Blogging 101

Hey friends! Happy Monday! The sun is shining, we’ve got a fresh week ahead of us, and gosh, it’s going to be a great day!!

FIRST THINGS FIRST.

I made a video! I unboxed the FabFitFun Summer Box, and if you saw my Instagram Story, then you will know that I was — flipping out — over the contents of this box. It is far and away the best, FabFitFun box I’ve received yet. (Hello, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream!?!?!) I had an absolute blast filming it, so I would love it if you gave it a watch! And to order a box for yourself, you can get $10 off by using my code BEACHBABE.

OK — So. Last week…we hit a couple of milestones.

First: I booked two speaking gigs for this coming fall! I am beyond excited about that. This is truly where my heart is being called, and I’m thrilled and grateful to have those terrific opportunities. (And for any speaking inquires, you can email beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com!)

Secondly…I didn’t even realize it, buuut….WE HIT 43,000 BLOG SUBSCRIBERS!

I just want to say a quick thank you to YOU reading this right now. The fact that you would take a few precious minutes out of your day to visit my dusty corner of the internet means so incredibly much. I appreciate you, and want you to know how much I have enjoyed connecting through cyberspace, and truly making friends with some wonderful people.

And on that note, I thought it could be fun today to talk about anything and everything blogging! It’s one of my most frequently asked about topics, and even though I have an ebook “My Blogging Tips” — I thought it could be fun do an update on that, and answer some specific questions I’ve received.

The Number One blogging question I get asked, is “How did you grow your readership to 43K?”

And as much as I would like to say, “Oh, it was just luck!” Or “I have no idea!” The truth is, I have learned a few things along the way that have really, I think, contributed to that growth. And again, I go into this in depth in my ebook…but here are 4 takeaways for this blog post:

1. Write with your audience in mind.

If you want to have a blog that people want to read…write what people want to read! Now, here’s what I’m not saying with that: I’m not saying…’Be inauthentic, blow a bunch of hot air, and don’t be true to yourself.’ No, that’s not it at all.

I’m saying, consider what people are interested in. What would make them want to read your article, and perhaps even click on another one? Because, sure — you may have the most adorable cat in the whole entire world, but let’s be honest — people don’t want to hear about its grooming habits in five blog posts a week.

Write about what you’re passionate about, but do so in a way that invites others to be passionate too. Make it inclusive. Make it inviting. Turn it into a shared passion, rather than a self-contained experience.

A blog, yes is an opportunity for self reflection and a free space for you to write about whatever the heck you want, but if audience growth is what you’re looking for, you’ve got to be mindful of people’s time, and write something beneficial to them.

Practical Tip: Post consistently. That way, people know when to expect your content, and will plan their visit to your site accordingly. (This is another way to respect their time.) For example, I post M and TH at 7pm, and a recipe on W at 7pm. *Consistency.*

2. Find Your Voice

This one goes hand in hand with the first. Because “writing with your audience in mind” does not mean that you have to “lose” your voice or disregard what matters to you.

Every person has a unique voice. It comes across in their writing style — Their self expression, perspective, and little quirks that come out without even thinking about it.

Find yours. And then let it flow.

Because here’s the thing — people don’t want to read something that they feel Siri dictated, or some AI robot came up with from a plug-and-play drop down menu of “Click-Bait Blog Articles.”

Your voice is what makes you, you. It’s what makes your articles interesting, and unlike anyone else out there on the internet. It’s what makes people feel connected to you, as though they’re talking to a friend.

So embrace it. It sets you apart, and will make people want to come back to hear it again and again.

Practical Tip: When you sit down to write, think about how you would talk if you were to pick up the phone and call your BFF, and write accordingly.

3. Pinterest is your best friend.

OK, this, friends…is my dirty little secret. That, quite honestly, I can’t believe I’m sharing about. I feel like I’m giving away grandmother’s fiercely guarded, secret spaghetti sauce recipe or something. But…Pinterest is such a HUGE traffic source that is largely untapped by bloggers. With our obsession with Instagram, Twitter and Facebook in recent years, Pinterest has all but fallen from people’s minds. However, it is an exponentially beneficial platform to put your articles on. Why? Because it is a search engine.

