How to have a successful blog

As you have noticed there are many people with very successful (and popular) blogs. There are also some people that have very nice blogs, but they just aren't very popular. And then, there are the okay and bad blogs.
If you're one of those people that just need some help getting your blog "out there", use these tips to help you.

• Make sure your blog is aesthetically pleasing to others. You're probably thinking, "Who cares what my blog looks like? It's the content that matters." Nope. Not true. When people come to your blog, they want to see something that is nice, neat, and not too overpowering with too many colors and crazy fonts. You want to have a good first impression on that person, just like meeting someone in real life. If someone doesn't like how your blog looks, they probably won't stay long to check it out. Remember, keep it simple. 
• POST FREQUENTLY!!! I cannot express this too much. If you want to make and keep your followers, you must, must, MUST post AT THE VERY LEAST once a week. I personally try to post every day, but it's okay if you skip a day or two. And, if you don't have time to do one every day, make them in advance when you do have time. Just save them as a draft and when the day comes for you to post them, just click Publish. Also, it's A-OK to take occasional breaks- just not too frequently. If you find yourself stuck in a rut, just take a break for a few days to brainstorm ideas.
• Make interesting posts! Nobody wants to read short, boring posts. Make them fun, and do a different type of post each day. If you have trouble, make a schedule. Do crafts on Sunday, photo shoots on Monday, and WITOs on Tuesday, etc.
• Make your dolls look nice. No one wants to look at pictures of dolls with messy hair wearing mismatched clothes. They want to see beautiful, well-cared for dolls. If you don't care about your dolls' well-being, maybe you shouldn't have a doll blog.
• Interact with your followers. Reply to comments, have readers submit photos, just do anything to show that you appreciate and care about your followers. 
• Do a giveaway/contest every now and then. Let's face it- people like things. Especially free things. Why don't you do a giveaway, or even a contest? And you don't have to buy the prizes. Make them- just do a nice job on it. Also, doing giveaways is a good way to get followers. If you do a giveaway now, you'll probably do one in the future. It's what people automatically assume. I always promise giveaways if I know I'm going to do them in the future because people will want to see the post with the giveaway when it comes up in their Blogger feed.
• Don't copy. Do you like copycats? Didn't think so. Neither does anyone else. So just don't do it. You can take an idea and alter it, but don't do the exact same thing that another blogger does. If you really do have to copy, though, at least ask first and mention the person on your blog.
• Be happy. Show you enjoy blogging, and that you really care. No one likes a grumpy puss. It may seem like an insignificant tip, but it's not. Just keep that in mind.
• Make new friends! Have other blogging friends- they can give you ideas and it's fun to have a friend that you've never met in real life (they don't get involved in your school drama, they can't judge you by what you look like, etc.). They can also help spread the word about your blog. Just be very, very, careful. Don't give out too much personal information- there are some weird people out in this world.

Well, I hope you enjoyed these tips and that they are helpful to you. Good luck with your blog!

Happy blogging,

Marisa