11 Things I’ve Learned in 2 Years of Blogging

Today is my blog-o-versary.  On July 28, 2012, I pushed the “publish” button on my very first post, A Boy Named Coco.

With this post today, 11 Things I’ve Learned in 2 Years of Blogging, I written 604 posts and over 500,000 words.  Even I can’t believe that I’ve been so wordy {grin}.

According to an article in the Huffington Post (here’s a link –  Average Book Length: Guess How Many Words Are In A Novel), the average novel is 64,531 words. So, in my mind, this means that if I’d refocused my energy and attention, I could have written the equivalent of almost 8 books over these last two years! {grin}

That’s mind-blowing to me…mind numbing actually.

Although I’ve only blogged for 2 years, I’ve always been a writer.  A writer who was not paid for writing. But, a writer never-the-less.  I have multiple unfinished manuscripts – a few novels and a few children’s books.  Even then I couldn’t focus.

So, the fact that I’ve been able to create this blog, learn everything involved with running and operating a blog AND consistently post new content on this blog for two years is personally meaningful and gratifying to me.  It proves to me that when I put my mind to it, I can do anything.  And, that’s powerful.

Empowering…that’s what blogging is.

Over the last several weeks, as this blog-o-versary approached, I’ve been thinking about what I’ve learned in 2 year of blogging.  While it may not seem significant to younger generations, what I’ve learned, especially from the technical aspect of blogging, is astounding to me.

Just to refresh readers’ memories, I’m 59-years-old, so I’m no spring chicken {grin}.  I know the politically correct thing for women is to NOT reveal their age, but here’s the thing:  if you care about your age when you are my age, you are worrying about the wrong things {grin}.  So, I’m happy to share with the whole entire world my age, especially because I’m so proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish!

So, here are the things I’ve learned in 2 years of blogging:

#1 – I’m a Small Duckling in a Big Pond

Even after 2 years of continuous posting and over 600 posts, I’m a small duckling in a big pond. Overnight “success” is unusual, maybe even a myth.  Extremely successful bloggers (measured in traffic numbers – visitors to their sites) have been blogging for 6 to 10 years.  But like the duckling in the photo above, I’m growing every day, discovering and learning new things and that’s okay.  In fact, it’s downright fantastic!

#2 – Blogging is Hard Work

Yes, blogging is hard work.  Long hours – pre-production, production, post-production – the 3 P’s of blogging that happen before, during and after you hit the publish button.  I suppose there are easier ways of blogging, maybe even shortcuts; for example, I could post less often.  I post 5 days a week, but I could back it down to 3 days a week.  After all, it is my blog and I make the “rules”.  But, here’s the thing:  I like what I do.  In fact, I love what I do.  I have no problem with content creation.  And, I’m not afraid of hard work, getting showered in a storm or getting my feet wet!

#3 – The Learning Curve is Steep

By that I mean there is so much more to blogging then just content creation.  Bloggers (unless they have unlimited financial resources at their disposal) have to learn the back-end of blogging by learning:

• WordPress or another blogging platform
• just enough about HTML and coding to realize that you really, truly know nothing and need to hire a professional
• how to maximize and use all the different social media platforms
• photography
• food styling
• recipe development
• to negotiate with others
• about advertising, ad networks, affiliate marketing, brands
• various software programs
• SEO (search engine optimization)
• Google Analytics or some other blog analytics
• etc., etc., etc.

There are no shortages of things to learn.  So, creating content is almost a side line {grin} because without learning the rest of this stuff, your blog will just bump along and not grow.  That’s okay if that’s what you want as a blogger.  But, if you want to grow your blog (and I do), then learning the rest of this stuff is key.  But, here’s the thing:  you don’t have to “go it alone” because millions have gone before you and left a trail of breadcrumbs for you to find and digest.  By following what others have done before you and consistently moving forward and staying the course, success will follow.

#4 – Find Your True North

FREE printable – Find Your True North

One of the most frequent suggestions given to new bloggers (whether in books about blogging, at conferences, in web articles) is for new bloggers to find their “niche”, their “specialty” and to hone that niche.  I’ve struggled with this because I want this blog to reflect many aspects of my life.

So, I continue to tussle with niche-ifying this blog.  Word on the street is that you will grow your traffic quicker if you find your niche.  And, I’m sure “word on the street” is correct on this subject, but I continue to resist.

Over time, I’ve concluded that if I have to “label” this blog, then I’m a food blogger, because the recipes are what drive my traffic (visitors).  95% of my traffic comes looking for the recipes, so most of my other posts are barely read.

But, I’m okay with that.  Because the rest of the posts, the 5% that are barely read, are the posts that feed my soul.  They are the ones I love to write – they are my true north. And, if I’m happy, this blog grows.

#5 – Social Networking is Necessary for Blog Growth

“Marketing” yourself on social networks is key.  As a blogger, you can’t create content, hit the publish button and wait for traffic (visitors) to arrive on your site.  Yes, visitors will still come if you do nothing (like the mallards sleeping alone in the photo below), but growth will be elusive and take much longer.  Finding which social networks work for you and sticking with constant engagement will help your blog grow faster.

#6 – Blog Conferences are Worth the Investment

Attending blog conferences can be expensive, with the cost of the conference ticket, cost of airfare or other transportation, cost of hotels, cost of food, etc.  But, they are worth the investment on multiple levels:

• learning – I’ve never been to a conference (I’ve been to 3 so far) where I didn’t come away with tons of information about the business of blogging
• networking – with both other bloggers, brands and advertising networks
• motivation – being in a room packed full of other, like-minded individuals and excellent speakers is powerful and motivating

Plus, you’ll make new friends and possibly find your “tribe”!

