Last updated on August 1st, 2018 at 07:02 pm
Tips for new bloggers that actually work are hard. If you’re a brand new blogger, you’re going to love these 27 tips for new bloggers. If you’ve started a blog with the hopes of being able to earn a full-time income, these tips will help any blogger get their blog started the right way.
27 Tips for New Bloggers
Blogging is hard work, don’t be fooled by all the get-rich quick stories. I am not saying that you won’t ever make money with your blog. You just better be willing to work hard. It doesn’t matter where you are in your blogging business, these tips will help you keep reality in check so you can succeed.
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1. Start On A Self-Hosted WordPress Blog
Many new bloggers are constantly looking for ways to start their blog for free. If you’re serious about building a business, you want to avoid using free platforms. With a self-hosted blog, you’ll own your own domain and all your content. Choose a hosting company that specializes in WordPress hosting.
Related: How to Start a Blog On SiteGround
2. Use The Genesis Framework
I have used all kinds of themes and continue to do so in my freelance business. I’ve personally found that the Genesis Framework is easier to work with. Yes it has a learning curve, but there are literally tons of blogs and resources for Genesis users. (this blog is one of them)
I am NOT a developer but I will share with you what I know about using the Genesis Framework. So be sure that you bookmark this site as I am continually writing new tutorials to help you.
3. Learn The Basics of WordPress
Even if you’re not a techie person, you need to learn the basics of WordPress. Learning the basics will help you troubleshoot any type of errors you may face as a blogger.
As new bloggers, we don’t have a lot of disposable income. If you learn the basics you can manage your own blog without having to pay someone for small tasks.
Related: Learn the Basics of WordPress
4. Learn SEO Basics and HTML
You don’t have to become an SEO expert. When you have a basic understanding of how SEO works, you can use it to optimize your site to help you rank for long tail keywords. Bookmark this site for helpful HTML and CSS tips.
I use this tool to help me find those long tail keywords. If you need to brush up on your SEO or just get started with it, this site is great.
5. Create An Editorial Calendar
Life happens and unfortunately you will get a lot more accomplished if you use the WordPress editorial calendar. Don’t wait until the night before to try to write your blog posts.
I always try to write blog posts 3-4 weeks in advance. This makes it easier for me to work on my freelance business and not have to worry about neglecting my blog.
6. Be Willing to Outsource Some Work
We all want to do everything ourselves. I spend time on my freelance business, blog and then I have to make time for my family. If there is something that you need to do and just don’t have time, be willing to outsource it.
When I started this blog, it was started on HTTP. However, I made the decision to switch from HTTP to HTTPS. This was a personal decision and I figured since I am selling my own products and offering services, it was best to make the decision to use HTTPS. You can check out my latest eBook here.
I didn’t have the time to do it myself with everything else on my plate. So I read some reviews on Facebook and hired someone to do it for me. It was definitely a relief to not have to worry about adding more things to my to-do list.
Related: 13 WordPress Experts You Can Turn To
7. Backup Your Blog Nightly
Most hosting accounts will offer some type of backup service. I don’t recommend relying on your hosting account to protect your blog. If your blog is brand new and doesn’t have a lot of blog posts, you might want to consider using this plugin or this one.
When I started this blog, I was using the Backup Buddy plugin. I recently switched to BlogVault and I love it. However, here’s a great tutorial that will show you how to backup your blog.
8. Find a Topic
You hear it everyday, niche down. Find your target audience. Create your perfect avatar. As a blogger you’re going to hear this everywhere you go.
As your blog starts to grow, it’s important to know what your topic or niche is. Let’s take this blog. I teach the non-techie blogger WordPress, Genesis and blogging tips they can use to grow their blog.

My goal is to help new bloggers with the techie aspects of blogging. I know how intimidating it can be to get started with your own self-hosted blog. It took me over 8 hours to set up my first WordPress blog.
My expertise is in the techie aspects of blogging. I am sharing my journey of how I am growing my blog through my own personal experiences.
