You want to blog so you read.
You read blog posts.
You read Facebook comments.
And then you research.
You learn about a million things about starting a blog and now you’re confused.
Probably have a headache too. As a new blogger, what do you focus on?
I’ve asked 12 amazing moms who blog about what their top 3 things new bloggers need to know when starting a blog.
But, before we get into what they suggest (believe me, every one of these mamas have amazing tips to help you), I want to share my top three tips. I’ll keep ’em short too.
- Only do tasks that will grow your blog/business in some way. This means doing something to grow your traffic so that income can come your way. It could be writing a blog post, becoming an affiliate for a program you love or starting Pinterest to grow your traffic.
- Learn your audience well. This means figuring out your audience first and then serving them with your blog.
- Focus on traffic first and then email list growth and then monetizing. In that order.
Now let’s see what others have to say about the top things to focus on. Learn from them and pick YOUR top three to work on!
1. Chanele – Good Life of a Housewife
Being a new blogger can feel like taking on a never-ending to-do list. It’s easy to get so caught up in the small details that you miss the bigger picture.
Success as a new blogger is as much about preparing and execution, as it is about the task itself.
This brings me to the best three things a new blogger should focus on: having fortitude, creating a monthly plan (in writing) and committing to your objectives.
1. Having Fortitude
Fortitude means having resilience, strength of mind, and courage.
Becoming a blogger takes fortitude because it requires you to bare your soul to the world.
To be successful you have to be authentic; you have to be yourself. Fortitude is powering through and staying committed. Especially when your pageviews are low, when you’re comparing yourself to other bloggers and when self-doubt begins to creep in.
2. Creating a Monthly Plan (in Writing)
Creating a monthly plan is imperative to looking back and saying, “that was a great a month.”
Each month should be broken down into 4 -5 action items you want to accomplish.
These could be things such as, establish an email sequence, increase traffic, establish a social media presence, etc.
These are your beefy tasks that can be broken down into smaller objectives. Sticking to a few action items allows for streamlining and focus on your most important priorities. It also creates the opportunity to review what’s working, what needs to be changed, and what can be built upon.
For more action items for your plan, check out my post on goal planning ideas.
3. Committing to Your Objectives
Once you have your 4-5 action items in your monthly plan, break each one down into smaller objectives that will help accomplish your task.
If your action item is to increase traffic, then smaller objectives could be
- Join 10 group boards
- Research the best ways to use Pinterest
- Create 10 new pins to add to Pinterest group boards
These objectives then give you direction for the month. Focus on getting all of your objectives done before taking on new tasks.
Don’t forget to track your results. I keep an excel chart showing key metrics.
At first, it might just be tracking Google Analytics to see how many pageviews you have each month. Then you may add other things such as tracking social media follows, or email subscribers.
Don’t write these things off, these are successes. These motivate you as you work towards monetization.
Finally, use all of these things to build solid traffic and readership. Don’t focus on the money. Many successful bloggers who monetize their blog have had multiple trial runs, experimented to find their niche, and put in the time.
Blog [well] and they will come.
Chanele is a mommy blogger who runs Good Life of a Housewife. A blog focused on household management and modern motherhood.
2. Carly – Mommy on Purpose
I think the 3 things that helped me grow my blog (Mommy on Purpose, where I blog about creating your best life as a mom – everything from pregnancy + postpartum topics to working from home) the most, when I was new, were some very basic things! There’s also one thing I really WISH I had done – in hindsight.
If I was a new blogger, starting now I would focus on:
1. Content Creation for Many Reasons
Through content creation, my blog found its direction – as I discovered what I actually enjoyed writing about.
Through content creation, I also discovered what posts resonated in the places I was promoting them (mainly Pinterest) and that allowed me to grow my pageviews (and therefore income), quickly. The more content you have, the more content for you to promote, and promotion is HUGE.
If you need help figuring out those blogging ideas, make sure to check out my post on 193 blogging ideas for you!
2. ONE Social Media / Promotional Platform
It’s so tempting to think that, as a new blogger, you need to do allthethings. #mistakesnewbiesmake
I think doing one thing very well will take us farther faster (not to mention keep us from getting overwhelmed).
