Guest Post: How Do You Even Blog?

Guest Post!  Lucy is here from Ryebrynn's Random Ramblings with popcorn and some blogging tips.  (Just kidding, I don't think she actually brought popcorn.)  I need a lot of these tips myself!  "Be yourself" is one of the ones I'm working on most at the moment.  Everyone welcome Lucy and go visit her amazing blog!

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BLOGGING IS HARD. That's a fact. Don't do it unless you're going to actually be invested. People want to read the blogs of individuals that ACTUALLY want to be blogging.

Don't be afraid to self promote. Post on your blog? Write a ten word hook that kind of explains the content and go social media crazy. Share the hook with a link to your blog. Comment on other blogs. Sign your emails and comments and stuff with your name and blog link.

i.e.

Lucy

http://ryebrynnsrandomrambling.blogspot.com/

Know when to call it enough. I know when I told you to be social you probably thought; "I don't want to scare people away." So this is a warning. Know when to call it enough. Sign your comments, emails, and everything with your URL. BUT don't say; "visit my blog!" "please follow me!" The person you're talking to is actually less likely to visit your blog if you specifically tell him/her to.

Stalk other blogs. Follow some cool blogs. Find some that have the same sort of subject as you want your blog to have. Draw inspiration from what they post. BUT DON'T COPY THEM. If there's anything unattractive about a blog, it's plagarism!

Go on Pinterest. Stumped for ideas? Pinterest is the answer. There are hundreds of prompts and ideas if you just search for them.

Blog what you love. I struggled for a long time with blogging until I found the specific sort of blog I wanted. Don't feel pressured to blog about books or to love chocolate or to hate love triangles unless YOU want to. If you don't like your content, then your readers probably won't. They're attracted to what seems truthful to them and they will really believe you if you love what you're talking about.

Ask questions! Are you posting a book review on your blog? Ask your followers what THEY thought of that book. People like bloggers who seem invested in them.

Don't do the "dear readers" cliche. Start your posts like a conversation, not a letter or email (unless that's your style!). This makes the readers feel like you're their dear friend, not some person selling something.

Be yourself. You have your own unique style. Don't abandon that. There's 7.4 billion people in the world. That's enough that you don't have to be something you're not.

Don't apologize. Out of all my blogging years, this is some advice that has stuck with me. I still struggle with it. Remember; your blog is first and foremost for YOU. Post content you enjoy. Even if some people don't like that, someone is out there now looking for your specific brand of blogging.

Ryebrynn is a Kansas born and raised American who lives in Liberia, West Africa. She is a book reviewer for Netgalley, Edelweiss, BloggingForBooks, and Liftuse Publicity Group. She fangirls periodically on her blog, Ryebrynn's Random Ramblings, and is probably insane.

Stalk her on social media!

Instagram: @life_books_cats

Facebook: @lucygracedoesalot (also message me there for free book covers!)

Twitter: @LucyBuller

Pinterest: Ryebrynn Crossblade

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7141250-lucy/

Which one of these tips can you use the most?  Wasn't the popcorn great? Any other tips?