9. Don’t Wait To Publish Your New Blog Post
The truth is that no matter if you wait until you have 1 or 10 blog posts, you need to publish it today. Unless you already have a large social following are a celebrity, you’re not going to get a lot visitors when you hit publish.
I hate to break it to you, but you’re going to need a lot of blog posts to start growing your blog. So don’t hold off any longer on making your new blog live.
10. Don’t Publish New Content Everyday
Many new bloggers tend to believe that they need to publish a new blog post everyday. If you spend enough time in Facebook Groups or Reddit, you will see people asking the popular question “how often should I post on my blog?”
The truth is you can post as often as you want. When I started this blog, I started out posting 1 new post every week. However, I quickly learned that if I wanted to share content on Pinterest, I needed to increase my blog posts.
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So now I post new blog posts 2x per week. This works perfectly for me because it gives me time to focus on blog promotion and creating YouTube videos for my channel.
11. Make It Easy For Others to Share Your Content
One of the biggest struggles for a new blog is traffic. As you start spending time creating epic content, use a social sharing plugin that makes it easy for others to share.
I use and recommend this plugin. This plugin has made it easy for others to share my content. The best part is that you get full control over what people are sharing.
Related: Why I Use Social Warfare
12. Engage In Social Media
It took me a while to realize just how powerful social media was. I was hesitant to even give it a chance. In the past, I focused 100% on SEO and did not even have a social presence.
Do yourself a favor and start establishing a presence on social media and focus on learning 2 platforms really well.
Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to learn all of them. I put my focus into Facebook and Pinterest. I’ve invested in this Pinterest course to teach me the ins and outs of it.
I recommend setting up accounts on the other social media accounts, even if you’re not focused on them. Use automated tools to help you be present on them. I know you’re thinking that automation is a terrible word.
However, if you don’t have the money to outsource or hire a VA, you can’t do it all alone.
13. Don’t Compare Yourself To Others
We all do it, I am guilty of it as well. We see someone who is further along than we are then we start doubting ourselves. This can hurt your blogging journey more than anything.
If you’re just starting out, you can’t compare yourself to someone who has been blogging for a year or more. Stop looking at other people’s results and focus on your own. It doesn’t matter how much money people are making with their blogs.
Their income has no effect on us. If you want to turn your blog into a business in hopes of building an income, focus on your own blog. Work on it everyday and eventually, you’ll reach your goals.
Related: How to Deal With Blogger Comparison
14. Be Willing to Learn From Others
One of the best things you can do for your business is to learn from other people’s mistakes. I’ve made a ton of mistakes in my life, I have quickly learned that there are tons of people who know more than I do.
I’m NOT ashamed to admit that I don’t know everything. As long as you don’t pretend you’re a know-it-all, you’re open to people’s advice. It doesn’t necessarily mean you need to use it, their advice can benefit you.
15. Stop Trying to Do Everything for Free
As a new blogger the last thing you want to hear is that you have to spend money to make money. However, sometimes you have to be willing to spend some money so it won’t take you so long to learn something.
When I first got started with this blog, I knew that I wanted to invest more time into Pinterest. I had never used it before so I invested in this course to help make my learning curve shorter.
You don’t have to go overboard on investing in new courses. Just re-invest your money wisely to help you grow your blog faster.
16. Track Your Analytics
In order to become a successful blogger, you need to know what’s working and what isn’t. Google Analytics allows you to track how many readers are visiting your blog, where they’re coming from. You can also see which social media platforms are driving the most traffic.
Based on the statistics, you can then focus on the platforms that are driving the most traffic. I make it a point to check out which posts are the most popular at least once a week.
Related: How to Setup Google Analytics On Genesis
17. Zig Zag To Your Goal
Unfortunately, blogging isn’t always a straight and narrow path. When you first get started, you may not really know what you’re doing. However, as your blog starts growing, you’ll start making changes according to your blog readers and goals.
Don’t be scared to make changes on regular basis until you reach your blogging goals. Take small steps each and everyday until you reach your goals.
