Welcome to Part Two of our Blogging 101 Series. In Part One: 10 Reasons to Blog we discussed all of the many reasons to start blogging, especially for women in particular. I received so many comments and emails sharing with me how these reasons resonated with you. The sense of community and the outlet for creativity found through blogging seemed to be the top reasons why many of you started blogging..and this rings true for us!
If you missed reading 10 Reasons to Blog take a moment to go back and visit Part One..and then be sure to come back and read today’s post.
Part Two-10 Things I Wish I’d Known About Blogging.
“I Wish I’d Known…”
1-To choose my blog name carefully. Okay, I can’t state often enough how important this is. Take time and more time to choose your blog name. You might be small now, you might think you never want to be a “big blog” but you don’t know what lies down the road for you. Imagine if you choose a name thinking, “well it’s not taken on blogspot so I can use it.” Only to find out that when you convert to a .com it’s already taken! Don’t just assume a google search of the name you want is good enough. Go to Godaddy.com or any other domain name registration site and search for the names you like. Have several that you are interested in. Trust me on this one. Trust me. You will be surprised how many are already taken but not being used right now as active websites. If you find one you like but you are not interested in setting up your blog as a .com yet still consider buying that domain name. It usually runs around $11-15 a year to buy a domain name. A worthwhile investment if your blog expands and you want to hold the rights to your name. Remember just because it’s available on blogspot does not mean it’s available as a .com. Do a domain name search before you register with Blogger.
2-That my “in real life friends and family” were not necessarily going to be my biggest cheerleaders. This revelation was a real shock to me when I started blogging. I thought for sure that all of my friends and family would rush over to my blog and leave lots of nice sweet comments and tell me how proud they were of me for writing a blog…nope. Don’t get me wrong many of my friends did support my efforts and share my blog on facebook etc. but I have found my most loyal followers have been other bloggers or people who read blogs regularly and get the whole concept of blogging. Many people out there still don’t really understand “blogging” or don’t know how to leave a comment or are unsure of sharing personal information online. So even though they love you, they may not think to keep visiting your blog…that or they’re afraid you’ll get a “big head” I often think our friends and family feel they have to keep us humble. I also wonder how many of Ree’s friends and family follow her blog…okay bad example everyone follows her…but you get the idea. J
3-That clever writing, beautiful pictures and funny stories doesn’t always equate to lots of followers and comments. So there it sat. My first really good blog post. One that was funny, well written AND finally had beautiful pictures. Cricket. Cricket. Cricket. Where was everyone? ..and no mom you don’t count. I had this incredible post and no one seemed to care. What I came to realize is that if I cared about my post being seen by someone besides my sister, my mom and my ever faithful friend or two I had to “sell myself”…no not like that…I mean “sell my post”. I had to share it with others. Link it up to parties, facebook about it, twitter about it, take the plunge and submit my photographs to the various food websites. Let me tell you for every photograph of mine that has been accepted on Tastespotting or Foodgawker..three have been rejected and yes it stings a little. But when I do have a photograph accepted, or a post featured..Wow! Watch out! My stats go through the roof and my followers increase. So put yourself out there. Share that post your proud of with others, don’t sit and wait for them to come to you.
4-That I could not be an island unto myself. I had to go out and “meet” other bloggers. When I first started blogging I had a hard time figuring out how to connect with other bloggers. I think it’s because while I wanted to start a blog I wasn’t really an avid reader of blogs at the time. It felt a little artificial at first, visting other blogs and leaving comments but pretty soon I started connecting with a few different bloggers and we developed these great online relationships. As I mentioned in the Part One of our Blogging 101 Series, community is key to blogging! I couldn’t just sit around and wait for bloggers to find me and connect, I had to reach out and form connections myself. It will benefit your blog in so many ways, see #3 above, but even better you will get to meet so many great people out there in the world you would never know otherwise!
