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Having been blogging nearly three years now, I can vouch for the amount of fun and hard work it is. There is constant pressure (both from within and from others) to put out new posts, get more followers on Twitter and Facebook, to take beautiful photos, to write moving words and not to mention doing all of that while making sure your posts are optimized for SEO. It can be tough, and at times overwhelming. I’m sure we’ve all had days of self doubt, wondering if what we’re doing is really worth it. Here are five tried and true blogging tips that have worked for me over the past few years.
1. Make a schedule and stick to it!
This took me a long time (too long) to figure out. I never thought having a schedule would be helpful, but my editorial calendar and iCal reminders have been the most amazing thing. What works for me is planning topics for the month and then crossing them off as I feel inspired.
2. Use social media.
This is kind of a given in 2013, but using social media properly can be such a powerful tool for your blog. Find other bloggers that are part of your niche and follow them on Twitter. Promote the works/posts of others in your niche; you want to be known as someone who shares valuable things that are worth reading. Use Facebook to interact with your readers, posing questions and having discussions is one of the best parts about Facebook. Don’t forget about Instagram and Pinterest as well, both awesome tools for building your brand.
3. Connect with other bloggers.
I touched on this on my previous point, but it’s important to cultivate relationships with other bloggers. Find bloggers in your niche and reach out to them on Twitter and leave thoughtful comments on their posts. Don’t be surprised if they begin reaching out to you.
4. Find your passion.
I know first hand that as a blogger it’s really important to be passionate about what you’re writing about. I blog about food and recipes. I’m also thinking about food and recipes 99% of the day. If you are passionate about what you’re writing about it, your readers will know and will gravitate toward your blog. Plus, it makes it more enjoyable when you’re talking about something you love.
5. Take breaks!
Not everything has to be a “blogging opportunity.” You don’t have to blog about every trip to the market, every trip to the movies. Sometimes unplugging for an afternoon can be the most inspiring and rejuvenating thing. People like to read blogs of people who are really out there living, if you’re always calculating whether this can be a new blog post, you’re not really living it!
Do you have any tried and true tips for blogging? Have you tried any of these tips, let me know if they help you out!
By
Kelli @ Life at 818
Thanks, good stuff! I’m a novice, but really enjoy blogging :o)
Leslie Jenkins
Great post! I shared it on my Facebook group!
Leslie
xoxo
http://fromadaughter.com
livinglou
Thanks for sharing, Leslie! Hope it’s helpful to you and your members.
- Louisa
Samantha
Thanks! Still new and have no clue to the SEO thing. What do you mean schedule? How would you do that?
Thanks <3
livinglou
Hi Samantha!
I love making a plan/loose schedule for blog posts for each month – it keeps me motivated and inspired. I use a word document or basic spread sheet in excel to plan ideas. Usually what I’ll do is sit down at the beginning of the month and write down ideas – I try to do 6-8 new posts a month. As I go through the month, I’m constantly checking back over my plan to cross things off or change things up if I come up with something better.
Once I’ve made my plan, I can start to make a loose schedule around specific events (think wanting to get specific posts online before Thanksgiving, Christmas, Superbowl etc.). I find using a calendar (either Google Calendar or iCal) or an old fashioned planner work well for scheduling posts. With a quick glance I can see what I should be posting for each week. Plus it keeps me on track!
Keep a look out, I’ll be sure to do a more in depth post all about planning/scheduling here on The Zesty Digest soon!
Hope that helps! Keep up the blogging
Amanda Carrington
These are all excellent points and certainly the biggest impact on me is remembering to switch off and recharge otherwise everything else doesn’t work as well!