Wondering what you need to do to get your blog growing? Read on to find out the reasons why I’m finally seeing blog growth.
Recently, after what has felt like an eternity of hard work, I’m starting to see some consistent growth in this little space. It’s so exciting to see my page views and users grow and know that I’m able to reach more people – and that more people are enjoying what I have to say! When you first start blogging it can definitely feel like you’re talking to an empty room which can be so discouraging. But thankfully, if you keep working at it, things start to pick up. You start to have “regular” commenters and you make friends and, if you’re lucky, you start to make a few dollars.
Seeing this consistent growth has really made me think about what I’ve done differently. In January, I committed to making my blog grow and bringing it to a place where I can cover my student loans since that’s the one bill that I feel guilty about Alex having to cover to allow me to stay home with the boys. And since I’ve committed 100%, I’ve seen such great growth. So today I thought I’d share the reasons that I’m finally seeing blog growth so that you can see some too!
Be sure to check out my Blogging Tips page for more blogging posts!
Why I’m Finally Seeing Blow Growth
- I’m producing more content consistently. When I started blogging I was sort of kind of posting Monday through Friday. I often skipped days, I would post at random times, and I even remember scheduling HALF of a post a few times and finishing it in the morning – what was I thinking?! Since about February I’ve been posting every single day. I’ve missed exactly one post since this started, and it was because I was in the hospital with Owen and unable to work on a post on my phone. I have a schedule that I stick to, and I’ve even created an editorial calendar and scheduled posts 3 months out. Each post goes out at 4 AM (unless there is more than one post, which will either go out at 1 am or 8 am.) My readers know what to expect and when to expect it
- I’m producing different content. For a while, the only consistent posts were on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (and occasionally Thursday). They were the days that my 3 favorite themed link-ups were active, and I wrote to them. I still write those posts – Monday is Best of the Weekend (which I link up with MIMM and Weekend Snapshots) Wednesday is What I Ate Wednesday, Thursdays are for Thinking Out Loud, and Friday is Friday Favorites (which I link with Heather and Andrea). While I would get decent traffic on those days, it never exceeded 300 pageviews in a day, and after that day, the post was dead, more or less. Those types of posts, while fun and interesting are NOT evergreen – they are not the type of content that in a week, a month, a year will be searchable and sought out on Google and social media. The funny thing is, my least popular day used to be Tuesdays when I would post some kind of evergreen content. That was because I didn’t have a specific “high” traffic link up that I was focusing on that day, and even though I was creating a piece of evergreen content that day, I was letting it die by not focusing on promoting or sharing it. Now I heavily focus on making any and all evergreen content seen and shared by many people.
- I’m being smarter about promotion. With that said, I’m being smarter about promotion. I have a long list of link ups that I hit daily, and I know when they go live so I can be as close to the top of that link up as possible. I’m learning the ropes of Twitter and Facebook and excelling at Pinterest. I’m learning what type of content does well where. In short, I’m promoting better and more efficiently.
- I’m utilizing Pinterest. This has been my biggest one yet. As of the day I’m writing this, 40% of my traffic now comes from Pinterest. Just 2 months ago that number was less than 10%. I’ve been researching and playing around with Pinterest to find out what I can do to make Pinterest love me – what will make them show my content more so that I get more eyes on my content, more repins, and more follows. I’m not going to go into it more because I could be here all day, but I’m planning on putting together a post on what I’ve been doing once I have more impressive stats/more concrete advice, but I will say that in the past 2 weeks I’ve gained anywhere from 20-50 followers a day without much effort, and that is definitely translating into growth. Before, I would occasionally remember to pin my day’s post and it was rare that the photos I was adding to each post were optimized for Pinterest. So obviously my Pinterest traffic was minimal.
