One year ago, I bought a domain name from Host Gator and hosting services from WordPress to start my blog – Rose Colored Wandering. It had been a dream of mine for literally years, but I was not brave enough to make it happen. I feared judgement from others about being “another blogger” and to be honest, I still struggle with these thoughts.
After talking about these dreams for years with my mom and a close friend, I took the leap and created the blog. That was in April.
I spent a while designing the website and creating articles, but I was too scared to actually make it public knowledge. Finally, after too long of letting opinions control me, I launched the blog in June.
Fun Fact: This is also the month I got married 🙂
So, today I am sharing some of the thoughts I have had in the first year, some of the things I have learned in my first year of blogging, a status update on the blog, my goals for year 2 of blogging, how to create a blog, and how you can help your blogger friends. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Things I have learned my first year of blogging and you should know before starting one:
If you have ever thought about creating a blog, read these lessons I have learned in the past year. They will save you time, stress, and give you encouragement.
It takes a lot of work and time.
I will be the first to admit that I do not put as much time into my blog as I need to, because it truly takes so much more time than you even realize. I don’t just write an article and throw it out there for the world in 30 minutes.
You research your topic beforehand, visit whatever you are writing about, get pictures of what you are writing about, upload your pictures to your computer and WordPress, spend at least an hour writing an article, upload it to WordPress, edit the lay out for an hour, create images for Pinterest, upload pin images to your article, spellcheck, add in links from other websites and your relevant articles, and then finally hit publish.
Below are examples of images I create for each article I write. I create at least 1-3 for each post so that you can save them to Pinterest or share them on Facebook!
THEN add your article to every social media network that ever existed to try to get people to find and read it. And that’s just for one post. You repeat this every week (or more), along with everything else that goes along with blogging.
It is not for everyone, but if you are passionate about it, you can do it.
Consistency is key.
Consistency is key in everything with your blog. Make sure to be consistent in your image styles, font, colors, writing style, and article format. Be consistent with how often and when you post an article or send an email. Make it realistic for you.
During the summer, because I am a teacher, I had some extra time and traveled a lot that summer, so I was able to publish two articles a week. Once I started my new job in Florida, I was not able to sustain this without going crazy.
Now, you can expect one article a week (ususally published on Tuesdays). If you join my email list, I do monthly newsletters with a round-up of articles, giveaways, deals, and extra tips and tricks not included in articles.
Want in? Join the list below!
You have to have support.
When starting your blog, you have to have support and people on board behind you. Not just in a “you go girl, that’s great for you” type of way, but in a share every post, encourages you, brainstorms ideas with you, and actually reads your articles type of way.
It has been hard for me to find this; I won’t lie to you. Even getting your friends and family to read your blog can be difficult.
I have a few friends and my mom (the real MVP) who I can go to who truly care and it is so refreshing and encouraging to talk to them. Find your people, because it will make a world of a difference.
Social Media and Pinterest is your BFF.
This one is SO hard for me. It is one of those things that I know I need to do, but have a hard time executing. You can write articles all you want, but if you aren’t telling people about them, no one will find them and read it.
Social Media is the key for advertising your articles. This is hard for me, because I am not a huge poster on social media and do not love to be that person, but it is true.
My goal is to start posting on social media more and see what happens to my traffic. I will let you know! If you want to follow along, check out my accounts below.
Use Tailwind for Pinterest (paid or for free)
If you have read anything about marketing on Pinterest, you have probably heard of Tailwind. This is a website that helps you automate your Pins on Pinterest – and it really works!
I tried the 30-day free trial and it increased by website traffic by over 1/3 and my pinterest traffic by 3 times.
Once I finished my free trial though, I was not ready to start paying for the service, but you can still use it (with limited capabilities).
Here is how to use Tailwind for free: You can still add pins to your queue, but they will not automatically pin. Go to the website and click pin now next to each one. Although this seems like a lot of work, it still saves time. You can also join up to 5 tribes and you can add up to 30 pins a month and repin others pins.
