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Tip One // Getting Started
As you're currently reading a post for new bloggers, I'm going to assume you are in the process of building your blog. When I was at this stage, I remember wondering whether I had the chops to participate in a community of so many amazing people. I just to want to get it out there that we're all just regular people with a love for books and you don't really need any special skills although a basic writing ability and a few hours to spare each week will help!
Tip Two // Why YA?
This is a question many of us have asked ourselves especially those who are no longer within the recommended age bracket of the Young Adult genre. It's a complete mystery to me and many others as to why it seems to have blown up in the bookstore and blogosphere. The truth is, no one really knows but let's enjoy the community of like-minded individuals while it lasts unless YA Books aren't really your calling and you're only jumping on the bandwagon to become a successful blogger. In that case, build your blog around your daily life or basically any passion or interest you have as there is likely to be a following out there somewhere!
Once you've got the basics of your blog sorted, you may start to wonder how to build interest. Well, it all comes down to socializing. Spend lots of time commenting on other blogs and you may just make some friends along the way, it's also the perfect way to gain inspiration for your next blog post, just remember to always give credit to the original blogger. Don't forget to create a Twitter or Facebook account that links to your blog so we can get to know you a little bit better! Tip Four // Followers
It may seem like blogging is purely a game of building followers but you'll soon realize that the GFC Widget isn't a very clear representation of readership at all. Most blogs with a large following have either hosted a giveaway or have simply been around for yonks! The best advice I can give you is simply do not pay attention to the little or large number on your sidebar as you'll only to start to hate on it... just make sure it's easy for readers to follow your blog in a variety of ways i.e. email subscription, rss or bloglovin.
Tip Five // ARCs
At first, you may be tempted to request review books but in my opinion, it is best to wait until you have your reviewing format down-pat. It's entirely up to you but my advice would be to start off reviewing your own books or those you can obtain at the library. Once you're comfortable with your skills, you'll be able to build a great relationship with publicists by reviewing each and every book sent out to you in a timely manner and you'll become much more successful in the end.
Tip Six // Advertising
Tip Seven // Design
We would all love to turn our hobbies into a paid career but unfortunately blog earnings are extremely slim and some advertising will actually turn away readers. For the most part, a small button on your blog sidebar won't bother followers and they are now really easy to install thanks to Google AdSense and many other blog advertising websites.
You may find it a little time-consuming but the design of your blog is extremely important. For your first layout, a freebie self-install that represents your personality should do the job just look for something that personifies the topics you hope to discuss. Try to avoid overcrowding your sidebar or choosing a font that is hard to read as these are huge pet peeves in the world of blogging.
Tip Eight // Quality vs. Quantity
It may seem like you're already behind the eight-ball but as a newbie blogger you'll have plenty of motivation and ideas for posting on your blog. Try to strike while the creative iron is hot by scheduling a few quality posts in advance while also not becoming too reliant on fluff posts unless that's what you're going for.
Tip Nine // Vlogs If you have the confidence to blog via video recording then I say give it a go. There is nothing better than popping by a random In My Mailbox post and instantly getting to know the personality behind a blog. It isn't an essential skill but totally worth giving it a go at some point. Tip Ten // Real Life It's extremely easy for blogging to take over your life so remember to take a step back every now and again to analyze the amount of time you're devoting to your blog and whether it's having a negative effect on your social life. In the end, you'll be the only one to notice if you've gone on hiatus for a week, month or even a year so don's stress too much about taking regular breaks throughout the year.
Top Ten Tuesday is organized by the lovely people at The Broke and The Bookish.
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Top Ten Tips For New Book Bloggers
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