You can always add more platforms as the months go on – and there’s nothing wrong with reserving the handle you want, but I wouldn’t try to divide my focus equally among Facebook /Twitter /Instagram + Pinterest to start. (If I was picking just one, for most niches I’d pick Pinterest.)
3. SEO
This might feel overwhelming as a new blogger. But if I could go back to and do anything differently, it’d be to put more emphasis on SEO (search engine optimization) from the start.
I’d take a good course, or read an ebook, and then I’d start trying to implement it from the beginning.
Even if it takes you 6 months to really understand what you’re doing, you’d still be a year ahead of where I am now. Ranking in search engines opens new doors for affiliate marketing and reliable traffic that you just can’t access with social media.
3. Alena – Happy and Thankful Mom
Hi, I’m Alena! I’m a Physical therapist, a mom blogger, and an Online Marketing Strategist focused on Inbound.
I geek out when it comes to blogging, messenger chat marketing, social media marketing (specifically Facebook), and Facebook Ads. And I blog at HappyAndThankfulMom.
Being a new blogger, it is overwhelming learning and creating content at the same time, in addition to our daily mommy tasks. My three tips on what you focus on as you start your blogging journey are:
1. Connect with People
While most bloggers and many entrepreneurs focus on “growing” your audience through email lists or social media, my advice to you is to focus on connecting with people.
Keep in mind that while you use social media to grow your audience, spend time connecting with your audience by replying to their comments and private messages.
Though I know your cup is full of all the tasks to do, it is essential to leverage your time using messenger chat automation as your business grows. With messenger chat automation, you can reply to the frequently asked questions timely.
You can also join when you’re available to add a personal touch to the conversation through the Live chat.
2. Know Who Your Ideal Customer Is
If you do my Tip #1 connecting with your audience, this will give you a better idea of your ideal customer. When you’re starting with your blog, your ideal customer avatar is a fictional or semi-fictional character.
You end up guessing their problems through your imagination and sometimes based on your own story. Focusing on the person to whom you’re writing, from the very start, would not only help your content writing for blog posts but also for your copywriting.
It will make writing easier for you, whether you’ll create a copy for social media posts, emails, your webinar script, and your sales pages.
3. Protect Your Blog Legally
As you put into action the tips in this blog post, take time to check your website’s legal policies. As new bloggers, we tend to worry more about what content to write and increase traffic; and forget the required legal pages.
I wrote a blog, How to Avoid Common Legal Mistakes Online Entrepreneurs Make, wherein I interviewed a Business lawyer to help us understand what are the standard legal policies a website or blog must-have.
4. Amy – The Thoughtful Parent
I’m Amy and I have been blogging at The Thoughtful Parent for 8 years but only in the past year have focused my attention on it as a business. I’m also a stay-at-home mom to two little boys (8 and 4) and wife of a wonderful man who puts up with my late night/early morning writing habit. My blog focuses on bringing research-based parenting topics into the lives of parents in an approachable format.
Top 3 Things New Bloggers Should Focus On
1. Grow Your Email List
I know it’s been said before, but growing your list is key!
Social media algorithms changes, Google algorithms change, but if you have your fans’ email then you can always find them.
As all the blogging experts point out, the best and easiest way to get subscribers is to offer a freebie (lead magnet) and is…magnetic. This can be tricky. It takes time and some failed attempts to find what your audience wants bad enough to share their email address with it.
All the effort and trials are worth it.
I’ve been trying multiple lead magnets in the last few months and only after 4-5 mediocre ones have I started to get closer to one that is more of a hit. I’m still persisting and learning more about my audience.
2. Focus on Your Education
Most of us bloggers are parents too and maybe just blog when we have time.
In this situation, it’s hard to find time to invest in your blogging education but it is necessary.
In the past year, I have put tons of time into learning everything I can about blogging as a business, even though I’ve been blogging as a hobby for 8 years.
If you really want to make your blog a business, then learning all you can is key.
