10 Ways to Challenge Yourself as a Blogger

By Gina | August 5, 2015

Have you ever wanted to try something different and grow as a blogger? Sometimes we can get caught up in a routine, and not take time to start making our blog dreams come true. We can all improve as writers, bloggers and content creators. It’s all about finding the areas you want to improve and figuring out how you want to grow your blog for the future. Whether that is working on larger brand collaborations, fine-tuning your writing skills, connecting with your audience in a deeper way or boosting your blog content, there are many ways we can take risks as bloggers and try something new! Here are a couple of my favorite ways:

1. Contribute to your favorite online magazine.

Websites like MindBodyGreen, Relevant, Skirt Collective, Hello Giggles and many others allow people to submit posts to be featured on their websites. You could also apply to be a writer at Elite Daily or pitch a blog post idea to the Huffington Post. I’ve had friends that have done several of these and it’s a great way to challenge yourself as a writer and publish your work in front of a different audience.

2. Market your blog in person.

Whether this means leaving blog business cards in coffee shops or reaching out to local businesses to feature their products on your blog, getting off our computers is one way to see our blogs in a new way.

3. Take styled photography.

Try going outside to take photos of different things around your town or collecting props to use in styled images at home or in the office. If you haven’t tried modeling for photos like I know many of my fashion blogger friends do, try to take photos of yourself to use in different ways on your blog. They may be perfect for a day-in-the-life post or Q&A post! Posting photos of yourself every now and again helps keep your blog fun and personal!

4. Attend a blogger meet-up or conference.

Going to my first blogger meet-up was so exciting. It was actually a mini conference hosted by the North Carolina Blogger Network, and I was able to meet so many different bloggers in person. There was also a mini panel that gave us blogging advice, too. Meet-ups and conferences challenge us in two ways: 1) they allow us to meet new people and establish new relationships, and 2) learn more things to make our blogs epic.

Want to take it a step further and plan your own local blog meet-up? Madison has the perfect how-to post to help you gather the bloggers in your area!

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5. Email your favorite blogger just to say hi!

Have you ever reached out to a blogger who you adore just to give them a compliment and say how much they inspire you? Try it one day, and spread the love!

6. Try vlogging for the first time.

I’ve been wanting to try vlogging for awhile, and I even have some ideas for a video. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m trying to get over the fear of being on camera. If you share this same fear, let’s challenge ourselves to vlog or even try Periscope!

7. Reach out to your favorite brand for a partnership.

If you blog regularly about a certain brand, why not reach out to them to suggest a project to work on together? You can send in your media kit and see if they would be interested in a blog post, video, social media post or all of the above. Want some more tips on how to craft the perfect pitch email? Check out Melyssa’s tips on how to work with brands as a blogger!

8. Write an e-book on a topic you love.

Whether it’s a free e-book when you sign up for an email list or one you sell for a certain price, writing an e-book is a process that lets you become an expert on a certain topic. An e-book is a different form of writing, compared to blogging, and can help you develop your style, voice and brand. It also is a great gift to give back to your readers!

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9. Take a coding class.

Ever wanted to know more about website coding or design? This is another good way to develop new skills as a blogger. Take the DIY approach to your blog design as you learn how to change features on your site. Treehouse is a great place to learn website development. And one of my favorite bloggers, Elemebee is planning an e-course called Get Your Website Together, a great way to learns the ins and outs of maintaining your website on your own. I also recommend Lynda tutorials. They are my jam.

10. Write the post you’ve been wanting to share for awhile.

We all have something on our minds or on our hearts. Write that honest, heart-felt post you’ve been meaning to write for a long time. Guess what? The world needs our vulnerability and our openness. Every post and every word we write is meaningful. Let’s make the most of that.

Are there specific ways you want to grow as a blogger and challenge yourself to achieve your goals? I love to see this blogging community come together to really help each other improve and build our brands. It’s so much fun to have a group of inspiring creatives that view challenges as opportunities and move mountains in the blog world. You all inspire me everyday and I can’t wait to see how we can help each other build stronger connections so we can make a difference in everyday life.

Posted in Blogging