- I’m networking with other bloggers more. You know all of those blogging groups on Facebook? Find a few that you like and start talking. Find some that aren’t full of only follow threads, but where people are looking for advice and information. Supply your colleagues (YES, they are your COLLEAGUES if you are hoping to make this your job in any way, shape, or form.) with your knowledge, chime in on debates, congratulate people on accomplishments, ask questions. You will never meet people and create relationships if you just keep link dropping. Trust me. And relationships make blogging more fun AND those who support you will in turn support your content, sharing it with their own followers and readers. Oh, and you over there proclaiming you’re an introvert? Me too. My only advice is to get over it. Start small. Answer one question. Then answer two. Post a question. Send an email. Soon you’ll be contacting people to cohost things and create your own groups. Build your confidence slowly, you’ll be fine.
- I’m scheduling my time better. Rather than spending way too much time on Pinterest, I’m using a scheduler. (Interested in Pinterest scheduling? Try out Tailwind for free for one month by using my link! I’ll also get a free month if you do, so thanks!!) Same with Twitter and Facebook (though I’m still learning about those two – any tips or resources are welcome!!) I’m using a timer to make sure that I stay on track with each task. Since I have limited time during the day to get blogging done, I need to make sure that I’m using time properly. I have a list of all of my blogging tasks with times/numbers associated with each. If I reach the end of that list with time to spare I go right back to the top and do it all over. This way I don’t get stuck wandering Pinterest for hourrssss. Because I will.
- I lost the embarrassment. This was a hard one for me for whatever reason. For a while, I was embarrassed to talk about my blog, and about my goals for it, especially with people I am close to. I have no idea why. I think I feared being judged, but you know what? Who cares. If this is what you love and what you want to be doing, lose the embarrassment and start talking. Some of my best post topics, promotion strategies, and pitches come when I’m talking about the blog with Alex or my dad.
It took me a lot longer than I thought it would to start seeing consistent growth on my blog. To be honest, I think a large part of it was because I wasn’t completely committed with no question about it. Had I been committed from the start and followed the above guidelines, I think I would have seen so much more growth by now. I don’t believe in regrets, but knowing that I technically started this blog in 2013 and didn’t take it seriously kills me when I think of where I could be.
So don’t be like me – stick to it, be consistent. Learn all you can, talk to other bloggers. Become confident and ignore whatever stigma you there is. Focus on growth and commitment and you will reap the benefits.
Tell me – which of these have you found to be the most important in business for blog growth? Let me know in the comments!
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
You definitely have gotten very smart about your blog, and I think that is so necessary a) for growth and b) as a mommy with very young kids. I love that you mentioned lose the embarrassment. This is something to be proud of! Now if only a Pinterest fairy would land in my lap, that would be amazing. Do you know any :D?
Alexandra @ My Urban Family says
Congrats on the growth! You seriously inspire me so much. I’m amazed at the amount you do with two little ones. And while I’ve loved your blog for awhile, you can definitely see the difference lately! Keep it up! ♡
rachel @ athletic avocado says
those are some helpful tips! Congrats on the growth 🙂
Heather @ Polyglot Jot says
Very well deserved growth too! It’s amazing the commitment you have with two little guys! 🙂
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
Congrats on growing! I have noticed the change and it’s awesome! I think Evergeen content is the way to go too. It is my biggest traffic source as well.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
WOO! GO GIRL! I think the biggest one for me was evergreen content. Once I started focusing on recipes and promoting them on Pinterest, my blog really took off. That and working on my photography, since people have a tendency to eat with their eyeballs 😛
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
Congrats on the growth, that is awesome! Great tips and helpful information here, thanks. I struggle with social media promotion and just finding time for that lately balancing in work too.
Jessie @ The Acquired Sass says
I LOVE this. While I’m not out to make money, though I think that covering student loans is a fantastic goal for your blog, I would love to grow. I love connecting with people who car & are interested in what I have to say. I’m starting to work on more evergreen content, but it can be slow.
I would be interested in hearing more about what you do with Pinterest. I recently saw a tiny tiny bit of traffic from there & it was so exciting because someone else had pinned from a post of mine & then it got re-pinned & I was over the moon. I’ve since pinned a few of my things. But honestly, I hadn’t been prior to that. Do you pin to group boards? Or just your own boards? A mix of both?
