20 Tips to Improve Your Blog and Your Online Presence

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Although I started blogging a little over 3 years ago, it has been a slow and organic journey. By choice.

It is like the guy that starts out in the mail room and then works his way up the ladder. Over time, when he finally makes it to mahogany row, he values every piece of growth along the way.

Image of http, Web Page, Computer Icon, Web Address

I started off on the Blogger platform and honestly saw absolutely no reason to change to WordPress. It really just seemed like a pricey headache. And what does self-hosted mean any way?

Kidding.

Then I started hearing and reading about things like SEO, Google Pagerank, plug-ins, keywords, Google Analytics, Alexa, blogging conferences. For crying out loud, I still get a little overwhelmed with it all.

Soon I found a mentor and started studying the sites I really connected with. I accessed each of these sites from every angle. I would ask myself, why does this reader pull me in?, what is it about their site that makes it easy for me to navigate?,  what is it about their site that makes me feel like I am walking away with valueable information when I leave? (Even if it was not tangible, what was I walking away with?)  And forget the stereotypical description of the traditional thoughts that pop into your head when you hear the word BLOG. Some of these blogs look like professional websites. They are not just journals anymore.

Earlier this year I made the switch to WordPress. I have not looked back since. Actually, it has inspired me to create a couple of new sites, completely unrelated to Crystal & Co. One thing I’ve realized is that I have gained some pretty valuable information along the way. Some do’s and don’ts, if you will, and I would love to share them with you if you’re new to blogging or considering starting your own.

20 Blogging Tips

  1. The number one tip to always have at the front of your mind is that content is key. Without good content, readers will not stick around. You can have the most beautiful site design, but without quality content you’re not going to keep readers.
  2. Purchase your URL before someone else does. It costs less than $20 a year in most cases.
  3. Install the Alexa toolbar. Here is a great article on the benefits of Alexa.
  4. Have a home button in your navigation bar. You do have a navigation bar right? I do not want to have to manipulate the browser address just to get back to your home page. Here is a tutorial for making your own navigation bar in Blogger.
  5. It is perfectly fine to start off on Blogger to see if blogging is something that you are defiantly going to stick to. After all, WordPress.com requires self hosting, an owned URL, and is generally more expensive to have designed. But once you know your site is a career choice for you, make the switch to WordPress. Does moving intimidate you or seem too expensive? Here is an affordable e-book that walks you through the step by step process of moving from Blogger to WordPress in layman terms.
  6. If you are on Blogger, turn the comment Captcha off. Please. I beg you. It makes me crazy and I hate leaving your site without letting you know I was there. But after I have fought with Captcha a couple of times, I leave your site. And that makes me sad. On WordPress there is an easy plugin to prevent SPAM. Just sayin’.
  7. Install Google Analytics so you can track your growth. You will be surprised where some of your traffic comes from and which posts are most popular. Observe the key words that people are searching when they land on your site. Be aware of which sites are referring visitors to your blog.
  8. Connect with other bloggers. Make an effort to leave comments on five other blogs each day. You’ll meet new people, and it is a great way to get your site out there since your comment can link back to your site.
  9. Have a search box at the top of your site, preferably above the fold. I hate it when I have to spend time hunting it down. Say I land on an awesome craft blog and I want to see if they have birthday party invitation ideas, but I have to spend 5 minutes just searching for the search box. At some point I am just going to move on to the next site.
  10. Have your site categories identified and clearly visible. Your site header is cute. I see a few posts with some good information. But I want to be able to get a general idea of what your site is about in the first 15-20 seconds of arriving.
  11. Be a reader of your own site. Is it easy to search for content and topics? Is your site visually appealing and easy to read? Does it take too long for the site to load? See what other people see when they log onto your site each day.
  12. Go easy on the eyes. While some fonts can be really fun, be considerate of the fact that pretty fonts are not always easy to read. There is a craft site I frequented and I just had to stop. Her font made my eyes crazy. Half the time I could not figure out what the title of each post said. In the same regard, I do not suggest an overly busy layout either. While we all want a pretty site, do not let your layout take away from your great content.
  13. Have a welcome box and/or about page. I want to know more about you. Now, I do not want to know every detail of your life, but I do like to know what we have in common. I want to connect even if it is only virtually. We all want to know there is someone else out there in similar places as our own.
  14. Make contacting you easy. Maybe you are using a way cool plugin for your recipes or I have a simple question I want to ask you directly instead of leaving it in the comment section. I do not want to have to hunt for an email address. Make it obvious by using an icon to catch my eye and maybe even list it in your about me page as well.
  15. Get rid of the clutter. When your sidebars are covered from inch to inch and I do not know up from down and it gets a little overwhelming. Ask yourself before putting it in your sidebar, can my readers benefit from this?
  16. Get involved in linky opportunities within your niche. It is a great way to grow and expose your site to new readers.
  17. Be predictable in the sense that your readers want to know what to expect. If you only post 3 times a week, stick to that. Just say it somewhere- like your about me page. Obviously there are exceptions because we all have a life outside of our sites. But if you go weeks without posting and this is not your norm, your readers may lose interest in coming back. If you’re taking a vacation, just let your readers know you are unplugging for a week. Or schedule some bloggers to guest post on your site.
  18. Respond to comments that people leave you. You do not have to respond to every single one of them, but at least let your readers know that you know they are there.
  19. Get social outside of your blog. Start a community on Facebook and/or Twitter. If time allows, start a Pinterest account (way cool) and Stumble Upon accounts. Is that too much or does it make you feel overwhelmed? Just pick one and start there building your presence and getting to know other bloggers as well as your readers. If your involvement on social media sites affects your ability to produce great content (they can be time suckers), consider some of the free online resources that allow you to schedule Facebook and Twitter updates.
  20. Allow your readers an option to subscribe via feed or email. Feedburner is an awesome and free solution.

