25 Tips for Bloggers: Established, New, and Pondering
The tips you will read in this post are responsible for causing this blog to reach the top 10 out of all Christian blogs on the Web.
I started blogging in 2008. Almost a decade before that, some of my friends tried to persuade me to start blogging. But I resisted.
My reason: I didn’t have enough time.
Well, I still don’t have enough time, yet I’ve managed to blog for over three years now. And looking back, I wish I had heeded my friends’ advice and started earlier. My bad.
You see, I love blogging. In fact, I enjoy it more than writing books. It’s far less tedious, takes less time, and affords instant feedback.
I also view it as a major way of influencing people with my message on the deeper Christian life. It’s not quite as powerful a tool of influence as a book or a spoken message, but it’s close.
While I’m still learning the craft, I’ve discovered some valuable tips about the art of blogging that I’d like to share with you. They are . . .
1. Buy a Powerful Blog Theme That Allows You to Use Plug-Ins. While Blogspot.com, Typepad.com, and WordPress.com are free blogging platforms, they don’t allow you to use plugins. So they are profoundly limiting. They are fine for the beginner (I used WordPress.com for my first two years as a blogger). But if you are serious about blogging, you’ll want to get a different theme and your own domain name. The difference it makes is enormous.
I use the Standard Theme for my blog, and I recommend it highly. It not only allows you to use a vast array of free plug-ins to increase your efficiency and traffic, but I love the look, feel, and speed of the theme.
Standard Theme runs on WordPress.org (not WordPress.com). Like WordPress.com, WordPress.org is also free, and it’s virtually identical to use. You can purchase the Standard Theme for less than $100. I suggest all bloggers get it.
Also: Buy a domain name that uses your own name (e.g., JoeyBudafooko.com) or use the name of your blog. This will make your blog easier to find and spread. (JoeyBudafooko.com is easier to share and remember than JoeyBudafooko.wordpress.com.)
If you don’t already own a domain name, I recommend HostGator to buy one. I also suggest HostGator to be your blog-site hosting service. It’s excellent in service and stability.
Again, using the Standard Theme will allow you to choose from hundreds of free plug-ins. Some of them will increase your blog’s readership and visibility. My favorite plug-in right now is nRelate. This plug-in automatically creates small colorful boxes featuring previous related posts below your new posts. I love the screen candy that these boxes add to the blog. Just look at the bottom of this post under the “Share This Post” buttons.
If you need help installing the blog or moving your old blog posts to a new blog platform, such as Standard Theme, I recommend my friend Jeremy Myers. Jeremy is great to work with, and he’ll set up your blog for only $50.
2. Create an Appealing Design & Name. Cosmetic appeal means a lot on the Internet. So use colors and graphics that you (and others) find appealing. Make sure the name of your blog reflects what you write about mostly. My blog is called “Beyond Evangelical.” I write on seven themes that relate to Christians who are moving beyond evangelical. My blog matches my Website and Twitter page. So they are all easy to recognize. Go for consistency in your blog look and name. First impressions are important.
3. Blog Often, But Not Too Much. If you want your blog to succeed, you should blog at least 3 times a week. If you can blog 5 or 6 days week, that’s even better. By the same token, blogging too much will overwhelm and turn off some of your readers. Blogging 3 to 6 days a week – once a day – is recommended.
4. Be Concise. The most viewed posts are between 300 and 800 words. Try not to go over 800 words. Most of my posts are within that range. However, some of my posts are longish because they are reprinted essays, interviews, or tips on a given topic (like this one). If you have a long post, break it up by using numbered or bulleted points. Or turn it into a series. Master the art of compression.
5. Use Subheadings, Numbered Lists, Bullet Points, and Short Paragraphs. The attention span of the average Internet reader is quite short. So make the content of your posts digestible. Using subheadings is a great way to do this. Paragraphs should be short as well. So cherish the line break. Using numbered and bulleted lists makes your posts easy to scan. When it comes to blogging, brevity rules. Thus edit ruthlessly. Reduce as much as you can. And cut until there’s nothing left to cut.
