Last month, I published my post on How To Start a Blog – Tips for a Beginner. Don’t get the titles confused, they are extremely similar because I lack any creativity. My other post was mainly about how to get going with your blog, and what companies to use to use to actually create your blog (domain, hosting, WordPress, etc.). But what about after you already create your blog and want to get going? What tips should beginner bloggers know about?
I haven’t been blogging for a very long time, and this August will be two years. I’m not sure if that’s a long or short time in blog-land, but I’ll take it. I have definitely made a ton of mistakes (maybe I should make a post about all of the blog mistakes that I made) and I have learned a lot.
EDIT July, 2016: I recommend checking out my online course for bloggers, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. I earn over $50,000 a month through affiliate marketing and I share my exact strategy and tips in this very informative online course. If you’re a blogger (even if you’re a new blogger!), then you NEED this course.
Lately I have been receiving many e-mails asking for blog tips. I’m going to guess that a lot of it is because many think that they will get rich blogging, but I’ll save that for a whale post in the future. I will definitely say that I am not an expert, and that I still don’t understand everything.
Luckily, I blog for me and I’m fine with making mistakes. Today, I will attempt to share with you my tips, and hopefully no one laughs since obviously I’m not the most professional blogger. Just trying to keep it real and be honest with everyone!
This will be a multiple series post, so look out for a Part 2 sometime in the near future. Today’s post will mainly be about the basic of having a blog, and some mistakes that might bother me. In Part 2, look forward to reading about how to choose the direction of your blog and more of a post about any wisdom that I have gained in the past 1.5 years, such as with the potential conflict of making money with your blog.
Some are against it, and some are for it. All depends on your direction and will be further explained in the future.
If you are interested in starting a blog, I created an easy-to-use tutorial that will help you start a blog of your own for cheap, starting at only $3.49 per month (this low price is through my link only) for blog hosting. In addition to the low pricing, you will receive a free blog domain (a $15 value) through my Bluehost link if you purchase at least 12 months of blog hosting. FYI, you want/need to be self-hosted if your website is used for freelancing purposes or if you want to make money blogging.
Be Yourself
When starting your blog, be yourself! Don’t try to pretend you’re someone else. I love reading real blogs where I can tell who the writer is just by reading what they have written. No one wants to read bland, boring posts, inject all of your personality in them! Have fun with it and determine why you really want to blog.
Have an About page
Something that I am currently working on is improving my About page. I personally mainly enjoy reading blogs that have a fun or interesting personal view. Corporate blogs and blah blah blah don’t really interest me as much (nothing wrong with them, everyone enjoys different things). I like to read about the author and see where he or she is coming from. Having an About page lets me learn more about you, all in one easy page. You can include a picture, a bio about yourself, and possibly links to other posts that will describe you and your life even further.
Reply to Comments
Something that I always put major effort towards is always making sure to reply to comments. Sometimes the comments are just a “thanks,” but I honestly enjoy knowing that an author has actually read the comment that I have left. I LOVE when I leave a comment on a blog that contains a question, and the writer will answer it. I almost always go back to blogs that I comment on to see what was written back. Interacting with readers is always important.
Get Rid of the Captcha
Captcha, oh captcha. I go nuts when I try leaving a comment and I see this. For some reason I can never get it on the first try. I’m fine with the “tests” right before you leave a comment that ask for what “1+1” is, but when it says to decipher what “32097 dfg fdgjh3 4” and it’s super blurry and all of the letters seem to go in different directions? Sometimes I feel like I’m trying forever and have given up on leaving a comment before.
Make it Easy to Subscribe
I cannot tell you how many times I have gone to a website and they have made it literally impossible for me to subscribe. Either none of the links work, or there are no links altogether. No links for e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, Subscribing, etc? AHHHH. Please make it easier for readers to subscribe! We want to be able to find you more easily in the future.
Related: How To Start A Blog
Make Friends
One of the best things that I love about blogging is the awesome community that it brings. I have made many friends through my blog, and a lot of you I talk to nearly every single day. I really cannot say enough about making blogger friends. Reach out by commenting on blogs, interacting on Facebook, tweeting on Twitter and so on. Of course be yourself, and don’t force a relationship to happen! That’s just awkward 😛
Link Your Twitter to Your Posts
A lot of the time I like to tweet posts that I really enjoy. I’ve been to a couple of blogs where when you click on the tweet button, the person’s twitter handle does not automatically show up. Fix this! Make it easier for people to show you recognition. This is something that I didn’t do for a long time, until a couple of other bloggers told me that I was making life too difficult for them (joking of course).
Have Fun!
Yes, different people start a blog for different reasons. But if you do decide to start one, have fun with it! I feel that the best blogs out there are by writers who are having fun with it. I enjoy having a blog, and it has turned into a great hobby, but also a side hustle machine.
What blogging tips do you have for beginners? What do you wish you knew?
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Chrissi Penney says
Hi!! 🙂
I stumbled upon your spot through a million links. I’m very pleased to have found you!
