Endless Bliss | Happy Lifestyle Blog: 12 Things I Learned NOT to do After 2 Years of Blogging.

12 Things I Learned NOT to do After 2 Years of Blogging.

12 things i learned not to do after 2 years of blogging


So as of yesterday, I've officially been blogging for two years! How crazy is that? As a mini celebration, I wanted to share a few things that I learned are faux pas in the blogging world, so here are 12 things you should NOT do when you decide to call yourself a blogger. 

1 // DON'T EXPECT EVERYONE TO COME TO YOU
Even though you may think you have a lot of great things you want to share in the world, you can't expect to just publish something on the web and expect people to magically find you. You have to do the legwork and put yourself up there, especially from the beginning. There are so many ways to put your blog out there:

-- Join in on link-ups: There are tons of link-up parties for you to choose from. 
-- Comment on other blogs: Share your blog URL so others can return the favor. 
-- Join a blog community (or a few): This a great way to meet other bloggers and make lasting connections.
-- Share other people's content: When someone sees you shared their content, you're likely to become your new BFF.
-- Sponsor other bloggers: Find bloggers with a niche similar to yours that have a good number of followers and commenters. 
-- Guest post on other blogs: Give people a preview of your blog content on other blogs. 

2 // DON'T WAIT TO USE GOOGLE TOOLS
All of the important things I learned about my blog, I learned from Google Webmaster and Google Analytics. There are so many great things you can see about your blog using these tools, including which of your posts are most popular, how people are finding your blog, what keywords are bringing people to your blog, and so much more. Analyze your Google Webmaster and Google Analytics frequently so you can learn about your readers and what works and what doesn't work for your blog. 

3 // DON'T POST SPORADICALLY
If you want to get serious about blogging, you should come up with a posting schedule. Instead of posting right after you finish writing a blog post, wait to post at certain time each day. All of my blog posts are published at 8 am CT. Scheduling your blog posts will help your readers learn when to expect blog posts from you.

4 // DON'T DO IT ALONE
One of the best things I did for my blog was join a blogging community. I've met some of my favorite bloggers within blogging communities, and most of my blog friends are ones that I met through blog communities. If you're looking for an awesome blogging community to join, check out more information about The Blogging Elite by clicking here!

5 // DON'T CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS AND IGNORE THEM
Having social media accounts along all avenues is super important, but if you're going to open the accounts, make sure you utilize them. Having social media accounts for your blogs helps give people options as to how to follow your blog. If  you don't have the time to manage your social media account daily, you can use an online scheduling tool like TweetDeck, Buffer or HootSuite to schedule your posts ahead of time. 

6 // DON'T FORGET ABOUT PINTEREST
When I used Pinterest, I never thought of it as a way to get traffic to my blog. I didn't see it as a blogging tool at all in the beginning. The majority of my blog's traffic actually comes from Pinterest, which is why it's important to take the time to create pinnable images and share your blog's content to Pinterest. 

7 // DON'T HESITATE TO INVEST IN YOUR BLOG
If you're thinking about blogging long-term, you shouldn't hesitate to spend a few bucks to get your blog noticed. A few investments you can make for your blog from the beginning include:

-- Giveaways: The easiest way to get multiple people to discover your blog is to participate in giveaways. Buy-ins are usually about $5 per link, but can vary. 
-- Sponsorships: Find a few blogs to sponsor using the tips that I mentioned above. 
-- Layout: Aesthetics are a big part of a having a good blog. If you're in it for the long-run, don't hesitate to invest in a decent blog layout. Search in your blog communities for blog designers or do a search on Etsy for blog templates or design services. 

8 // DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHER BLOGGERS
The easiest way to get discouraged about your blog is to compare yourself to other bloggers. Think about why you want to blog, and focus on that instead of trying to be like everyone else. 

9 // DON'T EVER ASSUME YOU KNOW IT ALL
There's so much learn about blogging, especially because the blog world is constantly growing and changing. Learn as much as you can by seeking out advice from other bloggers, pinning blog-related posts, reading tips from blogging books, or taking some blog ecourses. 

