Putting a blog together can seem extremely overwhelming, especially when you are first starting out. From choosing themes, hosts, and blog topics just to start, if your goal is to make money from your site, you are also making choices around ad networks, sponsors, and your own product creation. With everything there is to learn about this media, I still feel like a beginner sometimes and I have been blogging since 2013!

In this post, we chatted about why you should start a blog, but if you have made the decision to actually do it, where should you start? These are my top tips on what you should do to and for your blog as a beginner. Yes, some items on this list might seem a bit silly as you are just beginning, but they are all things you will wish you had done sooner rather than later.


Blogging for Beginners - 14 Things You Can Do Right Now

Start writing! This is hands down the most important part of your blog. If you do not have any content, then you have no reason for people to read. Do not stress about finding a specific niche or a particular voice. Those things will come over time and the more you write, the better your posts will be.

This is also the time to determine how often you want to post. Having a specific posting schedule helps your readers know when they can expect to hear from you and it keeps you on a deadline rather than going with the, “I’ll post when I get to it.” We all know how that works. I recommend you blog more frequently as you are starting in order to build your content archives, but there are successful blogs with new posts once a month. Experiment with different posting schedules to see what works best for you. For instance, I have gone from posting daily, to once a week, to not at all, to the current three times a week.

Keep a running list of post ideas. In blogging, content is king. This means that without consistently new content, your readership will be low. I have a list in my day planner and on my phone of post ideas. When I think of one in the middle of class, in the car, or when I am out and about, I can easily just make a note of it and keep going. When I am at a loss for what to write about, I reference my list and something sparks my interest for a post idea.

Weekly Post Ideas List

Blog ahead as much as possible. If you have time to draft out more posts, or even just outline them, do it. It will make getting a post live go so much quicker when you are short on time rather than fleshing out a full post on a time crunch. Personally, I keep a Google Doc with all my drafted and outlined blog posts that are coming up. I can add to them at any time and then I just cut and paste them into my WordPress blog post builder.

Make a pinnable image for every post. When I first started blogging, I had no idea how important having a pinnable image for each post was. Now, I have a huge number of blog posts that lack an anchor image I can share out. Since Pinterest is now one of the biggest traffic builders, I have to go back and create a Pinterest worthy image for posts I would like more traction on which is turning out to be very time consuming.

Pinterest Board Screen Shot

Aim for at least 600 words per post. I would say to go for 1,000 words per post if you can, but that can seem really daunting when you are beginning, especially as you learn the ropes of non-content related stuff. Lengthy posts tend to rank better and give people a solid reason to stay and explore your site. It also lets your readers really hear your voice as you build their trust and your own credibility.

Include sharing buttons. Part of the fun of blog posts is sharing them! Make this really easy for your readers to do by including sharing buttons throughout your website. I have sharing buttons in my sidebar, at the end of each blog post, and a Pin It button installed for each image. It makes getting my content out there so much more simple. There are plugins you can use so you can set it and forget it like Share-A-Holic

Have an About page. If readers start coming in regularly, they are going to want to know more about you. Do not be shy and give them more details on your about page. This is also a great place to put some contact information so both readers and brands alike can reach out to you with questions and partnership opportunities. You can check out my about page here.

About Page Screen Shot

Get into the habit of taking pictures of everything. This one was (and still is) really hard for me, but I am always so glad that I took pictures of seemingly random things throughout my week to use within a blog post. I use to stage a lot of my pictures, and now I just capture life in all its messy, disorganized reality.

Start building an email list now. Even if you only have the smallest hint of an inkling of wanting to monetize your blog in the future, now is the time to start building an email list. You can simply have people sign up to receive post updates to their inbox, or you can offer some kind of freebie as an incentive. Whatever you choose, start collecting those emails now, so when you do create your own products, programs, or services and want to take your blogger-reader relationship further, you have a base to start with.

Put in ads. Some bloggers have very strong opinions about adding ads to their site or not. Personally, I think it is an easy way to monetize your website and it can be done very unobtrusively. Even just placing one or two ads on your sidebar can start bringing in a bit of cash, which is both motivating and exciting. One of the easiest ad programs to join is Google Adsense. 

Join a few affiliate networks. An affiliate network is a match made in heaven for a new blogger. You simply promote a brand’s products and receive a small commission on any referral sales that are made. Again, this is another easy way to monetize your blog and start earning a bit of an income as you figure out the ropes. Two easy to use affiliate networks to get started on are Amazon and ShareaSale.

One word of caution with affiliate networking is you do not want to seem spammy. Pick affiliates and products that you use yourself and can honestly recommend to your readers. If you promote items that you do not use, or even like, then you are going to lose that credibility and thus, readership.

Sign up for at least two sponsor networks. While you may feel like small potatoes as you get started in the blog world, signing up for sponsor networks is still a good idea. Not only will you get experience pitching to brands, but you never know when they might pick you. Even with a small readership, I selected for a few campaigns that paid me pretty well for a new blogger. The two sponsor networks I use regularly, and have had success with, are Social Fabric and The Sway

Do not be shy about sharing what you do with others. Seriously, let people know what you do! Even if this means you share a post link to Facebook once in a while, your friends and family are going to (hopefully) be your biggest supports. They want to read your blog and participate in your life.

What is your biggest concern about starting a blog? If you already have a blog, what is your number 1 tip for a beginner?

WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on this website.

Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.