I have been blogging for six years this July. Almost daily. And my readers grow by at least five new followers a day. So I have learnt some things and it is time to pass a few of those things on.
Here are ten tips for you. These are only tips mind you. I am not the director, I am a player just like you.
- Testimonial. Write down what your blog is about. Your objective. Your job description. The challenges you have given yourself. Be very clear. My blog is developed around three major promises. (a)The blog is about the farm and all the photos are from my own farm. (b)I will tell the truth. (c)It will always be about yesterday so is absolutely current. I do not promise to blog every day – that happened all by itself and i will not accept that as a presssure. My blog sometimes turns into a travel blog but I give you warning. But the basic premise has continued for these five and a half years. The farm and the food from the farm.
2. Photographs. Always have an image. Mine are all taken on the farm and are often pretty random. They don’t have to be professional quality. Just follow these few rules. (a) Check your corners. (b)Straighten horizons. (c)Lower or raise yourself to check you have the best Point of View. (d) Give your eye a way out. (e) Make them big. (f)Look for focus. (g) A single simple well presented image has as much power as multiple images. (h) High contrast for small screens.
3. With words Less is Best. I seldom write more than a thousand words. Don’t say musings or ponderings – get to the point. Cut out extraneous words. Read your words out loud before you publish – your voice is your best editor.
4. Engage your Audience.Talk to your readers as though they are sitting across the table from you. Then answer them when they talk back. When I leave a comment on a page and the writer cannot be bothered answering me within a few days, especially when they only have a few comments there – I don’t go back. I conclude that they have no interest in discussion. I choose to visit the blog writers who will talk to me. (Many blogs are too big with too many comments to answer and I am not talking about those blogs. They are in a different realm. I also need to say here that in the summer when I am flat out I don’t get to answer all my own comments myself, I read them all and try to answer fast if the internet is co-operating but often fail. So I also understand if you cannot answer my comment every time. Winter is my favourite blog time because I get to talk to my all my readers then).
5. Go to other blogs and leave comments. Especially when you join that blog. This is the best, and simplest way to find people to have your morning chats with. We are here because we love the community that develops around a blog.
6. Write your words down when they come to you. My blog is daily so everything depends on what happened yesterday but if a sentence comes to me when I am knee deep in mud at ten in the morning, I jot it down in the notes folder of my phone which I keep in my pocket. It is shocking how many good ideas fly out the windows of my brain if I don’t write them down.
7. Use social media as a tool. Social media used correctly is an excellent way to get your posts to a wider audience. But be careful, it can also grab you by the left leg and suck you down. Set a limit on the amount of time you spend on blogging.
8. Honesty is your best policy. Unless you are writing as someone else: Be honest. We can smell stirrers and mongers. Be honest and true and the best you can be. Using your own voice. This is very attractive in a blog.
9. Relax. Most bloggers are like me – they use their blogs for record keeping and sharing. This is a perfect way to keep track of your recipes, or your farm, or your children’s cute sayings or your art or your travels. But it is not the be-all and end-all of your life. Blogging is like instagram it works WITH your life. So relax, have a good time with it. Blog when YOU want to. If it is important to you to build a big number of readers then it is a good idea to stay current – maybe once or twice a week. The first thing I check on a blog is the last publication date. Set yourself doable targets.
10. Develop a rhythm in your postings. I post every morning, early. It gives your readers a handle. I am like my cows – I love a routine. I would encourage you to post on the same day at the same time each week. Use your publication settings. Though many bloggers post whenever they feel like it and we love them.
11. Devices. not everyone reads on a huge screen anymore. Many people will read your blog on a small phone with the tiniest of screens. Keep this in mind when writing titles, choosing the size of your images, paragraph settings and writing your comments.
12. Have fun with it. I know I am repeating myself but there is enough pressure in other areas of your life. Enough hate speech in other corners of the social media world. Enough hammers on our heads. Give yourself permission to relax and have fun with blogging. Engage. Chat. Smile. Be positive. The right word in the right corner of your screen can change someones day. ust like a good waitress can change you dinner to an Occassion. Writing with a smile ensures that you are involved in changes for good.
I bet you have a few other tips to add in the comments! Our Longe of Comments being one of my favourite places to learn.
It is still dark this morning so there must be a good cover of cloud out there. Rain is coming they say.
I hope you have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
148 responses to “Twelve Tips for New Bloggers”
Great photo of Sheila eating with the cows. 🙂 Also the cow watching the chickens. Good tips. I try to follow most of them. I’m getting lots of follows that have never read my blog, they are just trying to get traffic to theirs. My life is not as interesting so i’ve stopped writing as often. Thought about stopping but I can’t give up the friends I’ve made blogging. You know what I mean. I hope you have another wonderfilled day.
Meeting you made that silly conference worthwhile. i am so glad we made friends that day! c
Thank you so much. I enjoyed meeting you a great deal. You are an excellent speaker, in case no one ever told you that. You had us enthralled.
I love the tips and the photos are terrific. I need to be better about interacting with other bloggers; I’ll read and ‘like’ and move on but I know how much I appreciate comments so I’m going to work on that.
I think even short comments are great for a new blogger – I remember when people started commenting on my blog I about collapsed in terror!
I know – the realization that people are actually reading and thinking about what you say. It’s something to get used to.