Runwright says
I’ve been winging it on my blog for too long. I love writing but I am ready to get some real results too so thanks for this post. I know my first step is abandoning my wordpress.com site so please send me a recommendation on how to move to self-hosted.
Kristen Lehman says
I LOVE THIS! I’m ready to move into the next stage here and I am loving your blog. Constant content is exhausting, but I’m trying! my May goals include Pinterest as well. I’m getting there! Slow and steady wins the race right!?!
Juliet @ Bowl of Cherries says
This is a great post! I just learned these lessons also over the last few weeks and have seen my traffic increasing. Facebook Groups for bloggers are amazing because you can learn so much from your peers and they actually want to help. Good look with covering your student loans, that is a great goal ❤︎
Nicole @ Blunders and Absurdities Blog says
Looking forward to the Pinterest post!! I have a long way to go in that realm 🙂 And it’s nice to hear others have shied away from talking about their blog with their friends, family, etc. I (obviously) didn’t mind complete strangers reading mine from the get-go, but still have little desire to discuss it with people I actually know.
Michelle Thevenot, blogger at MT Bottles says
Being only a few months new into blogging, I can see the biggest growth has come from:
1) Networking with other bloggers
2) Writing from the heart. My authentic voice on topics I find personally interesting and relevant seem to perform better than “what I think others would like.”
3) Consistently posting on social media and learning some strategy for the different channels.
Thanks for the ideas, since I still have lots to learn and plenty of room for growth.
Kimi says
Really great tips, glad to see your blog is growing! Pinterest is what I need to tackle next, gulp! 😉
SJ says
Fab post – The embarrassment thing is definitely one I need to combat along with Pinterest.
I get lost on social media all the time too – it steals so many hours from me. I need to be strict!!
Thank you for the tips – I will be trying some of them out 🙂
Gloryanna @onlyaseason says
These are FANTASTIC!! As some others have mentioned, I think the embarrassment thing is a toughie.
Thanks for these!! Tweeted too 😉
Stefani @ Crafty Christian says
Girl, I have no idea how you have the time (and energy!) to do everything that you do. Clearly, I can learn a lot from you…. especially about overcoming being an introvert and losing the embarrassment 😉 You’ve just motivated me to take my blog to the next level, time to get serious! <3 Stef
Kateryna says
Wow!! You’ve inspirired me!!! You’ve got some great tips!! Posting everyday, wow that’s a lot of work!!!
Kristy @ Southern In Law says
Hooray for blog growth! You totally deserve every ounce of success, girl! I am so excited to see how your blog continues to grow! xo
Cathy Lawdanski says
This is such a great post. I find that editing pics, optimizing for Pinterest and then doing all the meta data on them takes the most time, but I do it. I love Tailwind. To schedule my evergreen tweets I use Tweet Jukebox. I’m up to 3 posts a week from one. Hope to get up to 5 days a week. Your comment about evergreen comment is so important.
Gina Kirk says
Congrats Morgan! This was a really great post – I’m excited for you 🙂
Starr @ Starrhealthyself says
Fantastic suggestions! I can tell you’re really doing the work to earn that growth. Very encouraging, and I will definitely be using some of your tips!
Lauren @My Plot of Sunshine says
This was super helpful for me as I am trying to buckle down and focus more as well. I soooo need to focus more time and energy on Pinterest! And congrats on your blog growth, girl!
http://www.myplotofsunshine.com
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
This is all such great advice! I recently began tailoring images for Pinterest and paying a teensy bit more attention to when and where I pin. That minimal amount has had an impact for sure!
Kandice Kelso says
You’ve brought up some tremendous points! Especially the “Lost the embarrassment” point. I too have a hard time talking about my blog and once I started sharing it on my personal FB profile, not just in blogging groups I saw a big change. People I already knew were actually interested!
Leanne says
These are great tips! I’m working on all of these right now. Thanks for the encouragement!
Lisa @ The Merry Momma says
I’m fairly new to blogging, and I found this SO helpful! I always appreciate when successful bloggers share from their experience. I’m saving this for handy reference, and definitely checking out your other blogging posts!
