Celebrating Four Years of Blogging

 

On the 8^th of August, 2020, my blog clocked 4 years. Four solid years of running Maryam’s Nitty Wall. Whoa! Typing this still comes as a surprise because I keep asking myself, ‘When did you even start?’

It’s been an amazing four years of blogging. I’ve posted thrilling articles…boring write-ups…sub-standard write-ups…quality write-ups. What matters is that I keep growing and improving the quality of content updated on the blog.

I’ve connected with blog readers, made friends, been invited to give talks, been granted jobs…my four years have yielded great results.

I’ll be sharing my blogging journey, mistakes I made, and how I learnt from them, areas I’m bent on improving, and a host of others.

The journey…

While studying at the university, I was determined to graduate with an outstanding result. And this caused me to spend a major part of my day reading. I really wanted to share my write-ups to the world…but there was not enough time to do so.

I created a Facebook page ‘Great Writings’ in 2013. I wanted to post content there and connect with readers. I remembered writing an awful piece…LOL…that piece was indeed awful. I wrote several others and it ended. I couldn’t continue because of my tight schedule.

During a semester holiday, I desperately wanted to create a blog but, I didn’t know how to. I would write several ‘motivational’ pieces and continue to read books. I knew I yearned to create a platform to display my awf…I mean, beautiful write-ups. I just didn’t know how to start and maintain the platform.

Then, I decided to publish a monthly magazine on the Facebook page (Great Writings). The idea fascinated me and I made a post about it. Well- just as you wouldn’t have imagined- it didn’t work out.

I put a stop to all these and focused on my studies while I still joined the literary circle in school.

In 2016 after graduating, I founded Maryam’s Nitty Wall. My elder sister had recently learnt how to create a free blog on blogger. So, she assisted me in creating one.

Whoa! It was a dream come true. I changed the Facebook page’s name from ‘Great Writings’ to ‘Maryam’s Nitty Wall’ and started to post content on my blog. I would share with WhatsApp groups and my Facebook timeline.

And it all started and continued….

Growth

I started posting weekly episodes on my blog. I would share the stories with my Facebook page and groups. I would also share my page to gain more likes. I kept doing this until I went to the NYSC orientation camp in 2017.

Lack of access to laptop hindered me from posting new episodes on my blog. Then I started to receive messages from readers, inquiring about the reason I had stopped posting. I had to make a post, explaining that I didn’t have access to my writing materials. That incident motivated me to take my blog more seriously. I mean, I never knew that I had readers who were stuck to the blog.

I continued adding thrilling categories and gaining more views. I started to interview young creatives and post new stories. I had ample time to grow my blog while I was serving in 2017. It was the year that I built the brand name and made it known across social media platforms.

2018…

In 2018, I met a colleague at my place of work. I had completed NYSC and started working full-time. Meeting T was a life-changing experience. She thought me how to grow my brand and increase views on my page.

“You have to be real. Post events that people can relate with. They will be glued to your page,” she had advised.

I started posting directly on my Facebook wall rather than sharing posts from my Facebook page. I wrote about my daily experiences. I wrote heartfelt posts that virtually everyone can relate to. My fan base skyrocketed and this encouraged me to keep writing.

I started a new story and the reviews and comments were overwhelming. I would say that 2018 was my breakthrough year. It was during this period that the brand name ‘Maryam’s Nitty Wall’ became well known.

I also purchased my domain name and redesigned my blog. I would spend time staring at the blog page with bright eyes as I admire its aesthetics.

RELATED ARTICLE: Life Lately.

Mistakes I made….

I received a piece of dreadful news late last year…news that I had lost a close friend. The friend who has assisted in purchasing my domain name. The friend who I had entrusted to renewing my domain name.

After trying to get through the shock of losing a friend, I had to make ways to protect my blog. You see, the domain has to be renewed on an annual basis…and if it doesn’t happen, the blog is automatically gone.

‘Does that mean that my blog of almost four years would crumble just like that? Will I watch my sweat of four years go down the drain?’ I had thought as I counted down to the date of renewal.

I met with friends with knowledge about blogging and requested their help in securing my blog. You see, I had entrusted my friend with the duty of renewing the blog. I have no access to the account details or password. All I did every year was to send the renewal fee to her account.

After weeks of trying to figure out what to do, I sent a mail to someone I had known with my late friend. Through her help, I was able to renew the domain name before expiration.

This incident made me realize the importance of knowing the technicalities of blogging. It shouldn’t be just about writing, posting, and sharing, you should know everything about your blog.

Another mistake I made was placing an advert on my page without requesting for a down payment from the person. I had gone through the stress of adding the playlist and creating a blog post, posting his interview, and advertising his spoken word for months. Till today, I haven’t received a single penny from this person.

RELATED ARTICLE: Blog Break & Life Lately.

What I’ve gained from my blog

My blog is just like a close friend. It is a place I visit to assure myself that I am doing great…that I am making little changes in the world. That I can put smiles on people’s faces.

It boosts my confidence when I step into an interview hall or meet with a prospective client and display my work portfolio. My blog is enough to tell you about the kind of writer I am.

“….and I also manage a lifestyle blog where I post thrilling and entertaining articles. You should check it out!” I would conclude.

And I had gotten several offers!

Anyone meeting me for the first time would understand the love I have for my blog. My blog is me. I am my blog!

My drive…

Passion and grit. It takes passion to run a blog for years. It takes passion to remain consistent even when you are less motivated to update articles. If you do not have a passion for blogging, you will easily give up.

I have met with people who started a blog after I did and rant about how they will grow it and make tons of money from the blog. Whenever I hear this, I smile…not because it is wrong to have a big goal for your blog. I smile because just like every other business or task, it takes passion to keep diving despite the stumbles you come across. Just like nurturing a new business, managing a blog is a task you perform with passion and enthusiasm. If you don’t, you will easily give up.

Areas I’m bent on improving…

I’m bent on learning more about blogging, growing my brand to become well-known internationally. I want ‘Maryam’s Nitty Wall’ to be listed as the top 5 lifestyle blogs in the world. I want to keep growing, learning, expanding, and thrilling my fans with lovely content. I want to wake up every morning to tons of positive feedback on my mailbox.

I’ve completed four years of blogging and I am so excited. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a message by sending a mail to abdulwahabmaryam11@yahoo.com or mareeam802@gmail.com.