5-How important a title is. Your title is everything. Statistics show that people will decide in about 20 seconds whether to read your entire post or to skip over it. They will most likely base this decision first and foremost on your title. If you’ve gotten this far than I guess my title was effective. Grin. Your title sells your story. Be creative, be catchy and be short! Make sure you have some keywords in your title that reflect the content of your post. If you have the ability (currently you don’t through blogger) to choose your own url for your post make it an effective one. We will address this more in Tips for New Bloggers. If you use Blogger I will show you in a future 101 Post how to still pick key words for your url and then change your title to a catchier one. Whatever platform you use to blog though, make your title stand out and make sure it clearly states what your post contains or is at least so funny that people can’t help but read on…either way will work.
6-The bigger the picture the better. I think many bloggers make this mistake when starting out. They put these little itty bitty pictures on their blogs often it’s because the quality of the picture might be poor, or they feel embarrassed to post a large picture of their project or craft or recipe. . I honestly believe it would be better to have no picture at all than a tiny poor quality picture. I am not ashamed to admit I was guilty of this. Here is one of my original posts on Gourmet Meals for Less.
Salmon Croquettes (great recipe by the way)
Here is one of my most recent posts.
Fantasy Fudge (another great recipe)
Huge difference! Bigger is better when it comes to pictures. So learn to take a decent picture and size it appropriately.
7-That it is not okay to ever “borrow” someone else’s words, photographs, ideas or recipes. Always ask first if possible and ALWAYS give full credit. No matter how big the blog is or how well known the blogger they love to know when you have referenced them or used one of their ideas. Just because it’s on the Internet does not mean it is yours for the taking. Never copy and paste another bloggers pictures without asking first. Ever. Many bloggers take professional quality photographs and they retain the rights to them. And just in case you were wondering..no I didn’t do it, but yes I have seen it done time and time again. Often innocently with no malice meant, occasionally though it is purposeful. Trust me eventually you will get found out and as big as the blog world seems sometimes, it can get quite small when the word spreads about a blogger who takes content. It can damage your reputation as a writer and blogger for a long time.
8-To make commenting on my posts and contacting me as easy as possible. Okay, some of you will love me for saying this and some of you might hate me for saying it and some of you have valid reasons for not doing this but…you have to make commenting and contacting you as easy as possible. Trust me, I know it’s frightening putting yourself out there for anyone and everyone to be able to say what they want to you or to contact you. Bama Boy has a job that in our “in real life” life requires us to have unlisted phone numbers and addresses, to be cautious what we say and to be protective of his “real identity” hence why he will forever be referred to as Bama Boy on here..J But, he knows that to be an effective blogger and to connect with people I have to be real and as transparent as possible. This is true when it comes to allowing comments and contact on your blog. So I highly suggest you open up all means to comment on your blog and to avoid the moderation setting and word verification. Most if not all spam WILL be caught by your spam protection that blogger has set up. I know this…I have one sitting in my spam folder waiting to be deleted, but author approval or word verification will often stop a reader from leaving a comment. I always feel disappointed when finding my comment is awaiting author approval, makes me feel just a little bit like my comment is going to be judged worthy enough to be placed on the blog. I will give word verification one chance and if I mess it up I often click away. Also, I have time and again spent several minutes searching high and low for an email address to contact a potential “feature” or someone who I want to reference on our blog. Ideally you should place your email address somewhere on your blog’s homepage. You can put (dot) com to avoid spam if you wish. Or you can create a contact page, they are really quite easy to set up. At the very least make your email address available on your blogger profile. Again, if you have reason to worry about being stalked or need to keep as private as possible it is understandable why you might choose these settings for your blog But then again, you are blogging….publicly. If someone wants to really find you you they’ll figure out away no matter how hard you try to keep a distance between you and readers. So make things as easy as possible for your readers to connect with you. It will make your blog more enjoyable for them and in return more enjoyable for you.
9-That I had to put myself out there and be real with people. I won’t make this a long one, it speaks for itself. Don’t portray yourself as someone you’re not. Eventually the real you will come out in your writing. Be real, but be transparent. Don’t hide behind your blog. Someday you might get to actually meet some of these people in real life. Pretend you do know them in real life. If you are funny in real life, be funny. But don’t try to be witty just cause other bloggers are witty. You have your own gifts you’ve been given. Maybe it’s wit, or maybe it’s deep reflection. Both are good! . Be the you, you are with your friends and family and your sincerity will shine through on your blog. Unless of course the real you is not a very nice real you…in that case you might be better off faking it..just sayin’.
