A lot of my readers are auxiliars, whether it be past, present, or future. I know before I came to Spain, I scoured blogs like it was no one's business, trying to figure out how I would survive in another country for a whole year.
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| This is me, following my own advice |
I am by no means an expert blogger, but I like to think that I've learned a thing or two with this foray into travel/expat blogging. And now, I would like to impart that information to my faithful readers.
- Post
I hate when I start to follow a really awesome blog, and they all of a sudden...they stop posting. Don't leave me hanging, I actually do want to know what's going on, even if I don't know you personally.
- Write about what you know
Obviously, people are reading your blog because it's written by you, so don't try and be someone you're not. Your style might not be as funny/eloquent/witty as another persons, but it's you, so stay true to that. Include personal experiences and feelings, those make for some of the best blogs.
- Paragraphs
For the love of God, construct in paragraphs. If you write with a huge block of text that you don't break up, people will either a) be intimidated and stop reading or b) get bored and stop reading. Sometimes, less is more, and not everyone has 3 hours to read your minute-by-minute account of Carnaval in Cadiz. If you want inspiration, Sarah from Love and Paella does a great job with keeping readership up and not always writing marathon posts.
- Comment. Link. Discuss.
The travel/expat blogging community is a great one. People are always willing to share tips and give you advice. I've have some amazing friendships start from a simple comment on my blog. I've gotten great recommendations from Kaley and enjoyed a lazy Sunday drinking cañas in Sevilla with Cat. Link blogs you like to your blog, you never know who you're gonna meet. Plus, it's good karma.
- Post pictures, but make them count
Everyone loves looking at pictures from where your travels have taken you. Pictures definitely make your blog more interesting keep people coming back. That being said, don't upload every single picture from your recent trip to Italy. If you really feel strongly about sharing all your photos, put a link to your flickr or something.
- Have fun, and write for you
Write about silly experiences. Write about how frustrated you are. Write about stereotypes. Don't be afraid to piss people off. While you may get a million readers, a book deal, and be raking in the big bucks from ad revenue, in the end, you want to be able to look back on your experiences and say, "Wow, I have an awesome life."
My other veteran bloggers: any tips for newbies? Leave 'em in the comments!
Originally posted 9.1.11
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