The practice of mommy blogging has boomed over the course of the past decade, and why not? As more and more mothers turn to the web for parenting advice, it’s only natural for new moms to get in on the action themselves. After all, you need little more than a WordPress account and some free time (which is often difficult to find) to get started.

The benefits of starting your own mommy blog, whether you’re looking to keep a journal or build up a long-term audience for years to come, include:

• Contributing to a larger conversation about motherhood and helping budding moms
• A form of stress relief as you organize your thoughts and get the struggles of motherhood off your chest
• With a bit of luck and some consistency, you can actually make money from blogging over time

Although you don’t need much in terms of resources to start blogging, you do need to keep a few elements of mommy blogging in mind before you begin.

Toying with the idea of starting a blog? Trying to figure out where to start? Keep the following tips in mind to build a mommy blog that stands the test of time.

Focus on Inspiration

Considering that many mothers seek out blogs as a means of discovering patenting insight and advice, you should strive to focus on positive inspiration versus complaining or ranting. Sure, there are plenty of struggles that come with the territory of motherhood, but that doesn’t mean you can’t turn those negative experiences into positives.

For example, consider “big leap” topics such as quitting your job in pursuit of financial freedom for the sake of your child, or perhaps a time that you stood up to someone who challenged your parenting practices. Such topics will create an emotional connection with your readership, which will lead them to engage with your posts in the comments section and follow you for the long-term.

Tread Carefully with Sensitive Topics

Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of mommy blogging is that no two families are the same. Mommy blogs allow you into a window of one’s life, and likewise you can give your readership a glimpse into your own family’s day-to-day activities.

Regardless, you should tread carefully with sensitive topics to avoid giving away too much of your personal life or information. While you may occasionally have pictures of your family or children included in your posts, take care not to give away any personal information that could potentially put yourself in danger. Likewise, it’s common practice to change the names of others mentioned in your blogs, presenting them as “characters” rather than actual people.

There’s nothing wrong with getting “real” or personal via your blog: just keep in mind that’s perhaps better to hold back every now and then versus putting too much out there..

Carve Out a Niche

Niches help your blog grow a more dedicated following and drive traffic for searchers looking for something more than an all-purpose mommy blog. For example, you can dedicate your blog to single mothers or mothers of twins while still touching on more “generic” topics such as shopping for your family or surviving the terrible-two’s.

Give the Advice You’d Have Wanted to Hear

Think about your own struggles as inspiration for your blog and consider the questions you would have wanted answered as a new parent yourself. Chances are other new moms are looking for answers to the exact same questions: it’s up to you to provide unique, actionable advice.

The beauty of mommy blogging comes in the fact that you have the freedom to discuss your own unique experiences as a mother. By getting real with your follows and giving realistic advice to new mothers, you may surprised at how quickly you can amass a following.