More Simple Blogging Tips for Beginners

I previously wrote 10 tips for blogging beginners.  It appeared that there are still plenty of people just starting their blogging journeys or those struggling to get readership.  I’m no expert and I’m not making much money, but I’ve been at it long enough to have learned a few things I’ve found invaluable.  So, let me share a few more simple blogging tips with you.  Perhaps in the near future, I can start sharing slightly more advanced tips to push you to the next level.

Be Consistent

I’ve found you get more views if you consistently post on specific days.  I used to do my “variety” posts on Monday, Wednesdays are for reviews, and Fridays are health.  My main blog that I post to on Mondays I try to post to every week.  Everything else I consider bonus material, so you may or may not see a Wednesday and Friday post.  When I post offers, contests, and sweepstakes, those just get posted as they happen.

Currently, I have been trying to schedule everything for Mondays as I get back into the swing of blogging.  Since my drafts are beginning to pile up, I’m considered posting twice a week.  The key is to have a generally consistent schedule for your readers to count on.

Prepare to try new strategies

If you regularly post at 2:00 p.m. but find that the majority of your target group is online around 9 p.m., you’re missing out on some serious opportunity to grow your readership.  Post things at different times and see when you get the most response.  Same goes with your email newsletter.  I use mailchimp for my newsletter service, and I’ve been known to change up the delivery time on occasion to check out the click/open rate.  They also offer Split campaigns to send your newsletter to two groups at different times, for exactly this reason.

Other ways to change up strategies include using different communication methods like photos, videos, or simply text.  You could also ask questions or take polls instead of only posting what you want your readers to read.

Make Commenting Easy

The last thing I want to do, as a reader, is to sign up for a special commenting website to leave you a comment on your post.  That turns me away quickly.  I’m only mildly okay with entering a captcha to prove I’m human.  As a blogger, I care about the time it takes for my readers to respond.  By that, I mean, I want it to be easy for you to comment on my posts.  I bear the burden of moderating my comments so save you the time.  Burden?  No, it’s not really.  Most of my commenters have been great.  You can easily use the comment form your blog host provides, or install IntenseDebate commenting form which allows various ways for your readers to sign in and comment!

Everyone Has An Opinion

Some people aren’t going to like or agree with you.  Your writing style may not appeal to some, while others are going to enjoy it.  Who cares.  Everyone has an opinion and you’re expressing your voice through a public channel.  If you don’t want to hear what other people have to say, don’t put your thoughts out there.  I actually don’t mind when someone disagrees with my opinions … it gives us good reason to discuss differences.  If you have someone negatively respond to a post, handle it in a professional manner, thank them for their opinion and move on.  Heated arguments aren’t necessary or appropriate.  As long as people aren’t being hateful or hurtful, let it go.

Make Following Easy

Have quick access follow links to your social media channels, including a newsletter available in a section on the blog before the fold (or before someone has to scroll down the page) as much as possible.

On the other hand, I can’t stand when blogs have pop ups that interrupt me while reading a post, asking me to join their newsletter.  If I really like your post, I’ll join, but I’m not going to if you interrupt my reading. So, I’m not going to do that to you here either.  I, of course, would love for your to follow me on any and all of my social media accounts, but I’m not going to harass you to do it.

Even If Its a Hobby, Consider it a Job

If you’re hoping to review products and services or monetize your blog, treat your blog as if it’s a job.  Give it attention and act professionally.  The fact that you’re actively researching and reading blogging tips for beginners is a step in the right direction.  It shows you care about the direction of your blog.

Clean Up Your Blog Post

Give your words space, spell check, then re-read and edit your work.  When I began blogging, I wrote what was on my mind and rushed to get it out onto the internet.  I joined a blogging challenge at some point and received one of the best pieces of advice to this day, which was:  I needed to include spaces between my paragraphs, because it appeared most of my posts were just one, long paragraph.  I suppose I hadn’t taken an English class recently enough to have remembered that… oops.  I could also go back through my posts and find tons of misspellings and sentences that didn’t make much sense.  I’ll blame it on being a new-ish mom, but the truth is, I was being sort of lazy on top of being inexperienced.  Plus, at the time, I wasn’t doing it for more than simply writing to express myself.  It hadn’t occurred to me, then, that I was on a long journey of experimenting and adapting to become a blogger that was going to looking for reviews and readership.

Now, I spend more time thinking about my posts, re-wording, and editing to make sure I’m getting my thoughts out more clearly.  I plan posts in advance and I’ve even remembered to make paragraphs look like paragraphs.

Have you received any other simple blogging tips to help move your blog to the next level?  Want to share?