10-That just like in real life jealousy can rear its ugly head. Sigh. The unspoken secret of blogging. The thing that if we were honest with ourselves we all feel at times. Something that’s hard I think especially for women to admit. That even in the virtual world of blogging jealousy can rear it’s ugly head. “Why does SHE have so many followers and I don’t, SHE doesn’t even write that well.” “I’m as funny as her, why don’t more people read my blog?” “THEY started their blog after mine and look how many people follow them, or leave comments, or re-tweet their posts.” So let’s just all collectively agree that even in the blogosphere we can feel this way. When I first started out I was so excited to have 2 followers that weren’t my mom and best friend…actually I’m not sure she was even following me at first…see # 2 above. But then I would see other blogs a lot like mine and they would have 50 followers. Hmph. Why don’t I have 50 followers. Even if just my own friends would follow me I’d have at least 50 followers..see #2 again. I couldn’t understand why I would submit a beautiful picture to Tastespotting and it wouldn’t generate more than a few new readers but someone else who had so-so pictures had thousands! I started to doubt myself, my writing, my desire to blog. I lost sight of why I blogged. I became unappreciative of the loyal readers I did have. It’s a fine balance between cultivating new readership and staying connected with those who have formed a community with you. Always welcome and embrace your new readers but don’t ever lose site of your original community. Stop comparing yourself to so-and-so and focus on your little corner of the blogging world! Make it the best it can be right here and now!
And here’s a bonus reason for ya cause I’m generous that way and in my opinion it’s the most important!
11-That my words are permanent. really, really permanent. This is the most important thing I wish I had understood when I started blogging. Words online are permanent. Even if you delete a post, it can still be out there copied and pasted onto someone else’s website, or cached somewhere. Should this stop you from being real? No. Should you be transparent still. Yes. Should you always be considerate of others. Most Definitely. Should you think twice before hitting “post” Always. Don’t forget that words can build up or tear down. Be a builder not a wrecker with your words. We can disagree and even debate with others through our blogs, there is nothing wrong with this per se. Just do it in a thoughtful and constructive way. Never to be controversial or cruel. This may gain you readership in the short run…who doesn’t love a little controversy…but it will reflect your character in the long run. Be real. Be Truthful. But Be Kind.
If you are new to the blogging community I hope the lessons I’ve learned might help you in some way. If you have been blogging for awhile, what is something you wish you had known about blogging? What is a lesson you would share with a new blogger?
Join me next week for 10 Tips for New (and maybe not so new) Bloggers!
and don’t forget about our awesome giveaway we’ve got going on all week sponsored by our
Featured Etsy Store of the Month
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As always…thank for meeting me at the picket fence!
Linking to these Parties:
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This is as fabulous, perhaps even more so than part one. I wish that I had read it over a year ago when I started this blogging thing.
I’m not going to single out parts that I liked because I was nodding my head through the whole thing.
I have made so many mistakes and wish that I could go back. Don’t like my blog name, for one. Sigh.
So typical of me to back my way into something and then wonder WHY it’s not working. UGH.
Excellent post, and excellent tips. I could not agree more with you on all accounts!~
Great post! I agree with you soooo much. Some of these I’ve done good with, others….not so much. What a beautiful reminder to build up, not tear down, with our words. As bloggers, we have huge opportunities to build each other up!
Kelly
Love, love, love this post! So true, all of it! Thank you for sharing, even your bonus #11!
Thanks for speaking from your heart!
Heather, the 10/11 things I wish I’d known, I wish I would have known,for sure.
Thanks for sharing these facts.
I would like to add, have fun that’s what it’s all about.
Question????…If a blogger has a linky party, wouldn’t it be great if the host actually try’s to visit the blogs that link-up???hehe
~Jo
LazyonLoblolly
Great tips! Thanks for sharing. One question…how hard is it to make your pictures larger? I piddle around with Picasa a little but I’ve never learned how to make a photo look larger on my blog. Thanks again.
Hi Heather,
I’ve been blogging for less than a year and have felt all the various issues you describe.
Thanks for the great advice.
