To be a productive and successful blogger, you need to master the art of time management. With the best blog management tools and skills, you are sure to grow your audience in no time. Want to learn how to manage your blog efficiently, amidst the busyness of daily life? These tips can make a world of difference to you and your website! How will you ever find the time to blog if you’re always busy cleaning your dog’s paw prints on the floor and washing an ever-growing mountain of laundry? On top of that, what if you’re too busy with your day job? Well then, you need to improve your blog time management strategy. There are professional bloggers who do nothing else but write and promote their latest posts, yet most of us only gets a few hours each week to devote to blogging. This is a big cause for frustration for many people.
You’ll want to ask yourself: how come these people are so good with blog management?! I’m telling you, you are not alone. But how can you keep your blog and not neglect the rest of your life? Well, the following are 11 best practices that can help you with time and blog management.
1. Set specific goals for your blog How many blog posts are you planning to write every week and every month?
What do you want to write about?
When do you think is the best time to write?
What strategies do you want to undertake to grow your blog?
Set specific goals in mind as you approach the week. Proper blog management means working towards the fulfillment of your goals and cutting out all unnecessary things that might distract you. If one of your goals is to increase your blog’s reach through Pinterest, then you may want to spend less time on Twitter and Facebook for quite a while. Spend time on Pinterest more, and think about the new strategies you can try to increase your blog’s traffic. You can also upgrade your blog management skills by learning how to use Photoshop. You know what is best for your blog so why not create and improve the images yourself! Once you have expanded your skill set, you’ll be able to know which types of posts do well on Pinterest. Invest your time into something that can benefit you in the future. Ready to take on a challenge? Write down 5 goals for your blog this coming month. Post them somewhere near your study or work table, near your to-do lists. You should be able to accomplish those in a matter of weeks! I believe in you. You can do this!
2. When it’s time to write, just write A lot of bloggers have full-time jobs, and may have a hard time balancing several tasks. Some are employed in huge companies dealing with demanding bosses, while some are full-time mothers who are taking care of their children. Naturally, there may be around 20 life priorities (or more?!) for you that comes in ahead of blog management. That is why you need to remember this—once you start working on your posts, you need to make the most of your blogging time. Great writing skills is part of good blog management. Concentrate and eliminate all distractions. Once you’ve figured out a specific topic and the best time to write, keep your writing sessions on track. Write with your ideal reader in mind. If you only have 30 minutes to write every day, you better make it count. One of the best blog post tips you can follow—approach each material with purpose and focus. Develop your blogging voice. Having a blog management strategy doesn’t necessarily mean scheduling official brainstorming sessions regularly. Fresh ideas and cool concepts for your blog can come up any time of the day. Since ideas can turn up whenever and wherever you can, make sure that you take note of everything. Bring a handy notepad and list down your thoughts. You might forget the little details! An application like Evernote can prove to be a great blog management tool for you if you always prefer to use your mobile phone when taking down notes. This will allow you to document all the concepts that may arise while on your way to the grocery store or on the bus ride home!
3. Expect multiple drafts The hardest thing about writing blog posts is getting started. Crafting that opening paragraph – that ―engage them or lose them‖ introduction part – is tough. We all have our own writing styles and blog management routines. Some bloggers would write only a few drafts, some would wrap up around after a lot of revisions. Meeks’ popular e-book entitled "Simple Blogging" can give you an important guideline on drafting your blog post properly. Unfortunately, this e-book is no longer in print, but I’m telling you, we should take note of that one tip it suggests—your first draft should be written without pressing the delete key. Let all the creative juices flow in by writing your thoughts spontaneously. Once you have documented every inch of idea you have in your mind, then it’s time for revisions. Clean things up and make every statement sound good, based on the tone that you want. If you want to further improve your blog management strategy, you need to make your writing time 100% productive. You won’t experience writer’s block when you’re just getting warmed up!
4. Write on a “rhythm” but on a schedule This can mean different things for different people. Basically, you just write whenever you want—whenever a bright idea or concept comes along.