6. Use Proper Grammar and Spelling. Misspelled words and bad grammar communicate that you’re not terribly educated, and hence, people shouldn’t take you seriously. Typos are inevitable. But poor grammar and misspellings hurt your content and message. Blogs are casual. So it’s fine to use incomplete sentences, ending a sentence with a preposition, etc. Poor grammar is when a post is written so badly that readers have to work to understand it. If you aren’t sharp on this, get someone to edit your posts before you publish them.
7. Discern the Difference Between Notifying and Self-Promoting. People who follow you on Twitter want to hear what you have to say. So most of them will want to know when you’ve written a new blog post (or if you are reposting an old one from the archives). BUT . . . tweet it once or at the most twice, then leave it alone. (If you tweet the same blog post twice in a day, put 5 to 8 hours between the tweets.) Tweeting a post that you’ve written over and over reeks of self-promotion, and you will lose readers.
The same is true with your Facebook wall. Because it’s your wall, it’s fine to notify your friends about a post you‘ve written. However, I suggest you simply post the title with the link or frame it with a question (e.g, “Looking for advice on how to blog more effectively?” Link). Saying things like, “You’ve got to read this post I’m launching on Tuesday. It’s a must-read!, etc. etc.” will turn off many readers. You don’t want to call a piece that you have written a “must-read.” Let other people decide that (Prov. 27:2).
I would also advise against posting your blog posts on forums like Facebook groups. Many people will see it as using a public venue for self-promotion purposes. Your Facebook wall is different because people have friended you voluntarily, so you have every right to inform them about your newest work. But to post on a public venue where people are not signed up specifically to follow you is poor taste, in my judgment. And some people will view it as spammy.
At the same time, realize that there are a handful of people who will always read bad motives into your heart, even if those motives aren’t present. As I’ve said elsewhere, whenever someone judges the motives of another person, they are simply revealing what’s in their own hearts. But you don’t want the charge of self-promotion to be justified.
With respect to using Twitter, I recommend this Twitter tool. It has many excellent functions.
8. Don’t Obsess Over Statistics. Some bloggers I know are constantly measuring their traffic to the point of insanity. My advice: Keep track once in a while to measure your blog’s visibility and test the effectiveness of new plug-ins, but don’t obsess over it. Be faithful, and leave the results with God.
9. Never Copy & Paste Someone’s Blog Post on Your Blog or Facebook Page. This is just bad etiquette. Bloggers who write quality posts spend hours crafting them. It takes a lot of time and energy to put out a first-rate post. Consequently, for someone to just copy and paste it on their blog, Facebook wall, or discussion forum (which takes seconds) is regarded by many as inconsiderate and lazy.
The blogger who crafted the post will likely feel cheated and robbed. If you like someone’s post, it’s best to excerpt a section of it and then provide the link so readers can view the entire post. This also allows readers to interact with the author about the post if they so choose.
Also, if you post an excerpt of a blog on Facebook or Twitter as a quote, be sure to put the link to the entire post as well. Excerpts are out-of-context soundbytes. As such, they typically lead to misunderstanding (at best) or hostile criticism (at worse). People need to see the whole context of a post if they will completely understand it. So be careful to add the link if you do any quoting.
Finally, if you enjoy a post and want to spread it to others, it’s best to “like” or “share” it (for Facebook) and “tweet” it (for Twitter). See the Like, Share, and Tweet buttons below this post as an example. It takes a second to click those buttons, and people can see the entire post for themselves and comment on it if they like.
10. Use Titles That Are Magnetic. Writing good titles is an art. The title of a post is either going to grab your readers or cause them to lose interest. Make sure the title fits the post, but be creative. Good title-writing is a skill. With time and practice, you’ll hone the craft.
11. Speak To Your Readers Directly. It’s best to use “you” when you are writing your posts. Talk to your readers as if you are having a conversation with them over coffee. This personalizes your posts and makes them more readable.
