17 In Blogging

Tips Every New Blogger Should Know

When I first thought about starting a blog, I just thought you put words down on a screen and hoped that people wanted to read them.

At that time, I only had two kids under two and thought I knew enough to tell others how to be a mom! That was along time ago and for the most part, I’m glad I didn’t start my blog then. Then there is the other part of me that wishes I did start when I first thought about it, because it was before blogs were really popular. I could have made mistake after mistake and no one would really know! And if I had another twelve years of experience behind me, things might look different. But I know that all things happen for a reason, and my path took me down a long road of mistakes and successes, and led to starting a blog a couple years ago.

Even with twelve extra years behind me, I was still quite clueless when I entered the blogging world. I had a lot of social media training, which was a blessing, but I still had quite the learning curve. When I think back to that first year as a blogger, I know I could have saved myself time and a few failures had I known a few things before jumping in. Now, I have combined my love of blogging with my love for teaching women how to build online businesses and you get to benefit!

I asked a group full of women bloggers what they wish they knew when they started blogging, and I received a vast array of responses. These ladies were all so eager to share their knowledge with you, in hopes that it helps you as a beginning blogger.

 

CRUCIAL TIPS FOR NEW BLOGGERS

 

Alexandra from It’s Not Complicated Recipes:

As a fairly new blogger myself, I have been so grateful for the support I have received from other bloggers. I cannot stress enough the importance of building relationships and networking with fellow bloggers. These are your allies! You will get great advice, receive support whenever you need it, you will build fabulous relationships – and also, be able to engage and receive engagement in return. Blogging isn’t always easy – and you need a great group of people by your side.

You can find Alexandra on Pinterest.

 

Rose from ROSE BARNETT:

Having a blogging strategy from day one would give a new blogger the jump on things.  Going in without a plan for how to make money, get traffic or even what to post will cause you to waste time and lose momentum.  There are several things that go into having a good blogging strategy, including a social media strategy, posting schedule, email marketing plan and even things like where you are going to get your stock photos.  I encourage all new bloggers to take time to research and plan before launching. You can follow Rose on Facebook for more tips.

 

Waynna from All Graced Up:

When I started blogging I knew the potential of blogs, but I didn’t believe that the profit potential was possible for me.  What I would have told that busy mama a year ago is to set goals & work hard.  And that anything is possible with faith!  I also wish I would have known the power of Pinterest!!  I researched many articles on how to market, monetize & gain traction to your blog & the common denominator was Pinterest.  Pinterest paired with basic SEO strategies and a scheduler (Tailwind) is where the potential happens!  I also would have told myself not to stress over the things I thought I couldn’t do.  Life runs in a series of seasons and when we think it’s never ending, we rise up & see the light.  So grace friend.  Grace to start, grace to continue and grace to finish the race.

Tamara from EMPOWERED SINGLE MOMS

I wish I had known how to pick a name for my blog. It is much more important that the name be clear rather than clever and be aware of keywords. My initial name was Parenting 2 Home Kids. This was clear to me: the focus was meant to be on raising kids whose parents are divorced or never married to each other, but are co-parenting so they live in two homes. Many people thought it was about homeschooling. Now the name of my blog is Empowered Single Moms. It was a lot of work and hassle to change the name and rebrand. Bonus tip: Start with WordPress – that also would have saved me a ton of extra work and frustration.
You can pin with Tamara here!

Cindy from LIVING FOR THE SUNSHINE

My blogging tip is to make connections in your niche and find some blogging friends. It’s great for cross promotion and also support through your blogging journey.

Colleen from GOODBYE ANXIETY HELLO JOY

First-time bloggers…give yourself more time than you would ever expect it to take.  Like most things in life, blogging is not as easy as it seems.  Take the time to invest in learning about SEO, Pinterest, Social Media, Google Analytics, etc.  Understand that you will never know everything in the beginning, but it is better to learn from the start than to have to go back and re-do so many things.
Connect with Colleen on Facebook. 

Yolanda from Put The Kettle On:

My advice for someone just starting to blog.
 
