Blogging is an exciting journey to start, but it can also be insanely overwhelming. Here you will find a variety of blogging tips that will help you in your own blogging experience. Get some quick lessons to help you on your journey!
When you read about other people’s blogging experiences, it’s common to only see the most successful cases.
But the truth is, every blogging journey has its ups and downs.
When I started blogging, I was an absolute beginner. For the past eight months, I have faced many joys but also many frustrations. Even now, I have been working hard and making progress, but I still lack any real proof of any improvements. However, I think it’s important to share this journey with full honesty. I just finished my eighth month of blogging as a beginner blogger and I plan to stick with this challenge for an entire year before deciding what to do from there. This article is all about my eighth month of blogging, but if you’re curious about how my previous months went or want to know how I got started, you can check out my other posts here:
- What My First Month Blogging Looks Like
- Blogging Secrets: Know What the Second Month Looks Like
- Secrets of the Third Month Blogging: Encouragement to Beginner Bloggers
- The Authentic Journey of my Fourth Month Blogging
- Surprising Secrets of a Beginner’s Blog: Month Five
- The Unique Journey of a Beginner’s Blog: Month Six
- An Honest and Helpful Blogging Report: Month Seven
5 Blogging tips I Learned in my Eight-Month Blogging Experience
Before I jump into the blogging report for this month, I wanted to share a few valuable blogging tips that I have learned since starting my blog eight months ago.
Blogging Tips #1: Blogging is a lot more than just writing
I originally began my blogging experience because I loved to write and teach and this was a valuable way to do both. I knew that I had a lot of other things that I would have to do as well, but I didn’t realize just. how. much.
Just like when I started teaching, I quickly learned that there were so many things that went into it that I just don’t see as an outsider. Once you write your blog post, you have to deal with SEO, editing, photos, social media sharing, and more. And outside of the post itself, you have to deal with networking, keeping up with legal news and technological developments, maintaining the health of your site, and email lists. I am thankful that I actually thoroughly enjoy every aspect of maintaining a blog, but it was definitely a lot more than I once thought it would be.
My best advice to you would be to do some research beforehand to get an idea of everything that goes into a blog before committing to it. You won’t need to know everything, but at least you will not be surprised by the extra work required.
Blogging Tips #2: Don’t wait until you’re 100% confident to do something
There have been so many times during my blogging experience that I’ve felt completely lost with what I was doing. It was tempting to put off my tasks in order to do some more research on the subject, but that would have been the wrong choice.
The best way to learn how to blog (besides taking courses) is to just do it. You’ll end up changing things down the road, but it’s always better to just get started with the knowledge and skills you have and let yourself learn along the way.
So next time you are not 100% confident in your work, do the task anyway! You can always go back and change it later, but you can’t make changes to something that was never created in the first place.
Don’t wait for perfection; just get started.
Blogging Tips #3: The moment you treat your blog like a hobby, that’s what it becomes
This lesson was crucial for me in my blogging experience, especially in the past two months.
Blogs are usually one of two things: a business or a hobby.
If you treat your blog like it’s just something fun you do on the side, then that’s what it will be. If you want your blog to become a business, you absolutely need to treat it like one.
I sometimes fail to do this step and I see a huge difference in my work as a result. When I let other things get in the way of my blog, I only get the bare minimum done. That’s simply not enough if I want to make this work.
The only way for your blog to become a business is if you treat it like one. Schedule work time and don’t let other things get in the way of that time. Come in with a plan and work towards a goal rather than just making it up as you go.
Blogging Tips #4: Spending money on your blog is inevitable
The blogging experience is a unique one.
Blogging is such a huge undertaking and it’s not like you can go get a degree in it. You have to search for places to learn and grow your skills. But you will definitely need to take some form of classes to improve.
The question, rather, is how early you want to do that.
I am someone who learns by doing and exploring on my own first, so I won’t take a class immediately. Instead, I try my own experiments and make my own mistakes. I take time to explore and gain a basic understanding. After I feel that I know my way around, I take a class to get a deeper understanding. It doesn’t bother me that this means it takes me a little longer to learn because, for me, I will get a better understanding this way.
