7 things I’ve learnt in 3 months of blogging

This little blog is now 3 months old, which is a bit of a milestone I think. At 3 months old a baby is smiling and giggling, might be starting to roll over, and is getting much better at holding their head up – which sounds about on par with where I feel this blog is. Certainly smiling and giggling anyway.

It seems a bit smarty-pants-y to share a post about blogging when I’ve only been blogging for 3 months, but it’s been a very steep learning curve for me, and I feel like I’ve learnt a lot. I thought some of these tips might be helpful to people just starting out on their blogging journey, and I also look forward to reading this post back in a year's time and having a little laugh at how much I didn't even know I didn't know.

I'm now beginning to get an understanding of the importance of the following points – but that doesn’t mean I’m on top of them yet! So this list is as much for me as it is for you.

It's all just a jumble of letters on a page, really

1. Content is king

You can have all the social media presence in the world, but if your content is boring, poorly written, or unoriginal, then no one is going to want to engage with it. Make an effort to produce the best material you possibly can before sharing it with your audience, and don’t make the mistake of posting a second rate piece just for the sake of posting ‘something’. Decide how often you want to post and try to stick to it. Make notes of ideas you have for stories and keep them to refer to down the track. Lists seem to be very popular, so if you’re stuck for an idea, write a list!

2. Be social

From what I’ve learned, the world of blogging is almost completely driven by social media. I’m on Facebook, Twitter and Google +, and am almost ready to start on Pinterest and Instagram. I'm on Bloglovin', but only have a few followers so far. StumbleUpon, Reddit and Digg are completely foreign to me, but they’re on my list of things to figure out. The vast majority of my traffic comes from Facebook, with Twitter coming a not-too-distant 2^nd. I have no effing idea about Google+ and it really shows! 

To get your blog noticed you also need to read and comment on (lots of) other blogs, connect to blog networks, participate in #linkys and #bloghops, and generally put yourself out there. It’s daunting at first, but the blogging community is really welcoming of newbies!

3. Find a niche

There are millions of blogs covering all sorts of topics available for your viewing pleasure at any given time. Any subject you could possibly think of, I bet there is a blog covering it. Bold & the Beautiful enthusiasts? Tick. Left-handed crafts? Yep. My Little Pony Collectors? Actually there are dozens of these. Cat fanciers, shoe obsessives, home cooks, home schoolers… there are blogs to capture the interests of absolutely every type of person. The #mummyblogger category is huge, with lots of very talented writers out there. To make your blog heard, find a niche subject that you’re passionate about, and focus on that. My niche area is ‘living dairy- and soy-free’, and then I write other, more general parenting and family-life pieces as well. Most of my early followers have come from the dairy- and soy-free community (thanks guys x).

4. Find your voice

I struggled initially finding my voice for this blog, and it’s still evolving. I write for my day job, and have to keep it businesslike, professional and objective, so writing personal stories and sharing much more of myself has been a trickier transition than I imagined. I like to pretend I’m having a conversation with a friend, and go from there. I also initially tried to make every post funny, but, you know what? Life isn’t always funny! 

So decide if you want to be personal, irreverent, funny... even rude. But be yourself.

5. Stop comparing, start sharing

I read a lot of blogs on my commute to and from work, and sometimes the writing is so good that I feel like I’m just wasting my time writing anything at all. Sometimes, also, I’ll read a post on the same subject as something I’ve written, but which is hysterically funny compared to my more subdued piece. More self-doubt creeps in... But, I remind myself that, while there will always be better written, better looking and more popular blogs, this is the only blog where I can share my story, my ideas, myself. So it’s a case of Same Same…but Different, if you know what I mean.

6. Schedule your time

There are days that I have to remind myself that this is a hobby, and that I do actually have a job that pays the bills, and a family that needs me. It’s easy to become a little bit obsessed with coming up with post ideas, watching your stats, reading and commenting on other blogs, and growing your networks, but it’s important to make sure you’re not missing out on your life while reading about other people’s. After all, that’s where the best material comes from!

7. Enjoy yourself

I promised myself that if this blog ever became a chore, or felt like work, then I would stop doing it. I’m doing this as a release, as writing practice, and, in some ways, as therapy. It will also be something for my kids to read when they're older. It’s supposed to be fun, and not just another thing clogging up my ‘to do’ list. If I ever feel stressed about meeting a blog deadline, missing a #linky or not replying to a comment quickly enough, I just remind myself that I set the deadline in the first place, and who gives a toss anyway? It’s just a blog...Relax!

So that’s what I’ve learnt in my first 3 months, how about you? What are your fave blogging tips for newbies like me?