It’s that time of the year again!! 😀 😀
Spoons is officially the big oh.two (read: it’s my two year blogiversary!!!). I published my very first [post-hiatus] post on August 27, 2012, and the rest is kind of history. And what a history it’s been! Never in a million years did I imagine that I’d end up here — starting up my very own health coaching business, going back to school for holistic nutrition (more on that soon!!), developing recipes, and making the switch from blogging as a hobby to blogging as a job. Un.real.
To say that it’s been one heck of a journey is an understatement, and to think that it’s really only just beginning blows my mind. I have no idea where I’ll be a year from now, but I finally feel like I’ve found my calling after struggling for so many years with questions of what I wanted to be “when I grew up.” I love that I wake up excited for each new day, and I love that work doesn’t actually feel like work. A year ago, I made a decision to completely change career paths, and while it was absolutely terrifying at the time, it was also one of the best decisions I ever made. I’m a firm believer in always pursuing your dreams, even if it means taking a big leap of faith to start.
But enough about that before I start getting all misty eyed! What I actually wanted to talk about today was blogging and how to take your blog to the next level. This doesn’t mean you suddenly have to start blogging full time, but every blogger knows how much time and effort gets put into blogging, and it’s always nice to get a little something back, no? So here are my top tips for how to approach blogging in a more professional and business-minded manner. Please keep in mind that I’m no expert and that these are simply things that I picked up along the way. Also, this approach won’t be for everyone, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with blogging purely as a hobby — it’s what I started out doing too!
Be self-hosted and own your own domain. When I decided to come back to blogging after my hiatus, I immediately decided to take the plunge and go self-hosted right from the start, which, in my opinion, is a huge part of the reason why I stuck with it… especially during some of those more frustrating periods where I felt like throwing in the towel. Being self-hosted not only makes your little space feel like it’s more yours and inspires you to put more time and effort into it, but it also shows other people that you’re serious about what you do — making them more likely to stick around and/or work with you. And that’s saying nothing about all the great plugins and other options that being self-hosted opens up to you.
Going self-hosted is my #1 recommendation for anyone who wants to get more serious about blogging, and if you’re unsure about what host to go with, then allow me to recommend Bluehost*. They’re one of the top hosting companies out there, and I personally just renewed my contract with them because I was that impressed with their services. If you want more information about Bluehost and self-hosting, head over to my post on how to start a blog for more details!
Use an editorial calendar. I started out blogging by the seat of my pants, and while it “worked” to some extent, it also stressed me out to the max and usually left me scrambling for content on a daily basis. I’d wake up in the morning not knowing what I was going to blog about the next day, hoping against hope that inspiration would strike and provide me with a post. If it did, great! If not, I simply wouldn’t post.
I know that kind of approach may work for some people, but I needed a little more structure. I started using a calendar to jot down ideas and plan out posts for the upcoming month, and it completely changed my blogging experience for the better. Having post ideas written out ahead of time helped me channel my thoughts into what I was planning to write about, and laying everything out on paper made it easier to see if my posts were spaced out properly so that I didn’t end up posting two of the same kind of posts back to back. I also worked out a weekly schedule where I post certain things on certain days (i.e.: ToL on Thursdays, Link Love on Sundays, recipes on Mondays & Fridays, etc.), which not only removes a lot of the guess work for me, but also lets my readers know what to expect.
Create useful & pinnable content. Using your blog as an online daily journal or sorts is great if you’re mostly doing it as a hobby, but if you want to grow your blog and attract more visitors then you need to create content that people are going to find useful in some way. Whether it’s lifehacks, workouts, or recipes, post things that people are likely to search for in Google… and make sure to always include a graphic that can be pinned to Pinterest.
Pinterest and search engines are my two biggest sources of traffic, and I saw a huge increase in visitors when I began posting more recipes. The best part is that posts like that continue to drive traffic even long after they’ve been published. I’ve had recipes that I published months and months ago suddenly pick up in popularity after getting pinned by the right person on Pinterest, and that’s saying nothing about when a site like Buzzfeed or Huffington Post features my recipe in one of their articles. A random musings post is pretty much forgotten as soon as a new post replaces it, but a post with useful information will keep working for you indefinitely. This doesn’t mean that random musings posts aren’t valuable, since they help you maintain a valuable blogger-reader connection, but try to put out a steady stream of universally useful posts as well.
Develop your own brand. This is basically just a fancy way of saying “put a personal touch on your work and keep it consistent.” You may have noticed that I use the same fonts and colour schemes in all my work. I take my photographs in a certain way and I write with a certain voice. This is my brand. This is what, hopefully, makes someone think Spoons as soon as they see it. You want your brand to be a reflection of who you are and what you’re all about. Let your personality shine through in the design you choose, the language you use, and the subjects you address so that your readers can get a better sense of who you are. Use certain catch phrases, create your own hashtags, and really take the time to come up with your own unique style.