Blogging is not for wimps, lol!
S
xo
Debbie_I hear ya on the name things. I so often wanted to change Gourmet Meals for Less. I had even bought the domain name so I really felt stuck.
Jo-so true! Good reminder to have fun and don’t take yourself so seriously!
Tyla, not hard at all. I will share some tips for this in my next installment. I will share how to enlarge them through editor and manually through your html code.
Heather
Well that was just fabulous!!! When I started my blog a year ago…I didn’t even know what a blog was!!….I was so lost in blog land….now I’ve come along way and my blog is growing and I’m starting the take it more serious..
I wish I could put more of my personality in my blog cause I’m actually very funny…but I’m not the best writer and nothing makes sense when I read it back…
Great info…thanks for sharing!
Too true! I wish I’d known this way back in 2008 when I first started blogging. But then again I started as sort of an outlet for myself and for my family far away to read our everyday happenings. I wasn’t on facebook back then so my blog was my way of sharing my family with relatives.
Great post. Thanks
This is so helpful and I couldn’t agree more with you
~Chris
This is such an excellent post. I wish I had known all of this before I started blogging. Ignorance is bliss I guess. I had to laugh out loud to #2 – I seriously thought I would have all of my friends and family following me and checking out each post…wrong. I think two are actually followers and a hand full check it out from time to time. What’s up with that. Didn’t know any of that stuff about the .com – I’m going to go now and check out if my blog name is taken on .com already.
excellent advice…and i have certainly heard crickets a time or two (or twenty) at the end of a thoughtfully written post…just part of the process i guess…these are some things i wish i’d known before starting a blog, but then…it seems that i’m usually one of those folks who learn things the hard way…;)
blessings,
alison
stuff and nonsense
What a great post heather, you are so absolutely right.Be yourself, and be kind.You always reap what you sow , so you’d better sow love and kindness and support- right !
Thanks again, you have made me smile and feel part of all of you !!
XOXO
Bea
I wish I knew all this when I first started blogging too, but I was still learning about what all having a blog was and what I would eventually want mine to be. I think I’m on the right track now but it took me a year to get there! LOL! GREAT advice!!!
Great post filled with fantastic tips for sure!!! I am guilty of a few of the things you mentioned too… a learning experience. Wish I knew more when I started blogging- and we can all learn more and more as we go!! Thanks for sharing this with everyone!!
Such sound advice, thank you.
Wonderful and informative post!
Great tips always girls..Hugs and smiles Gloria
such a great post and definitely rings true on all accounts! Thanks for posting
These are really great tips for the new blogger! I was so naive when I started my blog, not even knowing how to add a picture to my posts. I also remember how nervous I felt when I hit the publish button because as you say, our words are permanent and out there for all to read. Now, it’s all very comfortable and feels natural.
I’m glad someone asked you about enlarging photos because I sure could use a tutorial on it also. I agree, having big beautiful photos is a key to success, as well as meeting others through linking parties and such as you mentioned.
I wish you had been around in 2008 to guide me through blogging, when I first started.
I’m sure in a year’s time I’ll look back on my current posts and cringe – just like I look back on posts from a year ago!!
These are great tips, Heather. Thank you.
Sarahx
Such a well thought out, clear, and helpful post! Especially, since I am new around the blogging world. I am trying to be perfect form the get go, and that NEVER happens. SO, thanks for sharing your early blogging self, now I know you weren’t always this perfectly wonderful.
Very very well said Heather! You hit them right on the head. Blogging is a journey and a learning experience and it is so nice to know that we can learn together and teach one another.
Thanks for all your tips! I try to blog better each time, but sometimes I think I write less, because I wonder if anyone reads it, or just looks at the pics (the ones that I promise myself each time will be better…then I look back and think maybe not)…I will keep trying, and reading and learning…thanks again! (new blogger since Dec ’10) Debbie
Great tips and advice! I am still learning the ins and outs of blogging. And have definitely been guilty of a few of the things you mentioned. Thanks for posting this!