12. Don’t Talk Too Much About Yourself. Most people are naturally self-absorbed. Thus your readers are more interested in themselves than they are about you. The exception to this is if you’re a celebrity. Then they want to know how many times you floss your teeth! If you’re a Christian blogger, self-absorption is no virtue. So stick to your content and keep self-references to a minimum and in balance. Not too much, but not never at all.
13. Allow Engagement, But Moderate Comments. I realize that not everyone is able to allow comments due to time constraints. Fortunately, I’ve been able to allow them up to this point. Allowing engagement is great for several reasons. However, if you receive a lot of comments, you would be wise to moderate them. The Internet is the Wild Wild West. People can anonymously trash someone if they want. This makes blog moderation a necessity.
Unfortunately, I’ve watched some bloggers allow anyone to post anything they like without any kind of moderation. The result: Some Christians get smeared. This is plain wrong. It violates what our Lord taught, “Treat others the same way you want to be treated.” You wouldn’t want a blogger to allow a comment that attacks your character on their blog.
Your blog should be a platform for edifying conversation, not a venue for promoting the sins of evil communication (Eph. 4:29). All readers should feel safe there. Most bloggers I know responsibly moderate their comments, and some have explicit rules for moderation. You can take a look at mine here (I don’t moderate the comments myself). Some bloggers I know don’t even allow comments because of this problem.
14. Participate in the Conversation. If you allow comments on your blog, try to respond when necessary. You may not have time to respond to every comment. But do your best to respond to the comments that contain questions directed to you. Strive to be a good, accessible host. Your readers will appreciate it.
15. Don’t Post a Link to Your Own Blog While Commenting on Another Person’s Blog. When you visit someone else’s blog and make a comment, don’t add a link to your own blog like: “Check out my post on such and such [with link].” You will be perceived as a spammer. Some bloggers even engage in “drive-by” self-promotion. They aren’t regular commenters to a particular blog, yet they’ll make a quick comment on a post that’s usually generic (“great post!”), then they’ll promote their own blog (“come check out my blog at …”).
Most people who are Internet savvy view this as explicit spam. Therefore, you’d be wise not to engage in it. Of course, if you make a comment (without pointing people to your own blog), and someone specifically asks you a question on a topic, it’s no problem to post a link to your own blog if it contains the answer. In such cases, you’re simply answering a direct question. Even so, most blogs allow you to put your blog url in the comment box before making a comment. So let that suffice.
16. Think Through the Ramifications Before You Post. Once you click the “publish” button, your post becomes visible online for the whole world to see. Including people from other countries, friends, ex-friends, enemies, family, you name it. So if you don’t want someone – anyone – to see your post, or a particular statement in it, don’t post it. Make the changes necessary first. Never underestimate the reach of the Internet—even for blogs that aren’t terribly popular.
17. Make Sure Your First Paragraph is Strong. By “strong,” I mean compelling, grabbing, interesting. Most readers will decide to read an entire post based on the title and the first paragraph. So you can’t afford to make it weak.
18. Rarely Use Exclamation Points. There was a time when an exclamation point (!) communicated passion and emphasis. For many people today, however, it communicates anger. So use them sparingly. Too many exclamation points is distracting to readers. I learned this from my own mistakes in this area! :-)
19. Keep Your Posts on Message. If your blog is about the art of giving atomic knee drops, then focus the vast majority of your posts on that subject. All my posts are related to one of the seven themes related to moving beyond evangelicalism. Your readers will want consistency in your message. So keep your posts on point.
20. Never Defame Another Person. Defamation of someone’s character is a serious matter. Not to mention that it has legal ramifications. Scripture exhorts us to “malign no one” (NASB); “speak evil of no one” (NKJV); “slander no one” NIV (Titus 3:2). It is the nature of satan to slander and gossip. The Lord will never lead you to do this. If you’re angry or upset with someone (or a group of people), resist the fleshly urge to use your blog as a platform to defame them.
