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?
I agree with all of them
Great post! I completely agree with bloggers sharing bits of their personal life. I love reading about their days and such!
i AGREE with all! esp the photos of yourself.. i used to be shy but now i just do not care and it makes your blog SO MUCH more personal!
Love these tips! One thing I am terrible about is the self-photo thing and I keep meaning to be better about it. I know that I love to put a face with the words that I am reading but I always get so self-conscious. Thanks for the reminder and for all of the other valuable advice.
Theyre all important but for me the personal side is the biggest.
I agree with all of these! I agree about the personal aspect, because reading a blog is like getting to know the blogger on a certain level. If you just write about oatmeal, it’s not interesting. Life isn’t exciting and fast-paced every day, but it’s the job of the blogger to find the excitement in the “everyday” situations. Does that make any sense?!
haha yup, I hear ya!!
Love all of these points! I want to post more photos of myself but I have not mastered the art of photographing myself. My house tends to be really dark in places where I have decent mirrors. If you have any pointers I would love to read them.
Great great tips. I’d agree most on being personal. People relate to real life things. I also think you shouldn’t shy away from struggles–those are what makes us human and relateable.
YUUUUP! Agree with all these tips. Thanks so much for posting!
You KNOW I agree with the last tip haha!! And I think #3 and 4 are SO important too. As I’ve evolved as a blogger, I’ve realized that people like to hear about your LIFE, but not necessarily the bad parts of it. Some people may say that’s fake, but I don’t think it is at all. There’s a time and a place for everything, and my blog is not the place to talk about how my morning sucked because I stubbed my toe, spilled my tea and got a bad grade on my homework assignment. Blogging positively has made me into a more positive person in general, and I know that people always respond better to happiness than self-pity.
Great tips, Gracie! Like most have also said, I agree with them all. I really like to see what’s going on in my favorite bloggers’ lives, and I don’t mind a small amount of complaining if it happens only every once in a while. Life isn’t always 100% happy, but it’s certainly not 100% negative, either.
I love seeing what my favorite bloggers look like as well… loving ski mask/bandit look you posted!
I definitely need to work on more pics of myself. I try to get a pic of either myself or a muscle group I’m working on once a week but I could definitely step it up!
These are good tips! When I first started my blog, I was planning to write solely about my running. But then, I started to interact more with other bloggers who shared information and I wanted to contribute more to that aspect so my blog turned a little bit more personal. For me, it is more about the communication than the popularity. I even try the self-photos thing, but as I have said before, I fail really really badly in that!
I like the personal aspect. It’s fun getting to know people!
speaking of getting to know people, could you all help me out please?
HEY FRIENDS!
I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE TO HELP ME WIN THIS CONTEST! You can vote daily and it ends March 13. If you could share with your friends too, that would be great! Thank you so much!
http://photos.fitnessmagazine.com/category/vote/photo/728663
Thank you for posting all these great tips! I was inspired by reading your blog and many others to start my own. Perfect timing! Check it out!
From a readers perspective, I absolutely agree 100% with all of your observations. I am always scouting new blogs and the majority do not make it into my RSS feed. This blog(and the few others on my list)were chosen for exactly the reasons you describe. I’ve read complainy blogs and while I’m sorry that person is having a rough time and I understand they are reaching out for help, I do not feel qualified to help them. I also do not like when it seems like bloggers are begging for readers. Do your thing and if someone likes it, then they will keep reading. I like when bloggers get a little personal, like how you share your mom and brother with us. It reminds the reader that you are “normal” person, not a blog “character”.
Thanks for this comment, Marissa! It really is helpful to learn a reader’s perspective!
This is kind of vague, but all of the blogs I read are of girls/women whom I admire! They all have something in them that I want to strive to be whether it be positivity, their ability to run marathons, awesome style, or humor
Yes – very good point!!
UGh I can’t agree more. I love reading blogs where I can see what the author looks like. thats a big thing for me. That and the design of the blog. + quality of photos/content.
I agree with every single tip! I enjoy reading my own blog because I share funny to me stories ( like the time I peed in my pants) and I post silly pics of myself.
You are totally doing blogging right
I think more than anything it’s really important to be down-to-earth and relatable. Like you said, you want to “journal,” at least a little bit, and not be afraid to confront the negatives of your life and be honest with your readers about it. There are a few blogs out there where the person just purports this facade of perfection… who wants to read that and for what purpose? Life isn’t all peaches and cream, why ever try to act like it and estrange potential readers?
That being said, I think your blog’s the bee’s knees.
Taryn – first of all, THANK YOU for the kind words!
I agree completely with your comment.
Great post! As a reader, I like rule #3 the best. There are certain blogs that are getting less personal and going more into recipes. Recipes are fine and all, but I much prefer to hear about someone’s daily life!
I love this and I totally agree. These are what I look for in someone else’s blogs.
#4 is huge. I can’t read complainer blogs.
And call me creepy, but I like to know what the blogger looks like. I’m a mental image person.
Thanks so much for your blogging tips. Those are all really helpful and very true.
I totally agree about the personal thing. A lot of blogs start to go the “professional” no-nonsense route after they gain popularity and honestly at that point I start to lose interest. I go back to blogs because I like their story and who they are as a person.
I agree with the picture thing as well, I just really suck at taking pictures of myself. It’s horrible. I need tips, haha. Tutorial?
