Beginner Bloggers: 8 Important Things Every New Blogger Needs to Know

Are you new to blogging or exploring the idea of starting a blog? Do you already have a blog but are left wondering why it isn’t growing? Many new bloggers give up before their breakthrough happens. Why? They simply give up on their blog too soon! There are some important things new bloggers need to know before diving into starting a blog. In this post, I share 8 beginner blogger help tips.

1. Know why you blog and write about your topic.

Knowing the answer to your why is a crucial first step. If you don’t know this you’ll feel lost and confused. How do you decide what topic areas you’d be good at writing about? Try asking yourself these questions and write down your answers;

What are your beliefs? They form your worldview.
What are some subjects you could write about and never get tired of talking about?
What are your interests?
How has your life experiences positively impacted who you are today?
Is there a problem you could solve for your reader?
Why did you start your blog? or Why do you want to start a blog?
What are you good at?
What are things people always ask you to help them with?

A great way to dig deeper is to write out your own list of questions. Answer them in a quiet space where you can think and listen to your inner self. Need to discover more about finding your calling and knowing the answer to your why? Jeff Goins, the bestselling author of The Art of Work digs deeper into this topic with Andy Traub in the following podcast; The Seven Stages of Finding Your Calling

2. Avoid starting a blog with the expectation
of earning money right away.

I’m often asked by people considering starting a blog if they can earn a living blogging. It’s true you can earn a living as a blogger. Having said that your blog in and of itself will not generate much of an income. Especially right away. It is very important to not give up your job too soon. Bestselling author and founder of the Tribe Writers course Jeff Goins refers to this as building a bridge rather than taking a leap.

3. Keep your goals realistic and reachable.

Everything has a beginning. We can’t expect to achieve blogging growth and success right away. There are steps we must take to get there.

Start with simple beginnings. If we focus on too many things starting out it can become overwhelming.
Give your blog time to grow. Blogs don’t become successful overnight.
Just start and enjoy the process. Blogging shouldn’t be a stressful endeavor.
Focus on the content you create for your readers.
Write more than you design your site. You can build on it over time.
Work smarter not harder.

Give your blog time to grow. Blogs take time, focus and consistency. Click To Tweet

4. Commit to a blogging routine.

Creating a blog posting routine is definitely an important part of building trust with your readers. They like consistency even more than frequency. Daily blog posting is a tough pace to maintain. Beginning with a bi-monthly posting schedule or once weekly is great!

5. Know that you’re not alone.

All of us need support no matter what we are doing. From friends, family, and colleagues. There are many bloggers and writers you can connect with. Where do you find them? In communities. Facebook groups and other online places.

6. Learn from other bloggers.

Every successful blogger started out just like you. None of these bloggers and writers began knowing what they do now. Their success took them time to accomplish. Find a mentor/guide that you can learn from. Having a blog mentor is so beneficial to your growth as a blogger.

7. Start building an email list.

Building an email list of subscribers is the best way to do this. You can sign up for Mail Chimp free up to 2,500 subscribers. Providing a great starting place for those seeking to keep costs low.

These 3 are my personal favorites for paid Email Marketing Providers;

1. Convert Kit
2. Constant Contact
3. Aweber

Constant Contact and Aweber both have phone support which is great for those needing to learn how to use these services effectively.

Without an email list to communicate often with your readers you’ll lose them. Establishing an email list so you can gain subscribers creates an audience of loyal fans. Give away something for free such as an eBook or email course. Your readers need a reason to subscribe. Everyone loves getting something for free!

8. Be patient and persistent.

You’ll need to be patient and persistent in the process of building and growing your blog. Most things in life don’t develop into anything great fast! Everything worthwhile takes commitment and work. All things have a beginning. Starting, creating, and launching a blog is no different. If you direct your efforts in the right places the desired results will eventually come.

Conclusion

You will learn the tools of the blogging trade by starting and growing your blog over time. Discover the answer to your why. Focus on your message. Speak to that person through your writing. Build an email list. Find other successful bloggers and learn from them. Read their blog regularly knowing they started out just like you.

Join the conversation. I’d love to hear from you!

1. What is the one area about being a blogger you currently struggle with or have in the past?
2. If you’re new to blogging what would you like to learn next?
3. Why not suggest some topic areas you’d like to see more posts about here?