Also, never ever endorse a product that doesn’t fit with your own brand and that you don’t support 100%. Bloggers get a lot of offers to try free products, and while it can be tempting to accept them all (especially in the beginning), you’re only doing yourself a disservice in the long run by taking away from your credibility. Your readers need to be able to trust you, and you need to earn that trust with how you handle yourself.
Get your name out there. The most common blog-related question I get is how to grow your audience and get more comments… which makes sense since no one likes to feel like they’re talking to themselves. It’s a question I always struggle with answering, though, because I feel like people are looking for some magic solution when the reality is super simple — you need to make a name for yourself, and the only way to do that is to get your name noticed.
This means visiting [lots of] other blogs and continusouly leaving comments. It means being active on social media and connecting with people via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. It means reaching out to bloggers you admire and developing relationships. It means being an active part of your niche community. In the famous words of John Donne, “no [blogger] is an island entire of itself; every [blogger] is a piece of the continent”… you need to make those connections.
Be your biggest fan. I hated the idea of self-promotion when I first started blogging. I figured that if my work was good enough, it would get noticed on its own. False, false, false. You can have the best content in the world, but if no one knows that it exists, it isn’t going to do you any good… and no one is going to know that it exists unless you market/promote the hell out of it because the internet is an ocean and your blog is only a tiny drop of water in it.
Look at it this way. If you aren’t proud enough of your own work to want to promote it, then how can you expect other people to be impressed with it? You can’t. You need to be your own cheerleader. Put out quality content that you’re proud of and share it wherever you can (social media, linkups, recipe submission sites, etc.). Not every post is going to be a huge hit, but if you continuously put out good content, then you’ll eventually strike gold with a few of them.
Be prepared to work your a** off. I’m not going to beat around the bush here — blogging takes a lot of time and a lot of work. Is it possible to become a successful blogger and make a decent income off your blog? Absolutely. Is it easy? Absolutely not. This is where passion becomes the deciding factor because if you don’t love what you do, you’ll burn out fast. You’ll burn out when posts that you put your heart and soul into barely get noticed. You’ll burn out when you put hours and hours of work in and barely see a payoff. You’ll burn out when you look at other bloggers who seem to be so much more successful than you are. You’ll burn out when you inevitably have to deal with negativity and criticism…
Blogging is fun, but it’s also frustrating and discouraging. There’ve been plenty of times where I’ve questioned the point of what I was doing and seriously considered throwing in the towel, but taking a few days off was usually enough to reignite my passion and keep me at it. Blogging is not a get-rich-quick scheme, nor is it overnight success. It’s hard work, dedication, time, and patience. It’s trying different things, making mistakes, and learning what works and what doesn’t. It’s passion, drive, and ambition. Is it possible to become a successful blogger? Absolutely… but that doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for everyone.
Bloggers: Any tips to share or questions you want addressed?
Readers: Wish Spoons a happy birthday? 🙂
More places to find me!
E-mail — [email protected]
Twitter — runwithspoons
Facebook — runningwithspoons
Pinterest — runwithspoons
Instagram — runwithspoons
Bloglovin — runningwithspoons
It really is crazy how much time it takes to create content, keep up on other blogs, comment, etc. I certainly didn’t realize the time involved when I started!
Happy Blogiversary! Keep up the great posts! 🙂
First off – we have the same Blog Birthday! You are one year older than me, and many years blog-wiser! This is such a fantastic post. It has so many points that I need to seriously consider and is also so inspiring at the same time! I hope to be as successful as you in one more year on my 2nd Blog Birthday!
Wow, so impressed you are able to blog full time! Congrats!!
Happy Blogiversay!! You were one of the very 1st blogs I started following before taking a hiatus of my own. So much of what you talk about in this post speaks to me. I started blogging because I felt like I had something to say, I want to share my passion and connect with other. But, like you said it takes a lot of work and things were moving slowly (seemed like I was just talking to myself) so I spend more time reading blogs than writing my own post.
I finally decided to start blogging again this year because it was still something I was passionate about. It’s not any easier now but I’m determined to keep going. I love the idea of planning my post that would help make things less stressful especially now that I’m back in school. Self-hosting is something I’ve been contemplating and bluehost comes up a lot…I need to look into that! I would love to pick your brain about some other blogging tips if you don’t mind 🙂 Thanks for being an inspiration!
