Blogging Tips: Learn From Others

When I started out blogging just shy of two years ago I had no idea what DA stood for or what a no-follow link was. Fast forward to present day and not only have I gained some knowledge but I am actually able to work at improving my blog because I now have a better understanding.

When I'm stuck or confused then I usually do one of two things. I either turn to my fellow bloggers on Twitter or I search for a relevant blog tips post. We shouldn't be afraid of asking for help when we're floundering and yet sometimes we feel reluctant. There are so many bloggers out there and most are happy to give a helping hand.
With that in mind I thought I'd share some of my (little) knowledge and the blog posts I used when I was feeling a tad bewildered.

DA anybody?

I'd heard this abbreviation used on several occasions and it meant nothing to me. DA who?? For a while I didn't particularly care but then it became apparent that if I wanted to go places with GGD I was going to have to learn the basics.

DA stands for Domain Authority. (Yes and that means what exactly Justine??) In a nutshell, your domain authority is important as it helps play a vital role in how well your blog or website will rank on a search engine. There's a fantastic guide on ShoutMeLoud which explains this in more detail.
In terms of a great DA, the higher the number the better you rank. (100 being the best, 1 being the worst.) At the moment my DA is 30 but I'm working on improving this.

Why should I bother?

This was my initial thought in the beginning. It all seemed too complicated and anyway, why would it really matter what my DA was?
Well it probably doesn't if you want to blog just for fun. But for those that want to take things further and maybe make an income from this life, it is kind of important.
It was only when I was applying for a blog opportunity on the Facebook group UKBloggers that I realised just how so. The company in question asked what my DA was and I honestly didn't have a clue. Good old Google helped me out and I found this little beauty that revealed my score - SEO Review Tools. The better your DA the more likely you are to get blogging opportunities and/or paid work although this isn't necessarily always the case.

This post from one of my favs, SkinnedCartree gives some useful tips on how to improve your DA.

Talking of opportunities, how can I find paid work? 

Not all opportunities are going to just drop into your inbox. You need to put yourself out there. Join Facebook groups, network on Twitter and Instagram. Tag your favourite brands but don't spam them as they'll just get peeved. Hashtags are also a good way to find opportunities. I frequently check the bloggerswanted hashtag on Twitter. Brands are now - more than ever - using social media as a way to reach out to us. And don't be afraid to approach brands directly with an email. There's a fab post by Phases Of Robyn on How To Approach Brands...

And if you ever needed inspiration then this by TeaPartyBeauty is the post to do it, How I Made £1300 From Blogging In One Month.

There's a legal side to blogging?!? 

Yes and it doesn't have to be frightening so long as you read up on the rules. When anyone used to mention legal/law or taxes I'd run a mile. In fact it used to make me so anxious that I would always turn down work because it all seemed a bit overwhelming. Fast forward to more recently and I've finally started accepting paid work. Eeeek! There's so much to learn about the legal aspect from cookie consent to declaring tax and even using images online. Everything I have learnt so far is from either hounding my fellow bloggers or from reading these two posts:

The first is again by SkinnedCartree, How To Blog Legally.

The second is by CocoChic, Everything You Need To Know About Blogging, Taxes And HMRC.

Help I've been asked for an invoice!

This was me just recently until I again went to a blogger friend for advice. She very kindly sent me a template and since then I've found a few others online too. It's amazing what's out there when you look for it. One of the best I've come across so far is by Becky Bedbug. Not only does she explain invoicing really well but she's also included the template for you to download on How To Create An Invoice For Your Blog.

Follow and No Follow Links

This is the one that really stumped me for ages. I actually (until just recently) thought a follow link meant you could click on it and it would re-direct you to another website and that a no-follow link meant it took you no-where. How stupid am I?? *Hides behind hands. However, Jordan kindly explained to me that this was not quite the case. I'm sure she's still laughing. :)
A link is a link regardless and in every sense of the word. It will always re-direct you to another website provided obviously that it's active and not broken.
I'm not even going to begin to try and explain follow and no follow links as I've only just got my own head around it. Instead I'm going to recommend you read the very same post I did:

Follow/No Follow Links And What They Mean For Bloggers by Maria.J


Obviously there's plenty more about blogging that still confuses me. Don't even get me started on coding. I can just about code my side bar adverts and that's about your lot! However I am always keen to learn so if you're reading this and you know of any other blogging tips or must read posts then please do share them with me (and everyone else of course) in the comments section below.


Happy St. Patrick's Day!


Justine xxx



Image via Pexels