My first of Year of Blogging

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It still seems so strange…I have been blogging for one year already! A lot has changed in the past year, personally and professionally. Can I call myself a professional blogger? My first year of blogging…..

Let’s start with what I did right…..

I started on WordPress.org –

To be honest, I only started my blog this way because I wanted a .com web address. Silly right? I have seen so many bloggers stress out over moving from Blogger to WordPress, so I am very thankful that I did it my own stubborn way. If your goal is to have a large, successful blog and make money from it…start on WordPress.org from day one. The longer that you are on a free site, the harder it is to move all of your content over.

Hosting with GoDaddy –

I raised an awesome son that has an awesome job at GoDaddy! This has allowed me to be on a VSP server from day one, and not have to deal with moving to a different hosting company that can handle a heavy traffic load. Thank you Alex 🙂  I realize that this is not an option for everyone. Choose a hosting plan that fits your budget, but be prepared to upgrade as your traffic increases.

Blog name {right} –

I chose a name for my blog that is fun, easy to remember, that fits my personality AND what I write about. You don’t want to change your blog’s name after you have already started, so make sure you really love the name that you choose. Again, if your ultimate goal is to monetize your blog…then you need to purchase your domain name when you set up your blog, or someone else will take it! You can purchase your domain name from your hosting company and do it all at once, or you can purchase your domain separately and take it with you if your switch hosts.

Web design –

The key to a good blog design, is a clean, uncluttered design with visible social media buttons and a layout that is easy to follow. Do not make people search your site to find what they are looking for. If they get frustrated, they will leave…and possibly never come back. Make it really easy and they will stick around.

I started with a free design, but it could not be customized. Studiopress has some awesome designs that you can play with and personalize. I am learning HTML and CSS so that I can create my own design exactly the way that I want it!!

Check out other blogs. What catches your eye? What do you like about it? What don’t you like about it. Write it all down and then choose the best way for you to achieve your perfect design.

Be Yourself –

What you see on your screen, is the real me. If we met in person, you would feel like you already know me. I write the same way that I speak in real life, and I think that this has helped me make a lot of new friends along the way.

You have to be yourself, you cannot emulate someone else. It will seem forced, and everyone will see right through it.

What makes you unique? What do you have to offer that someone else doesn’t? Don’t just follow the crowd, create your own path.

Link Parties!

I had no comments on my blog, until after I started linking up at link parties and getting out and mingling with other bloggers. That is when things really started getting fun for me. 🙂  Link up and then go check out the links that catch your eye. Leave genuine comments and eventually they will check out your blog and leave you comments. Leaving comments is actually hard for me. I get involved in the recipe and pinning it to my boards, and then forget to leave a comment. This is something that I really need to work on in my next year!

A support group –

Well I actually belong to a few. The first group that I joined, was just a bunch of bloggers that met during a giveaway last spring…and we stayed together when the giveaway ended. I would have been lost without them!! I love you guys, and I am so thankful to have you in my life!! Whenever someone has a question, we post it, and someone usually has an answer or can at least point you in the right direction! Get yourself a diverse group to help you navigate the bumpy blogging waters!!

Now, for what I did wrong…..

Blog name {wrong} –

This isn’t necessarily wrong, but it is something that I did not realize when I chose my blog name. I boxed myself into a corner with “Cooking” with Curls. People follow me expecting recipes, not DIY furniture projects or craft projects. By limiting your audience, you also limit your income possibilities. A sponsor is not going to choose me to advertise their Ryobi Power Tools, it just doesn’t fit with the theme of my blog. This is not a huge problem for me, but I do have other interests besides just cooking. So again, choose your blog name very carefully. Does it represent you and your blog completely?

Wrong camera –

When I got my fancy new camera 2 1/2 years ago it was a huge step up from my little point and shoot Canon Powershot. I had no idea at the time, that I would become a food blogger and need a DSLR camera with interchangeable lenses! I bought all of the books, and I have read all of the tutorials that have been published on how to take photos that will be accepted by Featured Sites {Foodgawker, etc.}. None of the information can help me with my particular camera. It is not possible to change the white balance on my camera, {this is the first thing that they tell you to change} and I cannot get below f/4.6. That is not so great for food photos worthy of a magazine cover, lol. Just something to keep in mind if you are looking to upgrade your current camera.

Social Media –

I need to learn how to schedule my social media posts and limit the amount of time focusing on them. Social media is mandatory if you have a blog, it is a necessary evil! Advertising companies require you to be active on multiple social media sites…..and there are a lot of them! I feel that I am currently loosing this battle.

Link Parties –

At one point, I was linking up to 65 parties per week…..and I could not keep up. Do not over extend yourself with link parties! I am slowly thinning down my list of parties that I participate in…..I need time to actually cook and create posts!

Lessons learned in my first year…..

Pinterest –

Most of your blog traffic, will come from pinterest!

Sign up when you start your blog. I had never even heard of pinterest before, so I didn’t sign up until the end of April.

Put your blog boards first so they get noticed!!

Choose really good cover photos to represent your boards. You want people to want to follow those boards!

I have a massive collection of pins on my Blogging Info Board {2,082 pins} if you would like more detailed information about blogging. There is also a separate Pinterest Info board as well.

WordPress Plug Ins –

Jetpack for WordPress.com-  Adds a widget that displays your most popular posts using Jetpack stats.

Comment Reply Notification – I like for people to be able to read my response to their comments. 🙂

GetMeCooking Recipe Template – BIGGEST mistake of my life!! This plugin was created by two brothers who were bored and had no plans to maintain it!! I have WP Recipe Maker Elite plugin and absolutely love it!!!!!!

Pinterest Pin It Buttons for Images – Displays a Pin It button directly over your images. I just liked this one the best.

If you are visiting a site and you like a feature that they have, look for a clickable button that will take you to the plugin site, or ask the blogger what it is called. They are usually more than happy to help you out!

Do not compare yourself to others!!

Have you heard the phrase, “Don’t compare your beginning, to someone else’s middle?” You cannot start a blog and expect to have a following the size of Crazy for Crust six months later! That is not realistic!! It takes years, a lot of hard work, and even some luck to get to the level of The Pioneer Woman!

Have a plan – stay focused – and you will achieve your goals. This is not a race to the finish line. It is a journey that should be enjoyed…..each step of the way.

I have been very methodical in my approach to blogging. I set goals, and I work towards them. I achieve the initial goal, and I move on to the next one.

Some people think that I waited too long to add advertising to my blog. If you don’t have a strong following, what’s the point? I am now playing around with different ad companies to see which ones I like best. So far I have been very happy with Riot Ad Network! I have had absolutely not luck with Amazon, so I think they will be disappearing soon. I will promise you this, I will never advertise something that I do not believe in…..that just isn’t who I am.

Mommy Blogger –

This has been the hardest lesson learned. I am NOT a mommy blogger. I have two adults, I do not have children living in my home. As soon as the question comes up in the questionnaire, I know that I have no chance of being chosen for that campaign. This is where limiting your blog’s focus can work against you.

PicMonkey –

PicMonkey is the greatest invention since sliced bread!! I highly recommend it for all of your photo editing needs, whether you are a blogger or not. I have the Royal membership and I couldn’t live without it!

Thank you so much for joining me on this awesome adventure, I couldn’t do it without all of you! I am really excited to see what new adventures come my way during my second year of blogging!!

Lisa – xoxo