NBI: The top five tips from the monkey

It may be not very original but one of the recurring topics over at the New Blogger Initiative is to give a few tips to newer bloggers about how to go about this. You can head over to the forums and you’ll see a ton of valuable information. Still, I figured I would add my own top five of blogging tips and hopefully bring something new.

5.Try to get into the habit of blogging on a regular basis

This is especially true when starting out. An active blog will grow faster than a rarely active one. Sounds simple when said like that but you’d be surprised how some new promising blog dies simply because the author posted once in a blue moon. Your topics don’t always have to be revolutionary, just talk about what’s on your mind.

4 …But don’t blog for the sake of blogging

If you have nothing to say, simply say nothing. Don’t make a post that goes nowhere simply because you feel the need to fill up the page with text. It’s alright to be out of ideas.

3. Shorter is better

I’m often guilty of making post needlessly long. It’s a trait a lot of bloggers have but the best posts are often those that go straight to the point and don’t need two paragraphs of explanation to the get the point. Try getting into the habit of rereading yourself and see if you can shave off some useless text.

2. Don’t blog for fame and fortune

Some bloggers see themselves as the new internet sensation. They dream of millions of readers, of community and all the money that go with it. It’s all pretty pathetic to be honest. The only thing you have to offer is your own opinions and stories and everyone has those.

1. Your readers are intelligent

This is the most important tip I can think of. I’ve seen too many bloggers treat their audiences like five years old kids and be patronizing. They blog like they are the only ones knowing the truth and they share it like it was holy gospel.

Your readers are smart, they can figure things out for themselves, form well thought-out opinions and can read between the lines. Respect them and talk to them like the smart human beings they are.

There you go! Five tips that have helped me out greatly with this blog and I hope it will help someone else too.