On Blogging: Building an Audience.
[You guys! This past week marked nine years of blogging here at howsweeteats. That means that I’m currently working on my TENTH year! I figured it was high time to answer all the questions you’ve asked me over the years about starting/maintaining a blog and what goes into it. ENJOY! xo]
Okay, so you’ve asked. I should warn you! This post is loooong. If you’re a blogger or interested in starting a blog, this is for you!
It’s basically like we are sitting down to lunch and I’m telling you exactly how I’ve done this job. I’m absolutely not an expert. I’ve definitely put this type of post off for, well… close to a decade. You certainly don’t have to follow my advice! I’m just giving you what works for me.
See.
I suffer from this issue – probably called “being a brat syndrome” – where if I don’t want to do something, I just don’t do it. Or well, I loathe doing it. Maybe it’s the crazy scorpio in me or the fact that I’m just weirdly passionate, but I have to love love love what I’m doing. Like LOVE it. Or else, I’m over it.
Like when I was in college. Pretty good student all my life, up until econ my freshman year. I got a D. And I didn’t even care. I hated it and could not stand it. There was no way I was wasting my time on it. That was my mindset.
Yes, I realize this is terrible (and I sure hope my children don’t inherit this nor am I teaching this kind of behavior – and of course my parents did NOT condone it!) but it is the truth.
And I tell you this because this should tell you how much I absolutely adore blogging. I love it.
I seriously, gigantically adore it. And it’s probably one of the reasons that I’ve had a bit of success with it.
When I love something? I’m the lunatic that gives 765%.
And I know how lucky I am. I am so grateful that I have this space and that this is actually a job for me. I am so appreciative of YOU coming here!
And while I’ve very grateful, this space is here because I have spent the last almost-decade working on it every single day. Yes, every single day. Yes, even on the days when I have given birth to my children or had the flu. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have worked my butt off for what I want on this site. And that’s what this is all about – I’m going to write this series and share everything I can about blogging here at howsweeteats!
ALL THE SECRETS.
That title is a lie. Because! I don’t have “secrets” when it comes to blogging and getting people to read my blog. If you’ve ever emailed me for advice on building an audience, you probably know this. Because when I’m approached about the topic, I often spill my guts like a psychopath to this stranger that doesn’t even know me.
I tell people exactly how I’ve built my blog because it’s not a secret.
In fact, I’ve had other bloggers tell me that I shouldn’t be “giving out so much advice” to those who ask me. I’ve even had family members say that.
Um, what? First, it’s not a secret. It’s just what I do. There’s enough space for everyone and – guess what? I still remember back when I asked bloggers for advice and they wouldn’t share it.
So I will FOREVER share my personal advice when it comes to blogging and what’s worked for me.
I’m an open book. I love to share what has worked for me. I could talk about it for hours and I will answer any question you ask.
The most important thing? Create the kind of content that YOU like. This is all I do. I only create content that I enjoy. That is why you don’t see me repeating my old content on here. I like to read new content and get weirdly creepily into a life of someone on the internet that I don’t know. I like to share my beauty favorites. I like to share my favorite light reads. I have this whole other section here on my blog that half of you don’t even know about it, just so I can ramble on about whatever I want to ramble about and use it as a diary.
The second most important thing? I never started a blog with the intentions of making money or “building an audience” or anything like that. That barely existed back then. I started and continued because I freakishly loved it. Most people today don’t have that luxury – the luxury of starting a blog in a naïve state and continuing because you love it. Nope. Almost immediately when you start, you’re probably googling “starting a blog,” and you realize that people are making money and have 87 billion Instagram followers and you’re like HOW. It just spirals from there.
GETTING READERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT
Building an audience is such an odd thing to me, because I never set out to build anything. I didn’t know blogging could be a JOB (can we all take a moment for this please… I’m dead) and then even when I realized it could, I wasn’t necessarily trying to BUILD. But alas, this is what you asked about, so here I am.
For me, it comes down to two things: consistency and connection.
Sounds super cliché, right? Well, it is.
It’s no secret that I post a lot of content. First, I post a lot of content because I love to do so. I love creating and sharing content. One day, I might not. And I assure you that when that day comes, I will stop.
But that’s not now. I love what I do.
SHOWING UP
Consistency is key. There is a LOT of freaking content on the internet these days. I’m just being honest: if you’re only posting once a week (and let’s just get this out of the way early: by “posting” this could mean on a blog, on insta, insta stories, youtube, etc – whatever your preferred platform is) when you just start out, how can anyone find you? How can you stand out in a sea of content? It’s really difficult and unless you’re doing something cool/awesome/new/different, you probably can’t.
Think about your BFF. Your person. Someone you chat with all the time. I talk to Lacy and Eddie a billion times per day. About stupid things. About serious things. About what’s going on in the world that day. About all the things. If we only talked once a week, we probably wouldn’t be that close. And well, if I only talked to Eddie once a week… ha. You get it.
