Blogging advice posts seem to be the in thing right now, everyone and their cat seems to be doing them, and some I read and agree with, others not so much.
Starting out a blog can be something of a minefield, it's hard to know where to start, what to do, how to attract and audience or find your niche. It's hard, and I appreciate that, but the real trick to blogging? Write what you want to write.
If you're in blogging for the money, the freebies, or even the bizarre YouTube fame that seems to be a thing now, you're in it for the wrong reasons. You shouldn't be running a blog to build up a giant following, or work with amazing brands, you should be running a blog because you want to share something.
I am the proud owner of two little corners of the internet now. Bed In The Kitchen was born out of boredom in my first year of Uni, a burning desire to write, and a desperate need to find someone to talk to about lipstick. For the first year and a half, I'm pretty sure the only people reading it were my handful of twitter followers, and mum. But I carried on writing, and working on content that I loved, and that I knew I would love to read on someone else's blog. Every follower I have is a little burst of happiness for me, it means the world that there are nearly 2000 people out there that want to read my blog. But if they weren't around, I'd still be writing it.
Sometimes I read great posts, useful posts, on things like how SEO works, or how to use Pinterest with your blog, or how to create a great editorial calendar, and these are all fantastic, useful tools for bloggers. What I don't like, is when I see a post that says, 'you must post this many times a week, you must stick to posting about one topic, you must take your photos with a DSLR, you must find a niche.'
Your blog is exactly that, your blog. If you have a lot to say, post everyday. If you want to take a break, take a break. If you want to post once a week, post once a week. If you want to talk only talk about one thing, do that. If you want to talk about lipstick one day and music the next, than do that. The most important advice I can give any blogger, and really, the only piece of advice I think you need, is write a blog that you want to read. Write about whatever the hell you want, whenever the hell you want, and don't let anyone tell you that your blog isn't perfect.
Ooh, controversial! But I completely get what your saying. Blogs have gone from hobbies to businesses now, and that's taken a lot of the pleasure out of them, I think.
ReplyDeleteBeth x
Oh, absolutely - it saddens me to see so many people chasing followers and freebies but not really loving the blogging. I'm all for bloggers getting perks and eventually paid but I wish that that wasn't such a common motivation for starting the blog in the first place.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of being one of *those* bloggers I wrote a similar post last year (http://www.sarahrooftops.co.uk/2014/10/10-blogging-rules-you-can-break.html) and was heartened by how many people agreed.
I disagree with the advice about finding your niche. I call myself a lifestyle blogger but I don't have a specific topic I post on. Well, I guess I do. I post on the 20 something lifestyle but that involves a wide range of topics. People want to read a variety of things so why limit yourself to just one topic? If I chose to post on one thing, I would run out of ideas and probably delete my blog. :)
ReplyDeleteKiersten | KiwiCat
I really don't like the increase in blogging tips posts. I don't mind the odd one here and there, especially if they're actually useful, but everyone seems to have jumped on it now. One blog I follow has almost completely become a blogging tips blog and I'm thinking of unfollowing because I just want to read about their latest lipstick or what products they use day to day. Even Pinterest now seems to be full of links to blogging tips, but again all I want on Pinterest is pictures of cats and pretty nail art x
ReplyDeleteEvery time I see a blogger post blogging advice, I'm just like, "Really? Again?" because it really is starting to get tiresome. I have read some great pieces here and there, but it's mostly just beginning to sound all the same. I know they don't intend on it reading that way, but I honestly feel like I'm being dictated to on how I should or shouldn't run my blog. I just want to say, "Go away, please. I will do whatever the hell I want with it!"
ReplyDeleteIt's only natural to feel happy and excited when you see your blog grow, but to make that the sole definition of "success" is just ridiculous. I see blogs with thousands, if not tens or even hundreds of thousands of followers and don't even understand why because the writing hasn't been proofread, the photography isn't that great and just generally has had minimal effort put in compared to bloggers who are simply blogging for themselves.
I don't have a content calendar, I don't plan out my posts months in advance, there's never a set time when they go up and I'm certainly not looking into turning my blog into a business! I just blog for fun whenever I feel like making the time for it and there's nothing wrong with that. People are starting to take blogging WAY too seriously, but whatever happened to it just being a fun hobby? Free shit and money sounds nice, but that would mean taking my blog in a direction I don't agree with because it wouldn't be authentic and personal to me anymore.
I think if we all listened to this advice, it wouldn't allow our blogs to evolve and change organically, and we'd all begin to be the same, when blogging should really be personal, real and about diversity.
http://likeneonlove.com
I completely agree with this, the amount of 'advice' out there is starting to become counter productive in a way, and it's completely overwhelming to a new blogger like me who was never aware of half of the things these post are recommending before I started a blog. The fun and creativity is completely sucked out when people start telling you what to do, and it's becoming really tiresome to read the same pieces of advice over and over again! Enjoy the rest of your day :)
ReplyDeleteHannah x
Hanniemc.co.uk
This may be the best post I've ever read related to blogging advice. I love it!
