What is a blog mentor? A mentor is a trusted guide and teacher.
So a blog mentor would be a trusted guide and teacher who helps you become a better blogger!
Maybe your blog mentor is a blog/author/writer who has been working in the blogosphere longer than you. It should be someone who’s already learned the ropes.
Do you have a mentor? I’ve had multiple mentors. Mine instrumental in helping me to learn new skills. These individuals possess a wealth of knowledge in their fields of expertise. They have been my trusted guides and best teachers. I’ve learned so much from each one. In this post, I’ll show you how mentors and especially blog mentors are instrumental to your success as a blogger.
How One Mentor Powerfully Influenced My Blogging Experience and Success
In 2013, I was eager to learn all I could about becoming a blogger. I searched Google for how to start a blog. My search results found this blog (Dear Blogger) and Greg. I became a daily reader and commenter here at Dear Blogger. I’d start my day with one of Greg’s helpful blog posts and a coffee. As a lover of coffee, I found it warm and inviting that his logo has a coffee cup in it! Greg’s been a fantastic teacher! His blog posts and tutorials have been my guiding lights. It just made sense to adopt him as my mentor!
It has been over 4 years since I found this site and Greg. I credit him for providing me a solid blogging start. He’s also helped me learn and master WordPress, web development, and design. His video tutorials made it possible for me to design and develop several websites for clients. I was willing to learn and practice all he taught me. He was willing to teach and guide me toward successful blogging!
About a year ago I teamed up with him to help others learn how to blog. I assist him in helping people learn WordPress and solve their blogging and WordPress problems. I’m now Greg’s friend, social media manager and also help him with guest posting submissions. I’m so grateful to Greg for the opportunity to learn from him! So thanks, Greg! 😀
From Greg — Everything Cori said is true. Her client websites are amazing by the way. Thanks for everything, especially reading all those guest post emails day and night!
1. Why every blogger needs a mentor.
Why do you need a blogging mentor? I believe every blogger can benefit tremendously by having a mentor.
Great blog mentors are rare gems! They stand out in the crowd!
Without a trusted guide or teacher to learn from you’ll try to figure everything out on your own.
Starting a blog will be more difficult and possibly an overwhelming experience.
Bloggers like Greg who have achieved success already are those you want to learn from.
There’s a ton of successful bloggers out there. The truth is…you don’t want to learn from them all.
You’d become overwhelmed with information overload! There’s so much to learn about blogging!
You’ll learn invaluable tools of the blogging trade that will enrich your blogging journey.
When you practice what you learn you’ll see results. Why? Because they’ve already made it work!
They are great teachers who light your path and guide you toward successful blogging!
A mentor will support you and teach you in ways that help you reach your goals.
The most successful people I know all had the powerful influence of multiple mentors.
2. How do you find a blog mentor?
You find someone who is already successful and is an expert at what they do. This person is someone who as Jeff Goins points out “is closer than you think”. If you are seeking to learn how to start a blog you’d find someone who knows how to do that. The person you learn from best will be someone whose blog is already a success.
Often you don’t need to look very far. Most likely you already know who that person is.
For further reading on finding a mentor;
Bestselling author Jeff Goins in his book The Art of Work says this; “Don’t go in search of a mentor; instead, identify the mentors that are already around you.” Essentially this is what I did with Greg. I was already a follower of his blog. He was already there. For further reading, you may enjoy Jeff’s blog post about How to Find (And Keep) a Mentor in 10 Not-So-Easy Steps.
How to Find a Mentor to Help You Go Further Faster by Michael Hyatt
3. How do you know you’ve found the right blog mentor?
A good mentor is someone who has already succeeded as a blogger.
The good choice in a mentor is someone who is trustworthy.
They have a good reputation.
Good mentors are givers.
Unselfish leaders make the best teachers.
4. Reaching out and engaging with your blog mentor.
Establish a connection over time with the person you’d like to learn from.
Notice what they are doing.What is currently important to them?
Meet up with them online wherever they are at.
What are their new projects?
Maybe they have a YouTube channel with videos to help you.
Show up as viewer and commenter of their YouTube videos.
Subscribe to their channel. Be a regular listener of their podcasts.
Follow them where they are regularly on their social media networks.
Read their blog posts consistently. Comment on their posts.
5. Give without expectation and appreciation.
Being thankful and giving back goes a long way.This is especially true for the mentor/mentee relationship.
Expecting nothing in return will take you even further! Successful blogging is about giving more than you get.
I think that’s why the best mentors are the most generous givers. People love it when what they teach you works.
So reach out and let someone know how they’ve positively influenced your growth as a blogger/writer.
That person might just be your next mentor!
Conclusion
Remember that your mentor was once where you are right now. They’ve paved the way for your success already!
I hope you have been positively impacted by having a blogging mentor as I did. If not, I encourage you to reach out to someone who
has helped you. Establish a communication with that person. Practice all you learn. I promise you that you’ll be on your way to a richer blogging experience!
Join the conversation: We’d love to hear your mentor stories.
How did you find your mentor? Can you name one or two things that you learned from your mentor you’ll never forget?