Despite not being new to blogging, or even new to this blog, there’s a lot I’ve learnt and developed on in my new approach to this blog in the past 3 months. Here are those 5 things I’ve learnt as a new blogger!
Introduction: Am I a new blogger?
Some say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I think you can always learn new tips and pointers in life! Although I’m not new to blogging, or even new to this blog, I still consider myself to be a new blogger.
I’ve had this blog for a while now – since 2019 in fact – but my approach towards it has only recently changed. Don’t get me wrong, periodically I’ve tried to post consistently, but only this time round has it actually stuck. That’s why I consider myself to be in a new blogger, but it’s the first real time I’ve given it a go.
I also help to write blogs for clients in my job, which has influenced the way I write to this day. That’s another reason as to why I’m a new blogger, in the sense that I have learnt so much along the way, up until this point in 2024!
So, what tips can I actually share from this journey?
Consistency is key
Yes, unsurprisingly, I am seeing the positive results from posting every week, and actually sticking to it!
Regular blogging helps to keep your audience engaged. I know what you might be thinking, what if I don’t have an audience yet? Well no matter how big or how small your readership may be, regular blogging is essential for growing and maintaining this group, as well as building your authority online and establishing your credibility in the online space.
If your goal is to build an audience base organically, which is something I am trying to achieve, then consistency with posting weekly is key. However, other blogs may benefit from posting less frequently, as long as it is consistent.
Aesthetic isn’t everything
I have spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to perfect how the blog looked, rather than focusing on the content I’m putting out. Don’t make that same mistake!
When it comes down to it, the most important part to a blog is getting content out. There will be time to build your own personal branding later. For me, I got too obsessive with how it looked, and neglected the time spent writing – which should always be the main focus.
This applies to all the aspects that comes with marketing and promoting the blog as well. It took me far too long to set up email alerts because I was too worried about how they would look like, rather than setting them up and letting people know about it. Aesthetic will come later, always focus on the content first.
Time to think about a niche
Now, if you read my blog The Importance of a Niche in Blogging, this one might come as a bit of a surprise. But I think I’m at the stage where it’s time to think about focusing on my niche.
Broadly speaking, I think I predominantly write within the lifestyle genre anyway. It isn’t one that is too restrictive or limiting, but brings direction to the blog overall. A niche will help with attracting loyal readers and subscribers, and although I’m not at that stage yet, it will assist with monetising the blog when the time comes. Lastly, it will also help when sharing it externally, such as on Pinterest, TikTok and more.
By taking the time to clarify my niche, and to ensure it’s clearly stated across my blog, it will help with my overall SEO strategy and boost my exposure within organic searches. That brings me onto my next point…
Be keyword aware
I have to thank my job for this one, because before I had no idea what keywords were, or the significance of them.
Firstly, keywords are target words or phrases that people are looking for in search engines. By using the right keywords people are searching for, your content will go up in the rankings – simply speaking.
Being keyword aware and developing a niche has gone hand-in-hand recently. By being more aware of keywords using research tools such as Keywords Everywhere, you can better position your blog as something people are searching for.
Plan ahead
I’m always an advocate for planning, but for blogging in particular it has made a world of a difference towards my approach.
In the instance of being a new blogger, it has given me structure and helped me to gather my ideas, focusing them around the important keywords for my niche (that summarised majority of the points so far!)
I have failed in the past because I ran out of inspiration and motivation quickly. Despite my love for writing, it’s not always easy to pull ideas out of thin air. Planning multiple blogs ahead of time means I know what I’m going to write, I can think about them in more depth and I can get excited about writing them!
Bonus: Don’t be afraid to take risks
When I first started this blog, I felt quite shy about putting it out in the world. What will people think of my writing? What if they laugh?
But the most important thing I’ve learnt as a new blogger is, who cares? Don’t be afraid to take risks and to put yourself out there. Everyone’s wrapped up in their own worlds to worry about what you’re doing.
For me, that has meant finally creating email alerts. I’ve started sharing my blog on my different social media platforms again. I’ve been searching for different directories and publications to list it. After all, you’re the only one holding yourself back! If you’re going to take anything away from this post, consider this as one of the most important.
Remember, being a new blogger doesn’t have to be a daunting one, and there’s always time to change your outlook.
These are 5 things I’ve learnt, and would love to know if there’s anything you’ve taken away from it! What are your thoughts?
