How do I blog every day?
As someone who started and grew her blog between baby’s nap and bedtimes, I can tell you that there are a ton of 30 minute daily blogging and social media tasks you can do!
Giving your blog just 30 minutes a day will help you:
- stay organized
- grow your business more quickly
- rank in organic Google and Pinterest search results
- be present on multiple forms of social media without losing your mind!
This post contains tips and tricks for new bloggers as well as tools to help you work smarter and not harder.
We’ll also cover the time wasters you should ditch right now!
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you use them. This comes at no additional cost to you and all recommendations are based on my experience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Should I blog every day?
Absolutely!
But blogging doesn’t necessarily mean pumping out new blog posts 7 days a week – there are a ton of other things you can do that are actually more effective in the long run.
How often should you publish a blog post?
Publishing two posts a week has been shown to have a tremendous impact on a site’s growth.
Blogs that publish at this frequency tend to:
- create more helpful, in-depth content
- write posts that are 1,000+ words in length
- rank better in search engines
Writing long-form content also gives you the opportunity to enhance your SEO with increased opportunities for keyword usage throughout your posts.
Related: How to Use Google Search Console
FREE PRO BLOGGER BUNDLE
Get Paid to Blog & Post on Social Media
Get FREE blogging resources including checklists, calendars, & more. Learn how to make money online with blogging and social media!
You are subscribing to the Nikki Blogs newsletter. Unsubscribe at any time.
30 Minute Daily Blogging + Social Media Tasks
All of the tasks on this list can be done during:
- your baby naps
- on your lunch break
- during your commute home from work
- waiting in a line up or at the doctor’s office
Growing a brand and/or business does not happen overnight!
It’s important to think about your business daily and make efforts whenever you can – even if sometimes that just means comparing your analytics from one day to the next.
How I know this list works
Before I was a blogger and social media content creator, I was a stay at home mom with a brand new baby!
Since my husband works in the film industry, this also means that he’s away for more than 15 hours a day, five days a week.
I wish I was exaggerating!
With my husband working incredibly hard for long days, this means I do about 99% of the work on the home front – that means cooking and cleaning, taking care of a now toddler, and all of our film rental company’s expenses and accounting.
Sometimes I feel like I don’t have time to breathe never mind blogging!
But you know what? Challenge accepted!
I knew I could make blogging work if I just planned my days better and found more efficient ways to do things – this also meant dropping time wasters and determining which activities were having the biggest impact on my business.
This list of 30 minute daily blogging and social media tasks will show you just how easy it is to grow your blog when you don’t have a lot of time left in your day!
Daily Blogging Tasks
Use this list of daily blogging activities to find ideas in improving your website’s rankings and performance.
1. Run updates
Yes, it’s as simple as clicking a button!
But making sure that all of your blog’s plugins and themes are up to date is an important part of maintaining a secure and fast website.
2. Delete old or unused plugins
Head over to your Installed Plugins and check for any warnings.
See any plugins you don’t currently have active on your site? Time to say goodbye.
Outdated plugins means more opportunities for bad guys to break in!
Running those plugins every time your website loads also means your viewers have to wait longer to see your content – when 47% of people expect a website to load in 2 seconds, that’s not a lot of time to spare on tools that aren’t enhancing a users experience!
3. Get rid of unused media files
Simply click on Media in your WordPress Dashboard to have a look at your Media Library.
Clicking each file will tell you where it’s been Uploaded To.
Don’t think that file’s in use? Visit your link and confirm that’s the case before you select Delete Permanently.
4. Compress your image files
Nothing gets me more excited than tiny high quality files – yep, totally geeking out right now!
Instead of downloading a plugin to do this for you, I highly recommend TinyPNG – it’s a free tool that allows you to display your images in the best format available.
Don’t get me wrong – I love plugins but I think it’s best to keep your site lightweight for performance’s sake.
I use a combination of PNG and JPEG images on my site – and TinyPNG compresses both formats flawlessly!
See the comparison below?
The photo on the left is the original 4.2 MB size and the one on the right is the TinyPNG compressed 1 MB version.
That’s 76% smaller!
5. Download a Caching Plugin + Clean Your Database
Speed is an underrated SEO factor and a caching plugin can have a huge impact on your site’s fully loaded time!
A caching plugin creates and saves static HTML pages of your website on your server – so, every time a user goes to visit your page, they’ll get a lightweight HTML page instead of loading heavy WordPress PHP scripts.
Um, can you say that in English, Nikki?
A caching plugin serves up a snapshot of your web page instead of finding and presenting each piece one at a time, every time a user visits.
I use WPRocket on my blog – it decreases my site’s fully loaded page time from 2.7 seconds to just 1.1 seconds.
Run a GTmetrix Report of your own to see how your site does!
Database Optimization
As website’s age, they accumulate more data and files, so it’s important to make sure yours isn’t busting at the seams.
A bloated website is a slow website!
WPRocket lets you optimize your database without doing anything scary like launching MySQL – just one click of the big orange Optimize button and you’re all set.
