So You’re a newbie blogger
It happens every day. You hear of a mom blogger that you never knew existed and she is now everywhere and you wonder, now how do I do that?
What does she have that I don’t have?
Marketing online can be quite scary in a sea of thousands upon thousands of blogs and finding where you belong can seem a daunting task. While I don’t know a specific number, I would venture that just as many blogs are abandoned as start up on a daily basis.
A blog, much less a successful blog, can be quite a bit of work.
Here are a few tips to ease the burden and give you some food for thought while creating your blog:
1) Define success: This goes back to when you were a child and your parents asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up. Have some goals to define what success is to YOU. For some, that may mean monetization. For others, comments. For still others, contacts and opportunities with companies. Generally all of those things interact, but you will need to know which is most important to you in order to outline how you will achieve it.
Simply put, you can’t move towards something if you don’t know where you are going.
One thing I caution against, especially as a ‘newbie’, is to define who you are based on your traffic. This is a mistake that PR makes as well. Building up a steady flow of inbound visitors takes links, google love, interesting content, social networking, and time. If you check your statistics every moment, they are very likely to frustrate you and cause you to lose focus. Checking once a week is more than enough to stay on track and gauge your growth.
2) Find your niche (otherwise know as you can’t do it all/be it all): There are moms out there that write books, moms that do speaking engagements, moms that solely work on their blogs, and that is great, but I will tell you this:
You can’t do it all.
You can try, but you will either:
a) fail
or
b) be stressed, overwhelmed, or family-less
My dad always told me to never order a burger at the taco joint. Why? Because it just wont be as good as it is at the burger joint. The point is to find what YOU are good at it and stand out in that area. If you see a successful cooking blog, don’t create a knock off cooking blog thinking you can emulate the success of that person. Your heart must be into whatever you bring to the table.
Success for the sake of success will ultimately leave you unhappy and unfulfilled.
3) Your visitors should know what to expect: Having consistent online writing schedule lets your returning visitors know what to expect from you. Do you publish MEMEs on monday, content on Thursday, contests on the weekends? Whatever you do, try to create an expected schedule that proves to your visitors that you are an active blogger with content. If you sporadically post, you will receive sporadic traffic. Bloggers should try to post at least once a day, but I strongly encourage more than once a day when you are just starting out.
Additionally, don’t get so caught up twittering, facebooking, myspacing, and marketing that you fail what sent you there in the first place: Your blog.
You can be a heck of an advertiser, but if people show up and there is nothing for them to look at, then you’re the cat chasing its tail.
4) Don’t try to be someone else: This is one of the biggest mistakes I see newbie bloggers make online. You see someone creating an empire and you think, “I want to be THEM”. In my opinion that’s the surest way to get on the wrong track. Its OK to admire someone, enjoy their site, or watch for tips on what makes them so successful, but trying to copy someone is tacky and will prove pointless.
You are not Dooce.
You are not Brittany.
You are not Cat.
You are not Me.
You are YOU.
So shine at it.
5) Don’t spread yourself too thin: There is a lot you can do online-but it doesn’t mean you should do it. Once you get into the blogosphere, you realize that social networking can really take it out of you. So can reviews, giveaways, marketing, blogging, interacting, twitter parties, blog carnivals, digging, stumbling, technorating- get my point?
I also discourage new bloggers from opening 6 blogs. Or 5 blogs. Or even 2 blogs. Find a blog, stick with that blog, and grow that blog. To put time and effort into 2 sites online that are brand new, with an exception of a few special people, will generally end badly.
Think two sites with little growth.
In my opinion, its much better to concentrate and learn from one blog before deciding if you need two.
6) Be realistic: While I strongly encourage goals and am a firm believer that nothing is unachievable, be realistic.
1.2 million visitors in 30 days isn’t going to happen unless you’re on Oprah.
7) It takes Time: Longevity and perseverance are a bloggers best friend. While there can be short term success and even viral rewards, to gain a long standing and interested audience takes time. Think of your blog visitors like friends. You don’t just rush into a slumber party with someone you met at the park.
Make sure you realize that having a blog is a TWO WAY relationship. You go out for coffee, then lunch, then dinner, maybe a movie, then before you know it you are out at the club drinking a margarita!
