Learning how to create good content as a Blogger in 2018, has never been so crucial, with 6.75 % of bloggers living in the UK, the second most ‘blogger friendly’ hub in the world after the US, which controls 29.2 % of the ‘Bloggersphere’. Despite the clear discrepancy between the large number of US bloggers in comparison to the UK, nevertheless ‘blogging’ is slowly becoming a ‘highly sought after profession’ with bloggers citing a desire to go into blogging full time, by turning their blogs into a successful money making business. But with over 440 million blogs, learning how to establish your blog and make it stand out from the crowd can be difficult to achieve.
After all not only do bloggers have to learn how to take photos, create brand awareness, social media promotion, coding and research and source information, but as bloggers, our audience relies on us to create good content, in our chosen ‘niche’ or niches. We have to learn how to be authorities on our chosen subject, have to continuously find solutions to our readers dilemmas and demonstrate sound knowledge on ‘the blogging industry’ and how we can use it to take our career to the next level. Of course not everyone who starts a blog is doing it for the sole purpose of making money ; for some blogging is a form of escapism, a chance to make new friends and connect with others or even to network with their favourite brands. However regardless of whether you are a full time, part time blogger or a blogger that likes to ‘blog for fun’ the importance of good content nevertheless remains integral to cementing your blog as a ‘must read platform’ for your readers to enjoy.
What is important to keep in mind is that in order to create good blog content as a blogger, you must recognize that ‘blogging’ is not a fairytale occupation and does come with difficult trials and tribulations that can test your patience and your nerve. After all, I have lost count of the amount of times someone has ‘enthused about how easy and amazing blogging’ looks and what tips I can give them to get ‘freebies and get paid’. Well let me put it this way, I have been blogging two years, and nearly a year full time, yet just to work with brands, get noticed and earn enough to cover my rent, I have to work more hours than I did in my 9-5 job, with less money, more luxuries to sacrifice and in most cases chase overdue payments that puts me in a very difficult financial position. And don’t even get me started on freebies;for the record they are ‘PR SAMPLES OR EXPERIENCES’ and that is often in lieu of payment and in exchange for hours of unpaid work, time and effort but that is a story for another time. What I am trying to say here is that ‘creating good content’ is the first stop to understanding your readers and audience but it is also important to keep in mind your reasons for starting a blog and how what you see on ‘social media’ is not a true representation of of real ‘blogger life’. Amen.
- Ensure That You Create Good Content As A Blogger By Injecting Personality Into Your ‘Work’
It goes without saying that a blog without personality is like a band without a lead singer, it just doesn’t work. But ‘injecting personality’ into your content is more than just aesthetically pleasing images that represents your chosen niche, whether that be style, food photography or fitness but is also related to the way you write, the tone of voice you use and how ‘distinctive’ your personality is to who you are as a person. For example as a blogger you might define me as someone who is ‘colourful in both senses of the word, outspoken and unafraid to challenge social taboos’ which is reflective both through the way that I dress and the way that I write. Let’s give you another example, I am not someone who might be considered as ‘casual’ so am always seen dressed in over the top but fabulous ball gowns, flower crowns, sequins and plenty of colour and when readers have met me in person and asked me whether I ‘dress like this all the time’ I replied yes, because ‘formal fashion’ and ‘dressing up’ is very much intrinsic to who I am as a person outside of the blogging industry. It helps me feel more confident, it allows me to tap into a ‘fantasy world’ and best of all helps me stand out from the crowd.
And it’s the same with ‘content creation’; while stunning or unique images are a great way to draw your audience in, it is your ‘content’ that is most reflective of your personality and how it transcends into your blog posts. For example I say that I have three ‘writing styles’ that represent three sectors of my personality, which demonstrates one fully rounded, goofball of a human being. The first writing style is ‘poetic and lyrical’ which not only reflects my love of literature and prose but is also representative of how I see the world. You might see this ‘writing style’ in my personal posts the most, as its often my way of ‘romanticizing’ or ‘creatively expressing’ my emotions through the medium of my blog. The second writing style is ‘humorous content layered with profanities’, where I swear, make jokes about f***kboys and allow my crude sense of humour to be visible in my work. This is usually prevalent in my ‘dating posts’ as ‘humor’ has helped me get through tough times and I want my audience to laugh along with me, to show that pain and heartache can be turned into something beautiful. Finally the third writing style is known simply as ‘factual’ and is used often in fashion posts, where I delve back into fashion history and cite key eras like the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, which inspired my own personal style.
But regardless of whether you are a fashion, food, fitness, travel, tech, lifestyle or ‘something in between’ blogger, learning how to tap into your personality- whether that be through images or written words- is instrumental to your blogging success.
Why Should You Show Your Personality When Creating Blog Content?
Good question. For many of us, it might scare us to be so vulnerable online, especially when we open ourselves up to the trolls who roam the net and trust me, I have had plenty of them. But here’s the T, being vulnerable or showing your personality does not necessarily mean that you have to show the world your deepest and darkest secrets. Oh no, it is up to you what you show to your audience, just make sure who you are online is who you are in person. So in conclusion, to create good content as a blogger, it is important to inject personality into your work because not only does it make you more relatable and approachable to your readers but it also helps you stand out from the crowd and allows you to catch your readers attention.
