Endless Bliss | Happy Lifestyle Blog: Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Blogging (Part 2).

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Blogging (Part 2).

When I got serious about blogging, I had no idea that there was a whole vast world behind it. Once I finally dove in and got serious about blogging, I realized that I had so much to learn. 

As I always say, I'm definitely no expert, but I do like to share things that I have helped me grow as a blogger, so I want to share a few things that I wish I had known before I got serious about my blog.
To see part 1 of this this series, click here

Disclaimer: I'm no expert by any means. I just like sharing the things that have worked for me, and I'm crossing my fingers that if you take my advice, it will work for you too!

[11] BLOGGING IS AN INVESTMENT
This isn't something I wanted to accept at the beginning. I was determined to do everything on my own without paying a dime, but it doesn't always work out that way. If you want to get your blog noticed, you are looking at an investment. Just like any business, you have to put money into your blog in order to get what you want out of it. Things you'll be investing in for your blog:

1// DOMAIN NAME. There are tons of sites for you to purchase a domain name. I purchased mine through GoDaddy for $1. 

2// DECENT BLOG DESIGN. You don't need to dish out hundreds of dollars from the get-go. Do your research and compare prices and designers to find a designer that you'd feel confident spending your money on. You can also try your luck at entering giveaways where bloggers are giving away designs. Also, take advantage of designers who are having design sales!

3// SPONSORSHIPS. If you want to get the word out there about your blog, invest in sponsorships with other bloggers to help drive traffic to your site. 

[12] PEOPLE WILL TAKE YOU LESS SERIOUSLY WHEN YOU HAVE A .blogspot.com OR .wordpress.com AS PART OF YOUR BLOG URL
As mentioned above, blogging is an investment, and the first thing you should invest in is a domain name. Having a domain name and dropping the blogspot or wordpress in your site will help people realize that you're serious about your blog and are more apt to take you seriously. 

[13] LEARN TO TAKE DECENT PICTURES
There are tons of tutorials out there to help you take good pictures for your blog. Even if you just have a camera phone, there are tons of ways for you to edit your pictures to make them look decent. Check out tutorials on Pinterest or from other bloggers. People are drawn to photos and visuals, and that's especially true with blogging. Like the saying goes, a picture is worth 1000 words. 

[14] BE CONSISTENT
If you want to be serious about blogging, then you should keep a blogging schedule. Blogs that post once a month or once every other week sporadically are less likely to get engagement compared to blogs that have new posts consistently. If you only have time to post once a week or a couple times a week, try to post on the same day(s) each week. Also, try to post at the same time each day. This makes it easier for your readers to know when to expect new blog posts from you. 

[15] QUALITY > QUANTITY
Don't just post to post; post because you have something to say. As great as it is for your blog post numbers to climb, it's even better to publish posts that are quality material. So don't worry about putting blog posts out every single day; publish posts of substance.

[16] MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO CONTACT YOU
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to get in contact with a blogger who doesn't have their contact information prominently displayed. I hate when I want to contact someone, and I have to search all over their blog for an email address, and sometimes, I get so frustrated, I just give up. Sure, you can comment on their posts, but not all bloggers reply to posts, and sometimes, replies aren't delivered to your own inbox. If you want people to contact you and engage with your blog, make it easier for people to do so. I suggest having a "Contact" tab on your navigation bar where you include an email for people to contact you and also display your social media sites in case they're more comfortable with contact through social media. 

[17] LINK BACK TO OTHER POSTS
It's so easy for older posts to get lost in all the hubbub of new posts. Linking back to your past posts in your new posts will help drive engagement to your older posts. 

[18] WATERMARK YOUR IMAGES
This is especially important if you plan on pinning your images to Pinterest. The internet is so vast, and with images, articles, and hashtags going unpredictably viral, you never know if your photos or blog post may become the center of attention. Watermark your images with your blog name or website to attract people to your site, and they can enjoy all of the other awesome content on your blog. People are always stealing images, so if you want to allow people to use your images, at least take the initiative to take ownership of them. 