6. Have a brainstorming session
Consider the content that you’ve written about up until now and what’s performed best.
What common themes do top performing posts share?
What are other bloggers in your niche doing these days?
What type of content is performing well on Pinterest and Google? Check out Pinterest Trends and Google Trends.
6. Blog Post Planning
Create an outline for a blog post you’d like to write this week – or if you’re really organized, a future blog post!
Your blog post outline could look something like this:
- working title
- the problem(s) you are solving
- two or three additional takeaways related to your main topic
- references and data to support your claims
- related blog posts you’ve written to build internal links
7. Plan your daily blogging
On top of creating one of two blog posts a week, you should plan to do at least one blogging activity a day!
Grab an agenda – I find planning way more effective with physical tools than digital ones – and use this list to come up with just one task a day.
This is how I normally do it:
- Choose one or two days a week that you’d like to publish a blog post and write your prospective new title down on the day you’d like it published
- Pick one day for maintenance and/or updates – this could be revising an old post with new information or adding a new pin
- Choose one day a week minimum to break down your analytics – I like to go over Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Pinterest Analytics, and Tailwind Analytics at least once a week to see if I’ve made progress since the week before
- Choose one day a week for promotions and social media – this could be something as simply as scheduling new pins to Tailwind
8. Write a list post
Choose a topic that you know very well and create a list style blog post around it.
List posts are a popular format for blogging because they’re both easy to write and easy for readers to take in – viewers are more likely to click headlines that they think will be a quick and scan-friendly read.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Favourite hashtags
- Easy meal prep ideas
- A roundup of popular blog posts you’ve written
- Step-by-step guide to building a capsule wardrobe
9. Download stock photos to use on your blog
Using stock photos on my blog lets me focus on other things like writing and SEO.
Here’s 1,000 free stock photos for female entrepreneurs to get you started!
Pro Tip: Once you’ve downloaded all of your images, upload them directly to Canva, PhotoShop, or wherever you create your blog graphics.
Instead of browsing aimlessly through computer files, you’ll be able to glance at reasonably sized version of your photos in the app’s sidebar – then just click and drag to see how an image looks!
10. Organize the blog folder on your computer
Create subfolders in your blog folder and organize files accordingly.
I find the easiest way to stay organized is creating folders after blog post names.
Store all pins, article images, research, and even a Word document version of your post as a backup.
11. Optimize images for SEO
I take a ton of screenshots – my husband can attest to this!
Instead of leaving file names as “screen shot date at whatever time”, rename them for SEO if you’ll be uploading them directly to your blog!
You can organize your files and optimize images for SEO by using a pattern like this:
website-name-article-name-topic
I start file names with the blog name because I manage multiple blogs – it makes it easier for me to identify what files belong to what website.
12. Create and download a backup of your blog
Having a backup of your blog on your desktop or an external hard drive gives you peace of mind!
Again, you don’t need a plugin to do this – it just adds unnecessary weight to your blog.
Here’s a tutorial for How to Backup WordPress on Siteground.
13. Run a security scan on your site
Remove malware or corrupt files if they’re found.
Wordfence Security offers a great free version of their plugin – after running a scan, you can delete deletable files and fix those that are repairable.
Wordfence also sends emails to let you know when new updates are available for your blog or if any issues have occurred.
14. Spy on your competition
Browse bloggers in your niche to see what they’re cooking up!
Scroll through Pinterest, run searches on BuzzSumo, and sign up for email lists.
15. Spend time updating old blog posts for SEO
Could you have chosen a better headline?
Uploaded a more beautiful pin?
Improve the on-page SEO of old blog posts to bring them new life.
Daily Social Media Tasks
Promote your blog on social media to encourage users to follow and share your content.
16. Plan your Instagram feed
Use the Tailwind Instagram scheduler to see what photos look best against one another.
Here’s a FREE one month Tailwind trial to get you started – no credit card required!
17. Update Instagram bio
Use a combination of text and emojis to give your bio some personality.
Talk about what you do and why people should follow you.
You can add clean line breaks to your IG bio with this trick.
18. Write ideas for Instagram captions
Here’s a Pinterest board dedicated to captions for Instagram!
19. Plan Facebook posts
Or Twitter or whatever other social media platforms you’re active on.
20. Do some manual pinning on Pinterest
Check out your Following tab to see what pins are trending.
Have a read and repin your favourites.
21. Create Pinterest pins
Use Canva or PhotoShop to design a few new pins – aim for at least 3 new pins a week!
22. Schedule pins with Tailwind
I wouldn’t be where I am without Tailwind – it’s the best Pinterest scheduler around and has allowed me to reach more than 136 million users!
Since joining Tailwind Tribes, my pins have also received:
- 20.2k re-shares
- 22.9k repins
You can upload your newly created Pinterest pins to Tailwind using two different methods:
Using Pin Inspector to find them
To find a pin you created in Pinterest, visit your Tailwind Dashboard and click Insights and the Pin Inspector.
Search your pin’s title or view your pins according to the number of Repins they’ve achieved in the past few months or Date Pinned.
