A Top 10 Blog about Blogs

Blogging, Grace, Growth 3 Minutes

I’m no SEO expert. When I started blogging back in 2017, I didn’t know a thing about search engine optimization. Since then, I’ve learned to check off search categories and tag key words before posting, and my blog has grown. Humble bloggers tend to say they don’t care about the numbers. Call me Not Humble. I can’t help noticing. And now for the January 2nd moment I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for…

Photo by gdtography on Pexels.com

Crystal Byers Top 10 Blogs of All Time

10. Purging and Mental Health (2021)

The time I admitted to the hoarding problem in my home and took a 30 day purging challenge.

  • Blogging Categories: Hope, Mental Health, Purge
  • Tags: 30 Day Challenge, Less Is More

9. I Have a Secret (on Anti-Aging) (2019)

The time I met up with my second-grade friend and came home a younger person.

  • Blogging Categories: Friendship, Happiness, Health
  • Tags: anti-aging, collagen peptides, collagen protein, dental health, hair health, joint pain, liver detoxification, nail health, Plexus, skin health, Starla, weight loss

8. Butterfly, Butterfly (2020)

A love note from my second-grade self to my mother.

  • Blogging Categories: Alzheimer’s, Family, Love
  • Tags: None

7. Actinomycosis (2020)

The time a severe sore throat traveled into my jawbone.

  • Blogging Categories: Prayer
  • Tags: “The Death of a Clerk,” Anton Chekhov

6. Thirty Years in the Blink of an Eye (2019)

Some birthday love for the guy who made me a mother.

  • Blogging Categories: Family, Happiness, Love, Strength
  • Tags: Love Shack, B-52s

5. Rejection Is God’s Protection (2018)

The time I didn’t get the job I thought I wanted.

  • Blogging Categories:

4. Tale of the Unwanted Letter Jacket (2020)

The time my letter jacket met its demise.

  • Blogging Categories: introverts, writing
  • Tags: None

3. Five Years Before I Said, I Do (2017)

The prequel to my marriage.

  • Blogging Categories: Faith, God, Gratitude, Hope, Inspiration, Love, Peace
  • Tags: None

2. That Time When I Met Harvey (2017)

The time when a hurricane flooded our home and the piece that compelled me to start a blog.

  • Blogging Categories: Faith, Gratitude, Hope, Inspiration, Peace
  • Tags: None

1. Making Macbeth Memorable (2019)

The first time I taught Macbeth. I admit to posting this one on a Facebook English teacher page where it continues to bring viewers.

  • Blogging Categories: High School English, Learning, Life Lessons, school
  • Tags: Shakespeare

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re still with me, Thank You!! I had a recent conversation with a fellow blogger (Hey Rhonda!) about the Me, Me, Me obnoxiousness of blogging. She admitted to having a “full-blown complex about coming across as self-centered, self-involved and driven solely by self-interest,” and I totally relate. I have no answers, but I’ve come to feel unsettled if I’m not writing a little here and there. Not that I must post it, or must I?

I published my first ever blog post on September 12, 2017, and tapped out 13 posts total that year. 30 posts in 2018. 35 in 2019. From 2017 to 2018, my views doubled. Those stats align with how my number of posts doubled. From 2018 to 2019, my views tripled, and I only wrote a few extra posts. Maybe I started using more tags and categories that year?? From 2019 to 2020, views doubled again. My blog hit a growth spurt when I wrote 26 posts in April for my first A-Z challenge. Then again, I wrote 89 posts that year. In 2021, I wrote 74. The views on my blog plateaued. Still my followers grew. If you’re still reading this post, THANK YOU!!

Bloggers come and go. Many of those first followers no longer log in to their WordPress accounts. Some followers follow as a strategy for growing their readership. Looking back on the years of more prolific blogging, I realize I wasn’t working during that time. Instead, I was home for most of the pandemic, which gave me some extra time and freedom to blog.

What does this mean for my 2022 blog? I honestly have no clue. After a two-week vacation, I go back to teaching the children tomorrow, and they are my priority. With the new job, I have a spring semester of curriculum to flesh out still. I perpetually reflect upon what is and isn’t working and consider what to change for next year. The adjustments are major, a post for another time.

My reflection spills over and onto the blog. I think about what’s working and what is not. Not that I have the answers. I suppose, I’ll continue to take each year as a new year and each day as a new day and reserve the right to change my mind about everything. And, I suppose, if I have one goal or one word for myself this year, I’m leaning toward GRACE. GRACE when I want to beat myself up. GRACE when I want to beat someone else up. 😊 And if you’re still with me, you probably wondered where all of this was going. Trust me, I did, too. Thanks again for hanging with me ’til the end. (Or is this the beginning?)

Published by Crystal Byers

When I was young, my dad would always say, "Crystal, you can choose your attitude." One day I chose to believe him.

Published

56 thoughts on “A Top 10 Blog about Blogs”

      4. Same thing happened to me! WordPress – The program/site/whatever you want to call it we love to hate!

        Crystal, I read a few of these posts in reverse order, which is the order in which they spoke to me. Thanks for sharing a lot of this pretty personal stuff.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. It’s not the beginning or ending, but both—the “bigending.”

    Thank you for sharing your category and tagging strategy. Were these words taken directly from each post in question?
    My biggest problem is I don’t have time to post more often. Once a week is not much of a strategy for increasing blog traffic.

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    1. I like the idea of the bigending. Why not?