Be open and genuine. Be yourself. Share what you feel like sharing – honestly sharing, about your life and yourself. You will find your people this way.
I think all the cool young kids are calling it a tribe. You will find your tribe.
You just have to be consistent. I think it’s important to try and connect almost every single day on some form of social media. But whatever you decide you can commit to, it should be consistent. Three days a week? Great. Start there.
And you know what? It has to be consistent for a long time. Like a LONG time.
Daily, I receive tons of messages about growing a brand and an audience. The thing is that I have been growing this for almost TEN YEARS!! It takes time. No “big thing” ever happened for me. A celebrity didn’t shout out my blog, I wasn’t featured on GMA or anything. I don’t have connections. I don’t live in NYC or LA so I don’t even have accidental blog connections by location. It was truly just consistent day-in-and-day-out work that made my blog grow. Working on it nonstop.
Of course, I loved it so much that it didn’t feel like work. But that’s a whole other story.
Before I continue, I feel like I’ve got to give a disclaimer for all my mamas out there. I receive tons of questions about how I do this with kids. I feel that it’s important for me to stress that I did this for SEVEN years before I had kids. I did this for a super long time. I already had a groove. I had become very efficient. I had researched everything. This was my full time job, making an income, helping to support us. I had written a book already. I was immersed in this blog life, if you will.
I know exactly what has to be done, when, and how. I know what I need to do and if it means three baskets of clean laundry go unfolded, so be it. Ultimately, my kids have ended up fitting into this work life with blogging since I did it so long before having them. It’s just like having a job where you work outside the home. I don’t know how other to explain it, other than… I just do it.
And I feel like this is so important to mention because if I tried to start my blog AFTER having kids? I don’t know how it would be today. It definitely wouldn’t be the same. It would be very difficult. I could never do it like how I did it for those seven years before. It was my only priority for a super long time.
SO, THE “AUDIENCE.”
Early on, like… really early on, I decided that I didn’t care about numbers. I really just cared about my readers. That is it.
Want to know why? Because back in 2009 and 2010, when brands started working with bloggers and sending product for review, multiple brands refused to send me product to blog about because they said my numbers weren’t high enough. And in hindsight, all I wanted to do was give them free advertising!
I had literary agents contact me early on, only to also tell me that my “numbers weren’t high enough.”
After a good long while of that, I thought screw it. I’m not doing anything with brands or anything with any other company. I am writing this blog 100% how I want to write it, because I have these readers here actually reading it and that’s who I love and adore.
And that was that. That was when this community really started to grow.
It was the start of my love affair with this community. Sharing recipes and chatting about everything. It made me so incredibly happy. It reinforced that page views are not all that matters.
Now, this is the part where I tell you one thing that is a TOTALLY different subject, but pertains to building an audience and making connections.
Your photos should probably look good. Luckily, you can start with an iPhone today! I couldn’t. I had to teach myself. And I don’t like photography one bit.
I’ll do another post touching on the photography subject. But let’s just say that… if your photos look good? People will start to stick around. Our world is so visual today – the photography is most people’s first impression of your content.
Anyhoo. Moving on.
I’VE NEVER CARED ABOUT SEO. OOOOPS.
When it comes to building a loyal audience and connecting with my readers, do you know what I don’t give a flying fig about? What I don’t even consider?
SEO.
Yep, that’s right.
Now I know, I know, the blogging gods and guides are going to come after me for giving terrible no good very bad advice. This is probably the worst thing ever to be written on the internet. And frankly, I’m not ignorant. I do KNOW that today, in a community that is large (some would say saturated – eh, I don’t always agree), in order to get noticed and get some sort of traction, SEO is important. I get this. I know it. If you’re starting out, follow all the SEO practices. Just do it! It’s easy, because you’re starting and you don’t know any better.
For me, here’s the thing. SEO requires some weirdo things that just don’t go or flow with my writing style. And by “writing style” I simply mean that I sit down at the computer, write whatever the heck is on my mind, pour out my thoughts regardless of how jumbled they are, proofread for typos two or three times and inevitably end up missing a ton, then hit publish.
Having to include larger paragraph headings, writing out a keyword multiple times, including key phrases to make google happy and searching for key words or ad words or whatever the heck words – it just feels so… unnatural to me. Not genuine. I hate it. Honestly, I hate it. I like to sit down and write as if I’m talking to a friend. Write like it’s my diary. Like I’m talking to you! That’s the only way I enjoy it. And I don’t want some SEO rules to determine how I’m writing out the actual thoughts in my brain.
While this may be the worst advice ever given on the internet, it’s important for me. I have always been my true and genuine self on this blog because of it – that matters in my writing. The writing is my favorite part. No one and nothing is going to dictate how I’m “talking” to you guys day in and day out, and I believe that has led to a greater connection for us.
