Hello guys! So I initially had another post in mind for today, but I decided to do this one instead. To be real, I am just feeling so groggy and gross, so the idea of taking pictures just sounded like too much! So I will instead give you guys a post I had started on a couple days ago! Now, I realize I haven't been blogging for the longest time, but I have learned some stuff in my short time blogging. And I want to share with you guys what I have learned and give you some tips in case you want to start your own blog, or if you are a blogger and just wanting some fresh tips! I hope you guys can find some of these helpful! Be sure to let me know if you do :)

Tip #1: Know What You Want To Do

 I will be honest and say that when I first started blogging, I had no idea what I wanted to talk about. My previous blogs, which have now been deleted for good - thank goodness! - were not at all planned or consistent with a theme. I would talk about anything and everything on my mind. And while this is nice to get you used to blogging, it really isn't great at trying to get an audience. People like blogs that have a general theme that is consistent through out the posts. So if you're a lifestyle blog, you have a lot more freedom in what you can post, whereas if you're a strictly gaming blogger, your audience might be freaked out if you post a makeup tutorial. 

Tip #2: Pictures are Your Friend

 I remember when I first started blogging, I never took pictures. It wasn't like I didn't like to take pictures, because now I really enjoy taking pictures. But I just never thought about the visual aspect of a blog. And even as I look at blogs now, I almost get turned off by blogs that don't have pictures. That sounds so horrible to say, but I honestly think pictures can make or break a good blog. The pictures don't have to be taken on a ridiculously expensive camera. I honestly use my iPhone camera to snap pictures for my blog. But having pictures to make your blog look more professional is a good start!

Tip #3: Set Yourself  A Schedule

 I love being organized. So when I made this blog, I set myself up so that I would post once a week. And then that became every Sunday I would post, and now I post twice a week. Slowly getting myself on a schedule helps me to know when to work on this blog. I know that sounds so weird, but it's true! When I was on the once a week posts, I would procrastinate doing the post, and I even missed one week's posts because I had just forgotten to do it. But now knowing that I need a post up every Sunday and Thursday helps me stay organized and on top of blogging! Now how often you post is totally up to you. I find that I usually have more time on Sundays and Thursdays, so that's when I post. But if you can squeeze one post a week on Wednesdays, then by all means, you do you.

Tip #4: Do Your Research

 I cannot even begin to tell you how many blogging tips posts I have read, how many blogs I have followed just to learn how they blogged, or how many Twitter accounts I have followed to get to where I am now in blogging. By no means am I huge blog with loads of followers, but I am quite comfortable with where I am at with blogging. I think the more research you do and the more time you put into something, the better off you will be. Now, I can get lazy in some things, but research isn't one of them! If you are serious about blogging, make it important to you. And the best way to do that is to read lots of blogs. Read all the tips pages you can! Some of the tips are quite repetitive, but they are always informative.

Tip #5: Don't Be Afraid of Self Promotion

 No one is going to love your blog more than you. So don't be afraid to tell your Twitter followers that you just posted something! Be proud of what you do! Plus, by sharing it on such a huge social media site, you never know who might see your blog who wouldn't have, if you never promoted it yourself. I am just now learning about automated tweeting accounts, like Buffer. These are good for if you don't necessarily have the time to tweet about what you posted. A site like Buffer allows you to type your tweet before hand, and then set what time it will tweet out. This is truly becoming a lifesaver for me!

Tip #6: Get Involved In The Blogging Community

 I have been blogging for about four months, and what I have learned the most is that it is so important to start talking to other bloggers. I like to join Twitter chats with other bloggers in order to meet some people that like to blog, just like me. A friend of mine Chelsea Marrs of Chowing Down By The Bay has an awesome lists of Twitter chats you can get involved with. Here is the link in case you want to check that out! But yeah, find a chat that interests you, or is related to your blog. It is amazing how kind the blogging community is as a whole, so don't be afraid to talk to other bloggers!

Tip #7: Understand That Things Don't Happen Overnight

 To be honest, I didn't get my first follower until like my 5th post. You have to blog because you love it, not because you're looking for free stuff. I know that I love to blog and tell people what I am loving, so I loved blogging as much when I had no followers. If I only had these 20 something followers, I would be content and continue to blog. But I am so glad that my followers count is growing. It took a while to get here, so I am proud of it!

Tip #8: Have a Nice Layout

 Now this one took me a while to get! Finding the right blog design can be a pain! I know some bloggers hire designers to do their backgrounds, but I found mine online for free. All I did was Google "Blog Layouts for Blogger Free" and I cam across my current layout. I love it because it fits my theme. When you are looking for a layout, I would say look for the ones that aren't too complicated, but that fit your blog. 

Tip #9: Have An About Me Page

 So I have learned from a couple Twitter chats that an About Me page is actually really important to readers. I know my page needs some major work! But I really don't know what to say about myself! But as I have read, this page lets the reader see you. Your About Me page tells readers what you are like as a person, and hopefully what you like and what your blogging purpose is. It's so snazzy and official! Honestly, if you're anything like me and needs help with an About Me page, just know that this is a work in progress thing! You don't need to have a fabulous About Me page before you ever type your first blog post! But it is a nice thing to have, so just make sure to go back to it!

Tip #10: Have Fun

 I love blogging, so I enjoy all of the things that go into it! I love to research different cosmetics, I love to take pictures for a post, I love sitting down and writing a blog post. I don't know what else I would be doing with my spare time if I didn't blog! I think the moment it turns into a chore, you're doing it wrong. Now that's not to say there are some days I don't want to blog, because honestly today is one of those days! But if it ever gets to a point where you feel groggy about blogging every time you blog, then maybe you haven't found the right hobby for you. And that's fine! Blogging is meant to be fun, so never make it more than what it is.

 I hope you guys have enjoyed this little post! I know that writing this is making me feel less groggy and gross! Although what I really want is for my allergies to be gone! But anyways, thanks so much for reading this :)

Question of the Post: Are you a blogger? What tips would you give to a new blogger that is trying to get into it?

 I will see you guys again on Thursday!