6 Things I’ve Learnt from Blogging Three Months On…
It’s been just over 3 months since I created The Brown Minimalist blog to post travel reviews, and the occasional watch review. Blogging is a very good hobby as it’s a great way of expressing your opinion on topics that you’re passionate about. Since launching my blog on 17th May 2020, here are 6 things I’ve learnt…
1. It doesn’t have to be time consuming
When I first set up my blog, I thought I would have to spend every day writing posts and promoting my blog. But, this isn’t the case at all. Once you set up your blog (which is as simple as purchasing a plan using a host provider such as Bluehost, and then choosing a theme), all you need to ensure is you write posts. For some, this can once a week or even fortnightly. Whatever works for you.
It is a good idea to do a couple of sessions a week (2-3 days). Each session should last around 1-2 hours. And it doesn’t have to just be weekdays- remember there are seven days in a week, NOT FIVE. The time spent blogging usually involves the writing of posts, publishing them, and optimising them for SEO.
2. Social media is very (very) important
Social media is one of the most important tools for driving traffic to your blog. If you have no social media presence, then it will be extremely difficult to get your blog noticed. When I had a consultation with The Digital Coach 101, one tip I learnt on driving more traffic to your blog is to post/ tweet daily.
The main social networks I use are Twitter (@BrownMinimalist) and Facebook (@BrownMinimalist). Unfortunately, I am having problems linking my posts to Facebook now, so I’m hoping to get this fixed soon.
3. Deadlines are Important
After watching a NAS Daily video on YouTube, I learnt about the importance of deadlines. He explains that without deadlines, you will feel like you have unlimited time to finish a project. Eventually, you will give up. With a deadline, there is that pressure of having to meet it. Therefore, you will have to work harder ensure that it is completed. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sooR5U2jntQ
The same logic can be applied to blogging. When writing posts, it is important to have a deadline so it sounds great and can be published on time. I’ve found if I spend too long writing a post, I will eventually lose motivation and thus, either give up with writing it, or it will sound extremely dull.
4. You will become more confident at writing
I must admit writing isn’t one of my strengths. Before I launched The Brown Minimalist, the idea of writing for me was incredibly daunting. Even if it was something as little as a review on a forum. So, setting up this blog was a new challenge.
Initially, the first few posts you do won’t be great and that’s perfectly fine. My first post was a watch review on the Omega Seamaster 300, and I have to admit that it wasn’t that great. But overtime, you will become used to writing posts and knowing how to structure them. So hopefully, you’ll notice that the quality of your posts improves, and you’ll be able to write pieces with more ease… There is a reason practise makes perfect.
As a rule of thumb, a post should only take 2-3 hours or less to write. This doesn’t have to be done in one big session however. You could spread it over two 1.5 hour sessions. With time, you will eventually become quicker at writing posts.
5. Take advantage of free consultations to improve your SEO
It is a great idea to speak with SEO consultants about your blog, as they can be a great source of inspiration. Especially if your blog is new… The Digital Coach 101 offers free 15- minute Discovery Calls, which I strongly recommend. I had a consultation over Zoom with Kenneth Nel. He was really helpful when it came to discussing ideas on driving more traffic, and how I can take use social media and guest posts to do this.
6. Headings are just as important
As well as great posts, headlines are just as important. Initially, my headlines weren’t that great. I admit they would be quite boring. After my consultation with The Digital Coach 101, I learnt headlines need to be eye- catching and interesting so they attract readers to read your content.