All this to say that… you probably SHOULD do something with SEO. What I mean by not caring about it? Is that I don’t thinking have perfect SEO is the best way to gain a loyal following. Writing your heart out will!
I WRITE THROUGH THE CRAP (errr, the uninspiring moments) FOR THE CONNECTION.
This is another important thing for me, because writing is my favorite part of all of this. I realize that if you’re new, that may come as a shock. I don’t write any literary works of art over here, and since having kids, I know that my writing has lacked a bit. But that’s what I do on this blog – JUST KEEP WRITING. I keep writing, through the good and the bad writing and the awful and embarrassing and ridiculous and rambling writing because that’s how I get through it. Yep, this is my job so it should be semi-professional but it’s also kind of like my daily journal in a way that ended up being my job accidentally on purpose.
I’m the kind of person who is uninspired by taking breaks. I mean, normal breaks – sure, that’s great. They are refreshing. But like, if I “can’t get in the groove” of writing a blog post, and I decide to take a break? It could be WEEKS before I actually “feel” like I have something worthy of writing. You know? I mean, maybe I’d just never come back to write again. And then I’d get all stuck in my head about how it had been so long since I’d come back. It would be a vicious cycle.
If I had followed that tactic, I probably would have quit a long time ago. You just have to sit down and do it. Do the parts that you don’t love (for me, photography!) and the parts that are hard even when you do love them.
So, what I’m trying to say – and, to make a long story, well… longer, I believe that you push through for the connection. Keep writing and telling your story, in whatever way works for you.
That really brings together the whole consistency and connection thing for me. In being consistent with my writing, I’ve been able to connect with so many people.
BE VISIBLE BY SHARING CONSTANTLY.
Well. I don’t mean to be all UP IN YOUR FACE.
Another thing that I stand by that many, many, many people don’t believe in – is staying consistent by posting often. Maybe you don’t need to share three recipes a week these days to build a following. But guess what? There are people out there who are still posting something six and seven days a week. They are staying in your face! By posting often – whether it’s on a blog, Instagram, facebook – whatever, you become a friend. Yep, that sounds ridiculous. But it’s 2018 guys. And 2018 is ridiculous.
By posting on a platform often, you have content that can be featured. It can be featured by online publications, bigger instagram accounts, by other bloggers – all of that.
Example: there are a handful of blogs that I just adore. I love the writing. I’m inspired by the photos and want to eat every recipe. I’m even invested in their lives – when they share, that is. And they go weeks without posting on their blog or on instagram and I actually forget about them. Not because I’m a terrible person (let’s hope?) but because there is so much content in my face that after a day or two, there is new content to consume and move on to. It’s just a fact of life.
It’s a fact of 2018!
JOIN THE OFFICE HAPPY HOUR.
There is one part of connection that I believe is vital to building an audience. And that is networking with your peers and coworkers. Otherwise known as… other bloggers. Other bloggers in your space, other bloggers not in your space.
If you are a blogger who has been around forever or if you’re a reader who has been an avid blog reader forever, then you know. YOU KNOW. It’s embarrassing how much you know.
You know how many blogs I used to comment on.
Bloggers loooove comments. Comments are still treasured by bloggers. It’s one of the reasons that I try to respond to every comment on every platform every day. I SEE YOU! THANK YOU! Thank you for being here. It literally means the world to me.
Back when I started this blog, commenting on blogs was a big deal. Instagram didn’t exist. Neither did pinterest – I don’t even think facebook fan pages existed yet. Commenting on blogs was basically THEEEE social media of 2009. And it made it easy for readers to find you.
Here’s the deal. I did comment on a shit ton of blogs. I mean, hundreds a day. It wasn’t JUST because I was trying to gain traction for my own blog. Yes, of course it helped. But I commented for a few reasons. First, I was absolutely miserable and deeply depressed at a job where I had NOTHING to do but answer an occasional phone call. I sat in front of a computer with Google Reader open (oh the good old days) and read blogs all day long. Blogs saved me. They made me feel like I had friends at work! They made me feel like I wasn’t so alone and miserable! I made friends. I loved these bloggers’ stories. I loved to read their writing and keep up with their lives.
So I left comments because it was a way to participate in the community. It was a way to show other bloggers’ my appreciation for the work they put into a post (because, holy crap, if you’re not a blogger you have no idea how much work goes into a post!) and yes, it was also a way to “get my name out there.”
A lot of those blogs that I commented on? I’m friends with those people today. I developed amazing relationships and connections with incredible people through commenting on other blogs.
I also gained some readership from people seeing my name in the comments. At that time, that was really one of the only ways to discover other blogs.
