If your new to blogging you may be asking yourself what should I be doing? It’s a common question I often get asked. You know you should be writing since that is the basis of blogging but are unsure as to what else you or any other blogger is or should be doing.
There are in fact many things that a new blogger can and should be doing in the beginning to craft their blogs. To answer the question I’ve created a short To Do List For The New Blogger that will explain to you, what it is you can do.
To Do List For The New Blogger
1. Content – You’ve probably read this many other places where it says to “write great and unique content”. Great and unique mean different things to different people. What you need to do with a new blog is just write. The best option is to write useful or interesting content as this will either help or entertain readers. Put yourself in your readers shoes, what would you like to read about on another blog? What would solve a problem of yours or make you curious enough to want to come back? Figure this out and then write everyday, yes everyday. You are a new blog working to build a readership, the option to write a few times a weeks will come once you are established.
2. Find You Voice – Your voice is simply your style of writing, what comes natural. For some finding their voice will come easy, for others not so much. We are each unique and different, with our own views and thoughts. How we present them using words will define what our voice is. How do you find your voice? Write what you know and believe in, as this will show you as being authentic. Be yourself, don’t copy or mimic others, that is their voice. Listen to your heart, yes that may sound cheesy but we often know without actually knowing why. Lastly keep writing, your voice will develop in time, the more you write the more it will take shape.
3. Brand It -If you’ve recently started blogging this is the time for you to experiment and create your brand. Branding is the message you send both visually and with your written content. Who are your readers going to be? Figure this out then define the message you want to send to them, both with how you write and the design of your blog and or logo. Stick to this message and use it everywhere, repetition is key to branding.
4. Network -For any new blogger getting out and interacting with other bloggers should be a daily routine. This doesn’t necessarily mean fact to face. Part of networking is contacting other bloggers, working with them on projects, guest posting, possibly helping them out. Any form of interaction with other like minded individuals. If your new you will more then likely be able to learn from them, their mistakes and successes.
5. Learn It – Chances are that being a new blogger, you have little knowledge of how things work. If this is the case you need to start learning everything you can about blogging. There is an unlimited amount of information out there on every aspect of blogging. From design and how to write, to making money and socializing. If this seems to overwhelming focus on one thing at a time. Start simple and learn how to use your blogging platform as this will be used most everyday. Pick up tips on how to write content. Commit to learning something new about blogging everyday.
6. Read It – If you are a new blogger you should be reading other blogs. You want people to read yours so reading others would only seem right. You can’t receive without giving. By reading other blogs you can also pick up tips, how they format their content, a certain design element, or a piece of information that is nothing more then just fun. Blogs are fascinating in that we can now meet and learn from those we may have otherwise never have come across in our daily life.
7. Comment – This goes along with number six and is the next step, leave comments on other blogs. Blogging is all about interaction and community. You’ll need to be a part of it now if you call yourself a blogger. Along with reading your blog you’ll want readers to comment on what you write and yes you’ll need to comment on those you read. When it comes to commenting put some thought into it and have something that is worth adding. Don’t just say “cool post”. This is useless and unwanted. You don’t have to write a story, just be sure it has some relation to the post itself.
8. Be Social – There are countless ways to now be social, bookmarking sites, ranking sites, micro-blogging sites. Get involved and sign up with these, see which best fits you personally. Once you figure out which you like use them. Much like networking you can interact with others, learn, share, or just waste time. Yes sometimes it does seem like a waste of time but it’s usually time well spent.
Now that you have some basic knowledge it’s time to get to work. Although if you enjoy blogging like me you don’t really consider it work.
nice blog,..
Hesti´s last blog post..Fuel Mileage
So much for #7, eh Hesti?
Excellent list as a whole. I realize they’re numbered, but each is as important as the next in their own way. Good job!
I’ve never agreed however with, “you must post every day”. I feel you must post consistently, yes. But what that consistency is depends on your particular readership, which may take a bit of time to figure out.
