3 Years Later: 18 Blogging Lessons

“Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in other people’s lives.”

-Michelle Obama

Well, it’s here again, my blogiversary. I normally make a big hullabaloo about it, but this year I decided I’d rather just share about some life lessons I’ve learned over the course of the last three years. I hope you find them helpful…

1 You can’t do it alone. You will need the support of your spouse and family, because let’s face it, in the beginning those were the only people reading my posts. You also need a few good people in the business that can go along with you and support you.

2 Create your own group of like-minded bloggers. Early on I was able to meet online friends in blogger support groups, mostly on facebook, some on Instagram. Some of these friends have stuck with me the last three years and some have gone off to do other things, but all of them have played a role in my journey. If you can’t find a group you mesh with, create your own. My friend Kim and I created a group of Disney loving moms and have even created events for those moms at Disneyland. Check those out here and here.

Ladies from Left to Right: @easytoddlermeals, @princessturnedmom, @mommy.diary, @citygirlgonemom, @theparentologist, @lovestalgia, @global_munchkins

3 There are a lot of NO’s. Rejection is part of the job, try not to let it get to you. I used to perform and auditioning was a weekly experience for me. I learned to grow a thick skin because of all the no’s I got, which has actually prepared me for what I am doing now. No matter how big you get, there will still be some no’s along the way.

4 There are quite a few YES’. I may have gotten a lot of no’s since I’ve started blogging, but thank goodness I have also gotten some great yes’. I say celebrate the wins, but always remember to stay humble, no one likes it when someone brags all the time about the amazing deals they book!;)

5 I still don’t know what I’m doing. You might think I’m joking, but I’m not. Yes, I have been to a few blogging conferences now, taken a blogging online course and listen to lots of advice from other friends in the business, BUT I still consider myself a rookie. I have questions all the time, I mean I majored in dance for college, not computer tech, or media relations, or anything along those lines. I try to give myself grace, but I definitely feel behind the A gamers that might have had a career somewhat related to this type of work.

6 Conferences are a great way to connect and get inspired. Yes, they cost money, but I have never heard of anyone that was able to start a business without spending some money to make it successful. My favorite blogging conference so far has been the Disney SMMC and Mom 2.0. They had great speakers and I felt like it was really tailored to the blogging mama, plus it is also a great way to make connections with other bloggers and companies.

7 You have to invest in your business. Like I was just saying, you can’t have a successful business without putting some money into it. I have paid for conferences, online classes, a logo design, one-on one-tech support, giveaways to help growth, business cards, the list goes on. Whatever little money I have made it has pretty much gone right back into helping my business grow. I tell myself that maybe one day I will show an income!:)

8 Help out when you can. Sometimes I will get questions from people that are just starting out asking for my advice. Honestly, that always surprises me because, like I said, I feel like I still have so much to learn. BUT I always try to help out if I can. I usually tell newbies to check out livingfornaptime.com because Chrystie, the woman who writes that website, helped me so much in the beginning! Her blog can totally help anyone that is just starting out and in need of some help.

9 You don’t have to be a professional photographer with a fancy camera, BUT you do need to know what looks good in a frame. To be honest, I use my iPhone for 99% of my photos, it may not be the fancy way, but it works for me. I know how to use the portrait setting to blur out the background in a busy location, I can take quick action shots and the bonus is that I always have it with me. Granted, I know I need good lighting and I may not be able to get the best distance shots, but I can plan ahead if I know I will have low lighting, etc. We are also big fans of the go-pro for water play and swimming. It’s easy to use and captures some great under water shots.

10 Go with your gut (and your analytics)! LOL! So, sometimes we bloggers can get lost in a world of comparison, it is very easy to do. This might be the most important thing I have learned and that is…be yourself and go with your gut. Don’t follow the crowd. Just because I love talking about Disney, motherhood, fashion, travel, healthy living, just to name a few, does not mean you should love those things too. If you are passionate about sewing or homeschool or cooking, talk about those things. And if you aren’t sure what your readers like the most, refer to your analytics, which is a fancy word for stats. Your blog can give you stats of which articles got the most page views and even social media accounts can do the same. Look at what people responded to the most and make sure to do more of those kinds of posts. Hopefully your gut will line up with your stats and you will be off to a great start.