I tell you this rambly, drawn out story because it does have a point. This is still a really big way to get your “name” out there as a blogger (or… the dreaded word, INFLUENCER) and build an audience. But it’s also a great way to participate in your community and make “work friends” (haha).
Show some love, share some love.
Obviously things are different today. While I still very much believe in commenting on actual BLOGS (we love them! Please keep commenting!), Instagram interaction is probably the most important right now. You know?
And not to be the bearer of bad news, but commenting on a few Instagram posts for 10 days is not the answer to this. I commented on tons of blogs for YEARS. For well over five years. Five+ years, daily commenting on other blogs. The only reason my commenting took a back seat is because I had released my first book and shortly after, had Max, and then my whole life shifted and I had to prioritize a bit more. However, I often take a few days a month and comment on multiple blogs just to show my appreciation for how hard those bloggers are working.
And oh p.s. while I adore all blog comments here (seriously I love you so much!), it’s not WHY I write. I would still write this blog even if no one ever read it. Because I can’t do anything until my brain is clear of all these words! Clearly, 3536 words in. I’m the worst.
ON A CONNECTION FAIL. KIND OF.
Because I am a product of this internet generation and an oversharer, I’ll tell you about how I feel that I’ve missed some connection here on the blog.
I really feel as though I’ve missed connection in the mom/baby/kid space.
I mean, sure, I have this baby page over here. Pour my heart out into it – at least once a month. I rarely direct anyone to it and it doesn’t even go through my RSS feed. And that’s because back when I was pregnant with Max, I had some comments from readers that basically said “please don’t turn into a mommy blogger!”
I mean, I get it. I never took offense. Getting pregnant with Max was kind of a surprise for us and I wasn’t reading any mom blogs or kid stuff at the time – I didn’t have much interest in that either. I also feared every time one of my favorite bloggers got pregnant – the ones who I really clicked with because we were in the same stage of life – that they would change and their blogs would change.
Well. DUH! Of course they would change. That is life. Life is about changing.
While I never had any plans to turn into a mommy blogger and I can’t imagine ever basing my business on the behaviors of my children, I still had blogged about my personal life for nearly a decade.
And I took those comments to HEART.
The first year or so that Max was here, I definitely struggled with my writing content because I was so afraid (and, well, exhausted) to even MENTION things about being a mom or having kids, for fear of ostracizing the community that I had spent so much time creating here.
And that’s crazy, because I write a lot about my life and when I read someone’s blog, I’m usually very invested in their whole life. Even with the changes!
I wish that I had (to be oh-so cliche) followed my heart and weaved it more into my writing. Always follow your gut!
I’M FINALLY FINISHED WRITING THIS, THANK GOD.
I don’t mean to sound flippant AT ALL about being consistent and building a connection. Of course, once I was into blogging and realizing it was an actual THING – and working on building my audience and writing books and all that, I’ve been strategic about things.
By strategic, I just mean that I bridge the gap between what we all love here on the blog. The things WE love. I want to create the kind of content that my readers enjoy. I only get the opportunity to do this because of my readers.
I listen to my readers (you guys!) on what you want to see more of. And I combine that with what I want to make more of. I find a happy balance.
To quickly summarize my almost 4000 word brain dump (SORRY! Oh wait, not sorry, I’m trying to stop saying I’m sorry! And I’m failing.) this is what I feel works, especially for new bloggers:
- Be consistent and post content (on at least one platform of your choice) OFTEN.
- Be genuine in what you share. You will find your people this way.
- “Network” with other bloggers. Make office friends. Genuine friendships and connections. No fake crap.
- Be patient. It’s the worst part. But guess what? I’m being patient (I mean, trying to) ten years in.
- Work harder than everyone else. That’s what I’ve always said. Whatever that means to you.
Okay. I’m officially tapping out at 4096+ words. Ask me whatever questions you’d like down in the comments! I’m here for it.
Oh an next up… the comparison trap. And how to get out of it. I’m hoping I figure out the answer by next month. I’ll be sharing all sorts of things in this series (my take on photography, how to stay consistent, how to get over burn out, etc), but if there is something specific you want to know, leave it below!
180 Comments on “On Blogging: Building an Audience.”
Amazing!!! Thank you for sharing! I found you through recipes you posted on the pioneer women blog and I thought….I need to go to her blog. Then that was it! I couldn’t get enough I wanted to look at and make every recipe!!! You’re very real and relatable and I look forward to reading your blog every day 💟 thanks for being you and doing what you do!
thank you so much vanessa!! so glad you found me! xo
Two words: Google Reader… may you Rest In Peace… how I miss google reader!!! :) thanks for sharing your insight – I had a blog for a while but didn’t keep up with it and wasn’t that into it, but I do know how much work it was. I also made some online “friends” that made me feel like I was part of a real foodie community – it was great, I miss that! I also remember people posting many comments with their blog sites to get readers…and I found many great blogs this way also!
