How to Start A DIY Blog: Successful DIY Bloggers Share Their Secrets

Have you ever considered starting your own DIY blog?

Maybe you just completed a crafty project and you thought to yourself, “I should really share this!” Or, maybe you were just browsing your favorite sites looking for inspiration, and realized how incredibly awesome it would be if you had your own DIY blog–maybe you could even turn it into a full-time job?

The good news is that almost anyone can start a blog. The investment to get started can be minimal. But, how do you become successful?

We wanted to know the same thing. So, we talked to some of the Internet’s most successful DIY bloggers to get their take. We wanted to know their juicy secrets to success about getting started, building an audience, and even making it into a business.

Luckily, all of the bloggers we talked to were incredibly nice and offered some fantastic tips on how you, too, can start your own DIY blog. In this post, we’ll share their top tips for how to get going and be successful.

Whether you just want to create a space to share your ideas and projects, or you secretly long to get paid for all of the awesome stuff you create for your home, the advice shared here should help you get off to the right start.

1. Be inspired–but don’t copy

One of the most important keys to success in starting a DIY blog is originality. There are hundreds–probably thousands–of other blogs out there. What’s special about your blog?

“Get inspiration everywhere, but put your own spin on it,” says Erica Stolman, owner of Fashionlush.com.

The importance of inspiration can’t be overstated, but it’s also important to take the original idea that inspired you and make it your own.

2. Never post filler

As they say, “content is king” on the Internet. And that’s especially true for blogs.

If you don’t have something valuable–interesting, entertaining, educational, etc–then wait until you do. This may seem harsh, but it’s not about you being “too boring” to start a blog (you probably aren’t), it’s a matter of what you post and when you post. Don’t feel compelled to share every waking moment of your life on your blog just because you think it needs updated. Instead, wait for the moments when you have something great to share–and then share it!

3. Don’t try to do everything (at least not all at once)

“There are so many social media platforms to keep up with, and it’s impossible to do everything,” says Erin Spain of DIYontheCheap.com. “Pick a couple of favorites and focus your time and energy on growing those.”

It’s so easy to be overwhelmed with all of the things you could do to promote your blog that you may forget about the blog itself!

Simply put: Don’t bury yourself. Commit to taking on what you can handle, focus on being great at a few things, and then worry about the others later.1

4. Get organized

If you want your blog to run smoothly, you’ll need to be organized. Not only does it take discipline to keep up with the site itself, but once you start to gain traction you’ll need to think about things like advertisers, partners, and cross-promotional opportunities.

Make use of free tools like Trello or Google Calendar to keep yourself–and your life–organized.

5. Images mean (almost) everything

“Good writing is great, but pretty pictures are killer,” says Kate Riley, owner of CentsationalGirl.com. “Having shareable images is one of the best tools for getting your content out in the world and pretty pictures always, always help!”

Erin from DIYontheCheap echoed these same sentiments. “Become a photographer,” she advises. “Blogs are a very visual medium and eye-catching photos are key.”

6. Be yourself

The key to making a name for yourself? It’s being unique–in some way.

You don’t have to be like X or Y person. You don’t have to do the same thing as everyone else. Instead, embrace what is unique about you–as a person–and find other people who appreciate the same things you appreciate. This may mean coming up with a unique approach, doing different kinds of projects, or writing and photographing in a unique way. Whatever is unique about you, never shy away from your own quirks and niche interests–make them part of what makes you different.

As Kate from Centsational Girl puts it: “Write about what you know, what probing questions you have about the universe, or about your fixation on (fill-in-the-blank).”

7. Push your own boundaries

One of the scariest things about starting a DIY blog is the idea of not feeling like an expert. Maybe you’ve done a few projects, but can you run an entire blog dedicated to DIY? Do you have the knowledge and skills to keep it going?

The point of starting a DIY blog isn’t necessarily to be an expert. It’s to share your experiences, whether they be successful or not, with other people who are interested in their own DIY projects. Keep in mind that for every failure (yes, everyone has them), there are many lessons to be learned, which will make you smarter and better for your next project.

“Don’t be afraid to try new projects and techniques, and always challenge yourself to grow and learn new skills,” says Erin from DIY On The Cheap.

The point isn’t just to share the perfect projects, but to help educate and inform your readers, whether that means telling them exactly how to accomplish something, or it means telling them how you screwed it up so they can avoid your mistakes.

Photo credits: Fashionlush, Centsational Girl, DIY on the Cheap