Posting daily could easily end up hurting some bloggers as their readership may feel overwhelmed and move on to another…the #1 point to a blog is interaction. Otherwise we’re just writing to ourselves.
Dennis Edell´s last blog post..Both Contests End Tonight! Important Info…
Blog Catalog or MyBlogLog, Technorati, StumbleUpon are the best places for new bloggers to start socializing. They can use these sites to promote their blogs with little effort.
Brian Elliott´s last blog post..Add Screenshot Clips To Your Articles Using Fireshot
Im just glad Im actually over doing those sweatwork stuffs.. Its really hard when starting out
Melvin´s last blog post..Thinking Outside The Goddamn Box
Tips of interest. I thank you. Success always
Regard
If you are beginner, don’t waste your time.Take a professional class of Internet Marketing or Blogging, believe me your saving time and money instead of self study not to mentioned scams is everywhere
Ari Lestariono´s last blog post..7 Forbidden Habits for A Healthy Diet and Weight Loss Naturally
Good list to start with. The biggest struggle I have is learning time management with each of these things.
Health Outlook´s last blog post..Can Drinking Hot Tea Cause Cancer?
All 8 points are very necessary for new blogger and they are really helpful to all bloggers.Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!
This is a great starting point of reference. It’s funny that when I started my blog I had so many things I thought I could talk about in the marketing realm for women. Then when it comes time to write…It’s a blank! But, pretty sure it’s because of the learning curve and trying to figure out the right way. Like the advice of finding your own voice…being me is what I do best!
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You can also think of yourself in the readers shoes. What would YOU like to read or learn. What do you know that can help others out? Yes there is some learning to be done but will come with time.
Making a list is easy, take only 10 minutes.The important and essentially is making action and start building that list to make traffic.Take action
Ari Lestariono´s last blog post..Cat Meditation as Holistic Remedies
I hope I am not late in commenting here. I found this post so useful that makes me print this out and attached it on my wall where I can see it on daily basis.
Cavite Blog´s last blog post..Tejeros Convention In General Trias
I’m working through some of your older stuff this morning. I found this article to be great for newbies, well organized, easy and thoughtful!
Bravo!
Brandon
The Almost Millionaire´s last blog post..Should I buy a house?
Great list of tips! I especially like, “You can’t receive without giving”. I’ve joined a few blog promotion groups where bloggers encourage each other to comment on each others blogs, but much of the time it is one sided, so great advice!
Holly Reisem Hanna´s last blog post..20 Sites Where You Can Promote Your Business for Free
Yes that is sad but true. Best thing to do is finds blogs like mine where when a comment is given it is also returned.
thank you very much, your suggestions above are very useful for a newbie like me
as newbie learn as many and take a good mentor to short cut the learning process.
Ari Lestariono´s last blog post..Soybeans, Healthy Alternative Meat Substitution
Good Tips… I’m trying to find a balance between focussing on content and marketing (will include comments, network, social marketing etc)
Somehow i think, these 2 are the crucial elements for a new blogger..
And I laways like to state that “Blogging is a process” just like anything else
Keep up the good work my friend
Cheers
Sandeep
Curious Little Person´s last blog post..Keyword Research for Marketing your Blog
A good thing to start thinking about early is video creation. It may be a daunting thought for a beginner, but once you’ve got the hang of blogging, you’ll be constantly thinking of new ways to promote your site and get your message across. If you’ve been thinking about it for a while, by the time you get round to it, you’ll be well prepared and used to the idea.
Hi, I love blogging, because it is the most easiest way to share what you know and learn what other have……….
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Hello Michael,
These are great tips. I am very new to blogging, but am being consistent about most of these points. I’m not blogging everyday because it seems like overkill in the area I’m writing about.
The brand is something I haven’t figured out yet. I also am getting ready to migrate my wordpress blog over to my own domain name with GoDaddy as I’ve read horror stories of people using wordpress, getting terminated and losing all their files.
Thanks,
Alan
Alan Eames´s last blog ..Duplication