i miss it so much too!!
thank you angela! xoxo
Not sure if you will make it this far down in your comments, but I had to tell you how much I love your blog, Jessica. How Sweets was the first blog I started to read probably about nine years ago. I have loved watching your blog grow and evolve over the years, as well as watching your family grow! I am one of your older readers, as you are about the same age as my daughters. It is obvious how much time and effort you put into the blog, and your readers have had the benefit of all of your efforts. And I love reading about your family just as much as I love all your delicious recipes. To me, it is no secret why you have been so successful… when you do something you love, and have a talent for connecting with people, this is a great medium to share your talents. Thank you for sharing so much with us!
thank you so much jane!! that means so much to me. i’m so glad you find some value here! really, thank you! xoxo
Google Reader- I actually spit out my water when I laughed. How I miss my Goggle Reader!! Thank you for sharing your insight, this was a great read.
hahahah so do i!! thank you jen!! xo
Thank you for your honest comments. I felt my blood pressure drop reading them. Blogging today seems so stressful with all the techy “must-do” stuff. But when I move to the heart of why I’m doing it, it gets me up and going every morning. Peace, Clare
Blogging at: http://www.clarebills.com
thank you clare!! xoxo
Love, love your blog! You are always so original and your style so warm. I am taking the plunge into a food blog (coming soon!!) relatively later in the blogging bell curve because of sending my youngest off to college. So worried that I might not find my peeps but appreciate all of your advice – and will read and read and re-read this post! Thanks for sharing!!
thank you so much lori! xoxo let me know if you have any questions!
What a lovely, honest insight Jessica. I love all the colourful and tastey recipes you post weekly and I’m also hooked on all your goings on over in the crumbs section, nice to hear how much you love your job, it really shows : )
thank you so much faye! xo
hiiiiiiii! i’m sure many people have said this already – but you were the FIRST blog of any category that i ever followed religiously and talked about non-stop to anyone who’d listen. i’d get my cup of coffee at work everyday and hunker down to read your post because GIRL you are THE MOST consistent, and even in 2012 or whatever, i knew i could depend on you for a new recipe almost every day. and i cherished those 5-10 minutes of every day sooo much. long story short, you inspired me so so sosososo much in many ways – taught me how to cook creatively, practice food photography, revamp my own blog – and cut to today, i quit my 9-5 job (something i NEVER thought i’d do) gone freelance full time and shoot & style food/beverage content for different clients, among other things. WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE WITHOUT YOU????!!! thank you a million times over for all the things you mentioned above – i’ve been watching it all unfold over the years and you have undoubtedly impacted my life greatly! :) you also used to have a favorite blogs section which introduced me to many others that i am also still inspired by today! i would have no sense of style without your hot tip that led me to Kendi Everyday. lol. SO THANK YOU!!!!!!
thank you so much quinn!! means the world to me! and your story is super inspiring!! so glad you DID IT!! woohoo! thank YOU!
Pingback: Red Currant Glazed Ham
OMG I miss the Google Reader days so much. There was such a different…. thing going on back then. I never became super successful but I have LOVED watching your journey all these years. You’re an inspiration and I’m very appreciative of these tips. I love seeing your sweet kiddos and reading your posts, even if I don’t comment the way I used to. Oh, how times change. Thanks for this post!
YES!!! i miss them so much too. thank you so much kacy!!! xoxoxo
there are so many things i want to say about this post…but basically, SO GREAT. i have been a huge fan for years because of all the things you addressed above about your content and your readers. you are you and so delightful, witty, funny, genuine, smart, creative. thats why we all feel like your friends <3 keep up the awesome work, girl!
thank you so much adrianna!!
Thanks a lot for this! I Great read for someone like me who’s just starting out on the whole food blogger journey. I can really relate to both not being able to do something you don’t LOVE (Ugh this is a real issue for me but I guess the passion and time and effort that go into things you love instead make it worth it when you find those things. Doesn’t go down well in the corporate world though…) and the love for all things blogging. It’s SO much more time consuming than I ever thought it would be with getting out at least decent photos, SEO, posting on Instagram, pinning a million pins on Pinterest, interacting on social media, researching best plugins, speeding up your page, trying to get people to actually come back to your site… But it’s all so FUN. I love it. I can (and do) spend my Saturday nights (and well every other free second I have) doing this. My friends are all starting to hate me (or at least get bored by me) but I DON’T CARE. This Is It. This is the thing I love. It’s the number on priority and it feels so damn good.
