MY TIPS ON BLOGGING

Now more than ever seems to be the perfect time to start a blog. With all this free time on our hands because of quarantine, a number of people have messaged me asking for advice on starting a blog. I thought I would share some tips that have got me to where I am today with my own blog. I’m by no means an expert on this subject, but having blogged for almost 2 years now and being well on my way to 50,000 views, I thought I would share some tips, tricks and hacks that could really benefit your own blog if you are planning on starting one soon! 

Pick the right blogging service (Blogger, WordPress, Wix etc):

Days were spent picking the right site for my blog! I ended up choosing Blogger. For me, I had heard that WordPress was quite awkward to work around; I knew I wanted something simple for me to use and easy for a reader to navigate. Wix was a no for me as well, simply because it would be harder for me to reply to potential comments, plus I found that Wix is extremely limiting when it comes to arranging your site. I found my theme on the website “pipdig.” I chose the theme “Aquae” which cost me £49 to install. Slightly pricy, but if you stick to your blogging like I have, it is worth every penny. Also, probably one of the most commented things about my blog is the way it looks; professional and fun, all you could ask for in a blog! Your blogs appearance is really important. People judge a book by its cover, and they may judge your blog for its homepage rather than its content, so make it stand out. 

Accessibility:

This was so important for me. I wanted to make sure that my URL could be concise and memorable. So, I purchased the domain “bobbisblog.co.uk” making it super easy to hit into your browser and it means I am the first result on Google – win win. Google charge me £10 a year to use the domain “.co.uk” which is so worth it if you want something sweet and simple. Using my nickname in the title also makes my blog more personal and friendly, like I am just having a chat with my readers in my posts!

Know the theme of your blog:

Are you passionate about travel? Will you blog about your baking? Blogging about mental health take your fancy? Maybe it’s all three! Either way, it’s great if you can find a title and theme of your blog that can encompass all that you write about. For me that was a little hard. I started my blog as a mental health blog, but within a month it turned into an everything blog (most of my posts are travel related now)! The name “Bobbi’s Blog” is non-specific and lets my readers know that they could stumble on anything that takes their interest on my site. It truly is a space anyone can enjoy!

Getting your blog “out there”:

If your blogging goal is to reach a wide audience, it’s important to use and abuse your social media accounts. As soon as I started my blog, I set up a Facebook page to publish my posts in. A lot of the views I get on my blog, come from Facebook. Another useful site to use is Twitter. I am part of a few blogger groups on here; it’s a wonderful community and we all help each other reach our goals. Having almost 1,000 followers on Instagram, I use this platform to advertise my posts and engage with my audience, all resulting in my blog reaching every continent (besides Antarctica), and consistently having a large number of views – pretty impressive if you ask me! 

General tips for your blogging space:

1.     It’s important to set realistic goals for your blog. The blogging community is saturated with a wide variety of blogs, meaning it’s hard to be unique and truly stand out. As a result of this, don’t be disheartened if you’re receiving few views. Everyone has to start somewhere, and with time your blog will grow! 

2.     Honesty is key in a blog. Don’t feel as though you need to come across as airbrushed and perfect. People come to blogs to find honest reviews on holidays, makeup, recipes etc. amongst other things. As an example, when I was blogging about my stay in Koh Tao in Thailand (which was essentially 4 days of hell), I was close to omitting the full details of what went wrong. My sister helped me realise that it was important to be open and honest about our experiences, that way I was able to help and advise other people planning a trip to Koh Tao. 

3.     Be as frequent with your posting as you can. This does not necessarily mean uploading every day but uploading once a week or a couple times a month will do wonders with the interactions on your blog and the amount of attention it gets! Sporadically uploading a post every couple of months will result in your views dropping. Now of course, a lot of us are busy and don’t have time to regularly post, but many sites (like Blogger) allow you to schedule a post weeks before you want it up, meaning you can work it around your busy schedule. (Of course, follow this tip if getting high views on your blog is your goal). 

A blog is a fantastic place to share emotions, marvel at people’s travels, make friends, and build your confidence. I am so lucky to be part of such a loving community. With any hope, these tips will help aspiring bloggers or people who are apprehensive to start. 

Remember, your blog is YOUR space. You can create the rules for it. Upload what you want, when you want to. That’s the beauty of having a space that is completely your own! 

And I am open to tips myself! I am not a pro blogger, so any tips would be appreciated! 

Happy blogging lovelies!

B x