Related: My Weekly Blogging Duties
18. Network, network, network
When you think about blogging, you just think about someone behind their Mac or PC screen. I’ve heard it so many times, how important it is to build relationships.
Join relevant Facebook groups and get to know other people in your blogging niche. Be nice and help others. If you reach out to others in a genuine way without any strings attached. Your generosity will be repaid in dividends.
I ‘m constantly working on becoming a better networker. I tend to be an introvert and struggle in this area.
19. Don’t Focus On The Money
I know you started a new blog in hopes of making money. However, if you’re only blogging because of the money, chances are you’ll quit before you see any results.
You’re probably thinking, but I want to create passive income, that’s why I am starting my blog. It’s going to take a while to see the money, therefore it’s important to find something you love.
20. Choose A Niche You Like
As a blogger you’re going to need a ton of content, this is why it’s important to choose something you like. I chose my niche because I help clients with their WordPress sites.
I love working with WordPress and I don’t mind going out and learning more about it. You don’t have to be an expert in your niche. You just have to be willing to keep learning about it in order to provide great content and products for people.
21. Share Your Stories and Open Up
I am still struggling with this, but I’ve heard so many people say how their blogs took off and really started growing once they opened up. I’m not talking about sharing what you ate last night, or what you’re wearing on your next date.
I’m talking about being open and honest about your online struggles and success stories. We all love to hear about how someone was able to overcome their rags to riches story.
22. Experiment
Write different types of content such as list posts, tutorials, how to’s and short stories. As a new blogger, you don’t know what will resonate with your readers. Don’t be afraid if you write something that doesn’t work.
Blogging takes time and unfortunately, not every blog post you write will be a success. I’ve written several blog posts that don’t get a lot of traction. As my blog continues to grow, I’ll tweak my content and make better writing decisions.
23. Write Everyday
As a blogger you need to love to write. I read somewhere that you should write at least 1,000 words everyday. It may sound like a lot, but as you continue growing your blog, it’ll become easier.
Turn off the TV and turn on Spotify and write. If you want to turn your blog into a business, you have to make writing a priority. If you need help with getting started writing, read this.
24. Follow and Learn From Successful People
The easiest way to learn is from others who have been where you are and have reached their goals. Follow successful bloggers and find out what they did to achieve their success.
You don’t need to re-invent the wheel. These bloggers because successful because they kept doing the basics that helped them achieve their success. You just need to find out what the basics are and start doing them.
25. Be Helpful
Don’t just provide value, try being helpful. Ask questions and provide answers. If you don’t know the answer, take the time to find out what you can. People will appreciate your help.
Remember, we don’t have to know everything in our niche. Our goal is to help others and treat them the way we would want to be treated.
26. Be Realistic
We all want instant gratification for our hard work. Blogging is a marathon not a sprint. Start by publishing once or twice a week. Stick with a consistent blogging schedule and eventually you will see your hard work paying off.
27. Have Fun
Blogging should be fun, not something you dread. If you wake up in the morning dreading that you have to write a new blog post, you’re putting too much pressure on yourself.
Remember to have fun and network with others. Don’t take life too seriously. Slow and steady wins the race. Give it at least 3-5 years to see real growth in your blog.
It may not take you that long to see the results you want. But if it does, would it be so bad?
Final Take Away
We’re all at different stages with our blogs. However, we were all beginners at one point in our lives. Some of us (yours truly) have had more than one blog. Yes I’ve failed in the past, and I’m not embarrassed to admit it.
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This time around, I am in it for the long-term and NOT looking for those bright shiny objects that promise me the world. I know that it takes hard work and persistence to grow a blog.
If you’re struggling with the techie stuff of WordPress, don’t forget to sign up for my Free WordPress Course course. It will help you get your WordPress blog setup so you can focus on the content. Check out my JumpStart WordPress eBook, which will help you get WordPress setup correctly.
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Blogging is a lot of hard work. However, with the right expectations and the willingness to keep pushing through, you may be able to reach your goals.
I tried to make this as thorough as possible to help new bloggers. What do you think? What else should new bloggers know when they’re first getting started? Let me know in the comments below.
