Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase .

New to blogging – ten tips to set you straight!

When you’re new to blogging you think that all you have to do is spew words onto your virtual audience and fame, fortune and adoration will follow.

Not so my friend!

Here’s Ten Tips to set you straight.

Rule #1 – Understand what blogging is.

Blogging is a fluid, dynamic beast that may require wrangling with from time to time to get it under control but, if you approach it in a methodical, sensible manner then, quite quickly you will see that there are many, many facets to being a blogger.

1. Writing skills (Obviously)

2. Graphic Design

3. Affiliate marketing

4. Copy writing

5. Email marketing

6. Creating Products

7. Outreach

8. Social Media

Rule #2 – You can’t eat an Elephant whole!

If that above list overwhelmed you, let me just say, that’s that beginning… not that whole thing. The good news is you don’t have to be great at all of them or wait until you have mastered all of them before you launch yourself on that unsuspecting public.

Your job is write, hopefully help people and, piece by piece, join that dots together over time to build your blogging picture. Understand that in that first six months that learning curve is Massive!

Rule #3 – This is your new business so, treat it like a business.

If this were your day job, showing up when you felt like and only putting 10% effort in for over 50% of that time would probably get you fired. Blogging is that same. You need to make time to do your job properly, which may require a HUGE mental shift in that beginning.

Of course – it could be just that opposite where you have devoted every waking minute to getting your blog going that that dishes are piled high and you haven’t showered in a week. Neither of these scenarios will work people and petty soon blogging will become a chore instead of a passion.

Rule #4 – Blog for your audience – not yourself.

This is especially important if you want to build trust and eventually monetize your blog (which everyone seems to steam straight ahead into and it’s obvious they’re not ready).

This is where you discover your style and I would suggest you always be yourself when you write. It will be exhausting trying to maintain a false persona over a long period of time.

Your focus right now is to find out what people want to know and try to help solve a problem, give guidance and alleviate pain. If someone reads a blog post and comments – ALWAYS reply. As a blogger we are frequently talking to ourselves but as a reader, you want your chosen Blogger to acknowledge you. It makes us feel important.

Rule #5 – If you want to be perceived as professional, start like a professional!

Here is where I can’t stress enough that having that right platform and hosting from DAY ONE is going to save you both time and money in that long run.

I recommend WORDPRESS and BLUEHOST but, you don’t have to take my word for it. Do a Google search and you will see most professional bloggers will be saying that same thing. (Yes – these are my affiliate links).

The blog doesn’t have to perfect on Day one, in fact, I believe I’m into my fifth theme now (and I’m pretty happy with it). Shout out Jennifer at Hello You Designs!

Give your audience AT LEAST 3 ways to follow you. Not everyone uses Pinterest or likes Facebook.

Rule #6 – Build a routine.

My number one tip is to be consistent. Plan your post before you write it. My typical writing day looks something like this:-

* Research topic

* Research stock images

* Outline that post

(sometimes I head out here: awesome coffee is key to solid writing, or sometimes I sit in my kitchen)

* Brain dump into that post outline.

* Go back and refine, re read, rephrase, spell check. Flesh out that article.

* Take a step back – What were your goals or objectives in writing that post? Where they achieved? Is someone going to be helped if they read what you’ve written?

* Insert Media images

* Publish that Blog post

Optional Extras:-

* Build Pin (I use Canva) and post to Pinterest

* Insta / Google / Tweet / Page that sucker (I use Hootsuite but more in that in a minute)

* Email your list (more on that too..)

Rule #7 – Quality over quantity

I don’t care what it is – Content, Images, Advice. Your aim is to give quality every time.

I could have filled post after post with 300 word bits of blurbs that serve no-one, except to make it look like I’ve been busy. That’s not that point of Spendaholics Anon.   I seldom write less than 1000 words and some of my more verbose musings are closer to 3000.

I search for hours for high resolution quality images and sometimes I purchase and sometimes they’re free. It’s important to know that difference.

I do not write BS about a topic I know nothing about. I know a lot of people do, but NOT ME!

Rule #8 – FOCUS! A Jack of all is a Master of None

Social Media and Email marketing play a huge role in my next “Rule” but, do not try to master all of that platforms at once. You will surely fail.

Spreading yourself too thin and not mastering each platform, one at a time (we are back to that Elephant again) is folly.

You should decide early on if you will start visual (Pinterest and Instagram) or Social (Facebook and Twitter) and at what stage you will branch out or add to your avenues of reaching people.

I am currently trialing Hootsuite which is a scheduling platform. For free I have three of my “following” streams (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) all on one dashboard so, once I’ve written that post and published it I simply pick up that URL and place it into my streams on Hootsuite and then it posts to all of my platforms at once (or staggered if I schedule it so). This leaves me free to post my Pin on Pinterest and blast out a quick email to my list to let them know there’s a new blog post. Voila – Easy peasey, lemon squeezy.

The next level up for me is a professional account that would enable me to add Google plus, Linked In… whatever, but that costs dollars that I don’t feel committed to yet.

Rule #9 – List building.

Building your email list, or following, or audience From Day One is vital. It’s a mistake I made (and many others too I feel) and so, many a fine article got published with zero interaction. No one was reading anything (except my Mom – Hi Momma).

Interacting with your Tribe and helping them builds a level trust. Without this trust you cannot recommend products to them (or you can but you will lose people and their trust) and if you don’t eventually recommend products you can’t sell (make money).

You will notice that my blog has very few ads. No pop ups. Nothing obnoxious. The products I recommend I am using or have in my house (Salt lamp / Gravity blanket / champagne ). that books I review I have READ! They are a part of my library.

If I write about something you can take it to that bank that I’ve Been There, Done That; Bought that T Shirt. What does that mean? Means I can be trusted. OK it may take a little while for you to buy into that but I’ve got plenty of that….time.

Rule #10 – Invest!

Invest in YOU. Invest in your ongoing education, in your products, in your blog. A penny or two spent here will save you time and hundreds of dollars further down that line.

If Graphic design is not your thing then don’t half ass it – outsource it to a professional. There’s some amazing people on Fiverr that can do pretty much anything and everything, for as little as $5 ( a Fiver – get it?)

I have no idea how to build my own on line course so, you know what my next project will be? Outsource that sucker and then fine tune it.

Last but not least – The Unwritten rule of blogging…

Have Fun!

XO

Anna