Uploading them directly to Tailwind
I prefer to uploading my pins directly to Tailwind.
From the dashboard, click Publisher and then Drafts.
Now, click and drag pins from your desktop into your Drafts.
Be sure to Add to Tribes and Add to Queue before you leave this page.
Draft pins are shown on the left of the app and Your Schedule appears to the right.
To change what time your pin will post to Pinterest, just click and drag it to a different time slot.
23. Schedule Instagram posts with Tailwind
Tailwind will post your latest IG content at the best time to post to Instagram (for your account) and even offer up suggestions for what hashtags to use!
The darker green they are, the better it is for exposure.
24. Decide what to post on Instagram
Browse through your desktop or the camera roll on your phone and Favourite photos that could work for your feed.
Once you’re done, upload them to Tailwind and start scheduling your posts.
25. Create or edit Pinterest board names
Compare your Pinterest board names to what shows up when you search them on this platform.
Note the results that rank best and name your boards accordingly.
26. Create or edit Pinterest board descriptions
Choose a Board from your Pinterest profile and click on it.
Select the pencil icon at the top of the screen.
In the Edit your board window, write a keyword rich description based on Pinterest SEO.
Select a Category.
Change your Pinterest board cover to one you’ve custom made.
Click Save!
27. Create Pinterest board covers
Add them to your boards for a clean and cohesive profile.
28. Create an Instagram story template
Use Canva or PhotoShop to design your own templates for Instagram.
29. Create Instagram stories
Use the templates above to give your stories a wow factor.
Pro Tip: Publish your stories throughout the day to maximize Instagram story views.
30. Respond to comments – social media or blog posts
Take the time to engage with your audience.
31. Take pictures for blog posts – and social media!
Make sure they’re easy to crop or take a variety of rectangular and square images.
Pro Tip: Always shoot in Raw!
Editing photos later will decrease image quality so, give yourself room to play.
32. Edit photos for Instagram
Here’s a guide to using Lightroom mobile for your IG photography.
Once you’ve mastered it, editing photos for Instagram takes between 10 to 15 minutes an image – you can even create your own presets in Lightroom.
Business and Education
Here are a few ideas for business and blog development.
33. Finish a course or ebook
Have some reading you want to do?
Open it up and finish a lesson or chapter!
34. Shop for pretty stationary
I love decorating my workspace with rose gold stationary – a nice office space you want to spend time in is a super easy way to get the creative juices flowing too.
Clear space, clear mind!
Nice feminine stationary makes great flat lay photography props too.
35. Do some accounting
File taxes as a blogger?
Organize your expenses, time sheets, and more to prepare for tax season – it’s way easier if you it week by week or monthly!
Blogging + Social Media Time Wasters to Ditch
Want to grow your business? Then stop wasting your time with these three things!
Facebook groups
Building and/or being a part of a community is a great thing but it’s a matter of how you use it.
Facebook groups are great if you’re:
- seeking advice
- troubleshooting an issue on your website
- looking to collaborate on an upcoming post
But using them to inflate statistics like:
- blog page views
- Pinterest or other social media followers
- Pinterest repins and reshares
is going to do nothing for your business in the long run.
Instagram engagement groups
As someone who was once guilty of this one, I can tell you that engagement groups made me hate Instagram!
When a fellow Instagram mom invited me to one, I was excited and figured it would be similar to using Tailwind for Pinterest – boy, was I wrong!
Every time you’re about to post, you wonder how long it’ll take to reciprocate to all of the other people sharing their links and when you do receive comments on your posts, most people approach it with a “my time is more valuable than yours attitude”.
Get ready fire emojis, “nice shot”, and other irrelevant feedback from people who didn’t bother to read what you have to say!
Engagement groups also disrupt your analytics – you can’t tell if a post is actually performing because a lot of the feedback isn’t authentic.
I love that Instagram has cracked down on engagement groups and has started removing pods and accounts who are active in them – because it’s against Instagram’s policy (see Foster meaningful and genuine interactions).
You’ve been warned!
Asking for backlinks
As someone who gets these emails almost daily, I find it incredibly annoying!
Instead of asking other bloggers for links on their sites, focus on creating quality content that people want to share!
Here’s one of my favourite quotes and I think it really reflects this point.
Growing your blog or business website is easily done in just 30 minutes a day – that’s only 2% of your day!
The most important thing you can do now is to start planning – get a sense of when you usually have a bit of free time and squeeze in even just one task.
I’d love to hear about how you stay productive in the comments below 🙂
Happy blogging, friends!
Hi,
If I don’t have much time I like to pick topics for my next blog posts and do keyword research.
I also search for stock photos to use on new pins.
Adding draft posts to WordPress with just the title or the first paragraph so I know I have to do it.
Taking care of my son and the house gives me little time to dedicate to my blog so all your suggestions are most welcome.
Thanks!
Yes! Love these ideas, especially the idea to organize your “blog” folder! I think I am constantly needing to go in to that folder to put new items away and save what needs to be changed! Great post!