2. Focus On Two Social Media Platforms To Cross Promote Your Blog Posts i.e. Instagram and Twitter
Whether you are looking into becoming a blogger or are an established blogging veteran, it is clear that social media is a great way of creating ‘good content’ that can not only help grow your brand but also allow you to create ‘side platforms’ that compliment your blog and demonstrate your prowess as a well rounded blogger, who understands that social media is key. After all lets look at Pretty Little Thing as an example; with over 4 million followers on Instagram alone, PLT is one of the world’s most popular fashion brands because they have an excellent marketing strategy that uses a combination of working with ‘SEO rich bloggers’ , ‘social influencers’ who are popular on Instagram as well as weekly giveaways, celebrity and brand clothing collaborations and a demonstrated awareness of what their audience wants. More to the point, by cross promoting their brand on a ‘focused’ platform like Instagram, it enables them to drive traffic to their website, raise brand awareness and of course convert into sales and visitors. But as bloggers, our marketing strategy might be a little different, as we try and navigate the countless social media platforms that there is out there and figure out a way to find the best platforms for us and our blog.
Which is why choosing ‘two’ (yes two) social media platforms to cross promote your blog posts is so important, because when you overwhelm yourself with too many platforms, your content can become saturated and quite literally lost in the Bloggersphere of all those 440 million blogs that there is worldwide. But knowing which two platforms to focus on to create good content as a blogger can be difficult to ascertain when there is so much choice out there. At first, when I started blogging I tried to focus on growing every ‘single platform’ at once, which actually ended up having the opposite effect as I was not focusing on the right platforms to help grow my blog and social media presence. So it was when I was thinking about my niche and who I was as a person that I realized that Twitter and Instagram, were the two social media platforms that would be ideal for cross promoting my blog posts on. For example Instagram is an incredible ‘visual tool’ and shows my audience, how I dress, what I wear, what brands I work with, how I write (as my captions are often ‘actionable’ micro-blogs) and who I am as a person, whereas Twitter demonstrates a more well rounded overview of ‘all the blog posts’ that I write and enables me to connect with other bloggers, brands, PR’s and anyone else on a more personal and intimate level.
So you can see that my two chosen platforms enable me to create better content because it allows me to see what it is that my audience will truly respond to. But creating social media content is more than just brand awareness; below I will explain how my two social media channels convert into commission, interaction with others and resources which enable me to create good content as blogger in 2018. Lets start with Instagram; I have 15.1 K followers, with 50% men and 50% women who hail from the United States (21%), United Kingdom (15%) , India (5%) , Brazil (3%) and Germany (2%). Of this percentage of men and women who live worldwide, 38 % are aged between 25-34 and 24% are aged between 18- 24 meaning that my main audience are young men and women who predominantly live in the United States. Now you might be confused as to how this has any relevance to creating good ‘social media content’ but I give you this. Now that you have found who your main audience is, you can access your Instagram insights (only if you have a business profile) to create good content that is beneficial to your audience. So because my audience on Instagram is both men and women, I have to figure out a way of creating content that is gender neutral, hence the reasons why talk about things like dating, mental health and style, something which both genders can relate to.
So naturally the posts that I choose to cross promote on Instagram will be specifically tailored to my social media audience, in order to convert traffic over to my blog and create more readers. Instagram stories is also a great form of cross promotion too- especially if you have the ‘swipe up feature- as you can highlight recent blog posts and direct readers to your blog, maximizing eye balls through geo tagged locations, relevant hashtags and the mighty GIF, all of which are proven Instagram tactics to boost your ‘story views’ and ‘click throughs’ to your blog. Now lets speak about how I use Twitter as a cross promotion tool. While I only have a mere 3.4 K followers on Twitter, with an engagement rate of 3% as opposed to Instagram which has 18. 2 % engagement, Twitter is still a very effective marketing tool for my blog and actually drives more traffic to my blog posts than Instagram does. And while tweets have a short life span, posting regularly will help increase your blog views. But what does this have to do with learning how to create good content I hear you ask? Well first of all you can find out which tweets have the greatest amount of click throughs and convert into traffic for your blog, to determine what your audience likes seeing on your blog. For example tweets that gain good traction and generate traffic to my blog from Twitter are usually in the ‘ travel, fashion and personal sector’ meaning that I know I have to create ‘supply and demand’ for this type of content in order to give my audience what they are looking for.
Twitter might be great for traffic but it is also a good way to source blogger opportunities and connect with brands and PR’s meaning new ways of creating content on your blog, which might be different to the content you have already on your site. For example lets say a brand has put out a ‘bloggers wanted’ PR Request for fashion bloggers to work on their ‘summer beach wear’ campaign where the objective is to create a summer lookbook inspired by the beach. Naturally this might open up your blog to new readers, but in the run up to summer will generate organic traffic results, because people might be searching for ‘what to wear to the beach and your blog will come up and give them the answers that they are looking for. Thus the more that you get to know what your audience wants from your blog, the more you will be able to create good content that will generate organic and social traffic.
