Criticism is gold. As a blogger, you’ve likely read posts about how to shut out or ignore criticism.
Maybe you’ve heard how successful bloggers used criticism as fuel to burn their competitive fire.
Only one problem…..what you resist is true to you.
In some cases, critics are mean-spirited people who want to project their unhappiness on you but in many instances, a less than the tactful reader is presenting you with a golden nugget of truth. If a critic angers you, they did you a wonderful service.
They revealed some block/truth that you should face and embrace to learn from.
Once you mine truth from criticism you can monetize feedback swiftly.
Take 5 Deep Breaths
Imagine you just emailed the perfect article – in your mind – to a freelance client. Or you published an inspired, sensational post to your blog.
Instead of being lavished with praise, the client picks apart your article. A commentator or 2 decides to blast your post to shreds.
What should you do? Take a deep breath. Inhale slowly to cure your racing thoughts syndrome because if you’re like most bloggers or humans your mind will race like mad the moment a critic lays into you.
Breathing deeply sets the table for the cash-generating side of things because you can clearly and intelligently process feedback from a calm, relaxed space.
Write a Blog Post
Whether you agree or disagree with the feedback you can dissect the issue with a blog post. Or you can publish a post like this.
Teach your readers how to deal with criticism. Experience is your greatest teacher. Pay it forward by sharing this lesson with your readers.
By publishing a helpful post you can boost your blogging cash flow and provide a valuable service for your audience because few folks know how to effectively process criticism.
Assess the Veracity of the Criticism
OK…..this one may sting. Is the criticism true? Is the feedback accurate? Some truthful, direct people have zero tact. Some truthful, direct people are miserable.
Look at your blog in the light of truth. The angry, rude critic may set you free if they criticized your blog’s appearance or if they complained about your thin content.
Uploading a new, professional theme or creating in-depth, thorough content can improve your monetizing campaign overnight.
The change suggested – even if presented in a boorish manner – may just boost your blogging income quickly if you see the truth in the feedback. Once the sting wears off simply admit that the critic made a good point and honor their feedback. Your ego may feel hurt but your bank account will thank you.
Learn the Power of Being ‘For’
Have you noticed how placid, calm people seem to prosper easily? Of course, they have critics but instead of fighting their critics outwardly and internally the calm, peaceful crowd releases bad matches to make room for good matches.
Being ‘for’ your audience, your blog, and your brand devote your creative energies to serving people who would buy your products and hire you. Peaceful people process criticism gracefully because they aren’t ‘against’ critics nor do they rail ‘against’ haters.
Let go of the next critic you face after doing them a kind turn. Help them out in some way by tweeting their latest post or by thanking them for their support and you’ll not play the mental head games/internal strife that plague many criticized bloggers, nor will you fight critics in an outward, combative way.
Be for. Let go of the critic in minutes by processing their feedback. Store it away to improve your blog if it’s valid and simply move forward to connecting with and supporting other people who are rabid fans of your blog.
Where you choose to put your attention and energy grows quickly. Focus on helping your fans, not on fighting critics, and more fans will show up to your blog to buy your eBooks or to hire you.
Your Turn:
If you would like more in-depth information and coaching to learn how to blog successfully then sign up for our 12 module coaching program.
How do you deal with critics?
What tips can you add to turn criticism into cash?
I’d love to hear your thoughts below.