7 Pro Tips for a new blogger

  "Being a newbie sucks! I can't do this", Natasha protested. 

Natasha started her blog few weeks ago and decided to quit. She couldn't understand how blogging works and found it frustrating. You might be facing the same challenge as Natasha and are on the verge of giving up. You shouldn't  give up on blogging yet until you have read this article.

        

 The word "blogging" can actually instill fears in the minds of new bloggers. It's quite normal because new ideas can be challenging a times. As a newbie in blogging, you may probably be worried about questions like:

             "What if no one likes my write up?"

             "What if I fail at my first attempt?"

             "What if I don't get much traffic?"

        Well, these worries are normal and they  have solutions. In this article, I will be giving you seven simple tips that will boost your self confidence as a new blogger and will also enable you to write like a pro.           

1) Niche down- Knowing your niche as a blogger is very important. 

What's a niche? A niche,in simple terms is a general topic a blogger can write on. A niche could be: Education, Beauty, Politics, Lifestyle, Fashion, Entertainment,  Romance and many more. 

For example, Beauty is a niche, but it is wide. It includes: skincare, cosmetics,hairstyles,accessories... 

Basically, the idea of niche down is that the smaller your area of concentration, the better your chance at becoming a boss in that field.

            How do I know my niche?

      It's quite easy.

Research on any niche you find interesting or what you feel you are good at and build yourself on it. Study yourself and find out what makes you the best.

      Ask yourself these questions:

* What are your skills?

* What interests you?

 * What gives you inspiration?

 * What's your passion?

Your answers to these questions would guide you on how to choose your niche.

         Wouldn't it be boring if I write on just a niche?   

      The answer is no. This is because, most readers look for specific content on a specific niche. All you need to do, is to own authority on the niche you choose, as this makes you stand out from other bloggers.

            Can I have more than a niche?

 Yes, you can have more than a niche, but can't write on all. There are lots of niches and you can't have ideas on all.

              2) Headline: You don't want to ruin a good write-up by using a headline that  sucks. 

The first 5 seconds are critical moments for your readers to decide whether to read or ignore your article. Headline is really important because it  is what your readers see first before knowing the contents of your write up. If you use a boring headline, they would assume your content is boring and would ignore your page. Use catchy and attention grabbing headlines to attract your readers' attention and build curiousity in them.

                 How do I come up with a good and catchy headline?

    1)  NUMBERS: Numbers make your headlines catchy and easy to read. Before reading the content of your article, your audience already know what to expect through your stated numbers. Most times, large numbers like 35,40 and 50 may not catch your audience attention. Audience don't just read with their eyes, but minds as well. When you use small numbers like  7 ,10, 15, it makes them follow up your article more.

    Here are catchy number headlines: 

   *    5 skin products you shouldn't use.

    *  10 simple exercises to get a flat tummy.

    * 7 unbelievable ways to get a smooth skin.

     

 2) Engaging words that show the purpose of your article: Use catchy words that brings curiosity in your readers' mind. 

These words include: Tips, secret, new, reasons, tricks, guidelines, download, discover, ways and many more. One thing to avoid is the use of "things". It's common and not catchy. The word "things" isn't also specific and would bring doubts in the minds of your readers.

   Here are some examples of how catchy words are used:

  *  The secret behind a smooth face

  * 7 reasons why you shouldn't use hot water on your face.

   * 5 tips to be a better writer.

    *  5 beautiful ways to style your natural hair

   3) Use trigger words such as, Why, How, Who else, When. Most effective trigger words are "Why" and "How". They bring more curiosity in your audience mind.

       Examples are:

* How to look more beautiful without make up?

* Why you shouldn't use these three words on a date?

        * How to double your income in a month?

        * Who else wants a celebrity treatment?

       These are the three ways to come up with a good and catchy headlines.

3) Hook- A hook is what your readers see first after landing on your page. A hook is important because it grabs your audience attention and brings curiosity in them.

              How do I use a hook?

You can use a hook through telling a story or trigger their emotions with questions. 

The easiest hook to adopt is questions. You can ask your readers' questions that bothers their minds at the beginning of your write up.

          The other method is story telling. If you noticed, at the beginning of my write up, I used a story to get you: my readers' attention. 

When using this method, you need to be careful. Don't add unnecessary information to your story and also make your story relatable. Don't use a story that doesn't correspond with the content of your write up.

4) Content: Content is very important in a write up. There are some articles in which the headlines don't correlate with the content. If you do this, it will confuse your readers. A confused reader will get frustrated and lose interest in your article.

         When writing an article, use less complex words. Complexity isn't creativity. Complex words won't give you credits but would make your readers leave your page.This is because not every reader has a good command of English like you do. 

         Make your language simple and easy to understand. It may also interest you to know that human beings generally have short attention span. There are lots of distractions when you are online: Facebook messages, Whatsapp,Twitter and all. So, make your write up easy for your readers so that they would stay longer on your page.

        Also, use bold statements for areas that need more attention. Some readers only scan through articles and copies. Your bold statements would make them pay attention to important details.

 5) Pictures-  Add attention grabbing pictures to your write up. Images brings out the beauty of your write up . Add an image that would make your audience read your page when they come across it online.

6) Encourage comments and user engagement- At the end of your write-up, leave a comment section where your audience would give their views about your write-up. Their comments might even give you an inspiration on what to write next. 

Create a FAQ and include it in your write up. 

What's FAQ?

  FAQ means frequently asked questions. Include questions that your audience may likely ask and give answers or solutions. When you do this, it makes your audience follow up your write up and makes them understand better.

7) Call to action- Let your readers know the action to take before leaving your blog. 

What do you want them to do after reading your write up?

Do you want them to follow up your blog posts?

Make your call to action concise and clear to your audience.

 I  hope you find this article useful. Let me know your views in the comment section below.