      Sometimes the words were taken from the content and sometimes not. Probably more often than not, not.

      I’ve been posting once a week mostly besides the last two Aprils. I started at twice a month in 2017, and I might go back to that. I’m sort of a fan of the non-plan. At least for now.

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      2. I like this: the bigending. But I am pronouncing it bi-gending, not big-ending. Love this post, Crystal.

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      3. I suppose if I quit now, that would be a big ending. Maybe begending is a way of restarting when it feels like the end. Funny, Kionna, how I wasn’t loving this post. Thank you for loving it for me. I miss you.

        Like

  6. I am with you on tagging and categories Crystal. Having every post simply show as Uncategorized does not give the search engines or your readers much of a chance. Here is also a hint for all who comment on posts and comments. It took me some time to learn this. Bloggers love to hear from their readers, good or bad. Readers love to hear that their comments have been read and see any response. As a blogger, if you want the commenter to know you have read their comment and/or replied to it click Like on the comment. This will send an E-mail that provides and easy link to look for your comment, whether you have replied or not. Happy blogging Crystal and a a happy 2022. Allan

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  7. I used to analyse everything, and over-think everything, and I’ve switched platforms more times than I can count. I always return to WordPress because it’s easy, and writing helps organise thoughts. I filter a lot, but I love reading other’s stories too. You write wonderfully btw.

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  9. Look at you, Crystal, drawing crowds of increasing size! Month after month, year after year.

    Yeah, maybe some of it is your increasing skills at maximizing SEO. Insofar as it goes, you seem to select categories and key words the algorithm likes.

    That explains only a small part of your success, though. None of this would have any staying power if you weren’t interesting, creative and enthusiastic about a broad range of topics. The personal experience with this blog goes back only to 2019, and late in the year at that, yet shall we list all the topics covered in that time?

    In fact, that’s your key word – enthusiasm. Situations come and they go, yet you stay energetic and inquisitive. That’s why so many keep checking back, to see where you’ll take things next.

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  12. I love this, Crystal! Thanks for sharing your insights. I still have much to learn re: the techie side of this blogging habit of mine. I feel like this is the year I’m actually going to make it a priority to gain more knowledge and skills. Oh, and to write more. And to write about balance. And work and lifestyle. Past, present, future..you know? Ha ha. Thank you so much for the shout out!

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    1. Thank you, Rhonda, and especially for the inspiration! I’m so not techie either. It’s interesting that two of those top ten posts have no tags. But all of them were posted on Facebook. I meant to add that. When I started writing more, I stopped posting as much to FB (in part due to the me, me, me thing). Best wishes for your writing and balance in 2022!

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  13. Thanks for sharing your journey. You’re a great writer. Like you, I find myself constantly amazed at what works on my own site and what seemingly doesn’t — both from a writing standpoint and from a Views or SEO perspective. When I think I finally have it figured out, the blog I think will resonate with large numbers turns out to be a dud and the blog I think is just filling space, goes viral and does better than I ever could have imagined. Oh, I still care about the numbers, but I keep reminding myself to put my all into my writing; open up a vein; be vulnerable; and see where the writing takes me. Best wishes to you in 2022. And keep on writing.

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  14. Pingback: A Top 10 Blog about Blogs – CURIOSIDADES NA INTERNET

  15. I used to have the same sort of complex about blogging (me, me, me) but then I thought we are all experts in our experiences and the more we can share with one another, the more change we can affect. My words may not connect it for everyone but maybe for one or two? Even if it just inspires someone else to express themselves in their own way and tell their story, I think that’s worth the effort!

    Congrats on a grand year! Will check out these posts, Crystal! 🙂

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  16. Wow! I call that an extraordinary success story Crystal! I love your writings, your stories, your courage, and accomplishments. You inspire me to try harder, do more, and consider the source of all things: grace. So perfect! Wrapping you in love and hugs, C

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  17. I like your list of posts. It’s a good idea to let readers know what is important to you. Grace is a good Word of the Year, applicable to so many situations, easy to remember. Happy 2022!

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    1. Much appreciated perspective about what’s important! For my birthday lunch last week, we went to a spot named Grace’s. If there happens to be a Carrabba’s Italian Grill near you, Grace was Johnny Carrabba’s grandmother. Anyway, Grace stuck. Happy 2022, Ally!

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  18. …..just now cleaning out a few of 600 emails ~ just a little behind on a lot ~ hope to read & re-read all! I see this email was to me! Grazié, Bella! 💕

    Love you, my dear!
    dananananinamom

    Sent from my iPhone

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  20. Thank you for sharing!!.. wonderful you are able to follow your dream, as every one should!.. for me when the heart is ready, I just sit down and start typing, no goals in mind… 🙂

    Hope the new year is all that you wish for it to be and until we meet again..
    May love and laughter light your days,
    and warm your heart and home.
    May good and faithful friends be yours,
    wherever you may roam.
    May peace and plenty bless your world
    with joy that long endures.
    May all life’s passing seasons
    bring the best to you and yours!
    (Irish Saying)

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  22. Amazing selection of the Top 10 blogs Mrs Byres. In blogging SEO is a tool that prioritizes search engine tools such as Google or Yahoo or Bing where your blog gets a greater reach from people online who search for certain information.

    WordPress is the best blogging app because it links your post to your social media handles plus if you google your link it appears on the screen and thumbnail

    Such a great Post again🙌

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  23. Pingback: On GRACE – Faith + Gratitude = Peace + Hope

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