5 [more] blogging tips.

Back in January I posted 10 tips for creating and maintaining a blog, and it seemed to get a pretty decent response. So here are five more tips (in no particular order) that I think are important if you’re thinking about starting this little hobby called blogging.

(term coined by Heather!)

1. Take control of your blog’s success.

One of my biggest blogging pet peeves is when people complain that they’re blog isn’t as popular as they want it to be or hoped it would be. Trust me when I say that I get it because I have those days too. But do I go around saying “why is that blog so popular and mine isn’t??” Abso. Lutely. Not. Why? Because I realize that at the end of the day, I am the only person responsible for my blog’s success and popularity. Obviously I have the utmost amount of gratitude and respect for my readers – I don’t know what I’d do without them! But I do like to think that the reason my readers keep coming back is because they like what they see and read. When I get comments reaffirming that, I continue what I’m doing. And when I get comments with requests or constructive criticism, you can bet I honor that as well. So if you’re feeling “woe is me” about your blog, maybe you need to consider what it is your readers are actually looking for, and give it to them!

On that same note…

2. Put time into marketing your blog.

If you’re only blogging for personal reasons, this might not matter to you. But if you want to gain some sort of following, marketing yourself is an important step. Bottom line: if you want to get your blog known, tell people about it! Tweet, Facebook, comment, enhance SEO, etc. Readers aren’t going to just magically appear at your blog, so spread the word as much as you can and stick with it. Rome wasn’t built over night, and you’re not going reach a million hits that way either.

3. Get personal.

I absolutely believe that good content and information is important to a successful blog. But also think it’s equally if not more important  to remember that it’s the personal, lifecasting side that arguably led to the rise in popularity of blogs in the first place. In my opinion, that personal aspect is what separates blogs from regular old websites. So when I hear people saying that blogs shouldn’t be like a journal, I tend to disagree. To me, that’s the appeal of blogs. Yes – sometimes I *do* want to know the mundane and repetitive things that bloggers do because that’s real life. Useful content and information is great to come across too, but that’s not all I’m seeking as a blog reader.

4. …But not too personal.

Also known as…don’t be a debbie downer! No one wants to read a blog where the author is constantly complaining about one thing or another. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t ever address difficult or not-so-cheerful topics – I have and will continue to do so depending what’s going on in my life. But I’ve come across blogs where every single post sounds like a Dashboard Confessional song, and frankly, eventually I began to just close that browser. To me, the bottom line with this one is: while it’s okay to take blogging seriously as a hobby/occupation (I know I do) try not to yourself too seriously as a blogger. (Check out this Hollaback post for tips on how to complain on your blog.)

Last but most certainly not least…

5. Post more photos of yourself.

When I read a blog, I want to know what the author looks like – plain and simple. While most bloggers do have at least one photo of themselves somewhere on their blog, I personally think that self-photos should be taken a step further. I know that some bloggers don’t do so because of privacy issues, and I can’t argue with that. What I can argue with, though, is this idea that posting photos of oneself is somehow selfish or narcissistic. Here’s the thing, people: having a blog in itself is a decision that each and every blogger makes to put his or herself out there. How is sharing one’s voice each and every day not narcissistic but posting photos of yourself is? So do your readers a favor and show your stunning (or sometimes not-so-stunning) self!

Which of these five do you agree/disagree with?

As a reader, what’s the #1 thing you look for in a blog?