Celebrating 17 years of running a blog!
Glad 17 KERFday!
Right now is my weblog’s seventeenth birthday! I used to be lately on a zoom name and advised the particular person my web site was “16 or 17 years outdated, I misplaced depend.” Afterwards I regarded it up – 17 years it’s!
A few of you’ve been following me since these very, very early days. You in all probability bear in mind bowls of oatmeal with a peanut butter spoon floating on prime earlier than I went to my PR job, the RD days after I wrote weblog posts between lessons, the Nice Harvest days, the BERF days.
In case you haven’t been round lengthy, try:
In that tenth anniversary submit, I had written 6844 posts. As of immediately, 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 quite a lot of matters is such a key part of protecting issues fascinating. Lengthy-time readers know that I am going by phases primarily based on what is going on in my life. I went by two large child phases, loads of Dwelling Neat Dwelling 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 aren’t improper. So it’s factor most visitors isn’t my finish sport. However writing concerning the matters on my thoughts means I’m writing creatively and never forcing it or losing interest, which I do suppose creates one of the best reader expertise.
Construct A Life-style, Not A Firm
Once I began my weblog in 2007, I used to be solely on the lookout for a artistic outlet. I had no thought it was doable to earn cash on the web, and I scoffed on the thought 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 ultimately did!) After all, as time went on, producing earnings to cowl my internet hosting prices and possibly some groceries grew to become a bit extra interesting.
Just a few years in the past I listened to a podcast interview for one more blogger who began across the identical time as me. Within the current time, she had dozens of full-time workers 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 approach to life I didn’t need. What has at all times been most essential to me is to have the ability to put my artistic power 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 presents 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 Muddle and Bloom. When Beautycounter closed. And plenty of extra methods. Having range of earnings, platform, and income channel means when one thing is down, one thing else is usually up. Who is aware of what’s subsequent!
Running a blog Has Gotten A lot Extra Difficult, However Additionally A lot Simpler
A contradictory sentence? Including the above branches has definitely sophisticated issues. Weblog buddies and I usually reminisce concerning the days after we “simply needed to weblog” thrice 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 one of the best app/web site EVER INVENTED!
Flexibility Is All the time High Precedence
Lengthy gone are the times after I would come dwelling from an occasion and keep up an additional hour to jot down a submit submit about it. Since I worth flexibility greater than the rest, I’m working not less than 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 finest digital assistant, Hillary, who helps me behind the scenes in so some ways, so I’m able to take day off to journey or if my children are sick. (I wrote this submit in 2018 after I was fascinated about going again into extra real-time posting.)
Leaning On Weblog Associates
Conversations with different bloggers are at all times so inspiring. I admire 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 gaggle referred to as “KABU: Kick Ass Blogger Union” (haha) and we supported each other relatively than compete. The most effective colleagues are open books. All of us do issues a bit of bit in a different way, however all of us be taught from each other.
Keep True To You
^^ This tremendous corny phrase actually does sum up the whole lot about operating a weblog for nearly twenty years. On the finish of the day, you must do you. Not everybody goes to love you – and that’s okay! You’ll be able to’t fear about what different persons are doing or pressure their model 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 improper. You need to be genuinely you.
Thanks
Thanks for following together with our household’s story. Thanks for displaying as much as learn posts, click on hyperlinks, depart feedback, and write private emails and DMs. The occasions when you’ve reached out have meant a lot to me. Thanks KERF household <3
