enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

on blogging.

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I often get emails or have conversations in real life about how to make a "successful" blog. Here are a few tips that I often share:

  • Post often.
  • Spread the word.
  • Determine your audience.
  • Do not publish every post you start to type.
  • Spell-check.
  • Comment on other blogs.
  • Be yourself.

I would also add stay positive to that list, but there are undoubtably exceptions where negative, angry blogs have thrived. Again, determine your audience.

+++

Tomorrow I will be printing the 3rd edition I posted about last week. If you have ordered and paid via paypal, thank you, thank you. Look for them in your mailbox next week. If you are interested, I can take pre-orders (elise.blaha at gmail) and I am hoping to run some extras for my shop.

Also, look for a long and fun post about my letterpress printing process on Thursday or Friday of this week.

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21 responses to “on blogging.”

  1. jodie Avatar
    jodie

    i think you are exactly right… especially about posting often! Although I do always wonder how you jump from small to huge like some of the bloggers out there (Dooce for example).

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  2. Christen Avatar
    Christen

    I think you are right on. I’ve been trying to get more people to read my blog and have had a hard time branching out. I think the best thing to do is to think about what you like the most about your favorite blogs (frequent posting, lots of pictures, etc.) and try to incorporate that into your own. It makes sense, but I guess I needed you to tell me that 🙂

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  3. Eleanor Avatar
    Eleanor

    excellent post, all good suggestions, ESPECIALLY spell checking. It’s so awful to try to read a blog with words misspelled every other sentence. Grammar is a biggie, too.
    looking forward to more posts from you!

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  4. alexandra Avatar
    alexandra

    Thank you! I wrote out your suggestions and I’m posting them on my inspiration board as a reminder. I could use some words of advice and encouragement – going to try to give my blog a fresh new look and renew my commitment to blogging!
    Thanks again!
    A.

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  5. Mandi Avatar
    Mandi

    It’s the frequent posts that I have trouble with. hehe

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  6. Kami Avatar
    Kami

    I really like your blog. I am planning a post next week with blog tips, and I want to link this post. 🙂
    Thanks!

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  7. goshery Avatar
    goshery

    God tips and I agree that posting often is sometimes the problem. Sometimes I just can’t think of a thing to say!

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  8. Cami @ Heart-Shaped Rock Cottage Avatar
    Cami @ Heart-Shaped Rock Cottage

    ROFL… My sense of humor gets me in trouble for sure. Every so often I have to post some random, mundane “on my mind” post. I just do.

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  9. KZ Avatar
    KZ

    Great advice! Thanks

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  10. france wisniewski Avatar
    france wisniewski

    these are great suggestions. I always revisit blogs that introduce me to something new…whether it’s clothes, crafts, or just ideas…i like making little discoveries throughout my day.

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  11. jamaica Avatar
    jamaica

    dude. i post everything. am oblivious to my audience (what, there’s someone other than my mom checking it?!?!) i curse. and forget to comment on other people’s blogs. even those i visit regularly. i suck.

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  12. mallory Avatar
    mallory

    i’m like obsessed with your blog, all the pretty things to look at… i wish I was that creative!!

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  13. grace Avatar
    grace

    love your blog! great advice 🙂

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  14. All Of A Sudden Life Is Amazing Avatar
    All Of A Sudden Life Is Amazing

    This was the simplest “how to make a successful blog” post I have ever read. Thank you!

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  15. Grace Avatar
    Grace

    I love your blog so so so much!!!

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  16. Heidi Avatar
    Heidi

    I’m just getting started on blogging. What host site do you use? Any issues with it?

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  17. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    I use typepad. Love it.

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  18. Tanya S. Avatar
    Tanya S.

    Elise,
    Did you always use typepad? what about when you first started blogging and only your friends (and maybe parents) were reading, did you pay for typepad then? If not, did you or how did you move your content?
    It seems blogger isn’t the best, but wordpress is limited… hmm… I’m considering starting a blog for my crafty outlet, and really appreciate all your posts! Thanks for sharing!

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  19. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    I have. When I started blogging, all the blogs I read were on typepad so I paid a monthly fee from that first day. Always been worth it. 🙂

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  20. julie Avatar
    julie

    i’m curious about “determine your audience”–
    do you feel like you said “I want to write to XX, YY, ZZ folks”
    or did it make itself apparent to you as you went along, and then you could define it? and since you list this as one of your key tips, do you mean that you think about a specific group/people when you write? . . .
    thanks! love your blog a lot.

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  21. elise blaha Avatar
    elise blaha

    hey Julie, great question. I know I link to this post on my faq page, but it is so outdated now I need to change it! I cannot even tell you what I meant by that. I guess I must have meant – get a sense for who is reading and write posts they will enjoy but I do not really believe that anymore. You have to write what YOU enjoy. Here is a more recent post that talks about how I schedule posts (http://eliseblaha.typepad.com/golden/2012/07/reader-question-blog-content-generation.html)

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