5 BLOGGING TIPS I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THE YEARS

What's up, guys?! 

I can't believe we're halfway through the year again. Seriously? Where did time go? Haha! 

I hope you guys are doing fine. I know I haven't posted anything yet for this month, so, let me start off with this one. Lately, I've been getting questions about my blog - like how exactly do I do it while keeping a full-time job. Well, all I can say is that it's not easy, but doable. It takes a lot of journaling, reminiscing and of course living life in the moment to be able to come up with relatable posts. If I'm not living, there's nothing to write about. So, I try my best to keep a good balance between writing and living. Writing is my way of preserving my memories. It has always been my therapy as well. When I was a kid, the word 'blogging' didn't even exist. But ever since I started using my late Grandpa's old typewriter to document my shenanigans, I kinda knew that I would want to do something like that in the future as well. And this is the future that I once dreamed about. With the help of technology, I'm glad that I can somehow leave a trace as a hint for my future kids and grandkids about how I lived my life. If at least one of them would want to follow this path, it would be such an honor for me. But since they are still non-existent, for now, I want to help fellow bloggers out there, or even those who are thinking about giving blogging a shot. These are based on my personal experiences. Feel free to take whatever you find useful from this list. 

Here we go!

#1 Write something catchy, NOT wordy!

You are not writing an English essay that you have to submit to your teacher/professor. There's no need to count the damn words. Write simple, direct to the point and easy-to-read sentences. Write as if you are talking to your readers. Make the conversation 'personal' yet public. I know that sounds ironic. But, if there's one word that I've been hearing from my readers ever since I started blogging, it is that they love how 'personal' my posts are. I write as if I am just talking to my friends. And if I talk to my friends, I don't even try to cover up sh*ts. 

If I feel bad, I'd say I feel like a useless piece of crap. If I am happy, I'd say I'm doing 'internal cartwheels' because that's exactly how I feel. You don't have to use highfalutin words that no one can relate with. Use short and simple words to say how you feel. I tend to invent new words if I'm out words to describe my emotions. If I submit my blog posts to my English teachers, I'm pretty sure I won't get an 'A'. But this is me! Using words without following the strict grammar rules and without thinking too much about decency is how I earn my readers' trust. 

#2 Find your pace

Ask any blogger you know and you'd definitely hear them talking about consistency when it comes to keeping a blog and engaging their audience. I am guilty of 'ghosting' on my readers for days or weeks in a row. This is something I have learned the hard way. When I see my blog traffic fluctuating when I haven't posted something in a while, I feel bad. No, I feel terrible, not just for myself but for those who are expecting to read something new on my site. This used to be just about 'ME'. But as the years roll by, I came to understand what blogging is really all about. Blogging is something that you do to share, to connect and to inspire other people. People need to be inspired regularly. 

I think of not posting on my blog as not being there for a friend when he/she needs me the most. Emergency situations are acceptable, but other than that, can you really NOT make time to write a blog post? I think commitment should also go with consistency. You must make a plan on when you would actually post on your blog. Once a week? Twice a week? Totally your call! As long as you can stick with it, your readers would be able to catch up with your pace. But if you've been gone for like two months or so, know that they would jump to another blog that could inspire them and they might totally forget about yours. 

#3 Write entertaining or informative content (or both!) 

People are fond of learning something new. They love hearing new ideas and seeing different points of view. If they get those from your blog, know that you would definitely earn new readers. But if you could get them to take action through your written words, now that's even better. You have to do your research though and make sure that you are always covering hot topics that would spark interest to your readers. Aside from telling them stories, teach them how to do something. Simplify their lives. Make them feel like they are good as is, but that it is still possible to get better. Let them see their worth and give them that much needed nudge to upgrade themselves to the next possible level.

#4 Post stunning photos

If you can't get their attention through your words, at least let their jaws drop through your amazing shots. You might feel like a failure if the usual comments that you get from your readers or followers would go something like "You take awesome photos!" or "What camera are you using?". That's fine! At least they still checked out your blog and they noticed something good in it! You have to accept that not everyone is given the luxury of time (though we ALL have 24 hours a day). You cannot force them to read your entire blog while they are in the middle of something. So, be satisfied if they give compliments about your photography skills. A click on your site or any of your posts still means traffic. 

#5 Network, my friend. Network!

Since I'm a self-centered narcissist, it took me a really long time to figure this one out. I thought if I just word-vomit now and then, I'll be able to keep a blog. I thought it was enough to just share my side of the story. After all, this is MY blog. Feel me? Yeah, that is SO wrong! Though this blog really started as an online diary, I eventually realized that it is NOT enough to just focus on myself. Since I placed my thoughts out in the web, someone is bound to read it. And that someone might want to get involved. How could we make that 'someone' feel welcome and involved? We must connect with people. No, it doesn't always have to be in person, although having some face time would be great too! We must connect with our readers by responding to their comments, accept collaborations with brands/companies if someone offers you one and you honestly want to support and endorse them, and this is really important - network with your fellow bloggers. 

Bloggers understand each other. Your best friend might not be able to understand you when you start blabbering about BRANDING and HTML-ing first thing in the morning, but other bloggers do! They literally feel you! It's amazing! It's like finding your tribe and once you start connecting with each other, it would snowball into something you probably never imagined. You can have blogger friends from the other side of the world or maybe someone from your own country. Either way, you will learn. A lot, actually!

I could have posted more blogging tips, but, I'm still somewhere in the middle of learning here. Every time I visit other blogs or any articles about blogging, I always learn at least one new thing. These are just the common denominators. If you are thinking of starting a blog or maybe you've been blogging for quite some time now, I hope you find this post helpful in understanding and getting deeper into this blogging life. Feel free to share your #BloggerIssues or maybe your #BloggerProblems as well.

If you are a professional blogger, I would love to hear some of your best tips that helped you get to where you are right now.