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9 Lessons From My First 3 Months Blogging

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Hello! My name is Mary Beth, and I am a Smaller Blogger.

Sidewalk Messages I started my blog, New Life Steward, in May of this year. I have been an avid reader of blogs for the last four years. I was a lurker, you know, the kind that hangs around and never comments. I always had a secret desire to be a blogger though. I only mentioned this to a few friends because I thought it a silly notion–seriously, what do I have to say? Who would listen to me?

Then earlier this year as I was mapping out some goals for myself, the Lord pressed upon my heart the idea of starting a blog. The idea stayed in my brain and festered until it grew into something that I just could not hold in my brain anymore. I begged my husband for the money to buy a domain name and hosting, and New Life Steward was born. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but I was determined. Now here I am, 3 months later, and I’ve learned a few things I’d like to share with you, my fellow small blogger–although I believe these apply to anyone in the blogging world.

9 Lessons from My First 3 Months of Blogging:

(PS: It really stresses me out that there are 9–I really like even numbers, but oh well, 9 goes nicely with 3.)

  1. Just write and keep writing: There will be moments when you sit and stare at the white screen and that blinking cursor will mock you. Just write something, anything. Push through. At least then you’ll have something to start with. Some of what I thought we my worst posts have been quite popular.
  2. The difference between Twitter and Facebook: Let’s be real here, if you are blogging, you are probably on Facebook or Twitter or both plus Pinterest and Instagram. I have observed that Twitter is a great place to make friends with other bloggers and get quick answers. I share my posts on Twitter, but get very few clicks. Facebook, on the other hand, brings a large portion of my traffic. I’ve discovered that Facebook is a great place to connect with your fans and share your posts. I’m still learning how to utilize Facebook to its fullest potential.
  3. Go to Twitter School: I read most of that series during my first few days/weeks of blogging, and boy did it make all the difference. Twitter is a confusing world with symbols, norms and a language all its own. Make sure you understand it, so you aren’t being annoying and to maximize its potential!
  4. Link Up and comment: The only link-up I knew about when I started blogging was Top {Ten} Tuesday. I wrote specifically for that link-up the first few weeks. Then I read Courtney’s Guest Post: My Journey to 5000 Followers in the Smaller Bloggers Series and realized there were oodles of link-ups! I followed here advice and found the link-ups from this tidy list that fit well with what I blogged about and began linking up daily to multiple sites (I’d love to have you at my link-up WIP [Work in Progress] Wednesday!) I also faithfully comment on the post linked up before and after me on every link-up. This has been a huge traffic/reader booster! I’ve also met some GREAT women through these link-ups!
  5. HTML: HTML was very intimidating to me at first. Then I realized that a lot of it could be accomplished with a simple copy/paste. The few things I needed to know (like centering a graphic in a widget on my sidebar), I googled. My most helpful idea with HTML has been to create an HTML document on my desk top. I save all the HTML code that I use frequently on that document for quick access when I’m writing a post. I have all the link-ups organized by day, my various blog buttons, a Feedburner subscription box, a text box, and various other items all saved on that document.
  6. Be brave: Whatever idea you have that gives you butterflies in the pit of your gut, do it! Tweet the person you really respect. They almost always reply (and who doesn’t love a Tweet!). Submit that guest post. You may get turned down (I have!) but you might not (Here I am, guest posting!). Start that series or link-up or book study. Whatever it is, take a deep breath and jump! You never know until you try.
  7. Set boundaries: I’ve found that its highly important to set boundaries in regards to time spent blogging. I have set parameters for when I blog, check Twitter, Facebook, and e-mail. I have to admit that I’m not perfect at keeping these boundaries, but if you don’t set them, you will most likely go overboard and get burnt out or neglect other responsibilities.
  8. You cannot do it all: We are human after all. When I first started blogging, I joined every challenge, book club, whatever that I came across. I found myself way over-committed and unable to really enjoy any of them. Lots of things look fun to be involved in online. Prayerfully consider what will be most beneficial for you.
  9. Stay true to who you are in Christ: If you only remember one of my lessons, remember this one. Stay true to who you are in Christ. I found that writing a mission statement both for myself and my blog helps me keep focus. I know what I’m aiming for and what my standards are. Write yours and then stay true to that. We don’t need a bunch of cookie cutter blogs. We need YOU.

