Table of Contents:
- To Blog or Not to Blog: That is the Question
- Should I Start a Blog: What to Know Before You Begin
- Start a Blog: Working with Technology
- Start a Blog: On-Going Tech Support
- Start a Blog: Creating High-Quality Content
- The Power of Social Media
- Be Prepared to Invest
- Should I Start a Blog?
- Next Steps to Start a Blog
Are you curious about blog life? We help you decide if you should start a blog. We share what we wish we had known before we hit the ground running.
The purpose of this article is to help you:
- Decide if blogging is the right fit for you
- Prepare for the realities of blogging
- Give you our best tips and resources to help you start a blog
So, you’re trying to decide whether or not to start a blog. Jodie and I were living “the great blog debate” for over two years. We gathered data. Repeatedly, we asked people, “Should I start a blog?” One week we were definitely not going to start a blog. The next week we were back to going to start a blog. We ping ponged back and forth like this so many times our heads were dizzy. We were warned that it was a huge time sucker, that many people abandoned their efforts with not much to show for themselves. However, more and more we yearned to have something of our own, a place where we could share more of ourselves, more of our hearts, homes and lives. In the end you know what we decided because here we are.
To Blog or Not to Blog: That is the Question
We heard this recently at a blogging conference:
The first year you feed your blog.
The second year your blog feeds itself.
The third year your blog feeds you.
Should I Start a Blog: What to Know Before You Begin
Don’t expect to be making money out of the gate. In fact, prepare to invest some money. You are starting your own business. You are not just becoming a writer, photographer, creator of whatever you are blogging about, but you are also going into business. There are so many hats to wear as a blogger. In addition to the ones I just mentioned you will also oversee marketing, sales, technology, and more. Creating a blog is much more entrepreneurial than we originally imagined.
Let’s get into the biggest shocker Jodie and I had, which is the technology side.
Start a Blog: Working with Technology
Jodie and I really had no idea how much tech support we would require. We knew we needed help to set ourselves up, but the reality is we need on-going tech support. It is expensive, but essential. The fact is most of us creatives don’t have the knowledge or training it takes to create and manage “the underbelly” of a blog, otherwise known as coding.
We were advised to hire a professional to build our blog, advice we followed. No regrets here. We know of people who try to create a blog on their own because of financial reasons. It often ends up taking a lot longer than anticipated. And time is money. Also, once you realize how important the correct set up is to your success, many wish they had invested up front.
How Much Does it Cost to Create a Custom Blog?
Take your time researching who to hire, and make sure you get a good fit at a fair price. The only way to do this is to research and ask people you trust. We paid roughly $1500 for the creation of our blog and our logo. Keep in mind this was 2016.
Blogging is very time-consuming. We quickly learned that delegating certain aspects, in our case, the tech side, was more survival than extravagance.
Start a Blog: On-Going Tech Support
The second thing most people require is on-going tech support. A blog needs regular maintenance, like a car. It needs a scheduled engine check every so often if nothing else. Most likely, as you evolve you will want to evolve your blog. This is natural and important. You will want to add things, change things, reorganize as your voice and niche become clearer. It is a rare blog that doesn’t evolve. You will need help with all these changes or jeopardize crashing your site. Yikes!
It took us five months before we found tech support. Finding reliable tech support is key. The sooner you find someone the better.
How Much Does Tech Support Cost?
Pricing for tech support runs anywhere from $30 – $150/hr. across the industry. You can see how this adds up and therefore how important this person will be to you and your business.
Start a Blog: Creating High-Quality Content
No doubt you have given your content plenty of thought. Before we began Jodie and I had no idea what to expect. We didn’t know how long a post would take to write. We wondered if we had enough material and if we might struggle to constantly create new blog topics. This turns out to be no problem at all for us.
The real key is to know your audience and focus on what they really want to read. You can create posts all day long, but if they aren’t engaging, people won’t come. You can try different topics but pay attention to which ones do well. In other words, listen to your readers.