What tips have you learned along the way? I would love for you to share them in the comments.

More Blogging Tips from Crystal & Co.

120 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing Crystal. I know I went ot eventually switch to WordPress but am currently using blogger for my two blogs. I have never heard of the Alexa toolbar until now – I’m going to have to check it out. BTW – I have google analytics and I’ve seen you talk about google (organic) but what exactly does this mean?

    -Kelsey aka Alex 🙂

      1. Thank you Crystal! This is what I thought – it is pretty awesome to know how many ‘organic’ hits you get!!

        1. Alex, I owe a lot of the organic Google credit to a template I use from WordPress called Thesis. If you ever switch to WordPress I highly recommend this template.

          One year ago my organic Google hits were a whopping 31 during the month of June 2010. In June 2011, my Google organic hits were 4,225. For real.

          You can read more about it here:
          https://crystalandcomp.com/2011/07/blogger-appreciation-june-2011/

  2. Thanks for the post Crystal. As always, good advice. You’ve done your homework so others don’t have to. Still tweaking my WordPress sight and sometimes get frustrated, but it’s coming along. After seeing what you can do, I have faith I will get there.

  3. Great tips! I must admit I’m horrible at responding to reader’s comments. However, I do approve them so people know I read them. I guess I just don’t have the time to respond to comments and I really should make the time. I also don’t really do linkys.

    1. Lindsay, I am not sure that all readers know the process of comments being approved. Even if they are bloggers themselves using Blogger, they may not realize that most WordPress blogs have an approval process for comments. KWIM?

      For me, when I used Blogger, none of my comments had to be approved. So I had no idea that on WordPress comment went through an approval process. I remember many times commenting on a WordPress site and my comment not showing up and I had no idea what was going on. I just thought the computer ate my comment. 🙂

  4. Before I even finished reading this post, I opened a new tab and installed Alexa, then went to my site and moved search to the top of my sidebar. Great tips. Thanks.

    1. Awesome Heidi.

      I love your site, by the way. 🙂

  5. #8 is great advice for new bloggers too.

  6. I just began my own craft blog a few weeks ago and I think these tips are so very helpful! I’ve had my own family blog for a couple of years now, so I have been perusing the blog world for much longer. I totally agree with you about the sidebar craziness being too much sometimes. And, I’m heading over to my Dashboard right now to check the comment captcha. Thank you for sharing!