Jen @Practical, By Default says
Congrats on seeing growth, that is so exciting. Networking and using Pinterest really does help 🙂 I found using a scheduler really helps with that platform.
Theresa@DearCreatives says
Congrats on your growth & sharing your tips. Lovely post. Thanks for sharing at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Pinned & shared.
Donna (Just One Donna) says
This is an excellent summary, Morgan. I am spending 2016 reinvigorating my blog. I had let it flounder for over two years but decided to refocus in January. The reason I took a break was burnout from posting every day, so be careful about that. I’ve just started focusing on Pinterest in a big way because I’m finding it to be as big a source of traffic as you are. I look forward to your post on your Pinterest strategies.
JoDitt says
Thanks for these tips. I’m really working on networking with other bloggers, something that is getting me outside of my comfort zone.
Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled says
Great tips! I don’t know how you write and post so much. My kids are a little older than yours and I’m only managing 2x/week. Kudos on that level of dedication! I agree about promoting. I’m only a few months into this adventure called blogging and I’m finally accepting that I must put myself out there. (I’m naturally a wall flower!) I finally looked into CoSchedule to test it out so fingers crossed it forces me out of my comfy zone! Visiting from Share It One More Time.
PattyAnn says
Hi, I found your blog today through Friendship Friday, and I’m so glad I did because your blog is treasure chest full of great blogging info! I’ve been wanting to grow my blog as well, but clearly, it’s not going to grow by me posting so inconsistently and not giving it the time it deserves!
Thank you for sharing so much blogging knowledge; I can’t wait to put into practice what I read here today! Happy Mother’s Day!
~PattyAnn
Carol, The Red Painted Cottage says
I’ve been blogging for about 5 years and during the first four my blog growth was very stagnant. Last summer, I changed everything…I went from Blogger to WordPress, I got a new blog design, and I concentrated on being a home/garden/recipe blogger vs. focusing on my artwork. There were a few other things, too, but since Labor Day, my page views and followers have grown tremendously. I was blogging M-F, but recently switched to only blogging 2-3 times a week, and just doing that has increased my followers. I’m visiting you from Share It One More Time.
Candace says
Hi Morgan, great post as usual. I really like your blog posts on blogging. Sticking to a consistent schedule has been hard for me and something I really need to work on. Some weeks the motivation is not there or my energy levels are down and I’m not making time consistently. I’ll need to keep on top of that. You know, I keep reading about Pinterest being a source of traffic – I’m just starting to get more followers over the past month or two, but I’m excited to see your future Pinterest post – I’m always looking for more tips. I have not seen any of my page views in relation to my Pinterest account (if I’m analyzing my Google analytics correctly).
Crystal Green says
Congrats on the blog growth. These are all great tips and tricks to have in your blogging arensal. I’ve found that giving your readership what they want to read is probably the MOST valuable and quickest way to grow your blogging traffic.
Suzanne says
This is such a helpful post! I really need to start maximizing Pinterest. Congratulations on your success! It’s well deserved.
http://mykindofsweet.com
Katie {Always, Katie} says
This is great advice, and so encouraging 🙂 Especially the bit about losing your embarrassment. I used to be shy about asking people to read my words… but I’ve been bombarded by so many friends selling things lately, I’m starting to realize that asking them to read something that will add value to their lives without costing them a dime isn’t that much of an intrusion 🙂
Edye says
So glad your blog is growing! I totally agree that Pinterest is a great way to grow your blog, as well as Twitter 🙂
Blessings,
Edye // Gracefulcoffee
Debra says
This is such good advice. Blogging is hard work. I don’t think we realize it until we start and by then we’re hooked. Congrats on the growth.
Jamie Jeffers says
I always love learning about what is working for other bloggers. Thanks so much for sharing this info! Tailwind has really boosted my Pinterest traffic, too. It was such a worthwhile investment!