How much and how often you post is up to you. One key way to make money is to be hired as a brand ambassador and to write sponsored posts. To be attractive to brands for these important jobs they look for an active blog, which has been defined as a one to three posts a week.
In order to start making money you are going to need to focus on how to get found. Ranking for SEO, which is Google ranking, you will rank higher if you are active and updating your blog often. If you want to start a blog know that you will have to become a student of SEO in order to create powerful content that Google likes too.
The Power of Social Media
You can start a blog, but if you don’t drive traffic to your site success will be a very long, slow road. In order to be successful blogging is a numbers game. Successful blogs have tens & hundreds of thousands of subscribers. You aren’t even on the map until you have 100,000 page views each month. Where are these people going to come from and how are they going to find you? Social media is one way to drive traffic.
So when you start a blog you soon realize that you also need to learn and maintain active accounts across most social media channels, the more the better.
- YouTube
This list is incomplete, but it includes the most important ones for now. Before beginning our blog Jodie and I really didn’t know this. We had Instagram covered, and we hoped that would be plenty. We had thus far successfully avoided Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter, and we were happy with that choice. But then you start pouring your heart and soul into your blog that no one sees, and you soon change your mind. It is overwhelming, a lot to learn, and a lot of time. Are you still excited? Just kidding.
Be Prepared to Invest
Be willing to invest money when necessary. You have to be willing to invest a lot of time because there’s a lot to do and there’s a lot to learn.
Luckily, there are many ways you can learn:
- be an online sleuth and find expert advice for free
- attend blogging conventions
- take online classes
- hire a coach for specific skills, i.e. learning Instagram or Pinterest
- join private Facebook groups to learn from mentors
The sooner you begin to invest in your blog the sooner you will find success. There is so much to learn when you enter the world of blogging. You can’t possibly take every online course or attend every blogging convention but pick and choose and always be learning.
Should I Start a Blog?
Yes, it’s challenging. Yes, it takes time, but we also think it’s the most fun we’ve ever had! Jodie and I are as committed as ever. We love blogging. We love it more than we could have imagined. Because you can only imagine so much. But we wish we had understood a few of these things before we began. We wish we had been better prepared for the realities of time commitment and the tech challenges.
And if you are like us and are passionate about what you are doing, then these challenges will serve to grow your skills and your entrepreneurial spirit. The phrase, “Nothing worth having comes easily” springs to mind. Blogging, and all that comes with it, is an exciting challenge. It’s an on-going puzzle we are excited to figure out. And just like anything else, the joy is in the journey!
Next Steps to Start a Blog
If you are ready for the next step you might want to check out this resource we found very helpful, created by an amazing woman we met and have worked with named Monica. Her blog is called, The 6 Figure Blog, and it too is a wealth of information.
We welcome your comments and questions. We absolutely love hearing from you. Simply comment below, and we will always happily reply with a personal note.
Next you’ll want to know how to make money, right? Of course. You’re starting a business. Read our next in this series, 8 Ways to Make Money Blogging.
Best wishes and happy blogging!
LOVE the tulip photos!!
Tracy, Thank you for your kind reply. So happy to have you visiting our blog. It’s a treat for us. We hope you will come back often and visit us like you are visiting a friend. With love, Julie & Jodie
Really informative article – thank you!