10 // DON'T FORGET ABOUT YOUR AUDIENCE
I know a lot of bloggers say that they blog for themselves, but if that were the case, they wouldn't worry about the numbers, gaining followers, or even having a blog at all. It's so important to keep your audience in mind when you're writing your blog posts. My favorite blog posts are those that make me say "me too" over and over again or those that I get something from, such as helpful tips or even free printables or other things. 

11 // DON'T PUT YOURSELF IN A BOX
Having a niche for your blog is important because you want to have a focus. Decide whether you want to have a lifestyle blog or a fashion blog or beauty, sports, travel, food, or whatever kind of blog you'd like to have. While having a niche is important, it's important to not limit yourself to just talking about one thing. Variety is the spice of life, and that should be the same for your blog too. While you should stick with your niche for the most part, every once in awhile, you should switch it up and post about something else you're passionate about. 
12 // DON'T EXPECT TO BE AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS
Blogging is hard work, and you should treat it as such. Gaining loyal readers takes times and so does finding your blogging stride. Expect to make a few mistakes and to go up and down with followers. When it comes to blogging, you'll get out of it what you put into it. 

What are your biggest blog faux pas? What advice would you give to new bloggers?

68 comments :

  1. Thanks for the Pinterest reminder! I struggle with it but I know it's worth doing it.

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  2. As a blogger who is just starting out, I really appreciate this post! Thank you for all of the tips! 😊

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  3. I love these lessons! Posting regularly and at a specific time is important and something I hope to work on in the next couple months! Thanks so much for sharing these!

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  4. These are all great lessons! I'll have to use some of these this year.

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  5. These are great--some of these, I wish it wouldn't have taken me as long to learn!

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  6. Such great tips! I've definitely learned some of these over the past year. Happy Belated Blogiversary Tiffany!!

    xoxo

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  7. Love this! I've been blogging since 2009 and I am still a small blogger...less than 200 followers. So, comparing is a huge struggle for me.

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  8. Coffee Beans High HeelsJanuary 12, 2015 at 12:06 PM

    Great tips! I will follow them all!
    Xo
    Orly
    coffeebeansandhighheels.weebly.com

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  9. Happy Blog Birthday. Posting at the sametime is a big ones I learn to do over the past year. Also just because your a fashion blogger doesn't mean you have to post outfit 7 days a week. So that why I only post 3 outfits a week and randomness 4 days a week.

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  10. Happy blog birthday! :) I love Endless Bliss, and I'm so glad that you've done so well over the last two years. I've been blogging not-so-seriously for 4 years, seriously for about 13 months, and really, really seriously since last May. I still have a long way to go! On this list, #8 is the hardest thing for me to deal with--I see people who've started AFTER me getting so much more success. But, if I keep working, it will all smooth out in the end, right?! : ) Here's to many more happy years and great posts, Tiffany!

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  11. Happy blogiversary!! These are all great lessons learned from blogging - especially posting consistently! I can't wait to get my blog back into the swing of things!

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  12. HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY TIFFANY!!!! Wow, this list is truly stellar. Every single one of them is exactly spot on! The hardest one for me to really take to heart thus far has been to not compare myself to other bloggers out there. I always find myself searching through tons of new posts and blogs, and I end up discouraged when I compare it to this or that from my own corner of the blogiverse. But, that really can end up killing your creativity and overall happiness! Not to mention killing your productivity, because all that time spent comparing means you're not working on your own product! Don't compare, and don't expect someone else's success story to become yours, too. Just do you and be OK with that.
    Can't wait to see what year 3 brings for you!


    cominguprosestheblog.com

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  13. I wish I would have learned not to put my self in a box early on! Happy Blog-iversary!!!

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  14. Looooove your tips!! I need to be better about including my website after comments. I love it when my own readers do that, so why don't I?!
    www.southernhopeblog.com

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  15. Love, love, love all of these tips Tiffany! And congratulations on two years of blogging :)

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  16. Man do I need this list. Congrats on two years!

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  17. Happy blogiversary! Loved all these tips, I definitely learned these same things after a while. One big on I learned this last year is while you should post consistently, make sure those posts are well thought out & not something you threw together in one night!

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  18. I completely agree on all of those points, Emily! And thank you! A lot of my success has to do with an awesome blog design!

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  19. I'm so happy you enjoyed them, Carly! Thank you!!

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  20. I need to be better about that too, Whitney! I hardly ever do because I just forget about it.

