As a new blogger, you’re probably searching for blogging tips for beginners. Getting bad blogging advice and finding yourself in a mess is easy. As somebody with 15-plus years of blogging experience, I’m sharing my 11 blogging tips for new bloggers so that you don’t make the same errors as I did!
I’ve been blogging since 2010, so I’ve had plenty of time to make some big blogging mistakes. And I’ve learned many smart blogging tips along the way.
Where you’re at in your blogging journey may be different from other new bloggers.
However, there will be common blogging strategy mistakes that you’ll make.
When you’re busy focusing on reaching your blog goals, sometimes you don’t see the big picture.
With this post, my goal is to help you see the overall big picture to create a long-term plan for yourself.
It’s why I’ve pulled together my 11 tips for new bloggers, to inspire you and to share blogging strategies to grow your blog.
DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on a product or service, and decide to purchase it, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. All recommended products and services are based on my positive experience with them. For more information, please read my Disclaimer.
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Don’t Compare Yourself To Other Bloggers
On the top of my list of blogging tips for beginners is: don’t beat yourself up over a perceived expectation of success.
Everybody has different situations in their lives. Some are blogging part-time due to work or family commitments. Others are starting their blogs as full-time occupations.
So, the important thing is to not compare yourself to others.
Take your time in building your blog.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither is a great blog.
It’s taken me 10 years to build and grow Suburban Tourist, my lifestyle blog. I’m still working on it!
One of the most important new blogger tips is that there is a whole lot of learning going on in your first year of blogging.
The learning will never stop. You can start learning now by reading my new blogger tips on how to grow a blog into a potentially successful business.
11 Blogging Tips For New Bloggers: Grow Your Blog
This list includes tips you should be considering in your first year of blogging.
It may seem like a long list.
Despite what many will say, blogging is HARD.
Consider all the hats you have to wear as a blogger: content creator, graphic designer, marketer… That’s just a few and there are definitely more!
We’re starting with the most important thing any new blogger should be doing!
1. Going Self-Hosted With WordPress From The Start
One of the most important tips for new bloggers is to go with a self-hosted WordPress blog.
When I say WordPress, I don’t mean WordPress.com. A self-hosted site means you need to make an investment in using a hosting provider.
Although there are many who recommend one popular hosting provider, I recommend quality over cheap hosting.
I’ve migrated to NameHero and recommend it for beginner bloggers. Another great alternative is BigScoots. The price you see is the price you pay (no unexpected bump up in price after one year).
If you don’t plan to move and upgrade your hosting over time (which can be a hassle), these are two great options. Fast servers, great customer service and everything you need to be blogging like a pro.
Going self-hosted opens up so many new opportunities:
- Full control of your own site
- Ability to use WordPress with thousands of customizations via plugins
- Monetization opportunities
- Better options to promote your blog with sharing plugins
- Domain customization with your own URL
There’s so much more you can do with your own site. Don’t hold yourself back by thinking of the money you need to pay for self-hosting as well as a custom domain.
There will be ways to recoup this investment with some smart monetization activities that I’ll share in a moment.
| Read More: How To Start A Self-Hosted Blog
2. Blogging Legally
If you’re thinking blogging legally means making sure you credit photographers and others when you quote them, you’re only scratching the surface.
Every website needs key legal pages.
For blogs, you need a:
- Privacy Policy
- Disclaimer
- Terms & Conditions
These three key legal pages protect you and your blog from potential lawsuits and fines and ensure that the reader understands what they can and can’t do with your content.
I made the mistake of not having proper legal pages on my Suburban Tourist site for several years, even after I went self-hosted.
I pulled together a Privacy Policy from a free template, but I knew that it didn’t fully protect me.
So, I made the smartest move I could do. I got customizable templates, crafted by a lawyer who’s also a blogger.
I highly recommend you get at least the Legal Bundle from Amira Irfan at A Self Guru.
It’s a bundled pack of templates (they work also for Canada and elsewhere) with the key three legal pages, as well as nine bonuses. It’s perfect for those just starting a blog.