3. Explore Social Media Management To Enable You To Take Your Blog To The Next Level
When I was working in my full time job, I had thought about exploring social media management in order to help me take my blog to the next level, because I simply didn’t have the time that I needed to make my blog be representative of my own personal brand. So naturally when I quit my job, I had more time to dedicate to my blog but still find it overwhelming to manage all my blogging tasks, as I am quite literally working 24/7 and cannot switch off. And its the same for many of my readers who are bloggers themselves; for some bloggers who work full time, they might choose to use VA’s to complete social media threads or maximize their blog potential whereas others might seek alternative routes like Content Mother, which is about to launch social media marketing and management, blogger outreach, content creation and content marketing services. So not only could Content Mother help busy bloggers with ‘excellent content creation’, more ‘paid work’ and help manage social media channels but it can also enable you to have more time for yourself, after a long hard day in the office. And we all love having our ‘free time’ don’t we?
But why would your business need a social management team like Content Mother I hear you ask? Well for a start they know a lot about the blogging industry and how the blogging industry works, operating 15 blogs including a Lifestyle Blog, a Parenting Blog, A Wedding Blog and even a blog which shares ‘blogging tips‘ , proving that they have a wealth of knowledge in multiple ‘blogging sectors’. Moreover, remember what I said about how integral being personable in the blogging world can be? Well having someone who is a qualified professional and is always on board to interact with your blogging audience and create good content that your readers and followers can relate to will be a very beneficial business strategy to develop your brand.
4. Take The Time To Get To Know Your Audience And Understand What Questions They Need Answered
While many of us might start our blogs for reasons that might be personal to us, over time our blogs become more than just a place to express ourselves online but ultimately it is also a chance to connect with our audience and solve any questions that your readers might have. For example lets say that you are a vegetarian who regularly reviews restaurants worldwide, you might have readers who are vegetarians themselves and are looking for restaurant recommendations that can be tailored to their dietary needs. So as a result you might decide to create a ‘Vegetarian’s Guide’ to eating in Tuscany, a province which is famed for being a ‘meat loving community’ which can be quite challenging for plant based eaters. By taking that time to understand what your audience are looking for you can specifically tailor your blog posts to solve any problems or queries that they may have. By creating this vegetarian guide, you have shown that you understand your audience and are accommodating of their dietary needs.
On the other hand, maybe you have seen a lot of posts on Twitter asking fellow bloggers how to ‘grow’ their ‘following on Instagram‘ which you know the answer to as you have spent a great deal growing your Instagram feed and want to share your tips with others. Hence you create a ‘how to guide’ on your blog, which your readers are grateful for as you have taken the time to create good content that is related to what you saw there was a demand for on Twitter. So we have already established that researching trends on social media is a great way of creating ‘user generated content’ but searching for ‘keywords’ that are associated with your blog is also a good way of getting to know your audience too. For example if you type ‘Dear Aunty Valentine’ , ‘Fuckboys POF’ , ‘What To Wear On A Second Date’ and ‘Second Date Club’ you can see that they are top Google Search results, meaning that in terms of ‘organic search traffic’ my blog is most associated with ‘dating’ as many readers can relate to online dating woes, failed relationships and personal relationships with friends and family because it is representative of real life. So naturally it shows me that I need to create more ‘what to wear’ type posts and also posts on my dating experiences because these are the most popular Google orientated posts on my blog, which differs to the types of posts which are popular on my social media which is ‘personal and lifestyle posts’.
So here are key brief tips to understand your audience:
– Create polls on social media like Twitter or Instagram Stories to directly ask your audience what they would like to see on your blog next and any questions they might have.
-Use Google Keywords to find out what keywords are trending i.e. wear second date and find out how you can answer Google’s question by generating content centered around that keyword. Using the Yoast plugin on WordPress would be really handy for this.
-Look at your blog and social media insights, Look at where your audience is based, how old they are and what gender they are. This will help inform you as to what kind of content you should be writing.
5. Find Your Own Signature ‘Photography Aesthetic’ And Use It To Make Your Blog Look Visually Appealing To Readers
It’s like the saying goes ‘A Picture is worth a thousand words’, especially in a culture that is fixated with visual platforms like ‘Instagram’ and ‘Pinterest’ which they use to gain inspiration, escape from reality and connect with their favourite bloggers, Instagrammers, celebrities , friends and family online, in a safe space that is accessible to all. Yet as bloggers, have we ever stopped to think why photos are a powerful medium of attracting readers to our blog and social media channels and how utilizing a ‘signature photography aesthetic’ can be imperative to making our blog more visually appealing to our audience? Well first of blog posts with images are 94% more likely to get views as opposed to blog posts without images and while this is partially due to its ‘visual appeal’ using image alt tags and descriptions to describe your photo also leads to ‘image traffic’, as your images are now ‘optimized’ for search engines. So for example lets say you use the image alt tag <img src=”ana.jpg” alt=”ana pink floral maxi dress summer wedding”> with the product description- faded spring ana pink floral maxi dress river island what to wear to a summer wedding 2018- chances are search engines will pick up on the fact that you have written content on what to wear to a summer wedding and make you a top search engine result.
