Starting a new blog can feel like a bit of a minefield – there’s a LOT of information to take in and, to be honest, it can all feel very confusing.
But it’s important to remember this is completely natural, and that every blogger was in the same position when they started out.
I for one know how overwhelming it can all seem, so here are 4 super important things you should know in your new blogging venture:
1. It’s unlikely to take off straight away, but that’s ok. Blogging is highly romanticised, especially on social media, but the reality is very different. Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing and can be highly rewarding, but it’s also a grind. There will likely be a lot of posts you write which you love, but that attract little to no views, and that can absolutely suck. What’s important to remember is that this doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. People only showcase the best bits of blogging online, which can leave you feeling like you’re failing, which is absolutely not the case - there are thousands of others in exactly the same position. Keep grinding, and you will see results. It may take a long time, but that’s totally normal and ok.
2. Social media is your best friend. You can’t rely on search engines alone to direct people to your blog. If you want to gain readers and a loyal following, social media is one of the best tools there is (and it’s mostly free!) A lot of bloggers swear by Pinterest for directing traffic. If you want to get serious about Pinterest, apps like Tailwind can be invaluable, and there are plenty of courses out there on which you can learn how to navigate the platform like a pro. If you want to create a visual portfolio, Instagram is incredible, but Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media you like all have their benefits.
3. You might get ignorant comments. Especially from the older generation. This can be incredibly frustrating. A lot of people wrongly perceive blogging as an ‘easy route’ or something ‘youngsters’ do to get out of ‘real work’. This is because, as mentioned in #1, people generally only see the glamorous side of blogging on social media. What they don’t realize is that this is about 0.1% of bloggers, and even they only show what they want the world to see. The reality of blogging is very different and requires a hell of a lot of hard work and resilience. When you’re working tirelessly and dealing with putting all the work in and getting nothing in return, it can be really hard when people comment on blogging as if it’s easy or ‘not real work’. Just remember that it usually doesn’t come from a place of nastiness, it’s just a lack of understanding. You do you and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.
4. The basics of SEO. Search engine optimization, or SEO, is absolutely vital to understand as a blogger, as it dictates how your blog post ranks on search engines like google. Luckily, there are plugins that can help you with this. I use Yoast SEO, which analyses how good your post’s SEO is and gives you simple tips on how to improve this. Easy ways to improve SEO include setting a focus keyword and using it the right amount of times, adding internal or external links to your post and setting a meta description of the correct length.
Above all, remember that it’s ok to feel overwhelmed and it’s ok to not have everything figured out. Blogging is a vocation in which you’re constantly learning and improving, so don’t feel pressured to know everything right from the get-go.
Keep
grinding, ignore disheartening comments and trust the process!
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