This is pure gold Susan! All these tips will be very helpful for new bloggers. I did #10 when I first started blogging and I got tired quick.
Now I blog three times a week and it’s a lot better plus it lets me focus engaging and other important parts of blogging. π
No doubt I’m sharing this one! Thanks for putting it together. Have a great day.
Cori
Hy @Susan
Great Tips you’ve shared here and I agree with all of them, using these tips blog starters wouldn’t need worry.
There’s one tip I have used so far that comes in handy; Promote other bloggers, leave comments on their blogs and share their posts. its one of the fastest ways to grow your own Blog as they tend to notice you and may as well share your contents with their huge follower
Great Tips you’ve shared once more.
Hi Cori,
I think a lot of new bloggers think that they need to publish new content everyday. It’s easy to fall into that trap, I am sure that I’m guilty of that as well π
Three times a week is doable and seems to be working for you. I think the most important thing is to find the right balance that you can stick with. Seems like you’ve done that.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment, have a great day π
Susan
Hi Prosper,
I am glad that you enjoyed the tips that I provided.
You’re definitely correct about promoting other bloggers. I had no clue about that when I first started my blog, however, now I make sure that I do that.
It’s definitely helped me grow my blog to the point it is now. Thanks for sharing that important tip.
Have a great day π
Susan
Hi Susan,
A bloggers journey is not just about writing, publishing and sharing. It is much more than that. A professional blogger understand the importance of research even when he/she wants to buy a domain name, professional theme and even web hosting.
A blogger should develop the habit of doing research and investing from the beginning. Your tips are really helpful for a newbie to start a professional blog quickly.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers!
Hi Gaurav,
You’re definitely correct, a lot goes into building a blog at the beginning. As you can see, I didn’t do any research on my domain name, I am just using my own name.
Yes hosting and a professional theme are important. Most people usually choose the free stuff, which I don’t recommend.
I am so glad that you found the tips helpful. I am hoping that they will at least help one person who is just getting their blog started.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment, have a great day π
Susan
Hello Susan,
Great tips to make blogging more enjoyable. I remember the days when I started blogging and written articles everyday but soon I had realized that I don’t have time to promote my blog and I started writing 3 to 4 articles per week.
These tips will definitely help newbie bloggers a lot. Have a great day π
Hi Vishwajeet,
I think when we all start a blog, we try to write too much. I did it too. With this blog, I made the mistake of just writing articles and not promoting it.
Glad that you’ve learned how important promotion is.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment, have a great day π
Susan
Hi Susan,
#9 and #27 are 2 of my faves. Go live NOW and have fun blogging. Many bloggers wait, or have some imagined idea of the set # of posts to have lined up before going live with their blog. I hit the ground running. Sure did not hurt me. I also blog for the joy of it. No better way to dive into this blogging game, to detach some from outcomes and to build prospering friendships.
Thanks for sharing π
Ryan
Hey Ryan,
You’re definitely correct about new bloggers getting hung up on how many blogs they should have before going live. Like you, I went live with one post.
The most important thing to remember, is that no one is going to see your blog when you hit publish anyway. This isn’t always a bad thing. It gives you time to find your voice, work on your design and do other blogging stuff.
Like you, I’ve chosen to detach from the outcomes of my blogging venture. All we can do is focus on the daily tasks of growing a blog and let everything else take care of itself.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment, have a great one π
Susan
Hi Susan,
Starting a self-hosted blog is the first thing comes to my mind as a WordPress Professional.
People should seek for the best and user-friendly platform and nothing is better than WordPress right now.
I would have to disagree with your point of not publishing every day. I have been doing that for a very long time and that’s the one thing which makes me unique.
If you have enough time to promote your content, you should definitely update your blog daily.
But if you’re a part-time blogger then it can’t work.
Backing up your blog should always be kept in the mind.
Thanks for sharing this guide.
~Ravi
Hey Ravi,
I do remember you saying that you update your blog daily. I don’t see how you do it, plus spend time promoting your blog.
