With nearly a couple of million blogs online and so many covering the same topics it can be a daunting task to gain a level of recognition and establish a brand. There are so many “me too” sites that you must find some way to be unique and stand out from the crowd. Learning how to blog like a pro takes time but this is not beyond anyone’s ability.
Following some of the 15 tips I’ve listed below will give you a fighting chance to find success, so let’s jump right in.
1. Find Your Passion
The topic you decide to write about must be one that you have a strong passion for covering. As a blogger, you’ll need to constantly create content for your readers so writing about a topic that you are not in love with may lead to failure.
You will run out of ideas and enthusiasm for the craft, struggling to come up with something unique and eventually allow your blog to join the millions of other dust collectors that have been abandoned. Like most things in life, you have to love what you’re doing so finding your passion is critical to success.
2. Be Authentic
Do not waste your time trying to be like some other successful blogger, be yourself. It’s okay to utilize some of the same successful techniques of others, but do it in your own style and find your own voice. Nothing can substitute for your own authenticity and originality, which will come through in your writing.
3. Use a Professional Theme
With WordPress leading the way in content management systems there are no shortages in themes available for your usage. WordPress.org provides more than 1300 free themes alone, but the problem is that many of these are cookie-cutter types that are in use everywhere.
For the beginning blogger with a limited budget these are okay to get started, but what you really want is a unique, customized theme, making your site like no other.
The best way to accomplish this is to use a professional theme like Thesis or some other commercial product that is customizable and provides search engine optimization (SEO) features to help you rank your site. This will cost you some money, but view this as an investment in your blogging future.
4. Use a Custom Header
Your site’s header image is much like the awning above a brick and mortar storefront. It identifies what your site represents and will be remembered by visitors. You want to deliver your message here clean and concisely.
5. Start Building Your Mailing List
Building a mailing list (email) is one of the most important things you can do as a blogger, particularly if you are blogging as part of your business development plan. Offering a newsletter, report or ebook in exchange for someone’s email address is an ethical way of convincing people to sign up to your list. By doing so, they have agreed to be contacted by you periodically.
What’s important to remember is the fact that you have been trusted to protect the subscriber’s personal email and treat them with respect by not spamming them with all sorts of offers to sell them something. The main goal here is to build relationships, share helpful tips and knowledge and be as helpful as possible.
When it comes time to market a product or service, your list is one of the places you would do so, but it’s not it’s sole purpose.
Using services like Feedblitz, Mailchimp or Aweber can make relationship building easy to manage by creating professional looking communications and providing tracking stats.
6. Always Write for Your Readers
First and foremost it is the readers of your blog that you must focus on, providing something entertaining or informative for them. Learn as much about your readers as possible, find out what they like and give it to them. Constantly.
Unless this is your normal way of talking, avoid professor-speak and write using words and terms that anyone can understand. It’s best to write in conversational tones.
7. Post Regularly
Some say you should post daily while others say post at least 3 times each week. I say be consistent with whatever posting schedule you establish. Do not overburden yourself trying to post as often as some of your peers, you have to find your own comfort zone and maintain that on a consistent basis.
It’s also okay to tell your readers what days you will post or encourage them to subscribe via your RSS feed so that they are notified with each update.
8. Always Write From Your Own Experiences
Never write about a topic you have no experience with as this only sets you up for failure or public embarrassment. Case in point; writing about making money online when you’ve not made a dime just makes no sense. Why struggle with a topic you have no experience with?
This ties back into # 2 above, be authentic and stick with what you know. Everyone is good at something and likely knows more about a particular topic than most others, so writing about your experiences brings a level of authority to you and your work.
None of that fake it til you make it stuff!
9. Keep a Log of Post Ideas
We bloggers are always looking for ways to create content and often you’ll find that ideas come to you at the most inopportune moment. For that reason it is a good idea to have some means of taking notes available at all times. A simple note pad, your smart phone, many of which have voice recording apps, or a PDA are all tools that can capture your thoughts of the moment.
It is important to capture these ideas as they develop, otherwise they are usually lost. I even keep a pad and paper on my nightstand since I sometimes think of an idea while resting.
10. Comment on the Work of Others
Much as you enjoy having your content read, shared and commented on, so do others. Blogging is not a one-way street, get out there and add to the conversations that take place in the comment sections of other blogs.