Shelly says
Thank you for the tips! I also started my blog in 2013 (end of December, though). Then I consistently blogged for about four months but went on to stop blogging at all for two years. I just started blogging again, and while my traffic is growing, I’m kicking myself for stopping when I did. Twitter has been awesome for growth for me. I just got serious with Twitter a few days ago and usually gain about 20 followers a day. The key to Twitter is finding the right hash tags and follow lots of other people.
Julie says
Great tips and advice, lots to learn as always!
I have to ask though, do you still have to pay your student loan if you are not working? Here in the UK all students get a student loan from the government and you only pay it back when you are earning over a certain amount (not massive but you need to be in a half decent full time job really) if you are not working or are in a low pay job, payments are suspended. I had no idea we are so lucky.
I just want to add also that you should never feel like you are not contributing just becasue you don’t have so much coming in financially. you are a team and bring up kids is worth millions! (although I know this is easy to know in our heads and harder to know in our hearts) Onwards and upwards, I’m so pleased it is going so well for you and I look forward to any tips you have for us in future.
SaarBlogs says
Please do write that post about Pinterest! I feel like I should be able to get trafic from there, but I have no idea where even to begin…
Also, definitely familiar – and still trying to conquer – the whole embarrassment thing. No idea why I feel so awkward talking about my blog with people I know, but yet, I do…
Erin @ Erin's Inside Job says
Nice work girl!!
Cora says
Wow this is really awesome Morgan. You are so honest and real with what you have learned – which makes me feel extra trusting of every word you say. I know almost every blogger says Pinterest is there biggest traffic source. I’ve been trying to do my reading/research on how to make Pinterest work, but I still seem to be not getting any views or followers. I’m trying to have patience but I have a feeling I’m missing a big component or just not giving enough into it. I’m very much in the learning phases, but I know I’m spending waayyy more time than I need to figuring it all out. Anyway – these are wonderful tips and things to think about. Thank you!!
Christene Holder says
Congrats on seeing consistent growth! That’s awesome. I’m just at the beginning really of blogging but it feels like I’ve been doing it for a while already -definitely kind of feel like I’m talking to an empty room. I feel like I’m learning and getting better at a lot of these things, but I guess overall it just takes time. That’s hard for impatient me to realize. Thanks for all the advice.
>> Christene
Bill @ The Money Professors says
Looking forward to your Pinterest tips! I agree that relationships with other bloggers is critical. It can really help with some of the simple changes that you can do to improve your site and hve encouragement as well. My main blogging goal over the summer is to build and strengthen relationships with other bloggers.
AZ@...And a Dash of Cinnamon says
This post definitely hits close to home. I’m brand new to the whole blogging thing (not even 3 months in yet) and this post is so applicable. It’s been really strange trying to figure out some of the social media stuff ( I generally do not..do…social media. So that aspect has been difficult for me) I also have the embarrassment! Only a few people that are close to me know about the blog and I only recently told my family. I feel you on the judging part. It is also hard trying to start commenting on posts etc. I’ve been following some blogs for years and years and have never commented, nothing. It just is hard to put myself out there. However, I am hoping to start seeing some growth because you are right! The beginning it is so difficult. I feel like no one is interested, but who knows. I’ve just been trying to do as you suggested and keep with it, but it’s tough for sure. I”m so impressed that you have been able to do daily posts. Congrats girl! Keep it up!
Echo says
Thank you so much for sharing this! It can be so frustrating sometimes and seeing how someone else does it can really help! I hope the readers at the #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup find this as useful as I do!
Michele Morin says
Very helpful. I also am a reluctant “self-promoter,” so blogging has been a challenge for me.
Brooke Grangard says
Thanks for the helpful tips! (And for sharing your secrets with us!)
Bradleigh@WideMeadow says
Thank you for sharing Morgan! So excited for your success. 🙂 I can’t wait to read your follow-up posts to this. I never even thought about scheduling my posts to go live at 4 a.m. You think that results in better traffic? Also, how have you gone about finding fb groups in your niche?
Thanks! 🙂
Hannah @Sunshine and Spoons says
Way to go! I was the same way with my blog and then I decided that I wanted to get serious with it. I actually ended up starting a new blog on April 11th and have been working hard to grow and build it. Less than a month in and I have almost 6000 pageviews!
diane says
Great tips. I find Pinterest is BIG too… people use it to Search like GOOGLE…. Thanks for posting!