But what does image alt tags have to do with creating a key photography aesthetic? Well lets say that you have decided that your photos are going to be very colourful, based in Shoreditch and use art as your backdrops, this not only helps you stand out from the traditional photography aesthetic but by using these ‘art and Shoreditch’ orientated ‘alt tags’ you can also get eyeballs in that area. And the more true to you your photography aesthetic is, the more likely you are to create good content, that is both visually and content rich. Plus good quality images can result in a greater amount of social shares which as well as creating social growth and blog traffic can also allow you to see what kind of photos your audience responds best towards. For example I have found that ‘when I am wearing an item of clothing’ it is 80% more likely to convert into sale commission via Like To Know It, as opposed to promoting something that my audience has not seen me wearing, showing that images really do matter in the blogging industry. And from my Instagram Feed, I can glean that my audience respond more positively to ‘blue’ than any other colour, meaning that the colour blue- whether that be through the street art I choose or what I am wearing- will generally get more likes and comments than any other colour, meaning that I know I should focus on this particular colour to create better user generated content.
6. Make Your Content Actionable And Create Strong Headlines To Create Good Blog Content
Alongside strong imagery, one of the greatest ways of creating good blog posts is through attention grabbing headlines and titles that help draw your readers attention. For example you might write a blog post centered around second dates and what you should wear for a second date so consider this, what sounds better? Does the title ‘ What To Wear on A Second Date’ sound more appealing than ‘ Faded Spring’s Second Date Lookbook’ or vice versa? It is of course the first option because first of all ‘how to’ or ‘what to wear’ list type posts are a good example of evergreen content which means that they will be used as a resource for many years to come and secondly it is a strong headline as it promises to offer advice to your audience. But what therefore is the key to creating strong headlines and good content I hear you ask? Well it’s simple; make sure it is relevant to your blog post i.e. calling it ‘Blue Is The Warmest Colour’ is wonderfully poetic but if you are talking about ‘cold showers’ it has nothing to do with your blog post and is thus deemed to be irrelevant by Google search engines. Alongside a relevant title, making sure that you answer your audiences questions i.e how to, what to wear, where to eat etc will not only build up a loyal following from readers who will view you as a reliable blog source but can also help draw the attention of brands and PR’s who will see your blog as a useful marketing tool.
Which leads me onto ‘actionable content’. Generally speaking web readers will scan and skim through your content to find the information they need which is why ‘actionable statements’ will draw your readers back in and help them engage with your content. For example at the end of a blog post where you have shared a recipe on what to cook at a summer BBQ if you are a vegetarian , you might ask your audience the following ‘Are you a vegetarian? What would you like me to create a recipe for next’ which is an actionable statement because it is inviting your readers to engage in discussion with you and this is the same across social media channels as well. By making your content actionable you increase engagement and can glean from comments how you can create even better blog content for your readers to enjoy.
7. Be Accurate In Your Reporting And Sourcing Of Information So That Your Audience Knows That You Are Reliable
Why is it important to be accurate in your reporting and how does this make you create good content as a blogger in 2018?Well put simply it all boils down to reliability; with blogs being cited as the fifth most reliable source to gain information from, it is important that we ensure that our blog posts are as accurate as we can possibly make them to be. For example lets say you are writing a post about Cancer but have given out incorrect information on the types of treatment that are available , chances are that while i’ts very easy to make a mistake, your audience might stop reading your blog because you have given them inaccurate information that could potentially put their lives at risk. Of course it goes without saying that blog posts are not ‘medical documents’ and are more about raising awareness but nevertheless you do have to be careful about the information you give out. For example if I am talking about something like mental health I have to establish that no two mental health conditions are the same and that what works for me will not necessarily apply to another individual as it’s not a one size fits all type of approach. And it’s the same in the office, if you are a Journalist and have mistakenly reported that someone has died without fact checking other accounts that could be a bad choice for your career progression.
8. Work With Brands That Are Representative Of Who You Are As A Person And Don’t Conform To Peer Pressure
One of the greatest ways of creating good content for your blog is through choosing your partnerships and collaborations very carefully. For example as a cruelty free blogger who does not use any products that are derived from animals I no longer choose to work with any ‘leather brands’ as I have done in the past because my values have changed and I would not risk my ethics for the sake of payment or exposure. And it’s the same with any other brands , just because every blogger you know is working with huge, amazing brands, it does not mean that brand is the right fit for you and it’s ok to say no. For example while in my case my main issue of not working with a brand would be because of my moral and ethical values- so promoting meat, animal based products or anything in that sector is a no no, whereas for others their decision to not work with a brand might be because it does not reflect their personal style and is something that their audience might not relate to either. It is so important that we do not conform to peer pressure when it comes to collaborations and to remember to know our own personal worth. Please do not accept collaborations that will put your own personal values into question, nor should you let brands take advantage of you and expect you to do a lot of work without anything in return because that is not good either.
And it’s the same with the type of content that you write. For example as much as I love pets, I do not have one of my own, so writing a post on dog food will make my audience a little confused and probably turned off by my content as it’s not relevant to me or my audience. Naturally, we all would like to make money at some point, so there might be some cases where you are writing sponsored content, where you don’t feel like it’s your best piece of work. The way that I see it, is that you should treat every blog post like an artistic masterpiece and make sure that you inject as much personality as possible into the written piece, even if it is something as simple as ‘dating do’s and don’ts because not only does it demonstrate your creativity to the agency, brand and audience but also shows that you put as much effort into sponsored content as you would into a post of your own choosing.
