More Tips for a New Mom Blogger
I know there are a bazillion posts on Pinterest that all have wonderful tips on how to be a great blogger, how to write good content, and how to grow your blog. But these tips that I am about to share with you are tips that have specifically helped me, and I wanted to pass them along to you with the hopes that you might find some of these helpful as well. You can find the first five tips on building your blog here. Here are seven more tips for a new mom blogger:
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6. Always reply to the comments you receive, whether on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or actual blog posts.
I’m currently working on trying to respond to comments faster on any social media platform. A response lets your reader know that you actually care what they have to say, that your value their thoughts, and that you want to build a relationship with them. It opens the door for further communication. Responding to comments on WordPress is really easy, so do it!
However, with that said, I also give myself time to respond to comments without feeling guilty. Because #momlife. I have four boys I’m trying to raise, and I don’t want them to think of me as always attached to the computer while they were growing up.
7. If your blog is on Blogger get rid of Captcha. Please.
It is so annoying to go and try to leave a comment on a post that you like, and then have to fill out the little form that has letters that you need special glasses to figure out and enter. I use the word hate very rarely but I HATE Captcha. Do your readers and yourself a favor. Get rid of it. Don’t make people fill out extra stuff when they just want to leave a little comment.
8. Try to use nice pictures, especially if you are hoping that your readers will Pin your content.
I understand there isn’t always time to take nice pictures. And I don’t always have the nicest pictures. Sometimes phone pics just have to work, but if you are writing a super big post and you want to share your work on Pinterest, take the time to
a. take a nice picture
b. find a stock photo you like {a membership with Christianpics.co is totally worth it!! For $55 per year you get access to amazing photos that aren’t already everywhere on Pinterest!} AND
c. create a graphic on Picmonkey or Canva.
9. Write about things that matter to you.
Yes, you want to draw readers and you want to write for them. But the easiest way to kill your blog and bring on writer’s block, is by thinking of what your readers want before you write about the things that you are passionate about.
I am passionate about real food, alternative health, my family, my parental rights, homeschooling and my faith. If you are a reader here, those are topics you will hear about. I doubt all my readers want to hear about our daily life, or what funny things my boys say, but there will be posts that share those things along with the recipe and mothering posts.
Writing about the things you love will help your readers to connect with you, and in the long-term be easier on you as you try to come up with post ideas.
10. Use Facebook and other social media options to connect with other bloggers.
I’m a part of several Facebook groups that are awesome for support and friendships. I’ll share my favorites with you next week. All you have to do to find these groups is search in the Facebook search bar for “blog groups”, “mommy blogs,” “craft blogs”, “real food blogs” etc and you will immediately have lots of options at your fingertips. Some groups have lots of rules others don’t.
On Instgram search for the #mommyblogger, #ontheblog, #linkinprofile or #blog hashtags and you will find lots there as well.
Google+ is also supposed to be a great place to connect with other bloggers but I personally haven’t found it very useful.
11. Please use spell check and proper grammar.
I’m not a grammar nazi, but I hate reading posts where a simple spell check and reread of a post could have made the post 1,000 times more enjoyable to read. WordPress has a little button up there ^^^ when you edit your post. Use it.
If English isn’t your first language I’ll give you a break, but if English is your first language, than you don’t get that. 🙂
12. Take an online blogging/social media class.
Blogelina has an awesome class that I highly recommend and there is a spring class going on soon. Tanya’s blog team also does a great job with presenting information every week and has some great tutorials. {If you use the link to sign up for the class know that I don’t get anything, I just like the product. :-)}
I also LOVE the products from Brilliant Business Moms, their planner is my favorite!! There are also social media classes and courses offered that will teach you the basics of running your new online business and balancing life as a momma. Get more info on those here
You May Also Like:
Five Tips for a New Mom Blogger
How I Raised My Blog Views By 500%
Ugh, yes! I hate Captcha. I’ve not commented, because I couldn’t get the captcha to work. I’ll try it twice then I out of there. I always wonder if people really have that much trouble with spam comments? I’m on WordPress and have used Akismet from day one, so it was never an issue.
Same here. Every once in a while I have a spam comment that Askimet doesn’t catch, but it really isn’t that hard to delete them. I don’t have a ton of traffic yet, so that could be the why though.
I usually try once, twice if I really like the post and want the comment to go through, then like you I give up.
I love reading tips from other bloggers and see what advice they have for other new bloggers. I agree with all of these! Spell check is soon crucial to keep your readers attention.
