It's no secret that when this blog showtime started I had admittedly no idea what I was doing. Not even the foggiest wisp of a glimmer of a plan. I didn't follow or even read any blogs, and had barely stumbled across a craft blog or 2 earlier proclaiming "I could totally practise that!" Similar and then many other stay at home moms, things around the house were getting a flake dull, and it began to feel like I was losing myself. There was a desperate need for something that could exist "mine" and I had always been pretty darn crafty. And so why not requite it a try?

Most of yous won't think this, simply when I originally started blogging, the plan was to brand 365 craft projects over the grade of a year. Yeah, I know. It nevertheless makes me cringe a little when I think about it.There'due south no explanation for my special make of lunacy.Saying that I tend to be overly ambitious is kinda an understatement, simply if I'm going to learn something new I'grand jumping in blindly and with both feet.

Needless to say there take been lots of changes around here, and I have done tons of inquiry since those early on days. I've learned so much over the last two years, and am still learning things every 24-hour interval that highlight my glaring inadequacies as a blogger. Then this is a list of a few of the things I wish I had known before I started blogging. Hopefully someone else will be able to learn from my mistakes.

There are definitely enough to choose from!


25 things I wish I had know before starting a blog.

i. The pictures you share are only equally important as the words that you blazon. Be honest, how many times take yous scrolled through a mail service looking at the pictures and not reading anything but the title and captions. Yous don't take to accept a fancy photographic camera, but spend some fourth dimension learning how to utilize an editing program like Picmonkey, ipiccy, or Photoshop. It's fun and completely worth it.

2. Choose your web log's proper name carefully. I idea I had done my inquiry, just I've learned of a few blogs with names very similar to mine. It makes me experience bad they might think I copied them fifty-fifty though I'd never knew they existed. Also, keep information technology curt. You'll be typing information technology A LOT.

3. Html isn't as scary as you retrieve. Learning simply a few piece of cake tricks will make a big difference!

4. Stick to your theme. Choose something that represents your personality and stick to information technology. Have you always noticed how nigh of the things on my blog are shades of green, pink, and teal? Nothing is more distracting than seeing 200 dissimilar colors and patterns on a unmarried page. (Unless of course you're fabric shopping)

5. Make a posting schedule, just be realistic almost it. I am so terrible at this! I sit and program out a post for every single mean solar day, and by day three I've fallen off the wagon. Posting just in one case or twice a week doesn't make your projects any less awesome!

half-dozen. Quality vs. Quantity. Y'all've probably seen this mentioned before only information technology's truthful. I beloved you, but no one wants to read most how y'all unclogged your toilet this morning. Unless of course your sharing cleaning tips. Then you might be ok…maybe.

A screen shot of some of Sugar Tart Crafts' pinterest boards.

7. In that location are e'er more projects you want to try than yous'll ever actually have the time to make. That'southward just the reality of being a creative person, but it can be extremely overwhelming at times. Thank you a lot Pinterest! So find a style to pair it downwardly to things you'll actually love or apply. Y'all don't need to make something simply considering everyone else is doing it.

eight. Blogging isn't a contest. At least it'southward not supposed to be. There is room for everybody.

nine. Those bloggers that you love and secretly stem a little are really nice! Don't be afraid to ask them questions. Even the ones that y'all think are perfect probably have goldfish crackers lost in their couch cushions as well. They might non admit it, but they practice.

10. Getting traffic to your site is more than of import than counting your followers. I know in the offset we all spotter the number and get really excited when it starts to ascent, merely if no one is visiting who's going to follow along? Join linky parties, add keywords, sign up for guest posts, and comment as much as you lot can.

eleven. Try to employ at least one internal link in each of your posts. Internal links assist new visitors find more of your awesomeness.
More posts viewed = a better first impression = more than followers!

12. Attempt to utilise at least one external link in each of your posts. Don't strength information technology, simply if you used someone's tutorial, or just adore a certain blogger spread the word! Others will probably enjoy them just as much as you lot practise and thank you lot for sharing.

a row of social media buttons: facebook, pinterest, google+, twitter, youtube, rss, and flicker.

13. Social Media is of import and even a bit overwhelming. I've warmed upward to it very slowly, but now I wish I had started from the first. Lately, I've practically been begging for a device that supports instagram. Pictures would be my favorite style to network!

fourteen. There are tons of numbers to figure out. Unique visits, bounce rates, page views, load times, picture resolution, paradigm sizes, visit duration, etc. Sign upwards for Google Analytics and go a piffling confused. It'll exist a large aid . . . somewhen.

15. Keywords are important if you lot want to get your mail service to the tiptop of the search results. Employ a program like Google's Keyword Tool to see what people are searching for. Adding keywords to your title, postal service body, and alt text tin help you lot get more traffic to your site.

16.  Leave comments. Lots of comments! I bet you knew this one was somewhere on the list. Set a number of how many you'd like to leave each twenty-four hours, and make em' good. None of that "beautiful", "good job", "so pretty" unmarried give-and-take blazon stuff. This should exist a real and relevant annotate. Y'all know, something you actually had to think about.

17. Arrive easy for people to contact y'all and for heaven's sake brand sure you aren't a no-reply blogger! Even if you lot've changed it before, check your settings again. When I switched over to the Google + profile, it undid all my edits. Zero is more annoying than trying reply to a commenter's question when yous take no way to become in bear upon.

18. Check for broken links every in one case in awhile and make certain you fix them. Having too many will injure your pages chances with the search engine robots. I started with this checker, but there are many others you tin try.

Aurelia and Toni sliding down one of the giant slides at Cox Farms.

19. Take a life outside of blogging! It's far too easy to go sucked into what you lot "need' to do for your weblog and forget to get out and have some fun with your family. Get away from the calculator and get those kids outside. Maybe they'll burn off plenty free energy to take a nap and so you can get more than washed. Hey, A mom tin can dream right?

xx. Linky Parties will get you noticed, but they tin can also take over. You don't have to exist role of every single party out at that place. Pick a few of your favorites, and build a relationship with those bloggers. Call back that the larger blogs get more visitors, but the smaller sites are more likely to characteristic your projects. Try to participate in a nice assortment of both.

21. Your biggest supporters might not be your family. My dad and grandparents don't fifty-fifty have internet, and my husband tries, but just doesn't always "get information technology". That's ok. Make friends with other bloggers who will know exactly what yous're going through.

22. What your write is permanent, and people might not e'er like what you accept to say.

23. Be yourself. Pretending to be something you're not will drive you crazy, and it won't make you any real friends anyway.

24. Some days you will feel similar quitting. Y'all'll go frustrated and think no 1 is listening and it'south just non worth it. Nosotros all do it. A lot! Accept a calendar week or 2 and re-evaluate why you're blogging and what you desire to go out of it. Chances are yous just demand a break.

25. Don't do it if you don't love information technology! Writing just a single post is a lot of work, and putting together a tutorial takes even longer. Brand sure you know what you're getting into earlier you begin, and don't experience bad if blogging just isn't for yous. Maybe you could start an etsy shop or a sewing circle instead as a style to unleash your creativity.

I know there are enough that I've missed, but this post could go on for ages.
What do you wish you had know before you started blogging?

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