I Want To Be Inspired

Have you ever sat down and fully thought about your blog? I mean really looked at it. The ins and outs of it, what attracts people to read what you have to say, what are your popular posts—all of that good stuff. 

The same can apply to your life as well. Have you thought about your goals, the places you want to visit, the impact you want to leave on people? The list could go on. 

I think there's something special about the start of a new year that triggers most of us to start evaluating these things. It's that sense of a fresh start, and new beginnings. Regardless of where our short comings previously were, we have a new found hope.

I think at some point or another most of us have felt blogging burnout, life burnout, the need to relax and recharge—whatever you want to label it. It happens, and I think that's reality.

I was recently thinking more about this little space of mine and what it's meant to me over the years. I started looking back at some of my older posts and realized how far I've come, the countless memories that have been documented, along with the extensive hours that have been put into it. It's truly a job in itself. It also got me thinking that some of the content I've shared hasn't really been reinventing the wheel, or groundbreaking, or anything much like that. Sometimes it can feel repetitive, in a way.

When you search on Google or Pinterest it seems like there are countless article about how to grow your blog, expanding your instagram following, thoughts on motherhood, home decor, recipes, travel, and so much more. I had this moment of thinking, why am I even putting in my two cents about any of these topics?  

What I have learned in situations like this where my moments of weakness kick-in, are if you can change your thought process and perspective, you can always find a positive side to things. So that's what I did. Instead of saying, let's pull the plug on all these blogging efforts, I thought about ways that I want to be inspired this year to share more with all of you. 

Even if we feel there are topics or ideas that have been shared before, we all have a unique voice, writing style, purpose, and story to tell. While some of our content might not be ground breaking or produce the next viral post, we have thought and intent behind what we want to publish. I think that's the beautiful part of typing away at our keys and sharing what's on our heart.

In those moments of feeling like we've been there, done that, let's look for inspiration all around us. Even if we aren't sharing a topic that will appeal to the masses, or be wildly popular, we still have the opportunity to reach someone that might need to hear what we're about say. I think so much of that can be applied not only to blogging but everyday lives. Whether your focus is growing your instagram, a podcast, or maybe your relationships with family and friends, we all have something of value we can bring to the table. 

Reasons To Start And Not To Start A Blog

Wait, did she say not to start a blog? That might seem like an odd title because why would someone tell you not to blog? Recently I've had several people reach out to me with questions about starting a blog, and it got me thinking. This month happens to mark my 5th official year of blogging. How did that happen??? And when I thought about it, I can't even believe it's been that long. I'm definitely no expert here, but I've learned a thing or two along the way.

Last week I decided to join on a "free" live chat video that was supposed to share ways to help with growth on your social platforms. Luckily I had it on in the background while changing diapers and feeding because I was so disappointed at the end when all they did was give these general suggestions that we've all heard before. That's 30 minutes of my time I'm not able to get back, and all they did at the end was try to sell us on buying their extended course. And don't get me started on the follow up emails every few hours telling me the deal of a lifetime was going to end. I have to admit, I've never paid for one of these so called courses so I don't know how valuable they would be. I'm sure there have to be some pretty great ones out there that are worth it, so I don't want to knock anyone that has these courses.

Who knows, maybe I'm the one doing it all wrong and not having courses to monetize this space more. There's one thing I can always appreciate though, and that's shared knowledge. A lot of what I've learned and evolved with blogging over the years has come from others sharing their experiences. I figured in honor of my 5th blogging year I would shed some light on recent thoughts of mine. 

Why don't we start with the reasons not to blog because I would have to assume most people are curious about that. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to tell someone not to start a blog or that you aren't capable of doing it. I just think it's important to have a good idea of what it is that you're getting into.

REASONS NOT TO START A BLOG: 

Only Blogging For Money:

There are a lot of articles out there that will try to claim you can make a ton of money when you first start off blogging. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I am saying it's highly unlikely. Most compensation for blogging is driven through affiliate links and sponsored content. Both of those are all fine and well, butttt, if you don't have the readers to learn about those products or to click on your links, it's not really beneficial. I also think the term a "ton of money" is up for interpretation. What someone else thinks is a lot of money might not be what someone else translates it to. And, most of those people who hit the ground running and do bring something home have a background in marketing, digital media, or web design. The far and few between are the stay at home mom or college student trying to learn WordPress or Blogger. 