If you are considering it, use the following link to try it out the 30 day trial and see how it does for you. Once the 30 days are up, you can still continue to use it for free like I do or pay for the full version!
https://www.tailwindapp.com/i/lltMcDaniel
How to code HTML to create different giveaways in one email list.
It took me an ENTIRE DAY, but I finally figured out how to do this with MailChimp and I am so proud of myself.
Now, you can subscribe to my email list, but the freebie you receive can be customized to your desires and you will still be on the same email list for monthly newsletters.
For example, if you check out my Savannah Georgia Packing List article, readers are able to download a Savannah, GA specific packing list. Whereas if you are reading about my Disney College Program Experience, you can download a detailed FAQ sheet.
I did so much research and everything I found did it a different way and did not work. I finally found a YouTube video that worked. If you want to do this to create multiple opt-in’s use the video below!
People who make money and get big after one month or year are the exception, not the rule.
As you research blogging or if you have ever heard about a blogger, you will come across these people claiming to have started their blog one month ago and are already making $1,000/month (or something that is a variation of this).
Now, I am not saying they are lying, but I AM saying that this probably will not happen to you. I do not know what voodoo they are using, because I have researched their methods and used them, but I have still yet to see any money from my blog.
It takes an extended period of time and a lot of effort before you get to this point.
Go ahead and accept it now. You will be much happier and more likely to be able to keep going. They say it takes 3 years for a business to become profitable.
Never give up on your dreams.
Owning a travel blog that readers find useful, writing about my travel experiences, and being able to make it a part-time job is my ultimate dream. You may think this sounds crazy, but there are people who are out there doing it, so it is possible.
If you have a dream like this, or if it is completely different, do not give up on your dream. There will be times you get disappointed and feel like you will not reach it, but do not give up.
You might even have to modify your dream or create some smaller, more realistic goals, but the people who make big dreams and do not give up are the people who succeed.
Thoughts I have had my during one year of blogging: A peak into my brain
Are you curious about what has kept me going or what I think of blogging? Read some of my thoughts about my blog that often go through my head.
Wow, someone read my article!
I still find myself amazed when people read my articles. Especially when it is someone I know and they tell me afterwards.
I write articles that I want my readers to find use out of and truly hope that they help you as you plan trips and adventures. Furthermore, I write articles full of information that I had previously researched and could not find.
For example, before my family cruise, we were trying to find information about the excursions in each destination to decide on which one we wanted to go on, but could not find anything. Therefore, you will find these articles on my website, like the one below.
Recommended: Horseback Ride and Swim – A Carnival Cruise Excursion
Why is it not growing?
I find myself getting very disappointed at times about how my blog is not growing. You find these articles online of bloggers who started their blog and it blew up in one month and I honestly don’t know how.
After blogging a year, I have seen some growth, but am nowhere near where I want to be. Also, with traveling pretty much stopping for over a month (so far), no one is wanting to read about or plan their next adventure, and I can’t blame them.
If you want to help me and show support, share blog posts with friends you think would find it useful or interesting, let me know when you read and enjoyed an article, and join my email list to help support my business!
But everyone is going to judge me.
Like I mentioned above, I let fear of judgement stop me from chasing this dream for a long time and I still find that it can be an issue for me.
Before I started my blog, I would hear people talk negatively about someone who started a blog or Instagram influencer account and would fear that people would say the same things about me. Although valuing someone’s opinion is useful, you cannot let it control you or hold you back from your dreams.
My dream is to monetize this blog. Wow, it’s still scary to say that out loud.
I realize people will judge me for that, but in the end, this is a passion God has put on my heart.
Is it even worth it?
As you can tell, I have a lot of negative thoughts sometimes. Blogging takes a lot of time, money, and effort. I do not get paid for it, I produce all of this content out of a passion to help others and a love for writing.
If your only desire to start a blog is to make money, don’t take the time.
If you are passionate about writing and running a website without pay, then go for it. That is why I am still here. If I was not blogging online, I would be journaling about my adventures anyway, so this way I can share my experiences and hopefully help others.
I know literally nothing.
