How to start a BLOG Pt.3
- Carly Morton
- Jun 28, 2019
- 3 min read
One of the best decisions I've made in my life was to start a lifestyle blog. While my motivation to write has gone up and down over the past two years, I still maintain that writing, creating and sharing is something that is so vital to who I am and what I contribute to the world.
Perhaps you are reading this post because you are searching for something that makes you feel the same? If you are keen to share your voice and make your mark in the ever-growing blogging sphere then make sure you check out my previous 'How to start a blog' posts here and here to get the tools to get your ideas together and blog off the ground.
You've started your blog, now what?
Number One- Titles
The titles to your posts are so important for SEO (search Engine Optimisation) practices. Make sure that you create catchy titles that are:
-Clickable - Because clearly you want people to read your post. Having a title that includes a number e.g. 'Five skincare mistakes I made' or uses a 'how to' such as this post are great! In addition (and this is my English teacher coming out here) using positive connotations (words with positive vibes) and high modality (words that show certainty and immediacy) will ignite engagement from your readers.
-Short- Short, sharp sentences are sexy. Use more of them.
-Key words - Try to use as many of the key words from your post in the title of your article. It will help both readers and Google know what your post is about and will allow for better ranking on search engines.
Number Two-Social Media
If you want people to notice your blog, then you better start getting real comfortable with social media platforms. At present, one of the fastest growing platforms is Instagram. If you don't have one already, make an Instagram page for your blog and start making genuine connections with people in your niche market. Because of the ever-changing algorithm, it's important to post high quality content frequently and use both large and small hashtags that are relevant to your target audience.
Using Pinterest has also drastically changed both my blogging and YouTube game. Since I started consistently pinning both my own and others images, my views have risen significantly. Pinterest is an underrated search engine and is really easy to use.
Facebook is the most well-known social platform but is predominantly popular amongst an older audience. I don't put a lot of effort into Facebook because it's not my niche market.
Number Three- Share your Blog
Share your blog on every social platform you use and generate a following. Don't just share on the day you publish a post but put out content throughout the week to keep readers interested and engaged.
A great tip I learnt recently from Rachel Hollis's 'Rise Podcast' was that instead of always asking for your audience to do something for you e.g. read your latest blog post, make sure you are countering this by offering something to your audience. You may be offering inspiration, tips, resources or freebies.
Try to ensure that you are GIVING more than you are TAKING.
Readers and your community will see you as someone who cares about them (which you do) and someone who invests in them rather than a burden who is always wanting you to read their latest post.
Number Four- Get organised
Create a schedule.
Set a day when you are going to write posts and dictate what post you are going to write on each specific day. Floundering around just hoping that things will magically fall into place is not an option- trust me, I've learnt this the hard way.
As well as scheduling what you are going to write and when, also determine the order you are going to publish posts. Write down which posts go live on each day/week. Consider the order you publish posts so that you are not putting out similar topics/content consecutively.
Using these four strategies have really helped me feel better organised when it comes to my blog as well as reaching a boarder audience. In saying this, even two years still isn't very long in the blogging world and I'm certain I still have much more to learn and grow when it comes to my blog.
If you want to get more inspiration and advice when it comes to health, fitness, teaching, minimalism and sustainable living (my passions) make sure you check out both my Instagram and YouTube.
Carly xx
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