When I began blogging a few years ago, I had absolutely no clue about what I was doing. It was a whole new discovery – this world of blogging – and I was wonderstruck by all that I saw!
I wasn’t aware of the various possibilities that lay ahead if I took blogging seriously. All I knew then, was that it offered me an outlet for my pent up feelings.
However, after four years of writing and learning quite a bit about blogging, I realised I had to make use of this skill I had developed.
Over the years, I have seen a lot of change in the way people view blogging. People have a niche in mind when they create a blog, and a clarity of thought as to where they would like to see their blog in a particular period of time.
So, for newbie bloggers, who, like me, have stepped into this arena without a clue about what they can achieve, here are a few tips I picked up in the past few years. These are general guidelines relating to your blog, niche, writing style and technical knowhow.
Tips for newbie bloggers:
If you haven’t already, then decide on a niche for your blog.
Choose a niche close to your heart, for e.g. fiction/non-fiction/food/lifestyle/art/travel…
There will be countless topics already covered by other bloggers, but you can always present them in your own unique way. So, never shy away from attempting anything. Be confident of yourself!
Work on your language, grammar and syntax.
Create a signature writing style. Write as you speak. Using smart-sounding words takes the charm away. Remember to keep it simple, relatable.
Work on your blog’s look, theme, style. Keep the design as clean and uncluttered as possible.
Create a schedule and fix particular days of the week when you will publish your posts. That way your readers know when to expect your new blog post.
Make a list of prompts depending upon your niche. You will come across varied ideas on the net. Think and present the topic from a unique point of view.
It helps if you have a time-table in place for your blog. This way you have the topics in front of you and you can make changes or adjustments, accordingly.
Set short-term goals for yourself that are doable and achievable. Long-term goals stand the chance of undergoing changes because, well, Life often gets in the way!
Ask for help if you stumble. That’s how I learnt. Blogging can seem competitive, at times, but there are some people out there who will go all out to help you.
Work on your technical know-how, if you are sailing in the same boat as I was. Being tech-challenged, I had to depend on others for the tiniest of tech-stuff.
Work on your different social media platforms; get them ready to share your posts about and also to interact with your readers.
Create images for your posts. You may read this post on how to create images and make your posts visibly appealing.
And, finally, always respond to the comments dropped by your visitors. They are the reason your blog receives the attention it does. They are the wind beneath your wings!
There will be more such blogging-related posts in the days to come, with tips to help you further. So, do stay tuned!
I hope you find my tips helpful. If there’s something I may have missed out or something you would like to add to the list, do share with me. I would be grateful for your input!
Love,
SHILPA…
My theme for the A to Z Blogging Challenge is all about my blog, Metanoia, and my blogging journey from the time I started, 5 years ago. The lessons I learnt, the tips and tricks I picked up from fellow bloggers and the guidelines I could have used back when I began.
You will find all of my A to Z posts here.
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Useful tips shilpa. Just sharing my views on blogging.. Its absolutely my personal view.. I have no niche. I have been married for 18 years now. Faced ups and downs.. I have patented for 16 years. Everyday i learnt something new.. I have worked for 10 years in SAP.. I have been cooking since day 1 of my marriage.. So i can write on relationships, parenting, cooking and working. I read a lot watch movies almost in every languages.. But I am still unable to choose a niche for me.. So i decided to blog in anything and everything. I envy those niche bloggers when they write excellent articles.. Guidelines noted.. Will try if i can choose something i am good in. G is for Guilt. Do have your say on my wall too 🙂
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Deepa all the topics you mentioned ate your experiences which you can very well write about in your Personal Blog! That will make yours a very helpful blog for those who can do with tips on parenting, cooking, and facing the ups and downs of Life! You are so knowledgeable, you can make use of it all on your blog!
Wish you the very best, dear! ❤❤❤
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knowledgeable is a way too much burden on me 🙂 thanks shilpa.
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*Are your experiences*
Sorry for that typo, Deepa!
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All very useful and relevant tips, Shilpa 👌❤️And see? You’re a pro now 🙂
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HAhaha…thanks to you, my dear! I learnt 90% of these just by following you! So, thank you! ❤
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Nice tips Shilpz..They are surely going to be helpful..even I wonder over the years I learnt so much through blogging.
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Some nice tips for newbies, Shilpa. However, I am unable to create a niche for myself as with days passing by, I feel like writing something that I experience and it is generally on a different topic. So don’t know is selecting a niche for a blog helps.
https://www.rohankachalia.com/2018/04/gift-day-7-a-to-z-challenge/
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Great tips, Shilpa. Wish I had focused on reading such tips when I started blogging. 😀
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Good tips. Looks like I didn’t follow the first one, although I do have a couple of niche blogs. I’d like to add that being consistent is important.
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Damn useful tips Shilpa; wish I had them when I was starting out. The one about the Niche is the best I liked! Creating unique content thats close to your heart and comes from your heart is the one that does best – I have seen this with experience and realised that I never need to write stuff or in a style that is meant to only appease! 🙂
Guernsey Literary & Potato peel pie society #atozchallenge
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Very useful tips for newbie bloggers like me. I have still kept my blog multi niche because there’s a lot to write about. But gradually I have this feeling that I need to make this more focused. Thank you for sharing. And now I know who to go to whenever I am in doubt.❤️❤️❤️❤️
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It’s what I realised last year, Sonia, that having a niche will help me if I wish to take it up seriously. I had had enough of treating blogging just as a hobby.
And thank you for having such faith in me, my dear! ❤❤❤
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I wish i knew all this when I started off 🙂
Now, I still don’t think I have a niche 13 years later.
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Hahaha…Roshan, YOU don’t need a niche after all these years, after you have established yourself as a top notch, award winning blogger. It’s insignificant beings like yours truly who need to work on niches! Seriously! 😛
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Like I’ve said before too, between you and Shailaja, we’ve got everything covered about blogging.
Good work, Shilpa.
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Quite useful tips and the right ones to set you in the right direction 🙂
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It’s what I wish I had learnt before I began blogging!
Thank you, Shweta! 🙂
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