My first blog birthday is approaching in March, I have no idea where that year has gone? I had no idea when I started my blog what I was letting myself in for and how much I was going to fall in love with this whole thing.
I decided to start a blog on a bit of a whim, I was bored, lonely, jobless and felt like I needed something that was just for me. A hobby that I enjoyed, helped me document Leo’s little life but also enabled me to get back into writing, that’s what I wanted from my blog. That is exactly what blogging has given me too, plus so much more: inspiration, friends and a little bit of cash.
If I could go back to that day in March last year, I would do some research before I got started. I would read up a bit about blogging, have a browse around the parent blogger community and read lots of tips. Instead, I jumped straight in at the deep end, head first and spent the first month or two just floating around cyber space, wondering why no one was reading.
So, to help any new bloggers out there, I have put together a list of posts I wish I had read before I started my blog. I still feel like I am learning myself so I will leave the tips and advice to these brilliant bloggers. I hope you find these posts useful…
1. So you wanna start a blog – Brummy mummy of 2.
This is a must read, a great post full of everything you need to know if you want to start a blog. It is written by the very lovely Emma and is really informative as well as funny.
2. 50 blogging tips – You Baby Me Mummy
I love You Baby Me Mummy, Aby’s blog has taught me so much. This post of tips is so useful, it covers everything from how to make a blogging schedule, edit pictures and how to promote your posts. I would strongly recommend checking out Aby’s blog club, it is a whole series of posts, full to the brim with blogging tips, advice and inspiration.
3. The Linky Guide – Cuddle Fairy
There is one thing I am sure of in this world of blogging – if it were not for linky parties. my blog would get nowhere near as many readers as it does. When I first started blogging, I didn’t have a clue what a linky was. I wish I had found this post from Becky over at Cuddle Fairy sooner, every part of a linky is explained and she also give details on how you go about linking up your posts and why you should get involved.
4. How to be a friendly blogger – Mama Mim
This is a lovely little post by the equally as lovely Mim. You can find five brilliant tips on blogger etiquette and how to be a friendly member of the blogging community. Just like in the real world, a good attitude and manners will take you a long way. Everyone loves a friendly blogger.
5. Deciding a blog name – Live. Love. Blog.
And finally, if there is one place online you need to visit as a new blogger, it is the Live. Love. Blog. online magazine for bloggers. This blog is written by pro blogger Aby from You Baby Me Mummy, Hannah from Mums Days and Katy from What Katy Said. You can find literally everything you could possibly need to know about blogging here, but I thought this post on deciding a blog name would be particularly helpful if you are thinking of starting a blog but can’t decide on a name. I wish I could go back and change mine, Leo is not going to nap forever and I am not sure what I will do about my blog name then!
Are you a new blogger? How are you finding the experience so far? Maybe you have been blogging for years, is there anything you wished you had read before you started? Let me know you thoughts. If you are a new blogger, welcome to the blogging world and enjoy!
Great tips. I've read all these posts and yes they are useful! π Thanks for sharing. #AnythingGoes
You have listed some billiant posts and equally awe inspiring bloggers there great post for new bloggers. Wish I'd read these too.
Ooh thank you for these, I'm going to head over and read them right now. My first blog was about homeschooling so all the linkups were hosted by US bloggers. I can still remember how nervous I was the first time I linked up, and how proud I was of myself afterwards! Now I'm writing about my quirky, overexcitable family, I'm really enjoying meeting more bloggers over here in the UK. π
I've been blogging for 6 months and I'm still learning so much. I have read some of these fabulous posts and have bookmarked the rest for later. Thanks for a great list. #abitofeverything
Great posts – I remember reading quite a few of them when I first started and needed to figure out what on earth I should be doing π Thank you
Very helpful list for new bloggers! I'll be sharing.
I love this. Found it at #abitofeverything
I think this is helpful for new and old bloggers π Thank you for this list!
liz @ j for joiner
These are great blogs for beginners and pros alike. The 50 tips and etiquette were helpful to avoid making rookie errors! Linkys have been great to discover new writers and perspectives.
Thanks for sharing these resources
#abitofeverything
Like you, I fell into starting a blog. There's loads of things I'd do differently, and I am sure I'll learn more from these posts π
Great list of posts to read. Think I may need to go and re-read them again. I'm also wondering if I will need to change my blog name at some point as hopefully my children will start sleeping through in the near future! #twinklytuesday
Thanks. They are so good aren't they. I am glad I found them all eventually!xx
Thank you. I hope this list helps someone who is still trying to find there feet in the blogging world.xx
Glad you are enjoying the blogging experience so far. I hope you find these posts useful. Ohh I might just have to pop over and have a read about your quirky little family π xx
I know, at 6 months I didn't really have a clue what was going on. I am still learning new things all the time and I have been doing it for almost a year. These posts really are so helpful, I reread the 50 blogging tips one when I added it to this post. There is always so much to learn.xx
Thank you. Yes, it can be very confusing when you first start blogging. I had no clue what was going on!xx
Thank you π xx
Glad you enjoyed reading it xx
You're welcome π xx
Yes I loved all these posts but really found the 50 blogging tips so useful and Mim's post made me evaluate my approach to blogging to check if I am a friendly blogger, I like to think I am. Yes I love linkys. I have discovered most of my favourite bloggers this way. Thanks for commenting xx
I hope you find them useful. I know, I wish I had done things differently too, oh well life is all about learning and there is plenty of stuff to learn in the blogging world.xx
Haha, fingers crossed for you they do! But what would you change it too? I have grown quite attached to my blog name but it is not going to be relevant for much longer!xx
This is really helpful – wish I'd seen this when I first started blogging! Still learning though. Thank you x
Me too! I found them after weeks of being like, why does no one like me?Haha. I hope you find them useful xx
Great tips and great posts – I've read them all, but I read them after I started my blog, and wished I'd read them before π
I did exactly the same, and like you, I wished I had done some research. I've read these posts and they are super helpful. I love live love blog, it's like a full guide to everything you need to know about blogging, and you know it's all sound advice, simply because of the three brilliant bloggers who contribute! #TwinklyTuesday
Debbie
Congratulations on your first year of blogging! I've been blogging for about 18 months now, and I agree I had no idea what an undertaking it would be – or how much fun! #abitofeverything
I'm really honoured to be mentioned in your top five posts! Thank you so much for your lovely compliment & for including me in your list. I'm really glad you found my linky guide helpful to you. Thanks so much for sharing your post with us at the #BloggerClubUK x
Great tips, I shall be bookmarking this! π #bloggersclubuk
As a newbie blogger myself this has been particularly helpful, thank you for sharing π #abitofeverything
This is s useful! I've read some of these articles, but not al of them. I am the same as you, I did very little research before starting my blog. I was confident I had my 'voice' and I was right, I am still writing in the same style, about the things which are important to me, but I knew nothing about layout, promotion, pinnable images, well, basically everything apart from my writing style! And at the time I thought the name I came up with was great, now I don't like it so much…!
