Whether you have a blog, have always wanted to start one, or are one of the greats, these tips will keep your content exciting, your design fresh, and your readers coming back hungry for more. Like J-Law at her favorite pizzeria.
Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed
1. Give your blog a layout makeover every so often.
Before makeover.
After makeover.
Every once in a while it's nice to change up your blog's layout to keep things fresh. This can mean completely reformatting the whole thing, or just making little tweaks here and there. Here are ten blog layout tips to help you freshen up your little corner of the internet.
2. Make sure you have an about page that represents who you are and what you do.
An about page is where your reader will come to find out more about you and who you are, your business and skills, and your blog in general. It is important not only to have one in the first place, but to avoid making common mistakes like not explaining your business or strengths well. See other common mistakes and how to make your about page better.
3. Organize your blog labels so readers can find the content they are looking for more easily.
Go from this long list of subcategories...
...To this shortened list of main categories.
The longer your blog has been around, the more labels to describe your content you have probably created. Think about dividing all of your content into main categories by combing through all of the subcategories to streamline everything. This will make labeling less of a headache for you in the future, and your readers will be able to find the posts they're looking for, no problem.
4. Don't let footer space become dead space.
Via mypoppet.com.au
It's likely that most people visiting your blog won't make it down to your footer, but if they do, they're probably interested in you and your blog. So give them something to find, like links to your archives, popular posts, and contact information. Get even more ideas from this list.
5. Create an editorial calendar to keep track of ideas and post dates.
One of the best blogger tips is to keep some sort of editorial calendar so as to set up post dates, form routines in your posting (i.e. a round-up of some sort every Friday), and keep track of all of your projects and ideas. You can make a whiteboard calendar like the one above, use post-its in a planner, or even make a calendar out of corkboard to pin-up your post notes. Whatever method works for you, an editorial calendar will make you more organized and keep you up-to-date on your own blog.
6. Avoid blogger burnout.
Via pinchofyum.com
Working from home as a blogger can sometimes get overwhelming. Set working hours, get a change of scenery every once in awhile, get in touch with what makes you feel inspired, do not answer emails all day long. Find more tips here.
7. Feel like you're running out of material? Brainstorm some content-rich topics.
Lots of bloggers have posted lists of blog post ideas, like this one from Elle & Co., or this one from Sometimes Sweet. If you're feeling particularly inspired, consider writing a list of your own as a post!
8. Make sure readers are commenting on your blog.
Comments are a great way for your readers to connect with you. You can encourage your readers to comment by asking questions at the end of your post, or by following any of these smart tips here.
9. Commenting on other people's blogs is a great way to engage with someone you respect, and for others to notice you.
BartekSzewczyk / Getty Images / Via thinkstockphotos.com
Not only will the blog writer notice you in their comments section, but other readers who agree with your comment may want to click on over to your site because of it. The blogging community is a strong one, so finding other people through comments is a really genuine way to make some internet friendships and bring your blog and someone else's some love.
10. Learn to use photoshop actions to get that creamy ~blogger glow~ on all of your photos.
Photoshop actions can help you turn a mediocre photo into an amazing one in just a few simple steps. Check out this tutorial and download the Photoshop action you see above for free.
11. Be conscious of your blog photos' names.
Naming the photos on your blog helps your photos become recognized in search engines, which gets your posts seen by more eyes. This also helps for Pinterest, because the description of the image will automatically come up as the name of the photo when someone pins from your blog. Follow this simple tutorial for labeling photos on both WordPress and Blogger tips.
12. Know when it's OK to use someone else's photo on your blog or social media.
Via designsponge.com
In the way that you would want your photos to be credited and permission to be asked before one is used, so would every other blogger. Follow this handy flow chart to figure out what to do if you're stumped.
13. And also know how to handle when an image of yours gets stolen.
ABC / Via youtube.com
If someone posts an image of yours without permission, credit, or a link-back, follow these tips to getting the issue resolved and the photo removed.
14. Effectively brand your social media.
Via pinchofyum.com
It is important to think about how social media can expand your blog and your readership, as well as give readers an opportunity to see smaller snippets of you every day. Small things, like maintaining a consistent handle on all platforms, using the same profile image for each, and writing a bio with your blog's link wherever possible are all things to consider. Read more tips here.
15. Set up rich pins to ensure that when photos from your blog are pinned, all of the important information gets pinned with it.
Via hellobrio.com
Like in the photo above, you can get photos from your blog to come up with all of the SEO data, as well as your webpage name and link. Use this tutorial for Blogger, and this one for Wordpress.
16. Try offering an email newsletter to your readers to ensure active engagement.
LuminaStock / Getty Images / Via thinkstockphotos.com
Once you've built a readership, you could use a newsletter to update them on what's been going on, exciting things that are coming up in the future, and generally just build a relationship with your readers on a more personal level. If you're a fan of Serial try MailChimp (Mail Kimp), or perhaps GetResponse.
17. Figure out how to turn your blogging hobby into a paid job.
There are a number of ways to generate income from your blog including sponsored posts, affiliate programs, and advertising. Learn about these methods and others here.
18. If you make money from your blog in any way, figure out if you should be filing for self-employment taxes.
If you sell e-courses, product, participate in affiliate programs, or write sponsored posts and make over $400 net income, you should be filing a tax form for your self-employed income. Find out whether you should be filing, what to do, and examples of taxable income and business expenses here, and download a free income tracker here.
19. Take a class to improve your blogging skillz.
There are tons of e-courses online for bloggers, like Blog Life by A Beautiful Mess, that will teach you a variety of skills related to blogging. You can also find more targeted classes on the subjects of photography, turning your blog into a business, designing your blog, and much, much more.
