motherhood - growth - living
Today we’re rounding up 30 fall themed lifestyle blog ideas to bring more traffic this autumn!
Fall is a big deal here on Long Island. The weather is beautiful, the leaves change in waves, pumpkin patches and corn mazes cover the North Fork. After some unbearably humid and hot summers, fall feels like a gift.
Read moreIn this post I’m going to talk all about Blogtober! Blogtober is a writing challenge guaranteed to leave you feeling a sense of accomplishment and a collection of published posts.
I did #Blogtober2021 and I am definitely doing #Blogtober2022!
If you’re looking for a way to improve your writing and get consistent blogging, Blogtober is your ticket!
There are endless amounts of writing challenges out there. Seriously, there is a challenge to fit any niche or bloggers “needs”.
Blogtober is very, very simple. All you have to do is publish a post a day for a month.
See this explanation from Tea and Cake for the Soul,
Blogtober is where bloggers from all over the world publish a post every day during the month of October. They also link up with other bloggers who are also taking part to share the love.
If you have a blog, a little extra time, and a calendar, then you’re all set for Blogtober! Add a little enthusiasm and discipline and you’re good to go!
The only rule for Blogtober is to hit ‘publish’ every day during the month of October.
It’s the internet – there are no rules. Maybe your way of participating in this challenge means you take weekends “off” or try to post every other day in October. Adjust it to what’s realistic for your schedule. I have found that much like waking up early or meditating, the best effects are felt when writing is practiced every day.
Listen, adding 31 blog posts to my repertoire was no small feat. To date, it’s my best month for views and for added posts. Of course, this meant that I had an uptick in ad and affiliate revenue, which is an added bonus!
If you are looking at making a profit from your blog than Blogtober can be a helpful tool – consumers spend the most money at the end of the year!
The biggest benefit I got from Blogtober 2021 was discipline. I woke up early and stayed up late and I got the job done. Up until I got super sick in January and lost my momentum, I was very consistent with posting on my blog.
You want to know why?
I had built habits that made writing every day a no-brainer. I had my routine: wake up early, make coffee, change, brush teeth, drink coffee, light a candle, write. I wrote until my daughter woke up and then would usually write again at nap time or after she went to bed.
It had become as natural as drinking a cup of coffee or brushing my teeth.
Looking back, it was one of the most peaceful times in my recent life. I was spending time everyday doing something that I loved.
It apparently takes an average of 66 days for a new habit to become automatic. While that may be true, after 31 days I felt like daily writing was an instinctive part of my day.
Find a calendar you like. Be it pen and paper, an app, or your phone. I like Google Calendar the best. I have different color labels for posts in different stages, like “published”, “scheduled” and “hope to post”. I like that I can pull it up on any computer and there aren’t any bells and whistles.
Brainstorm ideas. You don’t have to wait until October to let inspiration come to you. Start collecting ideas now! A great place to look for inspiration is Pinterest. Another thing I do is I’ll look back at posts from this time last year and see if I can make an updated version or if I’ve changed my view on a subject.
Connect with other bloggers doing Blogtober. This is a great way to keep up your momentum and get some encouragement.
Turn to your favorite blogs. If you have a blog, chances are you love to read blogs too. Head over to your favorite blogs for inspiration and motivation.
Set themes for different days of the week. 31 posts is a lot. If you didn’t plan posts beforehand, you can feel burned out pretty quickly. Last year I did “Fall Friday Favorites” where I did a weekly roundup of my favorite things. I actually really enjoyed the series and it gave me an “anchor” throughout the week where I had a set format and I could just plug in information.
Schedule posts. Okay, maybe this bends the “rules” a little bit, as it doesn’t lend itself to building the habit of writing every day. However, I know I will be saving some scheduled posts in my “back pocket”. I’m human and I take care of a tiny human (and a very needy puppy) and I know that there will be at least 1 out of 31 days that taking care of them and taking care of myself will come before my blog. That’s why I have no qualms about pre-writing a little content!
