[LET’S CHAT] Is There a Difference Between a “Successful” Blogger and a “Big” Blogger?

Welcome to yet another Let’s Chat!

Today, the topic I want to tackle is whether there’s a difference between a successful book blogger and a big book blogger. I talked about what blogging success means to you in a Let’s Chat a while back, and I guess this is the post where I’m going to expand on the topic a little bit.

(Also, this is officially my 100th post on my blog! Have I really been posting that much? Damn.)

As I said in my post about blogging success, I mentioned that everyone has different standards for what that means to them, much like they might for what a “big” blog is.

My views on what being successful is are probably much different from other bloggers’ ideas, and that’s totally fine. I don’t really believe there’s a right or wrong way to want to blog or what you aspire to achieve. But because we’re all on such different wavelengths regarding success, that also leads to how we label “big blogs.”

For me, my idea of success would be having a great ability to network (having lots of followers on social media and being friends with authors and publicists) and also having a large readership, especially in terms of comments. I actually don’t think I’m doing too well at the networking, but though my readership isn’t SUPER large, I’m actually quite satisfied with what I have now and the response I get from you guys. So, my outlook on a “big” blog is one that gets a lot of reader interaction and those who always manage to talk to authors on social media flawlessly and get ARCs easily because of their friendships with publicists.

But, for Random Book Blogger, her idea of success regarding her blog might be just getting a few comments on her blog and growing her bookstagram following. So, for Random Book Blogger, a “big” blogger might be one who gets a TON of comments on all of their posts and also manages to post pretty bookish photos twice a day and has over twenty thousand followers on bookstagram. So, obviously, between me and Random Book Blogger, we probably have different bloggers that we look up to or inspire us.

This leads into a little discussion about what a “big” blogger really is.

Of course, around the book blogosphere, a “big” blogger will mean something different to everyone, like I’ve pointed out earlier. Personally, mine have changed a lot over the short time I’ve been blogging – some of the blogs that I considered “big” aren’t ones that I’d think I’d consider that way now since I like to think we’re on the same level, sort of (though there are still blogs that I consider bigger, and it still freaks me out that they follow me). Someone who has only five followers or just started book blogging will probably have different standards for a “big” blogger than someone who has a large following on social media and their blog and receives a lot of comments or someone who’s been blogging for years and years.

Though “big” book blogs can be different for everyone, we all know those bloggers that anyone can mention, and everyone will say, “Oh, yeah, I love that blogger, too!” Or the blogs that it seems like everyone follows. Or those bloggers that everyone says are super nice and funny and amazing. Or those bloggers that always inspire other bloggers to do things. And no matter what, I’m sure everyone wants to be THAT type of book blogger.

But does being a “big” blogger mean that you’re a “successful” blogger? Not necessarily. 

I’m not a “big” blog by any means – at least, to my standards I’m not – but I do like to consider myself a successful blogger (and a hella lucky one, as well). I get e-ARCs of books that I want, I have stats that I’m not only proud of but still shocked that I even have, I enjoy writing the posts I write and publishing them, and I don’t think I’m doing TOO terrible on social media (but, then again, that’s just me).

And that’s why I feel like we need to shatter the stigma that “big” blog = “successful” blog. Because even if you don’t get all the hottest ARCs or are friends with amazing authors or get lots of comments or have the best stats or are terrible with keeping up on social media or suck at blogging design and graphics, it doesn’t make you any less successful than the biggest book blogger out there. As long as you’re hitting your own goals regarding your own blog, you, my friend, are definitely successful. And who knows? Maybe those “big” blogs you look up to feel like they’re not doing that great of a job either and that they’re a hot mess or feel uninspired and down about their blog at times.

(Trust me, this is the sort of pep talk that even I need to hear sometimes to this day.)

And that’s it for all my rambling!

Anyway, I just wanted to take the time to say that I’ll actually be on vacation by the next time I post to New York City, which will be my first time there! I’ll be there for five days, not only for Bookcon, but also just for a family vacation. I will still be active on this blog, probably! I already have all my posts written and edited, so all I need to do is post them, so you probably won’t even realize I’m gone! But if something goes wrong, like I’m not on Twitter much or I’m failing to get to all of your posts, you’ll know why!

Do you think there’s a difference between a “successful” blogger and a “big” blogger? What is your definition of a big blogger? Do you think you’re successful in terms of your blog goals?

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