  7. Hi there! These are great blogging tips and I appreciate you sharing them. I’m always looking to improve 🙂 A few tips I’ve heard/learned along the way (so far) include:
    1-Turn off music track.
    2-Use Windows LiveWriter to draft and post blog posts.
    3-Turn off the flash when making blog pics.
    4-Always give credit for your inspiration if called for.
    5-Be yourself! Don’t worry about keeping up with trendy projects necessarily – create and blog about what inspires you!
    Love Laurie from Scene of the Grime

    1. Laurie-

      So true, always give credit when inspired by a project.

      I’ve heard lots of great things about Windows LifeWriter as well. I tried it back when I was on Blogger, but not used it all the time. I need to revisit that now that I am on WordPress.

      Thanks so much for sharing!

  8. Great tips! I never ask people to come check out my blog EVER, but I would love for you to come to mine and see what I can do better! (I do invite people to my recently new link up though, what’s the best way to do that?) I am going to check out Alexa and add a search box. Also, I got a url from godaddy.com but can’t figure it out! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

  9. Great tips! I’ve been blogging for a few months now, and I love seeing what “bigger” blogs say about starting out. 🙂 Have a wonderful day.

  10. Thank you so much for putting so much effort into this post! I love & greatly appreciate when more experienced bloggers give advice! You have wonderful insight! I’m visiting from sugar and dots =) I’d love for you to stop by my blog sometime!

    dazzlingdomesticdiva.blogspot.com

  11. Perfect list of advice! I never thought about keeping my categories available for my readers, but I see your point now. I’d add one more tip – Make it easy for people to find you on other sites, especially Twitter and Facebook.

  12. Meagan - Sunshine and Sippy Cups says:

    Love your list here, and I totally agree with you on all of them!

    Here are my best tips:
    1. On WordPress, get rid of that feature that says, “Slow down, you’re posting comments too fast”, it’s almost as bad as those darn old captchas!
    2. Be yourself, use your own voice, and share your honest opinions. That voice is what will set you apart from others, and is what will keep people coming back.
    3. Ask for help if you need it. I’m a newer blogger, and got a lot of great advice by asking for it, from bloggers I admired. And I’ve had brand new bloggers email me for advice/help/tips, and I love to be able to share the {still limited, lol} knowledge that I have. Blogland is usually a pretty helpful place 🙂

    Thanks for this list of tips, you rock!

  13. Thanks for all of the great tips. I am new to blogging (very new) and am still trying to figure things out. I am a new follower.
    Stephanie
    mylilpumpkinpatch.blogspot.com

  14. Wow, that advice is going to help me a ton! I had no idea how to do the menu thingy on top but it is always something I look for on other blogs. Thank you so much.

  15. THanks so much…just one question, what is captcha?

    1. Missy- captcha is the alpha/numeric grouping that some sites/blogs have in their comment section to ensure you are not a spammer. You can turn it off or on administratively on Blogger. When you are on WordPress there is a plugin you can use that will prevent SPAM without asking your readers to type in a captcha code.

      I hopre that helps. 🙂

    1. Kristen- when does the new wear off? That is a really good question.

      They say that every 6 months in the blogging world is like 1 year. If you can last the first 6 months, you’re on a roll. A lot of people lose stamina after just a few months and then never return to their blog again.

      For me, I just started to feel comfortable enough to guide or make suggestions to others. Afterall, I am just a mom that is blogging.

      But aren’t we all. 🙂

  16. Great tips. I actually do all of these but having this list a few months ago would have been super. I stumbled this because I think it will benefit others. 🙂

    Janice
    Celebrating Family

  17. What an awesome article! My husband is a programmer so I am familiar with all the behind the scenes when it comes to building a website. BLOGGING is another story, I still have so much to learn! I just disabled my captcha after reading this, something I have been meaning to do THANKS! This has been helpful. I found you from Somewhat Simple link party. Have a great day.