Karyl says
Morgan, thank you so much for these tips! My blogger friend April has been telling me to get onto Tailwind…I’ll be using your link to get the free month for sure!! I really like the idea of scheduling posts to go out in the middle of the night.
Candace says
Congratulations! Your hard work is paying off. #goals
sherry says
Congrats on growing your blog. I decided two months ago to work my tail off. Thank you for these tips.
Suzy Godfrey says
interesting post….waiting for the Pinterest post.
Becky Hastings says
I love how practical this is! Your comment about evergreen content (and the promotion of it) really resonated with me.
I would also love to know, as you are seeing growth, about how you have been successful with monetizing early on. I’ve focused completely on creating content and growing my audience, but would like to start monetizing my work soon!
Tanya @ Moms Small Victories says
I think you’re doing great and so excited to see your continued growth! I am amazed that you blog everyday!!! I’ve been blogging for years and still I struggle with consistency. Thanks for sharing with Small Victories Sunday Linkup. Pinning to our linkup board and hope you found some great posts to visit this week!
Chris Macheal says
Great tips specially for new bloggers. Thanks for posting
Munchkin Time says
Wow congratulations! I can’t imagine blogging everyday but writing out blog post ideas for up to 3 months is my favorite strategy when it comes to blogging.
Tianna says
thanks for sharing your tips! these are good to know 🙂
Karen Del Tatto says
Thank you so much for being so generous in sharing what has worked for you regarding blog growth.
You have shared many great tips!
Lisa @ Flour Me With Love says
This is an excellent post and very informative too! Thank you so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday 🙂
Mother of 3 says
Good for you! I’m finding many of the same things working for me as well.
Mother of 3 says
Good for you! I’m finding many of the same things working for me as well.
Samantha says
I needed to see this post today! This has been a tough week and I haven’t even got to post one thing…actually I don’t htink I have even logged into my page at all. I am really trying to network and have a planner to start really making an impact. We have 3 months until moving day and I have to start seeing some money rolling in or find a job! Say a prayer please!!!
Bonnie says
Congrats on your goals and growth as all of us bloggers know it is hard work. I struggle with the posting more frequently. It takes me so long to write and photograph and create my post that I usually only average about 2 a week. More consistency is always one of my goals. I found your post today through the #shinebloghop. Which blogging Facebook groups would you recommend?
Britney says
This is a great, informative post! Thanks for sharing with us at Simply Natural Saturdays!
Sandra Garth says
Thank you, thank you, thank you, what a great post!
Jenn O says
“If this is what you love and what you want to be doing, lose the embarrassment and start talking. ”
YES! I finally told my friends what I was doing and they have been so supportive. I don’t know why I thought otherwise.
Mary-the boondocks blog says
This is a great post. I too have learned much from trial and error. I did not know in the beginning that there were actually bloggers who blogged about blogging so I was walking in the dark for a long time. The tip about the blogging groups has been immensely helpful, and I’ve been lucky to meet so many wonderful people some of whom I call friends. And now I’d like to add to your long list of link parties by inviting you to our new Sweet Inspiration party which runs Friday through Tuesday.
Suzanna @ One Hoolie Mama says
Not only are these tips fantastic, but they are also so actionable! (And I can’t wait to check out the other suggested posts linked at the bottom!) Thanks for sharing and for linking up with Small Victories Sunday.
RaShell @ Mommy's Apron says
You make some good points here. I like your encouragement to be consistent in writing and in the timing of your posts. I look forward to hearing how you are leveraging Pinterest. Thank you for posting. I’m glad I found you over at #WonderfulWednesday.
chhavi says
You are so right! I am also quite shy to talk about my blog because people judge me on leaving my core profession and doing this, but I think you put it correctly – who cares!
Ayelet says
Great post and super useful for me as a newer blogger! I can’t wait for your post on using Pinterest – sounds like you’re cracking the code and I could use your sage wisdom!
