Celebrating 17 years of running a blog!
Blissful 17 KERFday!
At present is my weblog’s seventeenth birthday! I used to be just lately on a zoom name and advised the individual my web site was “16 or 17 years outdated, I misplaced rely.” Afterwards I appeared it up – 17 years it’s!
A few of you’ve gotten been following me since these very, very early days. You in all probability keep in mind bowls of oatmeal with a peanut butter spoon floating on prime earlier than I went to my PR job, the RD days once I wrote weblog posts between lessons, the Nice Harvest days, the BERF days.
For those who haven’t been round lengthy, try:
In that tenth anniversary publish, I had written 6844 posts. As of at the moment, that quantity is 7935 posts plus 382,493 feedback and 265,000 images shared. GEEZ!
In honor of 17 years, listed here are some ideas / enjoyable info / reflections about running a blog into the teenage years.
17 Years Of Running a blog
Selection Is Key
For me, writing about a wide range of subjects is such a key element of retaining issues attention-grabbing. Lengthy-time readers know that I’m going by way of phases primarily based on what is occurring in my life. I went by way of two large child phases, loads of Residence Neat Residence phases, some entrepreneur phases. What I like most about my weblog is that I’m not restricted to at least one area of interest subject. The specialists would inform me that’s hurting my visitors and they don’t seem to be fallacious. So it’s an excellent factor most visitors just isn’t my finish recreation. However writing concerning the subjects on my thoughts means I’m writing creatively and never forcing it or losing interest, which I do assume creates the most effective reader expertise.
Construct A Life-style, Not A Firm
Once I began my weblog in 2007, I used to be solely searching for a inventive outlet. I had no concept it was doable to generate profits on the web, and I scoffed on the concept of doing so when my dad introduced up placing advertisements on my web site. (He inspired me to look into it, and I’m glad I finally did!) In fact, as time went on, producing earnings to cowl my internet hosting prices and perhaps some groceries grew to become a bit extra interesting.
A couple of years in the past, I listened to a podcast interview for an additional blogger who began across the similar time as me. Within the current time, she had dozens of full-time staff working for her and a flowery workplace. For a break up second, I had a twinge of jealousy over how a lot cash her web site have to be making to assist these issues, however then I had a quick actuality test that going to an workplace on a regular basis was precisely the life-style I didn’t need. What has all the time been most essential to me is to have the ability to put my inventive vitality and time into one thing that would assist or encourage others whereas additionally incomes cash to assist my household alongside the best way. I’m eternally grateful for the pliability this job affords to let me greet the boys after they get off the bus every day or make a journey when the invitation arises.
Studying to Pivot
All through the years, I’ve pivoted and branched out in methods I couldn’t have predicted coming. When my advert community contract with Foodbuzz ended. When model sponsorships moved from blogs to Instagram. Once I joined Beautycounter. Once I created Digital Litter and Bloom. When Beautycounter closed. And lots of extra methods. Having range of earnings, platform, and income channel means when one thing is down, one thing else is commonly up. Who is aware of what’s subsequent!
Running a blog Has Gotten A lot Extra Sophisticated, However Additionally A lot Simpler
A contradictory sentence? Including the above branches has definitely difficult issues. Weblog mates and I usually reminisce concerning the days once we “simply needed to weblog” 3 times a day. There wasn’t all of the social media amplification and so forth. However in some ways, issues have gotten a lot simpler. I used to take all of my images on a Canon Mark II that I haven’t touched in years now that iPhone cameras are so nice. Apps like Asana and YNAB have made monitoring duties and accounting so organized. Canva is the most effective app/web site EVER INVENTED!
Flexibility Is All the time Prime Precedence
Lengthy gone are the times once I would come residence from an occasion and keep up an additional hour to put in writing a publish about it. Since I worth flexibility greater than anything, I’m working at the least a month forward on seasonal / evergreen content material. After which I write extra time delicate posts the week of or the week after the occasion. I even have the world’s greatest digital assistant, Hillary, who helps me behind the scenes in so some ways, so I’m able to take time without work to journey or if my children are sick. (I wrote this publish in 2018 once I was excited about going again into extra real-time posting.)
Leaning On Weblog Buddies
Conversations with different bloggers are all the time so inspiring. I recognize Anne, Brittany, and Teri for his or her willingness to share concepts and assets all through the years. Within the earlier days, I used to be a part of a bunch known as “KABU: Kick Ass Blogger Union” (haha) and we supported each other relatively than compete. The perfect colleagues are open books. All of us do issues a bit bit in another way, however all of us be taught from each other.
Keep True To You
^^ This tremendous corny phrase actually does sum up every thing about operating a weblog for nearly twenty years. On the finish of the day, it’s important to do you. Not everybody goes to love you – and that’s okay! You’ll be able to’t fear about what different individuals are doing or power their type onto you. You’ll be able to’t fear about what the trolls are going to say as a result of something you do is fallacious. You need to be genuinely you.
Thanks
Thanks for following together with our household’s story. Thanks for exhibiting as much as learn posts, click on hyperlinks, go away feedback, and write private emails and DMs. The instances when you’ve gotten reached out have meant a lot to me. Thanks KERF household <3