Backstage Pass: Insights Into Blogging Take 2
Ever wonder how your favorite bloggers do it - cranking out posts consistently, managing their social media and answering comments, all while being fabulous and charming? "Backstage Pass" is here to help answer your questions! In this series, we take you behind the scenes to show you how blogging works; what motivates us, what is important in blogging, how do we juggle it all? Come join us to find out!
Who is "we", you might ask? Well, let me tell you!
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| Find her on: Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin |
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| Find her on: Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin |
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| Find her on: Facebook | Pinterest | Bloglovin |
Here's how it works Every 3 months, Brittney, Johanna, Dannielle and I will answer ten questions about blogging. Since we've all been blogging for different lengths of time, and we're all in different niches, the answers will be wonderfully diverse. In that, we want to give an insight into blogging, and how a blogger and their blog evolves over time. We think it's something that hasn't been done in quite this way before, and we're really excited to share our thoughts and insights with you. If all goes as planned, this series will allow you to accompany us along our blogging journey over time, and maybe (hopefully!) even learn a thing or two.
Let's get to the questions!
1. What is your favorite thing about being a blogger?
I love that blogging has brought me closer to people, whether I have actually met them or not. Let me explain: I get to have some very cool conversations with people about what's going on at The Learner Observer - friends, acquaintances and even family is always asking about things I did or what's next. As for the connection with those I haven't met, I've connected with a lot of bloggers and non-bloggers around the world and built friendships with people, which still amazes me.
2. What is the most difficult thing about blogging?
Finding balance is pretty difficult in several areas. It's hard to balance how much of yourself you share with the world, how often blog posts are written, how much time you give to blogging and social media and comments. Finding a balance is very important.
3. How do you deal with everyday stress and managing a blog?
4. If you had to start your blog again, would you do anything differently? If yes, what and why?
If I started again I might either try using Blogger instead of WordPress because it seems to be a much more use friendly platform. Not to mention that blog designs and templates are always less expensive for Blogger! I might also go straight into self-hosting instead of waiting a few months. That would have made lit much easier!
5. Do you actively monitor SEO?
I actually just started doing this about 2 months ago and I wouldn't say I actively monitor it, but I am definitely MUCH more aware of it now than I ever was before. It's a learning curve!
6. What was the biggest blogging "aha!" moment for you in the last three months?
Well SEO was definitely a big one! Not using it before was not doing my blog any favours. I have also learned a little more about how to interact with readers via social media and I'm starting to get a hang of what gets people talking. I still have a long way to go, however!
7. Which social media channels do you use and why?
Instagram is BY FAR my favourite because I'm such a visual person. I love seeing what my favourite bloggers are up to and it gives us the opportunity to see bloggers' real lives, not just the prettied up versions we get on the blogs.
8. How has your blog design evolved in the last three months?
I've cleaned it up a little. I no longer have a background, it's all white. I removed the tagline from my header (which may be making a comeback) and I cleaned up some of the fonts as well, choosing more sans-serif fonts for a more streamlined feel.
9. What's more important: style or substance?
Ohhh, that's a tough one! Style is important for first impressions, so I'm going to dare say that is most important. Style is what gets people to your blog and substance is what makes them stay. If you can't get them there in the first place, there'll be no one to stay around to read, so I'm going with style even though my first instinct was to say substance!
10. For the next three months, what are your top three goals for your blog? (maybe also mention if you reached your last goals)
Last time I said I wanted to post 3-4 times a week. That goal has changed to 2-3 times because 4 is simply too much! I do post on average 3 times, so I guess I'm right on point. I also said I wanted to make the High/Low a monthly series. That remains a goal of mine as that hasn't happened yet! I have increased readership since last time, but that's no longer a goal for me. Instead, I want to increase the quality of my content.
Now it's time for you to go see what all of the other lovely ladies have been up to!
TGIF!