A top professional blogger dealing with a lot of blog sponsors every week will find it hard to do this, but if you’re a small- to mid-sized blogger without lots of pressure from partnerships and needy readers, you may have the luxury of writing on your own terms. Try writing around 30 minutes a day. This is a highly recommended blog management approach for newbie bloggers. Just sit down and concentrate. The point of ―writing on a rhythm‖ is to acknowledge writing as a discipline and be able to develop a style, while not driving relentlessly toward a certain number of posts per week. People burn out on blogging that way.
Can't find the much-needed writing inspiration? If you’re just starting out and is still contemplating on the best time management approach to maintain your blog, consider the number of posts you publish every week. Don’t allow yourself to write endless hours. I’m sure you wouldn’t want your blogging career to interfere with your real normal life. Focusing on the ―3-posts-per-week-or-else‖ goal will cause the quality of your blog posts to suffer. Accept the fact that sometimes, the creative juices wouldn’t automatically come. Sometimes, it wouldn’t come at all. You need to wait before you can write spontaneously. Too busy with your daily life routine? Can’t summon creativity just in time for a blog writing session? Think of the best way to manage your time.
If inspiration isn’t there as of the moment, then postpone your writing time. Just go grab a snack and get on with the rest of your day. You can try writing again in a few hours once your mood improves. I’m sure you can help yourself! Browse through other websites, books or other materials which can help you find your much-needed inspiration. Bu then again, if you are feeling creative and excited about what you’re trying to do, then just keep doing it. Keep writing! Enjoy the flow of your ideas!
Make use of Pinterest! Make Pinterest a part of your blog management strategy. This platform is a blog management tool that can help you whenever you’re not feeling very creative. The colors, and the overall creativity shown on every Pinterest page can inspire you to write your own ideas. You can use Pinterest not only to promote but also to keep track of other people’s blog posts. Browse through their uploads and see if they can help start your wheels turning. Upon seeing them, I’m sure would feel the urge to make something even better. Something readers would love more! Make use of Pinterest’s new private boards to file interesting articles which can serve as inspiration for you whenever you need it.
5. Make an editorial calendar You need to schedule all things relating to your blog, while remaining organized. When it comes to blogging, it’s true that some people would choose to set a jampacked writing schedule, while some would want a more relaxed approach. Everything depends on your goals and blog management strategy. If you expect a number of readers in a certain amount of time, then creating 3 to 4 posts a week makes perfect sense. Statistically speaking, the more frequently you post, the faster your readership will grow. To make sure that the quality of your writing won’t suffer, you need to create and follow an editorial calendar as you crank out all the new materials! This is one of the best ways to have an efficient blog time management strategy, since you are bound to follow the timelines that you yourself set. Write down which blog posts you plan to publish and commit everything to a calendar. This will help keep you on target with your writing.
6. Use your time wisely when promoting blog posts Promoting your blog posts may seem like a virtual black hole that can suck up all your time. To save time, it’s best to automate the most basic promotional details such as sharing your new posts on Facebook and scheduling tweets for the upcoming ones.
Networked Blogs, HubSpot and HootSuite are the best blog management tools to use if you are planning to schedule lots of content ahead of time. See? It’s not really that complicated. You’ll never have to go crazy with social media! Moreover, if you have to choose between engaging with people in social media and writing for your blog, choose the blog. Always remember that the reach of your own social promotion is limited. The most effective type of social networking happens when other people promote your content for you. Focus on creating quality content that is worth sharing. What kind of blog posts would your friends love to share on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You need to end up with a material that’s far more lasting—blog posts that can spark engagement over and over again. If you’re using blog commenting as a way to gain new readers, choose around 10 blogs and stick with them. Leave insightful, engaging and helpful comments, and become an active member of these communities. This approach to blog management can be exciting to implement. I’m sure you’ll have fun leaving cool remarks on their websites! How to manage your blog commenting strategy? I say don’t mix the blog reading hobby with readership building time. While reading and commenting on blog posts is fun, you should keep business and personal reading times separate. Keep your focus. This is one of the keys to the best time management approaches.
