Tips for Personal Blogging

Far too many personal blogs are rarely updated and die a slow painful death. So I thought I would write an article with tips. Often people feel empowered and motivated to start a blog, then either don’t set aside enough time, fear sharing their writing or feel neglected by a lack of comments, I hope this post addresses these issues and more.

Schedule
Set yourself a writing schedule if possible, else allow yourself plenty of time and don’t rush the process. If you write an article, but feel empowered to write a second straight away, schedule the second to be published at a later date. By regularly posting it demonstrates your not neglecting your blog. By scheduling posts you also reduce the risk of overwhelming your readers, rather than posting x number in a day. Consistency is key.

Content
The fear of sharing is a major hurdle for many. Often people feel it is fine to ‘tweet’ or write a facebook update, but not to write a post on the same topic. The appearance of taking a topic serious or the fear of setting a wrong impression stifles many. If in doubt write a draft post, then come back at a later date to review, then assess whether to delete or publish. Additionally trying to shape an ‘image’ can prove fatal as it will result in fewer posts or could result in the writing not flowing.

I know of many people who I would love to see regular blog posts updates from and know they have great content and insight to share, but they unfortunately don’t. Address your hurdles and create a list of topics you feel confident enough to write about.

Comments
I’m sure the majority of personal bloggers would love more comments on their blog, I would. Though from looking at visitor traffic I know many people are reading my content and not leaving comments, that is fine also. I enjoy writing first and everything else is icing. Make sure your views on comments is in perspective. Regular readers might enjoy your posts, but might not comment.

Objectives
Actively think about what your personal blogging objectives are. Is it a form of diary? A way to share your insight with others? Share your experiences with others? Provide resources? A mixture? Even if you started out blogging for one reason, perhaps your blog can expand or change track.

You will notice my blog isn’t just about one topic. I write about a mixture and provide support, advice, insight, downloads and also blog about my life. Whatever I feel like sharing, which I’m sure loses me potential subscribers as I don’t blog about a limited array of topics….but at the end of the day I need to find blogging rewarding and stimulating, that in turn keeps the posts flowing.

Post Ideas
I often will note down ideas for posts or within a short time of thinking of a blog post, make time to write a draft at least. If I’ve got too many posts ready to publish, I will then schedule them and spread them out. I will often be inspired by other blog articles I read. Also Becky Sefton kindly sent me her list of blog post ideas for inspiration. Cheers Becky. A list of blog post ideas is a great idea.

Add an image
When possible I add an image to blog posts, but I don’t do this every time. Never use images you don’t have permission to use, as that could prove a costly mistake. I’ve created a resource you can use to find suitable images for your blog posts.

Let your personality shine through, kick start your blog and get content regularly posted. If I don’t know about your blog, please tell me in a comment below. I also welcome comments on your advice and feedback.