It's time for another Top 10 Tips List! After nearly 6 years of blogging, I've cobbled together quite a few (hopefully) helpful tidbits to help you organize yourself as a blogger. This includes both physical organization on your blog (layout, white space, text style) and behind-the-scenes (scheduling, writing in chunks, etc).
I hope this is especially helpful to those who are just starting their blogging journey. There's a lot of talk out there that blogging is dying, but if you're reading this, you're probably thinking the opposite, like me!
Blogging is alive and well, so let's keep blogging!
One more thing: I blog about sewing and quilting, but this list could apply to any blogger. Enjoy!
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Top 10 Tips: Blog Organization
1.
Keep your layout simple. The draw of your blog should be the content (if indeed you are trying to draw an audience of some kind). I always "blog for me" but as time has gone on, I blog for you, too! I want my blog to be a pleasing, calm space. White space is modern and freeing.
Too many links = distraction. Have you ever visited a popular blog, only to be bombarded by lots of text, ads, and pictures, with no place to rest? I have, and I don't return. I have a lot of buttons on my sidebar right now, but I keep them all on one side. Oh, and don't forget a search bar! Make it easy for people to find what they are looking for.
2.
Break up your text with a photo (or two). For example, I've included pictures of quilts I've recently thought of for one reason or another in this post. I've often heard bloggers remark that "every post needs a picture!" I haven't *always* followed that advice, but now, I think it's necessary (for two reasons):
- Some people will come to your blog looking to read (like me - I love to READ blogs), while others are mostly looking for visual stimulation (well-lit pictures and well-crafted tutorials). If you write a lot in a post (like me - example #1 being this post), it only makes sense to give your readers a place to rest their eyes.
- Picture organize your post. Often, I place pictures in a post before I even start writing, so I can write around them and relate to them.
3.
Use captions, numbers, titles, bullet points - text features to help your reader along as you write (especially if you're prone to writing long posts like me!). My numbered and sometimes bulleted Top Ten Lists (see #2 above) help my readers stay organized while I present a lot of information at one time.
4.
Experiment with fonts and text styles - but remember, less is more. I bold the important points when I write Top Ten Lists like this; it makes them look more polished, and it helps readers find the essential information fast. Using italics or using a larger or smaller text size can help emphasize a point you want to make. All of this
is fun, isn't it? :) After all, blogging is like having a conversation. Some text doesn't translate well, but do your best to craft your sentences and words in a user-friendly manner.
5.
Look to other bloggers for advice on physical layout. Check out other websites - what do they look like? What feel do they have? How have they organized their links? How do they break up text? Where do they place pictures? Two craft blogs that include a lot of written detail + great photos are
From Bolt to Beauty by Michelle Cain and
While She Naps by Abby Glassenberg - I suggest you check them out if you haven't already!
6.
Create a posting schedule. This could be as simple as a post-it note or quick jot in your planner for the week. What are you going to post about? When (approximately)? Some pro bloggers create calendars of months ahead to plan their posts. If you have a schedule, you might be inclined to stick to it.
7.
Break up writing your posts over time. It will make everything easier and more manageable. For example, right now it is April 6, 2016 at 9:36 am, and I'm writing a few points of this post. Later in the month, when I'm ready to post, I'll go back and add pictures from my archives or those I've edited, and I'll run through the whole post to check for mistakes.
...Like now - it's May 9, 2016 at 11:01 PM, more than one month later (I waited longer than I thought!) and I'm editing! Another example: I often edit photos while I'm watching a TV show or movie, and I'll write a post later when I'm in the mindset. Long posts like this can be time-consuming, and the only way I get them done is by breaking up the work.
8.
Set posting goals. If you're going to post 2 times every week for a month, do it. Setting goals holds you accountable! Plus, if you want to post twice a week, you have 7 whole days to spread it out over. Give yourself flexibility.
9.
Keep a running list of posts you want to write. You could further organize the list into tutorials, finishes, progress, events, editorials, etc. I keep track of these ideas in my planner.
10.
Align your posts to linky parties. A linky party is a weekly or monthly event where bloggers can link up their posts related to a theme and see those of others. There used to be more out there related to sewing, but there still are a few. Linky parties help you meet new friends and bring traffic to your blog, too. Aligning your posts with them will also give you a great goal to strive for ("I should post by Friday night if I want to link up to Finish It Up Friday before it closes"). I often save finish posts for Thursdays or Fridays, for example.
Here are the linky parties I regularly link up to:
Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story,
Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation,
TGIFF, and
Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.
What other organizational tips would you recommend to bloggers? Let us know in the comments!
Previous Top 10 Tips Lists:
