Thursday, April 11, 2013
Balance
(the questions/answers from the original twitter chat are italicized and my thoughts/QUESTIONS FOR YOU are underneath)
Q1: What do you think makes a successful and effective blog post?
A1: Something that people can relate to or learn something, if you can relate to a reader then you have their attention
What types of posts are your favorite? Are any of my posts among your favorites?
Q2: What do you think are the biggest mistakes people make when blogging? How can you be sure to avoid them?
A2: Not being honest with themselves and their readers, nobody is perfect.
I've come across a few blogs where it just feels too perfect. I fail at things often and I'm more than willing to admit it, writing about my failures as well as accomplishments helps me process them. A lot of the responses to this question brought up having too many sponsored posts, well I don't have any sponsored posts so I guess I'm good there. There was some chatter about lots of giveaways, fair enough it's not for everyone. I have a fair amount of giveaways mainly because I'm a new blogger and all the companies I've contacted have been more than willing to send me product, even after informing them that I will be honest in all my reviews about what I think of the product - good or bad. I also only do giveaways that relate to my content. I do find it frustrating when I go to other blogs and every other word is literally some sort of product placement.
Still it made me question how I've been managing things, how do you feel about the number of giveaways/product reviews I've had?
Q3: What do you think are the best ways to gain more readers and followers?
A3: Social media and commenting on other blogs!
How did you come across this blog (Read.Bake.Run.Repeat)? If you have a blog yourself, what are your favorite ways to connect with readers?
Q4: Do you work w/ brands on your blog? What tips do you have for successfully working w/ brands & companies?
A4:I'm not specifically sponsored by anyone and I only accept product if they'll send it to be knowing my review will be honest.
A lot of the answers sort of veered towards the same controversy as Question 2, I'm still unsure of where I stand. I definitely don't want to be sponsored by anyone, I've had offers, but I think it would affect the integrity of my posts, I guess that's what people were getting at. But I have had giveaways often, not because I want to be bothersome but because I want to grow the blog and it certainly seems to be working. I now have a regular bunch of followers who read/comment on my posts, what more could a blogger ask for?! How often should I run a giveaway?
Q5: How do you juggle blogging with other priorities in your life? What tips do you have for time management?
A5: It's been tough recently because I'm excited about all the blog ideas I have but there has to be balance.
I honestly do really struggle with this, between family time (#1 priority obviously), running, blogging, and maintaining my house things get pretty crazy. Becoming a Mom has definitely forced me to become a better multitasking person but it's certainly not my specialty. Of course all my 'brilliant' blog post ideas come to me when I'm in the middle of something else but I'm learning to write them down and come back to them when I have some time to set aside and write, hopefully not at midnight... How do you prioritize your time?
I'd love some comments from my readers, it would really help lead me in the right direction for the blog!
If you'd like to join the chat next time, Lindsay from the Lean Green Bean Blog (@LeanGrnBeanBlog) & Jessica from Run Lady Like (@rUnladylike) hosted tonight's chat!
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I'm so glad you could join us for the #BlogSmarter Twitter chat! I'm excited to start following your journey! Chats are such a great way to meet new bloggers! Here are a few of my thoughts on some of your questions above ...
ReplyDelete1. Posts that I really enjoy from bloggers tend to be on topics that interest me, are well written, are real, honest, and raw, are heartfelt/authentic, tell a story, and provide something of value to me -- even it if is just a small nugget of advice or a different way to think about things.
3. My favorite way to connect with readers is on Twitter, Facebook, and through the comments section of my blog. I also enjoy receiving private messages and emails from readers. I respond to all of them. Being responsive, answering questions, showing appreciation to your readers for taking the time to reach out is so important! If you don't respond to tweets, your readers will stop reaching out.
4. I don't think there is a right or wrong number of giveaways. I think you should make sure you're balancing giveaways with other content to ensure a balanced approach ... or integrate a giveaway with other meaningful content so it isn't just about a product, but it is about you and why you want your readers to have something you enjoy. No one wants to read a blog they think is just about product reviews and giveaways and not about who you are and why you're writing.
5. This is a tough one!!! I try to write my blog posts early in the morning or at my office after work so that when I come home, I'm having home/family time. Don't let those around you feel like your blog comes before they do. I have fallen into that trap and it is something I'm very concious of! I always keep a journal with me too so I can jot down ideas whenever and whereever they come to me.
Good luck with your blog journeys! I look forward to seeing you on the next #BlogSmarter chat!!!
I just stopped by to say that I adore your blog title! I saw you commenting on another site and the name of the blog grabbed my attention - you just mentioned my three obsessions!
ReplyDelete:D
Last nights twitter chat was really good!
ReplyDelete1. I like posts that are well written, and have some character. Related to the sponsored posts - I am starting to dislike lots of posts that start off with "I was contacted by", "I was able to try..." and "I was sent...". Once and awhile are ok - but some blogs are starting to only post those type of posts and it is getting a bit boring
2. I know it may seem small - but bad spelling/grammar kind of puts me off blogs. Also like above - way too many sponsored posts that are more about "look at my free stuff", rather than actual information, with blogs losing focus
3. I came across your blog from last nights twitter chat :-) I do think commenting and social networking are the two big ways to increase readership - it takes time!
4. Maybe once a month? Or have a theme?
5. I try and set some time to blog - but if I don't get to it, whatever - it isn't like my blog is my job :-)