Oh my goodness, am I glad I came on over here. Vanessa left a sweet and kind comment on my blog and I told I would definitely come over here. What a blog! I am totally clicking your SUBSCRIBE button so I can keep up. Thanks for these great blogging tips, btw:)
Oh my goodness, am I glad I came on over here. Vanessa left a sweet and kind comment on my blog and I told I would definitely come over here. What a blog! I am totally clicking your SUBSCRIBE button so I can keep up. Thanks for these great blogging tips, btw:)
I am a new blogger and thanks for the great tips. Can’t wait for the next post!
Great post! You really nailed a lot of the issues (technical and emotional) that bloggers struggle with. Excellent advice!
How lucky am I to be starting out in the blogging community, when you are publihing your ‘ten reasons’ series. Fabulous advice, which I will now follow completely. Thanks for sharing it. I have made a few faux pas in this, my first week of blogging ..Luckily nothing so grave that it could not be fixed. Having experienced bloggers around who care enough to share, is great.
Thanks
Best wishes
Carolyn
This was great! Very informative and very true!
Excellent post! The one thing I would mention to bloggers is PROOFREAD — please! Too many typos will send me off to visit another blog even faster than tiny pics … Now THAT’S fast!
Great advice and thanks so much for sharing it…..I’m a new blogger and will definitely follow…can’t wait for your next post!
Marianne
What a great post! I really enjoyed reading it. You are an excellent writer!
WOW! That was an EXCEPTIONAL post! SO INFORMATIVE! Couldnt you have done this post back in, ooooooo, say, October of ’10???
LOL!
When I started my blog
So TRUE! I just LOVE this new blog you sweet sistas have put together…its so REAL! I am SO happy to have you ladies as my friends!
xoxokara
OH YEA! I have a Question…I know this really wasnt an “Open Forum” for discussion, BUT, since yall have such great tips, I need advice and I think yall might have some help!
As my Friendships develop and grow, I am have a DIFFICULT TIME trying to figure out a ORGANIZED routine for being able {Timewise} to visit ALL my friends and other Blogs I love on a daily basis and be able to comment to everyone…
E GADS! I find im on the computer ALL DAY and get nothing {other responsibilities} done!
HELP HELP HELP
kara
Thank you for linking up this great post last week! {Im a lil behind, eeekk!}
Its party time AGAIN!!! xoxokara
*ENTER LINKY PAR-TAY Here! *
Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have expressed many of the same thoughts I’ve had since starting my blog 2 months ago. Don’t we all hope our friends and family will be our consistent “cheerleaders”, but alas that isn’t necessarily the case. Blogging connects our world of individuals with new friends in a positive way. It also inspires our creativity. What could be better!?!
Thanks for your clarity and insight. I will definitely be following your blog.
Karen
Great post! Being a new blogger it really helps to have tips and wisdom from those with more experience! Thanks for doing this series!
Thanks for the great post. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one wondering why people aren’t visiting. I’ve already made a few of these mistakes, but hopefully I won’t make too many more.
I’m a new blogger and I just found your blog. This is the most helpful post about blogging that I found yet. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much for the wonderful tips for those of us who are still trying to figure this blogging thing out! You have encouraged me to keep at it!
Karee
Okay, I have dinner that needs to be prepped … Etsy shop pillows that need to be finished and shipped out … and here I sit reading through your blogging 101 series! Oh those link-backs in posts are killer! But Kari raves about what blogging geniuses you both are (like now I have the two side-by-side BlogHer banner towers now and am looking into backup advertisers for those towers) … so how could I not read this series!
And I hope my name isn’t a hindrance. It has posed some problem with Twitter and Pinterest (too many characters to be @it all started with paint!). Oh well. It’s done …
Linda
This was so informative, thanks so much! I have a question about pictures.. The difference between your pictures really is amazing. Did you have to upgrade to a new camera?
Thanks,
Buzzy
Hi Heather,
Thanks so much for all the amazing tips and precious advice! I joined your Inspiration Friday party this week and stayed a while to find this fantastic series! Love your blog and can understand how you girls got this far- the work and effort and creativity are evident. Thanks for sharing. I so related to tip #3. Gonna try to get out there more and mingle! The most important thing for me as a new blogger is to be yourself, as you said.
Am so psyched to be following you. Hope you’ll “pop” by my place, too!
Poppy