How to Start a Blog: Creating a Loyal Audience

It's easy to overlook your audience when 99% of blog work happens alone behind a computer screen. In blogging, your readers aren't right there in front you; you don't get to see their reactions and responses firsthand. But they're there. Even if you're new to blogging, they'll be there soon. 

Your audience should be affected by your blog, and your blog should be affected by your audience. After all, isn't that why you're blogging in the first place? Today's post is all about identifying and engaging your viewers to create a loyal blog audience. 

Identifying your audience

1. Look at yourself.

Chances are, your readers have a lot in common with you. Bloggers write about things that interest them, so looking at yourself is a great place to begin when you're finding your reader demographic. How old are you? What season of life are you in? What is your career path? What are your interests? You get the gist. If you were trying to market a business to yourself as a potential customer, how would you identify yourself?

2. Who do you want to read your blog?

Take some time to think about what your ideal readers would be interested in. What would they respond to? How old are they? Are they still in school or already on a career path? Are they creative? 

3. Who is currently reading your blog?

If you're brand new to blogging, you can skip this step. But if you already have a reader base, spend some time identifying your current readers and what they're all about. You may already have a good impression of who they are through feedback on your blog or social media. If not, try offering a reader survey to gather data.

Do you notice stark differences between your current readers and your ideal readers? This could be the perfect time for you to change things up and post something that your ideal readers would love. This may seem counter-productive, but sometimes you have to lose a few followers in order for your blog to grow over time. It's like that saying, "you have to take one step back in order to take two steps forward." 

Knowing who your readers are is important, and caring about their interests is always something you should strive to understand if you want to connect with them. 

Engaging your audience

The number of blogs out there continues to grow. A great way for setting your blog apart is by allowing your readers to interact with you. Make them feel like they are a part of your blog, too! Interaction creates a sense of community, community creates loyalty, and loyal readers are fundamental to the success of your blog. 

In their blog class, A Beautiful Mess had some great tips on how to get your readers involved in your blog:

Host a Q&A session

I love getting to know the ladies behind the blogs I follow. Start a Q&A and let your readers ask you questions. I did this in last week's Coffee Date, and I was so surprised by the questions that my readers asked me! Not only were they fun to answer, but they gave me an opportunity to connect with ladies who follow along with me.

Host a giveaway

Everyone loves free stuff. Giveaways are a great way to say "thank you" to your audience and they engage readers who don't always comment on your blog. 

Ask for help

One of the most important things I've learned through blogging is that you don't have to have all of the answers. You don't have to be an expert in the field you're blogging in; we all need help sometimes. Ask your readers for feedback or advice - you might be surprised by the amount of feedback you receive.

Offer free content

Like I said before, everyone loves free stuff. That's what blogs are! Find ways to give readers more of what they love. They will appreciate you going the extra mile to provide resources for them.

Here's another tip that has helped me: Take some time to respond to blog post comments. Readers have taken the time to write you a note, so let them know that you appreciate their feedback and keep the conversation going by responding to them. 

Identifying and engaging your audience is one of the most important aspects of blogging. Keep your readers in mind as you're posting. After all, they're the reason you're blogging in the first place!

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Seasoned bloggers: What are some ideas you've found helpful for engaging your audience? New bloggers: What questions about identifying and engaging readers did I leave unanswered? 

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Read other posts in this series:

How to Start a Blog: Creating Quality Content

The secret to success in blogging? Content. You can have the prettiest blog on the internet but it all amounts to nothing if you don't have anything to offer. Providing worthwhile content for your readers will keep them coming back to your blog time and time again. 

Today's post is all about creating a content plan that inspires you, gives you room to grow, and most importantly, provides value to your readers. 

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What not to do

Let's walk through some habits that might be holding you back from producing worthwhile content. I learned a lot of these lessons the hard way so if you're currently doing one of these, don't be discouraged! 

Mistake #1:  Fly by the seat of your pants

I posted sporadically when I first started blogging. There was no pressure to create new material, so if I didn't have anything to write about I would simply skip a day or two.

But when I committed to blogging daily, it became a little more difficult to come up with ideas. I would wake up, realize I didn't have anything planned, and scramble to throw something together for the sake of posting. And the next day it would happen all over again. I wasn't putting adequate thought and intention in my posts, and inevitably my content suffered. Being unprepared left me with posts that I didn't enjoy writing and material my visitors didn't enjoy reading.

So I started to blog smarter by planning out my posts. The saying "a little planning goes a long way" couldn't be more true. It felt strange saving posts for later, but creating a blog schedule gave me control and saved me stress. More importantly, it provided my readers with better content. 