My first love is Jesus Christ followed quickly by my husband and my son. I am now a stay at home mom, writer, and blogger. My career was first in teaching and then in Marriage and Family Counseling. Living in a small, Southern town in Mississippi, we enjoy SEC football, walking around barefoot, and playing outside. A day to myself would be spent napping, blogging, and reading with a bit of reality TV mixed in! Please come chat with me on Twitter!

Photo Credit: ClickFlashPhotos

Comments

  3. Awesome, Mary Beth! These are great and are challenging me to look back at what I’ve learned. I’ll also be taking a few things from your lust to work on. Thanks!

  4. It is important to link up and also comment, I have met alot of nice people just by commenting on theirs. It is scary my first two years of blogging was in a private mode then I opened it up to the public and really got ‘nervous’. It has not been as scary and exposed as I thought. God has been good and protected me from any ‘bad readers’ … I am not on twitter but I do facebook.
    http://www.sharono-somethingtothinkabout.com/

  5. I love this post, Mary Beth! And I never would have known you were the new kid on the block when I met you at your blog! It is so professional!

  6. Mary Beth- Thank you for this!  As a one month blogger it is so helpful.  Twitter has scared me- I really don’t understand it!  Now I feel a bit more brave.  And I had no idea there were so many link ups!  So I’m off to work on numbers 1-6 while sifting them through the filters of numbers 7, 8 and 9 🙂

  12. You are so sweet to share your journey and I so love the words “smaller blogger.” This would be me, but I certainly do not lack in grace given that cries out to be told of. Love you already. 

  13. Mary Beth, I just want to give you a hug. 🙂 I have only been blogging for 8 months, and am still learning as I go. Think I better work on that mission statement. Thank you!

  15. Thank you – I am on Step One, so your words of encouragement and instruction is priceless to me.  I have to admit, I still don’t know how to do “links” – up, down or any other way 🙂    My web designer does just that, design.  I decided to be fearless and move forward and figure out the rest as I go.  I love to write.  I have a Theology degree and so I come from a more Research and Teaching backround. I am learning to “loosen” up a bit – share and teach the Word of God, but be real.  I’m a work in progress.  Anyway, I’m looking forward to learning your little gems.
    But HEY, I can offer you a little of my “Biblical” knowledge.  The number 9 is the perfect number for your list, and in fact was probably inspired to your heart directly by God Himself!   How God used numbers in Scripture is remarkable. The number 9 is the number of complete finality.
    It is a product of 3X3 and the number 3 in Gods Word means “complete” ;  In 3×3, the number 3 is used twice…and the number two means a thing is “established”, done, finished.  Thus 9 means more than just complete, but covering all it needs to cover….done.  God might just have been saying, You got it girl, (though maybe always more CAN be said) – you are saying just what needs to be said.  Fun huh?  Anyway, thank you very much – I am inspired. Hope to meet you at my first Allume.  Christine Clinton, profitandgive.com

    • To do a link-up, you just go to the page hostin the linkup, and there will be a little button near the bottom that says “you are next” or “click to enter your link” then you just fill out the form. Be sure to use the “permalink” for your post which you can find simply by clicking on the title of the post from your blog’s home page. That will take you to that post’s bookmarked page. Then copy and paste what’s in the address box. It will be something like yourblogaddress .com slash your post title. 

      I also have a seminary degree!! I do a series on Thursdays over at my blog working through Grudem’s Systematic Theology! I look forward to seeing you at Allume as well. It will be my first too!

  17. Love this, Mary Beth! So glad you joined the blogging community. You have become a great friend!

  18. Excellent post, Mary Beth!  And the 9 does go with 3 so nicely. 😉

    I love your observations about Twitter vs. Facebook.  So, so true.  

    And thanks for the link! 😉

  20. This is fantastic!! I just started a Wednesday’s Walk with my own blog so I linked it up with your WIP Wednesdays. Thank you for some great info. 
    I am still trying to get more traffic for both my facebook and my twitter. I have no idea how to do that, but I am working on it. 🙂
    I hope you don’t mind but I also just Pinned this so I can keep these tips fresh in my mind.

  22. Thank you for sharing! It has been a whirlwind for me as well! I’m still learning and look forward to following you as you continue your journey as well! 🙂 Blessings friend! 🙂 

  23. This is awesome Mary Beth! I was just catching up on my blogroll and saw that you were over here. How cool! These are great tips and helpful.  Still learning and thoroughly enjoying the ride:0)

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