By doing so you become an active participant in that particular community and people will want to know more about you and visit your blog, a great source of indirect traffic.
This is also a nice way to get on the radar of the blog owner, creating yet another opportunity to network and build a relationship. Some of the results of these types of activities are joint venture projects, guest posting opportunities and other positive outcomes.
Commenting on other blogs is also a great learning experience as often the comment section can provide as much valuable information as the post itself.
Be sure to leave a quality comment, not just a “Great post” statement.
Two final words about blog commenting… Do it!
11. Be Sociable
Having a blog, website or online business to promote means that you need traffic to be successful. One of the great methods of accomplishing this is the use of social media sites. The problem is that many use these sites improperly by simply spamming their links all over the place and not being sociable at all.
Using sites like Twitter, Facebook and a host of others in this manner will surely leave a bad impression and brand you as someone to NOT do business with or even associate with for that matter.
The correct and easy way to use these sites is to simply have fun, be sociable and let things flow naturally.
When used properly, these site can provide a positive brand awareness, additional traffic to your site and plenty of opportunities to network and build relationships, which is what the online life is all about. No man, woman or blog is an island and you need to interact with others to be successful.
12. Create or Join a Blogging Network
It is very important to identify with a core group of bloggers and become a part of that network. There is no membership required, simply hang out with like-minded bloggers who share a common goal. Many of these folks will be outside of your niche, which is fine. The idea is to establish and build some friendships.
As you visit other blogs you will notice many of the same people traveling a sort of circuit. If you like the group simply join in and support the others who will in turn support you as well.
13. Create Your Blogging Habits
Life is all about creating habits that make us successful and blogging is no different. Long before you hit the publish button for the first time, you should have some idea of where you are trying to go with your efforts and how best to get there.
Each piece of content you create should have a specific purpose and thinking about the possible results ahead of time may help you assemble a better post to offer your readers.
Establish a routine for content creation and repeat the process each time your write and publish. Perform some research, determine the keywords you will target, think about the best type of images to use, these are all part of the process.
Type or write down this process and be certain to follow it each and every time. Eventually this will become a habit that allows you to get the most out of every post.
13. Create an outstanding “About” page
As my friend Michele Welch wrote; Your About Page is NOT About You! And she is absolutely correct. The About page is designed to inform your visitors, letting them know what you represent and what you have to offer them in detail.
No need to be shy here, let them know how you can help them.
14. Commit for the Long-Term
Blogging is a difficult craft and success often does not arrive overnight or in a matter of months. Entering this arena requires a long-term commitment because that is what it will take to reach the level of success you envision.
Unfortunately, there is this wide-spread misconception that you can blog and make tons of money by simply posting articles but that is far from the truth. A blog is a tool to be used in the development of your business and is not the business itself.
As many early stage bloggers find out, this is not the picnic they thought it was, so they fold their tents and move onto other interests.
Like any business, it requires lots of hard work and dedication.
15. Be Patient
As mentioned above in #14, this is not the easiest of things to succeed at, but you absolutely can succeed by following the lead of other successful people and taking continual action.
I’ve said this many time, the difference between the successful and the unsuccessful is that those who have found success have done what most others will not. It’s as simple as that.
Continue to work your craft and build your blog organically. No smoke and mirrors or black hat methods will serve you well. Eventually, you will reach a tipping point where things will come together and boost you to the next level.
Conclusion
Anyone can blog like a pro and in fact, become a pro earning a full-time income. There are lots of methods for accomplishing this and you’ll have to decide upon a path, lay out your plan to get there and take action on a continual basis. Try to do something daily that moves you closer to your goal, no matter how small.
Remain focused on what you are trying to accomplish and avoid the numerous shiny objects that will appear before you on a daily basis. Follow through on one method before moving on to something else.
Success is there for you and the only person standing in your way can be found in the nearest mirror.
Stay Productive!
18 Responses to 15 Tips to Help You Blog Like a Pro
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" @sbc111 That's quite a thrill ride. Great that you have that skill. " — JimiJones
Hi Jimi
A comprehensive and informative post and list here of the necessary elements to pay heed to. If we embrace all these aspects we should be on our way with our blogging journey.