Heidi, Thank you so much Heidi! We are so happy to have you here visiting our blog and we appreciate the kind reply. We shared this post specifically because we wished we had had this information before we had started. We hope you will come back and visit us regularly and say hi if you have time. Our favorite part is to connect personally with our readers. With gratitude, Julie & Jodie
Very helpful and inspiring! I’ve been going back and forth about starting a blog for probably a year haha I just want to make sure I’ll have the time and enough content to make it work. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hi Amy, Very interesting! A year, huh? We understand! haha! It is a big decision. Are you doing what we did, polling everyone you know or meet who has ever blogged before and asking their advice?? It was a crazy debate as I discuss. It takes much more time than we ever imagined and it’s much more fun than we ever imagined…so that’s pretty weird right? You can always go at it at your own pace, so that should ease your mind a bit. We are going to be continuing our series on blogging. Up next and almost ready to post is how to monetize your blog. You’ll find it very helpful as you try to decide. We hope you will come back often and visit us, Amy. Until then, best wishes, Julie & Jodie
I started a blog, but didn’t invest in it like y’all have yours. Instagram on the other hand…I need to win the strategy consultation! Lol
I’m so thankful for all the info you are both willing to give out! I’ve followed several bloggers for some time and have even sent them some questions about blogging with no reply back. You can tell that your hearts are in the right place ?
Hi Beth! Wow, you just made our nights! I’m sorry to hear your questions haven’t been answered. I can’t imagine not replying to someone who takes the time to reach out! That’s crazy talk…oh well. All I can say is that with all our hearts we truly care. This is all about you, connecting with you in a real way, helping whenever we can, and sharing whatever we think might be helpful. So it really is lovely to hear your response…it’s exactly what we hope you feel. We have another blog post coming very soon all about monetizing a blog and the many potential income avenues when you become a blogger. That should be helpful for you as well. We hope you will come back often and visit us, Beth. Wishing you all the best, Julie & Jodie
Just what I needed to read, thank you all so much!! I love your blog and IG feed. I have literally been dabbling with my blog for a year and haven’t published it. This is very motivating for me and definitely going to schedule time to complete it!!
Brandi, Welcome! We are so glad you are here! We are thrilled to hear that this post is motivating you. That’s great. We wish you all the success on this fun and exciting journey. You might also be interested in our next post which will be coming in a few days, “Making Money Blogging”…all about how to monetize your blog and the many different ways to create an income. We hope you will join us often as we travel this journey together. With gratitude, Julie & Jodie
Once again ladies, thank you for the vast amount of information you share with us on your blog posts. You two are the best ? As much as I think I might-maybe-kind of would like you start a blog, I think I’ll stick with trying to perfect my IG first. It seems time consuming in itself.
I sure could benefit from some strategy consults on how to make my IG account more exciting ? (Hint)
Have a blessed day.
Good Afternoon Pamela! So excited to see you on our blog and to hear your kind, kind comment. We wish you luck with the giveaway. Have you read our 7 or 8 blog posts in which we share all our valuable insights regarding Instagram? We share everything we’ve learned collectively from over 4 years total experience on IG and researching the last all her on the blog, free for your consumption. It just takes the time to read it. We know it’s not a personal analysis (which you still might win) but would still be very helpful we are sure. Each post has key information that can benefit anyone public on IG. We hope you will come back often and visit us here. With love and gratitude, Julie & Jodie
Thank you thank you for this post! I am on the fence and have been since October. I have so much fear… fear of failure, fear of the tech stuff (my biggest), fear of not having creative content, fear that my niche is too broad, fear of losing money…. all those things weigh on my mind, yet, I really want to try. I know no one that could help me if I got into tech trouble. That is my biggest fear. I don’t even know where to go. … bluehost with WordPress or something else? Free blog? I dont know these things. I look forward to all your posts about blogging!
Hi Sonia, Welcome to our blog Sweet Friend. Well, I’d say this post did catch you at a good time. We hear all your questions and recognize all your fears. We all have those before we start. You are not alone at all. But everything you ever wanted to know (and don’t even know you want to know) exists on-line right now. All you have to do is let Google do the walking. We knew none of the answers to those questions before we actually went live. As our post says we hired someone, but that meant that we went live still knowing zero about the tech side of things. We highly recommend our tech guy…he’s so affordable, personable (answers his own phone), easy to work with, amazing. That’s why we call him our fairy godfather. Anyway, don’t let the tech stuff stop you. You can do this. In a couple days we are publishing another blog post all about the many ways to make money as a blogger. We think you’ll find this very helpful as well. With our very best wishes, Julie & Jodie
Hi!