Mistake #2:  Get too wrapped up in a schedule

It didn't take long for the pendulum to swing hard in the other direction. I got so wrapped up in my blog schedule and my weekly blog series' that I never deviated from the list. I was achieving my goal of posting daily, but there was something missing. The blog got boring fast.

I've learned that the cure for "blog boredom" is staying actively inspired, which I'll talk more about in a minute. Just because you have blog series in place doesn't mean you're done. If you aren't growing and enjoying your posts, what's the point? 

Mistake #3:  Do what everyone else is doing

This is by far the greatest hindrance to creating quality content. With so many great bloggers out there, it's easy to be inspired. But if your blog is too heavily influenced by other blogs, you're going to run into trouble. A photocopy is never as sharp as an original. Don't be an imitation; stand out from the crowd by coming up with ideas and content that is distinctly and uniquely you. 

Related Post: 4 Tips for Finding & Embracing Your Design Style

This Blog Calendar printable is available for unlimited use in the Elle & Company Library!

Creating a Content Plan

Now that we've combatted some common mistakes, let's get to work on your content plan! Take time to work through these exercises and fill out these questions - this is a pivotal step in the success of your blog.

1. Brainstorm the content you want to write about.

If you read last week's post, you've probably noticed that I'm a big fan of brainstorming ideas. Use your "areas of interest" list (last week's homework) and spend some uninterrupted time creating broad categories that you would like to cover on your blog. Once you have those listed, create subcategories under each one. Get every topic on there, big and small.

If you're like me, this step will start a whirlwind of ideas. I've found that my best content is created when I'm inspired and excited about a topic. 

2. List the content you don't want to write about.

This is just as important as #1. There are several things that I'm interested in and passionate about that I choose not to include on the blog. Some don't go along with my mission statement, some are just too personal, and some I'd like to keep as hobbies without the added pressure of using them as blog material. There's something to be said about setting boundaries up front and knowing what you aren't interested in writing about. 

3. Set your expectations.

How often do you plan on posting? Twice a day? Three times a week? Once a month? Keep in mind that there is no standard; no one else is setting these expectations. Consistency is good for both you and your readers, so choose a schedule that works best for you.

4. Start a series.

It's often helpful to start a series of posts to share weekly or monthly. These features provide consistency for your readers and give them something to return for, but they also provide you with material to blog about. Plan the series that you want to blog and decide how often you plan on posting them. Keep in mind that you can always reevaluate these features and make adjustments every few months. 

Examples of blog series: Monday's Letters, Weekly Truth & Coffee Dates

5. Keep a few backup posts on hand.

Sometimes things don't always go as planned, and that's okay. Keep one or two easy backup posts on hand in case one of your blog posts falls through or requires more time to complete. If you get through the month without having to use them, you have a few bonus posts to double up on!

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A few questions to keep in mind

Is your content plan attainable?

I'm guilty of getting a little over-ambitious when I'm writing out my schedule. If you're like me, this question is one that you may need to ask yourself often.

Identify which posts will be more time-consuming and space them out throughout the month. Throw some "easy" posts in the mix that won't require as much time and effort to lighten up your load.

Are you excited about your planned content?

Creating a blog calendar should be helpful, not stressful. If you're feeling overwhelmed by your content plan, you may want to reconsider your post frequency and switch things up a little. You're bound to come across a post that takes a little more brain power and effort, but preparing for your posts should never be daunting. Make it a priority to stay inspired and beat blogging boredom by choosing posts that excite you.

Do you see any fluffy posts?

Fluffy posts are filler posts that don't serve any greater purpose. These posts may even be popular with your readers, but they won't make you successful in the long run. Why waste your time putting fluff out there when you could be providing people with useful content? If you see fluffy posts, mark through them on your blog calendar and replace them with something worthwhile.

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If you've followed these steps, I guarantee you'll be left with an inspiring, quality content plan. And if you have any questions along the way, feel free to reach out to me! Like I said - I love brainstorming, and I love encouraging other bloggers even more. 

Read other posts in this series:

How to Start a Blog: Finding Your Niche

One of the best things about blogging is that the opportunities are endless. This young blogging industry has only continued to grow in the past few years because it is exploding with opportunity. Bloggers all over the place are speaking at conferences, writing books, leaving their day jobs to blog full time - there is no limit in sight! 

Anyone has the ability to start a blog, and many people are jumping in headfirst to this fun blogging world. But because there is so much opportunity out there, it can be overwhelming to know where to start and how to set yourself apart.

Today I'm giving you tips on how to find your niche. It's important that the purpose behind your blog is something that you're truly passionate about and something you can build upon. After all, the purpose behind your blog is the foundation for each decision you'll make about it from here on out. I'll also share ways that you can experiment and take your unique idea to the next level. 