-Ayelet from Strength In Words
Chloe Crabtree says
Congratulations on the growth, that is great! Although I am a strong Pinterest presence, there were several tips I could use here! Thanks for sharing at the Celebrate Your Story! link party. So glad to have you there! I am pinning this article, it is a great post to come back to and refresh your ideas when things get stale!
Chloe Crabtree says
Something is up, I can’t seem to get PInterest to pick up the image! Boo!
MsCrookedHalo says
Just this year, I started promoting my evergreen content hard. I add them in my Buffer cue to automatically post at optimal times and then I use my Facebook group threads to have people share them on Twitter and Pinterest. I have a lot of work ahead of me to go back and fix the images.
Plus, I just decided on the focus of my blog so I have to go back and update most of my posts to reflect it. But, I love blogging so much that it hardly seems like work and I can spend all day doing it.
Ashley @ A Lady Goes West says
So proud of you, lady!! Keep up the great work!! 🙂
Carly says
Stopping by from the Monday Madness Link up 🙂
I AM SO EMBARRASSED to tell people I know about my blog! I dunno why either – I’ve only been focusing on promoting on pinterest and a few link parties (I just started promoting a month ago) and I’ve already got over 11,000 page views this month so I know I’m not writing complete crap but I still can’t tell anyone I know about it. I’m so glad this is normal lol! I look forward to the day when I get brave like you… and I’m super interested to read that pinterest post if you’ve written it 😉 xo Carly
Crystal says
I am the same way! I have gradually started inviting FB friends to like my page though. I really hate to think about my parents or grandma reading it though. I don’t know why.
Krystal @ Little Light on a Hill says
Oh my goodness! This post could not have come at a more perfect time for me! I’m about six months into blogging, and I needed that kick in the pants to collaborate with other bloggers. I am SUCH an introvert!! Thanks for the tips.
Debbie Rodrigues says
I’d add the quality of your posts, Morgan.
I come here frequently from link parties. I browse through the links and yours always interests me.
Congrats on your success. It’s deserved.
Tammy @ Posh Patterns Blog says
Fantastic tips and ideas–thank you for sharing them! I’m still working on growing my monthly views, so I’m looking forward to implementing these. 🙂
Carmen I Marriedbyhisgrace says
Awesome tips! And its so funny because I clicked on your link from a link party right now to read your post and I came to your page once again. I laughed to myself because I thought wow, I always click on her page from somewhere and like her stuff, I should start following her!
Sandra Garth says
Thank you for sharing this with us at Celebrate Your Story. This is good information for newbies as well as veteran bloggers.
Charlotte says
Thanks for sharing this. I am a new blogger found this thru Wonderful Wednesday linkup.
Lady Lilith says
Congrats on your blog. It is always amazing when you finally start to see progress. The best part of being a blogger is when you go from small to large. Every step of the way brings a new journey and adventure. Keep up the good work.
Karen says
Congrats on the growth. I struggle with “what’s the point” feelings all the time since I write consistently, but see little traffic most of the time. I love to write, but all the other promotion stuff is a mystery to me. Maybe I’ll look into the pinterest stuff again. that’s for the suggestions.
Melanie Redd says
Great post, Morgan!
I agree with you that Pinterest is one of the best places to grow!
Thanks for sharing all of these suggestions.
I found your post today on Alder Collective.
Blessings,
Melanie
Lauren says
Great tips! I’m a new blogger and find this helpful 🙂
Ayelet says
Thanks for the post! I’m still a newbie, but I’m reading everything I can and learning more everyday. I really look forward to your post on using Pinterest!
-Ayelet from Strength In Words
Kristy | Seven Graces says
These are great insights, Morgan! I definitely agree with you on all points. Thanks so much for sharing what’s been working, because I needed some of these reminders to keep me going. 😉 Hope you’re having a great week! And I pinned this to my Blogging 101 Pinterest board, too. Thanks for linking up with our party!
Mary Leigh says
Great post! Thanks for sharing! I found your blog from a link up and am following now! I often think about growing the blog, but am not always sure where to start. These are great tips!
