Blogging is a completely different space now to what it was a decade ago when I first started out. Back in the day, I can remember it was all about churning out high volumes of content. People were inundated with countless methods of consuming content, and it never seemed to be enough.
At the time, I was writing and uploading a new blog post every single day and I was still trying to think about ways to do more. These days, even though people are so hungry for hordes of content, blogging seems to be a different environment. People want more genuine content that is considerate, honest and easy to consume. So, here are my top 5 pieces of advice for bloggers starting out.
Be consistent.
One of the key things that you need to do if you are blogging is to stay consistent. You can change your pattern, but for the most part, you need to show up. For example. I post once every 4 days. It is what I can manage, and it fits into my life without being too consuming. Previously, I have uploaded every other day, but I have found a happy place now in uploading every 4th day. Find your rhythm and then stick to it.
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Be social.
This is an area where I fall down. Blogging is a community and people still like that aspect of this industry. You can get hell of a lot out of blogging if you make time to be social. Back when I first started out, I was a lot younger, and I had more time on my hands. I would dedicate time each week to looking over other people’s blogs, commenting where I wanted and tried hard to make friends. The more you help and talk to other people, the more the community will help prop you up.
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Be determined.
One of my top pieces of advice is to be determined. If you want to make a career out of this, you need to know that the competition is tough. It is a crowded space, and it is incredibly hard to see the wood for the trees. People can still succeed and make it big, but you need to have drive. Ensure that you are here, that you are showing up and that you have the determination to push you further ahead than everybody else out there.
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Be confident.
When I first started out, I was timid. I was nervous about people seeing what I was producing online, and I wasn’t proud of what I was achieving. That all changed when I first got picked up by Vogue. I realised that this little project that I have here on the internet was something to be proud of. No longer am I nervous or timid when I write. I write my posts knowing that I am knowledgeable in the subject and my writing is passable at the very least. Confidence comes with time and it makes a world of difference.
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Be honest.
Honesty is a quality that was lost in blogging for quite some time. A number of years ago, following the explosion of PR and gifting, genuine honesty was something in short supply. People wanted to please others and they weren’t bothered about integrity. I have always tried to remain open, honest and transparent here on my blog and I like to think it is one of the key features that keep people coming back to my site. Plus, when you write with honesty, the words always flow that much easier.
Blogging is a different space. People want different things and there is enough content on the internet for all of us. I think that regardless of what I have mentioned above, you create content for the enjoyment. I still write because I love to sit here with my laptop and produce content. Even more than that, I simply love to write. These top 5 pieces of advice are easy to follow, and I apply them to everything that I do. They will get you far in your blogging career and if you want to pursue it as something serious, they are good foundations.
Leave me a comment below. Let me know if you had any pieces of advice that you would embark on somebody. I know that many of you have also been producing content for many years, so let’s help one another.