11 You have to get good at pitching yourself. I had to make myself a media kit, which is a fancy word for resume in the blogging world. On one piece of paper I had to write out all the companies I have worked with and try to impress whoever I am emailing. I used Canva.com, which I use all the time for making graphics and considering I’m not great at technology, I did ok. Then I drafted up an email that could be changed around for whomever I wanted to reach out to and voila, I started pitching to companies.

12 You have to get good at finding email addresses. If you want to pitch to a company, you need an email to send it to. Sometimes it can be super easy, some companies already work with bloggers and often times have a link on their site that says something like “work with us” or “contact us.” I usually look for a PR or media type email address and start sending out my pitch. I do have a select few friends that will swap contacts with me from time to time, but I never ask someone I don’t personally know for a contact. TIP: asking a blogger whom you have never corresponded with at all for a contact is, well, inconsiderate. They worked hard for that email/contact and if you are just trying to piggy back off of their hard work that is considered thoughtless. That’s why I said to create a group of friends so you can help each other out!

13 Don’t try to do it all, it’s too exhausting. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, You Tube, your own website, there are so many platforms on which we strive to master, but let’s face it, it’s too much to do it all. YOU CAN’T DO IT ALL. I decided to spend the majority of my time on Instagram and my blog. I dabble in Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and just recently You Tube, BUT I don’t try to be the best at all of them. Social media can be a real time suck and I decided my family was more important than trying to make sure I had people re-tweeting or re-pinning my posts. Choosing 1-3 platforms can really be helpful if you are feeling overwhelmed.

14 You are your own boss, so be kind to yourself. Set limits and boundaries!! I started giving myself a cut off time at night, if I am not done by midnight I have to accept that it has to wait until the next day. I also try to do most of my work on the nights that my husband is working, that way when he comes home we can watch a movie or catch up without me being on the computer. It doesn’t always work out perfectly, but I do try!

15 Read the small print & negotiate. One class I am so glad I took while in college was contract law and management. I have to read some very small print contracts for companies that I work with and if I don’t read everything I can’t come back later to negotiate once I’ve signed. I’m learning that everything can be negotiated. Sometimes I am willing to work for product alone, if the company has a large following and will be willing to repost an image on their social media. This is something I try to always work into a contract. Ask questions about how long it will take for billing, I learned the hard way that they are not all the same. I was recently told I could ask for half the payment up front and half after the job is completed, this is quite genius! Figure out what is important to you and make sure it is in writing.

16 Don’t settle. In the beginning I worked a lot for free; meaning I would only get a small product and in return I would post about it on my blog and/or social media. It was great for building my resume and getting practice at working with companies. Now if the product isn’t something I really need or it’s value is under a certain amount, then I always ask for payment. My time is worth SO MUCH MORE these days and if companies want that exposure then they usually are willing to pay for it. Sometimes it means that they turn me down when I ask for compensation and that is ok with me. Having that bottom line and not allowing myself to settle makes me feel good about the work I do and the companies that I work with. TIP: I use SocialBlueBook.com to help me get an idea of what I should be charging for posts.

17 Blogging is not a quick money maker. Let me preface this with, I DID NOT START BLOGGING TO MAKE MONEY, but as time has passed it is a goal of mine to make it into more of a business. I STILL DO NOT MAKE A STEADY INCOME three years later. I know everyone is different, but I am not willing to talk about motor oil or things that don’t line up with my values just to make a hundred bucks. I am pretty particular with who I work with, which means not always making money but getting products that we actually use and love or going places that we couldn’t normally afford. If you are looking to make a quick buck, I probably would say blogging is not where it’s at. LOL! If you are tech savvy I would say being a VA (Virtual Assistant) would be highly lucrative for you. Plus, you could work from home as long as you have a computer and internet access. I know bloggers/social media influencers are always looking to hire VA’s for jobs.

18 Don’t do it for the money. Even though I would love to make some sort of income blogging, it will never be about the money for me. I want to HELP OTHERS. I want to share my stories in hopes that it can touch the life of someone else. That is the legacy I want to leave behind. Who did I help? What lives did I touch? Was I a light in a dark place? Did I care about someone’s eternal purpose? Was I kind? Do these writings leave my children with wonderful memories of our family? That is what I want to take away at the end of the day, not the paycheck.

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Professional bloggers, did I leave anything out? What else have you learned? Newbie bloggers, was this helpful? Do you have any another questions?

All images provided by ANNIE VOVAN