*This post got REALLY long REALLY fast. So I am breaking it up into more than one post mmmkay?*
Ok so the majority of the questions (ok like the only one) that you guys asked was “How did you get all of your followers?”
First off let me say that I am far far from being a blog rockstar and probably am not qualified to answer this question.
Everyone’s journey is different but I am more than happy to share mine and my thoughts on this topic.
Just cause someone has 20 followers and someone else has 20,000 does not mean that the person with the larger following automatically has better content. Odds are you stick with this long enough and you will build a pretty great group of friends that support you.
What I am saying is if you have only a small number of followers that does not mean that you suck. I know some blogs that are way more amazing than mine and have less than 200 followers.
Followers do not equal awesomeness.
Got that?
Also I am not bragging on my blog, I am telling you what I did and why I think it has worked.
So for part one of this subject we are going to talk about the behind the scenes part.
*The next part will be about driving traffic and such to your blog. But I wanted to start with this cause all the traffic in the world does not equal loyalty.
Tip #1. LOVE what you are blogging about. Love it so much that you would do it for FREE. I shared with you yesterday how you can make money off your blog but I didn’t start doing that until April. All the months between July (when I started) and April I did it 100% for free, because I love it.
Tip #2. People will remember you and come back…if you are memorable. So how do you become memorable?
(Source)
Make people FEEEEEEEL something. Make them laugh, make them cry, make them feel excited and inspired, make them feel like they are not the only parent that feeds their kid cereal for dinner 3 nights in a row, make them feel like you are their friend, make them say “wow”, make them want to see what you are going to come up with next. Make it so they attach an emotion to your blog!
Just out of curiosity’s sake what do you feel when you come over here?
Tip #3. Be Real!! If you have ever met me in real life you are 100% guaranteed to hear the words “Awesome”, “Crap”, and “Seriously” a bunch…like you might want to tell me to get a real vocabulary. I am the same in person as I am on my blog. Really its true, and there is no greater compliment to me than that.
But. More than all of the above. I know without a shadow of a doubt the real reason my blog has grown so fast.
See this tab?
That is why. When you are not afraid to share your testimony Heavenly Father will bless you.
This little page is not the blaringly obvious reason, chances are you did not originally come to Vintage Revivals because you wanted to read about my husbands drug addiction. Maybe you’ve never read this part of my blog. But for those of you that have, you know that it has set a tone here. A tone that I hope comes across as honest and grateful and in awe of what amazing things the Lord has in store for each one of us.
Now, I get that most people are not comfortable airing all of their family’s deepest secrets. That’s not what I am saying to do. But be REAL. Share something that is entirely YOU! That is what connects us all together.
Some may say that this type of blog is not the place to talk about God and I may loose a few followers today but, too many miracles have been given to me to not shout from the rooftops of blogland their source. I get emails daily from mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, friends of addicts or who are battling addiction themselves. Sharing my story has given others hope. And that is way better than spray paint tips.
I love you guys and am so glad that you are here!!
Awesome post! Keep ’em coming. BTW, if you spent time with me in “real life” you would hear me say “hey”, “better than a stick in the eye” and “crap” a lot! 🙂
Yep, I stumbled upon your blog because of a post – which I can’t even remember now – but I stayed because I read your “Real Life Story”. So you’re exactly right. I have waaaaay less than 200 followers, but I post my every day life and I’d be doing and saying the same things whether 5000 people were reading or 0 people were reading. I can only hope my day-in-the-life food/crafts/gardening/SAHM adventures/ramblings are written and photographed in a way that make people “feel”. Thanks for continually putting a smile on my face with yours.
Thank you so much for sharing Mandi! I completely agree. 🙂
What a great post, thanks for sharing. Excited to read more! Also super duper excited to see the makeover!!!!
Thanks Mandi! Loved that! It was 4 REALZ!
Thank you for this post…I have been struggling with the, “I only have 9 followers so my blog must suck” attitude for weeks now…crap, my own husband barely reads it! So I will take to heart what you said…I started a blog to write about how I feel, to share what I do with others – somewhere along the way it became a ruler of ‘popularity’ and one that I have been beating myself with. Time to get back to why I was doing it in the first place.
Thanks for the reminder…you rock! And your story rocks – my son, a recovering heroin addict (started on the pills)…I can relate to a lot of your story.
Thanks for keeping it real!
~alicia
proof-of-love.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for sharing, Mandi! I was feeling in a slump a few weeks ago because I didn’t feel like my blog was expanding. I just needed a little reminder that I dod this for fun and as a creative outlet, not to get followers. Hope the makeover at Jessica’s is going well and I am so excited to read all about it.
-Amanda @ The Ivy Cottage Blog
Thank you for sharing your story Mandi! I think you’re right, learning about someone’s personal life makes them ‘real’, not just a blog with decor tips. I’m enjoying this series, thank you for sharing your thoughts!
You hit the nail on the head! I am one of your followers because of the way you made me feel when I clicked on that tab! Don’t ever apologize for talking about God and the things he has blessed your family with! You are an inspiration to so many. I have personally never had any addiction issues to deal with and somehow still felt a connection after reading your story. It just shows that no matter the content, every family that has REAL life struggles. Thanks for sharing yours and keepin’ it real! Keep those awesome craptastic treasures comin’….seriously!
