How to Run a Successful Blog: 10 Simple Tips
Want to know how to run a successful blog? I’m sharing tips and tricks for making YOUR blog a smash hit!
Last week I had the honor of speaking at the Blended Conference in Arizona. I share my thoughts, tips and tricks about negotiating and working with brands. I also got the chance to listen to a handful of experts share gems of wisdom. I walked away feeling inspired, and with a to do and to learn list a mile long.
On the flight home, I thought a lot about what I have learned since I started this blog four years ago. I’m actually toying with starting a How to Blog series….be sure to comment and let me know if this is something you’d like to read!
Today, I’m sharing my top ten tips that will show you how to run a successful blog along with some of my favorite resources.
Know Your Audience: Who are you writing FOR? Moms of younger kids? Twenty something professionals? You can’t write great posts that speak to your readers unless you know who your readers are. You can’t be everything to everyone. Speak to your friends, speak to your people……and do it well. The rest will follow.
Pick One or Two Social Channels: There are about a million social media channels out there. Pick one or two, and focus on them. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, and to try to do everything at once. For us? We love Instagram, and we love Pinterest. You can find us there, doing our thing.
Don’t Sell Out: A brand that isn’t a good fit for you? Don’t work with them. Hold on to your values and morals. Your readers know you, and they’ll know when you’ve compromised.
Find Your Tribe: Blogging is WEIRD. You sit in isolation behind a computer, and speak. The feedback is minimal at first. Join facebook groups. Go to live blogging events. Connect with other bloggers. The support of my blogging friends? Is my most valuable tool. They celebrate my victories, and remind me of my goals. I couldn’t do this weird job without them.
Define Success: A “successful blog” means something different to each person. Before trying to monetize your blog, or coming up with a goal for attaining more traffic or growing social media followers……think big picture. What does success look like to YOU? Figure out your end game, and then plan the steps you need to take from THERE.
Learn To Take GREAT Pictures: Let’s be honest, we are all visual beings. Great photos? Make a huge difference. I think that the expectation for blog photography has increased significantly since I started blogging four years ago. Take the time to learn how to take wonderful pictures……or if you aren’t comfortable…….work out a trade with a local photographer. We do both. I take some of our photos, and for the rest…..we work with a team of amazing photographers. They are insanely talented, and I’ll treasure the pictures they’ve taken of our family as Lydia grows older.
Be Honest: Every time I’m afraid that a post is a little to raw, I end up realizing it was just the right thing to share. I often worry about whether I’m being too honest, or too transparent. The truth is, we all long to connect. We all want to know that those glossy, perfect looking instagram pictures are a small glimpse into a life that isn’t that different than our own.
Start an Email List: This is my BIGGEST regret. I waited a LONG time to start a mailing list for my blog. Email is the best way to communicate with your readers, and unlike social media…..it won’t change. Be sure that your blog has a simple way for readers to submit their email info to you. (And if you want more info about mailing lists…..check out my friend Kirsten’s blog…..she’s an email miracle worker!)
Live a Life Worth Writing About: Blog World can drag you down a rabbit hole faster than Alice. It’s easy to feel the need to spend all day, every day online. But who wants to do that? Take breaks. Breathe. Turn your phone OFF. This is something I’m trying to do more and more of.
Have Fun: You started your blog for a reason, right? Hopefully it was to write about something you care about and something you enjoy. Keep that in mind.
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