Inconsistent Income: 

Yes, you can make money blogging but it's not consistent. It all depends on what you're booking for that month and also being aware of the payout terms in your contracts. Some can take upwards of 45-60 day payouts. There are some months you might clear $400 and others it's $1,500. It's so up and down. You also have to realize that you're not getting things like vacation time, health benefits, or a 401k.

You Don't Have The Time: 

The number one thing I try to tell people when they ask me about starting a blog is that you're going to have to put a lot of work into it. There's just no way around it. It's going to take hours on end if you want to produce quality content with thoughtful links, edited images, and a well written post. Unless you have a team of people working for you, which most successful bloggers do, you will be doing the leg work on your own. If you aren't prepared to stay up long hours, take time away from your family, or let your housework take a back seat, I wouldn't suggest it. I also want to take it a step further. There is a whole other set of work that comes after you even hit publish on a post. Sure it's out there on the world wide web and hopefully someone will come across it, but, if you really want it to get exposure you're going to need to share it to your other social channels such as Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Not to mention taking time to engage with other bloggers and really try to build your community.

You Don't Have Thick Skin: 

I also think this is another important factor to bring up because I think it gets sugarcoated a lot. Most of us know our personalities and what we can and can't handle. And it's ok if you're someone that takes things to heart or gets upset easily. There's nothing wrong with that. But if that's the case, I wouldn't encourage you to get into blogging. Specifically if you're looking to make money from it. The reason I say all of this is because you're going to have rejection. You're going to have someone that has better pictures than you or a better writing style. You're going to come across other bloggers that no matter what content they put out they can do no wrong by their followers. That's just life. If you think that you could fall into the comparison trap or you aren't prepared to have a brand say you aren't what they're looking for, then don't do it. If it could potentially make you feel less of a person, then your time focused elsewhere is worth so much more.

Blogging Is On Its Way Out: 

This is such a controversial topic and I wasn't even sure if I wanted to bring this one up, but here we are. Mainly because I don't even agree with it, to an extent. The reason why I can see partial truth to it is, when companies approach me for a campaign 9 times out of 10 they are only interested in having it on instagram. Typically companies will pay more for a blog post because they know there is a lot of time and effort that goes into producing the content. I also think that a lot of bloggers who started out back in the day when it was very different, less competition, and you came on here to use it as a scrapbook of fun moments with your family, have gotten burnt out and stepped away. There are still some that utilize it for that, which I love and are usually my favorite ones to read. The fact of the reality is that it's a lot easier to post a picture on facebook or instagram and have a long caption that could essentially be a blog post.

You Can Get Burnt Out: 

As I mentioned in my last point, you can get burnt out from blogging. Most people will tell you you need to be consistent with blogging, which is true. I've always felt my best place for posting has been 2-3 times a week. Sometimes that doesn't always happen and that's ok too. Your loyal readers will understand and most of the time additional traffic is driven through other sources such as Google or Pinterest where they're just readers passing on by and might not even notice that you haven't posted for the week. On the other hand, if you're only prepared to post once a month or every now and then, I would suggest that it's really great content that will keep consistent activity. When I shared last year my thoughts for blogging in the new year it was a turning point for me. I was at the point of almost feeling burnt out and contemplated stepping away. After having a different approach and going back to having fun with it, my numbers grew and I booked more campaigns than any other year.

REASONS TO BLOG:

Your Community: 

Aside from all of the reasons I mentioned about not starting a blog there are also some amazing perks to giving this whole thing a whirl. Hands down establishing your blogging community is my all time favorite. Those loyal followers that support you, comment on your posts, and you even form friendships with from afar. Building a community takes time and doesn't happen over night. It also starts with you. Reaching out to other bloggers, sharing and pinning their content, and commenting on their posts are all ways to start connecting.