🙂 Awesome post lady! It’s true, I found your blog because of an awesome project, but kept coming back because of your spunk! 🙂 @alicia, I’m there too…I only have 5 followers haha…let’s follow each other and add to that number! 🙂
https://sweetsongbirdofmine.blogspot.com/
You are soooo a blog rock star. PROMISE!
Realized my comment may be read condescending. I swear I meant it in love because you are a rock star and I love your blog and I want you to know that I love your blog. I think you knew that I love your blog because I try to give you comment love whenever I can. Okay, nervous rambling.
I found your blog because of a project I want to copy(and just started!!), but keep coming back because you seem like the type of person I would love to hang out with in real life!
Mandi, I just wanted to say I love you girl.. You are such an inspiration to so many people. Don’t ever change girl.. Hugs Ü Jackie
Dear Mandi, I related to your story about your husband. I have many addicts in my family and have watched the train wrecks first hand.
Your faith in the Lord and giving Him the glory for the healing is such an awesome testimony. Never stop! I love your blog BECAUSE you are real! Thanks for making my day!
You are WOMAN, Mandi! Love this post ~ and that you’re a straight-shooter who speaks from her heart and passion.
:))) Rock on!
Heidi @ Show Some Decor
Thanks for posting this today. I’ve just started blogging after wanting to for over a year. But I’m already looking at others’ blogs and questioning why anyone would want to read mine. This makes me stop and remember that I want to blog for me. If others read it, then that’s a bonus. For so long I was wrapped up in my children, then my teaching career, and now taking care of my parents. This is for me.
Keep doing what you’re doing.
I follow your blog because 1. you make it seem like anything is possible. 2. you make me feel like we’re friends and we’ve never even met. 3. your DIY ideas rock! 4. you have a fun and friendly personality and it animates your blog and gives it life!
Reading your life story made me like you even more because you are real and sharing your faith is ok too because that is a part of who you are. Anyone who stops following your awesome blog just because of that…their loss! Rock on, Mandi!
Hey girl. I come here because I honestly “feel” like we’ve met before. We’ve sat around your kitchen table or my gazebo and gabbed and gabbed and gabbed. I remember and follow you because of that. We have different beliefs, we definitely come from different parts of the world but we are the *same* in doing what and blogging on what we ADORE! I think you rock the casbah babe. Keep on, keepin on.
i love you..if you can remember forever ago…your real life story inpired me to email you (which I never do) and now we are besties! and it’s true. you say crap alot. and seriously. you are exactly like you write. and i love you!
You really have a way of making a person feel a part of your world. I started reading your blog as I am in the interiors business and in you I found someone who could present an original item. I love your creations and the authenticity of each items is striking. And you have once again pulled the rabbit out of the hat with this article’s advise. Believe in an effort to grow my blog followers I have read many a blog article on ‘ how to this and how to that’all in name of increasing following. Some of the information was so daunting that i felt like pulling the plug on the whole exercise. Whereas in your advise, down to earth and extremely personal, you said it all. When I battle to understand what someone is trying to tell me, I just have to ask them to speak to me like I am a four year old – simple like. And you have done it. Congrats. You do indeed rock. So, from a very talkative person, I just want to let you know, that your blog is one I open as soon as it hits my screen. Looking forward to many more happy hours of mixing it up with you.
I came by because of the contest, but stayed when I read your RL story, because I’m a recovery alcoholic & addict so I know how it was for your husband and yourself. Also, your quirkiness is what makes your posts worth reading :o)
I feel like I just had a great therapy session after i see a cool new post of some amazing crapo you have made!! ha ha ha! =) very very therapeutic mandi!!! thanks!!
Awesome! I hadn’t checked out your life story yet, so I didn’t even realize you’re a fellow Christian! I love finding out when my favorite bloggers are Christians too. I often wonder about the line – how much is okay to talk about and how much isn’t? – so it’s refreshing to hear you talk about that. 🙂
Love your spilt guts too Mandi moo.
Omg you have so inspired me! I know what I love so much I would do out for free…digital design! I love it so much I have been doing social media buttons for free already and you have inspired me to run a monthly free digital design giveaway on my blog.thank you!–connie, measuredbytheheart.com
Mandi – I came acrss your blog a few months ago and I’ve kept comin’ back! Love it! One day I read your entire Real Life Story and I immediately emailed my sister to check it out. Her husband is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict and I knew she would have loved to read another LDS woman’s perspective in a struggle that so many of us feel alone in, ashamed of. You are a definite blog star! You are right – you do keep it real and I think all of us recognize that and keep comin’ back!! Can’t wait to check back in this week!
Can I just say…I love you and I don’t even know you. I found your blog on accident one day, but have followed you ever since. I read your story and got teary. My mother is an addict as well-celebrating 14yrs clean, so I could totally relate.
Thanks for sharing your awesomeness with us!I love your guts!!!
I followed you before reading your “real life story” but I’ll tell you, I definitely became a loyal fan after reading it. I appreciated reading your brutally honest history and the testimony you gained from it. Though I don’t know you in real life, I have a great respect for both you and your husband. What a great example you both are for others out there suffering from addictions. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I LOVE U TOO! BIG HUGS!
I first saw you on the Nate Burkus show you lit something in me that I haven’t felt for awhile. I am a new mom and trying to find myself again as being a stay at home mommy. I love to be creative and have so many ideas. Thank you for getting me excited about projects and expressing myself. Keep it coming you are a daily stop for me. xoxo