This is a timely blog post since all I’ve talked about for the past year is starting my blog. I had a date of February to go live and I’m still no where ready. Last summer I purchased through Blue Host and I’m still confused what to do next. I need to call them. Do you feel it’s important to have about a half dozen posts ready to go beforehand? I certainly don’t want it to look ‘boring’ from the getgo. 🙂 Thank you for sharing.
Jodi
Hi Jodie, Welcome to our blog! We are so glad you are here. We recommend having a couple blog posts ready, but if you keep waiting for all your ducks to be in a row you might never go live. The truth is not very many people see you blog when it is brand new. And those who do will most likely be personal supporters who are completely aware that your blog is new. Don’t worry about that. Just get going and get ready to start plugging away. Everything will be a work in progress. Blogging is not about perfect or looking perfect. It’s about an on-going journey and sharing where you are at. We say go for it! We have another blog post about ready to publish all about how to make money blogging which you will find interesting as a new up-coming blogger. With wishes for great success, Julie & Jodie
Hi Julie and Jodie,
I love your blog and all the great advice. You two are both so sweet. I would love to get some instagram strategy. I have a blog, but stopped posting because I got busy with Insta and that is what I love. IG land is so fun. Thank you girls.
xo
Marie (marieshomeandgarden on IG)
PS – Your mom is a very good dancer 🙂
Hi Marie! What a treat to have you over here on our blog. Our journeys have been opposite of each other…Jodie and I started on IG and have no worked over to our blog and you are going the opposite direction. I don’t think it matters how you share, just that you find joy in the process. We agree with you that IG is very fun! So much of our best Instagram advice exists in our blog posts on the topic. It’s not a personal analysis but we highly recommend reading the 7 or 8 posts we have already that is based on all our experience and research too. Each post we feel has information beneficial to anyone on Instagram (unless you are private and don’t want to interact with the world). We know that is not you, so we encourage you to take the time to read. Thanks for the sweet words and compliment about our dear mama. She blows us away. Best wishes, Julie & Jodie
Thank you, ladies! I feel like the main message is that you get what younput into it… as in most cases!!! I love how passionate you are about blogging. Siper inspiring! Thank you! Xo
Hi Kim! Welcome to our blog! We just LOVE the fact that you are here! Yes to your synopsis…as anything in life, you get out what you put in. We have a thing about not doing things half-way. It’s all or nothing, but isn’t that the best way? Some may call that “obsessive” haha! We call it committed and passionate. I’m so glad you see it that way too! Thank you every so much for joining us here. We really are just getting started so we hope you will come back and visit us often and please say hello. The best part is interacting and hearing from you. With lots of love and gratitude, Julie & Jodie
Loved reading “should I start a blog? ” article! Very interesting and informative! Thank you sweet Julie and Jodie!!❤❤
Yay Marcy! So happy to see you here on our blog again! We know you are probably just getting busier and busier as you get pulled into IG. I feel like we haven’t “talked” in a while, so it’s extra special to hear from you. Are you thinking about starting a blog? I wouldn’t be surprised if you were. Please don’t be a stranger. We love hearing from you! With love and blessings, Julie & Jodie
Very informative bog post ladies :-). I have to admit the idea of a blog crossed my mind a couple of times especially when followers on Instagram asked me if I had a blog with my recipes. It would be fun to have one some day but I feel like I wouldn’t have time to do what it takes. I enjoy seeing your instastories and your IG posts :-). Hugs!
