Blogging 101

Here are some tips to starting out a good blog! It is not always easy, but you have to start somewhere !

1. Write good content. (This one should come as no surprise to you. If you write amazing content, you’ll attract attention.)

2. Create other forms of content, rather than just blog posts. You can build an audience if you are everywhere doing lots of different things at once. Record podcasts, shoot videos, take pictures, and utilize social sharing and social media.

3. Compile lists. Whether it’s a Top Bloggers list or another kind of “top” list (like Top Travel Destinations), this kind of thing always gets attention. Be prepared for some controversy, since there will always be people who disagree, and make sure you do your research so your list is complete and valuable.

4. Team up with other people. Joint ventures are always tricky to orchestrate, but when done successfully, you both reap the benefits. Think about what you can bring to the table. Otherwise, an established blogger won’t have any reason to want to work with you. An audience isn’t the only important asset you can add to a project.

5. Be personable. Telling interesting, personal, or funny stories can help you stand out in a sea of posts. Tell people about you — storytelling is an extremely popular way to bring people into the fold.

6. Put your nose to the grindstone and write! More content leads to more readers, as long as you can maintain quality.

7. Write great headlines. There’s no faster way to catch the attention of people in your niche than an intriguing headline.

8. Interview someone in your niche who is not a blogger. Bloggers tend to interview one another fairly regularly, and while this is a good technique to use, you can also get noticed if you interview people outside of the world of blogging. For example, if you’re a travel blogger, you could interview a hotel manager or a hotel chef.

9. Do reviews. If you’re new you might not get products for free or be paid to do review yet, but you can still review products you love. Make sure to notify the company/author/etc. whenever you do, and they’ll often share your post via social media or email.

10. Make it easy for readers to share your posts. Word of mouth marketing can drive tons of traffic if you’re a new blogger, but if I can’t really quickly find sharing buttons, I’m probably not going to bother. Don’t make it hard for your readers.