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So You Want to Start a Teacher Blog

So you want to start a teacher blog?  I know this feeling because I had it about 4-5 years ago when I started Simply Kinder.  I wanted a place to share my ideas and a place of my own to connect with teachers.  It’s a very powerful thing and you can have one too.  And so here are my tips for starting teacher blog.

Come up with a name.  

  • Your name should be something that energizes and represents you and your philosophy.
  • Do check all social media outlets and reserve those names and variations of those names so that you way you have a consistent name across platforms.  Blogger, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TpT, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, etc.  Grab them all because you never know what platforms you will do well at down the road.  I would also grab the URL from GoDaddy so that you have it when you need it.
  • Don’t piggy back off someone else’s name.  We are all unique and individuals and just doing a play on words from someone else’s name will not guarantee you success.  In fact, I will annoy that person and it may damage the relationships you have with others.

Get set up on Blogger.

  • Blogger is an extremely simple platform to use when you are first starting out.  Use your blog name to set up the account.  You may need to set up a gmail email for your blog as well to open it ([email protected]).
  • Search for “FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES” to get started and install one.  You can YouTube tutorial on how to install it just like this easy to follow video from Blogaholic Designs.
  • If you are looking someone to design a website for you that is unique and fun, I highly recommend Jumping Jax Design.  I have worked with several blog designers over the years and I have to say that Becca has been the easiest, most professional, and provided me with the best design services in regards to value and quality.
  • One note about WordPress.  If you are tech savvy I would 100% recommend going with WordPress right out the gates.  WordPress gives you so much more control over your website than Blogger and if you do decide to be a ‘professional’ in the blogging world, WP is the platform most people prefer.

Jump right in and start writing.  

  • That’s right.  The hardest part is starting and the second hardest is sticking with it while you build your community.
  • Write with a purpose.  Teach people, connect with people, solve problems for people.
  • The goal is to get people to see your posts and that is done through website traffic.  Say to yourself on every post you write, would someone want to pin this or share this on social media.  If the answer is no, don’t write it unless there is another reason you are extremely passionate about.
  • Hit publish.  You can always edit it later and trust me, you will.

Let’s chat about images.

  • Have clear and clean images.
  • Your first image for your post should contain you title and/or what ever point is of your article.  This will be the image people pin or share and so you want the image to speak to people and get a reaction out of them.  They will see the image and make a quick decision if it is worth looking at.
  • Watermark your images so people don’t steal them.  Important.
  • Make different size images.  It is ideal to have a Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook sized image in your posts.  I use Canva for this because the images sizes are already preset and it’s just super easy to use.  Remember, it’s ideal, but not necessary.
  • Do not use photos of students.  Even if they have photo clearance with your school, that photo clearance is for classroom and school use NOT the use of the teacher to share on her own personal business.  (Yes, I said your blog is a business because it is.)  I am not saying don’t do it, but just really think long and hard before you share those images.  This is just a personal soapbox thing of mine.  Please think about it because once it is on the internet, even if you pull it down it is still there in Google images, other people’s Pinterest, etc.
  • Consider using stock photos.  I personally use Stock Unlimited for my blog articles.  Do not use images from Google and I even caution you from using images from other people’s websites.  The authors of these site technically own them and if they choose to hold you accountable for taking their photo even with a link, you can be opening yourself up to trouble.

Share on social media.  

  • This is a tricky one to give advice for because social media is constantly changing.
  • Just share to start off with.
  • Share with a purpose.  Give people a reason to want to interact with your posts.
  • Don’t spam.  No one cares that you made a free product unless it provides value.  Tell people the value and they will come naturally.
  • Build relationships with your readers.  This goes hand-in-hand with the above bullet.
  • Share on a schedule.  Most social media platforms run on algorithms and so it is important that you participate by sharing.  And you don’t always have to share your own thing, share article from people who you are friends with or ideas that teacher like you would LOVE.
  • Comment on other people social media accounts as your teacher blog.  This will share your blog with the world that is already out there.  This is important.
  • The above being said, please be respectful of other people’s social media.  It is not OK to leave links to your things on other people’s social media accounts.

Find yourself a support network.

  • Find some teacher blogger FB groups that are productive and true.  I highly recommend the #TeacherprenuerTribe Facebook Group.  This group is filled with teacher bloggers who are truly passionate helping one another.  (I do recommend not joining though until you have a blog set up and ready to go.)
  • Find a mentor.  I remember about 3 years ago I declared Crystal Radke of Kreative in Life my mentor. I literally emailed her and said “Can you be my mentor?  I just have some questions and I really look up to you.”  I was nice to her, I did things for her, and she returned the favor.  Now, word of caution here since you are new.  Crystal and I were at about the same knowledge level but Crystal was just a little ahead of me.  I 100% recommend you finding a mentor who has just a little bit more experienced than you.  The reason why is because you will learn together, push each other, and experience the same stages of blogging together.  Using me for example, it has been so long since I have been through some of these stages and things have changed since then so I may not be the best person to lean on.  (But we can so be friends, I am not saying that I won’t help.)
  • Be friendly with others in your niche.  DON’T get caught up in the drama.  There, I said it and it’s so true.  I personally only surround myself with and support those who uplift others and who reciprocate with me.  I can tell you from personal experience, that you will not gain much from going at it with the mind frame of “trying to fit in with the cool kids.”  Be you.  Do you. And focus on your readers not other bloggers.
  •  

Start distributing teacher resources.  

  • Teachers want this and it is a great way to grow your blog.
  • This topic is getting its own article because this is a whole other beast and one that I highly recommend for every reasons.  CLICK HERE to read all about making and selling teacher resources online.

To start a teacher blog is scary and exciting all rolled into one. But if you have the smallest inclination to start one, I highly encourage you to do so because there is not a day that goes by that I am not super thankful I did 4 years ago.

SO YOU

Please feel free to ask any questions, I can try to help.  And good luck on your blog journey.  I know if you stick with it, provide value, and build community you will be extremely successful.

SIMPLY KINDER IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM.  ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND SHARED HONESTLY FROM FREE WILL AND NOT AS A PART OF ANY PROMOTION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE, PLEASE VISIT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY PAGE.
At Simply Kinder we work together to bring you ready-to-use resources to partner with great teaching for any curriculum, a Facebook community where teachers talk all things Kindergarten, and low-prep learning ideas that your students will love. Be sure to stay up to date with all things kindergarten on InstagramFacebookPinterest, and through email. Simply Kinder: where teaching Kinder is definitely better together!

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