This weeks topic is:

Top Ten Tips For New Bloggers

I really like this topic this week… next week is my 1 year anniversary of running Book Nerd Reviews, and whilst I am definitely still new compared to other blogs, I feel like I have made it through the end of the foggy faze that I was in during the first 6 months of running this site!

10. When you’re first starting out it can be tough to get visitors, and therefore tough to get any feedback on how you’re going. So the first thing is to comment on other blogs! And I don’t mean spam. I mean comment with thoughtful, interesting comments, and only comment on things you WANT to comment on. Don’t just do it for the sake of getting your link out there, cause I know when people are doing that on my blog, and when people are truly being genuine. I am much more inclined to visit blogs of people who post interesting comments! This will help you get comments and feedback in return.

9. Original Content is king. I’ll be honest and say now that I am not as good at this as some of the other bloggers that I really admire are, but I don’t particularly enjoy reading interviews or blog tours and things like that, so you’ll find I don’t feature them on my site. I really only post things on here that I myself find interesting, and I stay true to what I love. Everyone is different! The things I like to post about will be different to others, but then.. that might just be the thing that gets you some loyal followers in the end!

8. Netgalley. I wish someone told me about this sooner when I started. But sign up to Netgalley asap. As a new reviewer you may find you get more rejections than acceptions to start with, but don’t be discouraged. The books you ARE approved to read, make sure you do and post your reviews. The better you are at this, the more likely you’ll be approved for future titles. This allows you to get some Advanced Readers Copies sooner rather than later.

7. Read, read, read! When I first started, I had a number of reviews already up my sleeve… maybe 10-12? And I read like a maniac in those first two months just trying to post more and more reviews. When you’re starting out it’s tough content wise, but if you have reviews to post you’re off to a flying start!

6. Giveaways! Let’s face it, we all love something for nothing, and a giveaway is a good way to get some new traffic to your site. And if they love it, they will be definitely more likely to come back again and again.

5. Twitter/Facebook - I cannot stress the importance of social media for bloggers!! Every new blogger needs to get onto this immediately if you’re not already. It’s a fantastic networking tool, and also just a decent way to make friends, socialise, get news in the book industry, understand trends… I mean I could go on and on. Do it!

4. Make some good friends! And I use Twitter primarily for this very reason! It’s allowed me to network, converse with other bloggers who maybe I wouldn’t have otherwise had the chance to talk to, and definitely make better friends. I also use groups on Goodreads to talk and get to know other bloggers better also. At the end of the day we all love books and love likeminded people!

3. Blog hops and memes are great when you’re starting out (and even when you are established). It’s a great way of getting involved in conversation and sharing ideas, and since you’re leaving your URL on the meme host’s site, you’re going to get extra visitors who want to check out what you have to say. It’s also a fantastic way of getting to know your fellow bloggers!

2. Networked blogs. I love Networked Blogs (.com). I signed my site up to it and linked up my Facebook and Twitter accounts to it, and so every post I make on my WordPress automatically is fed to my Twitter and Facebook accounts - which means my followers and readers are alerted to each post I make without me even having to think about it. Highly recommend this - otherwise how else do people know your posting?

1. Be yourself!!!! People love your site ulimately because of your personality and style. Let’s face it… most of our book blogging sites are much of a muchness at the end of the day, but what is NOT the same is the personalities of the bloggers themselves! Let people know who you are, and don’t change your personality because you think people won’t like it. One of my favourite bloggers is Parajunkee, who just tells it STRAIGHT down the line to the point of being blunt at times. I think she’s amazing, because she doesn’t change her opinion for anyone. That’s admirable!