Thinking of Starting a Blog? My 1-Year Recap & Advice

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1. Starting with WordPress
   1. My Challenges
2. The Challenges of Staying Disciplined
3. Reader Feedback is Key
4. Practical Advice
5. Looking Ahead
6. Building a Community around Beautifully Moi

It’s already been a year since I took the plunge and started this adventure with Beautifully Moi! Starting a blog had been a dream of mine for nearly ten years. Back then, the idea of sharing knowledge online was still new, and I was really drawn to the thought of talking about my passions.

Since I was 14, I’ve struggled with skin problems, especially acne and rosacea. I wish I had found someone back then who was going through the same thing to help me figure out what products to try. Eventually, I ended up on Roaccutane, and I would have loved to know more about the whole journey (before, during, and after treatment) especially as someone with anxiety. Now, thanks to the treatment, my skin is finally clearer, and I’ve become obsessed with skincare! Having good skin for the first time in my life has made me determined to keep it glowing.

Of course, Roaccutane is a strong treatment, and it should be considered a last resort due to its side effects, particularly for pregnant or breastfeeding women. But it gave me back my confidence. Now that my skin is showing signs of maturity, like fine lines, I want to maintain that “glass skin” look for as long as possible. I’m excited to try all the new skincare innovations and share my findings with you!

As for fashion, it has always been a source of comfort for me. Shopping has always been a way to lift my spirits, and it still is, though now I do more online browsing. I spend a lot of time scrolling for outfit ideas, especially on Pinterest. I love it, and sharing my style with you lets me connect with this passion and with you.

Starting with WordPress

I’m not promoting WordPress, but it’s so easy to create a website, even if you don’t know much about it! I bought a domain name because I wanted my blog to reflect my identity, and I really enjoyed choosing a theme. But I quickly realized things weren’t always that simple.

On the other hand, what bothers me a bit with WordPress is the plugins. I knew I’d have to buy some, but I didn’t expect to constantly need to upgrade to a higher plan just to be able to install them. It’s quite frustrating because each time I have to upgrade again, and it’s a bit annoying. Especially since some plugins are essential for a blog to function properly, so there’s really no choice. Honestly, I didn’t expect this kind of limitation from the start.

My Challenges

One of the big challenges I faced was getting my pages indexed by Google. Indexing is when Google scans your web pages to show them in search results. I had to learn terms like sitemap (a file that shows Google how your pages are organized) and robots.txt (which tells search engines which pages to scan or ignore). While Google automatically indexes pages, it can take a while, so I manually submitted my URLs to Google Search Console and requested indexing.

I also had issues with HTTP and HTTPS links. At first, I submitted my URLs with HTTP, but Google kept showing errors. After checking blogs and analyzing my links, I was told everything was fine, even though there were 301 redirects, meaning my page had moved. Eventually, I realized the problem was because I was missing the “S” in HTTPS (while submitting my URL links to Google Search Console), which is essential for secure connections. Submitting my URLs with HTTPS fixed the issue and made it easier for Google to index my pages.

I found some really helpful resources on blogs like WeGrowth (for URL errors) and oncrawl (for generating a sitemap), which guided me through submitting my sitemap and URLs properly. (I’ve linked the posts that helped me find all the right info!)

PS: I know this is a lot of detail, but I hope it helps others who have had similar issues!

Another interesting point is that I’ve had to deal with a lot of online bots. They visit sites, sometimes registering or interacting with posts. While WordPress has anti-spam features, it’s not always enough to stop malicious bots. If any of my readers are thinking of starting a blog, I encourage them to be prepared to handle this kind of issue.

Lastly, I’ve also been questioning the effectiveness of paid ads to increase a blog’s visibility. I spent a bit of money on ads through Google and Pinterest, but I’m not convinced it really worked (a lot of bots visited my site). I believe that organic traffic is the most valuable because it shows people are genuinely interested in what I’m offering.

The Challenges of Staying Disciplined

One of the biggest challenges has been staying disciplined. At first, I was super motivated, but seeing no traffic for almost a year was discouraging. I had to learn to keep writing, even when I wasn’t seeing results.

To stay focused, I often work from cafés or the library. Since I’m a homebody, getting out of the house and seeing other people helps me stay motivated and productive.

Reader Feedback is Key

I really appreciate all the feedback I’ve received so far. Every comment and message is a chance to learn and adapt to what my community wants. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me and how my blog grows. Together, we can create a space where skincare and fashion are not just topics but shared passions!

Today, my pages are finally indexed, and I’m seeing real progress with regular visitors. Every new reader, comment, or subscription makes me proud and keeps me motivated to create inspiring content that I hope will help my readers. Thank you!

Practical Advice

If you’re thinking of starting a blog, here are a few tips:

1. Performance Tracking: Install Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your site’s traffic and how it performs in search results.

• Google Analytics is a web analytics tool that allows you to track your site’s traffic. It provides insights into the number of visitors, where they come from, the time spent on each page, and the most visited pages. This helps you understand how users interact with your content.
• Google Search Console, on the other hand, helps you monitor and improve your presence in Google’s search results. It allows you to check which pages of your site are indexed, analyze search performance, and detect technical issues, such as indexing errors.

2. Understand Your Data: Take time to interpret your stats. This will help you see what’s working and what needs improvement.

3. Stay Disciplined: Develop a routine and stick with it, even when motivation is low. Personally, I use Notion, a free tool that allows you to create pages, editorial calendars and organize your ideas. It helps me get an overview and keep my articles well-structured.

4. Use Free Image Sites: Sites like Unsplash and Freepik are great for finding free images to use in your posts!

5. Canva will be very useful for your designs!

But most importantly, don’t wait until you know everything to start. You learn by doing! Every step counts, and the first try doesn’t have to be perfect. Just go for it and improve as you go.

Looking Ahead

I regularly look at trends and popular topics for my upcoming articles. Sometimes, I draw inspiration from how I feel or my own questions, like with my article on combining urea and tretinoin (read here and more here), which sparked a lot of interest. I’m still new to SEO, but I’m working on optimizing my older articles to improve them.

I’m also excited to return to writing fashion articles, but this time with more personal photos. Instead of relying solely on Pinterest images, I want to share my own outfits to inspire readers and showcase my unique style.

Regarding skincare, I not only want to stay on top of trends and what’s happening in the community, but I also want to cover more personal and lesser-discussed topics. For example, I’m planning to write an article about frostbite, a theme rarely talked about in skincare. So stay tuned because I can’t wait to share all this with you!

My dream is to turn Beautifully Moi into a real career. I aspire to become a reference in the skincare and fashion world. I want my readers to find well-researched articles on my blog, enriched with reliable sources. My goal is for them not to have to look elsewhere to find the answers they need.

Building a Community around Beautifully Moi

I’m confident the year ahead will be full of learning and discovery. My goal is to keep sharing my passion while building a dynamic and engaged community. I’m really excited to see what the future holds for Beautifully Moi!

I’d love to create a space where open exchanges are valued. I want to know what interests you, what you’d like to see on the blog, and gather your advice. It’s like we’re sharing tips among friends, and that makes the experience even more rewarding.

In short, this first year of blogging has been a real adventure, full of learning and challenges. I’m eager to keep sharing my experiences and connecting with you. Your support and feedback mean the world to me, and I hope that together, we can build a passionate community around skincare and fashion.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me, and stay tuned for upcoming articles!

See you soon, Beautifully Moi!