9 Invaluable Pieces of Advice for New Bloggers and Content Creators
Getting started as a new blogger can be overwhelming. With so much to do, and so many successful content creators to look up to, you might wonder how you can ever stand out.
There’s no one secret to success, however, today, we want to share a few invaluable blogging tips that could make or break your blog baby!
Make Time to Nurture your Blog
When you first start blogging, it’s unlikely that it’s going to be your full-time job. You probably have a lot of other priorities to juggle, too: maybe you work 40 hours a week, have 2 children to raise, or are finishing up a degree at university.
It’s difficult to combine, working, eating, sleeping, relaxing and pursuing a new hobby. But, in the first few months of blogging, it’s vital that you make time for it.
We recommend choosing a time that you feel motivated, and making it a priority to spend that time writing.
Some people squeeze in their blogging by getting up an hour earlier everyday and blogging in bed. Others like to dedicate a Sunday afternoon to blogging.
Whenever it is that you decide to blog, make sure you make it a priority during your first few months of blogging.
Choose Self-Hosted from the Get Go
If you’ve started blogging as a way to make money, you should approach your blog seriously from the minute you begin. And, that means, choosing a self-hosted blogging platform.
By having a self-hosted blog, you pay a little bit of money every month to have ownership of your little space on the web. By doing this, you can then monetize your blog through ads and affiliate links.
More important than this, though, a self-hosted site will also give you more credibility as a blogger.
Self-hosted blog packages cost about the same amount as a cup of coffee each month. That’s why, we recommend that even bloggers who have no plans to monetize still begin with a self-hosted blog.
A lot of people start off on Wordpress hosted blogs then change their minds a few months down the line. However, they soon discover that migrating to a self-hosted blog is an expensive and time-consuming task.
Instead, save yourself the hassle and go self-hosted from the very beginning.
Don’t Compare your Beginning to Someone Else’s Middle
When you look at social media, everyone’s life seems like a picnic in the park. A nice, effortless 100k followers, a blog bringing in $10k per month there.
But, when you’re starting out, just remember that success doesn’t always come that easily. If you have 100 followers in your first month, pat yourself on the back for that, rather than spiting yourself for not having tens of thousands more.
Or Throw in the Towel Too Early….
Thousands of people start blogs everyday, but the shared secret of everyone at the top is persistence. Even when you can’t be bothered, or you think you’re going to fail, just keep creating!
Choose a Clean and Responsive Theme
One of the biggest turn-offs for web users visiting a new website is clutter and unclear navigation. To counter this, choose a clean and crisp theme with easy to navigate menus.
Professional looking themes are inexpensive and easy to find on websites like Theme Forest and Etsy.
Make sure that the theme you choose is also mobile responsive so that the design looks the same across all platforms.
Learn to Edit your Photos Well
The internet has become such a visual place and photography can really make or break the content that you create. Whether you decide to invest in a camera, or use your smartphone for photography, learn the basics of photo editing, or buy a few good presets or filters.
If you want to be taken seriously as a blogger, keep your grainy nightclub photos for the privacy of your own phone.
Keep your Writing Friendly and Conversational
One of the cardinal sins of new bloggers is writing blog posts like a university essay. Remember, people are there because they want to hear from you.
I recommend writing your blog posts like your writing to a friend, for maximum authenticity. Yeah, you might not get to show off all the big words in your vocabulary, but you’ll do a better job at retaining your followers.
And your Paragraphs Brief
In today’s attention short world, it’s vital that you keep your readers engaged and focussed. To do this, make sure you don’t overwhelm them with huge bodies of text.
Keep your paragraphs short and sweet- about 3 sentences is the perfect medium.
And don’t be afraid of super short paragraphs like this, either!
Put your Audience at the Heart of what your Write
If there’s one thing that makes any blog mind numbingly boring, it’s a blog filled with self-centered diary entries.
While your blog should be personal, you should still give your audience some thought from time to time.
Deliver them value. Something they want to read. And something you know they like.
Think about who your audience is, what content they enjoy and get creating.
This might mean that you’ll need to analyze your figures a lot, but it’s a worthwhile job for a loyal following.
We hope that these tips will help you get the best start as a blogger. Here at Foresting, we want to do everything we can to support content creators, which is why our app rewards bloggers for the content they create.
Learn more on our website and follow along on Social Media to keep up to date with the most current Foresting news!
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