Consider it like Google on steroids. People use this platform (rabidly, I might add) – to find the answers to something: a recipe, decorating advice, fashion ideas, parenting help, etc. It’s a search engine. But then — people Re-Pin what they find helpful to all of their followers, who then can re-pin to their followers, who can then re-pin, etc. etc. etc. SO — a good article has literally an exponential potential of eyes to be had.

And here’s my dirty little secret — I can’t believe I’m sharing this. I use an app that makes it so I don’t have to lift a finger to do this. It’s an automated service called Tailwind. One day a month, I go through and schedule all my pins for the next month or so, and then it literally works while I sleep, and I don’t ever have to think about it again.

Since I started using it, my reach has gone from literally around 115 impressions a month, to over 550,000 impressions PER MONTH.

Yeah – it is absolutely insane. And I feel like I just divulged the family secret. But it’s because I love you guys so much and want the best for your blogs.

And if that’s not the greatest thing since sliced bread, you can also try it free for 30 days. Go forth, and prosper.

4. Remember, it’s not about the numbers

This is my final one – because at the end of the day, blogging should never be about the metrics. Remember why you started in the first place — You have a passion about something; You enjoy creative expression; You thought it would be fun. — Those have to be the foundation of why you’re blogging in the first place. Anything else will become a chore – and people will sense that.

Have fun. And enjoy the ride!

OK! I’m taking my own advice now, and considering your precious time, so I’m going to wrap it up for now! If you want more blogging advice — like the best times to post, posting frequencies, social media tips and community building…check out my ebook, My Blogging Tips!

FINALLY, finally — I received this question through my Instagram Story:

“How do you think of content that people will like? Or do you just post what matters the most to you?”

This goes back to my first point…I write what I’m passionate about, through a lens that will include and interest a broader number of people. Writing about my recovery from anorexia is what I’m passionate about, but that is (admittedly) a very very small niche group of people. So, I try to use my experience to open up a conversation that could be applicable to a wider group of people than just ED sufferers/loved ones. I try to find the takeaways from what I’m writing about that appeal to a wider audience, but tell them through the lens of my story — if that makes sense.

Thanks so much for reading, have a great day, and I’ll see you on Wednesday for a recipe post!

“This is what the Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” Ez 37:5

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Here was yesterday’s video! https://youtu.be/8pmp4ZI968A

A big thank you to my foundational sponsor, BetterHelp Online Therapy. I cannot begin to express how beneficial therapy was for my recovery from anorexia.  Speak with an online therapist. Or check out content about eating disorders from BetterHelp.

MAGIC TOOTHPASTE? Yes! I am in love with this superior whitening toothpaste. It keeps my smile sparkling, without sensitivity or bleach! I made a website where you can directly order this miracle product! So if you want to give it a try, you can go ahead and grab a tube for yourself. I promise, your smile will thank you!

OH MY GOSH THE FABFITFUN SUMMER BOX IS HERE!!!! And I’m not kidding – it is AMAZING. A seasonal box of over $300 worth of health, beauty and fitness products, for only $39.99! Order yourself a box with my code BEACHBABE for $10 off! 😉

Be sure to check out my affiliate, Audible. Listening to audiobooks while I cook is literally my new favorite thing. And just for you, they’re offering a Free 30-Day Trial Membership. And with this free membership, you’re going to get 2 free audiobooks! Literally. Free. It is the best deal ever. And if for some reason, you decide it’s not for you, you can cancel within those 30 days and it’s zero money out of your pocket, plus, you get to keep the 2 audiobooks. Soooo…it’s pretty much a no brainer. Plus, it’s a free and easy way to support this blog! So thank you!! 

***THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ORDERED MY BOOKS, BLOOM: A JOURNAL BY BEAUTYBEYONDBONES AND “MY BLOGGING TIPS“***

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