And also – thanks for a great blog! I for one am happy you haven’t turned into a mommy blogger! :)
it really is so very time consuming and it’s almost FUNNY to try and tell people how time consuming it is. no one really gets it until they start a blog themselves!
thank you so much emmeline!! xoxo
Bless you, girl. I have been waiting forever for you to write this and it was so, so worth the wait. Can’t wait for more! And it didn’t FEEL like 4K words at all, just like a great chat with a friend. Keep doing what you do! It’s an inspiration for us all. Sending you love from Islamabad, Pakistan.
thank you so much rebecca! xo
I found your blog 9 years ago because I kept noticing your comments on the Pioneer Woman’s blog!
yes!! she was definitely one of the first blogs i found!!
I am not a blogger, but love reading the inner workings of one. I am like you, once I start reading a blog I am invested in their life. I love how you are so consistent with your posting. I know i can’t count on seeing something from you and l just love your writing style. I get that you didn’t want to turn into a mommy blog, and coincidentally that is how i found your blog a few years back, a bunch of bloggers were throwing you a virtual baby shower for Max. I love that your share your kids with us, who are so adorable by the way. I have been reading ever since.Thank you for all your hard work, especially this over 4K word post. I love that you share your world with us, and what your loving on TV, on the internet and books.
thank you so so so much courtney! xo
THIS IS SO AWESOME AND USEFUL. I particularly like your take on writing what you like/feel/are. My blog has definitely shifted focus since having kids, and my 20-something marketing sister is all “pick one thing and stick to it!” and I’m all “but it’s my life that I want to share!” It’s definitely tough to find balance, but I think turning focus to something that felt contrived would be the worst feeling ever. so I’ll stick with my five readers and being myself. :) As for your missed connection, I adore your mom posts AND food stuff, but agree that writing more about your kids would be wonderful for you and those of us who have grown up/started having kids at the same time as you!
thank you so so much lindsay. it’s definitely tricky because i’ve never had a niche on this blog and yes, people have ALWAYS told me i should. the minute i would try, i’d be so uninterested! so… i just kept sharing everything. ha!
Thank You for this.
I am a new blogger and I really love doing this but it can all be very overwhelming trying to create and write recipes, learning and photographing everything to figuring out what plug ins are best fro my blog and how to spend my budget on my business. Yeah, its a lot but passion makes me do it everyday. I continue to seek out bloggers that I admire their hard work. Continued success!
it can be so overwhelming!! thank you so much giselle!
I’m sure this sounds crazy, but your food blog was a huge bright spot during a really hard time in my life. 2016 and 2017 were such hard, hard, hard years for me. I finally decided I had to somehow break out of how miserable and exhausting things were, and I promised myself I’d start by making a new recipe once a month, and quite a bit of it was from your blog! Oddly, as life has normalized, I’ve felt much less of a need to try new things, but I still really enjoy checking out what you have to write.
I particularly appreciate your note on how long your blog was running prior to kids. Seven years is a big deal, and patience in any endeavor is dang hard. Appreciate your candor!
THANK YOU!!! that doesn’t sound crazy at all and actually i’m honored that it helped you through. seriously, thank you! and thank you for always commenting and supporting me!
Love your insights as always, Jessica! Thank you for providing this heartfelt information. Staying true to yourself is never the wrong answer. Can’t wait to read what’s next!
thank you emily! xo
Working on a blog right now. You were a big inspiration. I received your first book as a gift. Not ever hearing about your blog, it directed me there, and now I follow a few. It’s a great escape. Thanks for the advice! I’m making the roasted corn and chicken chili for dinner tomorrow, so look for my post on the book club page!
thank you jennifer!! i can’t wait to see your blog!!
I’m so glad you talk about being a mom along with everything else you do. Sometimes I feel like society is telling moms to disappear – either we can be moms and nothing else, or we can be whatever we want as long as we don’t even MENTION that we are moms. And it just perpetuates stereotypes, and makes everyone feel like they’re failing at parenting, because so much of it is done secretly so we don’t get to witness anyone else’s full experience. I loved your day in the life post when you talked about childcare. It helped me come to terms with my guilt over having a nanny come one morning a week (I KNOW. GUILT. OVER PAYING SOMEONE TO HELP ME FOR LESS THAN FOUR HOURS A WEEK. I’m still processing it.). We don’t see enough moms living their dreams while parenting.
thank you jenna!! this is so true. honestly, it’s even true and something i experience as a blogger. like when i start to mention my kids or show photos, an onslaught of unfollows happen. it’s crazy! thank you so much and yes – even though i work, i still feel insanely guilty at times about having childcare!! why do we do that!
