Celebrating What I've Learned

Today I want to give a short run down on some things I have learned about blogging this last year but first......welcome to March! Yay! Oh, why am I so happy about March? Well those of you who know me and read this blog know that last month was terrible - so happy to see it behind me. And best of all....March is my blog anniversary month! I can't believe it has been two years since I first began. (2 1/2 really, you will have to read my about me page to understand that) This last year, I really stepped it up by posting better content on a regular basis, and started two link parties...Wow Us Wednesday and Grandparent's Say It Saturday. 

I also changed the direction a bit, and learned to take better photos. I updated the look of the blog, and opened a Facebook page. A lot of changes and a LOT of learning! I really love getting to know you all too; it has been quite a year! Thank you for being here with me :)

I'm going to kick off this month by going back to the beginning. I want to re-posting some of my favorite post, (ones that I feel didn't get enough attention because I was new and no one knew about FHL yet) along with new post and some guest post. I hope to have a post every day and I still have my fingers crossed that I will have a giveaway or 2 included now and then. 

So hang on and celebrate with me! 

I haven't attended blogging conferences or camps, taken a course or purchased a "How to" book. I learned by reading what other bloggers have written about blogging and took what I could use. Here's my short run down on what I have learned about blogging!

1. Photos are everything! Ok, I have a cheap point and shoot camera. But I have researched how to take better photos, use lighting, and then pretty them up with PicMonkey or other editing. Use your best photo as your lead photo and use it to link up with. Bad pics won't make it to Pinterest even if your post/tutorials are great. Oh and make them big! No puny little pics....unless they are not so great. Also name your pics. When someone is Googling for info on furniture refinishing, your great pics won't register with a search engine if they are named IMG2472. 
2. Do find link parties and link up. Linking is the best way to get exposure and traffic. I have a linking schedule and a link party page. It keeps me on target so I don't forget whose hosting what each day.
3. Write good content. I know I know, everyone says that but it is so true! Think about the purpose of your blog....why you blog in the first place, do your post reflect that? Show good, clear and simple tutorials. I struggle with this next part because of time issues but do try to post things that are relevant for the season; Christmas post before Christmas, not after.
4. Be consistent, let your readers know what to expect. I have a rather large circle of topics I write about here but mostly you will see tips and tutorials related to family and home making. I do try my best though to always give you easy, simple, and inexpensive ideas. If I started posting about shopping for high dollar furniture and clothing it would be a jolt wouldn't it? You might not follow me any more. Also, I have always posted my link parties on time thanks to post scheduling in blogger. The day may come when I forget or have an emergency and can't post, but you know when you come by to link up, my party will be going on.
5. Check out other blogs. I lurk.... snoop....I check out what successful blogs are doing and then re-interpret that for my blog. Nothing wrong with that. If you want to be an artist you spend time studying and copying great works of art. Want to improve your blog? Then see what is working for others. 
6. You will have content theft! More than likely, somewhere along the line you will have content theft! I am often ask how I know a post has been stolen. The best way to find out if you have a stolen post is to Google a phrase or sentence from a post and enclose it in " ". Such as.... "The best way to find out if you have a stolen post is to Google a phrase".....see what comes up and if it's from your blog. Do your research and find out the best ways to stop or prevent theft from your blog. Have you noticed that I write part of my tutorials on my pics? That's because pics are not often stolen ( because it is an automated theft) and then my entire post/tutorial isn't taken, only the written content. 
7. Find a couple of blogging buddies. Having a blogging buddy or two that I could email with a question or complaint has been the best thing for me. My friends and family just don't get my blogging obsession; blogging makes no sense to them and they don't want to hear about it. The really great thing is that my blogging buddies are now my friends! Friends that get my blogging obsession! Doesn't get much better than that :)
8. Just Do It! I have a can do attitude, have you figured that out yet? I will tell you a little secret here, promise not to judge me ok? I have a learning disability. I didn't graduate HS because I couldn't pass the English or Math classes. So when you read me and you see all those grammar errors? Well I am very sorry about that but I don't even know if I made an error or not. Apparently, you all don't mind my errors too much or you wouldn't stick around! Once I over came my fear of writing post for this blog, I was on my way. I can't begin to tell you how afraid I was in the beginning, I  was so terrified sometimes hitting that publish button! I am SO GLAD I JUST DID IT! Keep trying till you find your voice and your style.

There you have it, my little bit of hard learned info about blogging! I hope you can use it to help with your blogging.

I link at these parties. 

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