Search out leaders in the field, blogs you read yourself and any resources you can get your hands on to learn what you need to know – SEO, email marketing, writing tips, etc.
3. Focus on Your Audience’s Needs, Not Your “Pet” Topics
Writing about what you enjoy is fun, but it may or may not appeal to your audience. The best advice I keep hearing over and over again from blogging pros is to focus on what your audience needs.
Trying to find a solution to their big problem, answer their big question or provide a resource that improves their lives—these are the key things that will help propel your business.
I have seen this on my blog in the past year since I’ve gotten serious about it.
I used to write about whatever struck me at the moment and some hit and some did not. Now I focus more on topics that will be super helpful to my audience—see a need, fill a need (yes, I just watched the movie Robots with my sons 🙂
5. Vanessa – Mom Blog From Home
Hello, my name is Vanessa and I blog at Mom Blog From Home.
I have always wanted to have my own blog and finally, I took the plunge in the fall of 2017! I spent the summer learning as much as I could about blogging and building my blog.
Then on September 1, 2017, I launched it!
My blog is focused on teaching moms how to start their own blogs and use it to pay off debt! As I learn I pass it on to my readers.
Over the past 4 months, I have learned a lot about blogging but the lessons I have learned are the most important. The lessons I have learned are things I wish I would have been doing from the beginning.
I have heard from bigger bloggers that the 3 most important things to focus on as a new blogger is to blog once a week, use Pinterest, and grow your email list.
Of course, I agree but I have different advice for new bloggers that I would like to share.
1. Find Your Brand
When I first started blogging I heard this all the time but it didn’t really sink in until it was too late.
I had been following this one bigger blogger and I was learning so much from her. Her blog is to teach moms how to blog so naturally I was drawn to her. That’s what my niche was and she was ahead of me so I did as she did… a little too much. Before I realized it, my blog looked just like her blog.
After all, I was learning from her how to blog and we had the same vision but I am not her, I am me. My blog should reflect me and how I want to teach my readers. I didn’t realize it until I had designed it and asked for her opinion.
She pointed it out and I felt so dumb and embarrassed. What was I thinking? I’m not her. I don’t want my blog to look like hers?
I hadn’t found my brand. I hadn’t found my voice.
I had to really spend some time and think about how I wanted my blog to look and what I wanted my brand to be.
It was a big waste of time but a good lesson to learn.
By only learning and connecting with her, her brand influenced me. I learned that I need to broaden out and learn from other bloggers. See how they do things. Then decide what I like and don’t like for myself.
After doing research I knew exactly what I liked and didn’t like, what colors I wanted to use, what fonts I wanted, and what kind of brand I wanted for myself and my blog.
2. Stay Consistent and Always Be Making New Content
Staying consistent is another simple step that I knew to do but didn’t do. I work on my blog daily but working in the back office doesn’t count as new content.
You need to always be creating new content and be putting it out for your readers to see. Planning and fixing links on your blog is great and it needs to be done but you cannot forget to put out new good quality content consistently.
There are different opinions on how often you should put out new content but I have read time and time again the main thing is to stay consistent. Whether that is once a week or once a month.
I wish I would have been better at this from the beginning.
My goal is once a week to post a new post. Again, I work on my blog daily but the next thing I know the week has come and gone and no new content was published.
But in my head, I felt I had done right by always working on my blog.
Set your schedule and stick to it.
Check out my post on what successful bloggers do that new bloggers fail to do.
3. Stay in Your Lane
This one piece of advice is very important for new bloggers. It is too easy to look at what other bloggers are doing and how well they are doing and compare them to you.
Keep your eyes in your lane.
I have sat down to work on my blog and been so excited then I read how well someone else is doing after one month of blogging and I get down on myself. I then end up not giving my best to my blog.
Do not compare yourself to anyone else. You are not them and they are not you.
This also applies to all the flashy new courses and eBooks out there. I am a sucker for learning. Another thing that makes me feel like I have worked on my blog but yet I didn’t produce new content.
But yet I read a new eBook all about blogging in one day!
Or I took a course on blogging and learned all these new things!