“weirdly creepily into a life of someone on the internet that I don’t know” LOL ahem. maybe. I feel like we’re totally friends! Also, I LOVE the Crumbs section. LOVE. I have zero plans of starting a blog, but this was an excellent read. thank you
hahaha THANK YOU!!! xoxo
You’re my favorite blogger, and the reason I stuck with you (you got me into food blogs and were a part of why I started my own) is because I love your recipes and the personability in your writing. I love this advice (even though I can’t do all the things you recommend) and appreciate you for sharing it. <3 !
thank you so much jenny!! this means a lot to me. xoxo
Pingback: Currently Crushing On. - How Sweet Eats
Jessica, I dont even know if you are going to read this – this blog post is so helpful. So different from other “strategies” you read about growing your blog! I had gone crazy reading about SEO and when I tried, I ended up writing a blog post which I hated!! One must write with the flow and that is exactly what you have suggested here. Thank you for sharing this and thank you for mentioning how open you are to giving advice to fellow bloggers (I am definitely writing an email to you :/). Absolutely love your blog and great recipes!!
I found you when you were pregnant with Max and loved you from day one. I’ve been blogging for 6 years and I already had 2 little kids when I started. If anything, not having the time to network outside of the blog space/internet has been a big hindrance. I see all my fave bloggers commenting back and forth in their little community and it’s definitely something I see missing in my world, though I try to comment when possible. Of course I’m a bit more local centric to my area. 😌 Can’t wait to read the next 4000 words!
Love this and you! 💕 I’ve been following for years and love your style and your recipes. 😊 Definitely a huge boost to hear honest feedback in this crazy world of blogs and social media. Looking forward to learning more & here’s to your *tenth* year!
Thank you so much for posting this. I’ve been at a creative impasse and generally having a rough time lately and this is just what I needed to see. Thank you for being genuine and open! Keep doing your thing because it’s doing more good than you know!
Pingback: Construindo uma audiência – como construir uma audiência para seu blog – acolherdepau
I love this!! I read recently that people are over the long story filled blog posts and the recommendation is just a few description sentences, a cooking tip or two and the recipe. I hate this. I have always loved blogging for the stories, the connections to others and personally, being able to do what I’ve always loved – write and create. As someone who has been blogging 9.5 years and reading your blog since almost the beginning, I have always appreciated your honesty and helpful advice on your blog and when we have had the chance to meet in real life. You have a true talent for connecting with others and have always done this so well!
Loved this! Very helpful for those of us just starting out. I love that you reminded me to weave my life into the fabric of my blog. That can get lost sometimes. I absolutely love your posts, and now that I know the comments really matter, I’m definitely going to make more of an effort to tell people when their posts are appreciated and great!
I loved reading this! I feel like a blogging failure after not posting anything for 9 months due to depression and mental blocks… but this is inspiring me to do it anyway and “work through the crap” :) I’ve loved your blog for a long time so I really enjoy reading this kind of stuff!
Thanks for taking the time to write this post, Jessica! It really helps. I’m almost two years into my blog, and I’ve had to continually update things as I learn about proper SEO etc. My blog is dedicated to my mother who suffers from Alzheimers, and I talk about her a lot, especially when I share her recipes. I often wonder if I share too much, and am glad I’ve read your thoughts on this. I don’t want to leave some of this personal info out, because I feel I lose the authenticity. It’s a hard balance, and I know I’ll figure it out with time!
Love following you – your recipes and your life! Keep it up! :)
So happy to see and read this post. After lovingly blogging for 5 years, there are still days when I find certain things a struggle. SEO – HATE IT and also choose to “ignore” it’s existence. Working with brands – Sure it’s always nice to get free stuff, but sometimes it just feels like it would be a whole lot easier to just go buy the product myself and not deal with the hassle. And most of all, writing what I want to write when I want to write it, and how I want to write about it. I find that my favorite posts are always the ones I put myself into…whether it be my sarcastic self, my funny self, or my ranting because it’s a Wednesday and the world is sucking self! The fact that you took a lil’ time-out to share your viewpoints and advice on blogging after 10 years made me day! Just wanted to let you know that…because yes, comments always matter!!!
Thank you for sharing your life with us! Recipes, family, being a MOM and boss lady. I’ve been following you for over 5 years and you are the only blogger I follow consistently on a daily basis. I’m not a blogger but you are an inspiration to me in many ways.
Jessica….Thank you so much for this post!!! I love the fact that you are willing to share your insights into your successful blogging career and your honest and real thoughts with us! I have LOVED your blog for a long time now and read it daily! You are amazing….keep posting:)
Oh Jessica I love this post! (I am also way late reading it so thank you to your Friday newsletter for directing me here.) I love how honest and helpful this is and how you’re always so REAL and have stuck to your brand forever. And I remember the days of your comments on other blogs! :) I’m so glad I’ve kept up with you over the years online and IRL. Keep up the good work! I know how hard you work!
PS can you please throw a 10-year blog party in Pittsburgh? I’ll volunteer my services to help plan!
Well I have no interest in blogging but this was SO interesting! How awesome that you get to do something you love, from home. Imagine what blogging will look like in 10 more years! Best of luck to you!!!!
