GoodTomiCha Blog Anniversary: 7 Things I Learned My First Year of Blogging

Dress: Zara || Earrings: Baublebar || Wedges: Matisse || Sunglasses (similar): Ray-Bans || Bracelet (similar): Francesca’s

Has it already been a year?! Ok, a little over a year. My blog anniversary was technically in June. Life has been so hectic recently that I almost forgot it! Time flies when you’re having fun (cliché, but true!). I’ve loved every moment of this journey and wanted to  thank the people who have been here since my very first post! If you’re new, feel free to catch up and never miss another one here. This year has definitely been a learning process from start to finish and I felt like I should share this with all of my fellow bloggers or anyone who is thinking of starting one!

1. The blogging world is always changing. Maybe it’s the addition of a new social media algorithm that’ll “change the game and your blog will be dead without it!” (*cough Instagram, I’ll still a little bitter*)  Or perhaps it’s the next best SEO technique that’s guaranteed to take your blog to the next level. The blogging world is constantly improving. Getting comfortable with a certain strategy only prevents you from pushing yourself to be the best you can be! Plus, it’s fun to learn new tips and tricks from each other. But what if it costs money? Never be afraid to invest in yourself! If you don’t, how can you expect someone else to? Blair Staky’s blog is a personal favorite and her tips are free!

2. Community Over Competition.  I heard one of my favorite brands use that first! I’m all about supporting each other in the blogging world. Commenting and sharing other blogs can actually help drive traffic to your own! It’s fun making friends with people who are just as passionate about blogging as you! Who else understands the joys (and the frustration) of creating the perfect flatlay? Check out my current blog crushes here and here!

3. The Power of Pinterest. Do you ever wonder how some people get continuous traffic to their blogs and an absurd amount of page views? 9 times out of 10 they’ll attribute it all to Pinterest! It’s definitely my number one source of referrals and views even over Instagram and Facebook! And just like every social media app, there’s a specific way to handle it. Shoot the photos you want shared the most vertically instead of horizontally so they are more optimized for the website. It also helps if you create your own featured image through Canva or Photoshop! For example, click the Pinterest share button at the bottom of this post. In addition to the images already shared, you’ll also see an image that embedded that explains exactly what this post is about! Let’s be Pin Pals and comment below if you have anymore tips!

4. Numbers aren’t everything. It’s easy to compare yourself to others and wonder why you’re not growing at the same rate. Am I not using enough hashtags? Should I be blogging three days a week? How do they have more followers than me when they started months afterwards?! It can be frustrating and at times downright unhealthy. I like to check my engagement instead of growth of followers. Are the people reading my posts actively sharing or excited about what I have coming up next? That’s enough for me! I love being able to bring joy whether it’s to 100 people or 100,000!

5.  It’s a resume booster. Since I started this blog a year ago, I’ve learned so many useful skills in the professional world! Photoshop, SEO, and website building are just a few skills that make your resume competitive and you need them all to blog! I can’t tell you how many times I talk about  GoodTomiCha in job interviews or with other professionals. They’re thoroughly impressed with what I know from just one year!

6. It’s not all swag bags and perks. I’d be lying if I said the free stuff wasn’t a great bonus! But if you’re blogging just to get free items then you’ll get burned out quickly. It’s nice to have companies that believe in you and your brand and it’s important to say thank you! For example, these Instagram posts here and here are some of my favorite sponsored posts.  Each time I receive a new perk is just encouragement for me to keep pushing and creating content that I can be proud of for my followers!

7. BE YOURSELF! Often I see so many bloggers that push themselves to be something they’re not. I say life is too short to be unhappy and spend your time pleasing others! Blog because YOU love it not because you want an audience. I think it’s important that everyone has a safe space to be themselves and share their passions. I hope GoodTomiCha has been able to do that for you too!

I’m so thankful for the encouragement and love I get on here (or twitter, facebook, etc.) daily! I’m all about authenticity and surrounding myself with people who lift me up! (ahem, number 2.) You guys are the reason I do this and I’d love to answer any questions about blogging you might have below.

Thanks for reading!

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(P.S. This Zara dress is sold out, but I linked up a similar one below!)