Alt Summit was amazing. I can say with 100% honesty, it is so, SO worth the investment if you are interested in monetizing your blog or if you just want to be inspired to be a better blogger. Really – for the job opportunities alone. There was major networking happening all over.
Plus! It was SO fun to finally meet almost all of my blogging friends in real life. If you’re on the fence about going next January, shoot me an email and I’ll do my best to pressure you further!
Lots of you asked for a recap on my presentation. I know not all of you readers are bloggers, and as I learned from my survey, only 2% of you have blogs that make you money. So, I apologize if the following is not very interesting. Come back tomorrow for a great post about using sheets as curtains! You’re in for a treat.
I spoke about building a blogging community on a panel with Meg from A Practical Wedding, Danielle from The Jealous Curator and Sarah from Babble. It was such a fun group of ladies. We all have very different blog communities and goals, so it was cool to learn from each other and to be able to speak from unique vantage points.
Sarah, Meg, me, and Danielle
It would take forever to write out everything I talked about in my presentation, but here’s an outline (still very long) of what I discussed for building traffic or developing a deeper more meaningful community on your blog. Kindly note that I do not consider myself an expert on building a blogging community. I developed the following ideas from talking with other bloggers, reading your survey responses and also a bit from my own adventures in blogging, which started in late 2007.
1. Preliminary idea: Set goals and maintain the right prospective. What is the end goal for writing a blog? The most traffic possible? A book deal? New friendships? New clients? Build your blog and develop your posts with your end goal in mind. Reevaluate often. “Am I getting closer to or further away from my goal?”
2. Part 1: Capture new readers
a) Most of you found my blog through a blog roll! So great! Let’s all share the blog love and keep up blog rolls of our own. If you are intimidated by the sheer number of people who want to be on your blog roll, consider having two – a favorites and a rotating (monthly or quarterly) list of new to you blogs.
b) Make your content buzzworthy so that other bloggers will want to share. What do I mean by buzzworthy?
i) Truly original content (try to post something completely yours at least once a week). Or at least put a really unique spin on the same photos that get recycled on blogs.
ii) Think about common problems (something someone would google to find out) and find solutions to those problems through your blog. “How to paint vintage furniture” or “How to sew pinch pleat drapes” or “How to shop at a flea market” etc.
iii) Start a conversation that other bloggers will want to continue. The two examples I used were Lauren’s Design Price Points post and Chelsea’s idea to stop complaining.
c) Get posted on a bigger blog. It’s hard to get a more golden ticket than that. A HUGE stream of traffic is your big chance. Submit never-before-seen projects to Design*Sponge or Apartment Therapy and see what happens. If they don’t bite, choose a big blog with your same aesthetic. Chances are, their readers will love your blog, too. Some words of wisdom though, from a gal who gets dozens of emails about this very thing every day:
i) If you’re using comments/tweets to get a blogger’s attention, make sure you have an interesting and unique sign-in name. And make your comments funny and sweet. Just be thoughtful.
ii) Try to network offline. Go to blogger parties or conventions. Be friendly and pass out your business card!
iii) Speaking for myself, I would skip the urge to send an email to your favorite blogger just introducing yourself and your blog. Try to only email if you have something specific to share (like a post idea) or a question to ask. Use the blogger’s actual name, spelled correctly, and make the email as personal as possible. Don’t say:
“To whom it may concern,
Please post about my crocheted baby diaper covers available for sale in my etsy shop. I read your blog from start to finish so you owe me one. I can offer a give away for free shipping to one lucky shopper?
Let me know by noon. Thanks.”
Flattery (as long as it is sincere) gets you everywhere. I asked Joanna for a quote on this subject and she said the exact same thing! We also agreed that submissions should be more subtle. Don’t ask a blogger outright to post something.
Do say:
“Dear Jenny,
I love your blog. I open up LGN first thing in the morning every day. And I cried when I read the post about Evie’s birth! What a touching story.
I just wanted to share a project with you that I recently finished. I thought it would be right up your alley since I know how much you love ikat. Here’s a link to my Flickr stream.
Thanks for all the inspiration!
Love,
Kate.”
