I never set out to be a ‘blogger’.  It just happened accidently (read that story here).   Yet I do notice a load of advice out there on ‘how to blog’ and ‘what you’re doing wrong as a blogger’ and so on.

I’m actually a sucker for reading these articles even though I usually don’t follow the advice!  It’s like my guilty blogging pleasure.

Here is the advice I ignore the most and why.

Pick a niche, two maximum

Perhaps this can be more varied for a lifestyle blog, but my niche is me.  I write about loads of different topics, anything that fascinates me.  Can my niche just be ‘me’?

Have a schedule 

This takes the fun out of it a little for me.  I do try to post a few times a week, but there’s no set schedule.  I might post three times in one day or three times a week every other day.  It depends how much time I have or how much I have in my head I want to get out.  I feel like personal blogs should be a little more sporadic and having a schedule to follow starts to feel very structured for a lifestyle blog.  Perhaps a schedule would work better for a business blog.

Approach businesses for reviews

I’ve had the fantastic pleasure of collaborating with numerous companies reviewing products and completing sponsored blog posts.  This was something I never set out to do when I started blogging as I didn’t even know such a thing existed.  It all happened by chance.
I’ve never once gone directly to a company and asked to do a review.  I’d feel too cheeky!  I’d also worry about putting them on the spot and making them feel awkward.  It’s also not why I blog, it’s just a great part of it if I do get offered the opportunity.
There are websites where you can apply for blogging assignments from brands that are looking for reviews or several hashtags on Twitter you can browse to find opportunities.

Blogging should be fun, not stressful and bound by rules!

For me blogging is a fun and personal experience.  There shouldn’t be a list of guidelines and rules.  If you want to blog about something outside of your ‘niche’ and outside of your ‘schedule’ then I think you should blog about it.  Don’t worry about what others think so long as YOU are passionate about it.  I see some bloggers really stressing about schedules or posting times or what to blog about or not blog about and it all seems a little silly.  Blogging should be fun, happy and enjoyable and that’s the main thing.  Perhaps it’s different if you’re blogging for a business, but if it’s an individual blog then there shouldn’t be any rules.