  18. Newbie here! Wish more seasoned bloggers would share specific opinions like these. Taking it all in, as I can use the critique. THANKS so much for this post. It helps!
    Please stop by and follow me back and lend some of your expertise. Be brutal. I can take it! 🙂

  19. Thanks for the tips! I am pretty new at blogging and love finding helpful information.

    Thanks,

    Summer

  20. Thanks for this post. I have recently stated blogging and am looking to start an etsy shop and these tips are going to help! check me out at hobbygatherer.blogspot.com

  21. Loved your site and the advice for bloggers….I am new to the blogging world. I am learning everyday thanks to your article and my daughter, Tara at her blog, Trendy Treehouse. I would love to have you to visit my blog, pinecreekstyle.blogspot.com Have a Stylish Day…..NeeCee

  22. Thanks for the great tips.

  23. Thanks for all the great tips, Crystal. As a new blogger, I’ve enjoyed reading and implementing them.

  24. Thanks for the great tips. I can’t wait to look further into some of them. Thanks again!
    -Jess (at) OlyMomma

  25. Wonderful tips!! Thank you so much for this. I found you on I <3 Naptime 🙂

  26. Thank you so much for the tip on making a navigation bar! I’ve been wanting to do that, but had no idea how to go about it. Thanks!

    1. Stephanie- Tip Junkie has a good selection of how to’s for your blog. I believe all the tutorials are for those using Blogger- just search blogging tips on her site.

  27. Katy Lunsford says:

    Great tips, thank you! Will you be my mentor?!

    1. Katy- do you have a blog? I only see an Etsy shop.

      One thing I think you will find with people who have an Etsy shop is they will use a blog to promote the shop.

      Blog about the stuff you make and link it back to your store. Share photos on your blog of the products you make, etc.

      Check out Clean Mama Printables and how she uses her blog to promote her store.

      http://www.cleanmama.blogspot.com/

  28. This was a great read! I am always looking for tips on blogging!

  29. these are awesome tips. you’ve really put it all in one place.

  30. Some of these tips sound awfully familiar. 🙂 I think you must have had a fabulous mentor along the way to famousness. Tee hee! Great job, hon! I was talking about you the other day… give me time to get back from vacation and I will be contacting you. 🙂

  31. Thank you for posting this! I’m just getting started on my blog and will take all the wonderful advice I can get. I appreciate you being so willing to share about what has helped you along the way. 🙂
    Have a lovely Monday!

    PearlsMakeItProfessional.wordpress.com

  32. These are some great tips. I hate blogs that are hard to navigate or that lack substance! I have pretty high expectations for the blogs I read!

  33. Many of these tips I knew, but I will read about the Alexa toolbar. I’ve wonderd why people have those. Your tips are things all of us need a refresher course on from time to time, so thanks for the reminders.

  34. These are wonderful tips! (visiting from Tip Junkie) I love sites that are easy to navigate… and I also hate music when I open a site. I need to look into the Alexa toolbar. Thanks for that tip!

  35. THese are some great tips. I have only been blogging for about 4 months so these are so helpful. Also thankyou for the link to blogger on setting up a navigation bar, I have been wondering if I could do that on blogger!

  36. Christeen says:

    Hi
    Just started blogging together with my daughter this week so all the tips I can get early are appreciated. Saving you in my favourites right now!!

  37. Thank you for all the great tips – I am toying with doing some “redecorating” on my blog. I don’t want to monetize it, but I do want to make it more enjoyable for people who stop by. Once the boys go back to school…

  38. Hi,
    I’m a new follower, this is a beneficial post loaded with great tips and advice (I’ve bookmarked it). Some of the things I already have in practice, but there were many things I need to implement. I’ve learned even more by reading the comments. Thanks and please stop by anytime, I’d love your feedback on how I can make my blog better:
    http://slipstitchesandmore.blogspot.com

  39. Thanks for the tips. I’ve wondered how to do this navigation bar and finally someone who explains it perfectly. I’ll be working on it. Have a great day.

  40. Those were very helpful tips. =D I have seen where I did things in the past with my blog and look back thinking, “Wow! That was crazy that I did that.” I still have room for improvement, but that’s what’s fun. Finding what works and rolling with it. Thank you for linking up to Give Back Thursday!

  41. These are really great tips. I started keeping track of what tips really helped, but then ran out of fingers to help me count. So I will just say I liked 1-20. 😉 jules

  42. These are great suggestions. I especially like the idea of keeping the web page clean of clutter. I always struggle with including something and worrying if it is too much. thanks again!