MomDot has been open just over a year and we average from 70-100K visitors a month. Its a big wide spread and I never get ‘comfortable’ with my stats. Instead, I always look at ways to interact and use the ups and downs in my stats to indicate where I am going right and where I am going wrong.
Get to know your readers, respond to them in the comments, visit their blogs if you can, engage in online meetups amongst other bloggers-all of this takes time and is not done overnight.
8 ) Give something back- Your blog will start to advertise yourself via Word of Mouth (the best advertising possible!), if you consistently give back. Now I don’t mean start up a charity and become the Mother Teresa of bloggers. I mean provide something that gives back to your visitors. Create content that is useful, share knowledge, guide those that have questions, provide a skill, a laugh, a tip.
Don’t be a blog snob. Every person has something to offer if you take the time to talk to them. There are plenty of women online that wont talk to you if you don’t fall in their crowd. Don’t be that person.
Considering that blogging is a relationship with your readers, there is nothing worse than an unreachable blogger.
9) Find your tribe- Being an online leader takes time, patience, and oh, time. It also takes creativity, personality, and time.
Did I say time?
For those that cannot lead, you don’t exactly need to follow, but you do need to belong. Find a crowd that shares your same visions and goals and gives you feedback on your site. There are hoards of online forums, NING sites, chat rooms, and social networking opps for you to research.
Having a strong community around you will allow you learn from others and grow your own brand at the same time.
10) Individualize- There are two things that will sink your ship online quite quickly.
One is zero original content and the other is zero originality.
Your blog, much like your clothing, is a reflection of what you are putting out first. Its the impression they have of you when they surf in. Don’t be afraid to ask others what kind of impression your blog gives.
- Is it friendly?
- Easy to read?
- Does it entice your visitors to stay longer?
- How is the load time?
Take the criticism and then ultimately decide what works for you.
One of my biggest pet peeves is to visit a blog that looks like everyone elses blog. While not everyone can afford to hire someone to create a blog, if this is your craft, your goal, your dream, its important for you to start learning a little CSS and HTML. The most memorable blogs I have seen have been custom designed or tweaked for the bloggers usage.
A cookie cutter out of the basket template that has had a few color changes and a graphic splattered on the top isn’t the best way to stand OUT from the crowd.
My advice is to find features on a variety of templates that you like, open up a test blog with some fake content and start working on combining templates for your usage.
Content is only part of the equation. Adding real life pictures, quotes, quirks that are YOU and only YOU is what fundamentally paves your road to success.
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I hope you enjoyed this article. Check back next week to hear about the TOP WP PLUGINS I suggest you get as a mom blogger.
~Trisha
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30 Comments
This is a very good article with fantastic advice, Trisha. I actually agree with all of it. And you’ve put forth some things that I’ve been thinking lately . Thanks!
Niche-defining seems the hardest thing for everyone. I think that’s because if you want to post every day, limiting your post ideas to a niche is a pain. I just kinda refused to do it, and my traffic has languished accordingly.
Of course, when I tried to do a blog just about exploring Utah (where I live), I got less than half the hits I got on a blog of random personal reflections. But that’s like quantifying half an iota – my current blog still gets diddly for traffic.
I think ultimately a blog has to occupy a niche to ever do very well. But early on, it does put punishing limits on your pool of potentially interested readers. You can’t even get your friends to read a blog about something that doesn’t concern them. Maybe you just have to power through and let success come gradually.
(Oh, and don’t pick a geographically-specific niche like I did. After all, this is the Internet!)
WOW–thanks so much. I just started my blog and I really appreciate your advice!
Wow, thanks! Im still trying to narrow down my niche big time. I feel like I have too many topics and one day may need another blog. For now, Im sticking to one! Its a lot of work but tons of fun. My day is made when others recommend me. So self rewarding!
thanks the tips!
Great tips Trisha! Thanks for all you do for us newbies
I follow you on Twitter and thank you for the realistic advice. I’ve been blogging for about 6 months and am working on finding my niche and “voice”. It is a lot of work but I do hope to create something unique.
You should have presented a panel on this at Type A Mom Con. I absolutely would have gone to that panel. As it was, I enjoyed hearing you at the Personal Blogging session and I look forward to learning more from you.
Thanks,
Abby
Great advice. I am fairly new still & these are great tips that help remind me to keep in focus who I am as I blog while I move forward.