Again, that is great to grow and learn but that doesn’t count as working on creating new content for your blog.
Keep your eyes on your lane and stick to the basics and don’t get distracted by all the shiny new things you can do.
There is no get rich quick solution.
Your inbox will fill up daily with all these ways to solve all your problems. But they won’t if you don’t put your head down and put what you have learned to work.
I have so much knowledge that I am so excited to pass on to my readers but I have to slow down, stay in my lane, and produce good quality content consistently.
If you are like me and you love to learn then set a designated day for just learning or do all your blog tasks first then read that eBook. Work on the course in your spare time, not during your blog time.
Blogging is extremely fun and I have enjoyed every minute of it! I love meeting all the wonderful bloggers out there following their dreams too!
There is so much to learn and so many amazing people out there willing to teach you. No matter what your niche is there are people out there to help and support you as you grow!
I wish you the best of luck on your blogging journey!
6. Nicole – The Professional Mom Project
I’ve been blogging for over two years now and it has taught me so much. Here are a few tips that I hope you find helpful:
1. Just Do It – Hit Publish
Don’t worry about what other people might think or who may or may not read your post.
Honestly, at the start, your only readers will likely be your mom and your best friend but that’s ok.
Have fun knowing that your writing and ideas are out there.
Down the line, if you’re not happy with what you published initially you can always change it. That’s what the “update” button is for. The biggest (and hardest) step is often the first one. Once you’ve published your first post it will get easier as you find your blogging groove.
2. Develop a Thick Skin
When you put yourself and your writing out there on the internet you’re being super brave and amazing but you are also opening yourself up to criticism.
Sometimes there will be trolls who write mean blog comments or call you out on social media for no reason.
If you’ve done something wrong, then apologize. If you haven’t, then don’t worry about it. The first few times this happens it might be tough but that’s ok. Know that every blogger has gone through this type of experience at least once and many go through it more often than they’d like to admit.
3. Join blogging Communities
This was something I didn’t really know about when I first started blogging and I wish I had.
When you’re just starting out there is so much to learn!
By joining supportive blogging communities you can learn from more experienced bloggers and connect with individuals at all levels. You can find these communities through Facebook, blogging conferences, mastermind groups and Twitter chats. Not all groups will work with your personality or your niche so try out a few and figure out where you fit in. There will be some trial and error and that’s ok as well.
Come join my Mom to Mompreneur Facebook group where moms grow a blog, make a biz and raise kids!
7. Chelsy – Motherhood + Mayhem
To be honest, when I started blogging with my site Motherhood+Mayhem, I had no focus. I was all over the place trying to create content, make money, drive traffic, promote on a gazillion social media platforms, etc.
Oh, and doing this as a single mom and freelance writer, too.
I was putting my finger into too many proverbial pies and eventually I had to step back and organize myself and the content I wanted to create for my blog.
Here are the three things I learned:
1. Find Your Balance
Once you dive into the world of mom blogging, you’re going to learn real quick how difficult it can be to balance your mom life with your blogging life.
I found that the key to balance wasn’t making schedules or adjusting routines – it was finding time in the ebb and flow of my life to sit down and work on my blog.
This happened sometimes in the morning while my daughter was still in bed or during the hour or so she sat and watched a movie.
While you may want to actually schedule serious blog time as your site grows and develops, in the beginning, don’t stress so much about making time. Just find it – it’s there.
2. Organize Your Content
So when you are relying on those precious pockets of time, you want to make sure you spend it being productive and content is key when it comes to growing your blog.
Planning and organizing your content is important when it comes to sitting down at your computer and knowing what to do next with your blog.
When I started my blog, I planned out all of my blog’s content on a Google spreadsheet – I still do this, actually. I included the topic, category, keywords and publish date.
I always know exactly where I’m going next with my content.
A content planning spreadsheet doesn’t have to be fancy – as long as you can look at it and understand what your next task is.
3. Learn, Learn, Learn
There are so many amazing courses and resources out there focused on helping you grow and develop your blog.
Pick an aspect of blogging you want to learn about and learn about it!
