Celebrating 17 years of running a blog!
Blissful 17 KERFday!
At this time is my weblog’s seventeenth birthday! I used to be just lately on a zoom name and informed the individual my web site was “16 or 17 years outdated, I misplaced rely.” Afterwards I regarded it up – 17 years it’s!
A few of you may have been following me since these very, very early days. You most likely keep in mind bowls of oatmeal with a peanut butter spoon floating on high earlier than I went to my PR job, the RD days after I wrote weblog posts between courses, the Nice Harvest days, the BERF days.
For those who haven’t been round lengthy, take a look at:
In that tenth anniversary submit, I had written 6844 posts. As of at this time, that quantity is 7935 posts plus 382,493 feedback and 265,000 photographs shared. GEEZ!
In honor of 17 years, listed below 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 matters is such a key part of preserving issues attention-grabbing. Lengthy-time readers know that I’m going via phases primarily based on what is going on in my life. I went via two large child phases, loads of House Neat House phases, some entrepreneur phases. What I really like most about my weblog is that I’m not restricted to 1 area of interest matter. The specialists would inform me that’s hurting my visitors and they don’t seem to be improper. So it’s a superb factor most visitors is just not my finish sport. However writing in regards to the matters on my thoughts means I’m writing creatively and never forcing it or becoming bored, which I do assume creates the very best reader expertise.
Construct A Way of life, Not A Firm
After I began my weblog in 2007, I used to be solely searching for a artistic outlet. I had no concept it was potential to generate income on the web, and I scoffed on the concept of doing so when my dad introduced up placing adverts 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 perhaps some groceries turned a bit extra interesting.
A number 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 workers working for her and a elaborate workplace. For a cut 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 necessary to me is to have the ability to put my artistic vitality and time into one thing that would assist or encourage others whereas additionally incomes cash to assist my household alongside the way in which. I’m eternally grateful for the flexibleness this job provides to let me greet the boys once 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. After I joined Beautycounter. After I created Digital Litter and Bloom. When Beautycounter closed. And plenty of extra methods. Having variety 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 Difficult, However Additionally A lot Simpler
A contradictory sentence? Including the above branches has actually sophisticated issues. Weblog associates and I typically reminisce in regards to the days after 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 photographs 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 very best app/web site EVER INVENTED!
Flexibility Is At all times High Precedence
Lengthy gone are the times after I would come dwelling from an occasion and keep up an additional hour to put in writing a submit about it. Since I worth flexibility greater than anything, I’m working a minimum of 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 day without work to journey or if my youngsters are sick. (I wrote this submit in 2018 after I was fascinated by going again into extra real-time posting.)
Leaning On Weblog Pals
Conversations with different bloggers are at all times so inspiring. I respect Anne, Brittany, and Teri for his or her willingness to share concepts and sources 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 quite than compete. The perfect colleagues are open books. All of us do issues a bit of 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 part about working 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 possibly can’t fear about what different persons are doing or pressure their model onto you. You possibly can’t fear about what the trolls are going to say as a result of something you do is improper. It’s a must 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, go away feedback, and write private emails and DMs. The occasions when you may have reached out have meant a lot to me. Thanks KERF household <3
