Celebrating 17 years of running a blog!
Glad 17 KERFday!
Right this moment is my weblog’s seventeenth birthday! I used to be just lately on a zoom name and advised the particular person my website was “16 or 17 years previous, 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 most likely bear in mind bowls of oatmeal with a peanut butter spoon floating on high 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.
If you happen to haven’t been round lengthy, take a look at:
In that tenth anniversary submit, I had written 6844 posts. As of as we speak, 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 details / 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 preserving issues fascinating. Lengthy-time readers know that I’m going by means of phases primarily based on what is occurring in my life. I went by means of two massive 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 consultants would inform me that’s hurting my visitors and they aren’t unsuitable. So it’s a great factor most visitors just isn’t my finish recreation. However writing in regards to the subjects on my thoughts means I’m writing creatively and never forcing it or losing interest, which I do assume creates one of the best reader expertise.
Construct A Way of life, Not A Firm
After I began my weblog in 2007, I used to be solely in search of 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 website. (He inspired me to look into it, and I’m glad I ultimately 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.
Just a few years in the past, I listened to a podcast interview for one more 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 elaborate workplace. For a break up second, I had a twinge of jealousy over how a lot cash her website 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 vital to me is to have the ability to put my artistic vitality and time into one thing that might assist or encourage others whereas additionally incomes cash to assist my household alongside the way in which. 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. After I joined Beautycounter. After I created Digital Litter 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 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 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 one of the best 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 submit about it. Since I worth flexibility greater than anything, I’m working no 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 break day to journey or if my children are sick. (I wrote this submit in 2018 once I was serious about going again into extra real-time posting.)
Leaning On Weblog Mates
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 sources 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 slightly than compete. The most effective colleagues are open books. All of us do issues a bit bit in another way, however all of us study from each other.
Keep True To You
^^ This tremendous corny phrase actually does sum up every thing about working a weblog for nearly 20 years. On the finish of the day, it’s important to do you. Not everybody goes to love you – and that’s okay! You may’t fear about what different persons are doing or drive their model onto you. You may’t fear about what the trolls are going to say as a result of something you do is unsuitable. It’s important 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, depart 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