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  21. I feel like a lot of things have changed for the better since I first started blogging, thankfully! Thank you so much, Alisha!

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  22. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I have the same problem with not comparing myself to other bloggers. But I have found that if I start to focus on what other bloggers are doing instead of what I'm doing, my content tends to sway a little, and I end up posting about things that I'm not even passionate about it. I have a problem with comparing myself to people in real life too, unfortunately. I agree that worrying too much about what other bloggers are doing can definitely kill your creativity, happiness, and productivity! It's just a bad idea all around.

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  23. Even though you're posting less frequently, it's amazing that you're off on your great adventure, and your readers, myself included, are still able to keep up with what you're doing thanks to social media! I'm so jealous of all your travels and can't wait to read all about your travel stories!

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  24. As a fairly new blogger this is super helpful and encouraging! Happy BlogVersary!!

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  25. Thank you, Natalie! You are so, so sweet. I definitely agree that not comparing myself to other bloggers is tough. I tend to do a lot more of that then I should, and sometimes, it puts me in a bad place, but then I look at my blog, and I have to remember that I need to be in love with what I put out there so that maybe someday, other people will compare their blog to mine! It's awesome that you've been blogging for so long, and your blog is so much fun!

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  26. Thanks, Amy! It took me a long time to figure out that I should schedule my posts. I love that you diversify your posts so I can still get a glimpse into your life and enjoy all of your outfits.

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  27. I wish I had been blogging for that long! It's so awesome that you've been able to keep up with it for so long. Making comparisons and definitely hard. I always try to tell myself that if I'm not in love with my blog, I can always change it, since it's mine. The most important thing is to be in love with whatever you're putting out there in the world.

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  28. Exactly! I hate that some of these tips took me two whole years to figure out! Yikes!

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  29. It took me awhile to start scheduling my posts and being regular about my postings, and still some days, I slip up, but it's okay! I'm so happy you enjoyed these tips!

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  30. I'm so happy you found these helpful, Jenn!

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  31. Yes! I'm always on Pinterest pinning other people's stuff, but sometimes, I forget to pin my own stuff.

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  32. Great point about wanting to love what you put out there! I try to do the same, even though I end up writing these crazy long posts that I labor over. It's not the easiest, but I'm happy with the result, and that's what matters. Happy blog birthday again, Tiffany! :)

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  33. These are great tips!! I hope you had a great blogiversary!!

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  34. Comparing myself to other bloggers is one of my biggest problems with the blogging world. I really have to work on maintaining my focus and just doing me! Congrats on your 2 year blogiversary!!!

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  35. I almost read the first one as "don't participate in linkups" (it's been a long day) at first and was like, "But but...why!?" Oops.


    Anyway, these are all awesome tips! I was blogging only for me up until April-ish of last year, so I finallyyy stopped neglecting my social media accounts around then. (That was probably my biggest blogging faux pas, har har.) Consistent blogging + not forgetting about the audience are definite ones! (I feel like I do that at times because I spent the last decade and a half almost-private blogging, haha.)

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  36. I'm so happy you found the tips helpful, Angie! Good luck with blogging! If you have any questions, I'd be happy to help in any way that I can.

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  37. That one is really tough for me too! Especially since there are so many great bloggers out there who have been at the blogging game a lot longer than me. Thanks so much for being an awesome blog friend, Nina!

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  38. Hahahaha yea, I don't think anyone would have taken that advice!


    When I first started blogging, it was just for me, like an online journal of sorts, but then when I started inviting people to read it, I realized that I needed to change it up a bit. No one wanted to hear about my mundane, unexciting (admittedly pathetic) rants. I'm thankful for the growth I've seen in my blog over the last two years!

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  39. Exactly! As long as you're happy with the result, that's all that matters.

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  40. I'm so glad you love it! It turned out amazing and I'm super happy with it! :)

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  41. I was so excited after I bought my domain name. I felt like a legitimate blogger after that. I'm glad I didn't do it right away either, because I ended up changing my blog name! I would have been so upset with myself.

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  42. I really love it! It definitely reflects me!

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  43. Such a great and useful post, thank you for sharing! I've not thought about joining a blogging community before and I'm working on understanding google analytics.


    nimblenote.blogspot.com

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  44. I'm obsessed with blog communities! I think almost all of my readers and comments come from the communities that I've joined. Google Analytics houses so much information, and I'm still working to understand it as well.