Creative Outlet: 

Starting a blog opens you up to so many creative things. I always loved taking pictures and was that friend in high school and college that always wanted everyone to get together for pictures or would snap a bunch at parties or events. Now that I think about it, it went back even before high school. My best friend and I would get a bunch of disposable cameras (Yes, you read that right. There weren't digital back then) and we would walk to Kmart to get them developed. Having a blog has allowed me to expand my creativity, learn a lot more about photography, and document so much about my growing family.

You Have A Voice: 

Starting a blog gives you a platform for your voice. It all depends on how you want to use it. Are you going to create a niche specific blog or are you going to have a lifestyle concept where you share more of whatever comes to mind?  It also seems that everyone and their sister nowadays has a blog, so using your voice to stand out against the rest is important. I always love reading blogs where it sounds like the person is talking to me and not reading an essay. After recently reviewing some behind the scenes data about my blog, I was surprised to see that only 32% of you are parents when I share so much about my family and kids on here. In a way it also made me happy. Even if you aren't starting a family or don't have kids, we can connect with each other and you still enjoy what I share.

Freedom:

One of the great things about blogging is that you can do it from anywhere. As long as you have your phone or a laptop the choice is yours. Some people prefer to blog at a traditional desk with all distractions away and others might do better sitting on the couch in front of the tv. That's one of the beauties of it, you can do what works best for you.

Memories To Look Back On: 

Another great thing about starting a blog is looking back at older posts and seeing how far you've come or how much you have grown as a blogger. While some of my early posts might be laughable, they're all things that thought and effort have gone into. It's also great for me personally to look back on memories of my family and kids.

Additional Income: 

As I mentioned before you can make money from blogging. How much you end up taking home is really up to you and the brands you are partnering with. I've had people ask me if I wouldn't mind sharing how much I make off my posts, and my answer is always the same, it all depends. It depends what that specific company is looking for, is there an additional social share involved, pinnable image, etc. It all depends on the time and effort you need to put into things and really deciding if what they are offering is worth your time. Are they looking for my kids to be involved? If so, I always push for more because any campaign they are apart of that money goes into their college funds. And let's be honest, it's usually more work when they're involved, too. The same also goes for affiliate links. Different retailers offer different percentages and some companies won't pay you out until you've reached $100 worth of revenue. It is very possible, but again, those numbers are going to look different for everyone.

Allowing Yourself To Try Something New: 

We've all heard it said before, you don't know until you try. It's so true. If blogging is something that's been weighing on your heart and you want to give it a try, then go for it! Just know that success doesn't always come over night, that hard work will be involved, and ultimately it's all what you want to get out of it. Maybe you don't care about making money or having the best images out there and just want to have fun. That's all fine too. Everyone's perspective of blogging is different and that's what makes having the opportunity to hit publish on a post so exciting.

Whatever your journey is, I wish you all the best and above all else I hope that you have fun with it! 

Blogging Resources That Help Increase Traffic

When searching for posts about tips to increase your blog traffic, do you ever feel like you get lost in all the SEO talk and plugins that other bloggers make reference to? I know I do. I know everyone means well, and I appreciate shared knowledge, but sometimes I'm just over here trying to figure out how to get cute text on an image so I can get it up on Pinterest. 

There are tons of these helpful posts out there that will all share a different perspective and recommend what you should be doing. I'm here to share what's helped me double my traffic most recently.

If you remember, I shared back in the beginning of the year that I would be approaching blogging a bit differently this year. I work full time, have a family to focus on, yet I still love connecting and sharing our adventures with all of you. What I also realized is that sometimes you need resources to help propel you to the next step. Sometimes it's ok to cut out the time consuming fluff posts and share more quality over quantity. All of this has helped me to breathe a little better and get back to spending more precious time with the people I love. 

Ironically enough, when I approached blogging differently my traffic grew, my comments increased, and my earnings grew as well. Here's how I went about doing that...

