Category: Blogging

How to Avoid Blogger Burnout

When I first started writing this post, I was thinking specifically about blogger burnout. But as I wrote it, I realized that many of these things can be applied outside of blogging. Whether it’s a goal, a hobby, or a job, sometimes it’s hard to know the line between hustle and burnout. So while I wrote this from the position of blogging, I hope it helps you in whatever you’re pursuing!

I started blogging in 2010. When I first started this hobby, I had literally no expectations. I was taking ugly pictures with a Droid cell phone (oh hey there, flash). I didn’t spend time thinking about the “SEO” of my post, and I basically wrote about whatever I wanted. It was a hobby and I fell in love with it.

Over the years, the blogging industry has changed a lot and so has this hobby. I spend more time thinking about keywords and analytics and photo editing. Posts are less “stream of consciousness” and more planned out. Overall, I’m happy about it. It’s taught me a lot of valuable skills that I’ve actually used in my day job. I like learning and I like pushing myself. But these things can also make a hobby feel a lot like… work. And when something feels like work, it’s easy to lose the joy. And isn’t that the whole reason we started?

So I thought I’d share some of my tips for avoiding burnout:

Know when to stop being a perfectionist.

Truthfully, I’m not a perfectionist. And while sometimes I wish I was (because let’s be honest, I wish my blog posts never contained a typo and I would love to have the patience to spend 30 minutes editing a photo) I think it’s a blessing that I’m not. I know far too many people who won’t even start blogging because they simply can’t accept the learning phase. You’re not going to have amazing pictures right away. You’re not going to understand keywords and analytics and Facebook reach after one post. Give yourself some time to learn. Even if you’ve been blogging for years, sometimes you have to let go and just enjoy the learning process.

Remind yourself why you started.

Whether it’s running a marathon or writing a book, think back to the passion that brought you here. Every once in awhile I just don’t feel like blogging. But rather than give up. I think about all the amazing people I’ve met thanks to this little site. I think about friends and family that have started eating more vegetables because of this blog. Focusing on those things get me energized to put the effort back into this site.

Find a supportive community.

Having a supportive group of friends that understand your specific situation is so powerful. I’ve met some amazing blogger friends from Virginia Bloggers it’s made all the difference. Hearing about their successes, seeing their accomplishments, and talking through our challenges is such a comfort and inspiration. I love these networks. If you’re into running, join a running club. If you’re starting a business, join a mentor program! Having someone with you in the trenches through the ups and downs makes the downs not quite so bad.

Teach someone your skills.

I love when people ask my questions about blogging because it makes me realize how much I’ve learned along the way! Sometimes we need the perspective of someone else to help us see our progress. If you’re a pastry chef, invite a friend over who wants to learn how to bake a simple cake. If you’re a computer programmer, help a friend install Google analytics on their blog. Sometimes helping someone with a simple task can make you realize how much you’ve learned in your specific niche. Trust me, it’s a confidence booster!

Pin these tips to share them with other bloggers!

What’s your passion/hobby? Has it ever left you feeling burned out?

May 23, 2016
3 Things to Do Before You Start Blogging
When someone tells me they want to start a blog, the first thing I say is “YES! DO IT.” Honestly, the hardest part for most people is just getting started. That said, there are a few things I would recommend doing before you push publish on that first post. These three things will help you think through the long term vision of your blog and help you grow it from the ground up.
1. Read similar blogs in your niche.
  
  Starting a food blog? Think about which food blogs you read to get a sense of what you like or don’t like about those. Do you want to do restaurant reviews or your own recipes? What do you find useful about the blogs you read? Are there things you could do on your site that would be similar or different to those? What are the things you look for you’re checking out a new site? What are the terms you search to get to those blogs?
2. Create at least 5 blog posts before you launch.
  
  When you first start your blog, it helps to have a few posts already published so when you share it with friends and family, they can get an idea of what you’ll be posting about. I’m more likely to subscribe to a new blog if I feel like I know what to expect. I would also try to think through if there are certain reoccurring themes you could potentially create. Having some sort of “series” (even if it’s just one type of post a week) can make it easier to continue thinking of content to post.
3. Help people subscribe to your site!
  