I’m LOVING your posts! I’m looking to gather up as many bits of knowledge as I can for my site. I’m hoping to monetize it…I have a long way to go 🙂
I’ll be reading your posts all day <3
THANK YOU! 🙂
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
You can blog about whatever you want to 🙂 If you are interested in starting a blog, I recommend testing out different topics.
Elle says
I love your blog! I am also looking into using my blog as a side hustle. I just moved to the U.S. and I think it would be a great opportunity. Thanks for the tips!
Stephanie May says
Thank you so much for your tips. You are an inspiration! I just started my blog this past month and have a lot to learn. I am glad you are here sharing your information.
My latest post: https://paychecktofreedomblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/12/taking-the-leap/
Jess says
Hi there, Stephanie,
Just coming across this comment and was interested in viewing your blog, but when clicking on the link it says that it is a protected blog and you must have a WordPress account to view it. I’m curious as to how you can get new subscribers if everyone has to get an account to view it? That would discourage me from pursuing that particular blog. Is there a different way to view it?
Stephanie May says
Thank you for letting me know my link is not working. My blog is here: https://www.paychecktofreedom.com. I would love if you checked it out!
Cindy says
“This site can’t provide a secure connection
http://www.paychecktofreedom.com uses an unsupported protocol.”
Brooke says
I’m interested in reading your blog, but the site isn’t active now.
Haile Clark says
How long after you started your blog did you start making money? Did you immediately reach out to affiliate links and things like that? What were some of the challenges you had to over come at first?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I believe it took me around 6 months to make my first $100. However, I didn’t start my blog ever thinking that I was going to make money. I started it just as a way to document my journey. I think that if I would have tried making money earlier, than it definitely would have been possible.
Karrah Bailey says
Hey! Great post! Would you mind if you had the time, to take a look at my blog? It is my first shot at one and I want to see if you had any tips on how I can improve it or something I should take off all together. Thanks! My site is mommywithatwist.com 🙂
Chelsey says
Great post! I am extremely new to blogging (less than 2 months!) The biggest problem I’m facing is getting people interested in what I’m blogging about, which is using plants and real food as medicine… Any pointers for really getting people excited about your content?
Mina Mariel Nicoli says
Hello Michelle,
I have a blog, but I barely ever use it and don’t go in for months at a time. I tend to write fiction (short stories, poetry, novels), but do not really know how to write a blog. I have not the faintest clue what to write about pertaining to the real world. My question is one of content – what kinds of things do people write about in blogs? How do I know what will be interesting to readers? How do I come up with topics? I don’t want my whole personal life online for the whole world to see, especially considering that it’s not merely MY life that would go up if I were to do so, but the lives of my household. That feels like a violation of their privacy, and I don’t want to overstep in such a manner. I am not a published author yet, although I am on the way, but because I am so inexperienced, I cannot put myself in an advice-giving role anywhere. I am a college student and am not an expert in any one thing. I feel that although I love to write, I have nothing to say that would fit into a blog. Any advice in this regard would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance for anything you might have to say to me in response to this comment!
Mina Mariel Nicoli
Jennifer says
How do you actually get people to see your blog and start following you? I am really interested in starting a blog but I do not want to spend a lot of money starting a blog and not be able to even get anyone following me and get stuck wasting money.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
There are many ways. I recommend scrolling to the featured question in this blog post of mine – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2016/02/january-online-income-report.html
Maria Lynn Paz says
Thanks so much for the tips! I’m just getting my blog started up this week! We’ve been using a wordpress.com site and I want to switch to bluehost now to get a proper domain name, etc. Do you have a post about switching platforms? How do I inform my few subscribers?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
You can still follow some of the steps in here and create a Bluehost account, then contact Bluehost and ask for their tutorial. It’s a fairly easy switch – http://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2014/08/how-to-start-a-wordpress-blog-on-bluehost.html
Maria Lynn Paz says
Thank you so much! Excited to get everything up and running! Love all your tutorials and tips! Very helpful!
– Tiny Paz Life
Becca says
Hey!
I’ve just recently started on a blog, I haven’t launched it yet because I’m a perfectionist and have trouble accepting anything if I don’t think it’s flawless. Anyways, I love reading your posts, you always make me feel so much better about actually starting a blog!
I’ve always wanted to be a writer and never thought it could be this easy(ish). My goal is to become a full-time blogger, that’s my dream. If you have any tips on how and when to make that leap and launch my blog, I’d really appreciate it!!
Thanks, Becca 🙂
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Scroll to the Featured Question in this post – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2016/04/march-blog-income-report-72196.html 🙂
Jaimie McCallum says
First time blogger here, fresh first blog posted this evening…and now I’m sitting here going…”subscribe button, hmmm where do you get a subscribe button?” Who do I call? How do I do that? I signed up through email to subscribe to Making sense of cents. I followed the advice, bought the bluehost and used WP. So…help??
