Last Updated on March 20, 2021 by Kelly Thoreson
“Should I be publishing blog posts during the Covid-19 outbreak?”
I was shocked when I started seeing this question pop up in my blogging Facebook groups.
My initial flippant reaction was, “UMMMMMM – YES, DUH!”
And then I stopped and reflected on why this question was so prevalent:
Uncertainty.
Fear.
Scarcity.
I mean, who would have thought a month ago that toilet paper would become the next hot commodity?
Times are strange and people are scared.
But you cannot give up.
You must keep blogging – here’s why:
#1 Your Audience Needs a Sense of Normalcy
Your readers need a sense of normalcy and right now, they’re not gettin’ it from many places.
Times are not normal.
In fact, each day seems to be getting weirder:
Metro hubs, normally humming with activity, are barren:
Stores that shouldn’t be crowded at 9 am on a Wednesday are a glob of panicked people:
If your blog is where your readers normally go to chill the eff out for a while, they’re going to be put even more on edge if they find that the new material they were looking forward to has succumbed to Corona-Madness.
Be the person that’s there for them.
Make the space for them to breathe and forget things for a while.
Diffuse their anxiety, even for just a minute.
And for the love of everything good, no fear-mongering.
During times of crisis, it’s our responsibility as bloggers to remind our audience that things are gonna be okay, even if life sucks for a while.
It is our job to serve our audience.
And right now, I can think of no better way to serve them than to soothe their stress about the rapidly changing world.
Keep blogging, for them.
Related reading:
Blogging as a Career: 5 Traits You Gotta Have to Make It
#2 Google’s Algorithm Doesn’t Care About Covid-19
Google’s algorithm is just that: an algorithm.
Code.
A computer.
And you know what?
Computers don’t understand the concept of human sickness.
In the algorithm’s eyes, nothing has changed.
If you stop producing content because of the Covid-19 outbreak, Google is not going to correlate the two and it’s not going to give you a break.
Humans are a tough as nails species.
We survive shit.
And we will survive this.
Although we cannot say how long it will be before we return to normal, or what that new normal will look like, we will get there.
And then what?
Well, if you have continued to blog your heart out and create consistent content for your followers, you carry on as usual with your booming business.
If you took an extended Covid-19 outbreak sabbatical, you pick up the pieces, try to figure out how to rekindle your momentum and get your rankings back up.
Either way, everything’s gonna be alright. But one is obviously more preferable than the other.
Continue to put out the same brilliant content you always do so when the crisis is over and the fog clears, you’re still solid in Google’s rankings.
#3 You Need a Survival Plan
Being in the hotel industry, my boyfriend was one of the first people I knew to get laid off because of Covid-19.
He is not scheduled to go back to banquet chef-ing for another two months and you can bet he’s on the prowl for a hobby.
Our minds crave stimulation and our reptilian brains need to know that we have a plan to survive.
What if you get laid off?
Have to self-quarantine?
How are you going to stave off cabin fever?
Make money?
In this time of uncertainty, turn blogging into your anchor.
Aside from keeping your brain entertained, there is a very real possibility that we, collectively, will need to rely on our side-hustles now more than ever for income.
Don’t flush yours down the toilet.
You have the opportunity here to show up for your audience when they need you most and be your own backup plan.
Take it.
Don’t throw all your blogging work down the drain, instead, bet on yourself and work harder than ever.
Create your own financial and mental stability by continuing to blog like the freaking badass I know you are.
Related reading:
How to Keep Blogging When You Feel Like Giving Up
Conclusion
Now is not the time to give up on your blog, it’s the time to double-down.
Do it for your readers, who need a place to go that doesn’t feel like Armageddon.
Do it for your hard-earned Google rankings, who don’t know or give a shit about the world crumbling around them.
And do it for yourself – cause you’re smart, your mind needs something to do, and your bank account needs a backup plan.
Don’t give up, friends.
And don’t forget I’m here for you anytime you need a pep talk! I’m super-serious. Drop me a line, anytime. [email protected] I’ll set you up on the chaise lounge and listen.
Stay safe, bloggers.
