7 Ways to Look Like an Experienced Blogger (Even If You’re Brand New)

When you start a blog, it takes a while to gain the experience and knowledge that can take your site from hobby to money maker.

But just because you’re not yet experienced doesn’t mean you have to look like a newbie. There are a few things you can do from the start to give your blog a professional, polished feel while you learn everything you need to know to keep it growing and thriving, and today I’m going to share those tips with you.

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7 Ways to Look Like an Experienced Blogger

1. Build your blog on a self-hosted platform.

I started my blog on a free platform (Blogger) because it was, well, free. But you can’t build a business on a free platform, and oh how I wish I’d known that from the start.

Of course, you can move your blog from a free platform to self-hosted WordPress if you decide to later, but it’s a lot of work. Instead, I highly recommend starting out on self-hosted WordPress. It’s easy to get your site set up, and when you’re choosing a host for your blog, I prefer Siteground. I’ve been with them for many years and they’ve never disappointed me.

2. Write quality content that readers want.

When you first start a blog, you’re probably going to feel the pressure to add lots of content right away. While it’s important to have plenty of content for visitors to see when they come to your site, it’s more important that the content is valuable to them.

Don’t throw up a dozen blog posts just to have content on your site. Your time is much better spent writing half a dozen high-quality, informative articles that will give readers a reason to return to your blog. In the case of blog content, it’s always quality over quantity. Don’t forget that.

3. Start branding yourself right away.

You’ll make your website stand out among a sea of blogs when you brand yourself in a way that readers will remember.

This means choosing a logo, favicon, fonts, colors, and other stylized elements that are consistent. I use Picmonkey to make all of my logos and site graphics, and I find it much easier to use than Photoshop or even Canva. Having just added lots of new features, Picmonkey offers everything you’ll need to create awesome graphics for your blog. Want to see what New PicMonkey is all about? Sign up for your free trial today!

I also recommend using the same profile picture across social media. This can be your logo or a photo of yourself, whichever you prefer. Use the same image on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and all other channels you’re using. This makes it simple for your followers to immediately recognize you and your brand.

4. Use a professional blog theme.

Your blog theme is an integral part of creating your branding. I recommend an easy to navigate, mobile-friendly theme that you can customize to really make it your own.

I like Pretty Darn Cute Design and Restored 316 for pretty, feminine themes that can easily be customized to create the look you want to give your visitors a unique and beautiful experience every time they visit your website.

5. Write. Then write some more.

I know you want to drive traffic to this brand new blog of yours, and you can. But it takes time and commitment. And it takes a lot of writing.

Now I know I told you up in number 2 that you should only write quality content, and I stand by that. You absolutely should only publish posts that you’re truly proud of.

But, if you want to grow your traffic, you’re going to have to give them something worth visiting your blog for, so I recommend lots of writing.

Write everyday for a specified period of time, say, 2 weeks. I promise that as you publish new (quality) blog posts every day for 2 weeks, you will see your traffic start to increase over the coming weeks.

6. Make Pinterest your friend.

Many people think Pinterest is a social media network, but in fact it’s more like a search engine. When people (especially women) are looking for something, they often start with Pinterest. Whether it’s a recipe, decorating tips, fashion, or you name it, there’s a plethora of information to be found on Pinterest.

One of the best ways to drive traffic to your blog is through Pinterest. Create beautiful pin-worthy images for every single blog post you write, and be sure to add them to your Pinterest boards.

I recommend using Tailwind to easily share your pins to multiple boards. You can also join tribes of like-minded bloggers to share their content, and of course they’ll share yours.

7. Create a Gravatar.

As you’re commenting on other blogs, you’ll need a Gravatar to show up next to your name and blog title.

Your Gravatar is an image that follows you from site to site appearing beside your name when you do things like comment or post on a blog. I recommend using the same image that you’re using across social media, as this creates brand continuity and will help others immediately recognize you.

Are you using these tips on your blogging journey?

I’d love to know which of these tips have been effective for you, as well as any other tips you’d like to share. Leave a comment below or stop by my Facebook page and join in the conversation there.