In a recent Q&A, one of the questions that came up was for me to list my blogging do’s & don’ts. If you haven’t had a chance to see the Q&A, I cover all sorts of topics. You can watch it below.

In terms of Do’s & Don’ts of Blogging, I think I could offer some great tips for newbie bloggers who want to know what they should & shouldn’t do. I hope this helps!

DO…be consistent 

Consistency is so important as a blogger. I by no means think that blogging every day of the week is necessary – unless that’s you thing of course. But I do think it’s important that your readers know what they can expect from you. If you promise 1 post per week, then that’s what you need to do. I used to struggle with this before, & sometimes it does get the better of me, but I really do try to be consistent. One of the areas I am trying to be most consistent is my YouTube channel. Video content is so much more challenging than running this blog. Videos require more work in terms of content, filming & editing. Can I be extremely honest here? The main reason I am spending so much time on my YouTube channel is because I feel as though my videos aren’t getting enough love. I truly believe my content is great; but it doesn’t necessarily equate to views. So, I believe that if I am more consistent then I am more likely to be satisfied with the end results in terms of viewership & feedback.

DO…stay in your lane

This can be hard to do sometimes, but I like to focus on myself & what I am doing.  I think that when you’re starting out, it’s especially important to not focus on others; because when you do, you lose track of what it is you are doing, & essentially what you should be focussing on. Basically, try to be the best version of YOU & not someone else. But at the same time, be aware of what’s going on in your industry too. There’s a balance to it.

DO…be positive

I am a firm believer that positive thoughts breed positive results. I know that it’s not always the easiest thing to do. But who said blogging was easy huh? Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I struggle with keeping a positive attitude. We tend to look at others & see what they’re doing, & compare ourselves. These negative funks can be harmful to you & your blog. Every time I think of something negative, I like to say something positive to combat it. Even if it’s just a silent thought to myself. It really does make a difference.

DO…set goals for yourself

I think setting goals is very important. I set goals in every aspect of my life. Goals keep you in check, & help you stay on the path you need to be. For example, if your goal is to be a beauty blogger; but only 1 in 4 posts are about beauty. Perhaps you are not following the path to your goal & either you need to refocus your energy to reach the goal; or you need to reassess your goal because it may not be where you really want to be. Make sense? I hope so. Also, don’t be unrealistic when it comes to goals. You are not likely to make R1 000 000 in your first year of blogging, so don’t set yourself up for failure. Set yourself achievable goals. I find that it’s a big motivation when I check a goal off my list. Even the little things in life, like going to gym 3 times in a week.

DO…Network

I did a whole post on networking, which I hope you read. If not – read here.

DO…Learn how to say No

I say No all the time. If I don’t think a campaign is right for me, I say No. It is so important to stay true to your vision. And sometimes that means you have to say No to opportunities & people that don’t fit into that vision.

And now for the DON’Ts which are equally as important as the DO’s

DON’T…be money hungry (in an obnoxious way)

I know that as a blogger you want & need to earn money. And when you do make money, it is such a great feeling. I remember back when I first started cashing cheques from blogging. However, you don’t want to be the kind of person who always talks money. Money can be such a sensitive topic, & I just feel like people who only talk money can be really annoying. Yeah I think it’s amazing that you can actually earn a living from being a blogger; but I don’t think talking about how much money you’re making is the most important thing. Rather spend time talking to others about the kind of content you’re creating; or your vision for your blog etc. And if you aren’t making money from your blog, you can find out how to do that by reading my post on earning an income as a blogger – here.

DON’T…be a PR/people pleaser

When it comes to PR, I find that often I receive a mail from a PR person saying ‘Hey Brett, we sent you product X last week. Have you had a chance to try it out? Do you plan on posting it on your blog?’ I like to be honest in terms of whether or not I have tried the product; when it comes to whether or not I plan on posting about it, I think it’s important that you remind the PR person about your policy (whatever that may be). On this blog, the policy is that if you send product, there is no guarantee  that it will be featured. And, if & when I decide to post the free product you sent me, it is up to me. Often you can end up being bullied into posting about every press release or free product you receive because you feel pressured to do so.

And when it comes to people-pleasing, well by that I mean that you shouldn’t focus too much on what other’s think. I love hearing feedback from my readers. When you make suggestions, I hear them. However, I don’t act on any suggestions if I don’t feel like it’s right for this blog. It is as simple as that.

DON’T…be a kiss a$$

I hate seeing those people that will kiss the a$$ of every brand they come across, in the hopes of getting some freebies. Don’t be that person. It’s annoying AF. And I know I can’t be the only people who finds it annoying.

DON’T…think you’re too cool for your readers

Listen, I am where I am because I have readers. Yes, I put out great content IMO. But, if I didn’t have readers to read this blog, that great content doesn’t really matter. Right? So, what I am trying to say is that when you ‘make it’ (in whatever sense that means to you), don’t forget the reason you got there. Don’t be an a$$ & think you are too cool to acknowledge your readers. Ok?

DON’T…steal content

I shouldn’t have to mention this, but please don’t go & plagiarise other people’s posts or reviews. We all saw what happened to Melania Trump when her speech was plagiarised. Don’t be that person. If you get caught, not only will you look silly but people will never forget. Also, it’s awfully disrespectful to do that to someone else. They worked hard on that post or review, & it’s not right that you steal it. If you feel inspired by something that someone else did, then absolutely be inspired by it. But don’t steal it.

Well, that’s all from me today! As usual, I love doing these posts, & I hope it has been helpful. If it has been helpful, let me know what was your favourite part. Leave any suggestions for my next few Blogging 101 posts in the comment section below.