If you’re going all-in on blogging, and know you want to build your blog into a business, there are other reasonably priced comprehensive legal bundles with additional contracts and agreements.
Instead of purchasing them separately, you get them at one affordable price. So, look into them if you’re 100% sure you’re going to be blogging as a business in the long run.
At the end of the day, if you’re blogging legally, you’re sleeping easier, knowing you’re not breaking any laws, and you’re covering yourself legally and financially.
It’s a one-time investment that can save you potentially thousands of dollars if something goes wrong. The bonus part: you can use the templates on any sites you own.
| READ MORE: Five Key Ways To Legally Protect Your Blog
3. Focusing On One Broad Niche
If you’re like me, and you have many interests that you’d love to write about, you’re in trouble.
I started Suburban Tourist as a travel and outdoor activities blog. It transformed into a lifestyle/parenting/beauty blog when my son was born.
I re-branded my blog once again and it’s now a general lifestyle blog for Millennial and Gen-x women that focus on relevant topics.
What I should have originally done was think about focusing on a specific niche. Think Food & Drink for Millennials. Or Parenting Tips For Busy Professionals. Budget-friendly DIY & crafts.
Readers don’t want to be confused as to what your blog is about.
They want to read blogs on topics that interest them. You’ll lose followers and email subscribers if you bounce around from different topics that aren’t closely related.
The only way you can get away with a broader “lifestyle” niche is if you’re focusing on what are the common interests of your key reader avatar.
So, if your target audience is Millennial moms, writing on a variety of niche topics that are of interest to them is doable.
They need to solve a problem for them – like making it easier, or faster. More convenient For example, self-care for busy working moms. Skincare tips when you have 5 minutes to spare. You’re a mom blog, but you’re focused specifically on a type of mom.
So think carefully about what your blog niche will be, and who you want to reach with your posts.
| Related: How To Choose A Blog Niche That’s Profitable
4. Creating A Content Plan
Another one of my key new blogger tips is to get organized with a content plan.
First of all, don’t write your first blog post about why you started your blog or about yourself. I explain this in my post with tips for writing your first blog post.
Now back to the content plan…
Even if it’s a broad monthly list of topics you’ll be focusing on, a content plan (also called a blog editorial plan) can help you keep your momentum going.
You’ll avoid getting discouraged with “blogger’s block” when fresh ideas are hard to find.
Get Organized With Your Content
No need to search for blog post ideas, because you’ve already planned them out!
I’ve shared tips on how to create a blog editorial calendar, using different types of content throughout the year. It’s a good starting point in planning your blog post topics.
If you’re stuck wondering what to write for a new blog, I’ve developed 100+ lifestyle blog post topics that will help you get started.
PRO TIP: Never, ever borrow content from others! That is, don’t copy and past other people’s content. Even if you change a few words here and there, it’s still plagiarism. Always create original content and avoid being called out for content theft.
| RELATED: The Truth About The Number Of Posts You Need To Launch Your Blog
5. Learning And Using Good SEO Practices
Of the blogging tips for new bloggers, focusing on on-page SEO is one of the most important.
One of the biggest mistakes I made when I started blogging with Suburban Tourist was not to pay attention to keywords.
In 2010, SEO was still a fairly new concept, but the use of keywords in blog posts was already something that professional bloggers were including in their content development.
When I DID start using SEO and keywords in my blog posts, my monthly blog traffic multiplied quickly!
Using good on-page SEO practices when you start your blog means you’ll start getting organic traffic faster.
This includes making sure your site pages and posts load fast. Learn how to optimize your blog images for SEO best practices.
It takes several weeks to several months before your blog posts start appearing in Google searches for your given keywords.
To make it easier to figure out the intricacies of SEO and how you, as a new blogger, can start implementing it, I’ve written an e-book: Optimize It: A Beginner’s Guide To Using SEO For Blogs.
| RELATED: 5 Smart And Easy Ways To Get Quality Backlinks For Your Blog In 2024
6. Using Pinterest To Promote Blog Posts
Many veteran bloggers will share this one important new blogger tip: start using Pinterest early on!
Like Google and other search engines, the Pinterest platform is not a social media network (although it’s trying to be one).