  43. Shanaka @ Mama Bee Does says:

    I love blogging but life keeps getting in the way. I have lost my blogging mojo a bit. I’m not letting it go though! Thanks for the list 🙂

  44. Love the post! Was wondering if you could provide more info on your mentor? Was this something you were intentionally looking for, or something that just occurred? Or wa it a service? Would love to know suggested sources if you’ve got em’!

    Thanks for such a great post!

    1. Carrie- in regard to my mentor…. when I became serious about blogging, I reached out to a particular blogger whose site I really appreciated. She answered a few of my questions and then I asked her if she would be willing to mentor me. And she did. It was incredibly helpful.

      My mentor was Kelli from 3 Boys and a Dog. She also has an awesome blogging basics section. You can view her Blogging Basics section here: http://3boysandadog.com/tag/blogging-basics/.

      Start networking with other bloggers. Reach out to the bloggers who you respect and ask them questions.

      Another great site to check out is Grow Map.She has lots of excellent content that can guide you along the way.
      http://www.growmap.com/bloggers-wanted-to-lead-blog-collabor/

      Kelli from 3 Boys and a Dog also suggests searching the hashtag #savvyblogging on Twitter, which is a great suggestion. They share tips all the time. Oh, and there are great tutorials on their site as well:http://savvyblogging.net/.

  45. This is a great list. I have had my blog for almost 3 years. It was off and on in the beginning, but now I really want to make a go of it. I really need to make the switch to wp. I’ve seen a lot of bloggers talk about Thesis, but what host do you use? Also, did you have someone design your site for you? I’m trying to figure out what to budget for the initial change and what my monthly outlay will be?

    Thanks for being so open!

  46. It was good to read through your tips, they are good tips and worth implementing.

  47. House rentals Bethany Beach de says:

    Lookin’ forward to next Wednesday.

  48. Coming over from TCB’s Get Your Craft on Tuesday. This is the 2nd time I have been pulled into your blog from a recent linky party 🙂 so now I am bookmarking it.

    I am so scared to switch over to WordPress. . been on Blogger for 2 1/2 years now. . .

    and I do have a silly question. . .what does above the fold mean??
    I understand that important info needs to stay above the fold but where does the fold stop?

    Thanks for so generously sharing!!

    1. Hi Su,

      So glad you found me… twice. 🙂

      Above the fold is what you seen on the screen when the page loads and you do not scroll down.
      You want important information to be visible the instant the page loads. This is the most valuable place on your site.
      If someone has to scroll down to view something, this is the information that is below the fold.
      Make sense?

  49. Thanks for these tips! I took #9 and added it into my blog, so not only can I find things way back when on the blog but now so can my readers.

    I have always wondered about all those extras on the side bar of blogs if I should provide links or ad space. I don’t really like to read ads on other blogs, so have been avoiding such things, except for a very few link party pages that can expand both mine and my readers places to read and learn.

  50. Thanks so much for the tips. I need all the help I can get.

  51. Thanks for the tips. I am a new blogger and found some helpful info here. If you get a chance drop by my blog, I would love to know what you think and area’s that I could improve! Thanks!

    kristiskrazytown.com

    1. Hi Krisit,
      Thanks for reading my tips. I will hop over and check out your site.

  52. Dear Crystal,

    Hello!! THANK YOU so much for posting these great tips on blogging!!! I seriously needed to read every single one of them, as, I am pretty new to blogging. Thanks a million! I ‘found’ you via Tip Junkie. Thank you! Happy New Year! – Beth @ Flair For Home

    1. Love Tip Junkie and glad you found me.

      I am happy you found this information useful. Let me know if you have any other questions.

      Happy New Year to you as well and I wish you all the best.

  53. Thanks for sharing all your great tips with us Crystal! I’m a new follower after seeing you on Tip Junkie. I hope you’ll follow me back.

    Hugs…Tracy @ Cotton Pickin Cute

  54. Thanks for sharing this… I hope, I’ll be following your advice. Even though, I do not want to earn money with my blog, it’d be still nice to have more readers.
    Greetings from Germany
    Catrin

  55. Thanks for the great tips! I”m not on blogger, but the captcha thing does disturb me. I’m a little afraid to turn it off, but It’s easy to read, and I hope doesn’t discourage people from commenting.