[19] DON'T STEAL OTHER PEOPLE'S CONTENT
Just like you don't want people to steal your photos, you shouldn't do that to others either. If you use other people's photos, try to get permission and always, always, always site the source. Also, you know that whole plagiarism thing they talked about in school and how not to do it? Same goes with blogging. 

[20] AS SOON AS IT FEELS LIKE AN OBLIGATION, STOP
Why do you want to blog? Whatever your answer is, hold onto that during your blogging journey, and when that statement starts to fall to the wayside, and you're no longer having fun or enjoying blogging, take a break from it (or stop altogether if you don't feel like continuing). Blogging usually starts as a hobby, which means you should have fun doing it. When that isn't true for you anymore, don't feel like you have to keep doing it. 

There's a reason no one is a blogging expert. It's because there's always something to learn. The blogging world is always growing and adapting, but hopefully these tips will help you make a smooth transition into it. 

What blogging tips do you swear by?

39 comments :

  1. I love these!! I feel like blogging is starting to become an obligation lately and that's why I only post a few times a week. I'm trying not to make it feel like a job. It's hard because sometimes I feel like I don't have anything to say. I really need to buy a domain name soon, though. It was my plan for this year but I never got around to it!!

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  2. These are all great tips. Being consistent and posting quality over quantity is my motto. I have been blogging for years and now my hobby has turned into a full time business. If you keep at it your blog will flourish.

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  3. I stopped putting together pictures for every post. That's when it starts to feel like work for me. I get less views now, but the same number of comments, so it doesn't bother me at all. The words have always been the important part for me, anyway.
    Great tips!

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  4. You hit most of what is important. I started with the blogspot.com within my site and I hated it so glad I made the switch and look more professional.

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  5. Thanks for sharing these important lessons. Currently, I'm working on being more consistent, and watermarking my photos.. Since I'm getting better at taking them :)

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  6. All of these are so important - I used to run a blog called Brunette with a Bow and as soon as I started overwhelming myself with working with companies and it felt like more of a job than a passion I immediately stopped - once I began to crave my creative outlet again I started up a new blog. I definitely agree with all the things you stated.

    xo, Amanda | a. nicole style

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  7. These are all spot-on! Such a good series. Thanks for sharing all of your brilliance with us, Tiff!


    lovelovelove,
    Erica
    cominguprosestheblog.com

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  8. I love these - especially since I'm trying to figure out where I"m going from here. I really want to re-vamp my blog a bit, and have definitely considered getting my own domain, I am just not sure if my blog is big enough to warrant it.

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  9. That's great that you recognized that your blog wasn't turning into something that you liked! A lot of people would probably have just continued with the sponsored posts, but I definitely wouldn't have because the reason I blog is because I love to write! So I definitely understand why you would want to just create a new one.

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  10. Yay! That's awesome! I definitely want to learn to take better photos for my blog.

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  11. Exactly! I hated having that .blogspot.com at the end of my URL. Buying a domain definitely made a difference both for me and my following.

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  12. Each blog is different, so you should definitely do what works best for you! If people don't want to visit your blog for your awesome content and only want to look at pictures, then they're not worth it anyway! Editing pictures can be so daunting, so I can understand why you would want to do less of that.

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  13. That's so great! I'm happy you agree. I would love my blog to become my business, just like yours has for you. I'm hoping I'll be able to do that one day.

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  14. Thanks, Nina! Sometimes I feel bad when I want to take a blogging break, but then I remember that it's my blog, and I can do whatever I want! So I definitely understand not wanting to post all the time. Plus, it's pointless to write when you don't actually want to. My content isn't as good when I feel like I HAVE to write something. It took me awhile to decide to buy my domain, so don't rush it if you don't have to!

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  15. Loved yesterday's and now I love this list too! Thank you for sharing :)

    http://neatly-packaged.com/

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  16. These tips are spot on. I agree with ALL of them. But #11 is the most true for me.

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  17. Another nice post, I def. had to share both on twitter to my followers, very insightful! You pointed Google Analytics which I totally forgot about checking up on, and Facebook groups for bloggers. Thanks for the ideas!

