Monthly: Top 5 Blogging Tips #3

This is month number 3 of the Top 5 Blogging Tip series! This is the next to last month seeing as in January I will be staring a new series on Blogging Tips and don't feel that this monthly series will be of any use any longer...however, if there is a request or if later on I feel differently I may bring it back. So, enjoy this month's edition and look forward to the final edition in December! :)

Over the last month I have learned SO much about blogging, more than just layout and design things. I'd like to focus the first two tips on YOU:

Tip #1 Post for YOU not readers!!
I think this is the one tip I share most with new bloggers I meet via the Blogging World. It is SO important that you realize that blogging is NOT about the followers! Yes they are nice, and yes comments give you warm and fuzzy feelings inside, but the content of your blog, and the things you write about, and how often you write are the things that you have control over and what make your blog yours! These are the things that make your blog unique and special and eventually others will come across your blog and discover this uniqueness and realize they will not want to miss out on it and follow along! Blog for you, the followers will come.

Tip #2 Don't Stress!
Holidays are coming up and life will only get crazier! Take time to breathe and relax. For many of us that means an escape into the blogging world, but don't let yourselves become so stressed with writing a fantastic or long blog post that you start to stress about logging on to your blog! Remember to breathe. relax. and don't stress! Blogging is about you and should be a fun escape, not another stressor to add to your already stressful lives.

Tip #3 Promote With Pinterest!
Okay so I realize that not everyone has a Pinterest account, but if you do this is a totally easy way to promote your blog! Create a separate board where you pin each post you want or all posts to so that anyone who pins something from your blog later on can see other posts from your blog and eventually visit your blog. I actually have two boards for my blog. One is for all my recipes (because I have over 80 recipes posted and I wanted them separate) and one is for all my other posts. Title the board with the same name as your blog. If you have multiple blogs make a separate board for EACH blog with the blog title as the board name. Here are my Pinterest Boards for my Blog: Blue Eyed Beauty & BEB Recipes. And for my Exercise Encouragemnt Group Blog I have the board Exercise Blog, and for my Photogrpahy blog I have the board Angel Light Photos.

Tip #4 Join A Blog Hop!
Okay, before you get into this one have a 'game plan'. For example here is how I treat blog hops: Blog Hops are for me to meet new people, find new blogs, and follow who I choose when I choose. I use blog hops as a way to find new blogs to read and not so much as a way to gain new followers. Yes they are nice, but that is not my main focus. Therefore when I get a new follower I am super thrilled about it! :) Okay so here are a few things to keep in mind when linking up for a blog hop: 1. ALWAYS leave a comment on each blog you visit. Even if all you say is 'hey, I'm visiting via Blue Eyed Beauty's Blog Hop'. This lets the person know, hey someone actually visited my blog from that hop! and it says: hey they took enough time to leave me a comment. 2. Scroll through the first page or two of the blogs content before you 'give up' on them and move along. Just because you don't like something in the first few posts doesn't mean that's what they usual post about! I know that is certainly the case here on my blog. 3. If you're feeling discouraged about a blog hop or feeling like nothing is coming from it, stop linking up! There are a TON of hops out there, find something else until you get one that works for you! Check out Linky Here for a bunch of Blog Hops on different days of the week and under different topics. Here are the ones I currently link with & love: Weekend Blog Hop Til You Drop, BlogLoveTherapy Blog Hop, Harvest of Friends Blog Hop, That Friday Blog Hop, GFC Blog Hop, & Blissful & Domestic Sunday Hop.

Tip #5 Add the Search Bar!
Okay if you don't already have a search bar on your blog you NEED TO ADD THIS! Any new reader can look for something they might be interested in or if they read something on a topic they like they can search your blog to view more posts on the topic. As you might have noticed on my blog I have the blogger navigation bar which is where my search bar is located so it's easy to find and you don't have to search my whole blog to figure out where to search for something else! Which brings me to the other point: put it in an easy to access place such as adding the navigation bar or near the top of your blog.

Other Posts In This Series: Top 5 Blogging Tips #1, Top 5 Blogging Tips #2, Top 5 Blogging Tips #3.

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