21. Link to Others When Appropriate. If you are mentioning another post or article written by someone else, be sure to link to it. Mentioning it without a link is a violation of web etiquette, and it won’t reflect well on you.
22. Create a Series. When you have a ton of material on a specific topic, and it’s too much to fit into a single blog post, create a series of posts on the topic that build upon one another over a period of days. (Blogging Through Bonhoeffer and Beyond Evangelical are examples.) However, for every post, be sure to link to the next post in the series. Failure to do this will frustrate your readers.
23. Keep a Blog Queue. I have to do this myself or else I’ll forget the influx of ideas that come to me for new posts. Inspiration can hit you at any moment, so keep a pad and pen handy at all times. (I use a Day-Timer compact wallet that contains pen and pad; so I’m always armed to jot my thoughts down.) Convert your written thoughts into a blog queue. This has been an enormous help to me in my blogging journey.
24. Mix It Up. Change the pace of your posts using audio, video, interviews, reviews, stories, essays, numbered lists, surveys, etc. Try to build variety into your posting routine so that you don’t bore your readers. On this point, many blog “experts” advise you to always use an image for your posts. Speaking as a “non-expert,” if you have the time, use images. But if you don’t, no worries. My custom is not to use images because it takes too much time to find the right photo, resize it, upload it, etc. I only use images on some of my posts. Your mileage may vary.
25. Resist Discouragement. The blogger’s chief enemy is discouragement. The harassing questions that race through a blogger’s mind are all the same: “Who is reading my posts?” “Am I making a difference?” “Does anyone care?” “Is blogging worth my time and energy?” “I could be watching reruns of 24 right now instead of editing this post!”
I’ve watched a few bloggers crash and burn because they didn’t have a clear vision or commitment when they first set out to begin blogging. So before you put your hand to the plow, count the cost. Blogging successfully will take a lot of hard work. Readers (and subscribers) don’t appear overnight. Blogging requires time, energy, and a devotion to write consistently.
Some people say that everyone should blog. Who says? Why would every human being on the planet be obligated (or “called”) to blog? You may disagree, but I personally think it’s unhealthy for a person to feel pressured to begin a blog if it’s not in their heart to do so.
My 13-cent advice: Take up the task of blogging only if you desire to and you thoroughly enjoy writing. Otherwise, it will be a hard road ahead—a burden rather than a blessing. So a good question to ask yourself is: “Why do I want to blog in the first place?” (You can see how I answered that question myself.)
Keep in mind that even if you have the coolest looking blog on the Web, few people will read it unless they find the material you write valuable. And writing great content takes time, a lot of thought, and energy. So once you’ve decided that blogging is for you, and you’ve counted the cost, roll up your sleeves and get to work. And don’t look back. Strive to write killer posts. But even if you write great content, you aren’t going to please everyone. So follow your own compass.
If you decide later that you missed the mark and should cancel the blog, no harm done. But don’t take it up or quit it unless you’re pretty confident on both ends.
Once you’ve applied all 25 tips, I recommend you get Bryan Allain’s excellent book, 31 Days to Find Your Blogging Mojo (only $4.99 USD). It’s a great supplement to this post. It will give you additional ideas, all peppered with a good dose of humor.
See also Advice for Authors
What should be added to this list that I left out?
Frank,
I appreciate this post. Great advice.
By the way, it’s good to have you back in the blogosphere:)
Jamal
I posted some things about blogging a few months ago. Here are some of them:
If you have your own blog, read other people’s blogs, too. Readers make good writers.
Leave content rich comments on other people’s blogs. Don’t just “like” the post, or leave a comment that says “thanks” or “great job”. If you relate to the experience, share how. If someone’s story impacted you, tell them how it made you feel. Offer constructive, encouraging feedback. Recommend resources. All of this increases the interaction on the blog and builds the online community.
Leave content rich comments, but remember to use brevity. Keep it fairly short. I cringe at comments longer than two or three short paragraphs and just skim. Just sayin’.
