10 Blogging Nuggets From a Newbie

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

After writing a blog post, do you experience a vulnerable, scary, and exciting rush just before clicking the “Publish” button? Followed by crazy anticipation of how the post will fare in the blogosphere: Will it be liked? Will it have an impact? Will it illicit a response? Will it bless someone?

I’m a newbie to blogging. To date, I’ve published 32 blog posts. Some have been received well, others not so much. In any event, I’ve learned a lot during my short stint with blogging.

1. To like or not to like. Having a post “liked” is great. It means folks resonated with your message. But not having “likes” or comments, doesn’t necessarily mean the post was unsuccessful. Some of the pieces I was most proud of didn’t receive immediate recognition; however, with time, they made it to my “Top Posts & Pages” list. The moral of the story: Don’t get hung up on being liked. Focus on creating good quality content, and the content will speak for itself.
2. Don’t write to please. I’m learning that it’s important to have an overall vision for your work … and to stand by it. Write from your heart. Write what is true to you; it’s so much easier!
3. Power of referrals. Pingbacks/trackbacks from fellow bloggers or websites are a wonderful way of getting props for your writing, and they increase blog traffic. A BIG THANKS to all who have linked back to my blog :).
4. Read often. Read for inspiration. Read to learn. Read to write. Read other people’s work and give credit where it’s due. It’s amazing how many incredible tips and ideas I’ve gleaned while visiting fellow bloggers’ sites.
5. Write often and consistently. Without creating content, my writing won’t improve. Without reading, my inspiration is muted. From personal experience, and from religiously studying my blog stats, I’ve learned that the more I blog, the more traffic I get. To keep my blog active, I need to create quality content consistently. I’m always on the hunt for the next blog post. 
6. Don’t be in a hurry to publish. This is a valuable lesson that I learned early on. Never try to force a blog post. If it’s not reading well, set it aside and allow it to marinate. When I’ve followed this principle, it’s amazing how much clarity and perspective I gained thereafter.
7. Give credit where it’s due. I mentioned this point earlier, but I can’t stress its importance. Don’t be a selfish blogger. On your voyage through the blogosphere, if you come across good, inspiring content, be sure to shower some love and encouragement. Remember, you reap what you sow.
8. Link with other bloggers and to older posts. I must admit, I have much to improve in this area. But I have realized the value of linking with others, especially when my own work was cited—I’ve gained access to like-minded folks and insight into topics of interest. Another great strategy I’ve learned is to link new posts to older ones, which essentially increases traffic and breathes life to older posts. Overall, linking is an awesome way of providing context and perspective for readers, and for directing Google spiders.
9. On graphics and citations. Being a visual thinker, illustrating my work is part of my writing process. When using content and graphics from other sources, I’m diligent about providing proper acknowledgments. This point was underscored after reading a revealing post from sweetjellybean about the dangers of using copyright images without permission … yes, even on your blog! I obviously don’t want to violate any copyright laws, so my strategy is to: a) create my own graphics, b) put my camera to work, and c) use royalty-free photos (with appropriate acknowledgments of course); FreeDigitalPhotos.net and 123RF have been very good to me.
10. Blogging is hard work. As a new blogger, I find it challenging to consistently produce fresh content. Blogging requires tremendous work and commitment. Then again, there’s something exhilarating about clicking that “Publish” button … and I’m kinda addicted to tracking my blog stats ;).

Finally, to quote my dear hubby, “If you can bless just one person, your post has been successful.”

What has your blogging experience taught you?

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