It’s been a few years since I first started writing this blog. It is a humble little home and I hope you feel welcome here, always. Is it exactly what I want it to be? Nope. Do I wish I had extra hours in the day to redesign/rename/write more/promote more/connect more? You betcha. But, it’s my spot on the interwebs & if you’ve been gracious enough to be one of my 10s of readers, I do hope you’ll keep coming around.
Especially now that our laptop is fixed.
Except the A key. Still not quite right. But better than the blue screen of death, so I’ll take it 🙂
Coincidentally, my sweet friend whose husband fixed our laptop asked me the other day how to start a blog. So I of course wrote her an email and gave her my top tips for blogging. Which in my mind then turned into a blog post. Ah, the circle of life.
So, in case you don’t blog but have thought about blogging, or if you don’t care a lick about having your own blog but are bored and can’t stop reading my OH SO EXCITING post, here are my tips for starting your own blog (don’t hold your breath. It’s all been said before. See tip #9.)
Tips for Newbie Bloggers
1. Decide where you want to blog. I went with Blogger because it was the most user friendly to figure out. WordPress is another popular option – you can have a free blog with both, you just have to decide which format you prefer. Personally, I think if I ever get to the point where I want to pay for my domain name I would switch to WordPress, but for now, Blogger is easy.
2. Think about a blog name. My blog address is just my name, and then when you get to my blog my header says “Shine.” It was the easiest way to do it for me at the beginning because all the blog names I came up with were already taken. Thanks, world. Eventually I want to come up with something darling, unique, and fabulous, but for now…it’s my name. At least you know whose blog you’re looking at {wink} and it seems in line with the trend of all the bloggers I follow changing their Twitter handles from their blog names to their real names. Ahead of the curve, I tell you.
3. Set up your blog. Easy peasy. Blogger walks you through the whole thing. I’m sure WordPress does, too. I’ve only guest posted on WordPress though, so if any of you sweet readers want to add any WordPress tips in the comments, by all means!
4. Start writing! You can schedule posts, so if you have a day where you write 5 posts you can have them auto post throughout the week or month if you want. Writers block? Read. Read the Bible, read a magazine, watch TV, make a craft, take some photos – do something ELSE and the words will come.
5. Adding pictures to posts is key to keep readers interested, and if there is something important you want them to take away, make it bold, or italics, or a different color. Also…don’t write a novel. Blog posts are read by people with short attention spans 😉 Or maybe that’s just me. Ooh something sparkly!
6. Follow blogs you love, comment on their posts, and participate in reviews/link ups/guest posts, etc. Some of my favorites are Allume, where I contribute monthly (ahem) and (in)courage (love love love) is always accepting guest posts. So do a lot of individual bloggers, like my friend & Allume roomie Mary Beth (aka New Life Steward)…ps friend, I’m sending you a guest post. I promise.
7. Share your links on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn…wherever there are people. Share share share. I still haven’t found THE PERFECT blog auto share tool (blog lovin vs. networked blogs, for example) so if anyone has tips on that, leave ’em in the comments!
8. Participate in Twitter parties! I’ve gotten a ton of Twitter & blog followers after some really fun parties. Just make sure you do no typing at all that day, drink lots of coffee, and have practiced your speed reading & you’ll be good to go.
9. The “Don’ts”: Don’t feel like you have to post every day. Don’t try to be a “voice” that you’re not just because you think people will like you more or you’ll get more readers – you’ll end up exhausted and out of words. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else or think that what you have to say has already been done or been done better – it may have been done, but not by YOU and you might be the voice someone responds to.
10. My final tip and my own personal rule? I don’t post anything I’m not proud to leave my daughter as a legacy. I want her to read and know who her mommy was at this time in my life and not be ashamed – either that I was fake, or that I posted things she wishes I wouldn’t have said.
What other blogging tips would you give to a new blogger? I’d love to hear them!
Thank you so much, Crystal! I was led to your blog. I have followed your lead. The dance has begun. So grateful. http://graceillustrated.me
Love it!!! Great advice;) thank you
Thanks for the shout out! I love that final rule! That’s a great standard. Also, I love me a good twitter party. That’s where I met YOU after all!
MB