Simona! You are so sweet! We are thrilled to hear that you love our stories and posts on IG. And now, to have you visiting our blog means so much to us! Here is where we can share so much more than a quick paragraph and a photo. Hopefully you come back when you have time here and there and read more of what we have to share. We currently have over 57 blog posts that we have poured our hearts and best advice into. We are teaching Instagram (and all the potential it holds if you want to do what we do) and also teaching our very best decorating advice and DIY projects…all to inspire you. Thank you again Simona, for the kind words. Hoping to hear from you again soon. With gratitude, Julie & Jodie
Wow….Who knew?!?!?! Thank you for sharing this insightful information on Blogging. I’ve kicked the idea around for a bit but the learning process seems endless….that’s not to say it isn’t doable, just time consuming as you mentioned. For now, I think I will continue the learning process and while doing that I will continue to enjoy blogs that are well written, informative and that contain beautiful photography such as yours. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge, we need more women in the world that are willing to help other women, Cheers to both of you!
Vicki! What a beautiful way for me to begin my day, with your uplifting and generous reply. Truly in our hearts we value every person on this earth. It is unrealistic to think we can be friends with everyone, but if it were possible that would be our goal. We want to touch people’s hearts, we want them to be inspired, to feel special and loved as they truly are! To hear that you feel our hearts working to help others means the absolute world…we are on the right path! Yay! We hope you will come back often and visit us here! With love & gratitude, Julie & Jodie
Hi beautiful Design Twins! I’m leaving this comment so I will be entered in your giveaway! I would choose a 1 hour consultation on the Social media subject! Think of the fun we’d have! OK so I hope to win! And I also hope to start a blog someday when I get enough monies saved up???
Tammy! Yay! So wonderful to see you over here on our blog! Yes, we would have a ball!! In the meantime, if you haven’t read them yet, we have I think 7 Instagram posts published here on our blog. We share all our best advice, experience and research for how to make the most of your Instagram account! It’s all sitting here free for you to devour! Even if you win, the information presented here will help you fully understand where we are coming from and our specific advice…in fact, after reading you may be a bit of an expert yourself! Cheers to you, Cutie Pie! With love, Julie & Jodie
Just love your inspiration in your decorating and your lives! You make it so easy to understand and make me feel like I can do the same thing! Thank you for your stories!
Theresa, I receive your comment today like a true gift…that’s what it feels like to know we are helping you in this way. We are teachers, Jodie and I, so to hear that we have helped you understand decorating better and have empowered you is all we want to achieve!! Thank you, honey, it means absolutely everything to us! We sincerely hope that you will come back to our blog often and visit…that you will make it a “regular date” so to speak…where we all just sit down together and share! We hope you will. In love and friendship, Julie & Jodie
I’ve started a blog right when I made my IG public. EEK, kinda just dove right in! So I know I still have LOTS to learn! Thank you so much for sharing so much of what you’ve learned. It really helps focus our dreams here at The White Barn Farm.
Loves.
Tarah, Blogging is a lot. I think if most people knew all that it entailed they might not jump in. That being said, Jodie and I wish we’d started earlier, but we have no doubt that our path is unfolding just as it was meant to. As you know, Jodie and I honed our skills and found our voice on IG and had a following so all that helped prepare us a bit for blogging. Still, we are learning Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter as total newbies, so there’s a lot! So fun to be connected with friends traveling similar paths. We look forward to continuing our friendships. With love, Julie & Jodie
Thank you for sharing your pro’s and cons, I have often had this debate myself. I think I will wait until my kids are all in school:)
Dear Evelyn,
We just love having you on our blog! It is a treat, and we are grateful for your time. It is a big debate, to blog or not to blog, and honestly, I don’t know how these young mothers do it. When mine were really young I was barely surviving, so I truly cannot imagine having more on my plate! Yikes! Everyone is different though, and I can see how having something of one’s own during those years would also be fulfilling (I still just can’t figure out the HOW!!) Anyway, my advice is to use this time to learn so that you are ready. We are going to continue to be a resource on the topic of blogging and IG, so we hope you will come along with us on the journey. Your friends, Julie & Jodie
Love reading these tips! Also excited for “March Madness!” ????