Discover areas of interest

1. List all of your areas of interest down on paper

Yes, all of them. Even if you're 100% certain that you would never blog about it, write it down anyway. What do you like to do in your spare time? What makes you happy? What are some hidden talents that people would never know about you? What have you won awards for? What topics interest you? What are your favorite colors, bands, hobbies? What are your favorite blogs and what topics interest you?

Keep in mind that no one else will see this list, so there's no reason to be cautious in what you write down. When I did this activity a few months ago, my list contained everything from my hidden talent of rapping to teaching dance aerobics. Even funnier? I actually rapped in a post a few weeks ago and it was a hit! You never know what you'll be inspired by, so get it all on there.

2. Once you have your list, go through and highlight topics that you might consider blogging about

Look for any common denominators and take notice of popular categories. For example, you may have 24 items that are food-related and 2 items that are design-related. This exercise is a good indicator of how many ideas you will have for certain subjects right off the bat and may reveal what could set you apart from everyone else.

Even if you're already a blogger, this exercise is a great way to brainstorm for new ideas. It's easy to get burnt out and stuck in an inspiration rut, but sitting down and listing out your interests might get your gears turning and remind you of why you started blogging in the first place. 

Be open-minded

It's easy to create a quick list of topics and jump to conclusions about the blog you want to create, but I would encourage you to take it slow and explore your options. Mapping out a plan for your blog is a very good thing, but don't let it hinder your creativity. It's important to keep an open mind. Allow yourself some time to experiment and discover what you're passionate about. 

In my blogging experience, I put way too much thought into what other people would want to read and not enough thought into what I would enjoy posting. You'll quickly burn out if you don't enjoy what you're posting, and you won't know what you enjoy posting if you don't give yourself room to experiment. 

When you're writing about things that you're passionate about, it's easy to keep coming up with new ideas. I actually keep a small notebook on my desk and one in my purse to jot down ideas throughout my day - they just keep coming! If you love what you do, you're going to be encouraged to learn more, test things out, and share your passion with other people. 

Your niche and your purpose should excite you, so give yourself the opportunity to test out ideas. You won't be able to create something successful and sustainable without this experimental phase.

Side note. Finding something that you're passionate about will also help you stand out from the rest. New bloggers have a tendency to chase after topics that everyone else is already blogging about, but don't buy into it! Separate yourself by posting things that you enjoy, that you're an expert in, and that you can maintain. 

Identify your strengths

Passion is good. But passion and talent is fantastic. Knowing your strengths and playing them up will make your blog content stronger and more original. 

Identify your strengths by thinking back on major accomplishments and activities that you've kept up with over the past 5+ years. Again, it might be helpful to list them out. See if there are any trends or patterns. Do you work well in a team or do you thrive working solo? Are you self-motivated or do you need an incentive to stay on task? Do you excel in academics or are you more artsy and free-spirited? All of these things are important to consider as you figure out what your blog will look like. 

It might be difficult for you to evaluate yourself, so consider asking those who are close to you. Oftentimes friends and family know you best and will be honest with you, so ask around and see what strengths others might see in you.

Taking a hard look at yourself is difficult, so don't be discouraged by this section. You have everything you need to begin a successful blog. You have talents and gifts that are specific to you and will make your blog unique. There is no one else quite like you and you have something different to offer. Play to your strengths in a way that only you can!

Narrow it down

This is where your areas of interest, your passions, and your strengths culminate. Choosing a focus and narrowing it down will help you tie everything together. Here are some helpful ways to fine-tune it all:

1. Choose a category

Even if you write on several different subjects, you should pinpoint one primary category for your blog. This can be intimidating and it might feel like you're putting yourself in a box, but choosing a category doesn't limit your content. It creates a sense of focus and priority.

2. Write a mission statement

Summarizing your purpose into a few sentences will force you to simplify your focus and quickly communicate who you are to potential new readers and acquaintances. 

3. Develop your blog's tone of voice

Every blog has a personality, and it doesn't just happen - it's intentional. What do you want the vibe of your blog to be? Witty? Encouraging? Sarcastic? Helpful? I love this quote from one of my favorite bloggers, Elsie of A Beautiful Mess:

"A blog with a strong mood can transport you just like a good story or a beautiful movie. It's a peek into someone else's life, perspective, or creative process. I love when a blog has a strong ethos, even (maybe especially) when it's different from what we do on A Beautiful Mess. It's fun to be transported."

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Finding your niche is the most important step in starting a blog. Your purpose is the foundation for every decision you make and every post you write, and each person who visits your blog will be affected by it. So spend some time thoughtfully mapping it out. I can't wait to hear what you come up with!