  Make sure you have multiple ways that people can subscribe. Some people want to subscribe via email, some people want to use a blog reader like Bloglovin. If you let people subscribe in the way they prefer, it’ll be easier to get new followers. Even if your blog is new, it’s never too early to start growing your subscriber base!
If you’ve already started your blog, what would you add to this list?
May 18, 2016
How to Get More Email Subscribers
My name is Daga Postelle and I blog over on Glamista Home. Most of my posts are focused around lifestyle and how to live the life you have always wanted. I share tips on how to start your own business and have a thriving life while being financially independent.

I have 10+ years of marketing experience and an MBA in marketing.

As you probably know, emails can not only help you increase sales, but also assist you in nurturing a relationship with your customers or followers. Before I start talking about how to build your list, let me leave you with this tidbit: for every $1 spent, the email marketing generates $38 in ROI (return on investment). (http://insight.venturebeat.com/report/buyers-guide-how-to-navigate-the-email-marketing-landscape) I think that is a great incentive to start using email as a marketing tool for your blog and business.

Let’s look at some easy ways to allow your readers or site visitors to subscribe to your email list.
1. 1. Splash Pages, since I started using my Splash Page, the subscription rate to my email newsletter increased by 33%. A splash page is basically an overlay that is displayed to people when they arrive on my website. This page can be served on your home page or any page of your blog, you can serve it to users every time they visit your blog or in particular intervals. It’s an effective way to invite people to subscribe to your newsletter and it gives your site the illusion of exclusivity.
  2. Pop-ups are the most common way of inviting users to subscribe to your emails. They can be timed and delivered when a user first arrives on your website, when they browse specific pages or upon clicking out of the browser window. I’d suggest testing out different delivery options to see which one is the most effective for your blog and your readers. I know that some of you are reluctant to place a pop-up on your site because you don’t want to “annoy” your readers. Think about it from a business perspective, you are providing fantastic content to your readers. Content that took time and money to create and it’s absolutely free to the visitors of your site. You want to capitalize on all the work you have put forth and be able to promote your content and the value you provide via email in order to grow your readership and eventually make money. Every user has the opportunity to “x”-out of the pop-up or leave your site. If they leave annoyed, most likely, they weren’t the right person for your blog anyway. Please don’t ever be afraid to try it out to advance your career or to grow your blog for the sake of others. In today’s business word it’s more than normal to arrive at a business page and encounter a pop up with a subscription option. If you provide a nice offer to the subscriber they will be delighted to share their email. Make sure that you are always lead with a value proposition, don’t just say subscribe, let them know what they can expect in return, and think of your emails as a tool to consulting your readers about what you write. You should be providing value at all times.
  3. Have an email subscribe widget on your sidebar. Make sure you prominently place the subscribe option on your site. Considering how effective email is in promoting your business or your blog you want to make sure that you capture those emails as users arrive on your blog.
  4. If you are an online retailer, ask people when they check out if they wish to subscribe to your email newsletter. This way you can capture a large number of subscribers who already have a relationship with you.
  5. Set yourself as an authority in your field and provide a white paper, infographic, or other value-based proposition in return for the email. Users will provide their email address in return for a paper they feel is useful to them. You can promote this via email via social media ads and/or social media posts. The value-based approach is generally effective for any of these subscription options. It’s much easier to convince people to join your email newsletter list if they actually think that they will get something of value in return.
  6. Cross-reference your social media with email subscription options. Since emails are so effective in generating income, you want to prominently display the subscribe option to people. They should be able to subscribe to your email from any outlet you control.
  7. Ask your email subscribers to forward your emails to people who might find the content of interest as well. Your subscribers are helping you market your business for free. By sharing your email with their friends or family they are spreading the word about who you are and what you can offer.
It’s important to keep in mind that once you have the email address your real work is just beginning. You have to make sure that you send your emails regularly. Don’t tell your subscribers they will receive a weekly newsletter if you are only planning on sending it once a month. Share information that is relevant to your reader and of value. Think about what kind of information you would like to receive if you were subscribed to your newsletter.

I send a weekly newsletter that summarizes my posts and provides additional information that the reader is not going to find on the site. For example, if I am sharing a list of tips on how to rock your email I always keep one or two tips “secret” and exclusive to my email subscribers. I want to provide them with additional information that the “regular” visitor will not get via blog posts.

