Everyone hates to be criticised. Whatever form it takes, criticism can seriously upset and demoralise. Sometimes it even leaves you wondering, why bother in the first place?

As a blogger, you are extremely vulnerable to criticism the moment that comment form opens up. Your blog is an open target for anyone who comes by, and worse still, you are a live one, 24/7.

Life’s a bitch - you can’t win them all! So why let the negativity pull you down?

Imagine throughout your life, the amount of criticism you have had to face. No doubt some were out just to put you down, but there were just as many whose intentions were to provide constructive criticism. Now, imagine again how much improvement you could have squeezed out of those?

All you need is to maintain a positive mindset towards criticism. As a result, I can guarantee that more ideas will spring from your mind, you can blog better and more, and that tiny piece of virtual estate you own can skyrocket through the 70-million dense blogomerate that Ken talked about.

1. Learn to take criticism constructively
I have had my fair share since my blog rammed itself right into people’s faces. Some of them sound downright nasty (thankfully, these were private), but I tuned my attitude to look for the positive aspects. Do not take things personally, learn to laugh at yourself and others, and the rest will follow. Remember on the Internet, contact is virtual. You depend on words to get your thoughts across. Unless people accompany it with videos, there is no way to know if they meant to be rubbishing you or just being helpful. Take everything with a pinch of salt.

2. Learn to identify ideas from criticism
Here’s one way not to get annoyed when you see ugly messages - read between the lines, look at what the criticism might suggest in a form of a suggestion or an idea. Sometimes the nastiest comment presents itself as a great opportunity to improve your blog.

3. Ask for critique
Do this within your post, or even in comments. Your blog posts are conversation initiators. Once people get into the act leaving comments, encourage further discussions with your replies. You can even bounce ideas off your readers which can contribute a lot of improvements your way.

4. Control your anger
When receiving criticism, very often the natural instinct would be to hit right back. Think twice before doing that - step back and take a deep breath. Focus on what the message is trying to convey. If there is something positive to be replied to, do so. If not, no one would fault you for ignoring it. In fact, by striking back often, you can tread the thin line between self-defence and looking unprofessional and spiteful.

The above are 4 simple ways to take criticism in your stride and to grow from it, instead of getting involved in vengeful and unproductive debates. There are many bloggers who use their site as personal forums and engage in verbal battles. But if you wish to contribute to your readers and your own growth, being professional and approachable is critical. By accepting criticism and being positive about it, your blog will be more productive and the better for it.

Guest Post by YC

YC is the author of Internet Marketing Mind, where he shares his ideas on Internet Marketing and making money online while leveraging on resources from his previous professional and current experience to achieve financial freedom. Learn how to create massive traffic for your blog, even if you are new!

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