Well, that was an unexpectedly fun weekend!
I truly didn’t have any expectations for Kidspot’s Voices of 2014. I was looking forward to catching up with some friends and just ya know, chillin’.
While it was nice to be acknowledged and accolades can sweeten a deal, the reality is: blogging is bloody hard work.
As many of you are also bloggers, will attest to what I’m saying.
During Mrs Woogs’ and Baby Mac’s (Oversharing) on Social Media Masterclass session, someone posed the question to:
“How many unique visitors do you think you need until a blogger can monetize?”
It may be different from a PR or agency’s perspective. But from a blogger who’s going to protect their brand that is their blog, there is no black and white hardline answer.
And Mrs Woogs’ response nailed it:
“It’s not about numbers. It’s about engagement”
For many, that would seem like a relief.
Phew! I don’t have to worry that my chicken feed traffic, we assure ourselves.
But engagement is so, so much harder. Loyal, heartfelt, get to the gist engaging readers are like finding diamonds in the rough.
Personal blogging just makes that extra tricky. Us “oversharers” are forever being questioned as to what we’re actually trying to achieve by being so “exploitative”.
I believe in real life they call it, “Putting yourself on the line”
When there are so many risks of being judged or vilified, why?
Why do we do it? Why do we bother?
Sometimes I even struggle to ask myself.
But I do know what does keep me going: it’s this deep concern for what’s going on around us; how this world and it’s issues will affect my kids in later years.
Yet, modern society doesn’t know what to do with bloggers. It’s not entirely ready to take on so many powerful, personal voices with their own platforms; to talk so freely on social media.
Geez, sometimes my husband doesn’t even take me seriously.
What we talk of isn’t considered as “official news” but they fail to realize, our candid social commentary is just, if not more so, valid.
Besides the cracker hangover headache on Sunday morning (Looking straight at ya, Mrs Holsby and Talking Frankly), my biggest takeaway from Voices of 2014 is just to keep doing what I’m doing.
Keep writing about what I know about, keep talking about what’s important to me and always keep my readers at the forefront.
And I encourage my blogging peers do the same.
The more we write, the more we share; the braver we become.
My diamonds keep me really going with this whole blogging gig.
Yup. That’s you.
Thank you.
Oversharing (and proud) with Essentially Jess at IBOT
Alison says
You’re a diamond. Yes, yes you are. x
mamagrace71 says
You’re gorgeous x
Kirsten and co. says
Great post and I reckon you are spot on! In other news, I’m totally kicking myself for not meeting you on Saturday…it was such a whirlwind of a day/night, wasn’t it?!
Kirsten and co. recently posted..THE WEEKEND THAT WAS: KIDSPOT VOICES OF 2014 EDITION
Amanda @ Cooker and a Looker says
An absolute whirlwind Kirsten, I’m still digesting it all! 🙂
Amanda @ Cooker and a Looker recently posted..six things I learned this weekend – Voices of 2014 launch
mamagrace71 says
Great to see you, Amanda! Congrats on getting into the Top 40! x
mamagrace71 says
I know!! Where did the night go??! But hey, we always have the interwebz 🙂 And congrats for getting into the Top 30! x
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile says
Absolutely Grace!! This is all so true! It’s not about numbers at all… just getting your own honest voice out there and connecting with so many wonderful like-minded people! Congrats again! xxx
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile recently posted..Sweet Potato, Lime & Coconut Soup
mamagrace71 says
Thanks, lovely! Keep it up with those amazing recipes of yours! x
Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says
That someone was ME Gracie!!! I asked the fabulous Kayte that question… I’m famous you mentioned me in your post… and I agree with you in EVERY aspect, in fact so much so I wrote a similar post today. Great minds eh! I can’t wait to give you a hangover at ProBlogger 🙂
mamagrace71 says
Aha! So you’re my clever cookie! Was so lovely catching up with you, albeit briefly. You’re on for #PBEVENT! x
Aroha says
and now I will be sharing “Shine bright like a diamond” all day. THANKS GRACE! 😉 Congratulations lovely, totally deserved of the accolades. Can’t wait til I can have a drink (hopefully without the hangover) with you one day! 🙂
Aroha recently posted..An Internet-less World
Jodie@FreshHomeCook says
What a bright shiny diamond you are Grace! It sounds like a great time was had by all! As someone who has had a killer hangover after a night with the beautiful Ms Talking Frankly & your wonderful self – it must have been a real corker of a night. xx
Jodie@FreshHomeCook recently posted..Fresh Mind & Body: A weight on my mind
Janet aka Middle Aged Mama says
You’re quite right, engagement is the hard part! Blogging is 10% inspiration, 10% writing, 10% promoting, and 80% engagement! (And yes I know that doesn’t add up to a 100%, because let’s face it, we bloggers give it more than 100% because we love what we do!)
