Sometimes we need a little help with our blogs, and that’s okay! We here at BAMF have had our newbie moments and want to help you guys to avoid making the same mistakes. Our Blogger Advice series takes a look at etiquette, “how to”s and many other pertinent topics!
Have a topic you want us to give you some advice on? Send us an email to hello@booksaremyfandom.com!
How to Be a Good Co-Blogger
I have been a co-blogger with three different people and have learned a lot of things from all these different ventures about myself, blogging, and how to work with other people on projects. So today I’m going to impart all my wisdom on you so if you find yourself in the position of co-blogger, you know what to do!
Communicate
The most important part of co-blogging is communication. If you don’t actively talk to your co-blogger(s), then there is no point in being a part of the blog. Think of the blog as a mini community where you and the co-bloggers make the laws, rules, and regulations for this community. If you aren’t in agreement about what to do, then there will be chaos. You need to be in constant communication to make sure that no one will post over top of one another and everyone knows what is expected of them for the blog.
Divide up Tasks
It is so important to give everyone an active role in the blog — everyone is participating and the blog is a reflection of everyone involved. Make sure that everyone has a task, knows what their task is, and when they should have their task done by. Dani and I use Slack and set up a running to-do list and reminders in there to help us keep track of everything that has to be done and when it needs to be done by.
Create New Features
One of the best parts of having a co-blogger is having someone to bounce ideas off of and helping you set up new features. Dani and I have started multiple new features for BAMF, including New Adult August, Pro Talks, BAMFs Aloud, and starting next year we have Where Are They Now? It is so much easier to do a feature when you have someone else to lend a helping hand!
Be Reliable
If you aren’t going to actively participate, then bow out. There is no reason why one person should be doing everything and the other(s) doing absolutely nothing but getting the credit for it. It is fine to not be a part of every single thing, but if you are only contributing to 20% of the posts, find out how you can do more or leave the blog so that you don’t hold the others back.
Come up with a Schedule
As a team, figure out the types of posts you will be doing, how frequently you will be posting, etc. For example, on BAMF we have:
Monday – Blog Tour/Interview
Tuesday – Free Post/Pro Talks
Wednesday – Waiting on Wednesday
Thursday – Discussion Post/Blogger Advice/Author Advice
Friday – ARC/Requested Review
Saturday – Featured Review (Convince Me To Read, Two Peas in a Pod, BAMF)
Sunday – Stacking the Shelves
Make sure you stick to these schedules as best as you can but also be flexible if you want to have an author on the blog for an interview or if you have a time sensitive review.
Great advice. I’m part of a co-blogging team and totally agree that good communication is essential.