Before launching your blog, write a business plan. It’s important that you have a strategy in place so you can refer back to it often. This will help you stay focused with all other blog tasks as a new blogger and down the road.  Key components to include are: 
– Understand why you want to blog. Is it to make money, for a hobby or other reasons?
– Know your overall blog theme or niche.
– Define your target audience. Who are you talking to? What are their passions, challenges? Think about how you will solve your audience’s problems and what you have to offer that is unique.
– Brainstorm content ideas.
– If your plan is to make money, research monetization tactics early on.
Yolanda has more blogging tips on her Pinterest account. 

Cate from THE SWEET AND SIMPLE LIFE

If I knew then what I know now, it would be this: treat your blog like a real business. Real businesses have targeted customers, marketing strategies, and the ability to solve real problems. Real businesses have real sales, they know who they’re trying to reach and how they’re going to help them. Keep refining your audience, your message, and your offerings. That’s when the magic happens.
You can connect with Cate on Instagram!

Niki at Toot’s Mom Is Tired:

Start researching SEO techniques now. A lot of new bloggers don’t even know what that is or that they need to know it. But it’s very important to understand how Google works and how it can bring you a steady stream of traffic.
Follow Niki on Instagram here.

Jenna at The Urben Life:

Below are a few of my top tips for new bloggers!

  • Once you decide to start blogging, connect your social profiles. Don’t wait until you reach a certain number of followers or page views! Having a Facebook page lets you connect to a Business Account on Instagram. This is valuable because you’ll be able to see insights such as your weekly reach and impressions, audience demographics, and average times your followers are on Instagram.
  • Join local and niche specific blogging communities. Having a group of friends to motivate, support, and inspire you is invaluable! There are plenty of Facebook Groups and websites to connect with other bloggers. Don’t be shy, put yourself out there!
  • Don’t compare yourself to other bloggers. Remain authentic, put your readers first, and remember why you started!

You can find Jenna hanging out on Instagram.

 

April at Love Our Real Life:

There are so many things that can steal your attention as a new blogger.  My biggest advice would be to focus on growing your email list! Connect with your audience from the very beginning by sending weekly emails.  Engage at every opportunity. If you establish this connection, your readers will be incredibly loyal because you have taken the time to let them know you on a personal level!

You can pin with April on Pinterest here!

 

Heather at A LIFE IN LABOR:

If I were to give a new blogger one indispensable blogging tip to always keep in mind it would be to blog about something they are are passionate about. I get questions all of the time about how to think of new blog post ideas, how to stay motivated to keep blogging through the tough times, and how to stick with it when blogging get’s overwhelming. The answer is always passion. If you are blogging about something that you can’t shut up about in your day to day life, you will succeed. If you are passionate about your blog, you will never run out of ideas.

Connect with Heather on Instagram!

 

Angel at ANGELPENN:

Stay TRUE to your voice. There are a lot of people blogging…and that is ok. No one has your voice. It is important and distinctly yours. Don’t feel like you have to write like, look like or sound like anyone else. Your audience wants to get to know YOU!

You can find Angel hanging out on Instagram!

 

 

Jenny at WHY GIVE ONLINE:

The number one thing that I wish I had known when I started blogging was that my words have value. I spent a lot of time, about 8 months, after starting my blog waiting for something to happen and being disappointed that it was not. I would work up the courage to write another post, and then be disappointed when not much happened. Once I decided to believe that my words had value and that my blog could be much more than it currently was, things changed. I engaged in blogging courses, joined Facebook groups, and blogged up a storm! My words started to have more value to others when I worked hard to let my words be seen!

You can connect with Jenny over on her Facebook page! 

 

Terryn at JUST A SIMPLE HOME:

If I could sit down with you (over coffee, of course) and tell you what I wish I had known early on in my blogging journey, it might take awhile! But if I only had a few minutes, I would give you these tips:

  • Your topic will likely change as you change. Don’t be afraid to write about a variety of topics in the beginning and see what comes of it. When I started my blog, I thought I was going to remodel my home and write all about home decor! You can see I don’t write about that at all!
  • Community is everything! There are so many blogging groups out there, but every group is not created equal. Join a bunch and see where you fit in. The groups I thought I had to be in when I started are not the groups I am in now. I have made some amazing friends in my blogging group and it really feels like a community. Join Blogging With Heart HERE.
  • Be everywhere but focus on only one platform. When you start out, make sure to join each social platform so you get your name choice, but choose to focus on one. Become an expert in that platform and put your efforts there. Schedule the others and pop in occasionally. When you really have an engaged platform and are comfortable, then focus on another.