Oh and congratulations on making the top 100 – totes jealous!
Visiting today from #teamIBOT xxx
Janet aka Middle Aged Mama recently posted..Bobby Pins: you’re doing it wrong!
Robo says
Lots to think about hey… You have a wonderful blog, another of my main reads. Just keep on blogging 🙂 X
Robo recently posted..The Confluence
Renee at Mummy, Wife, Me says
Shine bright like a diamond 🙂 I sometimes ask myself why I am doing this too. It doesn’t take long for me to remember though that I do it because I bloody love writing, I love the community that I’ve found online, I love the interaction, love learning from pros like you and love challenging myself. Can’t wait to meet you IRL at Problogger. I will be the shy wee thing hiding behind a pot plant waiting for someone friendly to take me under their wing 🙂
Renee at Mummy, Wife, Me recently posted..An Easter surprise
Jody at Six Little Hearts says
Oh Renee, I will be behind the pot plant opposite you!
Jody at Six Little Hearts recently posted..The Melbourne Series #5 – High Tea at The Langham Hotel
Cranky Old Man says
Besides, it is just fun to write and to read what others of all ages and around the world have to say.
Cranky Old Man recently posted..GARAGE-WALL BALL – a cranky re-run
Lee-Anne says
What an interesting post…from someone fairly inept at this blogging:) While I probably don’t engage enough, I do find it fascinating reading an eclectic range of blogs, time-consuming but worth it!
Lee-Anne recently posted..Monument. A little tribute to Daisy.
Josefa @always Josefa says
Congratulations Grace! Shine shine shine! So lovely to meet you on Saturday and so much inspiration gained from the weekend! Beautiful post recapping it all xx
Josefa @always Josefa recently posted..Kidspot Voices of 2014
Bec @ The Plumbette says
What a priceless post! It’s all so true and encouraging for me who is a little blogger too. Engagement can be hard but if we write from the heart and our message resonates with someone else it truely becomes a priceless gift. I’m one of your diamonds baby…a solitaire. Classic, loyal and true. 🙂
Bec @ The Plumbette recently posted..How to make a small bathroom look bigger
mamagrace71 says
That you are, indeed! 🙂 And a big congrats for making Top 30! So deserving xxx
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says
A great reminder to not focus on the numbers. Though that is hard when you are just starting out and still trying to build your blog community. With not many people reading it is hard to get engagement. Reminding myself to “just keep swimming”.
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages recently posted..Pumpkin Soup
Tegan says
Congratulations Grace! You are definitely a diamond in the rough and I agree sometimes it’s hard to justify why we keep doing it. I think the answer is clear though, at least for me, it’s the community, the love, the people who have your back and celebrate the victories with us. It’s making friends and connections that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. I think it’s also about creating a space that can cultivate all of those things.
Tegan recently posted..Autumn Rain: Para’Kito Giveaway
Cybele says
Go you good thing!
It was wonderful to see you.
I realise I have the maturity of a four year old, but for some reason the lady in the poster photo-bombing the Facebook panel makes me giggle. But on a serious note, yes, engagement is the hardest thing. Us little DIY bloggers can put our tutorials out there for the traffic, but that doesn’t equal engagement and hell, that’s where the fun is x
Cybele recently posted..Dyeing with tea
Carolyn @ Champagne Cartel says
I had a giggle at that too Cybele! (Great to meet you last week too – so many fun new friends to play with!)
Carolyn @ Champagne Cartel recently posted..Friday Fizz: on a Thursday!
Zita says
Congrats on making the list Grace!! Most of the time I feel like I am fumbling my way through the blogging world but good to know the trick is to just keep doing what I’m doing and seeing where this road takes me!
Zita recently posted..for M
kirri says
You are a diamond!! I’m quite inspired reading this 🙂
kirri recently posted..Quick Banana Spelt Muffins
Toni @ Finding Myself Young says
Exactly! I think engagement is much more valuable than numbers. I hear you on how hard it is to keep it up as a personal blogger. But, I feel like the people who do interact with me via the blog or facebook really get me and I’d rather talk to a couple of my friends than a big group of strangers who couldn’t care less about me.