Beautiful photos today! I have such a soft spot for Tima and Tane, and he is delightful in that shot with his great tusks jutting out. I can still remember when they both were tiny and new to the farm. I hope that you always have a KuneKune or two wandering around the Farmy.
sad that they never bred though – I think about this sometimes – kunekune babies are the sweetest in the world. Maybe I should buy another breeding pair. Just thinking out loud.
Love this part you wrote today Celi,
“The right word in the right corner of your screen can change someones day. ust like a good waitress can change you dinner to an Occassion. Writing with a smile ensures that you are involved in changes for good.”
I always feel good and have a smile each morning after reading and you wishing us all a lovely day!!! 🙂
And i really do hope you have a lovely day – any baby goats yet? I think you have one definitely bred? c
Agree! Totally.
Sound advice.
Just a few thoughts really, Eddy. The fog is rolling in here – what about you? more mud? c
Snow, snow and more snow, not to mention the cold, cold and more cold! I should write a post about it really 🙂
Just write those words – they say it all!
Totally agree miss c! Hope you’re having a good day 😀
I am. I have my sewing machine out but I am too scared to plug it in yet. I have decided to try an internet sewing course. I just know that I can sew. It is a skill that is just waiting for me. But I have not signed up for anything yet. not quite brave enough.. c
There are some really good ones on Craftsy and they often do special offers. I’ve got some good books too that cover the basics. Happy to send you one…I just know that once you put your mind to something you’ll make a success of it!
Let me know if you need help. I have some knowledge of sewing. I’ve made everything from Halloween costumes to jackets……just not for a few years but I’d still be willing to run up and help. Between the 2 of us we could figure it out.
Thank you Connie – I want to start simple – and need some supplies first.. mostly I need to sew household things. Napkins and tea towels and work skirts – aprons – that kind of thing
Excellent tips my friend! One of the great things about blogging is finding such wonderful new friends. ; o )
The internet is a curious, sometimes frightening but often useful vehicle for exploring new kinds of friendships. c
wonderful advice- lots of excellent tips! Thanks !
I did realise that this post is not useful to those who do not blog – and there are more non bloggers than bloggers in my readership list. However some may be useful for other areas of ones life? Have a good one, Kathe. c
Good advice, Miss C, and not just for new bloggers. I’ve only been going for 4 years, so there are still things for me to learn in your list. One thing I’ve learned from the Farmy is that blog conversations are important, they’re fun and they help to engage other people with what you’re doing. Comment. Reply to comments, and start a conversation. Don’t follow if you’re not going to bother reading a blog and engaging with its writer. Build community, don’t just write and ignore those who want to talk about what you’ve written. The Fellowship are great role models for this, and we have you to thank for creating an environment in which we can flourish.
Yes, i love it when people comment and then I love it even more when I am busy (like in the summer) and you all answer questions for me in the comments section. Then when I pop in later I see whole conversations happening while I have been working. I love that feeling of community. c
Can only say this: once again you have made me smile. You are, perhaps, the only person I know who can advise without seeming preachy. Just good, solid friendly advice coming from your heart and experience. I love that. And on every point, you are right on. I have all but given up blogging, yet you make me feel that I might take it back up again. x
I would not worry about writing on your blog at the moment – when the time is right it will be right again – for now that pot is just simmering slowly on the back of the stove. Let it simmer. You are doing fine! c
Love this, Celi, thank you!!!
You are welcome Tami. Have a lovely day.. c
Sheila and her cows. Queenie’s bobby is more in proportion to her than the younger cows. I wonder if he complies to her bossy ways like they do. It rained in the night and tornado warnings were in the area…in January? Odd weather. Have a wonderful day C.
Tornados! In winter. Very weird. It is a most unusual year weatherwise.
I’ve been following you along time…just about in the beginning of your blog. Although, mine does NOT get the followers yours does, I do follow the same set of rules you have. I love putting down my thoughts and the perfect photo to offset my thoughts.
We are dreary still here…I’m looking forward to sunshine again…I’m sure it’s out there somewhere.
Linda
The lack of sunshine (a subject we have discussed often this winter) is starting to worry me.. c
Me too!
Sage words of advice. The most important has to be “have fun” and if it gets too much just leave it for a while or go through your objectives and remember why you’re doing it. Just going to cut up my soap, which I’ve been meaning to make for weeks and finally got around to it after reading about your soapmaking. The power of blogging 🙂
OH SOAP! I hope it worked? What kind of soap? I love that heavenly new soap smell.. c
Yes, it worked. I only make boring plain (cold process) soap. I love the smell of new soap too – it’s curing in the airing cupboard so I hope the smell will transfer to the clothes in there.
My daily life in suburban Philadelphia is about a million miles away from a farm in the midwest — which is why I’m so glad to have stumbled across your blog and become a regular reader. But this post really made me smile — I’m still pretty new to blogging myself, and struggling a little with finding my voice. Your warm and gentle encouragement was just what I needed today — thank you!
Hullo! and welcome. I went to look at your blog and you already have your voice – like me you are an immigrant and if you write while speaking out loud (in your head so as not to scare the neighbours) you will realise that your voice is already there. We have accents and we cannot help but see things a little differently. Sometimes we can even entertain! You have some great stories, you weave them well – keep telling them. And comment – when you comment we follow you home to see what you are up to! And give my love to the pushy American! c
Ah you just made my day!