GOOGLE ANALYTICS: I've had google analytics set up on my blog for as long as I can remember. I would jump on every now and then to see who was viewing my blog in real time, but I never really focused on analyzing the content. I've also learned that you can't go off of your page views through your blogger or wordpress site because apparently they take your own clicks and bots into consideration. For example, you might see that you have 15,000 page views for the month when you login. However, if you actually review those statics in Google Analytics it might be cut in half. From what I understand, Google only counts legit page views. It's also important to take a look at the content that is being viewed the most. My posts that offer some sort of value to my readers are the ones that do the best as opposed to a random day spent at the park with my kids. Don't worry, I don't plan on retiring those posts anytime soon, but it is nice to know what thrives.

PINTEREST BUSINESS ACCOUNT: I decided to convert my account to a Pinterest business account. After getting more into the analytics of my blog I also wanted to see how my other accounts where performing. I love being able to see how many times my pins have been re-pinned now and how many people they are reaching.

PINTEREST RICH PINS: after I switched to a business account for some reason I thought I would automatically be able to have rich pins. Not that I actually knew what rich pins were, but I knew I wanted people to be able to see more of a description and extra information with my pins. You also want to make sure you have a pin it button on your blog. A lot of my traffic is generated from people using their cell phones who don't have access to a pin it button on a tool bar. If you don't have a pin it button setup for your content, you could be missing out on your images being shared.

TAILWIND: I'm actually annoyed that I didn't sign up for Tailwind sooner because it took my monthly Pinterest views from around 7k to 128k. I still wouldn't say that's anything ground breaking, but it has in turn brought more traffic to my blog. I can't say it's all because of Tailwind, but I know it has helped. *Here's a link for you to try a month for free and in return if you sign up, then I get a month for free as well. It's a win-win for both of us.*

Now, Tailwind can be tricky. I had to do some extra googling and watched a Youtube video before I kind of got the hang of it. I would recommend to join a few tribes once you sign up, follow their rules, and start repining. Then, when you pin your pins to that board you have a chance of some large accounts repining yours. Some of my successful pins have been because of repins from my tribes. You can also schedule your pins on Tailwind and they will analyze your best times to post and do it automatically for you.

CANVA: I used to be a PicMonkey girl but once they started charging and I realized their editing options weren't as user friendly as I thought, I was out. Canva has been a game changer for me. It's so easy to use and they have dimensions for blog posts, social pins, even Pinterest pins. My posts with a pinnable image also bring in a lot more traffic.

FACEBOOK: for the longest time I stayed away from using facebook for my blog. Why? I'm not exactly sure. Maybe because a lot of my friends don't necessarily understand the whole blogging world and I think I was worried about people who were following me on my personal account could see what I was posting. Fast forward to learning more about having your own facebook page (and not caring what people think) and groups to support that. If you search on facebook there are a ton of blogger groups you can join where you can add a link to your post, participate in follow threads, re-pin threads, etc. However, with that, also comes time and commitment. You can't just drop a link and then leave. You have to reciprocate, and most of them you have to do it for everyone participating in that particular category. I think they're great to use in moderation but they shouldn't be your main focus. I will always go back to the best approach being to build your own sense of community, comment on other blog posts, and establish a loyal following.

BLOGLOVIN': if you're a blogger and you aren't on bloglovin' I'd have to say you're missing out. If you also don't have a section on your blog for people to follow you on bloglovin' you could be missing out on followers. It's the number one source I use every time I want to catch up with my favorite bloggers. It basically has a chronological feed (that's something we don't come across very often anymore) and when you post from your blog it also posts it to your bloglovin' feed. You can follow other bloggers and also explore tons of others. If your post gets a lot of likes on there, you also have the chance to hit the explorer page which in turn can bring in more views. On bloglovin' you see the person's featured blog image, a small blurb from their post, and you can choose if you want to click and read it. It really makes keeping up with bloggers so much easier.

STUMBLEUPON: this was another one that took some time for me to get used to. I checked my views one day and saw that I had all of this traffic coming from something called StumbleUpon. At first I got really annoyed because I thought it was a bot just messing with my site. Little did I know that people can stumble your posts if they like them and add them to their pages for others to "stumble upon". I still don't know who actually stumbled my first post, but thank you to whoever it was. Since then, I've signed up and it's increased my traffic. You might also notice that at the bottom of this post, under my share via buttons, is a stumble symbol where people can just click on that and share it there. 

