Whilst anyone can start a blog, the trickiest part of it all is actually surviving the first few weeks or even the first four weeks of blogging. It’s important to understand that if you’ve just started blogging and you are struggling to get through the first month or so, you’re probably not going to make the long haul; to me it’s simple as that!
In this post I’d like to share with you some simple tips and tricks that I’ve used myself and have frequently recommended to other budding newbie’s out there, on how to get through the first 4 weeks of blogging. The tips and ideas will set you up for the course of the duration of your new blogging career, and for life… Yep, blogging is a lifetime commitment just in case no one told you.
Getting Started On Your First 4 Weeks of Blogging
Have a Plan, Know What, Where, When and How…
Nothing in this life works the way it should do without proper planning; there is no exception in blogging. Have a plan and I don’t mean have it bouncing around in your head either. Have your plan written out on paper so that you can see first hand where you are, and where you’re hoping to go…
Why do you want to start a blog? What do you want to achieve from blogging? What kind of audience do you want to attract with your blog? What will you talk about? Etc.
Planning ahead will give you a clearer picture about the course you’re taking in your blogging career. If you plan well and understand what it is you’re doing, your path to successful blogging won’t be so much cluttered with question marks over yours and your readers heads, and when you’re asked, you can simply give an honest answer to what, where, when and how…
Get Organized
Being organized from the get go is so important in surviving the first 4 weeks of blogging, just as planning is. In the beginning everything is so overwhelming and you’ll hit instances where you simply won’t know where to start. In short you’ll be running around like a headless chicken… that isn’t good.
So it’s all good in me telling you to get organized but how? Here’s how…
- Invest in a day book or a diary
- Get a white marker board, I have one and it’s one of the best investments I’ve made yet…
- Hang a calendar above your work desk
- Know what day of the week it is, you’ll be surprised! I’ve met some people working from home that can’t remember whether it’s Monday or Friday…
Use these tools and any other tools as means to organize and mange your time better, you’ll be more aware of where you are with everything, and have the feeling of being in complete control.
Have a Schedule
Time management is essential in blogging and the lack of it is perhaps one of the biggest reasons why new bloggers don’t get anywhere. I’m guilty myself, there have been instances in the past that I’ve spent endless hours bouncing around on the web, wasting time on Facebook and YouTube, not actually getting anything productive done.
This is where scheduling comes in. Plan your schedule so you know what needs to get done and when it needs to get done by. Create yourself deadlines; be regimental if you have to. Here are some examples…
- Schedule the time you need to write your post and get it published in time.
- Schedule the time you want to spend on social networking.
- Schedule the time you want to spend replying to emails, comments etc.
- Schedule the time you want to spend promoting your blog.
I think you get the general idea here.
Build your Resources
Building your own resources will help you become a better and more efficient blogger. For example, when you’re doing blog commenting and guest posting or engaging on forums, make a record of all the sites that you engage with so that you can refer to them later.
Any online tools that you come across and find useful, bookmark them and make a backup of your bookmarks. Download eBooks to read later, find information in print media, simply build your own little resource of information that you think will be useful in your blogging journey.
Get Inspired
Doing all of the above will certainly keep you motivated and focused through the first 4 weeks of blogging. But what about getting inspired? Inspired to keep going, to keep writing etc, to keep persevering…
Regularly visiting and reading your favourite and bookmarked blogs is a great way to get inspired. You should also try and engage with other more experienced bloggers like Ms Ileane Smith here on Basic Blog Tips, Adrienne Smith from AdrienneSmith.net, and Ana Hoffman from TrafficGenerationCafé.com. There is a wealth of information to gain from these bloggers and I’m sure they’ll welcome you just the same. Join forums, groups on Facebook and LinkedIn and regularly check to see what topics are being discussed.
Work Rest and Play
Blogging is fun I don’t doubt that one bit, but it can also be demanding and taxing on your general health and well-being; which is why there should always be time made for resting and playing, this can be seen as an opportunity to give yourself a break from blogging and inspire you to come back with new ideas. I hear stories of people staying up until ridiculous hours of the morning working on their blogs, or spending the whole weekend blogging and shutting out their social life, friends and families. Not eating well or taking regular exercise…
Understandably most of us have jobs and family commitments, in which case it’s an exception if you only have evenings and weekends to work on your blog as a newbie. But ensure you make the time to rest, recharge those batteries and still have a social life. The online world is a wonderful one at that, but it can never replace real friends and families.
My Final Advice for Surviving Your First 4 Weeks of Blogging
Don’t Assume to Know Everything
One last thing I’d like to leave you with is don’t assume to know everything straight away. The road to blogging success is a long and endless one, and you’ll learn new things each time you turn a corner. Be the best you can be, have fun and I wish you the very best of luck in surviving the first 4 weeks of blogging.
BONUS MATERIAL: FROM MS. ILEANE SPEAKS PODCAST – START YOUR BLOGGING JOURNEY TODAY!