9. Take Steps To Find Your Muse To Find Inspiration To Create Good Content
Hands Up who has suffered from writers block? Yup me too and finding the energy, determination and willpower to power through writers block can be a difficult task to manage. Which is why it is so important to take action in order to create good content for your blog, even when you are lacking motivation or inspiration. Which is where this idea of a ‘muse’ comes in, a source of inspiration that will enable you to create greater content for both you and your readers. This can be something as simple as being a fashion blogger who is struggling to think of a new fashion based orientated post deciding to take a walk outside in nature, where the sun is shining and the ice cream van has scores of people lining up to get an ice cream in this warm heat. From that one scenario you might decide to create a lookbook centered around ‘pastels’ or ice cream inspired fashion, or as a food blogger you might come up with 5 ice cream recipes you need to try this summer, meaning that your muse for any chosen genre is ‘ice cream’. On the other hand you might decide that your muse is nature, which can inspire you to write stories and poetry, write about key hiking spots in the UK, or speak about 6 fun activities to do in the sun when you are on a budget. So you see, quite literally anything… yes even a rock… can be a source of inspiration and enable you to create good content in 2018.
And don’t forget the more original your muse, the more ground breaking your source of inspiration and thus subsequent blog post as a result. Who said going outside was boring hey?
10. Create A Regular Posting Schedule So That Your Audience Knows When To Expect Content From You
Last but not least, one of the most important tips you can use to generate good content this year is by creating a regular posting schedule so that your readers know when to expect content from you. For example lets say you write amazing posts and develop a following pretty quickly, but then they lose interest because you are not posting on a regular schedule and they are unsure of when they should come back to your blog to read your posts. While it’s true that we can all have a dip and wane in our posting schedule, taking the time to create good content that does not generate eyeballs can be frustrating and trust me I have been there. I used to be very frustrated that I was creating good content but getting so low views, before I realized it was because my audience did not know when I would be posting content. And while it is not quantity over quality, generally speaking I tend to get more views if I post 4 times a week as opposed to two as it means that my audience has more of an insight into my weekly ‘life diary’ so to speak. This enables me to create better content as I know that there is a demand for ‘varied content’ on my blog and I make sure that I post 4 times a week in order to meet that supply and demand.
But remember what will work for me might not be the same for you and even posting once a week can still mean you have great content that is loved by your audience, just make sure that it is content that you know you can be proud of. So if you post once a week on a Monday, let your audience know that this is the day you will be posting on with newsletters and sign ups that inform your reader. And if there will be a change in your posting schedule also let your audience know so that they won’t think that you have disappeared on them.
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What Are Your Tips On Creating Good Content As A Blogger In 2018?
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*Please note this is a collaborative post with Content Mother but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is such a good post! Sometimes I get so stuck for content and what to write/ how to write so I normally read through old posts for inspo!
Another fantastic post for bloggers! Thanks, Ana, as always they are some of my favorite content. I couldn’t help but smile at the misconceptions that are out there related to blogging. When I was first getting started, I admit, I was guilty of the same thing. I’d look at other bloggers who were successful and think “It can’t be that hard, can it?” Turns out it is and I quickly developed a reverence for the body of work they’d put out into the world. I’m really glad you mentioned injecting personality into your writing. The reality is, there are a handful of blogs who I get excited when I see they’re written a new post. They’re also those whose author has a personality I love. Whether it’s their writing style, their funny take on life, or their content, I keep coming back because it’s them. xx
Ahh I own that sparkly dress! Wore it for my engagement dinner 🙂
Great post by the way. Very handy for new and older bloggers!
This is a great post. I love the tips. Creating great content is essential. I see many blogs with poor quality content. Not good at all.
Yes, yes, and yes! I’ve been blogging for quite some time, but I’m in the process of rebranding. I need more of MY personality in my work!
Some great new points I hadn’t come across before. In particular, I loved your honesty about monetizing and the reality of how difficult it is to make a living blogging.
I have to check out that Content Mother that you mentioned in this post. Lately I have been overwhelmed with so much work that I feel I am drowning. I need some help to get over this workload and continuously provide my audience the content they need. I think your tip of concentrating on two social media platforms is very good advice. It would streamline the work and get more followers.
This is so helpful post. I still don’t know if I’m writing a good content for my blog. At least I know that they can see my personality in my posts. I agree to focus on 2-3 social media, It’s hard to work and promote when there’s too many platform to manage. Might use this as my reference 🙂
All great tips for beginner and veteran bloggers alike! Regular, original, high-quality content is key. Also, that dress looks so good on you!
This is such a fantastic post for bloggers. You’ve answered so many doubts and questions that kept coming in my head. I think I need to check our Social media management team to take my blog to another level. Thanks for sharing your insight.
Creating a good content in these days is very important. Your advises are very good.
I think it is very important to have a niche. It helps to establish yourself as an expert in the certain area. So, people would know what to expect and they will always come back for more… And it helps to stand out from the crowd and become reliable.
This is so helpful as a fellow blogger! I totally agree that we need to make ourselves different and add value! Thank you for all of these tips!
Coming from journalism, there are still some ‘rules’ regarding blogging that I don’t know – and also some ‘rules’ that I know, but just ignore. I want a certain standard regarding text and appearance for my blog – and if it’s agains SEO, then it shall be.