Toni @ Finding Myself Young recently posted..Mummy Must Have | My Teddy
Lisa@RandomActsOfZen says
Grace, I’m so hopeless about my numbers, I haven’t had any stats on my blog for the last 8 months, since I got a new design done! I still pinch myself because I can’t believe I’ve found the amazing community that I get to interact with.
It sounds like the weekend was amazing, and I’m loving hearing what everyone got out of it.
Again, massive congratulations to you sweetie xx
Lisa@RandomActsOfZen recently posted..The Zen Files // Sam from A life On Venus
Lauren @ Create bake make says
Spot on Grace, being part of a community is what it is all about. It’s easy to see through the comments on you post today (and your other posts) that people really respond to your writing. Well done, I’m glad you had a great weekend, well deserved xx
PS. You look amazing!!
Lauren @ Create bake make recently posted..Malteser and Mars Bar Slice
Kylie Purtell says
Nailed it Grace. I don’t care so much about how much traffic I get to the blog, but rather, the people who I engage with, who get me and my ramblings. The best thing by far that I have gotten from blogging is the relationships. Bloggers are my second family and there are some days that would just suck even more badly if it wasn’t for my online friends support and encouragement, and that’s why I keep doing it.
Kylie Purtell recently posted..Two Peas in a Cot
EssentiallyJess says
So well said Grace, and so much we can all take away from this, without even having to be at the class!
So thank you!!!
EssentiallyJess recently posted..The Whisper #IBOT
Jody at Six Little Hearts says
Congratulations on the next step Grace! You so deserve to be here! You look so lovely in those shots too and one day I shall give you a big hug in person – somewhere!
If you ever work out why the hell bloggers blog, let me know. I ask myself daily (several times even), and still I have no idea. It is fun and I like the social aspect but I cannot word the exact ingredient that makes blogging the ‘magic’ it is – it just ‘is.’
We just do it because we love it and one day, maybe many others will appreciate our work and efforts too. (Looks like you’re already there Grace) ;D
Jody at Six Little Hearts recently posted..The Melbourne Series #5 – High Tea at The Langham Hotel
Rita @ The Crafty Expat says
So well said Grace and you are truly an inspiration! And many, many congratulations on your nomination! So well deserved!
Rita @ The Crafty Expat recently posted..Wordless Wednesday – The Alchemist
Twinkle in the Eye says
Congratulations Grace. Well deserved!
Twinkle in the Eye recently posted..Why blog?
Bec | Mumma Tells says
Look at that smile! Happiness is. X
Bec | Mumma Tells recently posted..The Write Mumma
Carolyn @ Champagne Cartel says
Beautiful post! And it has been so great to be in the same room with a bunch of people that GET this. Truly inspiring. xx
Carolyn @ Champagne Cartel recently posted..Friday Fizz: on a Thursday!
Pinky Poinker says
Have I said congrats yet? I don’t think so. It’s fantastic to see! My stats absolutely suck but the people who do read it are hopefully engaged. Who knows?
Pinky Poinker recently posted..O- is for One Day I Sniffed Cheese!
Mandy, Barbie Bieber and Beyond says
I really wish I could have been there last weekend….maybe next time. I think as long as you are loving what you are doing, the rest will naturally follow…
Mandy, Barbie Bieber and Beyond recently posted..An Open Letter to My Daughters
Sam Stone @ A Life on Venus says
I totally agree…The more we write, the more we share; the braver we become.
Sam Stone @ A Life on Venus recently posted..Riding in cars with kids
Living Serenely says
I love that sentiment! Real diamonds are few and far between, but when found, truly make the hunting and searching all worthwhile. Will continue to have faith, push on, and trust that I’ll keep finding more and more diamonds as I open my heart
Living Serenely recently posted..Creepy crawly things
Lisa Wood says
Diamonds are a girls best friend for a reason, and I blog because I want my family/friends to be able to know how our life is like in a Motorhome, over sharing is scary {especially the first time} but when you hear others say “Oh i know how you are feeling” then it makes it all worthwhile xx
Lisa Wood recently posted..Merlins Lookout Hill End
Bec @ Seeing the Lighter Side of Parenting says
Thanks x
Bec @ Seeing the Lighter Side of Parenting recently posted..New rule: No steroids before bedtime for the toddler
Dreama says
Deep thinking – adds a new dimnesion to it all.
baufinanzierung vergleich says
You look fantastic. My kinda top any day, love both shoesies, the Jimmy’s are beaut, and nothing like a lovely tiffany-blue nail polish to make the feet look extra yummy in them. Heck, iSalute.