering recipes, cooking tips, and concepts revolving around food. What makes her stand out is her no-stress approach to cooking meals.
Ree Drummond
Anne Marie “Ree” Drummond is an American food blogger. Her food blog, The Pioneer Woman, offers food recipes, cooking tips, and insights from her cookbooks. She also intersperses her blog posts with stories about her life on the ranch where she and her husband live. Forbes featured her in its Top 25 Web Celebrities list. She is also a bestselling author with titles such as The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Come and Get It! and The Pioneer Woman Cooks Dinnertime.
Molly Yeh
Molly Yeh blogs on My Name is Yeh, a food blog that shares recipes and tips inspired by her Chinese and Jewish heritage. She has also published several cookbooks in addition to her blog posts.
David Lebovitz
David Lebovitz is a pastry chef that published blog articles and books on food. He trained in France and Belgium as a pastry chef and has worked in the United States for about 12 years. His blog, named David Lebovitz, features Lebovitz’s insights on food and culture. The articles also contain recipes and travel stories. His published books include The Perfect Scoop and My Paris Kitchen.
Ali Maffucci
Ali Maffucci is a food blogger who started her blog, Inspiralized, after discovering spiralizing. Spiralizing involves turning fruits and vegetables into ‘noodles.’ She has written three cookbooks, including the bestseller Inspiralized: Turn Vegetables into Healthy, Creative, Satisfying Meals. She also has a branded spiralizer tool called the “inspiralizer” and partners with Houlihan’s, a national restaurant chain.
What Lessons Should You Learn from These Successful Bloggers’ Examples?
Successful bloggers can be a great deal of inspiration to both beginners and experienced bloggers. The journey to becoming a successful blogger can be challenging, but with wisdom from these veterans, the process can become smoother and faster. Here are some insights you can glean from studying successful bloggers’ examples.
1. Find Your Niche
You will notice how easy it was to categorize each blogger into various niches. This is not by accident. Most famous bloggers are experts in their chosen niches. The ones who dabble into different niches started by becoming renowned in a specific niche before expanding their content to related areas.
The first thing you need to do is find a profitable niche to focus on. This niche will help you define your target audience and the type of content you need to produce. It will also help you discover what other tools or skills you will need. For instance, it is no surprise that many food bloggers are also photographers. This is because their niche requires them to share a lot of pictures.
2. Consistency Is Key
No one becomes a successful blogger overnight. Behind fame and popularity, there is discipline and consistency. Many of these successful bloggers have been blogging for at least ten years. If you learn from their experiences, it may take you less time. In fact, by avoiding their mistakes and implementing their strategies, you can become successful in just a few years.
Nevertheless, you should be prepared to stay consistent. You should have a posting schedule and stick with it. Your posting schedule could be daily, weekly, or monthly. Stay in your chosen niche until you have a solid readership base. At that point, you can expand into related niches.
3. Engage With Your Audience
Blogging is a two-way street. Just as you share your thoughts with your readers, you should be willing to listen to their thoughts. You can do this by engaging with them via the comment section on your blog, social media, and other channels. Blog engagement is paramount as it typically allows you to understand how your readers feel about your blog.
Another benefit of engaging with your audience is building social media proof. When others see you frequently engaging with your audiences, they will be curious about what you speak about. Also, if your readers tell you your content has helped them, share the comment with others (with the commenter’s permission).
4. Quality Over Quantity
While consistency is critical, you don’t want to sacrifice quality for quantity. Ensure that your content is accurate, insightful, and entertaining. There is no sense in creating content that is not helpful or engaging. Bloggers become successful because of their track record. So, your content must be high quality to be a successful blogger.
One way to maintain high quality is to have an editorial guideline. The guideline will contain your dos and don’ts and how to create a blog post title. This checklist will help you avoid putting out subpar content. For instance, if you have a photography blog, check the best photography blog examples for how they create their content.
5. Stay True to Yourself
As you can notice from this article, each blogger is different. While they publish high-quality content, their content type and styles differ. This shows you can also become a successful blogger with your style.
Staying true to yourself and your unique perspective is crucial for standing out from millions of bloggers. There are a lot of generic voices putting out the same content. Your unique perspective and style can create a recognizable brand to attract a high-value readership. However, ensure your style resonates with your readers so you don’t alienate them.
Conclusion
Starting a blog that stands out can be demanding. You will have to develop a winning strategy and implement it. However, you can gain insights and tips from successful blogs within and outside your niche. If you can learn to implement the recommendations presented here and seek out established bloggers within your niche, you will become a successful blogger in record time.
Next Steps: What Now?