Oh my gosh, Sarah, We are excited too! So it starts March 1st (tomorrow). You can come to the blog and leave a comment on any post each day…if you come all 31 days you’ll have 31 chances to win! The odds will be very good! We are so excited to reward and really express our gratitude to our sweet sweet followers. Many blessings, Julie & Jodie
I’d love to start a blog. Maybe call it the Terrible Housewife and keep track of my accomplishments in cleaning and minimizing. Unfortunately I know I wouldn’t be consistent. No ands ifs or buts about it I would never be consistent. A girl can dream. Anywho, I’ll keep up with you and let you inspire me.
Angel, You are cracking us up! Well, keep it in the back of your mind. There are different chapters in our lives…maybe a blog would fit in a few years. You never know what the next chapter is going to bring. I would have never predicted that I would have a blog, but IG paved the way….It helped us both find our voices. We are so grateful that you are here, and we hope you will come back often so we can travel this journey together. With gratitude, Julie & Jodie
This content has really helped! Teri & I (wool_and_vine) are always going back & forth about blogging. Thank you for posting about blogging & your process. It’s enlightening & it gets me excited for possibilities! Love what you both do & excited for your success! You seem to be doing it right! I appreciate you letting us learn from your mistakes & wins! A lot to think about but exciting!! Good luck with your March Madness I think it’s just wonderful what you are doing! I have a feeling I’m going to be on this blog a lot!
Dear Sue, So great to have you here! That’s so interesting that you and Teri are in the “contemplation phase”. You two have a lot in common with Jodie and me…especially since you are a duo. There are pros and cons to being a duo team, but mostly pros. We would be happy to discuss more with you if you’d like. We hope you will come back often and enjoy your visits with us. Wishing you all the success in the world, Julie & Jodie
Always look forward to your blog! Great info~
Paula, We are so lucky to have such amazing followers and readers. Thank you for your kindness and support. We hope that each time you visit our blog you take away something of value…some bit of truth, some fun tip that gets you inspired, or even just a mood of optimism which we hope shines through all we share. Life is a gift and should be lived as such every single day. With love and gratitude, Julie & Jodie
Excellent tips and ideas. Thank you for an informative read.
Janette
Dear Janette, No worries Janette, we got you 🙂 Welcome to our blog, Sweet Friend! In addition to possibly winning a home decor gift, we hope that you receive other non-tangible gifts from your time spent on our blog. Know that we are grateful for you, your support, and your friendship! We just love this chance to have you enjoy our blog. We hope you will come back often and always take away something of value. With gratitude, your friends, Julie & Jodie
Oops MARCH MADDNESS.
Thank you so much Janette. We hope you will return every day for another chance to win and to learn something that inspires you in some way. With gratitude, Julie & Jodie
This is so helpful! Thank you so much!
Hi There! So great to have you visiting our blog! I just followed you on IG. We are so lucky to have Monica as our guide. And I love how already we are starting to learn from each other. Jodie and I are thrilled to be on this journey with you. Wishing you all great things, Julie & Jodie
This post was very informative. I’ve thought about starting a blog but it all sounded so foreign to me. Thanks for breaking it down. Love you both and wish you both great success.
March madness
Cathy, Welcome! Thank you for those kind words and well wishes. We hope you take away a tangible gift but in addition, we truly hope that each time you visit our blog you take away other intangible, powerful gifts…the gift of inspiration, hope, a feeling of being part of a real community full of love and support, a connection of true friendship…maybe it’s a design idea, a diy project that empowers you, maybe it’s a feeling of optimism and faith that carries through your day…these are all gifts we hope to impart to you every time you visit. Cheers to the journey…cheers to taking it together, with love, Julie & Jodie
Ladies thank you for sharing all of your ideas with us . Love all your IG stories and love how you both reflect a sincere heart through your videos . Love you Design twins
#marchmadness
Leila, Thank you so much for your kind words. They mean more than you know. Also, welcome to our blog. We hope that you will find much to inspire you here. We honestly hope that you will take away much more than you anticipated and that you will to continue to come back so we can journey together. Remember, each day is a brand new giveaway with a new chance to win, 31 days in March and 31 separate giveaways. Good luck and God bless, Julie & Jodie
Thanks for sharing this! I became a stay at home mom last year and i craved that creative outlet. One day I just decided to go for it. It’s still a work in progress but I’m learning every day. Reading others success stories and advice helps me see what I could be doing to better my site and page so thank you!
