10 Tips For Improving Your Blog

Heyoooo everyone! Today's post is going to be informative, *whispers* or at least, that's my goal! 

To any new bloggers or young people who feel like their blogs aren't reaching their potential, this post is for you! 

Disclaimer, I'm by no means a pro. But, I have a good bit of experience on my side so that will come in play for today's post. I've learned a lot over the years of blogging, and when a friend once reached out asking for some blogging tips, I thought "why not make it into a whole post dedicated to it!"

Let's begin, shall we!?

1. The Blog Aesthetic 

When someone first comes across your blog, what is the first thing they see? Everyone likes to start assuming things about the blog right from the get go. When someone first clicks on my blog, I want people to see that this is a lifestyle blog with Christian themes and down-to-earth vibes. One might say my blog has a rustic look due to the wood background. Others might be drawn to my header because of the horse or the little slogan thing, "Penning Life, Faith, and Heart." (Kinda cheesy but it works for now!) Your blog aesthetic is SO IMPORTANT. If your blog looks like you didn't put a lot of effort into it, then what is keeping your readers there long enough to read your content? 

Ways to improve your blog's look: The most obvious thing is the header. I designed mine using Canva. Also, blogger has different templates to use for background and overall format (aka sidebar). But it all comes down to what you like and what you think will work best for your blog.

2. Content vs. Audience 

Bloggers need to know their audience in order to create content that they know their readers will like reading. For example, I know my readers loved my monthly wrap ups (that I haven't been able to do in a long while, sorry!) They also love photo dumps and lifestyle posts. On the other hand, you have to take into consideration what YOU actually like writing. After all, this is your blog and you can write anything you wish! Not everyone likes reading poetry (I don't actually like reading other peoples poetry) but on occasion, I find inspiration for my own poems. I share them anyway, just because, not necessarily for it to become a popular post. So keep your blog a nice balance between content that your readers will enjoy and also the content that you enjoy writing. 

3. Consistency, is it key? 

Um, yes. Without a doubt, consistency is one of the most important things about blogging! Find a schedule that works for you and go with it! Change it whenever you need, but if you can get into a groove, your followers will know when to look out for your posts! I love blogging once a week. I keep posts scheduled ahead of time so that I don't go crazy, but blogging on Wednesday's have been such a good way to keep my blog consistent. 

4. Say "yes" but not all the time

When you first start blogging, it's really important to participate in the blog tags, collaborations, etc. Whenever you have fun, interactive posts, your blog will become more popular. So next time someone reaches out to guest post, or do a tag collaboration, don't miss out on a fun opportunity! (Obviously make sure they're a legit blogger friend and not a scam...)

On the other hand, say "no" when you feel a burnout coming. Don't bend over backwards to create fun content, make sure you have good boundaries. Hehe, it's harder than it sounds!

5. Sometimes professional is no fun

There, I said it. Yes, blogging is technically PUBLISHING a piece of work so you want to edit your posts and make sure your grammar is not all over the place, but at the end of the day, your readers want come to your blog to laugh at a joke or goof around with asterisks. *winks* I guess it depends on the post, but sometimes it's good to just sit down and write without worrying about it sounding professional. 

Also keep in mind that you WILL look back on past posts and see typos, everyone makes typos. Don't let the fear of not having perfect grammar keep you from your passion.

6. Be yourself 

Everyone is so unique and it's important to stay true to you! BE AUTHENTIC! Don't try to pretend to be someone you're not. What's the point in making blogger friends if all they see is the fake you?

7. Be aware 

If your blog is public, there will be times when you'll need to delete scam comments, block certain people, or simply be careful about the info you share. Recently, I've had to monitor my comments due to some inappropriate scam comments. Keeping those comments off your blog feed is important because you don't know who else reads those comments. No one wants to read through a blog and see those comments. It's like cleaning up litter. Everything looks a lot cleaner without it!

8. Reach out and comment on other blogs 

Find your blogging community. Invest some time getting to know your readers. Share the link to your blog and reply to those who've taken the time to comment on your blog. The first couple years of blogging, I read other blogs way more than I do now... unfortunately life is pretty busy atm and I've had to cut back on the amount of blogs I read and comment on.

9. Take breaks 

Everyone needs to take blogging hiatus' every once in a while. Just some time away from planning and posting. Every creative goes through seasons where they don't feel as inspired to create. So take a break! Your blog readers will understand! Also, taking breaks will help you reevaluate how you want your blog to run and if it is still a fun hobby for you to be doing. That leads to the final point...

10. Have fun! 

Your blog is to inspire others, encourage others, and uplift others. But wait, it can also be fun for you too! If blogging is a chore, then maybe its not for you. Blogging should be a fun outlet for you to share your writing and your gift with others. Keep it fun!

Were these tips helpful to you? How long have you been blogging? 

Comment below and share a piece of blogging advice! 

Many Blessings, 

Brooklyne Elysse