Blogging Tips: Our Best Advice

We wanted more perspectives on how you can make your blog awesome, so we asked our followers what they thought!

What Do You Like to See in the Blogs You Follow?

As a Media Production student with experience in Digital Media and Design, I always judge aesthetic first when I go onto a new blog that I follow. If everything seems in order (i.e colour, logos, social media, tabs) etc, I go onto read reviews. The reason why is because aesthetic means personality, and if I’m feeling the vibe of the blog and blogger, I will go on to read reviews and, subsequently, follow! But honestly, I just follow regardless because I understand the struggle of a newbie blogger- always! (Allison @ Sleepless Reads)

I like to see creative formatting or features! For example, early on in my blogging life, I started inserting a hook into the very beginning of my book reviews rather than JUST talk about the book and give the book’s summary/cover. Now, I also feature the book trailer if it exists and I’ve recently started pulling a great quote from the book to feature, too. I think little things like this enhance a reader’s experience.   I also get a lot of compliments on the fact that, instead of the standard Goodreads button everyone uses, mine is a G bubble with a mermaid holding it to match my blog header. Don’t be afraid to be different or thematic! Your differences make your blog stand out more! (Bonnie @ A Backwards Story)

Uncluttered sidebars; they makes it easier for me to locate social media buttons, to see anything the bloggers want to spotlight. Great content. Reviews. Discussion posts. (Geraldine @ Corralling Books)

I strive for and love to see originality, whether that’s how things are formatted (formatting can go a long way) or in what kind of content bloggers create. (Stephanie @ Chasm of Books)

What Is the Best Advice You Would Give Newbie Bloggers?

POST, POST, POST! Keep writing and posting- and always keep a journal in hand to write down ideas. Or even, write them in your phone if you have to! (Allison @ Sleepless Reads)

Numbers aren’t EVERYTHING. They’re great for making publisher contacts, but there’s more to it than that. Your voice is the most important thing about you. My first year of blogging, I didn’t care if anyone but my friends saw my blog, and I had a handful of followers and less than 30 posts. My New Year’s Resolution the next year was to blog FOR REAL. I joined popular memes such as Top Ten Tuesday and Waiting on Wednesday. Don’t do a meme everyday or your readers will feel overloaded, but pick a couple that work for you. You don’t have to do them every week, either! I still do TTT when I feel like it if I like the topic, but don’t do all the time! Comment on the blogs of other people doing the week’s topic; many of them will comment back. If they like your blog, they’ll start following you!

Getting on social media also helped A LOT. Interact with bloggers and authors and publicists who interest you. I never wanted a Twitter account and held out for a while, but once I got one, my blog grew in leaps and bounds. Plus, I had so much more insider knowledge. As a new blogger, I wondered how people knew about books that weren’t out for a year plus, or how they discovered all those great cover reveals. Now that I’m on Twitter, I’m on the pulse of so much more and can be a part of bringing that advance notice to blog readers. I’ve also formed some lasting friendships as well as made good blogging contacts! (Bonnie @ A Backwards Story)

Socialise lots! That’s what the blogging community is here for – to make friends, to have fun 🙂 (Geraldine @ Corralling Books)

Be you and blog the way you want to blog. Don’t write about the same old topics that every other blogger is writing about because you feel like you have to. Add to the conversation; don’t say the same thing dozens of others have already said and if you are, say it better or give more information. (Stephanie @ Chasm of Books)