To Blog or Not to Blog Part 2: Update

Seven Simple Tips to Blogging  -  An Update Post

So... it has been six (6) months since I decided to try my hand semi-seriously at this blogging business so I thought now would be a good time for a little update / review of my experience. I started blogging as an outlet for my pent up creativity but mostly to combat my boredom while on school break. For that reason only, I think my mission was accomplished and things have progressed nicely enough. "Hindsight is the best sight" is really a true saying, so here are a few things I wish I had focused on doing more.

1. Realistically plan your posts

If you are like me with a sometimes hectic, and always changing schedule, it's kinda hard to know when you'll have free time to write, edit, and publish posts. A good idea is to write several posts in one sitting. If you have free time now, write them and publish later.

2. Embrace your writer's block

Especially if you're doing blogging leisurely, don't sweat it if you don't know what to write. If it's worth blogging about, it will come to you, and it's so much better to be inspired to write than just writing because you think you have to post something :/

3. Make your pictures shout!

Pictures really do speak a thousand words. A post just looks better with some sort of visual stimulant on the page. Also, don't do like me and take pics with poor backgrounds >_< Try to get rich pictures that will add to your content, not just random pictures. If you're using other people's pictures, do give them credit for it. So far I've only used my own pictures so that hasn't been a problem for me. Oh and most importantly, BACK UP YOUR PHOTOS!!! I spent so much time taking pictures of a project I was working on, only to accidentally delete it while fumbling through my camera =(

4. Focus, focus, focus

Try to have a focused blog. For me, a mixed bag of posts work. But, having a general focus for your blog allows you to have a defined niche, especially if you want to develop your blog further some day. And yes, I mean if you want to monetize on it some day, you'll want to have a purposeful blog, not a wayward one. You want readers to be enthused, not confused :)

5. Put aside time to edit and publish posts

Sometimes, the writing of the blog is not the problem, but the general editing is. Inserting pictures takes me foreverrr most times, just getting it to look 'right' is a task on its own, so I usually write in one sitting, then another time I'll select pictures and incorporate them into the posts, and publish =)

6. Do keep an eye on your visitor traffic stats

This helps. It really does. Here, you get to see which posts get lots of hits, and which ones not so much. For anyone writing a blog, whether for fun or business, you want to know if you actually have an audience, or if you are just releasing your rhetoric into the internet black hole. This can also help you to tailor your posts in the future according to which types of posts pull the most readers.

7. Please have fun with it :)

Unless you are being forced to blog >_< this should be a fun experience, if nothing else. Once you have a genuine interest in blogging, everything else works itself out.





Well, that's it for now. If you do decide to blog, then Happy blogging! :)