Oh my gosh – first, I meant to comment on this over a week ago. I LOVED reading this – honestly, you could write 5,000 words about dish soap and I’d probably be on the edge of my chair, HAHA! But I just want to say that it has really made me think and sparked some inspiration lately that I feel like I’ve been missing a little bit of in this crowded, noisy, often distracting world that we work in. Just want to say how much you continue to inspire me, and how grateful I am for how incredibly supportive you’ve been to me (and the entire blogging community) over the years. You’ve made such a tremendous impact on my own journey, and I really don’t know where I would be without you. Love you and let’s please hang out soon in real life because it has been way too long.
Love this! And love your posts. I recently bought your cookbook, too! You’re amazing! I started a blog in January, and I haven’t seen a lot of growth. This definitely inspires me to keep going! I have a 20 month old son and full-time job. I’m struggling to stay consistent on the blog. I love doing it and I’m incredibly passionate about it, I just wish there were more hours in the day! I’d love for it to be my job – I’m hoping to get there one day. Thanks for the advice and inspiration!
P.S. I’m making your butternut squash queso this weekend for friends! I’ll post a picture on my Instagram!
Oh yessss the OG days of google reader and commenting all over the blogosphere. THE GOOD OL DAYS INDEED. I think with all that scattered connection — moving from blogs to insta/facebook/twitter/email list — I just am feeling such a break in connection. :/
Pingback: The Weekender 10/13 - Oats & Rows
I saved this post back when it was new and I keep coming back to it. Long time reader, first time posting ☺️ I remember reading your blog when I was in law school, and I would make your fabulous cocktails for my classmates (over half a decade ago and pre kids). This is such valuable advice. Just starting my own blog, and you are one of my big mentors, even though you don’t know it. I love how as a reader it feels like you are one of my BFFs I’ve never met. Oh, and Google Reader for life.
Thank you for this post!! I have been following your blog for many years, and one of the things I love the most about it is how authentic and genuine you are. I love what you said about not letting SEO dictate your writing style. I have felt that same icky feeling about altering my writing in order to score better in the SEO arena. This post gave me the permission I was looking for to say buh-bye to caring about SEO more than authenticity.
Blogging is still big today, for those who know their way around various challenges that come with the job. I think the post is detailed, not long; and the points here are a gem for anyone seeking an easy and effective way to build an audience for their blog.
Pingback: On 2019 Goals and a Word of the Year. - How Sweet Eats
Hi Jessica! Thanks for your honest brain dump. You may not consider yourself an expert but to an almost one year new blogger, I find your advice valuable. Like I just made a friend and you have inspired me to post more. PS I am commenting right here right now because of your advice. For real! And now I have a new friend. Talk to you soon! Tammy @ southerninfluenced1.com
Wanted to comment here because I NEVER COMMENT ON BLOGS ANYMORE but this was a super helpful post and exactly what I needed to get out of a blogging funk. I admire your ability to post so often and I think if I had to be honest with myself I would be able to post more if I just stopped looking around at all the social medias and just put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). So I’m signing off here and doing just that! Thanks for the push.
Hi Jessica! I bookmarked this post ages ago, back when you first posted it because I knew that one day I’d be ready to hear it. I’ve blogged off and of for a little over six years. When I first started, I worked as hard as I could while also trying to balance a full-time job and being super poor in Honolulu with no air conditioning. Turning on the oven was like torture sometimes. I felt like I was making progress until Pinterest switched to an algorithim and started encouraging you to pay to show your posts. My traffic took a nose dive, and simultaneously, I had major health issues then moved to another country. I never fully quit, but only because I talked myself out of it about a million times. Back in October this year, I finally decided that I wanted to take one last shot at this whole food blogging thing, and I’ve really been pouring my heart into it. Recently you answered my question on an AMA on instagram about switching from a hobby blogger to professional and I really appreciated that. This comment has gotten crazy, but I just wanted to say that you’ve been an inspiration to me for such a long time, and I’ve loved your blog for years. I’m going to go back and read this whole series now because I know you have a ton of insight to share. Thanks so much for being an encouraging voice.
Thank you so so so much for this post! I’ve been blogging for 7 years a purely for the love of it (for the first few years it was a complete secret!) and it was such a fun hobby – but because of that I never fully let myself dive into it as much as I would have loved to (other things came up, people didn’t understand it and i’d feel guilty for spending so much time on this “silly thing” etc.(looking back I really kick myself for letting those opinions matter)
Lately I’ve been comparing myself more to other bloggers who started later than me and are more “successful” but
this post was exactly what I needed to be reminded of and the things I adore about blogging (and reading blogs) – that connection, those personal stories, content that isn’t necessarily as super polished (eg with seo) as is recommended these days.
Anyway, I’m rambling but just wanted to say thank you – I feel so inspired to just share what I want to share 💕💕💕
Lauren xx
Laurennatalia.co