I am also new to the blog world, it is so crazy how many blogs are out there, everything from recipes to how to wash your dog! Trisha tips on blogging is was very helpful,it’s so easy to slip into being somebody else than who you really are. Thanks Trisha!
Linda+flirtygirltees
Thanks for the info. I referred your site to a friend who is starting a blog and she loved your site.
Lucy
Thanks so much Trisha! I just started my blog last week and have been pretty anxious about it! I just decided to stay at home and then the next think I decided was to start a blog. Thanks for some great encouragement. It is good to remember that it isn’t going to all “click” overnight. Though I wish it would!
P.S. – Your daughter is precious!
You have, once again, hit the nail on the head. So many great tips in here, Trisha!
Thanks Trisha. You are one of the few who I can count on to tell it like it is and offer real advice.
Since I made the mistake when I started in April of chosing Blogger instead of Wordpress, how much real trouble is it to switch? I see the difference and it is so much better looking.
I am stuck with a cookie cutter that I keep trying to change, and I have changed some of the HTML code, but I need to change SO much more.
I can’t afford pro help right now. And I did check, if I switch, I can’t keep my name, it is not available in .com.
I am using my money to hold my first giveaway right now.
I have so much to learn and I am always joining, searching and learning.
Thanks, Barbara
Thanks for the great advice. I am just days into this whole blogging world and can use all the advice and help I can get. I guess we all have to start somewhere.
Great tips!! I have been blogging since December 2008 and I still swear I don’t know what my “Niche” is ! LOL I try to do a little of everything but you are right, we need to focus on a niche AND give advice; I have found people LOVE to stop by and read blog posts I write IF they offer something in return .. whether it be a “voice” or “support” we all love interacting and gaining support from each other!
Great post and tips!
Wonderful article! I have been blogging for a about year and know I’m still just a newbie! I don’t think you can ever be done learning how to make your blog better, your points are right on!
I’m a fairly new blogger. Many thanks for the tips. I had never heard of Brittany before now but I saw the link and thought I’d check it out. It is the FUNNIEST blog ever!!
Yes, she is HILARIOUS!!! And she is a pretty cool chick online too.
trisha
Thanks for the post. It’s a great summary of everything. This will one of those posts that I e-mail to people when they ask me about blogging, how they are doing, what to expect.
Trisha, you are always full of great advice. Even for someone who’s not a nubie
Thanks for the timely tips & encouragement Trisha!
I finally was able to post my intro post in the forums & have been welcomed by new bloggers ( to me) and have been having fun doing some research.
Is there a directory of some sort that lists the terms used quite often? i.e. Ning, memem, css, html ( I think that is computer code language?) ect…
I know I will be a slow grower… as I know what my ISP is like ( think dinosaurs, & the only game in town)and my own mental & physical limits. I also know I can get a surge of good days & words can speed ( well, speedy for me!) off the finger tips… so I plan on working around that. I am working on finding the little community of fellow bloggers who I can relate to & vice-versa, and have found a few.
As a side note, I want to thank you for taking time to answer your emails & working so hard to help the long-in-the-tooth newbies as myself Plus make it sound fun as well as entertaining.
When i get back from the Type A mom conference, ill do a post w/ all the acronyms for you!
Oh that will be just wonderful, Trisha!
Thank you!
oh, and have fun
Thanks for the tips. I wish I would have had someone tell me some of these things when I first started. It’s slowly starting to come together though.
Hey Trisha! Such a GREAT article for me to read today and I still fumble around with my new blog! Looking forward to getting more involved! =)
Lyns
thanks trisha – i love momdot and the forums. i really appreciate that you take the time to share these tips! i’m still working on posting regular content and keeping it interesting.
This is such a good article! I am a newbie blogger and needed to read this. I’ve only been blogging for about 2 months but I am already realizing how time consuming it is, and how much hard work goes into it. It does get frustrating not seeing the traffic results or comments that I want. It all seems so overwhelming.
Thank you very very much for this information. I absolutely love and appreciate EVERY word that I read and will kindly take consideration to each. I am definitely a newbie and welcome all critiques and constructive criticism. I look forward to growing my blog a little each day. AS the poster above said…baby steps…
This is all super helpful. I’ve been in the blogging game for almost two years so I still consider myself a “newbie”.
Baby steps…