Pinterest is a visual search engine – or as I like to call it, a “visual discovery engine”. You discover ideas, inspiration and solutions to any given question.
Also like other search engines, getting your pins found on Pinterest takes time and effort.
Not all pin ends up being added to searches, so it’s a consistent pinning game that you just need to make part of your weekly activities.
The good news: Pinterest is asking you to not pin as much anymore as before.
The bad news: Pinterest wants fresh pins, instead of re-pinning your existing pins daily.
This means you should be creating new pins for about 5 of your blog posts every day, and pinning them to your relevant Pinterest boards.
If all of this sounds like Greek to you, I recommend you take my course: Pin It Better: A Blogger’s Guide To Mastering Pinterest. I teach you everything from the basics, to how to design click-worthy pins, to the best Pinterest strategies that work this year.
Or at least learn how to get started on Pinterest with a Business Account.
| Read More: 11 Pinterest Tips For 2024 Based On The Latest Algorithm Changes
Key Pinterest Strategies For Bloggers To Grow Your Blog
To get you started in creating Pinterest pins fast, I have a free handy Canva template pack for you to download:
7. Leveraging Facebook Groups To Grow Your Blog
In the beginning, your blog traffic will grow slowly. There will be times when you feel like nothing is happening.
However, you can boost your blog’s visibility and clicks to posts by leveraging Facebook groups.
There are groups for bloggers, who support other bloggers through various promotion activities.
There are others that are for specific niches. Some of the niche topic ones permit you to share your blog post, as long as it’s not you promoting something for sale, etc.
Tap into the power of Facebook groups early on, to get a boost in traffic, and also to learn new things from others.
Many of the blogger groups are run by veteran bloggers like myself. We share tips and solutions that can help you get ahead with your blog.
When participating in Facebook groups, follow Facebook group rules to not get kicked out!
Join my Facebook group – The Blog It Better Society – and get started!
| Read More: How To Use Facebook Groups To Grow Your Blog Or Business
8. Monetizing From The Start
One of my biggest mistakes as a new blogger was not thinking about monetizing my blog.
I was receiving requests to write articles and sponsored posts, as it was a very popular activity 8 to 10 years ago.
It’s still something many bloggers can do to monetize their sites. Create your very own media kit as soon as possible. And build a rate card as well, because you can make money even as a beginner blogger!
However, aside from Google ads, I didn’t tap into things such as affiliate marketing and selling my own services and products until the last few years.
Having a money mindset from the start is a mistake.
There are three great ways for new bloggers to start making money with their sites. Affiliate marketing is probably the easiest to get started with, and you should AT LEAST be doing it, as your blog grows.
If you’ve been blogging for a while and want to transform your blog into an online business you can do this too! It’s never too late to make it into your part-time or full-time job.
| Read More: Affiliate Marketing Programs To Get Started With As A New Blogger
What Are Sponsored Posts: Tips for Getting Legitimate Brand Collaborations And Make Money
9. Networking With Other New Bloggers
Networking with other new bloggers is a great way to grow faster. Learn from others and help them as they can help you build blogger friendships.
Need a few guest bloggers? A few blogger friends might be able to help out. Need a boost to a new blog post that’s not getting traction on Pinterest? They can help with re-pins and engagement.
Further to that, if you’re blogging as a business, they can help promote you and recommend you to others.
I’ve made many blogger friends over the years, and they were all wonderfully supportive when I launched MargaretBourne.com.
Down the line, you can partner with your blogger friends to sell bundle packs or do live chats to boost exposure among each other’s followers.
The best places to find other new bloggers are Facebook groups, as well as through social networks such as Instagram (use the hashtag #newblogger to find them).
PRO TIP: When networking, always follow good business etiquette rules! You want to make a good impression. You get only one chance for first impressions.
| READ MORE: 5 Key Ways To Connect With Other Bloggers And Build Your Network
10. Starting An Email List As Soon As Possible
You’re going to need an opt-in freebie for this! A lead magnet.
Having a list of engaged followers on your newsletter subscription list is one of the best things a blogger can have. So, starting an email list as soon as possible is a key goal for new bloggers.
