Beyond the hype: Real blogging tips that actually helped me build my blog

Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash

“Hi guys, my name is Blogenda Blag-Cash and I’m inviting you to join me on my personal odyssey to helping you improve your blog writing skills. Access the link in my bio and sign up for my ten-part course (priced at $1500) where I’ll show you, like, blogging stuff and like, how to blog stuff down properly…can’t wait to share it with you!”

I’ll be honest, Blogenda, I’m not buying it. How to become a blogger should not involve you handing over wads of cash for someone wearing athleisure gear and sipping from a Stanley cup to tell you you need to like, write, and stuff. Even if it’s just random **tips for writing a successful blog** post you’ve found online (Hi!), sometimes they’re just full of nothing other than, start a blog and have fun.

How to start blogging and love it? Follow me for mo..no…just read on.

Source: https://giphy.com/gifs/stonehampress-blog-marketing-xUOrwafTKBZR78xeyQ

Tell the naysayers to blog off…

There are some key tips that I think are essential.

• Stick to a theme or niche: Blog about the one thing you’re passionate about. Stick to it and only veer off if it’s a) related or b) extremely related.
• Be consistent: Plan to post content regularly. A goal should be once a week, and more if you have time. This will get you into a good rhythm of writing, planning, and considering what you’ll talk about.
• Get in on the UGC: Get your followers and fellow creators involved, whether it’s great reviews of your blog, personal giveaways, or sharing the nice things they’ve said about you on social media for a shoutout.

Of course, this last tip will come more naturally once you’ve gained more followers and are blogging and updating your social media regularly.

Apps that are your blog’s best friend

Once you’ve nailed the basics, then I think it’s all about getting techy with it and investing in some quality apps for blogging that’ll make your work shine.

Map your innermost thoughts

I love maps generally, but I love mind maps more. MindNode gives me the freedom to explore my ideas in full before I get down to the nitty-gritty and blog them. It’s a great tool for deciding whether something you’ve thought about will work as a blog (or not), and sometimes, other great ideas come from offshoots.

Blog on…

• Very easy to get going with it and needs no real expertise.
• Provides me with a way to explore all my ideas in full.
• I can add images to my maps.

Write on…

I love an all-in-one tool, and **Ulysses** fits that bill. It’s a super app that allows me to plan, write, and publish my blog posts in the same spot. The fact that it’s so uncluttered and easy to navigate makes it a win-win for me.

Blog on…

• I can add images to my writing and see how blog posts will look before I publish.
• Easy editing functions.
• Outline tool to see where I’m up to is a great feature.

Clean up your copy

**MarsEdit** is a fab little app that makes blog writing (and adding images) a cinch, great to use if you’ve got an existing blog on a platform like WordPress or Medium, as you can add your blog link in and see all your posts. There’s a handy photo feature tool as well, so you can import all the photos you have on your Mac that are useful to your blog.

Blog on…

• Another great all-in-one tool.
• Perhaps takes a bit more time to get used to, but not at all difficult to use.
• Can upload existing blogs/blog links to work on.

Old MacDonald had a blog, AI AI O

I know that AI is still not everyone’s cup of tea, but it isn’t going anywhere. I say try an app like **Plus** to help you get the hang of it and see just what a difference it can make to your writing. I can use it to type in anything I have questions about, and it’ll answer for me while I work away in the background.

Blog on…

• A great gateway to AI if you’re unsure about it.
• Fast and accurate to use, no skill needed.
• Helps your writing and researching.

Perk up your pics

Great photo apps are worth their weight in gold when you want to make blog posts stand out. **Luminar Neo** is superb. I can add photos, retouch them, and edit them to my satisfaction with real clarity.

Blog on…

• Great retouching tools that perfect images easily.
• It’s easy to upload photos from your Mac.
• Not at all complicated to use.

Retouch those images

Another great tool for retouching images and pics is CameraBag Pro, which I love to use as a way to crop and resize images that might otherwise be too unwieldy. It’s got options for spot touching and taking the ‘noise’ out of photos, too.

Blog on…

• It’s quick to add and edit pics.
• No complicated instructions needed to get going with it.
• Makes my blog photos look a bit more professional.

Big up your blog with me…

Ready to big up your blog without Blogenda? With assistance from apps like **MindNode, Ulysses for writing, [MarsEdit](https://setapp.com/apps/marsedit?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=beyond_the_hype_real_blogging_tips_that_actually_helped_me_build_my_blog&utm_content=expert/Polina), Plus, Luminar Neo, and [CameraBag Pro ](https://setapp.com/apps/camerabag-pro?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=beyond_the_hype_real_blogging_tips_that_actually_helped_me_build_my_blog&utm_content=expert/Polina)for all your editing and AI needs, you’ll be churning out great quality blogs in no time. I got all these and loads more from [Setapp](https://setapp.com/?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=beyond_the_hype_real_blogging_tips_that_actually_helped_me_build_my_blog&utm_content=expert/Polina) — with a free 7-day trial to begin with. You can, like me, discover the 250+ apps** they have on offer.