I totally agree with all those points. I really like how you included the pictures of yourself. It sounds creepy, but thats human nature we want to see what we’re reading about. Great tips girl!
Great tips!! I am just starting to get to the ‘personal’ side of blogging. It has taken me a while to come out my shell but I think I’m ready to start sharing more of myself with readers.
Totally agree with these. I love seeing pictures of bloggers themselves, but feel so strange taking lots of pictures of myself. I need to though, because I want to have a blog I’d want to read!
great tips!! i need to work on more shots of myself, I just need to get over how horrible I look in pics! ha!
Good tips… thank you for sharing
I am on the fence with tip #5. Personally… I love sharing photos of myself… and on my blog you’ll see them scattered sporadically. But my bf… who is a lawyer… is VERY private and VERY concerned about public image and legal issues… and there is also the safety bit. So I try to respect that because you know… I love him an’ all… haha. I guess what I am trying to say is… I understand posting personal photos… I love personal photos… but maybe I’m a bit naive in doing so?? I get a lot of warnings from family and friends about posting personal photos.
Great tips! I am in the process of starting a blog, so this is really helpful. I have a question- do you use a tripod? Also, what camera do you use? (I will check FAQ to see if you have already answered these q’s. If you have, sorry!)
I use a Canon Powershot! I also edit my photos a bit in Windows Livewriter
I love all of your tips, and I agree, you should totally not be ashamed to post photos of yourself! It’s YOUR blog for a reason! The reader comes to hear what you have to say, so why not share with them a few pictures, as well!? TO me, my blog is like a scrapbook, I make it for me to be able to look back on…say, 30 years down the road. I want to be able to remember pictures from different trips, and just my mundane life!
Thank you so much for this post. It was like a blessing from the universe! I just started a blog and have had so many questions running through my head, trying to figure it all out and how my blog will unfold and evolve. I appreciate you addressing some of the issues I was having. I’m excited about blogging and connecting with all the other amazing blog*stars* out there! <3
I totally agree with all these, especially the “not too personal” part. Yes, a blog is like a “diary”..but people only want to read the fun, juicy stuff. Not the “omg, I hate my life” stuff. Bad days happen, but don’t make *every* post like that.
Hi Gracie! I’m a relatively new reader, and these tips are really good! I read your other blogging tips and eventually started my own blog a bit ago. Thanks for posting these! They are a true help to a new blogger like me!
Hi Sarah! You’re so welcome!! Thanks for reading!
When reading a new blog for the first time, I usually look for two things: a great sense of personality (be it goofy, silly, mature, quiet, whatever – just well defined!) and intelligence. Even though I’m not looking for Freudian debate, I do want a little more than “hi, i ate salad, I like salad, salad is yummy, salad is healthy, mmmm lettuce” type posts.
I agree with ALL of these!!
[...] Gracie from Girl Meets Life posted an informative post for her fellow bloggers about how to become a blogstar. I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways to improve FoodFitnessFun! [...]
I LOVE this post!!!
I love #5!
xoxo
Kathleen
i agree that these are all good tips!
“I’ve come across blogs where every single post sounds like a Dashboard Confessional song” hahahaha… that’s my favorite.
These are great tips! I agree with them all for sure.
I think they are all good tips, but I definitely agree with the pictures one. I always look for that too on blogs. I’m just trying to start a blog..thanks for the tips. =) Your blog is one of my favorites!
I alwayssss love looking for pictures of the blogger
follow mine!
ashleynbreton.blogspot.com
ps – how do comments link your picture/latest post? I don’t understand how to do it
blah im dumb!
huh? I’m confused by your question! haha sorry!
Like, the other bloggers will have their default pictures appear, as well as the name of their blog/recent posts. I have a blog and is registered with it online when I post, but it doesn’t appear.
hmm…well I’m not sure about the recent post part, but check out gravatar.com! that’s how I got my photo to always show up when I comment.
Thanks Gracie girl! That helped a lot. And I’m guessing there is a function I need to adjust so I can reply to specific posts? And not just reply in the order of my comments? For example, hitting “reply” under my comment, instead of adding it below all the others?
I *thought* that wordpress automatically threaded comments (i.e. you can reply to an individual comment rather than just adding one at the end) but I could be wrong. you could either search for themes with that option, but there is also probably a plug-in that will do it!
also – I use to the “comment reply notification” plug-in, which allows me to reply to comments and it will go to the person’s email!
Thanks for all the help! You’re great!
Totally agree with everything here! Taking pictures of myself is something I don’t do enough of though. I can never manage to get a decent shot!
Thanks for all of these tips! I totally agree. You are awesome and I will try to put some of these tips to use.
I think not taking yourself too seriously is such great advice with anything. You are allowed to make mistakes and grow from it.
Question- I am somewhat new to this bloggy world and then one thing I am HORRIBLE at is remembering to take pictures. Plus, sometimes i feel so dumb taking pics of myself. Does this get easier? Advice please
[...] Vegan Eats, I always felt like something was missing. Thanks to Gracie‘s post on blogging (check it out if you haven’t yet—it’s really helpful!), I am happy to say I think I finally [...]
I just started my blog, and found this very helpful! Thanks
I just made my blog and I’m really excited! Everyone should check it out