Definitely! Shoot me an e-mail and we can chat 😀
Happy Happy Blogiversary to you Amanda! Your blog was one of the first recipe and food blogs I started following when I entered the blogging world. You’ve always been an inspiration to me as I started my own blog this year, and thank you for the tips!
This was just what I needed today! I’ve been feeling a little discouraged lately. Just gotta keep at it and not slack off. I need to get help with what I’m not good at so I can learn and grow. Thanks again Amanda! Sorry I haven’t visited in awhile. Like I said I’ve been a little disconnected lately but I’m back in the game! 🙂
Happy, happy birthday! Spoons was one of the first blogs I started reading and you still remain a top favorite 🙂 You inspire me to get in the kitchen and to get better at food photography.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! So glad you’re back <3
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPOONS!!!! <3 You know you're my favourite!!
Happy Blogiversary Spoons! Your blog was one of the first I read, back in the day. I was thrilled when you returned. Your blog is the one I have been reading the longest and, it was through you, I was introduced to many other blogs. Thank you for my nearly daily dose of good reads. 🙂
Happy Blog Anniversary!! Thank you so much for taking the time to write this. I often wonder how people get so darn popular! I mean their blogs are awesome and they deserve it (this one included!!) but its so refreshing to hear that everyone has to go through the same frustration, daily self-promotion, and good old hard work to get to where you are now! I have been hesitant to reach out to other bloggers because I am still so new at blogging – but I vow to get better! Thank you again for such an encouraging post (and admitting that it can be a constant struggle – it’s not the “glamorous” life that it seems)!
Definitely not! Don’t forget that there’s -always- a behind-the-scenes that you never see!
So awesome!! Happy two years! So glad I found your blog. 🙂 Keep up the GREAT work!
Happy Blogiversary!!! It is crazy to think that we started our blogs just one day apart! Awesome post, too, by the way. My favorite one is the working your ass off one! It could not be more true. Your blog certainly shows that you do!
Soooo helpful. Thank you for putting this together and happy birthday to SPOONS!!! {insert cake and balloon emojis}
Happy birthday to Spoons! I have to say, I love that we get to share it 🙂 Fantastic tips Amanda! You rock this blogging business and your photos and posts are some of my favorites. Congrats on the coaching and going back to school!
Happy Blog birthday! I LOVE all these tips, especially as I try to grow my blog/brand! Your blog always has amazing recipes and I love the “thinking out loud” linkup. Cheers!
Happy Blogivarsary (sp?)!! Thanks for all the tips, love them! xoxo, ganeeban
CONGRATS ON YOUR BLOGIVERSARY!!!! I read your post and was inspired to learn about how you changed careers as that takes a lot of courage – not only to acknowledge that you need to change, but also do it even though it’s risky! Your courage to trust and open yourself to life and being honest about your experience inspires me to take steps toward a future where I don’t have to fear the worst lol
<3 It's always worse in our minds than it is in reality. 99% of the time, the things we worry about don't actually materialize at all.
I completely agree about being self-hosted, or at least going for the plain “.com” website address. However, I had a really negative experience with Bluehost. I’m glad it works for you but it was not for me!
As for your tip about creating useful content – I’d add that bloggers would do well to create a page devoted just to those posts. For some that’s recipes, for others parenting tips, and for me it’s the business aspects of writing.
Great post!
so glad you came back to blogging! and that i got to meet you1 happy 2 years. and yay bluehost, wink wink.
Wohoo I just passed two years of doing RTTF full time as well!! I agree that it took me awhile to decide what I really wanted to write about, but once I found that niche it’s been amazing…and yes useful, pinnable content is king!
Happy Blogiversary! And yes, yes, yes, blogging is so much work!
I have a question related to your health coaching program. I see that it’s an American company and I’m just wondering if you still found the information relevant to coaching in Canada? I mean, obviously it was or you wouldn’t have made a career change but I noticed that all of their stats ect pertain to Americans and their government and healthcare system. Is the bulk of the content universally applied?
Thanks!
The bulk of the content is definitely universally applied since most of it has to do with nutrition and marketing. The statistics are specific to the States, as are the organizations you can join after you graduate… But there are similar organizations available in most countries, so you just need to do a little bit of research to find the relevant ones in your area.
That was a fantastically well-put post, Amanda. I’m not a blogger, but I am a beauty/lifestyle vlogger, which (I think) is a lot harder than blogging in some ways. However, there are so many times when advice or tips applies equally well to both- like this post! It definitely took me a loooooong time to get comfy with self-promoting, but it’s no big deal to me anymore. I started to make a little bit of money off of my videos in July and though it’s slow, I AM getting more and more. It is absolutely devastating when I spend upward of 12 hours on a video only to have it be a dud in terms of views and comments. But seeing little progress milestones (new subscriber, companies starting to take notice of me etc.) is always the nudge I need to just keep chugging. All I have to say to aspiring bloggers or vloggers is DO. NOT. GIVE. UP. It took me just over a year to get 100 subscribers. I hit 100 this past April and now I have nearly 300. As you grow a little bit at a time (even if it’s so slow you can barely notice it!), things will start to pick up faster and faster. Keep working hard, it is going to pay off (that’s almost guaranteed if you truly keep at it with as much passion as when you started).
