Happy Wednesday friends! I thought today I would share some of the things I’ve learned in the past year of blogging, just like I did last year! While I’m in no way a blogging expert, I have learned a lot, and I think it’s always helpful to share with others what I’ve learned. Okay, let’s jump in!
take a course
I think this is so important! I purchased my first course this year, Building a Framework from Abby at justagirlandherblog.com. I plan on doing a review once I’ve finished it, but I’m almost done! I know there are so many courses out there, and some really expensive ones. I don’t think you need to jump in to a $500 course, but I think it’s important to put a little money into your hobby, especially if you’re hoping to make some money from it. I promise I’m not trying to sell you anything, I’m just using Building a Framework as an example below :). The course itself is much less expensive than others out there, and it really lays out everything to help you start a blog. I wish I had purchased it a long time ago, but buying it when I did helped to reinforce what I do know about blogging and have learned by myself. It’s just adding to what I already know, as well as teaching me a ton of new things.
post to Instagram (or your social media profile of choice) every day
One of my goals for this year was to post to Instagram every day, and I haven’t missed a day yet! I’ve noticed a slow increase in followers the more consistently I post, now sitting at around 120. I definitely still don’t have Instagram figured out, but by paying more attention and posting more often, I’ve noticed a gain in traffic.
I’ve also recently updated my bio to be a little more personal, which I hope will help! Once you reach 100 followers, you can look at insights as well, which can help tell you what time you should post at, and what posts are the most popular. You can also see how many people are viewing your profile and clicking over to the link in your profile. Speaking of which, you can follow me here. 
be social!
I’ve noticed that the more I like and comment on other people’s pictures on Instagram, the more comes back to me. While it’s nice to live in the bubble that’s just me and my blog, it is fun to build relationships with others on the internet. Find some accounts that are similar to yours, and start liking and commenting! It’s something that doesn’t take a lot of time, and you are most likely scrolling through it already, so try not to forget it! It’s something that I really want to get better at.
try and build up posts as a buffer
Going on vacation? Happen to get sick? Having a few posts ready to go can come in handy. I love how productive I feel when I’m writing a few posts ahead, so this is something that I hope to work on as well. I’d like to have 5 blog posts ready to go at a moments notice, so if I don’t have the time that week I already have a blog post done. I would encourage all bloggers to do the same!
join some blogging Facebook groups
While I don’t look at all of the posts, sometimes certain posts catch my eye, and remind me of something to look into! They are great resources, and a lot of people are going through the same things you might be! I’m a member of the Creative Superheroes group run by Allison at Wonderlass, and the Building A Framework group I got in because I bought the course. If you have a question, you will get an answer quickly, advice when you need it, and support when you succeed!
find some pictures!
I don’t always have a picture of what I want to talk about, or a picture that will make a good graphic. I mainly use Canva to put together a picture that I use as the main one for a post, and I try to make it as cohesive as possible. You can associate a colour as your brand, and it makes it easy to find and stay consistent! Notice the green at the top? That’s my colour! Canva has tons of free designs, and the interface is super easy to use! And while I wish my desk looked this pretty… I didn’t have time before this post went up to take any stock photos of my desk, so I found these on style stock.co! I definitely want to try and take some of my own though!
don’t be afraid to promote yourself.. but do in a classy way
I will be the first to admit, I am horrible at promoting myself! On my last trip to Walt Disney World I met 2 YouTubers, and forgot to mention to both of them that I 1. have a blog, and 2. am on YouTube as well! As I mentioned above, it’s nice to be in the bubble of just me in the blog. It’s really weird how I’m open to sharing things on the internet, but feel weird promoting myself.
Anyways, I’m not saying go everywhere saying “READ MY BLOG I HAVE A BLOG!” but when you feel it’s right, mention you have a blog. I’ve connected with people just by mentioning my blog, so don’t be scared! (I should really take my own advice here). Comment on other’s blog posts, and when it asks if you have a website, enter your blog! Your name will show in a different color, and people will find your blog. It doesn’t take away from the content someone else is sharing, and makes you look pretty good!
I hope you enjoyed a little behind the scenes today, and learned a little something about blogging! If you have a blog, what is the most important thing you have learned since starting a blog? If you don’t have a blog, what are you most surprised to learn? Let me know in the comments!
Thank you so much for joining me today! I still can’t believe I’ve been blogging for two years!
