When I first started my blogging journey, I had no idea of what I was getting myself into. All I knew is that I had a dream of starting a blog, so I paid for my web hosting and started posting content right away. My early days of blogging definitely were not my best work nor the best content, but everyone has to start somewhere right. The hardest part about starting anything new is literally the starting point. You have to push past your fear of being judged or of not being good enough and just pull the trigger.
I’ve been blogging now for technically for two and a half years now, but I took a year-long break when I got overwhelmed with school, work, and life situations. I’m so glad that I restarted my blog this year, and I’ve learned so much since then including all of the mistakes that I made during my first year as a blogger. Keep reading to find out the 6 things I wish I knew when I started this blog…
1. Blogging takes time
On average, it takes me 3-4 hours to write a blog post and then another 2 hours to take pictures for the blog post, whether it be an outfit photo or a flatlay. I also spend an hour on marketing on my blog post and optimizing it for search engines, so my website can be seen by more people than just my readers. On average, I probably spend around 10-15 hours a week creating content for my website. I’ll be the first to admit it takes me forever to shoot one outfit and takes me even longer to sit down and write out each post. Regardless, I definitely didn’t imagine that blogging would take up so much of my time when I first got started blogging. My advice to new bloggers to manage your time wisely and give yourself enough time for the learning curve. Carve out time for each step of the process from brainstorming, writing blog posts, taking photos for your posts, and planning out your social media.
2. Post for the sake of posting
When I first started blogging, I was set on posting a blog post every 3 days, which was a great goal to have except I made the mistake of not planning ahead for that schedule. Instead, I would frantically write material, even pushing through when I had writer’s block to do so. The result? Posting plenty of content that nobody cared about and becoming burned out within a few months. Don’t make the same mistake that I did and create a content schedule upfront of how many times you want to post each month. You can always add more when you feel inspired or during a special season in your niche.
3. Consistency is king
I mentioned that consistency is really important in anything that you do, but especially with blogging and social media. People want to consistently have new content to digest, and people get used to your schedule once you stick to one. When I first got started blogging, I was attempting to post every 3 days and I got burned out so quickly that I would go weeks without anything new. Now that I’ve learned my lesson, I post once a week on Wednesday’s, so my readers know to come back every Wednesday for new content. When you have a consistent schedule for your website, it really makes a world of a difference to terms of growing a following, gaining new readers, and becoming a well-known expert in your niche. My best advice is to create a content schedule that works for you and your life right now, then stick to it and plan in advance.
4. Be yourself and bring something new to the table
Listen up, this is the most important part of this entire post! When you start a blog, you have to be yourself and offer something new to the table. Most bloggers who become super famous or make a lot of money did that by being unapologetically themselves and by breaking the mold on an old niche. Find a niche that you enjoy, like college or fashion, and put your own spin on things. Nobody wants to read the same 20 blogs with the same tired opinions. Readers want some fresh, new and exciting to read so give them what they want. Let your creative juices flow and see where it takes you on this blogging journey.
5. It’s okay to outsource work
At first, I thought I could learn everything that came up along the way with blogging, including taking my own photos, to making a stunning e-book, to creating a website logo. But I had to eventually realized that I couldn’t do it all and that I had to eventually outsource some of my work to others. Not only so I could keep the quality high, but also to keep my sanity. You just can’t learn everything at once nor are you going to be good at everything that blogging requires. Learn from my mistake and learn your strengths and weaknesses at the beginning.
6. Don’t worry about being perfect
The hardest part about blogging is literally just starting. You don’t have to be perfect or do a ton of research before you get started to make it in the blogging world. When I first got started, I was so scared of being judged by others and nervous that nobody would even read my content. For a few months those thoughts raced through my head and crippled my blogging journey. Learn from my mistake and leave all of the negative thoughts at the door. Don’t worry about being perfect, just worrying about being the best that you can be right NOW!
Photos by Brailey Johnson Photography
I hope you learned a little something or two from reading about my past mistakes on my blogging journey. Don’t forget that the journey is only worthwhile if you enjoy what you’re doing along the wall.
You may also like: 8 Blogging Tools That I Can’t Live Without, Blogging Basics: All About WordPress, and The True Story of How to Make Money Blogging