To do this, you need to offer potential subscribers something of great value that helps solve a problem for them.
Create a free offer that your reader can download as a PDF. Sign up for an email marketing platform account with Mailerlite. Create an opt-in form, and embed them in relevant blog posts.
You’ll see your blog email list growing!
When you engage with them on a weekly basis, sharing the latest posts or other great tips, you’ll see “regulars” appearing. Your email list is your strongest content marketing tool for your blog!
| Read More: How To Grow Your Email List With Freebie Opt-In Offers
11. Investing In Key Tools, Courses & Resources… And Help
My last point on this list of 11 tips for new bloggers is to invest to grow.
If you’re blogging as a hobby, stick to a free platform, and just enjoy writing.
However, if you’re thinking of using a blog as a source of income, you have to spend money to make money. This is the truth with any business.
I’ve invested in:
- Blog hosting and a domain with Namehero ($299/yr)
- WP Tasty ($29/yr)
- Social Warfare social plugin ($29/yr)
- Podia ($39/month)
Throughout the years, the occasional one-month or quarterly membership to stock photo sites, as well as one-off purchases of tools, like a new webcam or the legal pages I mentioned before.
I’ve also invested in courses, e-books and other resources throughout the years. Some of the best don’t cost an arm-and-a-leg.
However, my return on investment (ROI) has been much greater! So, if you’re doing things smartly, you can really make money with a little bit of investment upfront, and on a monthly/yearly basis.
Speaking of which, check out my templates for Canva, courses and e-books under the Courses And Resources tab above!
One other thing you’ll want to invest in working with a blog coach, like myself.
Coaches can help you learn new things, overcome challenges and give you a much-needed outside perspective of where you’re at, and where you can be using certain strategies.
Learn how to make at least $100 a month to fund your new blog.
| Related: Key Investments To Make For Your Blog To Make It Profitable
Believing In Yourself
All of these tips for new bloggers don’t mean anything if you aren’t doing one thing. At the end of the day, if you don’t believe in yourself, and drive yourself to improve, you won’t be a success any time soon.
Believing that you can create an online business with time, effort and some learning will help you get there faster.
One year from now your blog can be a huge success. Or you’ll still be working on it. No matter where you’re at in your blogging journey, don’t give up.
Most blogs die in less than one year. Don’t let your blog become a statistic!
| RELATED: The Answers To “Why Is My Blog Not Making Money And How Can I Fix It?”
Blogging Tips For Beginners
So the key tips for new bloggers are:
- Go self-hosted with a WordPress blog
- Blog legally with the three key legal pages
- Focus on one niche
- Create a content plan to be more organized
- Use good SEO practices for each blog post and your blog
- Use Pinterest to promote your blog posts
- Leverage Facebook groups to grow your blog
- Monetize your blog from the start
- Network with other bloggers
- Start an email list at the beginning
- Invest to grow
One last thing I would recommend is to approach blogging as if you were a professional blogger.
Learn the key things you can improve upon with your blog to make it look like a professional blog – even if you’re a newbie!
What you put into your blog is what you get out of it. Just remember to take breaks and have a life!
QUESTION: What are other key blogging tips for new bloggers that should be added to this list?
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Thanks for all the useful tips! I am always looking for ways to build my blog.
I always learn something new every time I read your posts. I agree with monetizing your blog from the start. It what I did, although I did not gain money from my first 3 months of blogging the experience has taught me value. I am also growing my Pinterest, thanks to your course.
I LOVE to hear feedback like this. As for the making money – it will happen. You’ll find the “secret sauce” that helps you make money on your site. I’m so glad you’re finding the course helpful!
I started my blog about 6 six months ago, and I always find all your blog articles so informative. I know that I still have a lot to learn, and it is getting clearer. Thank you for sharing.
This makes me very happy to hear! I’m glad I can provide you with the tools and information you need to succeed!
I always love your tips and just used this as a checklist (in my head!) to make sure I’m still doing all the things your promote and advise. Thank you for keeping it all front of mind with your Facebook group!
You’re doing awesome!