Top 5 Tips for Beginner Bloggers

 

Today I would like to do something a little different for me and do a post dedicated to my Top 5 tips for Beginner Bloggers. I haven’t been blogging for a long time and I only have 106 followers but from a beginner blogger to where I currently am, I would like to offer some advice and tips which I picked up along the way. So without further ado here are my top 5 tips;

Communicate

Communication is key, I cannot stress enough how important it is to get yourself out there and talk to other bloggers. The greatest feeling in the world and I’m sure every other blogger will agree with me on this, is coming onto your blog and seeing the notification for a comment especially when it’s personalised. It’s great to see you have inspired somebody to pick up a book or to check out an author.

As well as this, commenting on other bloggers posts also gets your blog name out there. Not only are you making friends with other bloggers but you are also drawing people to your own blog.

Another element to communication is – don’t be afraid to ask questions!
The Book community is very helpful, if you’re struggling or want any advice then just ask. The blogger you love with the thousands of followers? They started out just like you and I’m sure they appreciate being asked questions and lending advice.

Be Honest

You didn’t like a book that everyone loved? Go ahead and explain why.

I know it can be daunting when you’re new to this community and it can be scary to express your feelings if the majority feel a different way, in all honesty we have all felt that way at some point. Just be honest, readers just appreciate you explaining what you liked and didn’t like about a book. If you didn’t like the book and are pretending to like it, then it can come across in your writing, your words can have a forced tone to them.

Just remember that not everybody is going to like the same genre or book as you, but life would be boring if we all shared the same opinion. I started out scared to post my true feelings about a book because of what other people may think, but as long as you’re explaining yourself in a polite and critical way other than just personally insulting the author then people will see it as a discussion and take your opinion on board.

Be Creative

There’s no rules as to how your blog should look, just go with the flow and see what works best and appeals to you. Try to make your titles stand out, make tags or discussions.

Basically to put it simply – just throw your personality into your writing, of course again this can be really difficult. I myself have experienced this and I throw myself into deep seeded doubt wondering whether anybody will like what I post, but then I remembered that I blog for me and because I love reading so I wanted to throw my true self into my posts. Hence every now and again you will see me in brackets, throwing in little comments or jokes. I’m sarcastic 99% of the time, so I’m sure that shows its head here and there.

PROOF READ, PROOF READ, PROOF READ

Now this one, I am guilty of not doing religiously. Why? …

Hi my names Hannah and I’m a midnight poster, nice to meet you.

A lot of my posts usually go up about Midnight (UK time), I’m not incredibly organised and I’ve never scheduled posts or written them in advance (maybe, one day.) so I always just write them fresh from the ideas that pop into my head or as and when I finish a book. Proof reading is very important, I know there are times my posts might have rubbish grammar or spelling mistakes, that’s because sometimes I proof read and my brain adds the changes in but it doesn’t communicate it over to my hands to actual do it.

Proof reading is key, if a post is littered with spelling mistakes then it may disinterest your readers. One here or there can be human nature of course, but if every second word is wrong then it’s going to be difficult to read and get through. Before clicking Publish, just be sure to give your post a run through and make sure everything makes sense,  clear concise language is your best-friend.

I must note here that spelling is rather weird for me sometimes, I’m from the UK therefore we spell some words differently to American’s. My blog or it could be my laptop always wants to change them to the American version. Favourite tries to become Favorite and Colour tries to become Color. 

Be Yourself and Have Fun

This is my biggest tip for you yet, just be yourself and don’t worry about followers, likes or views. I blog because I have a passion for reading and I love to share that passion, do it for you. Try not to compare yourself to other bloggers and don’t worry if what your doing is something they aren’t, that little thing will make your blog stand out and make you unique. But most importantly it’s something you enjoy.

And if you’re worried about followers?

Sometimes it can take a little time, but I guarantee that if you continue to blog, be yourself and communicate then the followers and views will come.

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So that’s my Top 5 Tips for Beginner Bloggers, be sure to let me know in the comments what you think or what your top 5 tips would be. Also let me know if this kind of post is something you are interested in seeing more often, obviously not the same subject because that would get boring, REAL fast. But if you would like tips on a specific subject then let me know in the comments!