Thanks for sharing all this advice! Great post 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
I love what you said about it being suuuuuper slow at the beginning and then gaining momentum along the way — I’ve definitely found that to be the case for me as well! And I have mad respect for YouTubers. I’ve thought about delving into that realm on occasion, but I wouldn’t even know where to begin!
You should do it! If you’re ever seriously starting to think about doing it, feel free to shoot me an email! I’d be happy to give you quick tips on things I’ve learned so far 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Happy 2nd blog birthday!!! What a great post and I totally agree with everything you wrote!
HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY! Hooraaaaaay!!
I’m so thrilled by this post. It’s exactly what I needed to read. I haven’t been very good at promoting myself and I need to work harder on that!
Thanks for the tips ad for being an inspiring blogger, I look up to!
xoxoxo
I”m so glad you started blogging!! oxox
Seriously great advice and very relevant to what’s going on for me now. Congrats on all you’ve accomplished with your blog!
Two years already?! Time sure flies by fast! Happy 2 years Amanda! 🙂
Happy Blogiversary!! These are great tips for all bloggers! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Happy 2 year blog birthday! As a reader from the very beginning, I have so say that you, and your blog, have grown so much, and you have so much to be proud of. You have certainly created a brand, and your photography and content are always on point. Keep growing, keep going, stay hungry!
looks like spoons chose a great day to be birthed 😉 Congrats on 2 years, love! I agree with all of the above but also would add “if you want to be treated like a business, run a business” aka if you’re putting in the work, you deserve to get paid (and not the cheapskate prices I see out there) and in return must provide good quality content. It’s a lesson I’ve learned and hope to pass on to many more bloggers.
Great point! I feel like that’s a lesson I’m -still- trying to learn, and there’s so much trial and error because I don’t feel like people are all that open when it comes to rates. You need to write a post about it! Or I need to pick your brain…
Happy birthday Spoons!
These are awesome tips. I’ve been blogging on and off for a while, but I defintiely want to be more focused in my bloggity. I can’t say it’ll ever become a job, but a bigger hobby would be pretty awesome.
Happy Blogbirthday! And also great tips- I love blogging tips since I’m a pretty new blogger, and basically rely upon experienced bloggers such as yourself for info!
Happy blog birthday spoons!! 🙂
Love the fact that you are being honest – blogging is awesome and so much fun, but the hardwork and determination needed makes it tough! It may not be easy but it sure is worth it. Some great tips there too!
I think I need to get myself out there more and start blowing my own trumpet! I think that’s my downfall! So easy to fall into the comparison trap too – but just need to keep on being myself!
Here’s to another year of fab Spoon adventures!!
Happy anniversary! I just started blogging a few weeks ago, and have already found out how much work it is! Thanks for all of your tips and ideas! I hope to become a bigger part of the blogging world.
Congratulations and happy blog birthday! Woohoo! I love this post. I started my blog a few months ago for a fun hobby, something to get my thoughts out there on. As I have gone through I have realized how stressful a blog can actually be! I need to utilize your calendar idea because with work and school blogging can easily be pushed aside! Thanks for all of the tips. I am excited to see where this blogging world takes me.
Definitely give the calendar a try! It really took -so- much of the stress out of it for me when I started spending time on the weekends planning out for the week ahead. And don’t be afraid to take a day or two off if you need to — you don’t need to blog daily to be successful!
Faaaaantastic tips and I agree with each and every one of them! I do really need to work on getting myself out there more and self-promoting more. Merg. So much to do!
Anyways, a big ol’ HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Spoons! WOOOOOO!
Well said Amanda! Congrats on 2 years and how far you’ve come with Spoons!! I can definitely hear your voice in everything that you do. You’re authentic and I think that’s a huge part of your success.
I wish I could dedicate more of myself to blogging but I would lose my mind if I did. I only have my weekends to create recipes, shoot, edit pictures and try to keep up with some kind of normalcy in my life. It’s just so overwhelming! But I have seen it grow so I’m going to stick with it and hope it pays off for me in the long run. I would have to make a substantial amount and know that it’s consistent before I ever thought of giving up my full time job.
I would love to see a post on monetizing and traffic if you ever wanted to do more of these. I feel like I learn so much from those!