#abitofeverything
Such and useful post! Thank you! #coolmumclub
kaylaloves.com
Excellent list, I'm sure I can learn something new from each of these posts (none of which I've read before)! I'm definitely going to be exploring these links further, thanks so much for sharing them.
Just returning to say thanks especially for sharing the link to Live.Love.Blog. Somehow I've never come across it before and am super excited to have discovered it through your post, it looks incredibly useful π
I've devoured ALL of these! I wish I had read a little more before I started instead I just kind of bumbled along. I'm fairly happy at the moment. Oh and I'd love you to link this up with #blogstorm π #bloggerclubuk
This is a really useful post! In fact, I'm pinning it to my hot blogging tips board RIGHT NOW for reading later (when I'm not reading 100 other blog posts courtesy of #coolmumclub ha ha!) Thanks for sharing – great to have you x
Firstly a big congrats on your blogaversary – hurray!!! Oh thank you so much for including my post too, that's so so nice of you! x x x
Great tips, these are really useful and bloggers worth following as they are fantastic at sharing advice. #coolmumclub
Thanks for sharing this great list! I have read some but not all. I think whether newbie or oldie, there's always something to learn! We always have to change, adapt and reflect! #abitofeverything. I have bookmarked this page for future reference.
A great list! I have read most of these posts as a new blogger and will check the others out #ABitOfEverything
Good list of resources I advent come across all of them so will be pinning this for future reference I am always on the look out for new ideas on how to improve π I feel like I am in a rut at the moment. Thanks so much #AythingGoes
All of the posts you have listed are fantastic. I think I would have probably failed at the first hurdle if it wasn't for Aby's excellent posts! Xxx #twinklytuesday
That's exactly what I did!xx
Yes, Live Love Blog is amazing, it has a post about everything blog related. I spend a lot of time there. I think lots of people just fall into blogging, I think before you start you don't actually realise how much work goes in to it and how much you will need to learn.xx
I still got a month to go until it is officially a year, but thank you :). Yes, it is fun but a lot of work too. I love it though, I can't imagine not being a blogger any more xx
Awww, it is a great post Becky and so useful for anyone who is a bit confused by linkys (I know I was at the start!). Thanks for hosting #BloggerClubUK xx
Thanks π xx
I am glad you found it helpful. I hope you enjoyed reading the posts and feel like you've learnt something new xx
I like your blog name! I was like you, I had no idea about all the promotion and technical stuff, I just knew what and how I wanted to write. There's so much more to blogging than you first think isn't there?xx
So happy you found it helpful π xx
You definitely need to read them, they are useful and really good reads too. Ohh I am glad I helped you find Live Love Blog, that is a website every blogger needs in their life xx
I think lots of us just bumble along to start with, I don't think everyone realises how much work is involved – I know I didn't. Ohh I love joining new link ups, I will pop over and join in next week π xx
Ohh, thanks for pinning π I have loads of blogs that I have pinned for later too that I really need to read. Thanks for hosting xx
You're welcome, I loved your post so I had to include it. Also, I don't like when bloggers are rude so if I provide newbies with your tips hopefully everyone will know to be nice π xx
Thank you. Yes, I love all these bloggers, they all know what they are talking about xx
You're welcome. I definitely agree, the blogging world is always changing and there is always something new to learn. Thanks for hosting xx
I hope you find them all useful, they certainly taught me lots of new things.xx
Aww, I hope reading some of these posts will give you some inspiration and get you out of your blogging rut π xx
Me too!Aby's blog club saved me on more than one occasion, she really knows her stuff.xx
Some great posts here π Thanks for linking up to #Picknmix
Stevie x
Thanks! Also, thank you for hosting xx
I've read all of these blog posts, a great round up. PS did you see you were my featured post last Friday on #PickNMix. Thanks for linking xx
Thanks so much for mentioning my blog and Live Love Blog, so flattered to be included and I am so glad that both blogs are helpful xx
Yes I did, thanks for featuring me π xx
You're welcome, your blog and live love blog are so great for blogging tips, I love them both. You really know your stuff xx
It just doesnβt matter what you photograph, you do it perfectly!
womens boots
Thanks for the tips. Iβm new to blogging so learning what I can! Thanks Jen @ http://www.mumversation.com