  56. Thank you so much for this list. I have been blogging for about a year and a half now and am really trying to get more readers. I will be using some of your suggestions for sure.

  57. Thank you for the helpful tips on blogging. I am a Newbie and need lots of advice. I hope to make a navigation bar very soon. Thanks for the instructions. If you had time to visit my blog, I would love some advice on things I could do to improve. Thank you!

  58. Thats for your helpful tips, I am fairly new to this so I will stick with blogger for the time being, but I have done some of these, and I keep meaning to get around to the about me page and now you have me thinking do I have an easy contact me button or link?? Hmm off I go to check. Thanks again 🙂

    1. Yes, an about page is important. Readers who land on your site want to know more about you. Who is she, how can I relate to her, is she a mommy a wife, etc.?

      And a clear way to contact you is important so your readers who may not want to leave a comment can reach out to you privately and professionally businesses and contact you, should that be something you are interested in.

      Hope you find the info helpful and thanks for reading!

  59. Thanks for the ideas. When people complain about Blogger I just want to say, “Come to wordpress and be happy.” I found it by accident at first and am so glad I did.

    My biggest conflict is trying to decide what I am as a blogger. A little too big to be little and definitely not “big.” Do I want to try to get big? Or just stumble along being minor and happy? What does it take to “make the jump?”

  60. I came over from Katies Nesting Spot and wanted to let you know that this post was so helpful, I had never even heard of the Alexa toolbar! Thanks for all of the great tips 😉

    1. You are more than welcome, Joni! Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.

  61. These are all good tips, thank for sharing. I started blogging about 2 months ago. We’ve had amazing hits and interest, so far. We heard it was best to start on WordPress , so we did, but don’t know how to do the self-hosting. We (My mom and me. I’m the content writer etc. she’s the technical person) are trying to figure it out ourselves. So far I think we are not allowed to do sponsors unless we get over to self-hosted. Any tips on making that move?

  62. I stumbled across you on Weekend Wrapup! Thanks for all the helpful info since I am a new blogger myself. Would love for you to stop by my blog @ http://www.toddlindsey.com and give some feedback! Thanks!

  63. Thanks for the tips. As a new blogger I am always concerned at how my blog looks to others but your tips helped me neaten a few things up and hopefully make my blog appeal more! Thanks

  64. Great tips!!! I’m a big blogger girl, though I won’t say I won’t ever make the switch. 🙂 Just heard how much harder it is on WP. Scared to go to the land of the unknown when I’m so familiar with blogger and can figure things out on my own or with google!
    Visiting from TT&J!

    1. I was very intimidated by WordPress before I switched, but really, it is simple once you get the hang of it. The learning curve was not as bad as everyone made it out to be and I am NOT a techie person. At all. 😉

      That being said, the difference in your ability to ‘get found’ on Google while on a WordPress platform opposed to a Blogger platform is unbelievable. This is something you will see in your analytics pretty quickly after moving to WP. Here is my testimony- Dec 2010 (still on Blogger) Google sent 287 visitors to my site based on keyword searches and then Dec 2011 (on WordPress) Google sent 7,294 visitors to my site based on the keywords they were searching. That is significant.

  65. thank you so much for sharing this! I’d started blogging about 18 months ago, and kind of gave up, as *I* wasn’t feeling my content! So I started up again about 6 months ago with content I *am* feeling. So that’s my tip, make sure you are blogging your passion. That way your content will be interesting.
    That being said, I’m still on blogger, and tho I’m not ready for the big switch yet (3 kids between 2 and 6 kind of take priority just now) I really appreciate these tips. Some I can put into action right now, to build up readership. So, thank you very much for this post. I found it in Skip to my Lou’s Made by you Monday.