Nice, right? That would probably be my favorite email of the day! Remember that you catch more flies with honey…
d) Consider guest posting on a complimentary blog (like, maybe I would post a flower arranging tutorial on a wedding blog). You’re capturing like-minded readers.
e) Keep the new readers on your site for a long first stay. Try to link back to old posts often. Put up your most successful posts in your side bar. Add a Link Within widget to the bottom of your posts. Expose the new readers to as much of your blog that first visit as possible so they can get a real vibe for your voice and your style.
f) Other things to consider: Don’t get too personal, but also don’t be too private. Readers want to know about your life within the context of your blog, no more, no less. Also, post as consistently as possible. I try my best to post Monday through Friday, with posts going live at 5:30 am EST. Also, try hard to avoid spelling and grammatical errors. None of us are perfect, but a little effort goes a long way here.
3. Part 2: Make those readers want to come back!
a) Understand your readers:
i) Who are your readers? What kind of content do they especially love? Or hate? When do they read your blog (morning? night? at the office?)? How did they find your blog? How many posts do they want to read per day?
Do a survey to answer these questions! Thousands of you filled out my survey and it was SO helpful and informative! If you’re just wanting basics though, you can find out the demographics of your readership on Alexa. My readers, not surprisingly, are mostly women, between the ages of 28 and 34, with children and with college educations.
b) Read other design blogs with your aesthetic to make sure you’re not overlapping on post ideas. There are so so many design blogs these days, I’m finding it’s easy to post about the same things, even if you’re trying to be original.
c) My husband and I talk about the idea of Blogger Capital a lot. If you think about your blog posting schedule as a bank account, and your posts as deposits and withdrawals, try your hardest to keep a positive balance on the account. For example, a post with 100% original content would be a major deposit. A post about a new sponsor could be a pretty big withdrawal if it wasn’t presented right, with no new take away information for your readers.
4. Finally, remember that blogging can sometimes get a little old. Life gets in the way. Or you’re simply feeling uninspired. Things that help me more forward:
a) My mantra is ‘I can’t do it all, but I can do a lot.’ I know I say this all of the time, but it makes me feel better every time I get overwhelmed with commitments (which, sadly, is a lot of the time. Don’t judge.). And actually, I’m most productive on the days I remind myself of my motto!
b) Focus back on those goals we already talked about. Want to know one of my big goals? I would love to write a big ol’ FAT book about decorating a house, from start to finish, top to bottom. Scrapbook style.
c) Celebrate what you’ve built! Remember when your blog readership consisted of you, your husband and your mom and dad? I sure do. It’s amazing how technology is providing a way for us to communicate with so many people every single day.
d) Remember what inspired you originally. I love interiors!! I always will. I still get all giddy when I flip through a new Elle Decor or when I walk in to a thrift store I haven’t visited in a while. Get back to basics and post about that common passion you share with your readers.
So much great advice! thanks so much Jenny!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! So helpful as always. I will be at Alt Summit next year, no matter what!
Jenny- thanks SO much for sharing all that great gossip from ALT, and your wise pointers. I guess I didn't think I could "hang" at that conference as a wedding designer who blogs, but I need to go next time! Putting those fears aside. Have a great one-
Jenny! This information was so helpful. Thank you for posting! I'm penciling the Alt Summit in for next year. Oh, and I did cry when I read the post about Evie's birth ;).
Such a great post! Thanks for all the great information.
Londen
great advice to all us fellow bloggers out there getting started. still not sure what my "end goal" is outside of a creative outlet…
http://www.thislinworthfarmhouse.blogspot.com
Wonderful post with so many great tips, thank you for sharing! I have been thinking a lot lately about my little blog as it relates to my new-found love of writing, a tiny bit of extra time on my hands, and figuring what I might want to do with the next Chapter in my life… So this gives me a lot to think about, thanks!
Hi Jenny! Thanks for all the great info- I've definitely been thinking a lot about this lately.
I don't know if I've said so lately, but I am so inspired by your blog and so grateful to you for finding the time to write it! LGN truly is the first blog I read every day and the one I most look forward to and I really feel like my style has evolved through my LGN-ducation!
I loved your video and I would love to hear more about how you manage to accomplish so much with 3 little ones. I believe your eldest is in school, but are your two younger daughters still with you full time? While you work with clients and everything? My oldest is in preschool 3 afternoons per week, so I get a little time with just one child in tow, but that's generally when I get grocery shopping and errands done, and soon I'll have a new baby in the mix. I've gotten used to having "helpers" with pretty much whatever project I'm working on, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but you seem to accomplish sooo much. Any tips?
