Blog update

So I have been writing this blog for 2 and 1/2 months now and wanted to share what I have learned and experienced so far.

Writing

I have truly enjoyed the writing process and coming up with post topics to share with my readers. I do like writing about our travels the most but we are not always on the go since we do have to save up for these trips. So I am learning to enjoy writing about other topics too. Fashion is probably the easiest to share about because I have always enjoyed clothes and buying them so taking pictures of what I typically wear or finding new ways to wear certain things has been fun too. I typically try to come up with 2-3 weeks topics in advance. Then when the mood strikes, I often write 2 to 3 posts at a time. Sometimes I take pictures before writing a post, sometimes after.

Blog pictures

My oldest who is 12 takes all of my pictures. We often take a few minutes after school to take some pictures either in my yard or our neighbors’. Of course, if we are somewhere fun, then we do have some more interesting backgrounds. I think my favorite outing so far was with my friend Shana when we found some murals in Athens, GA. We are planning a mural hunt in Atlanta at some point this summer so be prepared for some more fun murals.

Networking and asking questions

• questions: a friend of mine designed the website and we will be making some changes to the home page but otherwise I have love the theme and am very thankful for her help because it looks much more professionnal that what I would have come up with. I have had a couple questions and have received help from both Jodie @jtouchofstyle and Shelbee @shelbeeonthe edge, and my oldest taught me how to add links. He and I usually work together to figure out how to do things.
• link ups: I came accross Shelbee’s link up list one day when reading her blog and found which bloggers’ link parties I wanted to link up to. I now have a page on my site listing these (I made some tweaks to her list) since link up party host are very gracious to all of us for hosting these parties and helping us get more readers and more views. I saw a big increase in my numbers once I started linking up to these and receiving more comments on my posts.
• instagram: oh Instagram! Those followers mumbers… As a new blogger, you have to learn not to compare yourself to people who have been doing this for 1 year, 5 years… I am following the bloggers whose blogs I was already reading before I decided to embark on this journey and those bloggers I have discovered through blog parties and such. I also have found a few family travel style bloggers too. Right now  my numbers hover between 60 and 70 but I know that these are real people who enjoy my posts since they comment and like my posts. One day I will hopefully move on to the hundreds: I was discussing with Monica from Jersey Girl Texan Heart that it would be great to create a post about how to increase your following the correct way.. maybe a collaboration with other bloggers. Monica has written some interesting and informative posts about blogging and instagram and I love learning about this industry/niche of the internet.
• visiting blogs: I have been reading fashion and lifestyle blogs for a couple of years and have them bookmarked on my kindle. Now that I am blogging I am definitely reading more blogs and commenting more. I have found new blogs that I enjoy reading and am starting to develop relationships with these bloggers through our comments back and forth to each other blogs.
• numbers: I do find it interesting to look at my numbers at the end of the day and at the end of the week to see who is reading what form where (readers from all over the world is really cool) and how many people are reading. But I am also doing this as a creative outlet for myself so I try once again not get bogged down my numbers and to remember I am new at this!

Has it been fun and worthwhile?

Yes and yes! I am enjoying this experience and while it does take some work, it has given me a fun outlet and purpose to my days. I love my children and my family but it is nice to be part of an adult community even if it is only a web community for now. Hopefully one day, I will meet some of the people I communicate with and read about accross the web.

What is next?

As my readership and followers grow, I hope to earn money from the blog. My next step is to do some research, reading and ask questions of my fellow bloggers on how to accomplish that.

Since I will be out of the country the next two weeks, I will not be linking up to any blog link up parties. However, I will still have posts Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday so please come by! When I return, I will be sharing all about our adventures in France and Spain!

A bientôt!

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I link up with these fabulous blog link ups!