I’ve scoured the web for all the advice and knowledge about starting your blog and how to monetize your blog. I couldn’t find 5 tips for bloggers to know during my research. There were DOZENS of tips.

After a few false starts, I finally have my business and blog up and running (ish). There’s still room for improvement on the content front, but hey, that’s why they call it experience!

Many people don’t realize all the work involved in starting their venture. Luckily, with every misstep comes more knowledge, so here’s hoping that this time around, I get things just right!

I compiled a list of 5 tips for bloggers, business start-ups, or freelancers…Anyone who needs help getting a new venture started.

I’ve been blogging since the early 2000s, on the old-school MySpace and AsianAvenue sites (did I give away my age?).

I used these before starting my first website in 2009.

When I started my website in 2009, it was to keep a good friend of mine updated on me and our hometown while he was away on another continent. Unfortunately, my blogging life only lasted six months (maybe less).

Then, in 2012, I decided to give it another go when I moved from my tiny hometown in MA to the Big Apple (New York City). I figured my friends in MA would want updates on my adventures, but that blog only lasted two months.

When the pandemic hit, I started a blog again and utilized social media. The blog lasted a year and gained a small following.

When I had to return to work, keeping up the blogging and my 8-6 job was hard. I decided to keep my social media going, and that worked for another four months.

Once I found out I was pregnant, and with work resuming back to normal, I decided to step back from my hobby.

It was my biggest mistake.

Ah, hindsight is 20/20. If only I had taken the plunge earlier and gone all out with my writing talents! Who knows—by now, I could have been running a successful freelancing empire or consulting agency that would’ve trumped those 26 backup plans of mine… What might have been if risk-taker Lil hadn’t chickened out to seize life’s opportunities?

The excellent news for entrepreneurs-in-waiting?

You don’t have to decide whether you should plunge into blogging biz ownership—I’ve got all the wisdom you need right here! So, sit back and get comfy.

Here are my top 5 tips for launching your blog, brand, or business. Make sure they’re engraved in stone before moving forward!

These are 5 tips for bloggers who are starting their journey. For seasoned bloggers, these tips might help if you’re considering starting other blogs!

Don’t wait to launch your blogging business – Website design, logos, and footers don’t need to be perfect. That’s why even huge companies have periods of ‘rebranding.’ Get your plan together and hit that go-live button! Otherwise, you miss valuable customers while stuck in “coming soon” limbo.

Public Relations and hype are essential – If you’re serious about getting your blogging business out there, research is vital! Your family and friends might be a great source of support (and moral pep talks!), but if they don’t fit the mold of your target audience, it’s better to look elsewhere.

Guest posts on websites related to your niche or collaborations with influencers—both can increase visibility for both parties and make noise in the industry. The age-old saying “it takes two” applies here—do some PR together and watch the hype skyrocket!

Social media is a wealth of possibilities in this day and age. Creating a social media page for your blog will help draw attention to your brand. If you post consistently and thoughtfully, with planned posts, you could be sitting on a gold mine of potential clients!

Here are tips for bloggers regarding social media:

Don’t buy Instagram Followers – If you want to grow your blog, don’t be tempted by shady online deals offering quick and easy Instagram fame. Those fake followers might make you look good on paper, but they won’t help with long-term success; they could land you in hot water! Instead of spending $25 for a short-term boost, why not invest that money in yourself?

Don’t “like for like” accounts – Instead of randomly “liking for like” statements, I use my time to seek out mutually beneficial relationships. When someone follows me on Instagram, instead of instantly returning the favor and blindly following back, I check their profile first—making sure they are marketers, content creators, or parents (you know, real people!).

If we share tangible interests, then you bet I will follow you! Building honest connections is way more rewarding than collecting numbers with no purpose. Forming those meaningful bonds allows us to help businesses find their feet within target markets—and who doesn’t want that?

Trust in failing – Don’t fear failure; embrace it—That’s how success comes to be! Blogs are full of trial and error. If everything worked out in one go, who would need entrepreneurs? From Amazon Affiliates programs gone wrong to a million social media missteps, I’ve been there and done that. Trust me when I say you’re not alone if your business venture doesn’t take off right away. The key is learning from my mistakes (uh…and yours!) because even the slightest stumble can help us get closer to achieving all our goals.

Starting a business is daunting, but don’t let the unknown timelines and brand-growing metrics hold you back from pushing through.

Start by creating compelling stories to transport your customers, helping them understand your message intimately and truly. By not waiting, you can invest more heavily in public relations outreach and other tactics, such as user-generated content and influencer marketing programs, to build awareness.

Don’t buy followers, “like for like” accounts, or waste money on lousy PR agencies. Build trust over time by often failing, recovering, and learning. You will achieve invaluable accomplishments during this adventure and recognize them at every step.

Finally, act now; don’t wait until tomorrow, because it might be too late by then. I hope these 5 tips help you as a blogger or business owner on your journey to success!

If you need any help with storytelling, I’m here to help you get started!