Thanks for the info! Speaking of growing your blog, I have tagged you for the Stylish Blog Award :). I've followed you for a while and adore your blog! To accept and see how you can pass this along, follow the link on my name to my site. Happy Wednesday!
Jenny,
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I'm trying to grow my blog, and your ideas are priceless! Thanks so much!
What a great post, beautiful, talented jenny!! ;) thanks for all the free advice. I haven't figured out a goal for my blog yet…other than it serves as a much needed creative outlet!
Jenny, I've been blogging for a couple of years and don't have a lot of grand goals for my blog, except to grow my readership. But LGN has long been — and remains — one of my very favorites to visit every day, and I think your tips in today's post are really valuable. Even if you're not interested in monetizing, I still think it's fascinating to learn about. Thanks for all the smiles you give me every year! And Evie's birth story really DID make me cry, way back when. :)
Thank you SO SO much for this information! It really gives me some insight on where my blog is and where I want it to go. Your blog was one of my first reads about a year ago and it continues to be one of my daily reads today! :)
This is the perfect post for me today. I have been blogging for almost four months now and it has been quite a journey already. My ultimate goals are to make money with this blog…writing this blog has brought me more joy than I ever thought possible. My parents always told me do something you love and find a way to make money doing it. I found something I really love…now I am just struggling to figure out a way to make money doing it. Thanks for some great advice.
Thank you for this. It was so helpful and encouraging to read as a relatively new blogger.
Thanks so much for posting about this – would love to attend ALT but it just wasn't in the budget this year (hopefully next year, fingers crossed!)
I have struggled before with finding a balance of posting original personal projects but also sharing inspiration from around the web. I like your suggestion of about once per week. Thanks for sharing your other insights as well. I've been thinking of eliminating my blogroll mainly because I feel like I'm disappointing people who have asked to be on it, but I want it to accurately reflect who I'm reading. Decisions, decisions. :)
very interesting- glad it was a success! Love checking up on your blog!
i am LOVING all these wrap ups of alt summit AND finding new blogs to read too like yours :)
xo.
http://dropsofjupiterBLOG.com
AWESOME post!
Awesome post!
Jenny–thank you for sharing this. I've been a "secret" (silent) reader of blogs like yours for over a year now, and just about a week ago decided to take the plunge and start writing my own. I'm very familiar with the readership of immediate-family-only… what I'm curious about is how you got from that to where you are now! I feel like your wonderful advice is geared towards those who are leapyears beyond me in terms of blog readership, and i would love to hear about how you first started attracting readership from those you don't actually live with!!
Charlotte – I actually recommend the exact tactics for new blogs too. It's just like the idea that the best way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise. There is no secret other than hard work.
The key to a successful blog is original content, consistent posting and press, which will come if your posts are good. Simple (and as difficult!) as that!
Thank you so much for this really thoughtful, inspiring post. You addressed so many very realistic questions and issues…I feel so much more prepared to start my blog soon. Thanks again!
Wow Jenny thank you for responding! I can't think of better motiviation to keep this little project up and put some real work into it than personalized advice from a blog "celebrity" like yourself (and that's not flattery for flattery's sake, your blog is truly one of the most inspiring of the many I read every day!)
What a great experience! Congrats! Your tips on making a blog grow are spot on.
Keep up the great work!!!
xo,
cristin
what a great post. thank you for the encouragement and suggestions, lgn!
Wow! Thank-you so much for this post. As a new blogger, I have faced nearly every concern you posted about. I really appreciate your advice and tips!
Definitely going next year! Although I may need to take you up on that offer to e-mail the husband. He may need more convincing. ;)
Thank you for the wonderful information about blogging, I will definitely take everything into account and implement it as well, just added the LinkWithin to the blog and will work on goal-setting.
Hi Jenny,
I am curious to know how much time (ie hours per day) you dedicate to your blog. I am interested in blogging, but I have no idea of the time commitment.
Thanks
PS I love your Chiang Mai fabric!
I love this post! Thank you so much for your insight. Wish I could have been there- seems so interesting!
I think my blogging goal is going to be to come to ALT next year! From everything I've heard it sounds like it was amazing. Thanks for all hte great advice, I learned so much just reading this post. You're faboulous- i love all your ideas and I'm so glad you share! THanks!
xo
lindsey leon
http://www.lindseyandorlando.blogspot.com
Katy – Start planting those seeds with your husband now! :) T-minus 360 days!
