Blogging Advice

Note: Today, i have a special treat for you. Some of my favorite bloggers and dear blogging friends are here to give you some blogging advice. I asked them a couple questions and here's what they had to say, i hope you can gain some good advice from some of my favorite bloggers!

I asked them: 

If you had any advice for someone wanting to start a blog what would it be?

what advice do you have for people wanting to grow their blog? 

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If I had any advice for someone starting a blog, I would say DO IT. It's so easy to live in fear and what if's. And I totally understand why some people would be afraid of starting one. But you'll never know what it's like until you start! Try it out and give it a go, you can always choose to quit later (although, I hope that's not the case!). 

 In terms of growth, I have to say that being patient and friendly are two key traits for successful bloggers. It sounds lame, but like everything in life, growth takes time. I used to sit and wait for readers and we all know they don't just fall from the trees. So reach out and let your presence be known! Comment on their blogs, start email conversations, go on Skype dates or attend a blogging meet-up. You could call it networking, but I call it community-building. It just sounds better, you know?

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Know why you are starting a blog. Know exactly why, know your purpose. It can be any answer, but now why. Are you blogging as a hobby, wanting to share your thoughts and have a creative outlet?  Are you blogging to pursue blogging as a career? Are you blogging just to see where things go? All these questions will help you get started and give you confidence moving forward. Knowing the answers to these questions will determine what you need to do to move forward. If you choose to blog as a career, know that it is not easy and everything you see in other blogs takes a lot of leg work and a lot of drive. Don't give up, keep going, and strive for greatness. 

Growing your blog takes innovation. You have to be willing to try to think differently about what is already happening in the blog community. This doesn't mean you don't take advantage of techniques that are currently working. It means you start thinking about them differently, working hard at putting your own mark on them and making them work for you. You have to think creatively, you have to work hard, and you have to reach out. Think about the things you see other bloggers doing that you like. How could you do it differently, how could you make it successful in a new way. Always be open to trying different strategies. The more you experiment the more you will learn what works and what doesn't work. What is successful and what is not. Don't get stuck in things that aren't working. Move on.

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My advice would be simple... JUST DO IT! A couple things though... make sure you know your way around simple graphics sites like Picmonkey or Photoshop to create somewhat pretty graphics and headers. Gotta be honest, ugly blogs don't make me want to read them. Harsh. But true. And then write or post WHATEVER YOU WANT! Don't get caught up in the "posting only to gain readers." As a reader, I want to feel like I know YOU (even though I may not in real life) and posting stuff that you love helps get that across!

Don't be annoying. Ha! Be nice. Treat others as you wish to be treated, meaning promote blogs you like, and hopefully they'll reciprocate. Comment (real comments, not just "hi, check out my blog") on other's blogs and start relationships. Slowly but surely you'll see growth, and if you do it right, it will be consistent growth. 

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Be yourself! Don't worry about what other bloggers are doing or how "big" other blogs are. You have to start somewhere. Stay true to yourself, connect with others, and have fun!

There are three things I started down that I believe really contributed to the growth of my blog: writing quality posts, connecting with other bloggers, and posting on a regular basis. I think these three things will really help any blog grow. 

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If there is anything you can learn from my blog story it is that you should just do it and see where the Lord takes it! Be encouraged! Every blog has a journey of its own - some blogs start out with millions of followers or some blogs start with 5 friends back at home to comment occasionally... for years... before anyone discovered it (i am the latter!) If you love what you do, you will keep doing it no matter what. perseverance, dedication, and real passion makes a blog worth reading. If you are look for some practical steps to start or grow your process, you can check out my Blog It series! and introduce yourself! I would love to meet you.