Cathina, I love your spirit and your attitude. That’s exactly the attitude of success: a willingness and desire to be a better version of yourself each and every day! I’m so excited for you. Stay tuned because we have so much more real inspiration to help you create the life of your dreams. I am working hard writing my best blog posts yet that you are going to love. Wishing you great success in all you do, Julie & Jodie
Thank you sweet friends! I look forward to seeing what you ladies have in store. Best wishes to you two as well.
Great March Madness
Suzanne, Welcome to our blog! We hope you enjoy being here and that you’ll come back every day to have another chance to win …but also to be inspired and learn something that motivates you and excites you! Thank you for joining us on this journey! Your friends, Julie & Jodie
Thank you for the informative post! I will continue “thinking about blogging”! Working full time leaves little time for extra endeavors. I have been wanting to start with just an Instagram devoted to design and I can’t settle on a name. All that’s involved with blogging seems overwhelming. Congratulations to you both on your success!
Nancy, First of all, welcome to our blog, dear friend! We are honestly thrilled to have you join us. Secondly, if you are thinking about a blog testing the waters first on IG is a good plan. It was how we did it, obviously, but it worked well for us. 2 years ago we were not ready for a blog…we weren’t ready for the commitment and we weren’t ready with our skills. Hone your skills, find your voice and carve out the time on the smaller scale Instagram provides. You are absolutely right that blogging is overwhelming. But the greater the challenge the greater the reward…In the meantime we hope you will continue to join us on our journey and learn and grow with us! Blessings, Julie & Jodie
Great post! Makes me realize I have a long ways to ho before attempting a blog. You lay out the logistics very well! Both of you are so inspiring to me. Keep up the good work and let the March Madness begin!
Phyllis,
Thank you for your feedback. And for your encouraging words. It really means so much to us!
I hope we haven’t discouraged you from starting. There is a lot of work to do…but we knew none of it before we began. And you can always start a blog just as a journey of self-discovery. Not everyone has to have the goal of “being found” right from the start. Many people just want to start by creating content…whether that be writing/journaling about what inspires them or sharing tips/tricks or DIY projects. Whatever it is they are passionate about.
Whatever you decide we hope you will consider us your personal resource. We are here to help! And will continue to share our ideas and lessons from blogging and social media!
With love and blessings,
Jodie & Julie
Good Morning Friends,
I have had friends tell me “you should start a Blog”, and I have rolled it over in my mind. I have seen others start and then just fade away. If I ever do, it will have to be full commitment, because I know it takes work. Your post has shown me some of the areas that I have not even considered. Of course you both make it look so easy, but I realize there is much that goes on behind those pretty pictures and inspiring words.
Thanks for all your help.. enjoying #MarchMadness
Lots of great ideas for blogging ???? March Madness
Thank you so much, Janice, for you support and kindness. We appreciate you and hope you enjoy every moment that you spend here on our blog. We hope we can journey together, hand in hand, on this grand adventure…learning, sharing and growing together. In friendship, Julie & Jodie
I look forward to yoir new posts both blog and instagram. Keep it coming ????
#march maddness
I love following your blog! I’m so happy the two of you decided to do it! 🙂 If I had time, I’d love to write a blog, but it would really be just a lot of my random thoughts. Not sure you would read that. Lol! March Madness.
Love the tulips ???? and march madness!