How to Start a Blog: My Story

I've been sweetly surprised by the number of inquiries I've received from other ladies about how to start a blog. And while I certainly don't have all the answers, I do have some tips and advice to share from my own blogging experience. It's no secret that I'm passionate about blogging, and if it's something you're interested in, too, then this new series is for you!

But before I dig in to all of the good stuff - purpose, content, platforms, design - I'm giving you a little background on how I got here. 

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Part 1: This Sweet Season

Calling my last semester of college "chaotic" is an understatement. I had 20+ projects to design for my senior portfolio, 18 credit hours to complete before graduation, a part-time job at State Farm, 5 aerobics classes to teach each week, babysitting jobs each weekend, and oh yeah! a ring on my left hand and a fall wedding to plan. What in the world was I thinking? Pure craziness. 

When I had some spare moments, I started reading blogs of all kinds - lifestyle blogs, food blogs, fitness blogs, design blogs. Their stories, advice, and how-to's drew me in, and I enjoyed getting to know the ladies behind the blogs. As I followed along with their posts, I considered starting my own blog. Between all of the activities that were filling up my planner, I certainly had a lot to write about. So I started a little blog called This Sweet Season to document college graduation and all of the fun events leading up to our wedding. 

I formed an account on Blogger, prettied up a basic template with fun fonts and colors, and began writing. I remember feeling so nervous hitting "publish" on those first posts and even more nervous to advertise my new blog on social media. But the response was pleasantly surprising - a handful of people were actually following along with me!

I would blog a couple times a week, adding photos and recaps of fun events - bridal showers, moving into our Cottage, starting my first "big girl" job. I didn't really have a long-term goal at the time, and I was clueless to what blogging would become. It was purely just for fun (which is how I wish every blog would start!)

Part 2: Sharing my designs 

I never shared much of my design work in those early posts. After 4 years of art projects and class critiques in college, I took a much needed vacation from anything design-related. But inevitably, I picked up my sketchbook again and began sharing designs and doodles on the blog. Even then, I didn't consider that my blog would ever become design focused; it was just another facet of my life that I wanted to share. 

My readers (still mostly friends and family) were positive and encouraging about the design work that I posted, so I started designing free monthly printables to share with them. Around Christmastime I designed a couple monogram art prints as gifts and that's when I had an idea to open up a print shop on Etsy. I used the blog to promote the shop, which I also named This Sweet Season.

Before I knew it, blog followers were asking me to design custom projects - wedding invitations, custom art prints, shower invitations, birth announcements. The blog evolved from a place for me to recap life events to a place where I could share about my life and my latest design work. My readership grew, and for the first time I was able to envision what my blog could look like long-term. 

Part 3: A clean slate and a fresh start

Fast forward one year to last October. Jake and I knew that we would be moving to Charlotte in January so he could pursue seminary. The blog was doing well but I felt like I had hit a wall. The name This Sweet Season didn't feel fitting for what I was trying to achieve with my blog any longer, and while I enjoyed the print shop on Etsy, I had an itch to switch things up a little. Sometimes you just need a clean slate and a fresh start.

The type-A in me has always longed to combine my design eye with my love of organization, so I decided to design a planner. And not just any planner, but a planner that could be tailored to all kinds of ladies - students, professionals, and mamas alike. So I switched the name to Elle & Company (the meaning behind that name is explained in an upcoming post), created the Daybook Planner and all of the inserts, invested in headshots and product photography, and spent a couple months designing the new branding and a website. I launched Elle & Company five days after we moved to Charlotte. 

I wanted to continue to showcase my design work on the blog and share about my life, but I also wanted it to be a place that encouraged community. I began networking with other ladies in similar fields and featuring them on the blog for Coffee Dates. I carried over successful blog series from This Sweet Season, the most popular one being Monday's Letters. And I began to blog on a consistent basis - one post each weekday. 

Part 4: Continuing to grow

And that brings us to the present. Since the launch of this new space 5 months ago, the blog has continued to grow and change. My readership has increased over time, I've begun to find my niche and my audience, and I've learned a lot about blogging in the process (both what to do and maybe even more importantly, what not to do). 

What started out as a fun way to record life events has evolved into a space that's allowed me to get passionate about design again, showcase my design work, share snapshots of my life, meet new friends, and (hopefully) inspire others in the process.

Although I'm by no means a "blogging expert," I'm excited to share with you the things that I do know about this ever-changing blog world. And I'm even more excited to see how this series will help you along the way!

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I want to hear your story! Do you have a blog that you would like to grow or are you considering starting a blog? What topics would be most helpful for you in this new series?