7. Stop checking your stats often Growing a blog’s audience from scratch is no easy task, so the will to know if everything’s paying off is understandable. Feel free to check how many people are interacting with your blog, but not every day, or even every week. Set a date once a month to peruse your stats. Find out which posts in the past 30 days have been the most popular, and where your readers are coming from. Don’t think about your own statistics too much. Obsessing on the numbers is unhealthy and leads you away from your goals. Pressuring yourself with good results can interfere with your daily routine. Checking it once a month will give you just enough information to help you decide on your next blogging steps. Blogging can be considered as a fun profession at this age, but never let it interfere with real life.
8. Make outsourcing a part of your blog management routine Sometimes, there’s just too much work, and that stress is getting out of control. You may be a hardworking professional, but such blogging tasks can eat away at your life. Stop wasting time and outsource if possible! We all know that we live in a culture that glorifies the ―renaissance woman‖ and the ―self-made man‖ who can accomplish it all. But just as everyone isn’t a brain surgeon or a plumber, not all individuals have efficient skills in copy editing, blog design and technical troubleshooting. If you can afford to outsource some tasks that lie outside your skill set, please do. Outsourcing can be one of the most important parts of your blog management strategy. What’s great about this is that not only can you support someone who can provide a valuable service, you can also get that much-needed break. One of the best ways to manage time, indeed!
9. Learn to say no There will always be people who want you to promote their own projects. The question is, are they worth your time, money and energy? Guest blogging opportunities are initially very flattering though it can take all of your time and eat into other more important aspects of your life. Choose which projects to take wisely. If there is the need to turn down an opportunity to speak at a popular blogging conference because of various sensible reasons, then do it. Sure, you will initially get all starry-eyed at the invitation, but after some serious thought, you’ll realize that it would mean not just a weekend away from your family, but several hours of preparation for the event that you, frankly, do not have. Saying ―no‖ doesn’t have to be that dramatic. If you really only have time for 1 post each week, then so be it. Never pressure yourself. Moreover, saying ―no‖ now doesn’t mean ―never.‖ It just acknowledges that fact that there are life seasons, and that perhaps the opportunities that can’t happen now can finally take place later.
10. Consider guest blogging as part of your blog management strategy If you want more content for your blog yet you lack the time to write yourself, consider accepting guest bloggers. Remember, the more materials you publish, the more readers you gain. Why not let your guest blogger friends contribute to your virtual space?! Make guest blogging a big part of your blog management approach. Use your social media accounts to ask for submissions and proposals for a regular feature in your blog. If you have even just a few hundred followers, surely some of them would love to share their ideas to your readers. Use this opportunity to focus on making your own work better while exchanging blog traffic (and hopefully growing your readership!) at the same time.
11. Promote other people's blogs Blogging is a wonderful world of sharing, discussing, participating, promoting, learning and teaching. If you spend all of your time in your own blog, you’re missing out on being part of a community of bloggers who greatly supports each other. This may sound counter-intuitive, but promoting other people’s blogs should be part of your own blog management strategy. Every minute you spend in blog promotion is time well spent. Schedule a particular date and time each week to get to know a new set of bloggers. An hour a week can already make a difference in your online presence! Build your reputation as a blogger who promotes others. This way, they will be attracted to you, your blog and your community. There is a lot of reciprocity to blogging so make sure to make this part of your routine.
Improve your blog management skills! Growing your blog requires a lot of hard work and the best time management skills. A blogging career is a fulfilling journey so always blog intentionally, generously and wisely to make the most of the time you are given. Ask yourself questions. Revisit your goals and make new resolutions once in a while.
When is the best time to write?
What is the best way to manage your time?
How can you further improve your blog management skills?
Research on blog post tips that can further guide you.
Make a list of all the blog management tools you might need in the future. You can also be of great help for other newbie bloggers who need blog management advice.
Share amazing blog management ideas to your friends! Pin this now!
DO YOU KNOW OTHER BLOG MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES WHICH WERE NOT MENTIONED HERE? LEAVE A COMMENT AND LET'S CONNECT! I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!