However, if you are someone who wants to learn quickly and doesn’t benefit from exploring on your own first, then don’t hesitate to purchase some courses right away. It’s been said many times before, but blogging courses are definitely important for growing your blog, so don’t hesitate to invest in some.
Blogging Tips #5: You will need encouragement, so set up your supports early!
This final tip is one that I am so happy I had available to me early on.
The blogging experience can be a lonely one if you don’t make the effort to reach out. It will be a lot harder to keep working if you don’t have someone to support you on your discouraging days.
I am still feeling motivated about my work thanks to my wonderful husband, who reminds me every day of the promise I made to myself to give this a shot.
When that is not enough (because honestly, sometimes it isn’t), I like to turn to other bloggers. Being in contact with different blogging communities will help you connect with people who are going through the same things as you are.
Even something as simple as a blogging podcast can lift you out of a difficult mood.
This journey is not one you should walk alone. Take people with you who can keep you lifted.
Is blogging really worth it?
Short answer? YES! Long answer? It depends on what you want to get out of it.
If blogging is just a means for you to make money and nothing more, I would be inclined to tell you to find some other way to make money. This work does require a lot from you and if you don’t value what you’re doing for any other reason than the money it could make, then you won’t stick with it very long.
Blogging is something you should do because you love it and you truly believe in what you’re doing. If you are driven by the fact that blogs are a great way to help people and make a change in the world then I can tell you right now that even without an income, the blogging experience is more than worth it!
Blogging resources I would recommend
You can see that I’m not a blogging expert, yet. I’m still in the baby stages of learning how to do it. But there are a few resources that I have tested out and found to be extremely helpful! I want to share the ones that have helped me a lot in my blogging journey so that you don’t have to waste time trying to find the best resources alone.
(Please note that I am an affiliate for these three programs, so I do make a small commission on purchases you make through these links. However, I want to make it clear that I would never recommend something that I don’t use and appreciate myself. I truly love these three resources and believe that you would benefit from using them, as well!)
Resource #1: ConvertKit
When you start blogging, the first thing everyone says is you need to start a mailing list. I started mine early on Mailchimp, but honestly, it was so frustrating! It was not user-friendly at all and I feel like a wasted so much time trying to figure it out that it just wasn’t worth it.
In the midst of me trying to figure out how to make Mailchimp work for me, I came across some great tutorials to teach me more about mailing lists. It turned out that the amazing workshops were run on a weekly basis by ConvertKit. I tried their platform after taking part in the workshop and I was immediately sold on it. Seriously, their system was just so much easier to use. And on top of that, the customer support was on point!
I would recommend ConvertKit to anyone looking to build a mailing list. Not only is it easier to use, but the support offered to you as a creator is just so helpful! They offer weekly workshops to help you grow as a creator, concerts and inspirational stories to watch, free templates, community networking, and one-on-one support. Honestly, I have nothing but good things to say about them!
If you’re looking to grow a mailing list, you should sign up for ConvertKit.
Resource #2: Legal Pages Bundle
Another thing that I knew I would need right away was something to protect my blog legally. I’m not a lawyer but I had done enough research to know that there were a lot of ways for a person to get sued on a website. It was the thing that actually scared me the most about starting a website in the first place!
But how exactly do you get the proper legal protection? Was I seriously expected to hire my own lawyer to write the pages for me?
I did a lot of research to figure out a good option and that was when I came across Amira and her law blog.
Amira is a lawyer who makes it her main job to create products that fully protect freelancers and bloggers from lawsuits. Her main goal is to give you the protection you need for the lowest price possible and I believe she does a fantastic job at it!
After quite a bit of research, it was clear to me that Amira’s Legal Bundle was the most cost-effective way to protect myself fully on my blog. Within one day, I had purchased the bundle, customized it, and placed it on my site.
Amira’s bundle makes me feel so much safer about my blog, and I want you to have the same thing!
If you are a freelancer or a blogger, then don’t hesitate to buy Amira’s Legal Bundle. It is the best use of your money and time to get her help!
