17 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Blog

I can’t believe that I have had this blog for almost THREE years! I started The Curly Clinician during my gap year between undergrad and PT school (November 2017). I remember being so afraid to start; I didn’t think that anyone would care what I had to say. But on a whim, I decided that it ultimately didn’t matter. If no one read my posts, at least I would have had this experience documented for myself to reflect on in the future. Even if I only helped ONE person, I would have accomplished what I set out to do. I never in a million years imagined that this blog would turn into what it is today. I am so grateful for all of the opportunities that it has afforded me so far, and all of the wonderful connections I have made. I appreciate you so much for being here, and allowing me to just be me.

So, if you are thinking about starting a blog, here are some things I wish I knew before I started blogging:

1. No one is expecting you to show up perfect. Just show up and be YOU; no one else can tell YOUR story.
2. You will make mistakes and learn as you go, it’s okay.
3. You have to promote your content if you want people to see/read it. You aren’t being “annoying”, I promise. Remember that you’re not spamming people if the content is good. Make sure you are providing VALUE!
4. Investing in hosting and a domain name EARLY is worth it.
5. Niche down early. If you try to talk to everyone, you’re essentially talking to no one. Find other bloggers in your niche to connect with and learn from.
6. Consistency is so important. To grow and improve, you must be consistently creating content. And it won’t happen overnight. It takes time!
7. Every post doesn’t have to be a novel. It is okay to keep some posts short and sweet!
8. When thinking of topics to write about, try to answer simple questions; don’t overthink things. Your audience is typically who you were 2-3 years ago.
9. Create an email with your domain in it using G-suite (i.e. hello@thecurlyclinician.com). It is more professional and worth the $6 or so a month. AVOID CONTACT FORMS!
10. Try to create a schedule to keep yourself on track.
11. Your iPhone and self-timer are your BFFs.
12. Utilize Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, AND Twitter to increase your site traffic!
13. People may judge you, but remember that their opinion doesn’t matter.
14. Ask for feedback and help if you need it. It takes a village, and no one is expecting you to do this all on your own.
15. Lead with urgency in your post titles. Use hyperbole (best, absolute, etc.).
16. If you want others to take you and your blog seriously, YOU must first take yourself seriously.
17. And as Mattie James always preaches, make sure that your story has “DNA” (Decisive, Noticeable, Authentic), and your content is “MVP” (Marketable, Valuable, Positioned).

I hope this was helpful for those of you who are thinking about starting a blog. I have had quite a few people ask me for blogging tips, so I will try to post more content like this in the future if y’all want me to!

My biggest piece of advice: take that risk! Do that thing! No matter what the people around you are doing, do what YOU want to do! Don’t let your fear of the unknown stop you from accomplishing your goals. I am so so excited to see what these next three years of blogging bring me!