Follow our page BLOG WITH HEART for more blogging tips and resources for new and advanced bloggers! 

 

 

These ladies have some great tips for beginning bloggers! I hope they have encouraged you to start or keep persevering on your blogging journey. Blogging is definitely a marathon, not a sprint. Choose to be in it for the long haul, and you will see success. Find your tribe, connect with your readers, and always be learning and you will be just fine.

 

Tips and Advice For Every New Bloggers from Successful Bloggers

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17 Comments

  • Reply
    Yolanda
    November 4, 2018 at 8:54 am

    This is such a good roundup Terryn! Even though I’m not new it’s great to hear everyone’s perspective. Thanks for including my tip as well!

  • Reply
    Alexandra
    November 5, 2018 at 8:48 am

    Thank you for including my tip, Terryn!
    This post is a post that every new blogger should read 🙂 I myself have learnt a lot! Thanks for sharing!

  • Reply
    Carli
    November 5, 2018 at 9:50 am

    I love these tips. I also love that you didn’t give them all from your own experience. Having such a wide array of opinions is so helpful. Now let me go follow all those so I can make some new blogging friends.

  • Reply
    Danica
    November 5, 2018 at 10:33 am

    Thank you for sharing and gathering these. I am just starting blogging and could use as many tips as I can get to work out how to be successful.

  • Reply
    jenna urben
    November 5, 2018 at 12:17 pm

    Community really is everything! Thanks for sharing these valuable tips. I remember feeling so lost and alone when I first started blogging. Having blogger friends who understand is beyond helpful. Writing a business plan is also essential, I often take time to refocus every month and make sure I’m remaining true to my mission and authentic voice. I’m sure this post will help many new bloggers 🙂

  • Reply
    Michelle
    November 5, 2018 at 1:53 pm

    These are all SO good!! And, I’ve navigated through so several of them. I’ve been blogging for almost a decade and wish I had this post back then! XO

  • Reply
    Stacey
    November 5, 2018 at 2:35 pm

    Wow- what a collection of power bloggers! I’m pretty new and would agree that everything has taken longer than anticipated. People who are pros talk about crafting an e-mail in 30 minutes. I can write it in that time, but figuring out the technical side can take four or five times that long! It takes a lot of patience and perseverance.

  • Reply
    Kimberly
    November 5, 2018 at 3:16 pm

    All of these tips are awesome. I just started blogging this year as a hobby but I’d love to monetize it someday. I agree fellow bloggers really do help you out. They’ve helped me with so many stupid questions or times I was frustrated and needed some encouragement.

  • Reply
    Wendy Wallace
    November 5, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    These are really great tips. I’m still in the newbie stage and I learned a lot. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

  • Reply
    April at Love Our Real Life
    November 5, 2018 at 6:51 pm

    Fantastic advice from so many well-respected bloggers. I’m honored to be included!

  • Reply
    Keating
    November 6, 2018 at 9:18 am

    Yes to all of these! Especially the business plan! I didn’t start my blog with the intention of making money from it, but once I decided I wanted to turn it into my business, I didn’t make an actual business plan until maybe two years later. Now, I update that plan every 4-6 months and it’s so incredibly helpful to have.

  • Reply
    Maria
    November 10, 2018 at 10:54 am

    Great advice! Thanks for the encouragement!

  • Reply
    Erin @ Her Heartland Soul
    November 18, 2018 at 1:00 pm

    These are amazing tips!

  • Reply
    Nicole Kauffman
    November 21, 2018 at 7:37 am

    These are awesome, awesome tips! Thanks for sharing! As my new blog is getting traction, I definitely need reminded of these!

  • Reply
    Elizabeth | Tiredmom Supermom
    January 23, 2019 at 11:48 pm

    What an amazing round up of tips! I am a new blogger and this is super helpful to me. Thank you so much for putting this together.

  • Reply
    Kimmy Ripley (Give It A Whirl Girl)
    February 6, 2019 at 7:48 am

    This is all outstanding advice! Gives me something to think about, that’s for sure!

  • Reply
    Buzzer Joseph
    May 4, 2020 at 7:42 am

    Thanks a lot for these blogging tips and advice. I have been into blogging for a while, but I also learnt new tips from this article.

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