ReplyDelete*Amanda @ Stuff Amanda Likes.
I really only like blogging advise posts when they come from seasoned professionals, or people who do it for a living - I actually have a post coming up on it tomorrow! I don't listen to a lot of the 57 things you MUST do kinds of posts but others are actually helpful
ReplyDeleteAllison from www.mercuteify.com
I was worried people were going to think I was bitching, but I just wanted to express a different opinion! I think it can be hard to keep the enjoyment when it's a job, not impossible, but definitely harder when you have to think about things from a business perspective! I think it's a shame so many people are starting blogs purely to make money! x
ReplyDeleteExactly, if you have a niche, well that's great, but if you don't so what? Blogs are personal things and we should all just be able to blog about what we want without worrying about niches and posting schedules and all other things!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comment Sarah, I'm so glad you agree! I'm all for people being recognised for their work, and making money too, I just don't think it should be the sole motivator! x
ReplyDeleteYeah it's getting a bit much now isn't, half of my bloglovin' feed is tips! I'm all for the odd post here and there but every single post? Noooo thank you! x
ReplyDeleteI feel like a lot of blogging advice posts nowadays just sounds like waffle to me. Like those inspirational captions on scenic photos that say things like "Today is a gift, that's why it's called a present". Beautiful quote, but doesn't actually DO anything for me. I especially don't get the ones that talk about seeing yourself and your blog as a brand and to look professional, because for most people it's a hobby and that's just unnecessary pressure when you don't REALLY need to look 'professional', it's only really relevant if you're a full-time blogger. I much prefer to just do what I feel like, go with the flow and write whatever I want and however I want. Thanks for sharing Jaye! x
ReplyDeleteSheri | Behind The Frames
I think you have to take advice with a pinch of salt and adapt it to who you are. i've read very useful advice, and there are sites entirely dedicated to advice for creatives that are simply amazing.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I agree with Tenneil on the view that it's like every blogger and their moms are doing blogging advice posts now, and it's starting to sound a bit like the same song on repeat one time after another. I can understand that advice posts give a high rate of visits, but really... if you have nothing new to bring to the table, it's better to pass on it than to write the very same thing once again.
We should also keep in mind that not every blogger sees success and their blogs on the way. I blog 3 days a week under a schedule because I find that works for me, some others just blog for the sake of it... and while having people reading your blog and liking what you have to say is always nice, numbers are not everything for everyone. Success is too subjective to define it and make rules to achieve it.
this post is just SO fantastic. my thoughts exactly. i've been obsessed with the internet and have been building websites since i was probably 10 years old. i'm now 26 and took a long break in between and JUST came back to blogging, and now it seems there's so many rules! do what you want! do it to be creative! do it for a hobby! having such a strong opinion on what others want to write about is just silly.
ReplyDeletehttp://alysunshine.com
I agree, I don't like being told how to blog, but tips on the mechanics are super useful!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think the best advice you can give is just to write what you want to read! x
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Amanda!
ReplyDeleteYeah and a lot of them are just the same tips over and over again! Yes, I think some of the 'big' bloggers forget that not everyone wants to have their blog be a business, the vast majority do it for fun! x
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think sites with genuinely useful information, like jennypurr and the like are amazing! What I hate is all these posts where people are like 'find your niche' and so on over and over!
ReplyDeleteExactly, the same information is being churned out on a mass scale and it's getting a little old. Essentially it's becoming click bait, people read because they look for new information, but end up reading the same stuff!
Exactly! I think as well some of the 'bigger' bloggers forget that not everyone sees their blog as a business, the vast majority do it for fun!
Thank you Alyson! Unfortunately people forget that blogging doesn't have to be a money maker!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you agree with me, I was worried the internet people were gonna come after me haha! There are some amazing sources out there for if you are looking to make money from your blog, or if you genuinely need help, but there's no need for a thousand and one posts that dictate exactly how to run your blog!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, if you are serious about your blog, things like proofreading shouldn't even be a question! I think that it's nice to take pride in your blog, and spend time on taking good photos and creating content that is of a high quality, even if you are only blogging for yourself, but it's not necessary!
Unfortunately a lot of people seem to have forgotten you can run a blog just for fun! Blogs are supposed to be a place where we can share our own opinions and lives without feeling like we have to conform to any strict rules!
I've only ever written a organisation post because people asked for it but otherwise I would never think of myself worthy enough of writing a blogging advice pos, blogs are so personal. I completely agree with you, it your blog, write whatever the hell we want! :) xxx
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