The Top Three Things I Learned in My First Year of Blogging
A guest post by Erica of We Three Crabs.
My blog, We Three Crabs, is turning a year old in November. It has been a year of ups and downs. I started my blog as a way to chronicle the changes that were happening in our family. We moved from the Midwest, central Indiana, to Juneau, Alaska. When I first told my family and friends about the move a lot of people were interested in learning more about what our lifestyle would be like in Alaska. So my blog was born.
I got lucky. My husband is a techie on the side and so he was able to purchase my domain name and host my site for me on a server he built a few years back. He also builds websites on the side for people. If I was not married to my technical support/web host I would totally take Debbie up on her offer to set up a site. Although word press is not hard to learn, it does take a while to figure it out.
Once I started writing, I figured out that I could easily write about my addiction to Pinterest, life with an active, smart funny toddler and also fishing in Alaska. So my blog evolved into a “mommy blog”. I have learned about key words and how to write using them. (the plug in WordPress SEO is fantastic!)
I quickly learned that quality photos are important. I’m not a photographer. I struggle with this, but figuring out the secret of using Pic Monkey to edit your photos was major! It’s free, it’s easy and there is an option to upgrade for a fee. At one time there was a code to get six months of the upgrade free. I took it and ran.
I learned to schedule my posts with an editorial calendar to take the pressure off myself a bit. I now schedule my posts three weeks in advance. More if I can. (I use the editorial calendar plug in)
I joined a couple of facebook groups for blogging. One is for support, questions and general help. The other has been integral in reducing my alexia score and increasing traffic to my blog. Team work groups are groups that each day has one or more participation threads. If you participate, you share, pin, tweet or whatever they require for that thread for everyone else participating. Everyone does the same for you in return! Some days I have one of my posts tweeted, pinned or shared over 50 times. It has really given my blog great exposure.
So my top three tips are:
1. Take quality photos and use Pic Monkey to edit them.
2. Schedule posts using an editorial calendar
3. Join a teamwork group and a support group for blogging
I want to thank Deby from Moms Make Money for allowing me the opportunity to guest post. I am a faithful reader of her newsletter and continue to learn from her. Erica is a wife, mother, blogger, and AdvoCare Distributor. Her “Little Crab” is three years old. Her family lives in Juneau, Alaska where her husband is an Alaskan Fisherman. Erica blogs at "We Three Crabs", where she shares the stories of their adventures. You can connect with Erica on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest .
September 16, 2013 @ 8:24 am
Great tips! I’m going to have to look into FB groups!
September 16, 2013 @ 10:54 am
Great tips!! I just started the Facebook groups and can see a huge change in traffic! 🙂 Thanks for the great idea!
soreyfitness.com
September 16, 2013 @ 8:31 pm
I totally have the IT stuff down, as I work in IT as a day job, but I suck at the social. How does one even go about finding a facebook group that is legitimate?
September 17, 2013 @ 8:00 am
I will ask Erica to come back and leave you a link for a group she recommends.
September 17, 2013 @ 4:16 am
Great tips. Thanks for sharing. I’ve got the groups sorted, and I don’t have a editorial calendar (but do use my own schedule), so I’ll look into that, and same with the Pic Monkey. Cheers, Alison
September 17, 2013 @ 10:10 am
HI ladies! There are two groups on facebook that have really helped me. “Bloggy Girls”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/378153525571032/
and “Team Work-Blogging & Social Media”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/teamworkgroup/
Erica
We Three Crabs
September 17, 2013 @ 6:43 pm
Thank you, Erica, for the great tips!!!
September 19, 2013 @ 8:35 pm
Thank you for sharing! I’ve been looking for bloggy groups on fb, but didn’t know where to start.
September 20, 2013 @ 12:04 pm
Thanks for sharing some great tips, and these Facebook groups!
September 21, 2013 @ 8:14 am
Thanks Erica – I totally need some support/understanding but had never thought of FB groups! Appreciate this a lot.
Jenni
September 17, 2013 @ 6:13 pm
Subscribing from the I Gotta Try That link-up.
Great guest post. Congratulations on your upcoming blogaversary, Erica!
September 18, 2013 @ 8:02 am
WOW, lots of great recources. need to get in a group. thanks,
September 19, 2013 @ 1:36 pm
Oh, these are great tips:) I am going to have to get involved in a fb group. Support is wonderful in this blogging world:) Thanks!
September 19, 2013 @ 7:11 pm
these are great tips…specially,scheduling posts ahead reduce the pressure and the blog will be updating frequently.Recently I started to do so.
Earlier I had bad experience of suddenly stay away from the blog due to other matters….thanks for sharing.
September 20, 2013 @ 5:50 pm
Thank you for sharing! I just started my blog 2 1/2 weeks ago, so I’m looking for all the help I can get! 🙂
I found your post through the Friday Flash Blog @ The Jenny Evolution.
September 21, 2013 @ 10:45 am
Great Tips. Thanks!
I looked into both FB groups suggested and it looks like they are closed.
If anyone knows of any other great groups that are open to join, I’d love to hear.
Thanks!
September 21, 2013 @ 3:03 pm
Hi Maggie – they are open, but to members only. So you have to apply to join. I just got accepted to one, so I know at least one is accepting new members. But yes – anyone a member of any other good groups?
September 21, 2013 @ 6:23 pm
Thank you for the response! I will try to apply.
Thanks!
September 23, 2013 @ 9:14 pm
Great tips. I need to be so much better about scheduling my posts in advance! Thanks for linking up atthe Ginger Jamboree!
September 25, 2013 @ 12:32 pm
I definitely rely on an editorial calendar to keep things organized. These are great tips.
Thanks so much for sharing at the Pinworthy Proejcts Party.