When I first started blogging, I was very overwhelmed with all I had to learn. Then, I got used to it a little bit and said okay, I can do this, until I decided I needed to up my game.
I started researching more, and the more I do, the more I realize I know so little. I am a big believer that you should never stop learning, so I love this aspect, but it is also very overwhelming.
Anything new is a learning curve, but when I look at popular travel blogs, I always leave with my mouth hanging wide open thinking “how do they do it?”
I wish there was a quick way to the top or a shortcut.
Blogging takes a lot of time day to day, but also a lot of time before you really start to get noticed at all. I found myself thinking often “I wish there was a shortcut.”
But then again, the things we do not earn, we do not appreciate as much. Maybe one day I will appreciate the slow growth, but for now I’ll just keep rolling my eyes at every headline that says “quick” and talks about blogging.
The Blonde Abroad is goals.
If you do not know Kiki from The Blonde Abroad, you need to go check out her website, because it is amazing. I often go to her website just for inspiration and to tell myself that it is possible.
Her situation is very different than mine. She has traveled solo for years, but she is amazing. Her photography skills are on point, her articles are always helpful, and her website is beautiful. Goals.
Recommended: My Favorite Travel Bloggers April 2020
One Year of Blogging Status Update:
Honestly, it is so hard to share this information, because the numbers are so small. But, for other bloggers out there who are wanting to know the actual numbers behind a realistic blog, here they are!
Below you will find a summary of (some of) the various things that are important in the blogging world. These numbers are pretty small, but my hope is that they will grow and that is why I document them.
If you are wanting to start a blog, or if you already have one, then I suggest tracking these statistics each month. It will be helpful to track trends and see how you have grown.
Keep reading to see where I want to be in another year.
Posts: 43 total
Visitors: 2,578 total
Views: 4,388 total
Email List Subscribers: 11 total
Income: If you could even call it that, I haven’t seen any money from this yet. The only way I would currently earn money from my blog is through affiliate links on some of my posts.
These are links that show I referred you to this product. It does not cost anything extra to you, but as a thank you for suggesting the product, I get a very small percentage of the profit. I use only use Amazon Affiliates because it is the only website I use to shop online, and I do not want to recommend anything I would not use.
You get paid every $10 (depending on the plan you pick). Currently, my total is $6.14.
Pinterest: 331 followers
Instagram: 785 followers
Facebook Group: 126 followers
Twitter: 40 followers
If you want to follow along on my social media accounts, click the link below!
Year 2 Goals After One Year Blogging:
I am a big believer in having goals, and having goals that are realistic. You want them to be challenging, but not unattainable. You see written above where I am now, and I hope in a year to be reaching the numbers you will see below. Check back in a year to see how I did!
Traffic and Growth. These are my key words for year 2.
In year 1, I did a lot of learning and research. I was learning how to run a blog, what it takes, how to do it all, and what works for me. As a result, I did not see a lot of growth in this year. Although I am not completely unhappy with where I am, it is time to step it up this year.
I have a lot of fun and exciting things planned for this coming year, so stay tuned!
Focus: Traffic and Growth
Posts: 100 total
This means one article a week, which is my current realistic expectation for myself, along with a few extra that you can expect during the summer months when I have more time, plus the 42 already written.
Visitors: 7,734 total (This means tripling the visitors from last year.)
Views: 13,164 total (This means tripling the views from last year.)
Email List Subscribers: 40 total (I have an exciting giveaway coming up, that I will be announcing soon!! To subscribe now, CLICK HERE)
Income: $200 (This is pretty high and I am not sure if it is attainable, but I really would like for this blog to be able to pay for itself in three years. This is about two-thirds of how much I have spent so far, so I am keeping my hopes high.)
Pinterest: 600 followers
Instagram: 1,500 followers
Facebook Group: 200 followers
Twitter: 200 followers
As I shared above, I really am not a social media person. But, you can expect more content from me on these platforms in the coming year. Make sure to find me and follow along!
How to Start a Blog:
When I first started researching how to start a blog it was very overwhelming. Thankfully, you can find detailed instructions on how to start a blog online to help you along the way.