As you know I have just had my blog made over. Still didn’t have a budget so had to think outside the box. I write articles for my friend, she does techie stuff for me. Win-win situation.
With my “About Page” I tell the story of how my blog came about and how my love for lavender began. So far had positive response to my story. I notice you say it shouldn’t be about us. I am not sure how an about page can’t be about us; as when I go to read about a blog I want to get to know the blog owner.
Have I missed something with this statement? Maybe I need to revisit that page now I have been blogging for awhile.
Enjoyed the post. Thanks Jimi
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia@lavender´s last [type] ..A Gardener’s Guide to Growing a Business
Hi Patricia.
Thanks for reading this long post.
I think your makeover really came out nicely, love the look. I read your about page and found that story to be quite interesting, providing a lot of background.
To be clear on the “It’s not about us” statement, many about pages tell a lot about the person and their likes, hobbies, etc,, but give little information about how the blog came to be or why anyone should actually read it. People want to know what they can gain from reading a person’s blog, not so much the resume of their past unrelated work history and such.
I’ve seen many that provide no tie-in with the blog itself. The about page is not about what you want readers to know about you but rather, what they need to know to determine if your blog is for them or not.
If your blog covers ways to hack and customize themes, they don’t need to know that you played tennis in high school.
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..10 Ways to Never Stop Learning
I like these, but I have to admit that I’m not necessarily married to #3, that being that one needs a professional theme. I’ve been blogging for, well, 6 or 7 years now, and I’ve never gone with a professional theme. Now, what I have done is taken the format of a theme I liked and then changed some things around to make it more my own, so that it looks somewhat different than all the others.
Mitch Mitchell´s last [type] ..Social Media Isn’t For Everyone
Hey Mitch.
Sounds like you’ve done some customizations of your stock theme, which is the point I was making. Many new bloggers who don’t have the skills for coding and such would have to pay someone to do this type of work. But rather than customize a stock theme an alternative would be to purchase a premium pro theme that has less circulation on it in terms of usage.
It can work either way, as you’ve demonstrated but in order to obtain a level of uniqueness, something will have to be done beside just employing the themes from the free directory.
Inside the WP theme directory there is an entry for the number of times a theme has been downloaded, which gives a hint as to it’s popularity. Using one with 25,000 downloads may not be the way to go, no matter how nice it looks.
Thanks for your comment, you raised a good point.
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..The Sunday Seven Weekly
And don’t forget – make your readers laugh and want to come back again and again!
That seems to have been very helpful for me…
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last [type] ..Google Secrets 2 – Make Dynamic Viral Photo Galleries That Your Delighted Readers Crave To Share
Hey Barbara.
Great point, the reading experience needs to provide more than just knowledge, but fun as well. Your post are always entertaining and lighthearted while teaching some great lessons.
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..10 Ways to Motivate Yourself
Jimi…Thanks again for more blog insights. I find myself doing parts of your main points naturally. It’s just good to see some of the intuitive stuff written down in plain language. Now I’ve got to work on points 14 and 15.
Hansi´s last [type] ..Love It- Or Leave It
Hey Hansi.
Glad to know you’ve found a groove. Working on 14 and 15 will be a breeze for you, just keep writing.
Good to see you.
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..The Sunday Seven Weekly
Hi Jimi, nice post. I understand that there are actually 100 million blogs out there! I think you outline a great process – one thing I would say is that whilst long term commitment is easy to give at the start, it’s a lot harder to deliver 18 months down the line. One suggestion that I’ve read so far is do not hit publish until you’ve written at least 50 blog posts/idease. If you can’t come up that many, perhaps you aren’t as passionate about the subject as your first thought.
Matthew Needham´s last [type] ..20 Days To A Better Business- Don’t Check Email First Thing
Hi Matthew.
100 million is quite a number, all the reason to work that much harder and find a way to break from the crowd.
I agree, as we get farther down the road and have been doing this for some time, it can become more difficult to stay committed. Like many professions, this is not for everyone.
The suggestion of not publishing until you’ve come up with 50 or more titles is really a good one. That’s a nice way to help determine a topic and find out just how much content you can generate to get started. One thing is certain, if you struggle coming up with content, you won’t last long.
Thanks for adding to the conversation, Matthew.
