It is your first week as a blogger. Your mind is probably going 100 miles per hour with all of the things you want to do.

Before you go too far, take a moment to gather yourself and take a breath. After all, you are embarking on a journey that will last as long as you possess the passion to drive forward. There is no need to exhaust yourself in the very first week.

So what do you do? How should you approach these first few hectic days of your blog.

I’m going to share 5 ways you can set yourself up for success in your first 7 days of blogging.

You Need a Bucket

Ok, you don’t literally need a bucket but you need somewhere to place everything that is currently racing through your head.

You need to determine what works best for you when it comes time for collection of your random thoughts and the documentation of your ultimate action plans.

For me, it’s Evernote. This tool provides an excellent repository for everything that my mind comes up with. I can quickly throw things into the tool and come back to them later. Since it is a cloud based solution, I can revisit my information from any device, at any time, from anywhere. Additionally, I do not have to worry about losing it which is an added bonus of using electronic tools instead of a pen and paper.

For you, it may be a simple notebook though. Some people just do better with physical things in their hands, and that is ok. If you do go with a physical tool I recommend getting a really nice notebook though. Some people swear by Moleskin notebooks.

Adding quality to the container of your brilliance should hopefully keep you inspired to create more brilliance.

Let’s face it, people like the feel of quality whether it is the clothes they wear or the products they hold. If you need proof, spend a few moments on a Dell computer then put your hands on a Mac. Apples to oranges….or oranges to Apples. See what I did there? Ok, I never professed to being funny.

Let’s move on.

Don’t be afraid to combine both techniques. It does not have to be one thing or another. I use physical notebooks for much of my planning, especially architectural drawings of my systems or processes. I then use Evernote for quick collection of ideas, drafts and outlines of my upcoming content, and storage of all things that I’ve debugged or fixed over time.

Whatever you choose, just make sure you have a collection point for all of that goodness swimming between your ears.

Establish Consistency

Too many bloggers freak out in the beginning and start posting content every single day. Then, weeks later they are tapped out and panicking when trying to come up with something to write. Again, this is a journey.

Even if you can think of 20 blog posts you want to write immediately, plan them out so you consistently deliver quality to your audience. Most people would not be able to consume all of that content anyway. Believe it or not, they have other things going on in their lives.

Think of it in terms of exercise. When you start working out you establish a schedule where you work out a certain number of days in a week. You slowly work toward your ultimate goal of getting healthy and gaining muscle. You don’t go to the gym for 4 hours every day for a week trying to rush the process. The same holds true for blogging.

I also chose to use the term “consistency” on purpose. Consistency is what will make your blog grow, establish your authority, and help you build a community. Consistency is everything.

Figure out what your publishing schedule will be then let that be what drives the delivery of your content. In the beginning, you should post at least once a week. If you can handle a little bit more, do it.

I’m currently trying to produce a podcast on Tuesdays and a blog post on Thursdays. Yes, I’m failing miserably, but it is my goal.

Just remember that you are setting expectations. People will come to expect your content according to what they see now.

Don’t Worry About the Decorations

It is natural when you start out to want your site to look amazing. You look around at other bloggers and their websites are stunning. You want the same thing.

That all makes sense, but it is not realistic.

Building an interactive and enjoyable web experience for your users will take time. With that said, it is one of the fun byproducts of blogging. You get the opportunity to let your inner artist loose and create the presentation of your message.

But, in your first week, you need to realize that your site will just not look very good. It is ok though. Everyone starts that way.

Your most important task in the beginning is to get the site up and running and start to generate content. Once you have developed your delivery schedule you can spend time between posts cleaning up and adding to your site’s aesthetics.

Side Note – Take a screen shot of your original blog. It will become like a Before and After picture as your blog continues to evolve. Some day in the future you will look back at the beginning and get a chuckle.

Crickets

You are amped to begin your journey. Your site is stood up and it looks halfway decent. You have picked your first topic and written a solid literary piece of work. Then what?

You hit the Publish button and immediately jump to your Google Analytics (if you have it installed). What do you see when you arrive?

Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Bupkis. Squat. Crickets.

That’s right. When you first start out, expect to see very few, if any, visitors. That is just the nature of it. You have to go in with the mindset and understanding that gaining an audience is one of the hardest things you are going to have to do.

It is tough at first but the disappointment you feel in the beginning will not even compare to the pure exhilaration you feel when the numbers do start to come.

Settle Into Your Groove

As you approach the end of your first week you should start to feel better about your overall positioning. You should have basic systems established that will support your growth over time.

You should be settling into the routine and have a general plan for moving forward. You should feel less overwhelmed and more focused on bringing your passion to life.

Buckle your seatbelt and get ready for an amazing ride. You will meet folks you never imagined and learn things you didn’t know existed. Enjoy it all and share your journey with those around you.

Your Turn

What do you remember from your first week of blogging? Were you feeling completely overwhelmed with what needed to be done? What did you tackle first? What do you wish you would have done?