25 blogging tips for newbies and veterans

25 blogging tips for newbies and veterans25 blogging tips for newbies and veteransWeve all seen them. The same old, tired lists of regurgitated tips on how to blog better. Theyre so common, you could probably name most of them in your sleep. I dont know about you, but Im tired of them. I want to know whatreallyworks.Since 2006, Ive been a blogger and have helped thousands of people learn this craft of online publishing. Still, there are days when I feel very much like a newbie.When Iquit my old blogand started a new one, I realized how much Ididntknow about blogging. So I decided to put together my own list of tips - stuff I started doing recently that I shouldve been doing since the beginning.So whether youre just getting started or have been blogging for awhile, here are 25 tips to help guide and direct youGeneralNo copy-catting.Stop trying to be like someone you admire and instead find out what unique offeringyouhave.Tell thetruth.Never lie, mislead, or cajole. Trust is slowly ea rned and easily lost.Be awesome.Theres enough mediocrity out there. Stop adding to the noise, and do somethingoutstanding.Give yourself grace.Be patient it takes time tofind your voice.Pick a theme.But realize readers will stick around for your voice, not your subject.Growth and communityDont measure stats too early.If youre obsessing over daily numbers and youre only a few months into your blogging journey, youre wasting your time. Its still too early to pay close attention to trends. After that, make sure you haveGoogle Analyticsinstalled.Make your content easy to share.The majority of content thats shared online is done through social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn, and others. You should make this easy for your readers to tell their friends about you. (A WordPress plugin I recommend isDIGG DIGG.)Encourage community.Writeunfinished posts, and ask your community to complete the conversation.Never underestimate the importance ofnetworking.If youre not connecting regularly with readers and other bloggers, youre missing out.Guest post, guest post, guest post.(Enough said.)WritingWrite timeless content.On the web, old content is perceived as irrelevant. Dont write a newspaper create a resource. (This is, incidentally, why I intentionally dont put dates on my posts.)Dont write too little or too much.Generally, I try to write at least 300 words and no more than 1000 words. More than that, though, only write as many words as it takes and cut the rest.Have a point.Dont just word-vomit on your audience.Write withconviction.Pick a side and be bold. And if youre wrong, admit it.Short sentences win.Motivation and inspirationDont give up.Bloggers who stick with it ultimately win.Write as often as possible.Constantly capture ideas and turn them into posts. A tool that may help isEvernote.Expect critics.A few peoplehatingyou is a sign youre doing something right. Be prepared.Find ways to regularly get inspired.This is the only way you can inspire others. When youre empty, fill yourself up. Dont neglect this.Realize you can only create or react.At any give time, make sure you know which one youre doing.MiscellaneousWrite forscanners.We live in a busy, distracted world. Dontdemand attentionearnit.Build anemail list.If you ever want to sell or promote something, having peoples email addresses (and their permission to use them) is essential.Invest in agood web design.Bad design can get in the way of good content.Be generous.Give away more information, content, and ideas than youre comfortable with. People will reward you. Link to others, but never let someone pay you to do so.Watch what experts do.Not just what they say.These are my 25 tips. You probably have 25 of your own. And thats okay, because Ive realized that everyone needs to approach blogging in their own way. Thats part of the fun.Want to be a better blogger?Check out my free courseIntentional BloggingSpecial thanks to my friend Frank Violas list of Advice for Bloggers, which inspired this one.This article first appeared on Goins, Writer.