MY HAPPY DANCE
I'm doing a happy dance at the moment because I have 250,000! No, that's not how much I won on Saturday Night Lotto or last week's Power Ball - That will never happen because I don't even buy those kind of tickets anymore - because I never win!This is a different happy dance and a different win - I'm doing my version of the Macarena right now because I just reached 250,000 views of my blog!! Yes, I know for many bloggers it would be just a blip on their radar that they reached years ago - or they reach this number every month, but for me it's a really exciting milestone.
2 YEARS AGO...
Sometimes I wonder how I even got here - two years ago I hadn't given blogging a second thought - or a first one either for that matter! I didn't know that blogging was a "thing" that people did (let alone the fact that there are MILLIONS of people doing it every day!) For me it was a spur of the moment thought that became an action and before I knew it I had leapt into the wild and weird world of blogging.LEARNING THE RULES
When I started I had never heard of HTML, or SEO, or key words, or Google Analytics, or StumbleUpon, or Flipboard, or Link Parties, or Facebook groups, and even Pinterest was only something I had recently begun to get my head around - and certainly not rich pins or Pinterest Analytics! Then there was Blogger vs Wordpress vs Self Hosting vs Square Space vs Weeblie or goodness knows what else!Then there were sponsored posts, and guest posts, and links, and advertising, and writing for your reader and not for yourself, and minimum numbers of words per post, and what time you post, and social media promotion, and the list just kept growing like Topsy! Who'd have thought all this stuff existed???
Then there was 'finding your tribe', 'finding your niche', finding sponsors, finding Nemo (no that wasn't really suggested) but the others were all strongly suggested. I was supposed to sit and make lists of things that defined me and my blog and then get serious about the whole thing. It just didn't work for me, but somehow - by natural osmosis - I seem to have found my tribe and my niche - Nemo never turned up - and I haven't really worked at finding sponsored posts (probably because I'm too busy writing about my cats!)
THEN BREAKING THEM ALL
I think why reaching a quarter of a million views really 'rings my bells', so to speak - (is that an Australian term? Along with 'floats my boat') is that I have done almost none of the recommendations and suggestions that I listed above. I tried a few and for the most part, I hated all the rah-rah promotion and the time consuming nature of trying to be everywhere at once. I struggle to be enthused by writing posts on washing detergent, or incontinence pads, or hand wipes, or whatever are being given out for free by sponsors, so I've never bothered responding to the emails that offer things I'm not interested in.I still work three days a week, so I don't have time to be at every link party, and on 30 facebook groups, or posting on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, G+ etc sixteen times a day - and I refuse to use a scheduling tool (another thing I never knew existed two years ago) because it all becomes too business-like for me. I need time where my head is elsewhere - where I'm in the sunshine, or looking at pictures of my grandbaby, or talking to my husband, or phoning my daughter - not worrying about blogging stats.
As far as "writing for my reader" goes, I'm afraid what I tend to do instead is write about things I love, about things that touch my heart, or make me smile, or lift my spirits. I write about how great this time of life is and how I've arrived at that conclusion. I write because I love to - and that isn't necessarily the way to get "readers" but by some weird and wild turn of events, I seem to have found other people who come to visit and read my stuff - not all of it I'm sure, but bits they like and can relate to - and that's one of the reasons why I blog.
A HUGE THANK YOU!
So, if you are reading this and you are one of the 250,000 views I've had - then I want to say THANK YOU!! I want to say how much I love that I seem to have organically found my "tribe" and my "niche" and I love the comments, and the interaction, and reading other blogs, and commenting on them, and the facebook connections, and the huge boost this has given to my well-being and my self esteem.Who'd have thought back in 2014 that this could happen? Certainly not me! But I am SO glad it has. I wonder if I'll ever get to half a million views, or if I'll quietly fade off into the ether and nobody will notice? Either way, it's been a blast so far and that's why I'm doing a happy dance today! xxx
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Wow congratulations Leanne, that is a huge milestone. What a great way to end the year.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much - I felt very chuffed when I saw the views - I remember being excited when I had 100 views!
DeleteCongratulations! This is super awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Bren - it is a bit like winning Lotto isn't it?
DeleteCongratulations Leanne and you certainly deserve this great milestone! I'm so glad I met you through blogging and that our friendship continues. I love that you haven't followed the 'rules' and proven that if you write, they will come. Sending hugs and kisses.
ReplyDeleteSue, it's your friendship and encouragement that has helped me stick to it and find my voice. I love that we've been each other's blogging buddies through this awesome ride xx
DeleteCongrats, Leanne, that is such terrific news and quite a milestone! You blog from your heart and share tons of interesting and relevant posts! Who cares what others do or what the success formula is! The question is do you love it, and it is obvious you do! Merry Christmas to you and enjoy your holidays! From your blogger friend in California, Terri Webster Schrandt
ReplyDeleteHi Terri - thanks so much for being one of my "tribe" that I didn't know I'd acquired - I just got really lucky! I love the connections and reading blogs like yours and sharing the fun along the way. Happy Christmas!
DeleteThat's awesome, congratulations!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much - I just a "little" bit excited :)
DeleteI am so Happy for you that is so awesome! I love reading your posts,its no wonder you have so many readers. I was just like you when I started Blogging, in fact I didn't even know what a Blog was. Thanks to my Daughter saying she was going to write one did I begin to see what it was about. I always learn something when I visit you. It is nice to see there are other Midlifer's out there still learning all that a Blog can be. Congratulations 🏆
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely things you've said Donna - thank you so much and I love that we've connected - that's the biggest joy I've found in blogging - the lovely people out there who are all making the same discoveries and loving this blogging bug that we've all caught!
DeleteThat's awesome! And I can see why your blog got 250,000 views. I've got a long ways to go. Thanks for the tip on Canva! It eased my mind. You definitely have a gift of inspirational writing, Leanne, and I'm so glad you're a part of my tribe and niche. Your voice is needed today! Mary Lou <3
ReplyDeletehttps://meinthemiddlewrites.com/
Hi Mary Lou - it's been great having you as part of my tribe and I'm glad that Canva has made you as happy as it's made me. To know you're not stealing other people's stuff is a really great feeling isn't it?
DeleteSo so so happy for you.
ReplyDeleteYouve worked really hard. And it shows.
Thanks Carla - one day I'll be a grown up blogger like you but in the meantime, this made me happy :)
DeleteCongratulations! I am delighted to be part of your tribe and always look forward to reading your posts because they resonate with me. Wishing you continued success!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your friendship and all the shared post reading Haralee - it's lovely when you meet other people who have a similar world view and you can meet across oceans!
DeleteCongratulations Leanne! What a terrific accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rena - with all your entrapreneurial stuff going these days you've probably way past my views, but it's been lovely following you from the early days x
DeleteYou're very welcome. Always nice to see you here, my friend. Always.
ReplyDeleteCarol
Thanks so much Carol - and for stimulating my brain with your interesting posts too!
DeleteWhat can I say but WOW! In only two years! I think that must be some sort of record. And people come here because of your writing from your heart!
ReplyDeleteOh Diane what a lovely thing to say - I don't think it's anywhere near special - except to me because I never thought a single person would read what I write - and instead I have all you amazing women in my life xxx
DeleteCongratulations Leanne! I too never would have imagined how blogging would change so many things for me.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your posts in 2017.
Me either Doreen - it's a well kept secret isn't it? Who knows what would happen if everyone caught on?! We'd break the internet :)
DeleteCongrats! Blogging can be very rewarding.
ReplyDeleteThanks Judi - it is certainly one of the most rewarding things I've ever undertaken in my fairly long life :)
DeleteCongratulations! So glad I found you this year x
ReplyDeleteMe too Janet - finding a group of Aussie midlife bloggers has been such a blessing :)
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