With my freelancing tasks, I can’t imagine posting content everyday and taking care of everything else.
I am so glad that’s working for you. That’s the cool thing about blogging, you can run your blog anyway you want. The important thing to take away from this is to find out what works for you and then stick with that schedule.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, hope you have a great one π
Susan
Hello Susan,
what for a great post to learn from! All new bloggers or people thinking about blogging should really follow all of your advises!
Point 5 is the most important to me because I have missed that bit once I have started my blog. It is crucial for success of a blog to have an editorial calendar to plan upfront. That does not mean that you have to follow this calendar strictly if you feel you could shuffle post around – just do it. Sometimes, it happen that news in your niche are important and your readers should know about this straight away. With a calendar you can plan ahead or postpone an article to a later date.
Another great thing is my editorial plan which will lead into my calendar. All to-does gets fed into my calendar using a project view – only if everything has been ticked the article can be published.
My plan is separated into four stages: Ideas, Planning, Ready for publishing and Published.
All my ideas land into the first folder – these are only ideas. If I feel like to write about one of my ideas I just move it to the next stage of planning. In this bucket everything goes from the actual writing, images to researches, links etcetera.
After several day I just revisit this bucket and have a look if I can think of anything else which might be included. Later – say after a week or so – I do the “pretty things” like rearranging paragraphs, applying headers, doing my SEO in general and think of a cool title.
Now, my calendar will show if all to-does and tasks have been done. If so than I will pick a date for publishing and move the entire bucket into the fourth stage – “Ready For Publishing”. At this stage, the article is uploaded onto WP but final SEO, keywords and so on will be applied two days before publishing to get the most recent keywords and SEO terms.
After that, I move the finalised version to the last bucket “Published” – done and dusted.
Another important thing to me is my contact list with relevant information which will help me to network and do not forget anything.
Thanks again for sharing this great advice of which every new blogger can learn from.
Best,
Stefanie
Hi Stefanie,
Wow great comment and glad to see you have a system in place. I so agree with you about editorial calendars. Sounds like you have the perfect system that works for you in place.
I know your advice is going to help my readers.
Have a great day π
Susan
Engaging with social media is so important! I love when popular bloggers still manage to connect with their readers. I believe it truly shows that they care.
Hi Alexis,
You’re definitely right about social media. I love it when people take the time to connect as well.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment, have a great one π
Susan
Hi Susan,
You’ve mentioned some rock-solid tips for new bloggers and it’s definitely gonna help them.
The one part I agree the most is “outsourcing”
When I started Blogging, it was hard to digest to spend moneyon outsourcing and I wanted to do every other task by myself.
But, when I first outsoured a graphic work, it felt great. I saved a lot of productive hours and definitely could have never done as good as the outsource guy did.
I would highly recommend new bloggers to spend some money and outsource things they don’t know or have less experience.
The time you’ll save is important than the money you’ll invest.
Regards,
Shafi Khan
Hi Shafi,
I think we all think we can do things by ourselves when we first start. However, you’re definitely correct about saving time.
We all know how much time it takes to grow a blog, it’s virtually impossible to do everything ourselves.
So glad that you had a great experience with outsourcing.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment, have a great day π
Susan
Hi Susan,
Some great tips for new bloggers here. I agree that new bloggers should start with self-hosted WordPress, there’s no better platform than this.
I’m also a big fan of Genesis framework and use it on all of my blogs. Usually, new bloggers don’t find Genesis design attractive, but it’s one of the lightweight and best theme frameworks for SEO.
Great post, thanks for sharing! π
Hi Adithya,
Glad to see that you’ve found a theme you love. I love the Genesis Framework as well. I do admit that it does come with a little bit of a learning curve.
However, like you said, it is great for SEO.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment, have a great day π
Susan
Youβve mentioned some rock-solid tips for new bloggers and itβs definitely gonna help them.
Hi Amogh,
I am glad that you liked the article, thanks for taking the time to stop by.
Have a great day π
Susan