If you leave a comment on someone’s blog, check the box under the comment box to receive follow up emails when someone else comments on that post. This way, you see the discussion that develops (without having to go back to the blog) and you’ll know if someone responds to your comment and is waiting for another response from you. (Some blogs don’t have this option, but you can also subscribe to comments via RSS.)
Blogging is a wonderful ministry and your tips are great. I am spending Fridays praying for Social Media friends I have met by blogging. Some of those friends seem closer than actual friends and relatives who don’t want to read blogs.
If I get a flyby comment with an advertisement, I just remove it.
With technology increasing many people just give up trying to read blogs and tweets. We need to be gracious to them and contact them in their preferred means of communication. Technology can keep me from my real life, my neighbors, church family and actual family.
Great advice for bloggers at any level. And I’m happy to see you blogging again, Frank.
Great article.
Frank,
Thanks for the helpful tips. I’ve been blogging for 2 years in Feb. I’ve learned SO much from it already. I’ve learned a lot about myself, others, and the Lord. It’s been a real blessing.
But you are completely right, it takes LOTS of time and energy to start and maintain a blog. My own has come a long way since I started it in 2010. Because I spent lots of time, energy, and patience, I have reaped the benefit 100 fold. And apparently others have been blessed by it (at least they tell me this lol).
I’ve also learned that you have to be willing to take a bunch of “flack” from people if you are bringing a message that goes against the grain of mainstream Christianity. I’ve been called names and been slandered a time or two. But it comes with the turf.
And yes…if you have a blog that is the least bit “successful” people are going to place bad motives upon you and say you are “self promoting”. But, at the end of the day, only you and God know your true heart…how can someone tell me where my heart is? Especially if they have never met me personally.
Glad you’re back, bro!
-Mike
A wonderful list, Frank! You’ve challenged me to take it up a couple of notches. Thanks!
Frank – great list! Thanks for your insights. I’d agree with all of them except for number one — there are plenty of wordpress themes that accept plugins that are free, so you don’t necessarily have to spend close to $100 for it.
Jason: WordPress.ORG allows plug-ins. WordPress.COM does not. Both are free, but to use WordPress.ORG, you have to have your own hosting service and domain name. WordPress.COM provides both. I hope this clarifies.
I think what Jason meant was that you can download FREE wordpress themes for wordpress.org. There are lots available. (a quick google search will provide you with more options than you can handle).
Yes, both WordPress.com and WordPress.org have free themes available. I’ve used a number of them myself in the past. But the Standard Theme is far superior in every way, with built in SEO, etc. Also, one must have WordPress.org in order to use plug-ins. WordPress.com doesn’t allow them.
Thanks very much for the information. I found it very helpful and appreciate you taking the time to offer the help and suggestions.
Wonderful list… I wonder, how much should I be concerned about quotes from other bloggers and authors I will post to make my points on HOW I LEARNED to walk in line with God? I will always quote and cite to those bloggers and authors, is that an copy-right issue?
William: As long as you cite the full article url or book (w/ page number, author name, etc.). it’s perfectly fine. In fact, the authors would be encouraged that you found their work helpful enough to spread to others.
Thanks for the advice. I’ve been having a hard time keeping my blog going. This is both challenging and encouraging.
Challenging and encouraging for me too, thank you Frank! Strong first paragraph and mix it up – I think I can do something straight away with those points.
I’m looking forward to what else you have to say over the coming weeks – I’m in need of some encouragement after a bit of an experiment in meeting organically with a couple of friends last year. Lots of valuable lessons and some great times, but it didn’t really fly in the end.
Hey Kevin: Thanks! Just so you know, I’ve written extensively on organic church life on this blog in the past (see the archives), in some of my books (http://www.ptmin.org/books), and I’ve addressed it in some of the messages on CD (http://www.ptmin.org/cds.htm).
