My Ten Blogging Tips

Once upon a time there was a girl. A girl who liked to blog. She liked it so much that sometimes it kept her awake at night as her mind juggled thoughts and ideas, when she desperately needed sleep. And then it got her up early in the morning, even before the sun had started to shine, with a head full of fresh ideas and new inspiration. Blogging allowed the girl to meet people near and far, and form friendships that may never have been. It allowed her to learn, and listen, and love in a whole new way. Blogging put a spring in her step. It opened up a whole new world. It made the girl see life in a whole different light...

That girl is me.

I haven't been blogging forever. I'm no expert. I'll put my hand up right now and tell you that. I've learnt things in my travels though. Things that I've found interesting. Perhaps you'll find them interesting too...


1. Light Is Right.
Most of you won't know this, but this blog started out with a black background. After weeks of wondering why my eyes were going fuzzy, and heading to bed with headaches most nights, I realised that my blog was making me ill. Black is not the new black. Black backgrounds are a little harder to read, in my opinion. If I come across a black blog, I usually don't linger too long {unless they've already been put in my favourites}. There only a few blogs that I'll hang around for that have a dark background. Light backgrounded blogs are most preferred according to a survey by Problogger too.

2. About Me.
I get so sad when I stumble across a blog I love, and they don't have an About Me page. I'm reading your blog because you're interesting... and I want to know more about you. You don't have to give out too many details, if you're not comfortable. Just tease us with a little bit. Taunt us with a photo, perhaps. You can put it in a post, back date it a few months and then link to it in your sidebar. While you're there make sure you have a Contact page too. I might want to email you and tell you how much I like your blog.

3. Assume We Know Nothing.
If you do a post telling me that you went to Sue's for lunch, over at that place that you love, and ate that meal that you always eat, and wore that dress that you wore three weeks ago, and then you went and did what you always do after lunch with Sue... well I'll leave your blog not knowing much at all. And that's a waste of both our time. So assume that every reader is visiting your blog for the first time. Give details, explain things a little more than you deem necessary. Make it easy for your new friends, to be long term friends {readers}.

4. Make It Pretty.
I'm not talking about flowers, and love hearts and dragonflies. I mean, make it readable. Don't write in one whole block piece. Use paragraphs. Double space if you need to. Read over what you've written. Make it easy on the reader. And if it's a really long post, why not break it up into two parts {that also saves you thinking of something else to write later on in the week - bonus!}.

5. No Text Talk.
OMG pls dont tlk in txt ppl.
Because quite frankly I'll have no idea what on earth you're talking about, and neither will Aunty Nancy. And we can't have that.

6. Copycatting Ain't Cool.
But what is cool is being inspired and creating your own little piece of goodness. Not only is that honourable, but it makes you feel good and gives you that glow. A glow that says, I did it my way, and on my own. If you come across something that makes your heart skip ten beats and you just want to do something similar then email the original blogger and say so. Ask what they think. There's nothing more disheartening then seeing something that made you so happy {that you created by using your own brain cells and own special creativity} over on someone else's part of the web. Not cool.

7. Have A Point Of Difference.
This is something you're going to have to discover on your own. What makes you different to other people? What makes your blog different from the billions of other blogs out there? Be irreplaceable. Different. Unusual. Find a point of difference and go with it.

8. Be Consistent.
I feel like I should get my pom poms out for this one. Be consistent. Be, be, consistent! If you blog once a week, then blog once a week. Do you promise to blog daily, then blog daily. Whatever you do, make sure you are consistently doing it. People like to know what to expect and when to expect it.

9. Get Involved.
Get involved in the blogging community. Comment, comment, comment. Comment on blogs you love, and most of all your own blog. Create a community. Be part of a community.

10. Enjoy It.
I think it can be pretty obvious when the spark has gone from a blogger. You can tell that they're scraping the bottom of the barrel for content, and really struggling to enjoy their blog. If you feel that way, take a break. It will do you wonders. Take a week off. Live a little. Let your hair down. Come back feeling fresh and revived. And if that doesn't work, perhaps purchasing my eBook will {yes, shameless plug!}.


Let's Give Them Something To Blog About {the eBook} will be available this afternoon if you're interested {which you are, by the way}. I'll see you back here then. xx