Just be careful not to take on too much information at once – you’ll just end up overwhelmed and sticking your fingers into too many of those pies.
(Trust me, from experience, it really is messy!)
Follow this magical formula when it comes to learning about blogging: Writing Content -> Traffic -> Subscribers -> Making Money.
Don’t commit your time to learn how to monetize your blog if you’re still not sure how to create content.
You may feel like sitting at your computer by yourself and blogging is a solo journey – it’s not! There are so many resources and communities out there who are ready to support you and cheer you on!
Good luck, mamas!
8. Mykee – Traveling With Monkeys
Being a new blogger has lots of ups and down.
When you are first getting started it sometimes feels like there are more downs than ups.
It takes a lot of hard work and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, discouraged and even ready to throw in the towel at times. BUT with a little persistence and varying levels of patience, your hard work starts to pay off.
Here are my top 3 tips for any new blogger starting on their blogging journey.
1. Begin with Your Why
Knowing your Why is probably the single most important part of blogging, in my opinion.
As I mentioned above, blogging is tough, it takes hard work, and it can be lonely. Knowing why you started in the first place and reminding yourself of that frequently will help you keep at it when you want to give up.
2. Make Goals and Celebrate Your Successes
Sure you can set up a blog, create content and hope for the best but without goals to measure your accomplishments, it’s hard to know where you are and where you are going.
I use the acronym SMARTY when setting goals.
You want Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely goals that are Yours.
I would recommend making weekly, monthly, and yearly goals.
Also, make sure that you celebrate your successes. At first, these may be small, like earning your first $0.49 from Adsense, and other times they may seem large. Your successes will grow as you and your blog grow.
3. Figure Out Your Social Media Platforms
In blogging, there is no, “If you build it they will come,” scenarios.
Creating content and then sharing it with your friends and family just isn’t enough.
It is important to figure out which social media platforms will work best for your niche and then digest all the info you can to understand the ins and out of working those platforms.
Join support groups that cater to your niche and don’t be afraid to invest in some courses to help you avoid as many pitfalls as possible. I’ve taken 3 highly beneficial courses to help me.
First to understand blogging from a monetization standpoint for my niche and two different courses for two social media platforms. They have been the best money I could have possibly spent. Remember, this is a business and sometimes you have to spend a little to make a lot.
There you have it, my top 3 tips that I use to make me a better blogger. I wish you blogging success!
Mykee Saunders is the owner and founder of the blog and website Traveling with Monkeys. As a writer and mom of four who loves to travel, she designed her website to help parents become more confident family travelers. To help show them that traveling with kids is not only possible, but meaningful and affordable, and that it can bring families closer together while simultaneously teaching kids to reach out and care about others. She is also passionate about service and recently spearheaded the #familyservicechallengemovement.
9. Keegan – Daily Change Jar
Automate as much as possible
As a mom of six, I can tell you that mom brain is a real thing! If my Alexa is not shouting reminders at me to do something, I will most likely forget about it.
When it comes to blogging, you can save so much time when you automate your processes.
Here are some examples of things you can automate for your blog:
- Social media posting using softwares like Tailwind for Pinterest and Smarterqueue for Facebook and Twitter.
- Chat bot messages.
- Create canned responses for emails.
- Batch process things like posts and emails.
- Set up an RSS feed for social sharing with softwares such as Missinglettr or use it to send out an automated newsletter to your subscribers.
- IFTTT: do things like share your Instagram photos to your Twitter account, or pin your new WordPress post to a specific Pinterest board.
- Create workflows with Zapier, similar to IFTTT. Create actions from triggers, such as copy attachments you get in your Gmail to your Dropbox.
- Create an FAQ page for those questions that you get asked again and again.
- Create templates for things like social media posts, blog posts, Pinterest pins, and other graphics you regularly use on your blog.
Avoid shiny object syndrome
This can be really difficult when you are starting out.
Once you start signing up for people’s email lists and joining facebook groups you will be bombarded with so much content you won’t know what to do.
