As soon as we created Surviving Europe and I decided to devote my time to becoming a blogger, I knew it would NOT be an easy task.
The amount of content that most blogs have is more than I EVER thought I could contribute to the world. My husband, the internet marketing guru is handling the website, affiliates, and video content, so my job is to write write write. This task is a little overwhelming at first.
Who wants to hear what I have to say? Well, that was the first thing that I had to get over…
10 Lessons Learned as a First Time Blogger
1. Everyone starts somewhere.
It’s as simple as that! Every blog starts from nothing but a diary of your own experiences and acquired knowledge. Put yourself out there, and start sharing your story.
2. Create Content that people will share.
Think about your content before you post it. What information will you provide to help others? That’s what they’ll share and that’s what will get your site noticed.
3. Allow readers to get to know YOU.
Let your personality shine through. There is nothing interesting about reading formal essays. You are not writing a paper for class, so LET LOOSE! The more people can identify with you as a person, the more people will come back to your site.
4. Stay positive.
Readers will always gravitate to things that inspire them, not to situations full of negativity. Every blogger will experience struggles along the way, but do your best to highlight what you’ve learned vs. the struggle itself. Your readers will be with you for the journey and walk away feeling inspired and motivated.
5. Watch that grammar!
While blog writing is somewhat informal, it doesn’t mean you can get away with grammatical errors. Triple check your grammar before posting. There’s nothing worse than when words are misspelled. Read it out loud to be sure your content reads well. Even ask a friend to help you out!
6. Take time to develop content before you share.
You want to get people’s attention as soon as they go to your website. With little content, this can be pretty difficult. Blog for a few months before you promote your blog on social media and other platforms. It will also help you develop a consistent format and your blogging voice.
7. Get inspired by others.
There is no better way to figure out how to format your blog, what language to use or information to include than by reading blogs similar to your own. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Subscribe to their newsletters. Surround yourself with inspiration.
8. Write in short paragraphs.
Looking at a blog with long paragraphs will immediately deter readers from continuing on. You want your blog to be approachable and easy to read, not overwhelming to get through. Bold, italicize. Make sure the post is visually appealing.
9. Be confident and trust yourself.
You are already taking a road less traveled by documenting your experiences and sharing them with the world. So just GO WITH IT! You’ll probably have to work a long time before you see results on your blog, so keep up the confidence!
10. Never stop learning.
Continue to read and research ways to improve your blogging skills. We purchased ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income and I try to read it for 30 minutes/night. You’ve got to invest in growing or you simply won’t!
I have been writing content for about a week now, so we are in the VERY early stages of creating Surviving Europe. I am sure we will learn more along the way, but this is what helped me let go of any hesitation and get started. You will find once you get into the groove, writing your blog becomes easier and easier with each post.
Good luck!