I have no plans to discuss that topic further on this blog as my focus will be on the other 6 themes. I’m writing primarily for those who are moving “beyond evangelical,” which makes up Christians in all types of church forms.
Oh yes, I’ve read plenty of your books and blog posts about organic church life. I knew you were intending to move on to other topics, and I am confident that I’ll find them encouraging too.
These are great tips Frank. #25 is the one I have to fight the most. I spend a lot of time and money on my 2 blogs almost at the expense of my family, and I love writing, yet i get discouraged after a year with no commenters. My domain renewal date is soon, and I’m still contemplating whether or not to hang up my proverbial keyboard. (Is there a proverb about keyboards?
)
Oh, and one other tip I think should be considered:
Getting a Creative Commons Copyright added to your page. This keeps pirates from stealing your work. You can get it free below:
http://creativecommons.org/
Thanks Mike! I am going to use your advice on getting a copyright.
I, too, have been blogging since 2008. Some of your points I, too, have figured, while some of the others are great recommendations that I will begin putting into practice. Thanks so much for sharing your insight and experiences.
Great, practical tips! Thanks for the mention, and I look forward to helping anyone who needs it.
The more of us who blog, the better!
One bit of advice that your forgot to mention (and probably is the most important bit) is that a blogger, by definition, should be living in their mom’s basement. So if you are starting to blog and you are out on your own, you will need move back home and live in your parents’ basement!
Great article, BTW.
Webster’s def., and I quote, “1. blogger – someone who lives and writes in jo momma’s basement.”
Frank,
Where were you when I started blogging 9 years ago? Come on!
Seriously, it’s taken me that long to stumble into the things you’ve pulled together in this post. And as of today, I’m happy to say I’ve liberated my blog from TypePad, onto a self-hosted WordPress. Hurrah!
Thx. Jon. In my experience, GoDaddy is great for domain names. I’ve never had a problem and their service has been excellent 24/7. A few people, such as yourself, have said that their hosting service isn’t that good, so I’m promoting HostGator for that, which I use mostly. Thanks again for your comment.
Hostgator is good. Hostmonster as well. Bluehost too!
I also have used GoDaddy for my domain name and have been happy with it. Thank you for the great advice. I appreciate it. Blessings.
Very helpful Frank! Thank you for the suggestion.
“As I’ve said elsewhere, whenever someone judges the motives of another person, they are simply revealing what’s in their own hearts. ”
Can I jump up and shout an AMEN????!!!!
Gawd this has been my reality for months. I wish I would have had this sentence up my sleeve the upteenth time my ‘heart’ was assessed.
Thanks again…and blessings. Sarah
Frank, I am writing my first official blog post now. My site is not quite ready, but I need to go ahead and start with my first blog. Learn as I go, I suppose. This is a lot to take in, and I thank you for all this wisdom you have provided. I want to share Christ in me and the only way I understand to do that is to write from my heart. The technical side will come along, I hope!
These tips are great and the encouragements even better. My blog has been on the backburner for a couple months now and this little bit of encouragement was the right medicine to get me cooking up posts again.
Thanks Frank
Good advice Frank. Thanks for sharing!
This is a great post, Frank. Very helpful, thank you! As a relatively new blogger myself, I’ll be putting these into action.
Very Helpful! THANKS! I actually did purchase a domain name, and tried one of the WordPress recommended sites to fly my page. Sadly, I feel like I need a translator to understand all the things they ask you to know about your page, your usage, etc. I found myself clicking through things and answering yes and no when I wasn’t entirely sure about any of it. –And learning WordPress is the kind of thing I’d enjoy if I had little else to do, but I just felt frustrated and so I abandoned ship. Hanging out in Blogspot until I can ramp up and try again. You give me hope with this post. I’m feeling like it’s time for me to start thinking in terms of clarifying/specifying my mission and purpose aside from unloading my thoughts du jour. Blessings, Frank.
#4: 300-800 words. This makes me say “Ouch” three thousand times.
Thanks for this. Am from Venezuela and this has been a great help.