Blogging Guides

One of my favourite things about setting up this blog has been learning how to get better at all the things which go into it! Here you will find all the guides I've written on how to optimise your blogging experience, get yourself noticed, and - being the cheapskate I am - how to avoid spending any money.

So, You've Decided To Blog?

The first thing you need to do is pick a blogging platform. Most people recommend WordPress but I didn't like it - I'm a Blogger gal all the way! Blogger is easy to use, offers plenty of scope for customisation, its T&Cs don't prohibit you making money from the blog, and it is free. If you want your own domain just buy yourself a 'vanity url' and set up a redirect. Mine cost me £10 for three years.

Decision made, you can make a start on all the technical stuff. Like:

• Setting up a custom favicon.
• Grabbing your FREE custom domain email address.
• Mailto Links Explained.
• Sorting out your 404 page.
• Create custom comment avatars.

Content Creation

The whole reason you started blogging was because you had so much to write about. But even the best of us will have days when writers' block rears its ugly head. Here are a few posts to help you combat it:

• 101 Blog Post Ideas.
• Editorial Calendar Ideas. (Awareness days, holidays, observances, etc.)
• Guest Posting.
• How To Host a Blog Competition.
• Master list of blogging tags, memes and challenges.

Display Dilemmas

They say an image says a thousand words - but you want to be sure they're the kind of words you want! Here are a few posts which will help you get to grips with including images, formatting your posts, and ensuring your blog is easily accessible to people using all kinds of assistive technologies.

• Basic HTML for Bloggers.
• Copyright for Bloggers.
• Digital Inclusion for Bloggers.
• Images 101.

SEO SOS

Now you have all this cool content, you need to make sure people are finding it. That's where SEO - search engine optimisation - comes in. For more info, check out:

• 50 Ways To Build Backlinks.
• Follow vs. No Follow Links.
• How To Find and Fix Broken Links.
• What is Domain Authority?

Social Media

A successful blog takes more than kick ass content and on point SEO, you need to be prepared to promote your brand and let people know what they're missing out on. Social media is one of the easiest and most effective ways to do this, providing you take the time to lay the groundwork. This section has guides on how to get the most out of various social media networks.

• 25 Facebook Groups To Boost Your Blog.
• Connecting with Blog Linkys.
• Have you got Klout?
• Bloglovin'.
• Instagram Hashtags for Parent Bloggers. + Dolls / Miniatures.
• LinkedIn.
• Pinterest.
• StumbleUpon.

What Next?

Your blog is taking off, now you're looking to make a return on your investment. Here are some tips and guides on making money from your blog.

• Create a Media Kit.