10 must-know blogging tips for new bloggers

If you’re a new blogger and want to hit the ground running, you’ll want to know these 10 essential blogging tips.

When you first start blogging, there’s a tonne to think about. SEO, writing, niches, photography, networking, promoting your content, and so much more! It’s hard to know where to start.

This blog post will tell you everything you need to know as a new blogger. These tips will set you and your blog up for success.

1. Write like you’re talking to someone

Great bloggers almost always write in a friendly, conversational manner. Do you know why? It helps build a rapport with their audience.

When someone reads their blog posts, they’re having a conversation with a good friend. Not only is this writing more personal, but it also comes across as more trustworthy.

You’re should write like you’re sharing tips, opinions and experiences with a great friend, not just some random person. Speak to the person, not at them.

2. Find a good theme

A good blogging theme should strike a delicate balance between looking great and being functional. I see so many gorgeous themes that look great on desktop PCs but just aren’t responsive on mobile. Similarly, some blog themes focus far too much on imagery, so you end up scrolling for ages just to find content.

On the flip side, if your blog theme isn’t very aesthetically pleasing, people might not be inclined to stick around for long. People are drawn to gorgeous websites, so capturing their attention from the start is very important. There are loads of aesthetic blogs out there, so if readers aren’t interested in the look of your site, they will click elsewhere.

Blending functionality and a modern design are therefore very important. Bluchic and 17th Avenue both do gorgeous, feminine and user-friendly blog themes. Otherwise, your more generic theme sites like Creative Market and ThemeForest have a huge library to pick from.

I’d strongly recommend paying for your theme so you get support and advice for any issues you run into. You won’t get the same service for a free theme.

3. Run giveaways

A tip I don’t see enough bloggers speak about is to run giveaways. They’re a great way to build your email list and connect with your audience. Depending on your reach and how much money you spend on promoting your giveaway, you could acquire hundreds of new contacts. People love giveaways, and it’s a great way to reach potential new readers.

4. Edit, edit, edit

Before you publish any of your blog posts, make sure you edit them. Not only just to check for grammatical errors and typos, but also to make sure everything reads well and flows nicely.

Sometimes I read my content back after a first draft, and I realise it’s quite repetitive. Other times I don’t answer the questions from my intro. And sometimes I think of new ideas when reading my blog post back to myself and add more content. Editing is such an important process and refines your work.

5. Read other blogs

The best way to improve your own writing is to read other blogs. It’s a chance for you to discover new writing styles, uncover different niches, and gain blog post ideas. Maybe you’ll get some new content ideas, or maybe you’ll come across a writing style that really resonates with you. All good writers are good readers.

And besides using other blogs to inform your own writing, it’s a way to connect with other bloggers. There are some amazing bloggers out there, and it’s important to connect with them. Maybe you could do some collaborative blog posts together – they’re always hella fun to do!

6. Invest in good photography

I mentioned earlier that people love good imagery. People are drawn to aesthetic blogs. They’re also more likely to share your content if your photos are stunning.

Here are some things to consider to elevate your photography:

• A digital camera, especially for detailed shots
• Ring lighting for great lighting at all times
• Stunning props, such as sunglasses, jewellery, artificial flowers, confetti etc.
• Backdrops for stunning photography

You can also cheat many of these steps with something really amazing like the Foodie Bag (pictured above) from Paper Bag Co. The brand also sells other products like paper bags.

The Foodie Bag contains a 15-inch photographic reflector and diffuser to enhance highlights and shadows for gorgeous shots. Of course, a large and high-quality tote is included. There are also 4 stunning backdrops including for the perfect vibe every time. I love the dark styled background, as they make for a really captivating shot. Finally, a set of stunning postcards not only show you how you can style different photos but there are also tips from a renowned photographer on how to take the best pictures.

Although the Foodie Bag is primarily aimed at food content creators, the backdrops, reflector and photography tips apply to anyone interested in taking beautiful photos. I particularly love the backdrops that are included, so keep an eye out for those in my upcoming blog posts.

7. Post consistently

Try to publish your blog posts at the same time and on the same day. Whether you post twice a month, fortnightly, weekly, or multiple times per week, consistency is key. Your audience knows when to expect new content from you that way. Sometimes, it’s simply not doable. But keeping consistent is important when publishing content and will help you establish a loyal readership.

8. Promote your content

You’ve gone to all of the effort to create great content, and now it’s time to promote your blog posts.

Here are a few great avenues to explore:

• Twitter – There are some fab Twitter accounts dedicated to retweeting your blog tweets, such as @LovingBlogs, @allthoseblogs, @BloggersHut, @theclique_UK, etc.
• Instagram – Not so great nowadays since all of the algorithm changes (*sighs*) but a great platform to have a presence on due to the high number of active users
• Facebook – A strong platform for community building and paid content promotions to reach a new audience. Joining Facebook groups solely dedicated to promoting bloggers’ content is also another consideration
• Pinterest – A very essential platform to be on for most bloggers, as it’s great for SEO and driving traffic to your site, particularly for tips-based content, listicals, and posts you can create infographics for; these all perform very well on Pinterest
• TikTok – To help get your blog and content noticed, having a presence on TikTok is a great idea, as loads of users are on TikTok. Plus, creating trending content is always good for getting noticed

There are many creative ways to consider promoting your content. In fact, there are even dedicated websites that exist solely for the purpose of promoting blog content. However, social media platforms are where most of your users are going to be, so that’s where you should focus on promoting your blog post. Also, you can engage with your audience on social media platforms.

9. Get to grips with SEO

SEO is a blogger’s best friend. It makes your content more searchable on search engine websites like Google. And, once you get good at SEO, you can start creating content that you know will rank highly on Google.

There are heaps of great resources and courses out there to help you better understand SEO. Nele’s ‘Keyword research for bloggers’ e-course is an excellent starting point for people wanting to better understand keyword research and how to rank highly on Google.

Google Keyword Planner is also a must for you to think about what keywords to include in your blog post to boost those all-important search engine rankings. It tells you things about average monthly searches and competition, and suggests similar search terms. Although Google Keyword Planner is based on advertised content on Google, it’s still a great SEO resource.

10. Be unique

Finally, be unique. Deviate from what other bloggers are doing and explore new ideas. If you come across content that you like but can offer a different perspective on your own blog, capitalise on that!

After all, if you essentially copy the style of another blog, why would people read your content when it already exists elsewhere? Build your own writing style and blog, and work that uniqueness to your advantage.

Sarah Sarsby is the owner of A Woman's Confidence. With over 5 years' experience of writing in the fields of beauty and lifestyle, Sarah is passionate about all things content, makeup, skincare, wellness, and lifestyle. She has oily skin, is obsessed with lip gloss, and loves cookie dough.