by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
As hard as it is for me to believe it, tomorrow marks 14 years since I started blogging. It really doesn’t seem that long when I think about it. I’ve definitely tweaked what I’m doing over the years, streamlining it so it’s been a more manageable process for me. But it’s basically still the same blog I started out with.
I thought I’d share a little today about my thoughts on blogging and a few tips for those who are either interested in starting up a blog or want some ideas for doing things differently. I do think blogging is a great activity. It’s a wonderful way to build up a writing community that will support and encourage you. It’s a nice way to share information with others. You can use your blogging as a writing warmup. And, from a purely promo standpoint, the updated content and visitors to your site will help with your website’s search engine optimization (SEO) and help readers discover your books.
Use your own name as your domain name. It will help build your SEO for your books.
Make it easy for your posts to be shared on at least one platform. There are lots of free plug-ins that can help with that. Your readers have a lot more reach than you do on your own.
Be sure to identify yourself somewhere on your blog. It’s amazing how many blogs I visit where I have trouble finding a writer’s full name, much less a way to contact them.
Like everything, setting the bar low can help maintain a blog habit. It’s great to set out on blogging with ambition. I used to blog daily. The problem with that, though, is that sometimes life throws you curveballs. Or maybe you want to spend your writing time working on your books, instead. Now I aim for an article a week plus my Sunday link roundup. It makes blogging a lot more manageable.
When you take breaks, let everyone know when you plan on returning. We all take blog breaks. I take one in the summer and one at the end of December. I also take off for a few scattered holidays. It helps maintain consistency if you let your blog readers know when you’re planning on returning.
It doesn’t really matter who you blog for. Everyone tends to worry about whether they should have a reader-oriented blog or a writing-oriented blog. Do what comes naturally. If you have blog visitors, you’re reaping a benefit either way.
Keep an editorial calendar. This has become increasingly important to me the longer I blog. My calendar is really just a list I keep of what I’m blogging about each week. I make careful note on the calendar of any guests I’m hosting, too. It helps me not repeat the same topic too often and helps me plan my future posts (giving me a place to list post ideas before I forget them).
Respond to your comments. It’s always nice to respond to the folks who drop by. Plus, it’s another way of building community and exchanging ideas and resources.
Visit others’ blogs. Just like responding to comments, this is a great way to make friends online, support others, network, and share ideas and resources with other writers.
End your post with a question. This a great way to not only increase engagement on your blog, but it’s also very helpful to learn how other writers approach the same issues.
What blogging tips do you have? Do you know how long you’ve been blogging?
Tips from 14 Years of Blogging: Share on X
Congratulations on fourteen years!
Agree completely with your ten points. (And I’m still amazed how many bloggers never return comments after all these years.) I do need a comment form on my site since I no longer post my (now changed email) for a reason.
A comment form would probably be the best way to manage it and a solution that lots of others use.
Wow! Congrats on the milestone. I guess time does fly when you’re having fun. I don’t visit as much as I used to, but what I’ve seen here has always been very informative. Thanks for all the great tips and here’s to 14 (at least) more years in the blogasphere! :)
Thanks to you for coming by, Mark! I’m looking forward to the next 14. :)
Love your tips. I keep a calendar too. The only one I don’t do anymore is to respond to comments unless there’s a specific reason too. I don’t think people ever come back to read them.
A calendar really helps, doesn’t it? With all the great interviews and guest posts you do, I’m sure you have to have one to keep everything straight!
These are great blogging ideas, Elizabeth. I’ve especially found that responding to comments and making your blog easy to find and navigate are very useful. They help readers connect with what you’re’ saying and with you. The same goes, as a matter of fact, for letting people know if you’re taking a blog break. I think that sort of consistency (a regular pattern of blogging, etc.) is professional and helps people to build a relationship, if that’s the word, with you. And congratulations and well done on 14 years of blogging! That’s fantastic!
I have the feeling you’ve probably been blogging about the same amount of time!
My blog domain is the name of the book series I was originally doing but my name is there in the header.
You’ve made it work really well!
I’m doing a couple of things right and a few things I need to change up! Thanks for the tips!
Hope they help, Elizabeth!
Hi Elizabeth – very appropriate tips for author bloggers … I think I’d add – set up accounts with other (some/ a few) hosts, so access to comment is easy – also connects us to other interesting bloggers … cheers Hilary
Excellent point, Hilary, thanks!!