It amazes me how different the quality of blogs are – and you cannot even divide them in ‘professional’ and ‘hobby’ blogs: I see ‘hobby’ blogs that have much better, thoroughly elaborated content and ‘professional’ blogs that seem to be just a carrier for really, really bad advertisement and marketing – which will never work on a long term. To me, spamming your site with random advertisement and producing ‘fake’ posts with the sole purpose of posting affiliate links is far from being professional. Actually, in journalism the mix of journalist content and PR is a total no-go. I’m suffering seeing all these unedited posts with i.a. pictures with no caption…improving text and appearance, that would be professional, not yelling in peoples face ‘buy! this! so that I make a small percentage’ – very often the case in US blogs. I wonder when this will implode: There are sooo many bloggers offering basically the same stuff – where should enough readers/consumers come from? Here of course your recommendation with a very clearly defined niche is super-important.
Great post and so informative too, especially to those still trying to find their way in blogging and wondering which direction to head. I think standing out from the crowd is very important in blogging and finding that signature style is paramount!
True. I have revamped my writing style to always incorporate “myself” to each post, especially the collaborations. I know I was chosen for that particular purpose.
These are all good tips. The advice I would give about blogging is that people shouldn’t get into blogging looking to make a full-time income. That may be a goal, but should not give up your employment or need to make a ton of income to survive when you start blogging. As you say, there is so much competition out there, and it takes awhile to build a following and get the hang of everything. If you’re willing to put in the time and be patient for a few years, maybe you can replace your income. However, I wouldn’t get into it thinking that will happen anytime soon.
Great insights into what it takes to be a successful blogger. I am sure that everyone from bloggers who are just starting out to seasoned pros can get some good tips.
This is a great and in-depth post which I agree with and frankly, I hope it goes viral. While I love doing my eco blog and feel like I have a bit of a mission – and yes I do work with certain affiliates, sponsors and brands I feel are appropriate to my niche, ethics, branding etc – I feel slightly sad about the blogging world lately. There are so many sites out there that are basically just about writing any old *h*t (with really bad copy and grammar I might add) to flog more *s*t. But…but…having a beautiful blog (in any niche) with quality content is incredibly rewarding and is such a joy to read.
Fantastic tips!
I think injecting personality is so important, I really resonate with the blogs with a clear voice and they’re always the ones I return to
Great post and I love your style!! I have been a blogger for 8 years now, this is a great post and so true! I am so happy that I still love doing this!
This is a really great and comprehensive post. The one thing that really resonated with me, was finding two social media channels to work on, and then sticking with them. I am currently on three, considering my fourth, and I am now reconsidering this strategy in light of your post. I am also still in the process of finding my photography aesthetic. I think it’s critical in the food blogging niche, and not having any food photography skills has made things difficult. I have learned immensely from the groups that I am in, and I am slowly finding my way. But I’ve still got a ways to go. Thanks again for the great post. Definitely going to be saving this as there is a lot of information in here that I can use to improve upon my newbie blogging skills 🙂
Oh Ana! This is a great post! Thank you for sharing! You ALWAYS inject your personality into your posts. They are so refreshing to read. 🙂
Finding out what your audience wants to read about is so important. As long as you stay true to your blog personality while giving them what they want, it’s a win-win!
You’re the perfect person to showcase that creating amazing content can help you reach the goal of being a full time blogger. I’m happy blogging as a hobby but I do want to challenge myself in terms of content x
I agree blogging is not a fairy tale and things don’t look dreamy in the blogosphere. It takes a lot of research and hard word to write a great piece!
This is a super interesting post!I love how you mentioned that you have 3 different writing styles as I feel like I am the same! I think it’s important to understand how these different ‘voices’ appeal to different audiences too
Creating good content is top priority for me as a blogger. You’re spot on a lot of these tips for new and even for seasoned bloggers. Great job!
This is a great post, Its been only few months that I have been in blogging industry but I understood the importance of content very early. But putting your personality into content is really something I’m lacking yet. need to follow this advice.
This is a great post, as always, Ana. Those numbers are amazing, although the US has almost a third share of the market, that’s still small, all things considered. i’d have thought it wold be a bigger percentage. 6.75% is a drop in the ocean, but as you say, more and more people are picking it up.
I think creating great content is often misunderstood, it’s not always the subject matter, is it? Like you said, be who you are and let yourself shine though in your post.
what a useful post! I feel like my content changes a lot with whats going on in my life, so after having kids its genrally pretty baby focused but as they get older I start to blog more about my other interests too! x
I can say that you are successful living those advises. Everytime I choose an article from your blog – I enjoy reading it and I can say that the uniqueness and authenticity of your blog reflects your personality. Keep it up!
amazing tips. when i stumble upon a new blog, i always look at their image style first. if i like it then i’ll carry on reading the blog. it’s that first impression
Some amazing tips here lovely. I defo lack in posting regularly i really should upload on set days and stick to it, but life somehow always gets in the way x
Great tips for bloggers. I agree standing out can be hard with all the competition. Great photo sare very important – I’ve been working on mine although I don’t do fashion shoots yet. It’s in the pipeline when I’ve lost some of my baby weight 🙂
Like you I see my self working 24/7 and cannot switch off (I wish I had the funds to have a VA) but it still gives me pleasure every time I share something new on the blog, while that happens I will continue! Social media is another story, with Instagram having so bad reach at the moment I feel like giving up on that area, the only one working for me in terms of traffic is Pinterest.