I love reading Blog Tips posts as well. I have a whole board dedicated to them on Pinterest. I always love the posts where I find brand new tips, these might not be brand new to everyone reading them, but I do think they are valuable tips for beginning bloggers.
Great tips! I totally agree with captcha. Sometimes I will just give up and not comment because it’s a pain.
Yes! I do that too! I only give it two tries if I really liked the post and think my comment would add to the conversation, otherwise I skip out after one go at it.
#9 is a big one for me. What’s helped is writing down goals and WHO I want my blog to reach. I might like working out, but I’m not one for writing about it 🙂
I love your blog!! I think healthy food choices are so important and I’m sure you are educating so many families out there, so keep it up!
Thank you Rebekah! So sweet. I love reading your blog and knowing I’m not alone navigating the life with a toddler!! Xo.
Yes I am a pet blogger and find that a lot of communities are not petcentric. I love the groups I am in and BlogPaws has benefited me greatly over the years. TY for sharing these tips.
I’ve never heard of the BlogPaws group, thanks for sharing that one with us! It is so important to find groups that can support you and help you build your blog.
Thanks for the tips. I haven’t taken a blogging class yet. Not sure if that is the way I want to go since my blog isn’t really taking off yet, but something to consider once my triage of mommyhood changes some.
Blogelina’s class is not to time consuming and it really helped me get going and gave me great tips on how to grow my blog and get things going. One thing that I like about the class is that you get placed in private FB groups to help each other and learn from one another. Definitely keep it in mind for the future Jen!
Love the tips – never considered a blogging class… I might have to look into it!
It was such a fun class Kate! I bet you would enjoy it. 🙂
these are great tips. I hate having to do the captcha when I go see a blog
Me too! Usually I give it a couple of tries, but then I’m out of there!
I think these are all right on with how to successfully start blogging! I’ve also started going to blogging conferences or “lounges” to network with brands and bloggers as well. Seems to be pretty helpful too!
Thanks! I would love to go to a blogging conference eventually, it probably won’t happen for a couple of years, but I’m dreaming about the day it does. 🙂
Free and local is the way to go for me!
Great tips! I think bloggers often underestimate the power of beautiful images. To me it really makes or breaks the post!
Totally! I might not always have the best images, but if it is something I want people to share, or a recipe {especially recipes, who wants to make something that looks disgusting or yellow?} then I take the time to get good pictures. Photography is definitely a work in progress for me, but it is something I’m working on.
I am a new blogger and I love these tips – these are practical and valuable! Thanks for your help!
I’m so glad you found these tips helpful Clare! Hoping many more people do as well. 🙂
Very good tips rebekah! Thanks for sharing these with us… I find connecting with readers is one the most important things! It can be hard to keep up, but it’s important. Great post!
It is hard to stay on top of things!! Especially when you already have a full schedule and then try to fit blogging in somehow. One thing that I look for when I visit a blog though is if the author responds to comments, if not it can feel impersonal, not why I go visit blogs. 🙂
I completely agree!!
Great tips!
I fell for writing for what I think my readers wanted instead of what I wanted, which is why I left my old blog behind a year ago.
I could have gone with it, keep the followers, but it felt fake.
It’s important that you keep your true self in your blog 🙂
So true! Even now sometimes I get caught into writing what I think people want to hear, sometimes those posts are good ways for me to learn and grow, but for the majority of the time I try to write for myself.
Great tips. I would add: get self hosted and install Google Analytics.
I didn’t think about self hosted, because I myself am not self hosted yet. I’m thinking about it this summer….
Do you have to be self hosted to have Google Analytics?
All great ideas! Thanks for the tips and advice! I appreciate you sharing what you’ve learned with all of us!
Blessings! Jody
You’re welcome Judy! I’m glad you found them helpful. 🙂
Fantastic tips! I second the captcha: HATE IT!!!
I’m still old fashioned when it comes to images and I need to let that go…
How do you mean old fashioned?
Thanks for coming by?
Thank you for all of the awesome tips. I’m a relatively new blogger and still working on building a fan base. I blog recipes and product reviews and crafts so I tend to use more stock pictures than anything else. I agree about captcha as I absolutely HATE it…especially when you are doing a blog hop or giveaway and most of the blogs involved have it turned on.
You’re welcome! Yes, the dreaded Captcha. Yuck. Good luck on building your blog, I’ll have to come check it out. 🙂
Thanks for these tips! Now I have to go read tips 1-5!
you’re welcome!! I hope that you found something new in them!