Stock photos. If you use stock photos, find a bunch of them now. Save them in a little folder on your desktop. Future you will thank me. I like to use Pexels.
Set good habits now. You don’t have to wait until the first of October to become someone who blogs everyday. Start waking up early or finding the time today to work towards your goals!
Have you done Blogtober before? If so, what were your results?
Are you planning on participating in Blogtober this year?
Let me know below!
O.
Today I’m sharing 30 writing prompts for mom blogs! If you’re feeling stuck and in need of inspiration when you sit down to write, make sure you check out the ideas below!
Have you ever heard the idea that “willpower is a finite resource”? If you haven’t, then listen up.
You will run out of willpower.
You will not feel motivated every day.
You will procrastinate because it feels good in the moment.
If you’ve ever tried to do anything consistently (work out, get up early, WRITE), then you know what I’m talking about.
See this quote from Verywell:
Willpower is a limited resource.The idea behind this theory is that willpower is like a muscle in that it can be both strengthened and fatigued. For example, if you exhaust yourself doing sprints, you will be less able to perform other physical tasks.
Kendra Cherry, Verywell, “What is Ego Depletion?”
So, it’s not just you.
It can be frustrating to have a goal but be unable to reach it due to a lack of willpower or energy.
The good news is there’s a way to hack it.
The answer lies in habits.
Creating small, daily habits will improve your blog. There’s no doubt that writing every day will add more content to your site. Creating a number of Pins for Pinterest or connecting with a few other bloggers on Instagram will bring in more traffic.
There’s no better way to build up your blog than to practice consistency.
In 2021, I found myself in a place with lots of time to blog and not a lot of direction. In the beginning of the year I was sporadically posting and I didn’t feel like I was getting anything out of it.
I created some new habits.
I started getting up early so that I could write, uninterrupted.
I learned how to shut out distractions and how to do writing sprints.
I stopped waiting for inspiration to hit.
I stopped waiting for the motivation to come.
I leaned into my habits and the results that I got were invaluable. Not only did I add dozens of articles to my site, but I got into a writing rhythm. Writing every single day made me a better writer.
I got better at transferring my thoughts and formatting my articles.
Having those habits made me more efficient and creative.
Now, writing and working on my blog is as natural as making my bed or feeding the cat.
Here’s my favorite way to build new habits. The Harvard Business Review refers to it as “Piggybacking on a daily task”.
The benefit of micro habits is that you should be able to perform it with minimal effort every day. It’s important to execute on a new ritual daily so it becomes second nature, and if it’s small enough, you won’t be as tempted to defer your task from one day to the next. However, no matter the size of the task, it’s easy to get distracted, make excuses, or forget. Perform your new action at the same time as (or right before) an action you do without thinking. Need to read a paragraph each night? You can do that while brushing your teeth. Meditating for 30 seconds each day? Check that off your list while waiting for your coffee to brew.
Sabrina Nawaz, Harvard Business Review, “To Achieve Big Goals, Start with Small Habits”
A blogging challenge is an excellent way to create a writing rhythm.
In my experience, writing every day is what works best for me. Whether it’s an hour or just ten minutes, writing everyday enforces that habit.
Blogtober was my first writing challenge. To this day, October 2021 serves as my statistical inspiration for blogging. I added 31 new posts and I saw my traffic almost double. I loved having a challenge to keep me consistent, with a finish line in sight.
You can choose an online blogging challenge or create your own! I love using prompts when I’m feeling “stuck” or uninspired.
I compiled 30 writing prompts for motherhood/early childhood blogs. If writing a whole post every day is too much right now, try keeping the posts short or spread them out over two months.
Another way to do this challenge is to set a word count objective and to tailor each post to meet that goal.
You can move these around or alter them to fit your blog’s niche.
These prompts are also excellent for Instagram pages, if you aren’t a fan of long form content.
Have you ever done a blogging challenge? Have you written about any of the topics on this list?
Let me know below!
O.
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