Many people consider starting a blog. But before you start, it’s worth considering what you hope to achieve from your blog. Here one champion blogger gives her Six Top Tips On Becoming A Successful Blogger…
BY LISA PEARSON
I’ve just won the Small Business Category of the National Mums and Dads blogging awards (MADs), which was an amazing experience. So how did I manage to become a ‘successful blogger’? With a lot of hard work, a dash of luck, and loads of enjoyment!
1) What is success?
First you need to work out what would make it a success in your eyes? Readers, friends, cathartic release, free stuff, the odd £30, earning enough money to not have to work, having a magazine column, writing a book; which is it? If you were looking back on your life, what would mean most to you? For me it has been having a good reputation and reaching out to as many Mums as possible.
2) Are you sure you want success?
You won’t be a success until you are ready to manage both the good and the bad side of success. You’ll get more attention, but can you work out who is offering you a fair deal and who is trying to rip you off?
Are you willing for someone to trash you publicly on twitter, face book or your blog post or for friends to think it is rubbish? I learnt loads from a public falling out with a massively well-known blogger, because I wasn’t upset about it.
3) What are you willing to do?
I was once told to ‘fight for every reader’. Will you do that? Are you brave enough to hand out business cards? I even have my blog on my car window (I also then drive carefully and politely, in case someone remembers me!)
Will you invest in the look and feel of your blog, and learn about the technicalities of blogging and online communities? Whenever I write a post, I tweet it 3 times that day to catch different readers and then watch my stats to see what my readers liked the most; David Tennant, Sex and Decluttering are very popular!.
4) What is your limit?
Some things just won’t fit your blogs purpose e.g. I don’t do many reviews or memes.
I don’t share too much deeply personal information about my husband or children, because they didn’t ask to be in the family of a blogger.
5) Why are you unique?
You need to stand out from the crowd. Blogs can be thought provoking, funny, sad, or full of ideas. So what is it that you can write about better than others? I believe I understand human behaviour really well and am willing to show that my life isn’t perfect. Plus I’m willing to admit a love of sparkly earrings.
6) Is it worth it for you and your readers?
Is it worth the time that it takes to read it because your readers are busy people with a big choice of blogs? Is it worth it to you, because otherwise you will burn out? For me it is and I show readers my appreciation by trying to reply to every comment or tweet.
Lisa Pearson is one of the UK’s top 100 mummy bloggers and the author of book, The Mummy Whisperer’s Six Steps to a Sparkling you and enjoying being a Mum. Find out more here: The Mummy Whisperer.
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