This is such a great post and addresses so many questions people have about blogging. I am full time blogging now and I agree, I work so much harder than I ever did in my regular job but I love it so much more!
I think you hit the nail on the head. Personality is everything. It’s pretty much why people come over and visit your blog. There are millions of blogs all over the world. What would get people to keep coming back to yours?
These are super great tips Ana and its so bluntly put that sometimes people think that bloggers don’t work as much or get each money. I am glad you mentioned that we also face lots of difficult trials and that can test our patience and nerve. This is so true. I find that I end up working much longer hours than a normal 9 to 5 job.
Very helpful tips for bloggers here Ana! Blogging is definitely not a fairy tale and requires much more that just writing and taking good pictures especially when one’s niche is as visual. Creating content that relates with one’s audience is really important and yes, about social media management, I agree that specializing on just a few social media platforms would be so okay to maximize one’s reach over there!
Definitely on point Ana. You have to create a good content based on your audience of your chosen Social Media platform. Twitter and Instagram are the platforms I’m concentrating on as well. This post is very informative. I’m sure fellow bloggers will love this too!
Great post Ana! I think working on good content is SO important, way too many bloggers assume that opportunities will just fall at their feet rather than having to work hard to produce consistently good content!
Some great tips there for new bloggers and some food for thought for some old, established ones like me. I think you are so right about injecting your personality into your posts as it really does shine through
You look fabulous in your dress. and these are some great tips on how to create a good content. I will absolutely save this for my references and this will help my friend to choose a good content on her blog.
You’re right about showing your true personality in your writing but that takes quite a bit of bravery, doesn’t it. There’s always the worry that you will turn people off but I suppose you really need to find your tribe if your blog is to grow.
There is so much good content here. And it is so reflective of my own blogging journey. I really appreciate the part where you talk about learning and finding your own voice. AND That the voice you have changes depending on the type of blog post you are doing. I can write about Knott’s Berry Farm, but if I write about it sarcastically like I do in some of my other more personal posts, I don’t think I would convey what I mean to convey. And at the same time, when I write humorously in my food holiday posts, I still want my love of food to shine through the post. All of these are essential. And I am definitely feeling your bit about getting a bunch of freebies with all work and no pay. It makes life hard at times. I mean I appreciate the free stuff but it can be a lot of work for small payoff. Or no payoff. That audience connection is the one part I am resolved to work on this year. Finding the things my audience wants and meeting those needs. It takes work but I know it’s worth it in the end. And I have loved following your journey for the last year. I want to know you are a big inspiration to me. I may have to pick your brain in the near future about being an admin for a facebook group. It scares me but I think it would help broaden my horizons as well. Wishing you all the Best!!!
First, let me admire your dress! I haven’t tried wearing dress like that and Im excited to try!
Second, blogging is no fairytale, and you are right. I’ve seen many new blogs here in the Philippines, and most of the contents are becoming “press release factory” and i fint it so cringy, and gives me headache. Que horror, as I say.
Without genuine personality, dont expect blogs will flourish.
The amount of time I have tried to explain to people that there is no such thing as freebies because we always have to do something in return. Thanks for this incredible post Ana, I picked up a couple points, I try to be true to myself and blog all the time and inject my personality into it.
I couldn’t agree more about adding personality to posts. That is the only way to stand out in the crowd. Otherwise all blogs will sound the same. Even for review posts, I don’t follow any set pattern. i try to keep my posts simple and to the point but I don’t want them dry and lifeless either. You gave some really good tips there.
These are some really helpful tips. I’ve been blogging for around 18 months now and love it. My biggest issue I feel is keeping to a schedule – life just seems to get in the way! But I realise I need to be consistent, and hope to tackle this asap.
I love this, and I so agree with you. I always try to make my posts interesting. I can’t stand to read text book like posts, so I add my personality in. I only work with brands that I truly like! I’ve had to turn down many that didn’t mesh with my life or what I’m trying to put out.
Some great tips here – I do think that writing as you talk and injecting your personality into your posts is to important – that and finding out the pain points of your audience so you can really connect with them. Fab tips!
Great tips – I definitely think injecting your personality is key. I don’t want to sound like every other blogger out there! 🙂
Great post this. Creating unique and engaging content is always a lot harder than people think!
Great post especially for a new blogger! Thank you some much for this!
Great tips! I totally agree on all your points and it’s so important not to go overboard on social media–two is plenty!
Fab tips and we’re hobbyist bloggers and if we ever did decide to take it further we’d refer back to this x
Wow this is filled with so much inspiration and information – thank you! I am always looking to improve my blog content, but like yourself struggle with balancing it all each day. There’s simply not enough time in the day!
Love these tips! I so get the dont start with the freebie thing as it is payment for work.
Amazing tips girl! I think I am good with injecting personality and finding my own photo style now. It took quite a while but I finally got there and super happy! I need to know my audience a bit better though because answering their question is how you stay relevant. There is so many of these tips that I need to implement, seriously. Just need to find the time (and stop procrastinating) xx corinne
These are great tips! You always put your personality into your work which is why I love your blog! I can always tell content is from you before I even click on the link simply by your images!
