Monday, September 19, 2016

Do You want to Know the Best Blogging Advice I Ever Got?

Created and Written by Kimberly Kline, API

I started blogging on August 4, 2012….
and when I take a look back at that first post, there is no doubt 
I have learned a lot about blogging since then!

When I began, I just dove in.  I figured that like the first time I made it off the high dive, there came a point when I just had to jump.

I knew I wanted to share more about my business.  I wanted to make using employment background checks in hiring a little less scary and much more approachable.

But that is where it ended.  I had little more direction or focus than that.


It wasn’t long before I discovered that 
I needed a plan. 

So I started searching online for other bloggers that “spoke” to me.

I soon discovered that I gravitated towards the ones that wrote in the “conversational” tone I loved, and that excelled in making their subject matter easy to understand ~ even for those not in their business.


I landed on these 3 bloggers ~ 
Jenn Herman of Jenn’s Trends
Mike Allton of The Social Media Hat, and Tracy Higginbotham of Women TIES
…and I think you will soon find out why!

Each of them has a unique voice and knowledge to share.  There is no doubt that they love blogging and they share this enthusiasm in each and every one of their posts.

Jenn Herman / Jenn’s Trends
Jenn was my first blogger discovery.  I was (and in many, many ways still am) a social media novice.  It was obvious from the start that Jenn knew her stuff.

She was able to make social media much less scary and her tips became invaluable in helping me share and spread the word about my blog.  

But perhaps her biggest gift to me was the “aha” moment I had when reading her article “How to be Invaluable to Your Customers” (source1), written way back in 2014!  This article showed me the value of truly focusing on my customers problems and needs.  And that became my blog’s primary focus!

From then on, I made my blog much less about me and what I wanted to share and more about my clients ~ and the new clients I hoped to have!  I continue with this focus today!

How This Advice can Work for You…..
Find a blogger that will help you discover your blog’s focus.  The goal is to continue reading articles until you have your own unique “aha” moment.  That moment might come quickly or it may have to develop over time.  Either way, finding it will be a great boost to your blog! 

Mike Allton / The Social Media Hat
I discovered Mike's blog in early 2015.  Since that time I have watched his blog grow right along with his infectious enthusiasm for blogging!  

Mike has really made an impact on my own blog with his easy to understand “tech” expertise.  His “how to” articles are perfect for me!  Mike’s step-by-step guides are easy to follow ~ even for this “tech challenged” blogger!

My favorites have been on how to create “Tweetable" links and how to add Facebook authorship to my blog articles. (Sources 2,3). I was able to use both of the guidelines in each article to add a better dimension to my own blog.  Thanks Mike!

How this Advice can Work for You…..
It is difficult to excel at every aspect of blogging.  The key is recognizing that and to find sources that will help you fill the gap.  Search out articles featuring the information you need.  Don’t be afraid to ask the blogger questions or make comments. Establishing a good working relationship with another blogger is never a bad thing!

Tracy Higginbotham / Women TIES
As a blogger, Tracy is a pro at sharing her passion for Women in Business.  She inspired me to decide what message I truly wanted to send to my readers.  It really helped me build my brand and find my passion.

Tracy writes from her heart and that fits perfectly with her brand and her passion.  What is really astounding is that she manages to do this in every one of her DAILY blog posts (a schedule I could never hope to duplicate).

Because of her inspiration, I saw the value of sharing pieces of myself and my story with my readers.  Tracy also helped me land squarely on my goals for promoting and helping Small Businesses.

One of my favorite articles of Tracy’s is her take on finding your business commitment, “What was Your Moment of BusinessCommitment” (Source4).  This spoke to me, as many of her articles do.

That is something I strive for in my own blog ~ to convey my own passion for small business and inspire that passion in others.

How this Advice Can Work for You…..
Don’t be afraid to tell your story.  Exposing your readers to your own problems and successes is a great way to build a connection.  Don’t shy away from this.  However, you then have to turn it around and explain to your readers how what you have learned can work for them! 


Written & Created by Kimberly Kline, API

Discovering these 3 blogging gurus 
was the start to me gaining 
a stronger focus, passion, 
commitment, and drive 
for my blog than I had ever had before.

And it was right about then that I discovered the absolute Best Blogging Advice I ever Got…..I needed to find a way to make these blogging gems work for me!

The Best Blogging Advice?  Do What Works for You!  “Tweet This”

I could not do things exactly the way Jenn, Mike, or Tracy did them.  

Instead, I had to take the best of what I learned from each of them and tweak it to fit my own blogging goals.


That is why I know this advice 
will work for you too!

Customizing tips that “speak” to you, and fit both your and your audience’s unique needs, is key.

When you blog, take a good hard look at what you really want to accomplish.  Do you want to reach a specific audience?  Gain more clients?  Or are you interested in achieving something else entirely?

No matter what your goals, in the end you need to do what is in the best interests of you and your readers.  There is no one “right” or only way to blog.

Seek out other bloggers.  Discover what they are doing that you like and what you don’t.  That is your starting point.

Then it is time to get to work!

There are definite benefits to blogging, 
and I still believe it is one of the best things 
I have ever done for my own Small Business.  


Blogging will help you build trust in your company, build relationships with your readers and clients, and build your brand.

Check out what blogging can do for you in “Have You Ever Considered Starting a Blog?  If Not, You Should!” and “Are You Afraid of Starting Your Small Business Blog?  I can Help You!”.


Ready to take the next step in your 
blogging journey?  
Then get started now!


We can answer your Blogging and Small Business Questions!


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Source1: How to Be Invaluable to Your Customers

Source2:  How to Create Tweetable Links

Source3:  Facebook adds Authorship, Bloggers Take Note!

Source4:  What’s Your Moment of Business Commitment? 

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