The downfall, everything looks like a good idea! I have fallen prey to this more times that I care to admit. I have purchased countless courses on a whim that I have never completed (or even started).
The best way to avoid this is to NOT buy everything that comes across your email or Facebook feed.
If you think it sounds like a good idea, wait on it for a bit. Really think about how this [shiny new thing] is going to add value to your business before clicking the buy button.
If and when you do decide to purchase a product or a course that will help you add value to your blog, go through it completely, implement the tactics before you decide to make another purchase.
Outsource!
I can tell you that most bloggers outsource something.
There are a ton of different ways to outsource things in your business. While the word “outsourcing” might sound expensive to someone who is fairly new to blogging, I promise you, you don’t need a ton of money to get started.
One of the easiest ways to get started outsourcing just about anything is through Fiverr. You can find people on there to help you with literally any aspect of your blog or business at a starting rate of $5.
Need someone to make a pin template for you? $5
Can’t figure out how to add a plugin to your WordPress? $5
While you can easily find the more basic tasks for $5 a pop on Fiverr, the more technical and in-depth you get with tasks, the more it is going to cost you. However, it is still pretty darn affordable!
There are other ways that you can “outsource” things on your blog.
If you are in need of content, templates, printables, or recipes, turn to Facebook groups and PLR (private label rights) content. This is a great way to save a ton of time while still providing your audience with value.
10. Kate – Kate Doster
What’s crackin’ homeslice, Kate Doster here.
And when I’m not writing about myself in the 3rd person you can find me dishing out dangerously effective tips for growing your email list and nurturing their wallets opens without feeling like a dirty rotten spammer over on KateDoster.com
Here are the three things new bloggers should focus on!
1. Don’t Over Think Your Opt-In Gift. Start Growing Your Email List Now
Let’s be real, there are a lot of mommy blogs out there making it hard for readers to keep track. But if you get them on your email list, dish up scrumptious blog posts week after week in their inbox – you’ll stand out like an orange tree in an apple orchard…
The problem is overthinking what you’ll give people in exchange for their email address – since no one signs up for free updates anymore.
But chances are, whatever your next blog post was going to be – it could easily be turned into a quick eBook instead using PicMonkey or Google Slides. Besides, you can always change out your free gift later.
2. Go On a Diet – A Learning Diet
When you first start blogging, it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to learn #allthethings right now, just in case you’ll need them later.
You see, all that “learning” just leaves you with an overstuffed inbox, a sinking pit in your stomach that you’ll always be 10 steps behind and the worst case of analysis paralysis ever.
Besides if you’re spending all that time learning, when will you have to time to create & promote your own stuff?
3. Pick One Social Media Network to Master & One Influencer to Learn From
One of the biggest mistakes freshly baked bloggers make is trying to grow massive followings on all their social media accounts which leaves them completely scatterbrained and overwhelmed.
The key is being ruthlessly focused on one platform where your ideal readers hang out (for most mommy bloggers it’s Pinterest).
Then seek out the advice of one blogger who totally rocks that network – and religiously do everything she says instead of eye guzzling pounds of blog posts from 80 different people.
For example, if you actually implement everything Elna says here on TwinsMommy about Pinterest – your followers, repins and traffic will skyrocket. Just remember to implement.
And if you need any help implementing email marketing or tech into your new blog be sure to join my new free resource library – The Vault. With over 20+ free resources including email templates, list building checklist & a full Mailerlite training course just to name a couple of the free goodies.
11. Kermilia – The Millenial SAHM
I’m Kermilia and I blog over at The Millennial SAHM.
Here’s my take on the top 3 things that a new blogger should focus on when they are just starting out.
1. Knowing Your Audience
As a new blogger, it is absolutely critical that you know WHO you are writing to.
More importantly, it’s wise to take note of the type of people that are actively reading your blog.
One of the easiest ways to figure out who your target audience is, is to take a look at the people who are consistently engaging with and commenting on your blog posts.
You could also look at your Google analytics to see which of your posts seem to get the most engagement and create more content centered around that topic. Your target audience will be with you for the long haul, so once you figure out who they are and how to better serve them, you’ll be on your way!