This is such a great post and all these points are important for a great blog. Working on great content is important to me as I don’t want to look as if I’ve not made an effort with my work.
That is such a great post with so many amazing tips. It is true that now more than ever, you do need to focus on content and look at how you can be different to the so many other bloggers out there. Really thought-provoking, thank you
Yep, as a blogger we have to do it all; write, market, network and take images. It’s not an easy job at all.
You look absolutely stunning in those pictures. Thanks for sharing these tips. I have been getting stuck a lot lately to find relevant content for my blog that will engage my readers. I will definitely put these tips to great use 🙂
Great post. Full of great points. I have to work on many of them. I know then when I’m consistent with what I post and when I post I get traffic and engagement and when not, well…not. I also agree with focusing on two social media. I love Pinterest the most but it can be so time-consuming. How long did you had both a full-time job and blogging before you quit? and what made you make the switch?
Even as someone who has been a full time professional blogger for three years, I’ve taken away so many tips from this. You said it so perfectly Ana! x
this post is filled to the brim with a wealth of information! Information I have burnt into my brain & will start using ASAP. This is my third year blogging & the thought of turning full time hasn’y crossed my mind yet. I feel like blogging is my ‘escape place’ & I absolutely adore documenting my life & my journey through my blog. I should however take all of these points on board & start projecting them on NmDiaries as I always want my readers to find quality work from me & nothing less!
You’ve just said exactly what I have in mind as a blogger. There are still a lot of things to learn specially blog schedule because it’s really true that if you just dissapear, readers will get lost when you will reappear next. This is on point!
Such a informative blog post, I struggle to put my personality across on my blog, it’s so hard to let yourself go and now worry about what others think too much.
This is very informative and helpful post. I needed this information for my blog. Thanks for sharing
What a comprehensive post Ana. It’s full of really useful tips, especially for newer bloggers trying to find their feet. And I completely agree that blogging isn’t like a regular 9-5, there’s so much more to it than alot of people realise!
I learned a lot from the experience and passion you so readily share in your posts – thank you!
Awesome long read. But well worth it.
Wow, you can really write. Thanks for the great tips!
These are amazing tips that’s helpful for both new and professional bloggers to take away. I agree with regular posting schedule for readers. Content is KING! A well thought off and honest post are a must.
These are all great tips! I have been blogging full time for over a year now but because I have a need to write. I am still exploring to find my focus and voice in my blog so I have yet to monetize my blog or work with brands but I look forward to doing in the future. Thank you for the great read.
After years of blogging, I’ve struggled through a mountain of “trails & tribulations” (most recently, GDPR compliance 😝), but all that work just makes me feel better about where I am and, just as importantly, where I’m going.
I love how in depth this post was! It’s just the type of post I enjoy reading and I’ve bookmarked it so that I can come back and read it again.
Such good tips for new and old bloggers! Great post!
Content can be quit tricky from time to time. I enjoy my blog andiloverxpressingmy inner self however, mixingit upcanbe fun. Thanls for sharng.
Thanks for the tips. As a fellow blogger I concur
440 milion blogs out there! Wow. I couldn’t agree more with your tips. It is hard to stand out, especially if you’re new to blogging and if you’re trying to master all social media platforms. It can be overwhelming.
This is such a great post very interesting and information. It also sounds useful for all bloggers most especially to those are new in this kind of job.
Basically I’m a professional Chef, not a blogger, but I am looking forward to establish myself as a blogger. I would say this article presents the most updated and authentic information to be a successful blogger. Showing your personality with your skills by creating a social image will help you understand whether you are on right path.
Great tips, especially the one about injecting personality. That’s something that I find difficult as there’s a fine line between a good amount and too much and not sounding trustworthy for information.
I discovered that personality is key. Showing who you are really matters to people… whether it is a personal story, writing style or some little quirk, people want to relate to you. That’s where bloggers really have an advantage.
Great tips, especially when starting to stick to a few social platforms and above all create actionable content. Also, love the outfit!
I think what you said about injecting your personality into your work really resonated with me. I’ma private person but soon learned that i needed to open up personally if my writing was going to resonate with people. It’s helped me as a person and a writer!
This post is great for all bloggers , new and old . I appreciate all these tips and will keep in mind . I love the detailed descriptions of each. I agree with keeping updated on two social platforms , I think Instagram and Facebook work best for me .
For some blogging is a way to convey your thoughts or whatever topics you love that you post online. But as you dive more it can be very complex, a lot of technical issues as well. I am always working to create a good content, and before I start an article i have to do some planning, how shall i structure my content, and a lot of research. We have to learn about social media platform management and try our best that our presence is consistent. And still a lot more. Hence it’s hard work, yet its enjoyable. We are here to learn, grow and develop our skills.
These are great tips that every blogger would need to know… I would also recommend that bloggers should use sub headings that makes their content easy for everyone to read.
It is important to take into account these things as a blogger, thanks for putting out such great information!
Thanks for the tips. Anyone can write but it’s the quality of the content that will keep people coming back. Thanks for the advice.
This article is refreshing to read because it’s not the same “do more seo” mumbo jumbo that is clogging up Pinterest posts. So thank you for your fresh perspective. I am a fan of your blog for sure.