AAAmy – It varies on how much time I spend on the blog alone (just the writing and maintaining). It is most DEFINITELY at least a part time job though – on a slow week. Some DIY posts, or posts about a client project take three to six hours to write, edit and post, let alone the time to actually do the project and photograph it.
The most time-consuming part though is responding to the emails. I send out close to 200 emails a day, and I'm still (literally) months behind on my inbox. It is time to get another intern.
Blogging is a lot of work, but the time table is flexible, which really works for me and my lifestyle. Let's be clear though – work is work and there's really no perfect job! ;) If you have to/want to work though, blogging is a pretty great arena to be in! Best co-workers in the world!
Great post Jenny! I would love to attend a conference like this one day. I will have to ponder over these things for my own blog.
Loved this! This was so full of insight and so well written. Thanks for the inspiration to give a little boost my blog!
Thank you for taking the time to type this all out! I've added attending a major blogging conference to my list of 101 things I'd like to do in the next 1,001 days and Alt would be at the top of that list! You and your blog are of constant inspiration. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! xo
I needed to read this today– Its always a struggle to produce and produce and produce blog posts, and this was encouraging to hear how a pro does it.
A question about your personal life in the blog– is there a rough percentage or pattern that you use when mixing your life with your posts? For example: is there a ratio of "for every 7 posts about decor, I can post once about my life?" I know it sounds terribly regimented, and I'm sure its more flexible than that, but I'd love to hear some basic guidelines!
Mackenzie – have you thought about Blog Fest? I think they might be sold out but I was going to try and email them about getting some extra tickets for us NYC bloggers. It's this summer. May, I think?
Jeannie, That's a good question about personal to professional posting ratios. I would say it's probably 1/10 posts, so like every other week? I think the trick is to keep it light and keep it on topic.
xx
Hi Jenny..such great info. Thanks for taking the time to share your insight. I am in the process of having a blog designd so the timing of this couldn't be better. Can't wait to join in the party! Thanks, Lauren
this is a GREAT little guide on growing blogs — thank you so much, it is so helpful for newbie bloggers like myself. you are an inspiration!
xo,
joAnn
Hmmmm….how awesome is it that you shared all that?! Thank you! I just started a blog and this really helps me out.
And I love your motto! It is officially on a post-it on my board.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing your insight with us! I've really enjoyed reading about the learnings/panels that my favorite bloggers experienced this past weekend!
great blog post – great info! Helps us newbie bloggers out a lot! :)
Love all your designs
Thank you so much for sharing this great information. I actually just started a blog this week, so stumbling upon your blog was immensly helpful! You've gained a new loyal reader here!
Fantastic information. Thank you for sharing. I think that's what I most enjoy about the blogging community – it's all about sharing ideas.
"or I'll send your husband an email to push him over the edge, too"
I don't know if this will make sense to you, or other commenters, but you have just lost me as a reader because of this phrase. Why assume that all of your readers–even all those who blog (I don't, yet, but I plan to start)–are married, female, or married, female AND heterosexual?
Hi Rina,
I was just trying to be funny, but I can see how someone might feel left out here or maybe feel like that was insensitive of me.
The fact is that I am a married, heterosexual woman. The vast majority of the attendees at Alt were married women. The vast majority of my readers are married women (I actually talked about this in the 'know your readers' section).
Also, this idea (albeit silly) came up over and over again at Alt. Lots of us jokingly talked about convincing our spouses that dishing out sometimes more than $1000 was indeed a good idea, for what might appear like an extended Girls Night Out.
I would hope any of my readers who don't have husbands would give me a little bit of leeway here and understand that it was meant all in good fun. It really was.
Thanks for your comment, and please feel free to email me directly if you have further concerns.
xx
jenny
Wonderful post! This is full of content and powerful information for newly bloggers! Very well said.
What a great post. I am a blog reader with no interest in being a blog writer, but it was SOOOO interesting to read about how you make your blog so interesting to me.
Thank you for all of your efforts.
wow, great pointers! thanks for sharing so many great tips and ideas. wish I could have been there to soak it all in in person :)
Jenny – I so appreciate you putting this on here for those of us who couldn't attend Alt. Its great too to see your responses to some of the questions.
Do you feel the need to censor yourself on your blog? By that I mean do you purposely not blog about certain things because the topic may not be popular and you know your readers would much rather read about your latest DIY project?