blog cheats for beginners// bcb

i have had quite a lot of questions concerning blogging lately, like a lot. and if you follow me on twitter you may know that even the hubs is considering getting into my game. so i've decided to start a mini series: blog cheats for beginners, or bcb. i wanted to call it how to not look like a beginning blogger even though you are, but even htnllabbetya was too long... wink...

so with that in mind, let me tell you some things i will cover with my not-so-very-vast-but-quite-a-bit-of knowledge starting next week.

disclaimer: i'm not a professional blogger, i bow down to those... i have just been doing this for a long time and i have learned a lot and i want to share it with you. 

platforms: the first thing i'm going to cover are platforms because that's where it all begins. i'm mostly going to look at wordpress and blogger because I have used them both. however, there are plenty of others out there to try out, i just haven't. 

design:  let's talk about this for just a minute. the visual part of a blog is super-dee-duper important; it's the first thing people notice. not your witty phrases, or hilarious tone of voice. not even the delicious recipe you posted or the excellent article you linked. it's the design; the colors, the style, the font, the photos. those grab attention or turn it away. so be prepared for a long post when we get to this! in this section i will also share some of my pet-peeves about designs and also my sneaky tools for all my handy work.

style and writing: i have a few tips here, as a writer and a reader, just to help you sound and feel more professional and not like you don't care about what you just posted on the internet for the world to see (though that doesn't mean I don't have typoes. ask my mother. more on this later).

networking: the number one rule about getting out there is this: if you want to get noticed, you have to notice other people. when we get to this section, i'll share some tips about getting involved in the blogging community, making bloggy friends, and working that social network. i'll be honest, this is probably my weak point, but maybe we can learn something together. 

tools and other helps: there are a lot of apps and site and books and fun things to help you as a blogger, like a whole whole lot. i will share with you some of my faves, some that haven't really fit me, and maybe we can find some more! i'll talk about phones, tablets, books, and other little helps that may or may not fit you and your style. this may turn into more of a miscellaneous tools section.

overall, i'm pretty excited about this little project i've created for myself because i think i have forgotten to use a lot of the knowledge i have about blogging and it will help me as i am rekickstarting my blog this year. i hope it's fun for you, too. and if you have ever thought about blogging, this may be a good chance to dip your toes in and see if you like it. 

if there are any blog questions you have that i didn't mention above that you would like some insight on, i'm open to more ideas! you can leave a comment or tweet me, too!

p.s. next on the baby list of updates: why we chose a midwife! stay tuned. 

when the posts are up, these will be links!

platforms | design | style and writing | networking | tools and other helps