2. Creating Reader-Focused Content
Once you know who your audience is, you can begin to create content that caters to them specifically.
It’s best to focus on creating content that solves a problem or makes their lives easier in some way. This is one of the best ways to build credibility and establish yourself a reliable source in your niche.
Besides, it’s a lot easier to craft a quality blog post when you know who you’re writing to and why. Which brings me to my next point…
3. Quality Over Quantity
I know it can be tempting to want to churn out as many posts as possible when you’re just starting out.
However, it’s always better to have a few, high-quality posts versus a bunch of random, thrown together ones.
While having more blog posts can help you to acquire more traffic, longer, high-quality posts rank higher in Google and often result in returning visitors.
To help you hone your content, grow your traffic and get going on making some amazing blog-cash, check out my course for bloggers, Ready Set Blog for Traffic!
12. Kristi – Lolly Lemon
As a full-time blogger and work-at-home mama, I’m passionate about helping women start and grow profitable blogs.
I highly suggest focusing on these 3 areas as a new blogger in 2018.
1. You Need Traffic
You want targeted traffic that shares your content, subscribes to your email list, and buys your services + products. Sounds amazing right?
Here are a couple of my fave ways to do this:
Write about what’s trending.
It sounds easy enough, right? Create posts about what’s popular within your niche. If it’s a hot topic among your audience, you should be writing about it.
Not sure what your readers are going gaga over these days?
Take a look at your competition. Visit their blogs to see what they’re blogging about. You can also use Pinterest as your guide. Check out what people in your niche are pinning and create your own posts about those topics.
Write guest posts.
Creating posts for other websites is an awesome way to drive more traffic to your own blog. You can quickly attract new eyeballs to your site by having your content published on another website.
Stumped on how to get started?
Look for collaboration threads within Facebook groups to find bloggers looking for guest posters. You can also Google it. Simply type in ‘write for us + your niche’ and a slew of results will pop up.
Join Facebook groups.
Facebook groups are the best thing you can do for your blog in the beginning. Find supportive groups with multiple promotional days and share your content as allowed.
2. You Need an Email List
Build a tribe of your own. If you plan to monetize your website, you NEED an email list. Who better to purchase your services and products than your loyal followers and fans?
Building trusting relationships with your regular readers is key to a profitable blog.
So, how does one start an email list?
Create an irresistible incentive for your audience. If you’re not familiar, an incentive (AKA a freebie or lead magnet) is something valuable that you offer to your readers for free, in exchange for their email address. An ethical bribe, if you will.
Not sure what kind of incentive to whip up?
Provide a solution to a specific problem or frustration your reader is dealing with. It should come in a format that is easily consumable and provides a quick fix.
A checklist. A cheat sheet. Maybe even a mini eCourse. Do your research, find out what your audience needs, and give it to them – for free.
3. You Need a Monetization Strategy
Yeah, you need a plan to make money on your website. Seems obvious but sometimes we get ahead of ourselves and forget this oh-so-important step.
A couple successful ways to create a profitable blog are selling your own products + services and affiliate marketing.
You can provide services (blog coaching, freelancing, etc) or create products (eCourse, ebook, etc) for your audience. These are both popular ways bloggers make sustainable income with their websites these days.
Affiliate marketing is a great way to make passive income from day one.
Make money by promoting someone else’s product or service through a special link. When people buy something using your special link, you make a commission. Develop a solid affiliate marketing strategy and this stream of income can be uber profitable for your blog.
That’s It!
Wow! What amazing tips eh? I love how Carly from Mommy on Purpose talks about SEO as a strategy for new bloggers. Learning how to effectively use keywords and other ways to optimize your blog for search traffic is essential for growth.
I loved Vanessa from Mom Blog at Home and her story of comparing herself. All new bloggers go through this (and even seasoned ones too!). Learning to be authentic and yourself is important when you blog.
All these moms figured out what they needed to focus on and took action.
Now, it’s your turn mama!
Tell me in the comments what three things you’re going to focus on (or are focussing on)! I want to here them!
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