What are some resources you like to use to help improve your blog traffic?

5 Ways To Spring Clean Your Blog

I thought about doing a post that included all of the fun things we're looking forward to doing this spring, and then I figured I will probably be sharing our adventures in individual posts instead. Then I thought about writing a post on how I can spring clean my life in general, and then I realized I already wrote a post on 5 ways to spring clean more than just your home. 

Digging into my archives got me thinking about this little space of mine and how it has really transformed in the past three years. It's actually completely different from when I first started and turned into more than I ever thought it would. I've learned so much over the past few years and still have an incredible ways to go. The blogging world is always changing and what worked three years ago might not be the it thing now. 

That's not to say we all have to jump on the same band wagon. I still appreciate blogs that are true to themselves and have an authentic feel. I wanted to share a few changes that have recently helped me and allowed me to feel a little more confident in my blogging journey.

1. BLOG DESIGN: When you're first starting out as a blogger and not really sure with how this whole blogging world works, the last thing I wanted to do was pay someone over $100 for a blog design and didn't even have readers to connect with yet. That was probably the wrong approach because the standard blog designs are so so and don't really have a...hmm what's the word I'm looking for? Professional feel, maybe.

If you aren't into spending a lot of money to specifically have someone design a layout for you, there are tons of options on Etsy that are really affordable and easy to install yourself. I always hated how my home page looked disorganized and I knew I wanted a change. I've seen such an increase in visitors and I can't help but think that has something to do with it.

2. DECLUTTER YOUR SIDEBAR: Confusing sidebars that are busy and have irrelevant information can be distracting and might even cause people to jump off your page. Decide how you want your site to appear and figure out the most important information you want to relay. When I first started blogging paying other bloggers to sponsor your site or swapping buttons on each others sidebars was a huge thing. Now, not so much. If you have a bunch of blogging networks or membership badges it might be better to design a featured page to free up some space.

3. CLEAR FOLLOW BUTTONS: This is very important for capturing an audience and giving them an option of where they can follow you. My main go to for bloggers are through Bloglovin or Instagram. If you don't have options for where I can follow you it makes it harder for me to find you again and visit your space. I have mine located on several areas of my page because having the opportunity to connect with you is one of my favorite parts of blogging.

4. QUALITY IMAGES: I'm sure we've probably all heard this before and I'm not telling you to run out and go buy an expensive DSLR, but we all enjoy pretty pictures that just add to our posts...so I'll just let that sit right there. I purchased a very standard DSLR camera and have several lenses that I work with. I've learned a lot by trial and error and I'm still learning all the time. I still don't always get a lot of the shots I have in my mind...why do things always go so much better in my mind?!

I'm also not saying that once you get a DSLR your pictures will magically become amazing. If you really think about it, your camera only does about 10% of the work and it's the person behind the camera that makes up the other 90%. You still have to know what you're doing with your camera in order to get some great shots. There are a lot of cell phones that take amazing pictures now but I am so used to having my camera that I don't think I will ever give it up. It's also about knowing the appropriate times of when and where to use your pictures. For example, majority of my posts I try to provide high quality images, especially if I'm working on a sponsored post or collaborations, but if it's one of my Friday favorites posts that's a little more relaxed—I'll throw in some pics from my phone.

5. REPURPOSE OLD CONTENT: A lot of us have great content that we've shared but maybe our following wasn't as big or for some reason that post just didn't take off, or maybe it was a great post that became very popular for you—share it again. Do a roundup of some of your favorite posts or find a post that's similar to one you are working on (hint hint, see what I did at the beginning of my post).

It's also a great time to update some of those images that might not have great quality but you still have great content. Let's just face facts, having pinnable images helps in your blog growth. This is also a great time to update and make sure your SEO (search engine optimization) is being utilized properly.

Is there anything you would change about your blog or plan on doing any spring cleaning?