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I recommend Convertkit for your email subscription – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/convertkit
bobbi says
So the subscribe button is how you get paid? By people subscribing to your blogs? Sorry I’m new and want to start blogging
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
No, I don’t make any money when someone subscribes to my blog. Please let me know where you see that above in this blog post so that I can fix it.
You can learn how to make money with a blog here – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2016/03/how-to-make-money-with-a-blog.html. I also have a free blogging course that you may want to check out – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2016/05/how-to-start-a-blog-free-email-course.html
Rosie says
I work for a newspaper part-time and so I write regularly, and I have started a blog a couple of times, but then I get bogged down and stop especially if I feel like no one is reading it or I feel like I am getting too personal, or what do I do that anyone would want to read feeling. I know that is negative nelly thinking, but . . . help.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Thanks! Also, if you’re interest, my affiliate marketing online course for bloggers launches tomorrow 🙂 http://www.makingsenseofcents.com/waitlist
Trine says
Michelle,
I really enjoy reading your blog. Thank you for the many tips. I have been blogging for a few years on and off, but recently decided to start a new blog on wordpress from scratch. Being used to blogger I am figuring out my direction along with the technical side a bit slower than expected, but I am getting there. Thanks for having this resourceas a helpful guide.
Best
Trine
Jane says
You created this post over 3 years ago, but it’s still so relevant! I just started my blog this month, and I swear I’ve been referencing your posts so frequently that whenever I open a new tab and type in “m”, Google knows where I’m trying to go. Thank you for building such an amazing resource for new bloggers everywhere! I’ve been a lurking reader up until now, but I guess it’s time for me to start poking my head around the blogosphere. Your story is a huge inspiration to me, and your posts so fun to read 🙂
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Aww thanks so much! 🙂
Chrissy says
Hi there,
I love reading your blog and have just started my own parenting blog. I’m stumped as to what theme I should use for my WordPress blog. I don’t have much money to spend but I feel that the free WordPress themes won’t make my blog look professional enough. I’m also not very tech savvy. I know I’m asking a lot. I’m very serious about making my blog at least my part-time job. Thank you for your time!
Ebony Diaz says
Hi Michelle,
I already have a website, do I have to start a new one to create a blog that will make money? I used Wix to set it and paid for five years. I am truly inspired by your articles, I found you through Heather and Alyssa. I bought a used RV for my birthday and I am having it renovated so I can get on the road!
Devyn says
I finally took the leap into blogging and I’m really happy about the direction everything is going. It called Go Mode Club (www.gomodeclub.com) and its for Collegiate Entrepreneurs who want to take action. You’ve been super helpful already and hopefully we can chat sometime about blogging.
Karen says
I just heard your episode on Side Hustle Nation, and I’m really inspired! I’ve been throwing an idea around for a blog for sometime, and I’m really going to do it this time (link coming later, once domain name is purchased). Anyway, I really like this post because I appreciate practical tips on how to actually *write* a blog. Can you give us some more info on what WordPress plugins you use? For example, in this article, you talked about comments. Do you have a preferred comment plugin? Also, what about a social media share/follow plugin. Thank you!!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I prefer no comment plugin. Just use what WordPress gives you 🙂
Steve says
When you set up a blog, does that mean that all comments that readers make authomatically get posted? What if they are inappropriate for your site?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Nope, you can switch the setting to approving them as well.
Becca says
Hello!!
I am thinking about starting a blog alongside my fiance and I was wondering if you need to have social media accounts that are for the blog or link it to one or both of our social media accounts? I don’t think I have time to create and keep up with a social media account with our lives at this point but my personal account doesn’t necessarily go with the theme of our blog.
Also, For when people subscribe to your blog what email is sent to them/how do you set this up? I am confused on how to handle subscribers.
Thanks for your help!!!!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I would recommend having social media accounts. It doesn’t have to be difficult, though – you can automate a lot until you have the time.
I handle my email subscribers through Convertkit.
Ram says
This post is a good direction for me. I am a web developer and I prefer sticking to coding but knowing how to work all the back end computer stuff makes it easier for me. Its just hard for me to commit to blogging. So when I saw that it’s okay to make mistakes in blogs then thats when I realized I should just go for it since my personality is pretty insane.
So I will be blogging about real estate (Im a project manager for real estate websites) and stock investing (since I check the stocks every single day). Thanks for the motivation!
Mommy Jhy | www.myfavoritelists.com says
I am a new blogger and I struggle with blogging consistently. Any ideas, please?
Rafael Guzman says
How’s it coming along now? Did you stop blogging?
Craig Smith says
All of this stuff has just been incredibly helpful to me. I’ve got my site up doing some final tweaking and writing etc.. Getting ready to get the full course next week.
Heather says
I started a blog to share my experiences from a big move a number of years ago. It fell by the wayside and I have just decided to return to it. If I don’t want to make money from my blog (yet), is there any reason NOT to continue blogging for free on WordPress.com? Thanks.