Gail Akeman says
I need to be more consistent with my posts. Good tips I need to follow. Never tried Tailwind.
Kileen says
Awesome article! I really relate to the embarrassment and being judged by family and friends. I do need to get over it and thank you because I thought I was one of the few. Pinning for reference and to share.
Lucie says
These are great tips and suggestions, and I can see that they have worked beautifully for you! I’m sure that most of us can relate to being embarrassed, feeling like we are talking to an empty room, and struggling with consistency. I’m glad I found your blog. I will be subscribing and also following you on Bloglovin!
Erin | A Welder's Wife says
I am not sure where my subscribers come from, but it seemed to have grown through Link Parties and sharing my content in Facebook Groups. I will say being consistent feels great, but I need to work on having at minimum a month worth of posts ready to go at any time. Visiting from Let’s Get Real Link Party!
Erin | http://www.awelderswife.com
Taylor-Made Homestead says
I’ve been at my blog for about 3 years and I’ve often wondered about those who can actually make money with them. Of course I have some ads and affiliate links but it’s really small potatoes. Love this post, thanks for sharing! (Stopping by from the Pretty Pintastic Blog Hop)
~Taylor-Made Homestead
Texas
Jo says
I started my website just over 6 months ago- thanks for the tips! It was all super helpful since I’m still trying to figure things out. Found this post on the Making You Home Sing Monday link party
-Jo http://www.letskeeprunning.com/
Kaitlin | Eight Pepperberries says
Hi Morgan! I loved this post! I’ve been in the blogging world for about a year now and these tips are so great for newbies as well as reminders for those who have been at it for awhile. I haven’t used Tailwind too much, but I do use Hootsuite to plan out posts I want to share on Facebook and Twitter and I use Planoly for scheduling Instagram. I think it’s so easy as bloggers for us to get sucked down the rabbit how during the day when you stop in to check Pinterest and an hour later you are still looking at diy after diy, ha! Using a timer is a great tip! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing this post over at the Totally Terrific Tuesday Link Party, it was last weeks reader favorite!
Keep up the great work!
XO,
Kaitlin
Lisa says
Very inspiring! Thank you for sharing your insider tips.
Steph S. says
Congrats! These are all wonderful tips. Pinterest has to be my best traffic maker. I use Viralwoot to schedule my pins. You can schedule up to 200 pins for free each month. So far I haven’t had to spend any money there. One of the few places I spend a little money is http://www.pagemodo.com I schedule ALL my Facebook and Twitter posts through there. A free account will allow you to schedule one post, but I have a pro account and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone. You can schedule unlimited posts. They have suggested posts already written for seasonal holidays, and news you can search. And it’s so easy to share you content at the right times on the right platforms. They have a lot of other tools (cover photos, contests, button designer) but I mainly use the post scheduler and it’s well worth it. 😉 Do you have any FB groups you recommend?
Italian Belly says
I’m really enjoying your blogging tips posts. Congrats on your achievements and thanks for sharing. Will definitely start joining some blogging groups, pinning more pinnable images and linking up more often.
Kate says
This post is great! A lot of what you have said here I utilize on a daily basis and it is a hard thing to accomplish. If you’re looking for a great way to schedule Facebook and Twitter, try Buffer.com. They even offer a scheduler for Instagram now that allows you to post up to 10 times (at a time) per platform for free. I love this service because I just go back a few hours later and schedule more so I don’t pay. (They have an app that works great!) I’ll have to check out the parties that you co-host also. I’ll add them to my list. If you want to check it out, you can find a link to them at the top of my blog. (There’s a lot. I’m a linkaholic. LOL!) I don’t know what groups you belong to on Facebook, but I have joined Inspired Bloggers Network and the Kids Bloggers Network. They’re helpful and everyone is supportive.
Have a good one!
Kate | TheOrganizedDream.com
Anne says
I got here from your more recent post about Pinterest. I really enjoyed reading this one too and it’s awesome to see so many comments. I’m at the “early room” stage with my blogs so this is encouraging. Thanks!