Hi girls! Your blog is so pretty! I love the March Madness ????????????
Hi Jodie and Julie -(My favorite twinsies!) I loved reading this article and it has come at just the right time since I recently started a blog. Is there a day/time that is best for getting people to see it and comment on it? Any tips would be appreciated!
You both inspire me so much with your sweet words of affirmation over IG. Hugs, Lisa 🙂
Hi Lisa, Thank you so much for connecting with us. I am confused by your question. Do you want to DM me or email us at info@thedesigntwins.com and I can more easily communicate. I’m happy to offer specific advice and answer questions. I just don’t understand what you are asking, and I want to get my answer right. Blessings, Julie
Your info is so informative!
❤love you both.
Shawn, What a sweetheart! We sure appreciate you. We love your support and hope you continue to enjoy this journey with us. Your friends, Julie & Jodie
Your info is so informative!
❤love you both.
Hop to start one soon.
❤love you both.
Hope to start one soon.
❤
Hope to start one soon.
I appreciate the honesty and helpfulness of this post. You really provided insight on things I had not yet thought about. Another great March Madness read! Thanks, ladies! ????
Corey, So appreciative. We love that we have motivated you to visit us. And now that you are here we are beyond joyful that you are liking what you are reading. It makes it all worthwhile! With blessings and gratitude, Julie & Jodie P.S. We recommend continuing as the month goes on. The first 4 days we had 100-150 comments, but day 5 and 6 are slowing down. We predict the odds will continue to improve…just the nature of things. XO
This was a very informative read. I am considering growing my blog about my health journey. This was a very helpful for me to see how time consuming it can/will be but also how rewarding it can be. Thank you for sharing!
Rebecca
Exactly, Rebecca. It’s good to know the full picture, but to not let the full breadth of your undertaking stop you from moving forward. Take it one day at a time, one step at a time. Be aware of the journey but stay focused on the path you’re on and just within sight. If you get too far down the raod you might miss the speed bump and the gorgeous scenery just outside the window. Wishing you a glorious adventure. Hopefully we’ll take it together. Love, Julie & Jodie
I enjoy reading several blogs including this one. You all deserve so much credit for the dedication put toward the blog. Thank you for sharing. One day I might find time for a garden blog ????. March Madness ????
Dear sweet twins
I enjoy your videos and I follow you on IG. Your blog however has been the most rewarding insight for me. Readers are impressed by the effort and time you have taken to help others. It truly shows how much you care about helping and teaching your readers. I have thought about a blog and I not sure how Facebook, IG, Pintrest and twitter impact a blog. Could you explain the connection?
March madness is a great idea. Best of luck and I will continue to check in regularly. ????????
Peggy, What a great message to receive. Thank you for your kind support and praise! Regarding your question, social media provides channels of bringing traffic to a blog. They connect people to your site. They are each different ways of basically advertising your blog, and they don’t cost money, they cost in TIME (which of course is money). Now actually Facebook and Pinterest do have “paid posts” which are basically ads for your site. Without social media your site has to rely on Google search leading people to your site. Otherwise, for anyone to find your site they would have to meet you or be given your site address. To have any success you need all these channels working and feeding traffic. That is a basic answer. Hoping that helps. Your friends, Julie & Jodie
I think the pressure is on when you start a blog; if you want it to work for you. Some of my favorite reading material comes from blogs vs. Media outlets, at least on blogs people can be a little more real and not as PC in their writing. It seems more truthful. ????
This was very informative and helped me a lot! Thank you!
Pollie, Welcome to our blog! We are so glad you made it here. We hope you enjoy your blogging journey. Be sure to contact me if you have any specific questions. I’ll always do what I can to help. Blessings, Julie & Jodie
My biggest struggle is whittling down my niche. I just want to say too much! I also long for a hand to hold. Someone to be honest and tell me if something just isn’t gonna work. Thanks for your posts and would love a mentor session of truth bombs!
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