My Advice For New Bloggers

Thinking of starting a blog but stuck at square one?  Are you a relatively new blogger who isn’t sure if you’re on the right track?  A veteran blogger who is due for a bit of a brand shake up?  Or, are you just here because you’re a regular reader and wondering why I’m asking so many questions?  All of the above and beyond are welcome, because this is for YOU!  Heck, I should be doing more of this stuff – it’s for me too!

I’ve been trying to properly compile my advice for newbie bloggers after a few email inquiries that I’ve left unanswered (I’m so sorry if I’ve not gotten back to you).  I understand that overwhelming feeling, as I pretty much felt the same way simply trying to summarize my thoughts on the matter!  The trick, was Adam asking for a co-worker the other day.  All he had to do was say that she was fresh on the blogging scene and was hoping for some insight from me.  I spewed out the below information, with Adam’s guidance.  He’s actually really talented at coming up with content, I just don’t think he realizes it yet.  I’ll have to just keep tricking him into collaborating on posts.

Below is what I (we) came up with.  It doesn’t cover the specifics or tech side of things, but rather some general suggestions and questions to ask yourself in those early phases.  Please let me know in the comments below if you have any further questions, or another post that you’d like to see.

Focus and Direction
Be honest with yourself and ask, why are you starting this blog?  What do you ultimately want to accomplish?  Is this going to be a creative outlet to showcase your art, photography, or writing?  Is it that you hope to make additional income?  Maybe it’s to share your recipes or wellness journey?  Whatever the reason, having a goal or mission statement in mind is going to help you so much during your blogging journey.  Even if things change along the way, it’ll be much easier to pivot if you’re sure of what you’re creating.

When it comes to social media, you’ll need to remain focused.  With various options like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Tumblr, Snapchat, Insta Stories, Periscop, etc., there’s no point in trying to do it all!  Put your efforts into a few social media channels and concentrate on managing those really well.  In order to narrow down what works for you, I recommend some research into these platforms.  Decide where your intended audience is spending the most time and definitely factor in which apps you like the most.

Find Your Voice
It can take some time to really discover your online voice.  My writing style has always been to mimic the way I talk in real life, and I’ve felt most comfortable with that.  The best way to figure this out is to write as much as possible.  Write when the mood strikes, write lists of ideas when they come to mind, write when you can’t quite find the words and eventually, you’ll find that writing style that best represents you!  This is very useful for social media as well.

When it comes to topics for your posts, this can be one of the toughest components.  I’ve definitely been there, googling ‘what to blog about’ as though the answer would magically jump out at me (spoiler alert: that never helped).  I now keep a running list of ideas that I was able to narrow down into categories.  Always trying to write, I start to expand on each topic idea , even if it’s just bullet points, so that when I want to finally complete the post, I have a solid starting point.  Wondering what to write about?  Well, what kinds of things would you recommend to friends?  What’s happening in your life right now that you’d love to share?  Or what do people ask your opinion on?  Something that is second nature to you might be completely foreign to a reader.

Introduce Yourself
Online or in person, networking is essential.  The internet is a vast and wonderful place, but people will never find you if they don’t even know to look for you. Find new people to follow on social media, reach out through thoughtful comments and engagement.  Make sure your blog and social depict an accurate, cohesive first impression.  The blogosphere is quite saturated, so making your story/blog’s mission clear to new people who find you is going to encourage them read on and to come back.  Talk about your blog in person too!  There have been plenty of times where I’ve hesitated to share with someone that I blog for a living and 90% of the time, people have actually been quite perceptive and encouraging.  The more you get the word out there, the bigger your support system is to start!

Do Some Research
When you’re starting from scratch or in a blog rut, it can seem impossible to move forward.  I’ve had people ask me things like how to get more Instagram followers, or how to have a ‘successful’ blog (not that I do).  Unfortunately, I don’t have the magic answer.  The truth is, that when I find myself asking these same questions, I do some research.  There’s so many resources on other blogs, YouTube, Pinterest, in books, and beyond.  In order to stay relevant and up to date, improvement through research will always be necessary.  Whenever I can do an e-course, watch a tutorial, or listen to a business podcast, I take the time to do so.  There’s always more to learn!

If you’re looking for a couple of recommendations, Marie Forleo has a wealth of knowledge.  I’ve also looked to Melyssa Griffin and Lori Harder for tips (her podcast is excellent).  I also love the search function on Pinterest.  Something simple like ‘starting a blog’ brings up a ton of useful articles!

Just Go For It
You could drive yourself crazy trying to make things ‘perfect’ if you don’t just GO FOR IT!  Sometimes experimenting and trial and error is your best way to learn. That’s why this industry is creative. There’s no exact formula to follow. Be authentic, be your wonderful self and somewhere in the world, someone will draw inspiration from you. It’s supposed to be fun – you’re going to do so well!

Hope this was helpful to you in some way.  I’ve included a Pinnable image below as well. And if you have a blog that you want to share, would love to take a look!  Be sure to link it below xo