My Blogging Process – What Happens Before You Read The Post

Hello and thank you for joining me here. In this post, I’ll be sharing my blogging process. It’s nothing super interesting or complex; it’s pretty simple actually.

Please note that although there are commonalities in the blogging process, the blogging process may differ for each different blogger because we don’t all think or work the same.

This is just what works for me…

Generally speaking, this is my blogging process…

Blogging is absolutely, positively awesome. I love it!

You get to express your creative side, de-stress and share thoughts with a bunch of wonderful people that don’t even know me (laughs).

Of course, I read a lot of other bloggers posts and sometimes I draw inspiration from them. I jot down whatever topics (or thoughts) pop into my head when I read other blog posts. Almost always have a notebook and pen handy, you know… for when inspiration hits.

I have multiple notebooks, in case I happen to switch bags or whatever and I also use my cellphone and random pieces of paper to make blog notes in between tasks at work or home or wherever I happen to be.

Initially, I didn’t always plan my blog posts, not even this one. I’d just start writing, go with the flow and see where I end up… Not great, I know but that’s just how I roll.

I’d spend about 20 to 30 minutes, sometimes less writing a blog post and (I am usually writing while watching one of my favourite series like The Vampire Diaries for example). So no, the first draft is not written with 100% full attention usually.

Now that I’ve been blogging longer, I get the draft done in one go with little to no distraction. Many ideas I get while watching TV and usually, they have nothing to do with whatever series is playing. I grab my laptop, open Wix and Google (so I can double-check that the words I choose actually mean what I think they mean) and the writing begins.

In the beginning, I didn’t have a posting schedule as I do now. I would just write and post sporadically.

Before, the only posts of mine that were published like clockwork were the posts from my “Meet the Blogger” (now titled “Creative Corner“) series. Those I publish specifically on Fridays but I no longer do that.

I publish all new blog posts on Sunday evening at 6 PM CAT because according to my analytics at some point, that was an optimal time for me to get the most eyes on it.

Coming Up With A Post Title…

Pretty simple, my headings are usually literally whatever the post is about.

I actually want to be a bit more creative with future posts and not be so damn to the point with post titles. The posts title is often decided after the fact, although there are a few posts where the title came first and the actual content later.

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part of my blogging process

“50 Great Lifestyle Blog Post Ideas”

After Finishing A Draft…

After writing my draft I use a thesaurus as well as Grammarly to double-check meanings and spelling as well as see if there aren’t better synonyms for me to use to better get my point across.

I love using the thesaurus because I also get to discover new, alternative ways to say things.

Once the final draft is complete, I sometimes copy and paste the blog post onto Word and have it read back to me so that I can hear what it sounds like and then maybe do some further editing.

Having your posts read back to you can help you to see the post from a different perspective. When you’ve been writing something, sometimes you don’t pick up errors with your eyes because you read it the way it’s supposed to sound; which is why I prefer to have things read back to me.

If I’m happy with how the post sounds, I paste it back onto WordPress ( a bit of a process I know but it works for me).

blogging tools

The Final Step – Publishing…

My post is now reading so it’s time to publish!

All of my posts (except journal entry posts) are prewritten and scheduled.

Scheduling posts was a game-changer for me because it meant I no longer had to worry about hitting the publish button on time.

I schedule my final posts to go live in the next available Sunday at 6 PM CAT but that doesn’t mean that the work is now done…

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After Publishing…

The work isn’t done just because I’ve hit publish and the post is live. (In fact, this is probably the most important part after writing a satisfactory post) It’s time to spread the word and get you guys to come and check out my final product.

Spreading the Word!

I share the link to my blog post on all of my social media ie. Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. I have recently started sharing some on Instagram as well.

My posts automatically publish on Bloglovin (go and follow) as well.

On Facebook, I post to my page (please go and like my page) as well as blog post sharing groups.

I make tweets and use relevant hashtags on Twitter and I also make use of relevant RT accounts.

I use Canva to create Pinterest pins to share on Pinterest for each blog post.

On Pinterest, I have joined group boards where I share my blog post pins. Create multiple pins per post and share on multiple boards!

Pin this!

In conclusion, my blogging process entails the following steps:

  1. Brainstorming
  2. First draft (and coming up with a title)
  3. Editing & final draft
  4. Publishing
  5. Sharing the content

Final thoughts: It’s important to spread the word about your new posts on your socials. Don’t just rely on your auto-email!

You should, somewhere between your final draft and publishing, do some keyword research. I’d probably get a ton more views if I did that but I’m not an SEO whizz just yet. Nevertheless, I’m working on it.

And that’s my blogging process!

Let me know what you thought and how it differs from yours in the comments.

A true-crime-obsessed, quirky lifestyle blogger from the coastal city of East London, South Africa whose interests include reading, writing and fitness. Find me on Twitter @WeirdnLiberated.
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