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Blogging can be simply for leisure or you can try to build an audience. Building an audience has introduced me to so many people that I have had the pleasure of forming relationships with and I couldn't be more grateful for the process! So here are a few tips and tricks on how to get started and make a foot print in the wide world of blogging:
1. Formulate and Audience
What are you interested in? Fitness? Travel? Cooking? Whatever it may be find it, love it and stick to it. If you are starting a blog about your cooking adventures you will find yourself growing a larger audience of people who enjoy to cook and it will me much easier to network and grow from there. If people are confused on what your page is all about they are more likely to not read it at all, save the confusion and focus in!
2. Research Blogging Platforms
I cannot stress this enough, what works for one may not work for another. I personally have tried 3 platforms before ending up where we are now and wish I had found blogger from the beginning of our journey. Theres blogger, wordpress, weebly and the list continues. Each will appeal to different types of bloggers so do your research and only invest in one you think will be easiest for you to navigate. Otherwise giving up on the process becomes much easier.
3. Blog Often
Make a point to sit down at least 3 times a week and share something. Let your mind wander and just write. Making your blog active will encourage others to read in order to keep up with your world. If you space them out too far people may forget that the blog still exists and you risk losing an audience. However.. if you find yourself in a creative funk and unable to write anything that you feel is publish worthy than maybe the small break is better. Think quality and quantity, they are both achievable I promise!
4. Don't be Discouraged
Guess what? The first people to read my blog (for a long while) were my close friends and family members who probably wanted to make me feel good about myself. It's easy to see small numbers and want instant success but it won't happen. It takes time. Once people recognize your name they will start to flow in but it takes time and effort in order to get there. "Just keep writing, just keep writing" (please sing that as if you were Dory herself).
5. Create Relationships / Network
Creating relationships and networking is where it's at. There are shops all over the world who look for bloggers to help get the word out about their products, there are bloggers everywhere who search for bloggers in similar fields to collaborate with, and there are people like you who need them! When you create a relationship through your blog you are sharing your audience with others and in turn they send their audience to you (this means growth) and you may find some life long friends along the way. Remember that the relationship you form is a two way street, if a shop sends you something to review.. review it. Being a shop owner myself I have sent product out and sometimes bloggers don't hold up their end of the deal. This will look bad and attach a negative voice to your brand, if word gets out you could find yourself in quite the pickle.
6. Visualize With Me
Imagine a blog.. what do you see? Something that catches your eye! Take the time to work on the aesthetic of your blog and make people stop when they see it. Sadly a vast majority of readers do pick a blog by the cover so create a beautiful one. Create a beautiful page to draw them in, then put time into things like the titles of your posts and fun extras that your page offers. In the few seconds a reader takes to decide if your blog is "read worthy" help them realize it is much more than just that!
Blogging is an outlet that can provide you with some relaxation and small moments of freedom within your busy days. Find your forte, embrace it and run. I bet you'll find yourself with a smile.
-T
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