Related Post: Where to get the Best Legal Bundle for your Blog
Resource #3: Divi WordPress theme
My last recommendation that I have for you thus far in my blogging journey is this paid WordPress theme. When I first started my WordPress blog, I felt comfortable using a free template for the time being. However, as visitors started showing up, I started noticing problems in the design. Buttons were hard to click, loading pages were slow, and the aesthetic just wasn’t great.
I decided that it was time to look for a theme that was more professionally made.
I had considered the Genesis theme for some time but decided against it because I read that it has a really tough learning curve (even though it performs beautifully).
I opted for Divi because it promised a lot of customization without having to know all of the coding lingo.
Now, I want to be candid with you and explain that, for me, the learning curve was still really tough. Additionally, a lot of the customization I wanted ended up slowing down my site enough that I had to sacrifice beauty for functionality.
I might not recommend this theme for everyone, but I would recommend it to beginner bloggers like me.
Let me tell you why.
I felt that Divi gave me enough freedom to try things my way and learn why they do or don’t work on my own. It was also much easier to use, considering the fact that I had no coding experience.
But the thing that made the biggest difference was the customer support.
Whenever something went wrong, I could contact customer support and someone would answer me right away. When I came to them freaking out that I was sure I had broken my site somehow, they helped me solve the problem. Again and again and again.
I really appreciate the personal support I get from them and that is the main reason why I would recommend their product for you. Though my more experienced future self might move on to a new theme eventually, I couldn’t have asked for a better beginner theme!
If you want to try Divi out for yourself, you can check out their products here!
I hope you enjoyed these blogging tips! If you are interested in seeing some of the stats of my blog after its eighth month of running, keep reading!
Who I am and why I started a blog
My name is Genesis, and for four years, I had been a teacher in elementary schools around the world. Over time, I began to feel that something was missing and that I was becoming less myself as I spent more time in the classroom. I decided to make a change that would incorporate some of my other talents, like writing and motivational speaking.
And that’s where blogging comes in!
This beginner’s blog has become a way for me to share the things I know about life and routine with others. By using my writing skills and my creativity, I create routines and lifestyle lessons for people who need to be reminded to live out who they are and focus on the process, not the end product.
Why am I sharing my progress?
I am not primarily a blog about blogging, but I do like to make it a habit at In Its Season to share my personal experiences and blogging tips so that others will be encouraged to strive for living authentically. I have three reasons for wanting to share my blogging experience with you.
The first reason is that I want to be an example of the life I encourage others to have. I can’t encourage other people to aim for authenticity and honesty when I myself am not honest.
Second, I want to encourage people who are in a difficult season of life. Social media is so secretive of the negative aspects of people’s lives- it makes it seem as if no one ever has problems! I want to highlight my problems so that people can be encouraged by the imperfection of life.
Finally, I want to show people how to notice progress, even when it’s small. We always say “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” but then we get frustrated when things don’t work out for us right away. I want to show a monthly progress report to show that, yes, the improvements are small, but they are improvements, and they will continue to get better as I reach toward my goals. I want to encourage others to celebrate their own small improvements!
My Setbacks and Successes This Month
My eighth month was actually a relatively negative one, even though the site itself has shown improvements:
Success: I have been doing a lot of reflecting and learning
This month, I was starting to get a little fearful that I was stagnating. To be honest, I truly think that I was. As a result, I decided to take a look at everything and reflect on what changes needed to be made. I made more of an effort to take classes, attend workshops, and find more blogging tips to start encouraging growth in my skills and knowledge. That learning showed me a few areas that needed to change in order for me to see greater improvement.
Setback: I felt like I was falling behind all month
I don’t know exactly how it happened, but I felt like my blog just got put on the back burner this month. It felt like I was spending very little time on it and the time I did spend working on it didn’t feel all that valuable. I felt like I was just going through the motions instead of genuinely engaging with the creation process. I’ve made changes since that are helping and I hope the positive trend continues.
Success: I changed the layout of the site and it was a huge improvement!
I’m actually super excited about this news! This month, I made some changes to make the site more like a blog and not so much like a business page. I edited my categories and changed the layout, and I’m extremely proud of how it turned out!