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  45. Thank you for these tips, they are great timing as I'm trying to really develop my blog this year :)

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  46. Thanks for these tips! I've been at blogging on a serious scale for a shorter amount of time and have definitely already picked up on some of these

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  47. Yay! I'm so happy you found them helpful, Vicky!

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  48. That's so awesome, Nikki! I'm always on the lookout for great blog tips, because there are so many great resources out there! The great (and frustrating) thing about blogging is that it's always growing and changing, and there's so much to learn!

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  49. Fantastic tips, Tiffany! I especially agree that investing in your blog is important. One of the best things I did for my dinky little blogspot blog was when I purchased a custom domain and a layout design. I looked and felt like a pro! It definitely makes me feel more confident in my blog, which makes me take it more seriously. (And by buying a web design, I was able to support another online entrepreneur! What goes around comes around, right?)


    www.mascarawarrior.com

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  50. Great tips, Tiffany! I agree wholeheartedly with all of these. Finding blogging communities via Facebook has been a HUGE help for me. In addition to meeting new readers, I've made new friends and we get each other, you know! I haven't had a chance to dive into guest posting (either on someone else's blog or someone on mine), but that's one area I'd like to branch into during 2015! My goal is to use my blog to eventually start my own business...I have a 5 year plan outlined, so I know a lot of work will go into it!

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  51. Tiffany! This is so helpful!My friend and I just started a blog and getting the hang of it is a work in progress. I'm definitely going to bookmark this post and utilize your tips! Thanks!

    www.2blonde20somethings.com

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  52. Awesome, awesome tips! I have been blogging for 6.5 years and some of these I have to remind myself of from time to time! If only I knew some of these when I was starting out I would have saved myself some drama!

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  53. Same here! The investment in a domain name is huge, and makes a difference when it comes to monetizing your blog as well as growing your followers. Investing in your blog is definitely worth it!

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  54. I'm so happy you agree with me, Vicky! I would like to use my blog as a business too and would love to make it a significant source of my income. That's amazing that you have a five-year plan for your blog, and now I"m thinking I should do the same thing!

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  55. Congrats on starting a blog with your friend! That's so great, and welcome to the blog world! I love blogging, and I hope the two of you have fallen in love with it as well. I'm so happy that you found these tips helpful!

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  56. That's such a long time to blog, and it's so incredible! I hope I can keep this blog running for several years to come. There are so many things that I wish I would have known before I started blogging, but I just dove into it without doing any research beforehand. I'm glad I've learned so much of the years though.

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  57. Thanks for sharing! I've been blogging for 3.5 years and I've definitely learned that it's important to get on a schedule and stick to it - plan some backup posts for when you don't feel like posting!

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  58. That's incredible that you've been keeping up with your blog for that long! I hope I'm able to stick with it for that long. Keeping a schedule is so important! I love the idea of having back-up posts.

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  59. Not sharing older links is a do NOT. I have been sharing old links, like 3 years old, using buffer and been getting traffic back. I am shifting from music blogging to lifestyle blogging bc of how many broken links happen when sharing from music sharing platforms. Oh and doing interviews with performers are time consuming.

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  60. Plus ppl new to my blog may never had read previous blogs before.

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  61. I completely agree! I feel bad for all of my old posts that just sit there. I haven't been sharing them on Twitter, but I do link back to them in posts. I think I need to start sharing them on social media, because, like you said, it can really drive a lot of traffic! I would get so frustrated to have all of those broken links! In my mind, I would love to meet new musicians and interview them for my blog, but, like you said, I feel like it would be time consuming, and I wouldn't even know where to start! It would be awesome for YouTube though! But that could still be time consuming as well. Good luck with your blog shift!

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  62. I agree with all of these! Investing in my blog has really paid off, especially buying my domain name. While I'm glad I didn't do it right away (I needed to show myself I was really committed to blogging first,) I definitely am glad I have it now!

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  63. SUCH A GOOD POST! I am somewhat new and , actually, quite young to be apart of the "blogging world", but I love it and it is truly a passion of mine! Thank you so much for the helpful tips...They will be very, very useful!

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