Time for another blogging month in review!
I find the simple act of looking back on the month-that-was helps tremendously in planning for future blog posts and/or updates to my blog in general.
It was a month of flowers, herbs, and gardening. It was a month of learning, sharing, and putting myself out there as I worked through a blogging class. And it was a month of personal reflection on how I want to spend my time (a constant struggle.)
So I turn to my blog … my little space on the inter web … my little space that has always brought me joy and forces me to keep on learning (even if my head wants to explode at times ;) and without further ado, here we go!
Blogging Month in Review May 2017
- I wrote 12 posts (compared to 8 posts in 2016)
- According to Google Analytics, page views are down from May 2016 :(
- My most popular post for May of 2017 is How to Care for a Fresh Rosemary Plant and shockingly, it was the same for May 2016! I wrote that post 3 years ago, which proves old content is valuable. It also tells me what people are coming to my blog for … and it isn’t pretty photos :(
- It also tells me that people like gardening posts; therefore, I shall strive to serve up more gardening advice with pretty photos :)
- I fixed the problem with my WordPress Gallery plugin (woo hoo for my brilliance)
- I posted 25 photos to Instagram (a few were throwbacks, which I think is perfectly acceptable (ahem) and am sticking to my commitment to add a landscape image here and there. Even though people don’t respond well, I think it makes my account less claustrophobic
- I took care of my electronic housecleaning as I said I would in my post A Bit of Electronic Housecleaning and am actually finding this task to be very doable, and satisfying
- Kept up with my blogging class with Emily Quinton of Makelight
- Sent out a newsletter
The biggest lesson I learned by doing this blogging month in review is that I need to pay attention to my most popular posts and make sure they’re in tip-top shape. So, I updated my post on caring for rosemary:
- First of all, I deleted old images—images that really had nothing to do with caring for rosemary (such as focusing on the vintage pot the plant was in, and also a few Christmas shots!) I’ve been advised by my technical guy that removing images from a post does not affect ones that may have been pinned. I believe him, but I’m not advising you to do such a thing … you have to check this out for yourself. So I went back to my archives, found the original images and edited them. Then I added a few new images, including a properly sized image for pinning
- I rewrote the text to make my instructions as clear as possible
- At the time I wrote the original post, I wasn’t into SEO, so I updated keywords, meta description, and added appropriate links
- I tweaked the title, but NOT the perma-link. Do NOT tweak the permalink unless you are a technical expert and know how to redirect posts … I am not an expert
- Then I pinned, tweeted, and posted to Facebook
I also learned that nothing is ever going to be perfect; good enough is good enough; and that life goes on.
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you in June xo
If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy these:
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- Top 5 Perennials for Partial Shade
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- 3 Tips for Blogging Regularly
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- 30 Ideas to Make June Magical
Hi Barb!
This is just a short note to say “Hello” and tell you that it’s always a lovely surprise when your newsletter arrives in my mailbox and I’ve read your May review with great interest and pleasure.
I’m amazed by all the activity you show on your beautiful blog, all the wonderful pictures you share with your readers, and the positive way you analyse your blogging… There’s always a lot to learn, to understand, to smile or to be inspired in each of your posts…
Enjoy a happy and quiet summertime, wherever you are dear Barb!
Hi Odile! I always think of you when I send out a newsletter … you are so kind and always have such lovely comments. Thank you so much my dear Odile! xo
Hi Barb,
I love to read all your fun info new and old. Have a great new month and I am so happy we
are done with winter.
Take Care and Have fun at Kim”s.
Ann
Thank you my friend! :)
What, no award for best spam comment this month? :-)
I promise 2 next time León :)
I just love it when you pop into my inbox. Have a joyous June.
Thank you so very much Carol!
What a treat to see you had popped into my “inbox” this morning. A great way to start my June. 😊 I always find your blog content refreshing Barb. Some great tips and a bit of your everyday. If my daughter wasn’t getting married July 1, I’d be at Kim’s too I think. But I’m hoping for that opportunity another time. Enjoy! And thanks again for helping me have a great start to June.
Hi Celine, and thank you so much for dropping by … I really appreciate YOU! xo
By reading this I noticed I didn’t receive your newsletter?!? Hmm, I’ll subscribe again, because I don’t want to miss a thing! I had thought you stopped it…
And I come to your blog both for your stunning photos and the content! 🙂
I just tried to subscribe again with my usual email address, which didn’t work… I tried another one now, so I hope to receive your newsletter again! 🙂
Hi Rosie! thank you so much for subscribing to my newsletter! I checked my lists and it appears you subscribed to Blogging Bits and Bytes but not my general newsletter. I have a blogging bits and bytes coming soon (I sent you an email with more info.)
Ah, that explains it! I thought you meant the Blogging Bits and Bytes newsletter! I guess I’m subscribed to that twice now ;-)
As to your blog posts I’m subscribed to your blog via Feedly 🙂 I wouldn’t want to miss a post, even if I don’t comment that often…
I love this idea of a blogging month review. I need to do this!
What a great idea! I just started a new blog a month ago and I think I should review my month as well. I always enjoy your posts and your newsletter. And I come for the pretty photos! Your work is inspirational to me!