Setback: My mindset got a lot more negative
This month was problematic for my overall mindset. A part of me had hoped that I wouldn’t have to wait a full year to see progress (even though I know that this is normal). I know that I’m doing fine, but I feel like I’ve been starting to lose confidence in my site. Getting back that motivation this next month is going to be crucial for me to produce good work, so I’m doing everything in my power to add some positivity!
The results
Traffic Report
The traffic report stayed about the same when it came to users, but the engagement improved quite a bit! Even though the number of visitors was about the same, the number of page views jumped from 880 to 977! This meant that more people had been exploring other articles once they arrived on the site, which is super exciting! The session duration had also had quite a leap, and the bounce rate improved a small bit.
Top Referrals
Well, I made a silly discover this month. I learned that Google doesn’t show up on the referrals page, because that would count as organic traffic. I discovered the Google Search Console, where I could check out how many clicks came directly from Google!
Here is a screenshot of my newly-discovered Google report:
Top 5 Posts
Because my homepage was starting to get visits last month, I decided to fix it up and make it more user-friendly. It continued to get more visits this month, so I’m glad I made the change. Everything else has stayed pretty consistent- topics about habits and routines were of the highest interest!
Here are the links to the most popular pages:
- Morning Pages: How to Clear Your Mind for a Better Day
- How to Prepare for Next Month Like a Boss! 15 Monthly To-Do List Ideas
- A Simple and Minimalist Way to Make Your Bed in the Morning
- How to Make Your Winter Mornings Easier and Cozier
- The In Its Season Homepage
Income
I did a lot of research this month on how to make my own products, but I’ll be honest, I’m still terrified to try to get it done. It is obvious that I should just do it, but I am hitting a roadblock. I set a goal for myself this month to at least set aside time to start the creation process. We’ll see how I do!
Expenses
I spent some money this month on another Pinterest course. The first one was fantastic and super helpful, but I felt I needed some more guidance, so I purchased another course to get some more advice. I am very happy with how it went and I think I will be seeing improvements in the way I approach Pinterest now.
Total Expenses: $40
Where the blog is headed
Now that my niche is far more defined, I’ve started putting the brand out there a little more. In addition to Pinterest and the blog itself, you can get encouraging content on Twitter and motivating routine videos on TikTok. I want to continue to provide support for all things related to routines, whether that is through video content, written content, or products.
My thoughts about my blogging experience in the Eighth Month
I’ll admit, this month was a challenge for me. By this point in the blogging journey, you get stuck in this weird in-between, where you run the risk of getting too comfortable in the routine you’ve started to develop, but you are all-too-aware that there’s still SO MUCH that you don’t know.
I personally found it difficult to feel at peace this month.
I was getting too comfortable in the daily routine, but I was also constantly worried about my progress. Should I be doing more? What could I improve? Do I just need to have patience and continue the same routines?
This is a time when it feels like there are no answers and that can be hard. But by the end of the month, I had made some changes that I think will make me feel a lot better.
The biggest change I made was to readjust my schedule so that I’m working earlier in the day. I felt that I wasn’t putting enough hours into my work and that I wasn’t taking the blog seriously enough. By giving myself strict working hours, I feel much more committed, which I think will help greatly in the long run.
My Personal Goals
This month is mainly themed around learning and making improvements to the site.
Here’s what I’m aiming to achieve this month:
I want to make a rough draft of my first product
I know I’m ready to start creating products, but I’m still so nervous about it. However, I don’t need to be perfectly ready, yet, I just need to get started. So that’s what I want to do!
I want to add an about me page and a resources page
Now that people are starting to actually explore the site, I want to make it more friendly to new visitors. Adding these two pages is a great way to do that!
I want to improve the SEO of Old Posts
I’ve still only scratched the surface of SEO, but I’m ready to give it a shot with some of my older posts. I’m aiming to do one each week.
I want to learn more about video content
I see a lot of potential to create video content for my site, so I am aiming to learn more about it this month. They’re not lofty goals, but I’d like to learn the basics.
I will not sugar-coat it- my blogging experience in the eighth month has not been easy, but that doesn’t mean that it’s time to give up. With more learning and commitment, I’m sure that there will be improvements. I want to encourage you to continue to strive for the things you want, even if it’s a hard road. Your effort will pay off in the end! I hope these blogging tips and stories have helped to encourage you today!
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