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Run. Wander. Wear. is ONE! I am in awe as I write this. It’s been a full year of blogging and creating for this platform!
This platform has been a space to share my love for running, travel, and practical lifestyle tips. But more than that, it was a personal experiment in building something from scratch: part creative outlet and part digital strategy lab. This isn’t my first adventure into blogging and if I’ve learned anything from the experience, it’s that I’m more of a creative than I give myself credit for.
Key Topics Included in this Post
What Has One Year of Blogging Taught Me
One year later, I’ve learned more than I could have imagined and this is just the beginning. I thought this would be helpful to share for friends looking to either start a blog or create digital content.
5 Takeaways From the First 365 Days of Blogging
It’s better to start imperfectly than to wait until everything is perfect.
I launched before I felt “ready” because otherwise I didn’t think I’d ever launch at all. I sat on the idea of starting a new blog for weeks before I confessed to my boyfriend, “I think I want to start a blog,” one Sunday night over tacos. It became clear I needed to just go for it when I stayed lying awake thinking about how I could build a strategy to promote it.
I launched with five posts and started posting once a week. The plan at the beginning isn’t the same one I’m using now. The whole process has been exhilarating. There were moments I felt like I was putting the wheels on the car while learning to drive it at times. I’m still so grateful because otherwise I might have been too nervous to start.
I will always be learning, no matter how big this platform grows.
As someone who’s very “Type-A,” I long to have it figured out but it’s more about being comfortable in the uncomfortable. I’ve learned a lot about SEO while writing for readers. Staying curious and open has been essential to my personal growth and finding new opportunities for the blog. Year two is looking every exciting.
A simple strategy beats burnout.
Initially, I had a grand plan for when I would post, which platforms, and how often. While it worked for me initially, not having systems in place to organize my plan made the process overwhelming and eventually, I started to burn out. Once I scaled back and focused on creating the blog content as the primary platform, I slowly started adding promotion into the mix. While I love posting on social, it wasn’t giving me the value I needed to get momentum. Right now I’m focused on Pinterest (which is actually a search engine!!). I’m slowly layering in Instagram and TikTok back in (if you’d like to connect, follow me any of these platforms).
Repurposing content is a game-changer.
A single idea can (and should) be modified for multiple platforms. I’m a one-woman team (who just completed the London Marathon) and I need to maximize the time I’m using to grow the blog. One blog post can be repurposed for social post, multiple Pinterest boards, a newsletter or vice versa.
Niching down is powerful.
Trying to be everything to everyone made me feel generic and off-brand. Dressing up isn’t in my core and I learned a fashion blog is not my niche. Getting clear on who I’m speaking to (busy women who want to train for a marathon while maintaining a personal life) has helped me create better, more authentic content, which truly surprised me. Writing about simplified running concepts and travel tips has given me so much joy!
How You Can Support This Blog
I’d love it if you gave the blog a read today and please share it with a friend who loves running or traveling. Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool (and it’s free)!
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Here’s to year two! 🥂
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