3 Tips For Beginning Bloggers to Build a Better Blog

3 tips for beginning bloggers

“New Year’s resolutions? Are you kidding me?” That’s my standard reply when someone asks me what my resolutions are for the year.  I’ve found that when I make resolutions they tend to be impossible to keep and are usually ridiculous. “I will lose twenty pounds in one week. I will never eat chocolate again.” I set myself up for failure.

Instead I’ve begun setting goals for the year. Goals are something I must strive for but are still obtainable.  If I don’t reach the goal I will have made progress, meaning I’m still better off than when I started.

This year’s focus is on blog improvement.  By the end of last year, I was suffering from a sad case of bloggy burnout. I could barely force myself to sit at the computer even though I was writing about products I liked.  I knew a change was in order and began research on what I called the “Building a Better Blog” project.  I’ve learned a lot in the month I’ve started and am sharing my top three goals and the progress I’ve made. It’s advice I wish I had when I started blogging.

Grilled-Pork-Chops-with-Peach-Salsa-compressor
Talk about what you enjoy or subjects you know,
1.       Blog About What You Love.
This sounds simple but is more complicated than people think.  Trying to find a “niche” is difficult.  Make a list of things you enjoy or things that you are knowledgeable about.  Do you like to cook and have great recipes? Share them.  Are you a technological genius? Share your knowledge. (Please!) I made a list of the things I enjoy most and the areas people come to ask for my advice.  Then, I made an editorial calendar and began penciling in topics I wanted to cover.  It’s been fun experimenting in the kitchen with the kids, traveling and crafting again.  Plus, I’ve spent more time with my family.
 
Large Photos Grab Attention
2.       Take Great Pictures.
I became interested in photography after taking an online photography class last fall.  Seeing some of the foodie photos on websites fascinated me. How did their pictures turn out to look so amazing? I wanted to reach through the computer and have a bite.  It turns out taking great pictures is an acquired skill involving a lot of trial and error and practice.   The best advice I’ve received?  Find sites you love and check out their pictures and composition. Then, watch your lighting! Make your pictures large to grab attention and just practice, practice, practice!
Craving cake? This old fashioned Apricot Nectar Cake is so moist and has a wonderful citrus flavor. It's an easy recipe too!
 
Plug into social channels like pinterest, twitter, facebook and online groups.
3.       Get Social.

I’ve had plenty of questions over the years since I began blogging.  I joined an online group of experienced bloggers who shared advice and asked questions.  I lurked quietly in the shadows for a few months before joining in the conversations and asking questions of my own.  I asked for blog improvement advice from the mentors in another group.  I found some online friends and began chatting.  This year, I’ve plugged into the power of Pinterest.  What a wealth of ideas at my fingertips, including blog improvement ideas from seasoned bloggers.

Don’t be afraid to ask seasoned, approachable bloggers you respect for their advice. Most are happy to give it. Building a better blog takes hard work and effort but the results are worth the investment.

What blogging tips do you wish you had known?

You Might be interested in:

4 Tips For Food Photography 

3 Tips For Beginning Bloggers To Build A Better Blog
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Questions? Email me using the contact information on the sidebar.

28 Comments

  1. Just wanted to comment and say that I really like your blog layout and the way you write too. Its very refreshing to see a blogger like you.. keep it up

  2. Those are some great tips! I just started blogging a little over a month ago. I actually did the first before I started, the second I try to do (I love taking photos, but whether they’re great or not…ha!), and I’m working on getting social. Thanks for the pointers! 🙂

  3. Thanks for sharing!

  4. I wish I had caught on to the “take better pictures” idea when I first started my blog. My pictures were horrible. They aren’t perfect now, but they are a lot better. These are great tips for new bloggers.

  5. Fabulous tips! I also think staying true to who you are is important. Early on it’s easy to lose sight of it:-)

  6. These are great tips for beginning bloggers!

  7. Great tips especially #3. Interacting with people is key to being a sucessful blogger. Great post!! Thanks for sharing.

  8. I found your blog via MBC. Your advice is simple, yet so important! Thank you for posting. I am going to start following you. Our blog is http://www.thepinningmama.com We officially launch our blog April 1, and we hope you’ll follow!

  9. I found your blog via MBC. Your advice is simple, yet so important! Thank you for posting. I am going to start following you. Our blog is http://www.thepinningmama.com We officially launch our blog April 1, and we hope you’ll follow!

  10. Excellent advice. Sometimes I stop and wonder if blogging is really worth my time, and then when I get back to posting what I enjoy, it becomes worthwhile again.

  11. Wonderful tips.. not just for beginners.. always love being reminded … thanks for a great post

  12. all three of these are a must for a great blog, thanks for sharing!

  13. These are very good tips. I have friends that ask me how to get into blogging and I’ll share these ideas with them.

  14. Your tips are great ones and I’m so glad I know you and come to read your blog.

  15. These are great tips and I love your resolution! It can be fun to strive to be a better blogger.

    Tesa @ 2 Wired 2 Tired

  16. Great advice! Thanks for the contest link too, I’m totally entering for those prizes!

  17. After I got past staring at that big fat donut I read. Great post, very helpful and informative!

  18. All great tips for a beginner blogger such as myself. Thank you for sharing!

    shelleysallofmeblog.wordpress.com

  19. Great tips Pam!! I pinned this too!!

  20. Blogging about what you love is the best tip

  21. Great tips for beginners, especially writing about what you love. I’ve been blogging 5 years and if I didn’t love my topic I never could have kept up writing approx 5 posts a week for that long.

  22. My goals for the new year include my blog as well! All my resolutions are more like goals. Small attainable steps. When blogging you definitely need a passion for what you write and large quality photos make a big difference. And truly without the social networking you are merely asking for failure.

  23. Great tips! I’m actually starting a second blog and it’s weird to go back to the beginning and remember all the basics!

  24. Great ideas. I think it’s important to stick to what you like and know well. So many bloggers feel like they have to focus on crafts or recipes because thats what so many blogs do but it’s better to just be authentic 🙂

  25. These are such fantastic tips! Do what you love and you’ll always have fun!