I have been blogging over two years now, I can’t believe it and I can’t believe how far my blog has come. I first started my blog after an accident I had which resulted in reconstruction surgery and me not being mobile for two years. I needed something to keep me motivated and busy and a blog was the perfect fit. I never realised how much work and effort I would put into my blog, even though it is a hobby it means the world to me. I can’t believe how many of you read my blog, I still get shocked every time I get a follower. In my first year of blogging looking back I did make some mistakes, I didn’t really know what I was doing or where I wanted to go but now my blog is exactly how I want it.
Everyone is going to make mistakes, nobody is perfect. Blogging isn’t easy, I think alot of us don’t realise when we start out blogs how much work it actually takes. You will change direction over and over but eventually you will be happy with your blog. It is good to realise what mistakes you made and how you can change them.
Be You | When you start blogging you kind of go off what you see with other bloggers and do similar thinking that is how it should be. Especially with blog posts, In the beginning I used to stick to certain blog posts e.g. Monthly Favourites but when I looked back they didn’t get as many views as other posts. I decided to cut them out completely. On a monthly basis I go through my blog posts and see which get the highest and lowest amount of views and keep track of them. This will help you in the future to work out what posts work for your blog.
Say No | When I first started blogging I got so excited when I got contacted by brands and you say yes but you need to think is it relatable to your blog. Don’t say yes to every PR email you get. I now actually say no to quite alot because they either don’t relate to my blog or it isn’t worth what they are offering. Some brands will try and use you as the “cheap” option. Don’t under sell yourself.
SEO | Not learning about SEO in the beginning, I didn’t start paying attention to my blog SEO (Search Engine Optimization) until after a year of blogging. This meant I had to go back through every single post and update it. If you want to know how to improve your blogs SEO check out my “6 Easy Steps To Improve Your Blogs SEO” and “How To Fix Broken Links On Your Blog” these are both step by step guides I created to help you.
Promoting | Promoting your blog posts is key, without this you won’t get as many views. In the beginning I didn’t really know where to promote them or how often. Find platforms that work for you. I will be doing a blog post all about how I share my posts and where.
Routine | I used to blog as and when and didn’t really have a routine whereas now I post Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays all at 2pm or 6pm. I trialed different times and found what works best for my blog. Doing this will definitely help your blogs traffic.
Layout | Your blogs layout and photo’s massively impact your blogs view and following. The first thing people see are your photo’s and layout, you need to make sure it stands out and looks good. Don’t have messy layouts it puts people off. In your sidebar be sure to have you social media links including Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Bloglovin. Make sure it is easy to find your previous posts in your sidebar also having a popular posts section brings more traffic and keeps people on your blog longer. I have a post on Free Widgets For Bloggers for your sidebar and I also now Design Blog Headers, check out my Blog Header Services Page with all the info and some designs I have done.
Underestimating | I underestimated by blog big time. I didn’t realise how many people would take an interest in it with readers and brands. Your blog reflects you so make it the best version of you. I used to put myself down if I didn’t reach a certain amount of views or a post I thought would do well didn’t. It is all trial and error, nothing is guaranteed to work. When I started doing it for myself it grew in time. Bloggers have a big influence and brands know this, don’t let them take advantage.
Pressure | Don’t put pressure on yourself, in the beginning I did. For example if I got PR Samples I used to want to get the review up asap but now I have set timelines and I advise brands of this before any products are sent. This way I know I won’t be in a rush or pressured to get them up. Set yourself long enough but also enough time to test the product out fully. See my post on my “Blogging Routine” and how I keep organised.
What Blogging Mistakes Have You Made?
Don’t forget to check out my Blog Header Services Page and get your Custom Made Blog Header..