  66. Fantastic advice! Thanks so much for sharing. Slowly but surely, I’ll figure this thing out…

  67. Pingback: Look What I Made! Link Party 1-11-2012 | Creations by Kara
  68. I agree with an earlier comment that it is very nice to find a mentor. Blogging with my bestie is nice because we can bounce ideas off each other. We just hit the 6 month mark (or are close) and still enjoy it, so I am hoping for a successful 2012! I had started Google analytics the other day and Kim assumed that I had read your post – so we both had a good giggle as she was going to try do that today! If you, or any other blogger wants to stop by and “read” our blog for the first time – we welcome any positive and negative comments and suggestions. Additionally, we would LOVE to find a seasoned mentor that thinks we are headed in the right direction and would blossom with their assistance. I know there are a ton of blogs out there and everyone is busy, but I am hoping to be as lucky as you are to have guidance =) I’m off to check out self hositng and Alexa this afternoon! – Amanda

  69. Awesome tips.
    I didn’t start with WordPress originally, but a month or two in my blog crashed and I found out what I started with didn’t have a back up….

    My spam blocker stinks, though. What one do you suggest for WordPress?

    stopping by from Milk and Cuddles…

  70. I started out blogging much like you did, nearly three or so years ago. It has only been in the past few months that I decided to start taking it seriously. I use blogger and intend to at least until this thing perhaps takes off better than it is now.

    I appreciate all your tips here as I feel like I’m swimming in a sea of blogging information and it seems to move in and out faster than the tide. Not to mention that it’s so time consuming to get my blog user friendly while trying to create articles for it at the same time.

  71. Thanks for the great tips!! I am thinking of blogging!! I enjoy reading them so much but I’m beginning to feel left out!! What is the expense of wordpress?? Im not even sure what it is but now you have me curious!!!

  72. Crystal,
    You are a mentor to us all. Thank you so much for your awesome post which helps instill the notion that we are all connected via our blogs and interests and friends and followers, and that what one learns and shares will come back to them 100-fold. I have been blogging for about 9 months, which started a few months after I began using coupons as part of a plan to save my family from a downward financial spiral due to illness and unexpected permanent disability of the main income earner.

    I feel like I am stuck in the proverbial mud with my blog and can’t seem to move forward more than fractions of an inch at a time. The info in your post is just the thing to get me out of the mud hold. Thanks for the tips and direction.

    I could sure use a blogging mentor if there is anyone out there that is willing to offer guidance. I promise that I will pay it forward with what I learn.

    Thank you and God bless.

  73. Thank you so much for these excellent blogging tips. I’m new to blogging so these are very useful for me. I have spent a lot of time looking around your site and I will definitely be checking back often.

    1. Awesome, Lori! Please let me know if you have any blogging questions.

    1. Awesome, Pam! So glad you have found it helpful. Check out all of my blogging tips by clicking on the category in the sidebar.

  74. Crystal, I Found your posts on Pinterest and I’m glad I did. Thank you for sharing your experience so that the rest of us can benefit too! =)

  75. BB Godfrey says:

    I can’t find where to turn the Captcha off? I’m not even sure if my blog is requiring it. Do you have any advice for Spammers? I get at least one spam comment every day. Is there a good plug-in to install to prevent these spammers from commenting?

    Do you give advice on blogs? For instance, can you take a look at my blog and tell me if there is anything I can change/do/edit to make my blog better? I’d love the feedback!

    I’m trying to add “Mail Chimp” e-mail sign-up to my side bar, but when I paste the code to the sidebar, it sends a massive blank space all the way to the bottom of the page and then has a box that says “Subscribe to my Blog”. It’s pushing all of my buttons down to the bottom. Do you know how to fix that?

    Thanks for your help!~
    BB

  76. I am so glad I found your site. I started my blog because I want to write and it is turning into something so much more for me. I am very serious about making this a career but I also am home with two small children and they need to remain my first priority. I appreciate your take on growing organically and not doing too much at once. Sometimes I feel the need to do more than what I am capable of and it gets overwhelming. For me quality content is my main focus and I am very careful to only include things I feel are very relevant, useful, and well written. It can be frustrating at times when I see my numbers go down instead of up but hopefully over time readers will appreciate my site and will grow. I am looking forward to learning more as I read through your site.

  77. I started my blog in Jan 2014 and I wanted to do it all myself. I’m on WordPress. It’s a bit overwhelming, learning as I go. I thank you so much for this post. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me to make my blog look the way I want it to. It currently does things I didn’t ask it to, it’s like having another baby! All of your info is appreciated, just thought you’d like to know. 😉

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