I’ve met many wonderful new friends at the conferences I’ve attended and each of them has become my “tribe” in that I can reach out to any of them and they will provide support on any number of blogging issues:

• Tana at Your Marketing BFF
• Heather at It’s a Lovely Life
• Amy at Beloved Atmosphere
• Vanessa at The Teensy, Tiny Insignificant Details
• Elizabeth at The Pirate Prerogative
• Chelsea at Someday I’ll Learn

Each of them has been more than generous with their time in helping this “newbie” move forward. Thanks, tribbers!

Plus Patrick and Tawnia – my husband and wife “geek” go-to team – who have helped me so much on many technical issues above my scope of understanding.  Although I’ve never met either in person, they’ve been an invaluable resource in this blogging journey.

And, last but by far certainly not least, a thank you to Tiffany, my beloved niece and co-founder of this blog.  Without Tiffany, I would not have thought it possible that I could do this, be a blogger.  She has supported me every step of the way with her loving, caring support, youthful expertise and exuberance, thoughtfulness and more.  I’m forever grateful.  She has given me an outlet for growth in my retirement years that cannot be measured in dollars.

If you are a regular reader to this blog, you will notice that Tiffany has been missing from the blog for quite some time now.  As the mother of two young daughters, known collectively on this blog as the Princesses P (Princess P and Princess Sweetie Pie), she struggles with the same time issues that all mothers struggle with:  not enough hours in the day and too much to do!  However, after much soul-searching, she has decided that her family comes first and now is  just not the right time to be a blogger and invest the time necessary to grow a blog.  So, she has “retired” from this blog but her legacy lives on in the Archives of this blog.

Over time, the header and “About” page will change to reflect Tiffany’s departure, but she will, forever and always, be a part of the heart and soul of this blog.  I love you Tiffany – so much.

#7 – The Blogging Community is a Generous One

That’s the thing – the blogging community is a generous one.  And, that’s such an awesome thing to discover – that most bloggers are kind, generous, thoughtful people willing to share information to help you succeed.

#8 – Mad Marketable Skills

You’ll develop mad marketable skills!  That’s a great bonus because even if you decide to quit blogging in the future, you will have skills that most people don’t have and you’ll have them in spades!  If everyone knew how to create and run a blog (website), create consistent content that people read, develop a social networking strategy for your business, etc., (in fact, I’ll just repeat what I said above and substitute the word “know” for the word “learning”), then your mad marketable skills would be routine skills known by everyone.  But they’re not known by everyone and as a blogger, you’ll know:

• WordPress or another blogging platform
• just enough about HTML and coding to realize that you really, truly know nothing and need to hire a professional
• how to maximize and use all the different social media platforms
• photography
• food styling
• recipe development
• how to negotiate with others
• about advertising, ad networks, affiliate marketing, brands
• various software programs
• SEO (search engine optimization)
• Google Analytics or some other blog analytics
• etc., etc., etc.

And, you’ll stand-out above other job applicants as someone who knows what they are talking about because you’ll have proof – just tell them to visit your website!

#9 – Don’t Quit Your Day Job

It takes years to make money as a blogger.  And, yes, it’s possible to quit your day job. But, don’t do that right out of the gate unless you have another income to fall back on. I’d love for readers to read this post, On Full Time Blogging:  The End of a Chapter, about a married couple, who have just recently quit their day jobs.  Bloggers for 4 years, they’ve created two wonderful sites (a food blog and an online food blogging membership course) that are awesome and they’ve had phenomenal success.  The thing about Lindsay and Bjork at Pinch of Yum is that they are both hard-working, thoughtful and caring people and the “community” (visitors) has given back because of their generosity, enabling them to reach their goals.

#10 – Live Authentically

I always thought I was living “authentically” so when these two words kept popping up in the mainstream vernacular, I was befuddled.  What the heck did that mean?  It means to live and create content that is true to you.  Because, if you don’t, readers will “catch on” and won’t come back!  So, while it’s okay to “emulate success” (and by that I mean study successful people/bloggers to find out what makes them successful), copying success in the hopes that you will be successful will back fire on you!  You need to be your own Rainbow Lorikeet…

#11 – You’re Still Here

Two years later, you (my readers) are still here.  And, so am I…

Toot Sweet 4 Two…one sweet ride for me and you!

Tootles,

True North Gifts

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.  Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

True North Pendants and Jewelry || True North Keychains || The Mountains Are Calling T-shirts || The Mountains Are Calling decorative signs || The Mountains Are Calling posters and prints || The Mountains Are Calling dish towels || The Mountains Are Calling mugs || The Mountains Are Calling pillow covers

Related Posts:

(posts that are my “true north”)

• A Fresh Start on a Budget
• An Irish Blessing (or two)…
• Any Way the Wind Blows
• Bloggy Boot Camp Revealed
• Both Sides of Clouds
• Call of the Whinny:  Yet Another Story from the Farm
• Carole Hears a Whoo
• Catwoman
• Did You See a Cow Today?
• Lost in LA
• Make Your Own Kind of Music
• Many a Winding Turn
• Operation Swallow Adios
• Perspective:  December 8, 1941
• Pictures at an Exhibition
• Pinky Swear
• Resistance is Futile
• Sister Mom
• Someday I’ll Learn
• The Best Nests in the West
• The Best of the Rest of Your Life
• The Incubator
• The Squish Factor
• The Train

Info on the photos in the post above:

1. The duckling and mallard photos were taken at Temecula Pond, Temecula, California.
2. The American Coots (photos #2, #5 and #7) were taken at Lake Poway Recreation Center, Poway, California.
3. The crows were taken in my front yard, through Charlie’s office window.
4. The Rainbow Lorikeet was taken at the San Diego Zoo.