    ColdKnowledge.com

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  18. MOMentous Mom; PerfectionistNovember 18, 2014 at 8:36 PM

    I had to stop by for the second part of this and just as I thought more great points. Do you have a program you use for watermarking your photos? I have thought about doing this a thousand times and never figured out if I should just put our logo somewhere on them or actually find a program that has a watermark. And I totally realized that number 16 is a big problem on my blog!

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  19. I really appreciate you sharing this! It means a lot. I love sharing the little bit of blogging knowledge that I have even though I haven't been in the game that long, and I love when people find the tips that I share helpful. Sometimes, I forget about using Google Analytics, but every once in awhile, I check on my progress, particularly when I'm approached by companies for collaboration. And Facebook groups are such a big part of where I make connections with other bloggers!

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  20. I just put the title of my blog in the bottom corner of my pictures usually, and I just use online tools, either Pixlr or PicMonkey work for me. I don't have a logo for my blog yet, but once I get one, I'll probably use that instead of just my blog name typed out. I read a blog post about a photographer who uses a program to watermark all of her images at once. I can't remember where I saw it, but if I run across it again, I'll be sure to share that with you!

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  21. Great blog post. Your right about switching domains.

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  22. I hadn't thought about a sponsor, what a great idea! I totally agree with if it feels like an obligation then STOP. A few weeks ago I was at a point where it was more work than fun and I took a few weeks off. I'm back at it and I feel much better about where my blog is going.

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  23. These are all wonderful tips! Thank you for sharing!

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  24. I'm not a fan of watermarking. I think that if someone really wants rid of it they'll get rid of it regardless by either cropping it out or photoshopping it. I get why people use them, but I think the people who want to steal your photos for their own content will find a way sadly.

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  25. Loved the last post you did on this and this one as well! :] I finally went self-hosted a couple months ago, and I need to go back at some point and fix all my old posts' pictures, but there are so, so many that I can't bring myself to start, haha. I should look into getting a sponsor though!

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  26. Thank you so much for this! I am a beginner and I am always looking for more help!

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  27. I LOVE this! I agree with sponsoring's (even button trades) with other bloggers being a good way to drive traffic to your blog (and meet new friends!) I had sponsorships for a little while on my blog but decided to stop because nothing was really happened but I think I'm going to start it back up next month! I COMPLETELY agree that blogging is an investment! If you don't take your blog serious, why would you expect others too?

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  28. Thanks, Danielle. I've never had to switch domains from the one I have, and I don't think I ever want to experience the hassle!

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  29. I've taken a few breaks too, and when I come back from the break, I feel rejuvenated and so much happier about blogging.

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  30. That's true. That's how the internet works. People just steal whatever they want, unfortunately. I like to watermark my pictures because if people like the picture, then they know what my blog name is and if they want more, they can easily find me!

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  31. Thanks, Farrah! I've been meaning to go back and update my old posts. It's such a hassle, but I'm sure it'll be worth it!

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  32. You're welcome, Lara! I hope these help bring you success!

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  33. Sponsorships are definitely hit or miss. I've sponsored some blogs that really care about their sponsors and try to help as much as they can, and then others who don't even acknowledge my sponsorship. I think if people accept sponsorships, they should be willing to take the time to treat their sponsors right, especially if they spent money. I'm glad you agree about blogging being an investment. Once I started putting money into my blog, I definitely saw awesome results!

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  34. It took me awhile to decide to purchase my domain, but when I did it, I committed to it, and I was sure where I wanted to go with my blog. If you're still a little apprehensive, I would wait it out and see how you feel before you make the commitment! Usually when you buy a domain, it's basically a year-long contract.

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  35. Yayyy! You're the sweetest, Erica! Thanks so much!

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  36. That's definitely the hope, and I'm sure it works 90% of the time. It doesn't really bother me when people use watermarks. I just have seen so many people still have their work stolen that I think people don't realize they're not too hard to get rid of either.

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