I have a confession…. I kind of want to be a food blogger. Ok, not really. But, I certainly could be. I cook all the time. My husband and kids tease me about opening a restaurant. That would never happen! However, I do think that I could handle blogging about my cooking. Less pressure! But, blogging is hard work. And, as I have seen and heard from friends food blogging is even harder.
If you are like me, you may feel as though you don’t have time for creating a ton of new content. Continually trying to come up with new ideas and different ways to showcase your content can be hard. From photos to text to promoting on social… it is a lot. This goes for any blog!
One of my resolutions for 2020 is to be a better blogger. 2019 was quite a year. Many aspects of life got in the way of what I know I can accomplish. So, I am sitting and thinking about how to do a better job. And, if I decide to start that food blog I will be ahead of the game. HA!
If you want to help yourself, then there are a few things that you can do to become a better blogger. This goes for food, lifestyle, tech, or whatever!
Always be as Authentic as Possible
One thing that is important in blogging is to blog what you know. In other words, if you do not know tech, don’t start a tech blog. You want your knowledge to come across in what you are blogging. If you do not like to cook, don’t start a food blog. You will be far more likely to run a good food blog if you focus on being authentic… and if you actually know to cook! Of course, one really authentic blog would be if you are honest. Not a great cook, but learning? Create a blog about it! Keep your posts long the lines of “Cooking for the non-cook” or something to that affect. If you are not authentic this will cause you some major problems and you may even find that you are not able to get your true personality across, and you will not build an audience.
Don’t Give Up
One important thing to remember is that your blog won’t take off overnight. At first, things will be slow, and you may even find that you are not able to monetize right away. This is normal. It takes time to build an audience, gain followers, and bring up your page views. You need to stick at it. If you do, then you will eventually be able to gain momentum, followers, and hopefully brand partnerships.
Be Consistent
This has been a huge problem for me in 2019. Consistency is key with blogging. Whether you are able to blog every day, 2 times a week, or only once a week, make a plan and stick to it. If visitors like what you are posting, then there’s a chance that they will keep coming back for more. If they know when to check, it will help build your traffic. This is the best way for you to build a quality audience. If you are stuck for ideas then you need to know that there is nothing wrong with you taking inspiration from other people, as long as you put your own spin on it. Also, create a mailing list so that your followers are notified when you post new content.
Keep It Real
I try to get my personality across in all of my blog posts. I don’t do a lot of video. Yeah, I know… video is big. And this is something that I want to do more of in 2020. Video is definitely one of the best ways to showcase your personality. If you are finding it hard to be confident when taking videos (me!), then consider watching other people and see how they come across. Then, video yourself and see the difference. Practice makes perfect. Some people are naturals. You may find that the cameraf loves you. Most of all… just be yourself.
Be Sure to Network
Networking can help your blog succeed. I have met so many incredible friends from blogging. Connect with other bloggers and try to make as many friends as you can. This will help you to build your fan base and it will also give you the chance to connect with those in the know. Some of my best opportunities have come because other bloggers recommended me. A great way to get started is to follow like minded bloggers on social media and join some blogging groups on Facebook. If you have a food blog, connect with other food bloggers, leave comments on their blog posts, and promote their content.
Learn the Ends and Outs of Your Site
While you can have someone else design your site for you, it is still good to know your way around, do upgrades, and troubleshoot problems. WordPress is fairly easy. Installing plugins, changing themes, and finalizing your look is not too hard once you get the hang of it. However, if you are maintaining your own hosting, it might be good to know things like, how FTP works, how to open Terminal on Mac, and how to download a backup of your site.. There are many great free resources on the web that can be found with a quick Google search.
Make it Easy to Comment
Consider the usability of your blog. Do what you can to make it easy for readers to interact. This is usually by commenting. We all want to combat spam. However, if you force all of your readers to go through crazy steps to reach you or leave comments, then you are not doing them any favors. You may find that you get way less feedback on your blog and that they also leave without really leaving a trace. This is the last thing that you want when you are trying to gain publicity, so take your time and make it easy for people to comment.
Make Sure it’s Easy to Share
Every now and then I go to a blog and I’m surprised that there are no social media buttons. If you do not have any kind of sharing buttons on your posts, you are doing it all wrong. You need to have an easy way for readers to share your content. The great thing is that there several options available as plugins for WordPress. Try some out and find the right one for your site.
These are just a few tips to consider when looking for ways to better your blog. Chances are that you know your weaknesses. Make a list and get to it!
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