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..15 Tips to Help You Blog Like a Pro
Hi Jimi,
There is no alternate of good content. First of all, a beginner should write some good articles about their niche and he should also keep in mind basic SEO techniques while creating his content.
I have started blogging last year with only a few visitors daily and now my blog has about 4000 visitor per day within less than a year. I am happy with this and continue my blogging experience to become a Pro Blogger like you in near future.
Hi Nazim.
I agree, in order to get off to a good start and continue to grow your blog, exceptional content will be a must. Content creation gets easier as time goes on. It sounds like you are making good progress and should continue to do well.
Thanks for visiting.
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..10 Ways to Never Stop Learning
Hi Jimi,
Wow, this is one hell of a post…what I would call a power post! There are two points I would like to point in particular.
1. Running a website is a long term commitment. I think when people finally get that there’s no short-term fix and just long term persistence, you will be more willing to stick it out and overcome your obstacles.
2. . Being consistent with whatever posting schedule you establish. I’ve really gone back and forth on this. I started with 2 posts, than went to 4 and now I post 2-3x per week. I haven’t actually decided what works for me yet. However, I do keep it consistent in that I post during the weekdays. I also, consistently email my list bi-weekly, which I think is important.
Really enjoyed your post!
Oh. P.S. Thanks so much for the shout out!! I really appreciate it.
Michele Welch´s last [type] ..Is Good Good Enough In Business
Hi Michele.
Thanks for your great comment.
I agree that there is a misconception regarding what’s involved in running a website. It’s the reason so many bail when they find out the amount of effort that is required.
There are lots of opinions on post scheduling but it’s best to go with what’s comfortable. I’d like to post 6 times weekly, but can reasonably manage 4 since I have other projects underway (niche sites, e-lessons, etc.). The main thing is to keep it the site fresh with several post weekly if one can swing it.
I read a lot of blogs that are linking out to stale sites, some of which have not be updated in many months or longer. It’s really too bad because some of them appeared to have it going on, but packed it in for whatever reason.
I’m here to stay and I’m sure you are as well, so we’ll just keep rockin it and share some war stories along the way. LOL
Thanks for visiting, I appreciate it!
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..How to Make a Fresh Start in Life
Hey Jimi,
. A very comprehensive post which serves as a great check list to go through. I most certainly agree with all 15 and then some!
You’ve done a heck of a job here
Now you know I could probably take each of these points and comment on them lol
but instead I wanted to add a little something to number 6 if you don’t mind.
What you said there is very true. Always know your audience and that of your host’s if you guest post. However, in my case – I also write for myself.
As much as it’s important to use a tone or style that your readers will enjoy and not find monotonous – it’s important that it be your unique voice – a part of your personality. That’s what attracts me to a blog in the first place.
I write what I want to write about in the way I want to write about it. But yes, I do take my readers into consideration big time when I do so. I want to keep them entertained all while providing them with a topic they may find interesting.
That’s just my opinion and of course many can agree or disagree – but so far, it seems to be working for me and my readers.
Oh man, I’m just aching to comment on each of your excellent points but this comment would turn into a book – so once again – fantastic points and great advice!
Nicely done Jimi.
Have a good week.
Cheers
Ingrid Abboud´s last [type] ..Bring IT! How Much Should You Tell Your Readers About You
Hey Ingrid!
Good to see you, friend.
I often say, comments can teach and share as much info as a post itself, more in many instances. 
There are no restrictions on comments here, have at it. I know you can go a spell.
I enjoy your writing style, it flows naturally, which is exactly how it should be.
Glad you enjoyed the post, means a lot to me.
We’ll see you out there!
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..How to Make a Fresh Start in Life
[...] 15 Tips to Help You Blog Like a Pro – by Jimi Jones, jimijones.com [...]
Hi, your tips are very useful. If possible anybody reading this can you give me your opinion. I want to start a blog for my shopping guide, but I am confused if I should be blogging or writing articles or both. Could the blogging be about new products coming out and compare them, talk about release dates of products, talk about events like christmas, easter. Article-wise the topics could be how to buy a certain product, how to use a certain product, info about a product or service, glossaries. Should I have 2 separate categories: blogging and articles or can both go under the same category ‘blog’? All opinions welcome.