Don’t forget to pin these tips so you can reference them later!

Hope you found these tips useful!
March 15, 2016
Fire, Flour & Fork Blogger Opportunity

Hey bloggers! Big Spoon Agency has a pretty exciting opportunity for us! I’ll let Kevin share the details:

We want to personally extend an invitation for you to come immerse yourself in Richmond’s dining scene and have a special meetup during Fire, Flour and Fork weekend this fall. Fire, Flour and Fork is Virginia’s premiere gathering for the food curious. To be held on Halloween weekend in Richmond, VA, one of Frommer’s Top Destinations of 2014, this highly-curated culinary event is organized by Real Richmond Food Tours and presenting sponsor Virginia Is For Lovers. It brings together nationally-known chefs with the region’s best talent for one-of-a-kind meal collaborations, demos, and workshops with local restaurants. Additionally, food producers, cookbook authors, filmmakers, poets, playwrights, culinary historians, craft spirit makers and more will be participating to celebrate Richmond’s complex history and dining scene. This event is the first of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic region.

How does this opportunity work? Simple. Write a preview post outlining your ideal schedule for Saturday’s culinary track. You must also include a link to buy tickets in your post. Shoot it over to us, and we’ll follow up with a ticket so that you can attend on Saturday, 11/1/14. You’ll experience a total of four sessions, plus book signings, a tasting square, networking opportunities, and facetime with some of Virginia’s most prolific food purveyors. All we ask in return is that you share blog post with your social networks. You pick your schedule, and we make it happen. Everybody wins.

The first twenty bloggers to respond with a published post will be selected for this opportunity. To be eligible for your ticket, you must complete your post with preferred tracks and have it emailed to kevin@bigspoonagency.com by September 30th.

To choose your track and learn more about the weekend, get started over on our website – fireflourandfork.com.

Huge thank you to Kevin & Big Spoon Agency for the opportunity! Got questions? Shoot Kevin an e-mail! We’ll try to keep you posted on how many spots are left, but if you know you want to join, start writing your post as soon as possible!

August 25, 2014
SEO Tips for Bloggers
We had a great turn out on Tuesday night for the Virginia Bloggers SEO Seminar with Key Web Concepts! Ashley was the perfect liaison between Key Web and Virginia Bloggers and the event turned out to be so much fun!

Saison Market (a new market attached to Saison restaurant) graciously offered to host us. They provided us with some really delicious food. There was no room for boring food! The pimento cheese with kimchi was my personal favorite.

Gavin, one of the awesomely-smart guys from Key Web Concepts, did an amazing job breaking down the (somewhat confusing) topic of SEO for bloggers and I thought I’d share some of the takeaways! I am far from an SEO expert, so I’m not pretending to have all the answers, but I’m eager to learn more!

SEO Tips for Bloggers
- Link to other relevant sources! If you know the basics of SEO, you probably know that when people link to your site, it helps your ranking. But did you know that linking to other relevant sites can also help? It’s almost like paying it forward 😉
- Headers aren’t just for looks. Not going to lie, I thought the difference in header text was just for aesthetics, but it’s actually like a hierarchy of your content! It gives the little search engine “crawlers” a way to determine what’s important in your post.
- It’s not all about keywords. That’s an “old” way of thinking. Metadata (as in, your URL, title, & description) are much more important. It’s good to know where to focus my efforts!
- Don’t let text go to waste. Tag your photos, both in the description and alt text, with information related to your post. Your header, your link, and obviously your content all play a part in creating searchable content.
- Consider the bounce rate. How long someone stays on your page can have an impact on your search ranking. Think about how to break up your content so it’s bite sized and people will stick around to read it. Think about when you’ve googled something and landed on a page that was just solid pages of text. It seems too difficult to find your answer, so you click back and try something else. Headers, bullets, and numbered lists can make it easier for people to stay and digest your content.
P.S. A couple of people e-mailed me saying they missed the announcement. Please make sure that you’re subscribed to the blog via e-mail, which you can do by adding your e-mail address to the box on the right hand side bar over there —>

Also be sure you’re following us on Facebook & Twitter so you’re always in the know!

Thanks to Key Web Concepts, Ashley, and Saison Market for making this event happen!

–Liz

Got any SEO tips to share?
May 15, 2014