Blogging 101- Tips and Pointers When Starting a Blog

Moms Bookshelf & More has been an amazing experience over the past year and a half and I have learned so much. I jumped into the blogging world with absolutely no knowledge of the blogging. My husband recommended it as a new hobby for me, a chance to escape the madness of our insanely crazy house.

I jumped in and embarked on the long road to blogging. Of course we all hope to be huge, famous bloggers one day but the likelihood of being world famous is often likened to a gear head from Minnesota becoming a famous Nascar driver.

I have managed, in my own opinion to do pretty well over the past year and I myself am pretty proud of myself and the followers I have gained. Of course I hope that I continue to grow and I hope people enjoy my posts and actually read my ramblings and off the cuff sense of humor I throw into my posts.

In this time I have learned quite a bit, stuff I wish I knew before I began; it could have saved me a lot of time and strife. No secrets really, just little things that will help you along your blogging journey.

Go Viral- When choosing the name of your blog be sure to incorporate your blog title and name across social media so followers can find you easily, becoming a brand.
Stay active in social media- Tweet, post on Facebook, pin like crazy on Pinterest. You want to raise awareness to your blog and your brand. When tweeting utilize #hashtags to widen your audience by assigning it a topic that is searchable, non-followers will be able to easily find your tweets. Use social media apps such as Tweetdeck or HootSuiteto schedule tweets and Facebook posts during times you are away from your computer.

Group Support– Join a blogging support group or several. This will give you the chance to network and meet other bloggers. There are many groups that will help you reach your full potential as well as assist you in becoming the best blogger possible. I am a very proud member of BloggerPR by MamaNYC, Mom Blog Society and Bloggy Moms, just to name a few. I am also an active member on Triberr with Dino Dogan and Dan Cristo the amazing duo and site that helps me expand my reach on Twitter to nearly 500,000 people! All these services and support are free to join!

Say NO to Captcha– When setting up your comment portion of your blog, turn Captcha off. If you would like to moderate your comments that is fine but when a visitor has to try and decipher those annoying, crazy characters just to comment they will often just click away from your page or not comment as well. Take it from someone who has been known to try more than 5 times to get the code right and then give up out of frustration. I am not spam, I just can’t read those buggers!

DO NOT steal content– If a blogger stumbles upon your site and finds their graphic, picture or post that you have stolen with no permission you will be in for it! They can blow you and your blog right out of the water faster than the United States Navy and show the blogging community you are fake and unoriginal. Plus Google will find you and penalize you and your reputation for copy cat content.

Play Nice– I have come across several bloggers who have stabbed bloggers in the back, blasted their names and blogs, posted Do not follow lists, try to ruin support groups etc. Just like in high school, if you try to play mean others will figure you out and in the end you only hurt yourself, on top of making a huge blogging community mad at you. If you are a review or sweeps blogger imagine how you look in your sponsor’s eyes and PR companies.If you choose to leave a group or community be sure to be polite, no need to let the claws out, this is not Mean Girls the movie.

Host a Giveaway– If your traffic numbers are low or you would like to boost your follows, host a giveaway and join a Giveaway Hop. Larger blogs will host a hop usually with a theme in mind. You sign up and join the hop posting the shared image logo and post the hop linky along with your post and giveaway. Others that hop along through the list will stop by you blog to enter. Your numbers will skyrocket.

BLOG HOP– The best way to get your name out there as a newbie is to start blog hopping. Several sites have pages with lists of weekly blog hops and memes. Each day of the week you stop by and link up your blog and begin hopping. Hop by and visit other blogs leaving comments on posts and let them know you are a new follower, they will return the favor. Easy Peasy!

Keep Posting– There is no right or wrong for how often you are to write new posts. I have known bloggers who post weekly, daily and some that post multiple times a day. It all depends what you are comfortable with. Just remember if your are barely posting, people are barley seeing your content.

There you go. There are just a few blogging tips that I have learned over the past year. I am always game to meet new bloggers and help you out. When you are new it is a lot to take in and can overwhelm you, just stay calm and ask your blogging buddies for some advice.

Blogging 101- Tips and Pointers When Starting a Blog via Moms Bookshelf & More – ow.ly/cUutJ
— Miranda Sherman (@MirandaSman) August 12, 2012

Comments

ashleigh walls 03.08.2012 at 03:17

Great tips for beginners!

Rachel Wright 04.08.2012 at 04:49

Wow thank you for this information it helps me alot.

Mama Nibbles 05.08.2012 at 05:29

Right on! Say NO to captcha!!!

Renee C. 08.08.2012 at 08:52

Great post Miranda. These are all great, common sense tips. Of course nothing is obvious when you are just starting out, so posts like these are so helpful!

Krystle (Baking Beauty) 12.08.2012 at 12:31

I have never heard of the triberr thing, but the 500,00 visitors has my ears perked up!
Going to check it out now, thanks for the great tips!

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