Now, I do not claim to be a professional, but I do have some advice on starting a blog.
- Decide whether you want to pay for a website or have a free one
- When making this decision, think about your goal for the blog.
- After my research, I decided to pay for one. That way you own the website and all of the information on it. It cannot disappear. I also knew that I would take it more seriously if I owned it and treated it like a business.
- Decide what hosting platform you want to use.
- There are several popular website hosting platforms and it really just comes down to what is best for you. I went with WordPress, because in all of my research everything seemed to say it was the best, especially if you are wanting to monetize your blog. You can always switch, but this can be difficult and expensive.
- Decide on a domain and buy it.
- A domain is the actual URL of your blog. You can buy a domain through many websites, but I use Host Gator and have had a great experience. I know a lot of people use Blue Host too. This is one of the most important decisions, so make sure you love the name.
- Connect your domain and hosting platform.
- Pick a theme.
- Start blogging – I suggest publishing several articles before officially launching. This way, people have something to read when they first come to check out your blog.
Of course, this is not all inclusive, so do much more research before making that leap, but go for it!
How to Help Your Blogger Friends:
First off, I would like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout this year.
Every time you follow one of my social media channels, like a picture on social media, comment on a picture on social media or on an article, share an article with a friend, make a purchase through one of my links, join my email list, tell someone about this blog, or give me feedback, I TRULY appreciate it and it MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
Your likes, comments, shares, and participation puts me closer to my goals for this blog, as little as it seems to you. If you are wondering how you can help me or other bloggers, start doing these things (which take half a second) and it will mean the world to us.
So again, thank you.
If you are thinking about starting a blog, I hope this helps you as you plan and chase after your dreams too. Do you know someone who has thought about starting a blog? Send this article to them!
Lots of Love, Laurel McDaniel
The products above are affiliate links that earn income through purchases but don’t charge you an added fee.
Loved this article! So happy to see you progress!
I stopped blogging for a while but I am going back again.. thanks for the tips. I love your articles.. good job. I will keep following you for inspiration and updates. You go girl
Author
Thank you! I am so glad you liked it 🙂
Author
Thank you, I could not do it without your inspiration and support!
I’m approaching my 2 year blog anniversary and my numbers are small too. You aren’t alone! Recently I’ve gotten more consistent with Pinterest and that’s sparking some growth. Thank you for being so transparent and thoughtful!
Author
Thank you! It is so nice to know you are not alone. I have heard a lot of great things about using Tailwind for Pinterest, but have been hesitant to spend the money on it. Most of my traffic comes from Pinterest though.
I’ve been using Tailwind. The free trial only lets you do 100 scheduled pins, but you can still “schedule” and pin manually after that. You just have to remember to go in and click the buttons. It’s helpful for keeping me organized!
I love how you broke this down so thoroughly! You learned so much in your journey!
Author
Thank you! I was inspired by an article like this last year, so my hope is that it will help other aspiring bloggers 🙂
Thanks for sharing, I understand how you feel and it is tough starting a blog. I can totally relate to your post. Keep up the good work 🙂
Author
Thank you for the encouragement! It has definitely been tougher than I had expected, but all good things
Congrats on your first year of blogging! Honestly, it’s just one of those things that takes a lot of patience and determination. And even then, you aren’t guaranteed success. I feel the same way you do about many of the things you mentioned and we’ve been running a blog for a few years now. It’s definitely tough to get even friends and family to read (don’t get me started!), aside from our parents. Just keep sticking with it and have an eye on your goals. We may never end up like the big blogs that are already well established, but there is always room out there for good content!
Author
Thank you for the encouragement! I have loved finding people who feel the same and are going through the same experience with blogging!
This is the most honest blogging post I’ve ever seen…and I’m so grateful I came across it! I have some of the same struggles (or rather, slow start/traffic) and it’s so encouraging to hear that others are pushing along at a similar growth and I’m not alone. I’ve come across so many other blogs saying their high numbers within a few months, just like you mentioned. I think you’re right though, that is the exception, not the rule.
Author
Thank you! I SO appreciate your comments. Keep going at it!