New bloggers often feel lost in a haze of misinformation, hype and absolute confusion.
I want to help you gain clarity by sharing a few key steps to take as you start your blog.
Follow these tips diligently and you will cut your learning curve by months if not years.
1: Blog Mainly for Passion (the Profits Will Follow)
My friend Donna Merrill regularly mentions how if you focus on having fun and helping people with blogging the money will follow.
She has built a thriving, world-renowned blogging community by embodying this concept.
When I embraced the idea of blogging mainly because I was passionate about blogging and helping folks it became easier to make money.
Blog mainly for fun as a beginning blogger, and as a veteran blogger too.
Blogging predominantly for fun sets the tone for a successful blogging career.
2: Be a Student of Blogging
Be a diligent student of blogging.
Put in the time to read, learn and study blogging.
Take your newfound knowledge and put it into action by practicing what you have learned.
Blogging is a skill.
New bloggers tend to feel like they are entering an alien, confusing world in the beginning.
Lessen your anxiety.
Dive into blogging with the mindset of a student.
Develop patience. Develop persistence. Slowly learn, and apply what you have learned daily to get off on the right blogging foot.
3: Pick 1-2 Blogging Mentors
Pick 1-2 blogging mentors who specialize in building a successful blog.
Follow their insight.
Read their blogs. Hire them to coach you. Buy their products.
Cut your learning curve by studying the best bloggers and teachers in the blogging world.
Start your blog by following proven advice from rocking bloggers.
4: Develop the Habit of Creating Content Regularly
Create content regularly. Even as a newbie.
Build your blog on a rock solid foundation.
New bloggers usually fall victim to sideline-i-tis. This sickness leads to sitting on the sidelines, waiting to publish a post, debating if the post idea is good enough to even bother writing about, waiting, hoping and worrying, never getting anything done content-wise.
Set an intent: write and publish 1 post weekly. Don’t miss a week.
Develop a writing and publishing habit by writing at least 500 words daily in a Word document just for practice. Commit to writing. Become prolific, develop your writing voice and rock it out.
My friend Anil Agrawal has been an incredibly prolific blogger.
Follow his lead to build a thriving blogging business as he has.
5: Promote Other Bloggers Freely
Promote other bloggers freely.
Newbies tend to mess this one up, promoting themselves relentlessly in 10 or 50 or 100 places but never promoting other bloggers.
Promoting other bloggers on social media or through your blog is the easiest way to make blogging buddies as a new blogger. New bloggers who build large, loyal friend networks do a fine job inspiring these folks to promote them freely, boosting their blog traffic.
Market other bloggers generously. Cut your beginner learning curve by years through the simple act of building bonds with successful bloggers in your niche.
6: Leave Your Comfort Zone Regularly
Do you know why I have been writing 2 posts daily here on Blogging Tips?
I love writing. I have fun writing.
But I also wanted to leave my comfort zone.
No massive growth happens inside of your comfort zone. Sprinting well outside of your comfort zone leads to big time gains, blogging-wise.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Following the prior 5 tips feels uncomfortable at times. Welcome to the world of being a dedicated, committed blogger.
Your Turn
Are you following these tips?
What tips can you add to this list?
Video
As you grow your blog get used to following up with readers.
Recently I have experienced how asking folks to buy my blogging audio course regularly led to an increase in sales.
When you ask folks to buy stuff 2 or 3 or more times, you literally program interested individuals to buy your courses, eBooks or whatever you have to offer.
Watch the video as I discuss this concept: