My kids are my best, and worst, critics. They praise me when my posts are good, and correct me when they see flaws. Or when they think I’m “over sharing”. Or when my head is getting too big. Ate particularly is my grammar nazi haha. My Lovey? She’s my number 1 fan & asks me everyday if I posted something new. She can find no fault with mommy. My babyson doesn’t even read my blog, I’m thinking. Wala talaga siyang comment! 😛 When I skip a day, the girls bombard me with questions as to why I didn’t blog. As if we’re not together most of the time & they want news! ;))
How often should a blogger post?
A blogger should post as often as she/he wants to. It also depends on what goals you have for your blog. If you want to blog professionally and have engaged readers, you have to post more than once a week. On the flip side, posting nonsense eight times a day isn’t going to grow your readership, either. Posting 5-7 times a week seems to be pretty standard for an individual blogger.
Before, when I was new at blogging, I would post real-time. Sometimes 2-3 in a day then I’d go without posting for several days. Depends on whether I have anything interesting to share or not. But I found out that it’s better to schedule my posts so I have something to share with you every day, or every other day at least. So that’s what I do now.
How to grow your blog?
The very most important thing to grow your blog is to remember that content is why people come to your site. If you have interesting stuff to write about, people will come back. If you don’t then they won’t. It’s all about content. You can pull every trick in the book to get your blog to grow, however if you don’t consistently deliver your personal best, your readers either won’t stay or won’t follow to begin with. Offering unique content, captivating photos, good writing (and grammar!) and frequent posts are all part of that magical recipe. Above all be yourself. Talk to your readers the way you talk in real life. And make sure that what you are sharing is worth their time reading.
Another thing that has helped my blog grow has been through search engines. By making sure your pictures and posts are tagged with key words you’ll be able to drive more traffic from people searching for your topics.
What do I post about? Mostly food really, and my lakad with the kids or Kap. If not for them, I really don’t think I’d have anything to blog about. 😛 They keep my calendar interesting. Sometimes, when I don’t have food posts, random thoughts that enter my head. Sometimes, zero coz I run out of things to talk about. So I’ll be quiet for a while. Then the kids start making life interesting for me again & give me inputs and pasalubongs just so I can continue blogging. They are my staunchest supporters. I’m so delighted with how they support me in my little hobby. Even with photographs they are so accommodating, cooperative, & patient with me. They are always ready with a smile, a smirk, or a pose for mommy. My kids really are the best. <3
Will you ever run out of ideas to blog about?
Having a busy husband, a dog, and 3 kids with so many activities between them, it’s somewhat easy for me to come up with ideas to blog about, for me it’s having the time and money (especially for food posts) to be able to do them. New things trigger inspiration everyday so I think the question should be not will you run out of ideas but will you stay in tune with your creativity?
BUT. If unlike me, you have no husband, pet, or kids to inspire your blog, here as some helpful tips:
– Read. I try to read blogs & magazines.
– Listen. Your readers will tell you what they are interested in, and what they want to read about.
– Get out. Going out, doing things, meeting new people are all very inspirational.
– Keep a List. I keep a note in my phone to remind me the little things, a funny caption, or anecdotes for my blog later on. If I don’t write it down, it’s likely to be forgotten.
One post takes up 30 minutes to an hour of my day. It depends on whether my internet is cooperating or not. Minsan mabilis mag-upload ng pictures. Minsan naman gusto ko nang ihagis sa pader yung wifi box kasi ang tagal mag-upload. If I have several posts -which I put on queue, then it takes me half a day or the whole day, at hindi ako makausap ng mga bagets coz I’m concentrating. I’m really not the type who can talk & compose a post at the same time, I can’t, for the life of me, multi-task. So I mostly do it when the kids are in school. Or when they are sleeping. Coz I get distracted when they’re home & with a million & one questions for me. 😛
How do you keep up & balance blogging duties with your family life?
This is probably the hardest part about blogging for most. Especially if blogging is something that you love doing…I could blog all day every day. Blogging is like having a job, and I don’t think you will find a mother alive that doesn’t have guilt. It’s so important to remember that family comes first. Don’t be the mom with her head to the back of the computer. It’s important to make sure to put your family first. I blog mostly when the kids are in school, but I’m also sometimes guilty of blogging when they’re home, and that takes away my time from them. Just remember blogging can wait… your children are only young once.
Maybe you’ve noticed that I don’t have posts on sundays? That’s coz the kids occupy my time the whole saturday haha. Hindi ako makapag-blog. And I’ve also noticed in my stats that my readers mostly read during the weekdays. At work maybe? Quiet ang stats ko during the weekends. So, you’re reading me DURING office hours??? ;)) tsk tsk tsk.
And until now, I’m still using blogspot as my draft board. Hirap talaga ako mag-compose sa wordpress. And uploading pictures there is a nightmare! OC ako so I like everything to be in order. In wordpress, I have to upload one at a time or the pictures will jumble. So what I do is I write a draft in blogspot & upload pictures there. When it’s complete I copy paste into wordpress. Then edit again coz of the different platform. Hayz.
But then again, wordpress has it’s advantages over blogspot like the spam feature on the comment section. And the stats which is very helpful. So in general, I’m quite happy with WP.
And whad’ya know, I’m on my way back up again woohoo!! Thank you guys for your support. And for finding me! 😉 I thought I was gonna be on the brink of depression for quite a while haha. At least now I’m not #350 zOMG! @_@
How to cope with not comparing?
Sometimes it can be overwhelming when I read all the amazing bloggers. It’s hard not to compare your blogging style with theirs. We just have to remember that everyone has a story to tell. Everyone is in different places in their lives. Some bloggers may be doing this full time and others just as a side hobby. Most people who have been blogging for 10 years are probably going to have a lot more followers & readers than someone that has only been blogging for 1-2 years. Growth takes time and that’s okay (something I’ve learned the hard way). Celebrate when you hit another mark!
When we compare ourselves to others we are often checking their strengths against our own weaknesses – a surefire way to a drop in self-confidence and unhappiness. It’s not useful and it’s not fair.
Here are five ways to get out of the comparison game:
– What you have IS enough. Think about all of life’s blessings. When it really comes down to it you may WANT more, but do you really NEED more?
– Count your blessings daily. Enough said.
– Focus on your strengths. When you focus on what you’re really good at rather than what someone else is good at you will see greater success and reward.
– Be okay with imperfection. No one is perfect, right? Know what your imperfections are and enjoy them.
– Be aware and stop yourself. Often we start to compare without really thinking about it. When you realize what you’re doing stop and refocus.
24 Comments
I love this entry, Ms. Jane! It shows your commitment and heart for your blog. That, and your awesome family is what got me hooked. I read your posts as soon as i get home from work to de-stress and kinda get sad when you are MIA. 😀 God’s heaps of blessings be upon you.
October 5, 2013 at 8:30 amAwwww that’s so sweet thank you so much Marian!! <3 You guys are my inspiration mwah! :-*
October 5, 2013 at 9:15 amYou are completely right Mommy Jane! I do sometimes read it during office hours when I get bored. I work on research so there are down times in between experiments or tasks so I read blogs or books during that time. Hehehe. And also, reading your blog brightens up my day! The food makes me salivate and your comments always make me laugh. Most of the time though, I’m a silent follower. 😛 I’m shy so I don’t comment much but do know that I always look forward to reading your interesting and funny posts. ^_^
October 5, 2013 at 8:42 amhahaha omg lagot tayo nyan pag office hours! ;)) lol-jk! Thank you so much Steph I’m truly toiched by your kind words. And thank you for the comment I love reading your messages it really brightenss my day! Mwah!! :-*
October 5, 2013 at 9:24 amDo you know that every time I read your blog I CAN HEAR YOUR VOICE, too? Yes, that’s how real you are to me!!! One reason why I love reading it in the morning is because it’s a PERK ME UP blog! You are the funniest! You are not afraid to laugh at yourself. You are so open and honest. You are a senyora & susyal and yet you are bakya, too! Hahahaha!!! Everybody loves you because YOU. ARE. SO. REAL.
October 5, 2013 at 9:29 amawwwww meding!! Super love mo lang kasi ako hahaha!! And syempre super love din naman kita noh! <3 Thank you so much abg sweet & ang ganda naman ng sabado ko!!! :-*
October 5, 2013 at 10:58 amWe’re almost the same! I wouldn’t find anything to blog din if not for Yuri and family. Also, tahimik din ako pag weekends ‘coz those are the days I can go outside the house na #WAHMproblems. And like you, I get read din more pag weekdays! Of course, fraction lang ng hits mo ang hits ko, but now we know the habits of blog-readers. 😀
October 5, 2013 at 9:57 amhi maan. 🙂 yes we need to blog kasi outlet nating mga mommies yan haha. Sabi ko nga sa mga kids ko at least hindi lang ako defined as mommy & wife, may iba pa pala akong silbi hahaha. I always see Davao Mommy on my stats thank you so much for always visiting my blog! :-*
October 5, 2013 at 11:00 amBabad ako sa blog mo maghapon at the office, i check it first before i start working..pangpa good vibes! 🙂 Your witty posts keep me sane at work..i back read pa nga and binabalikan ko mga pa sweet moments nyo ni Kap hahah 😀 If not for your posts i’d be forever IMBEY as what my friends from work would say. Forever lang open yang site mo unless the big boss sits beside me to have chitchat then i have to X it out but sometimes nga minimize lang hahaha :))) When i get annoyed iwth some colleagues i put my leave me alone mode sign and just make tutok to your blog. Kesa naman mag attitude at mag nega ako sa mga chaka around me magbababad na lang ako sa bonggels mong stories :)) Kepp ’em comin’ favey. We love love your blogelya! 😀 feeling part of the household na nga kameng mga readers mo hahhaa 😀
October 5, 2013 at 1:48 pmHi ella! 🙂 Thank you so much for loving me & my family!! <3 I always look forward to reading your comments here & in facebook! 🙂 You're one of my oldest readers & I'm always so thankful for old friends like you mwah mwah!! Thank you for always supporting me & thinking of me as family!! :-*
October 5, 2013 at 10:54 pmI have several blogs bookmarked, but it’s your blog i read first. That’s around 7 am everyday, work starts at 8, so that doesn’t count as office hours yet. Hihi.
October 5, 2013 at 1:57 pmYay thank you so marge marge you have made me one very happy lady!! :-*
October 5, 2013 at 4:41 pmKeep blogging! Your family is very inspiring and entertaining. I love your blog so much its number one on my reading list. Thank you for keeping it real. I think you’re the sweetest, most genuine blogger.
October 5, 2013 at 4:32 pmWow my day is just great today so many wonderful compliments thank you very much Karen for your kind words & support!! <3
October 5, 2013 at 4:39 pmGuilty as charged, Mommy Jane. I do read you at work.
October 5, 2013 at 9:55 pmBut during lunchtime. Or else mamatay ako sa inggit sa food nyo. 😛
hahaha ang dami mo rin kayang food trips kassie! 😉 Hey are you better na? Bakit ang dalas mo magkasakit ngayon? AT! Ilang palit na ba yang screen name mo sa IG hahaha!! 😛
October 5, 2013 at 9:57 pmYou’re a good blogger Jane so real, walang arte, and you write fun things, and things that inspire too, you helped me when I was at my lowest, by just reading your blog it makes days a bit easier somehow thank you.
October 5, 2013 at 10:18 pmWow thank you so much Gezel that’s such a sweet thing to say! 🙂 Thank you for commenting here, it’s the only way I can get to know you guys so I’m really happy when I get messages from my readers. Thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart! <3
October 5, 2013 at 10:59 pmOkay !! I admit it you got me there mama bear!!!!! I am one of those guys that read your blog while at work and at office hours too!!! Bwhahahaha!! If you see users from Minnesota, U.S, its either me or my coworkers lurking around. LOL Libreng wifi and internet kasi! LOL! … Congrats on going back up to where you are! TOP 9!!!! Yahooo!!!! It is always fun seeing that you get to upload almost everyday!! I love your posts may substance kasi !!! 😀 😀 😀 As for me, I am having troubles with balancing my blogging and my work life. Im in the crucial stage of training kaya laging pagod. 🙁 Ow well!!! Pero awesome tips po!!! True ang lahat ng mga sinabi mo po! Talagang true!!! Hehehehe!!!
October 6, 2013 at 1:34 amhi baby bear! 🙂 yes concentrate on your career first para pag ikaw na ang president ng kumpanya i-hire mo ako hahaha tapos mag-blog tayong 2 during office hours lels! ;)) Thank you Jeng for always having my back. Don’t worry, mama bear got yours too! Mwah! :-*
October 6, 2013 at 8:15 amJane, look how many viewers you have! And they give you feedback too! I am so happy for you. I know how tough it is to blog because I experienced that firsthand when I became your guest blogger. Striking a balance between what and what not to share is most difficult. You are doing an excellent job and the www will never be the same without sugargospice and uniform unicorn too! LOVE YOU!
October 6, 2013 at 12:27 pmhuhuhu thank you Marie you have always comforted me & aupported me you’re such a good friend!! Love you!! :-* Give Missy a big hug for me please!!
October 6, 2013 at 12:33 pmhala, ang daming guilty. 🙂
i agree with ms. ella, reading your blog sets the start of a good day for me as well.
ms. jane, huwag kang magsasawa mag-blog please. 🙂
October 7, 2013 at 2:26 pmoh wow thank you so much my heart is so happy!!! <3 Love you guys!!! :-*
October 7, 2013 at 4:14 pm