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HLS Newbie Q&A Panel Recap

By Courtney 58 Comments

So I owe you guys a little recap of my Newbie Q&A panel, don’t I?

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First, let me just say that I had a blast. Last year, I was super nervous leading up to my panel and had butterflies for practically the entire morning. But this year? Despite the fact that I was feeling totally unprepared, I was actually feeling pretty cool and collected about the whole thing.

We started out with a quick introduction from Heather, who we then coerced into actually joining in our panel.

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Originally, there was supposed to be four of us, but one of our panel members had to back out at the last second. I’m sure that Alicia, Chase, and I would have been fine, but I was soooo happy to have Heather’s insights as well.

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Now when I was saying that I felt totally unprepared, I’m really not kidding. About two days before, I put together a very brief outline for me and my panel mates to follow, but that was it. No fancy PowerPoint presentation like everyone else…just us and some microphones. Winking smile

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The whole panel session (I felt) was very relaxed, lighthearted, and touched on a variety of good topics.

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The one thing we banked on for our whole session to go smoothly was audience participation. Since the panel was a “Newbie Q&A,” we really wanted to make sure that we were answering questions from those who needed it…not just a list of prepared topics to cover. We did have a list of backup questions just in case we needed them, but thankfully there was plenty of audience participation to keep the conversation flowing.

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Perhaps the fact that I told everyone who was planning on coming to the panel  earlier in the day that if they didn’t ask questions I was going to call them out…but I like to think not. Winking smile

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I’ve been trying to decide what the best way is to recap everything that was covered in the session, and even though I know there’s going to be things that I’m forgetting, I think it’ll just be easiest for me to list them out for you as bullets.

SO…here’s some takeaways from our Newbie Q&A’s…

  • Figure out what works best for YOU and don’t feel pressure to post all the time to “become known.”
  • No matter how many times you blog – be it 3 times a day or 3 times a week – just be consistent. That way your readers know what to expect and will continue coming back.
  • NetworkedBlogs and TwitterFeed are easy ways to share your blog posts on Facebook and/or Twitter automatically. PROS: it makes sharing easier and you can potentially reach more of an audience. CONS: You may not want to clog up your personal news feed and you may potentially reach less of an audience than if you were sharing manually.
  • When commenting on other blogs, make sure you’re contributing to the conversation and not commenting just to comment and get your name out.
  • The number of comments a blog post can get definitely does NOT reflect how “successful” a blog is. Some of the most successful posts have very few comments.
  • Get some business cards made for your blog. Sites such as Vistaprint are cheap, affordable options. Then go ahead and leave them in local shops for people to take.
  • If you don’t have anything to post, don’t post. Readers can tell when a post is forced.
  • Paying $10.00 for a membership to Healthy Living Blogs is a great way for you to get connected with other bloggers in your area.
  • A combination of both long and short posts can be good. If you’re writing a long post, pictures are a great way to help break things up and keep readers interested.

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Winking smile

  • If you’re going to consider investing in your blog, but not quite sure what to do first, I suggest these two things: Have a custom header made and purchase your domain name. Both are fairly cheap options (I believe free WordPress blogs have that option within the dashboard or you can search sites like GoDaddy), and there are plenty of freelance graphic designers out there who are just itching to get their work out! (If you’re one of them, feel free to link up your info below!) Custom headers can also be done without switching your blog over to self-hosting.
  • If you are ready to switch to self-hosting but don’t quite know how, don’t be afraid to hire someone to do it for you. It may cost a little extra, but it’s probably worth the piece of mind. I know that Ryan from WPSiteCare has been an absolute lifesaver for me!
  • If you own a PC, Windows Live Writer will change your life. It makes blogging so much quicker and easier. If you own a mac, try ecto or marsedit.
  • If there’s a company you truly feel passionate about, don’t be afraid to reach out to them. More often than not, you’ll get a response and most companies are usually very eager to work with bloggers.
  • If you want to get your readers to comment on your blog more often, give them something to comment about. Get a conversation going. Think of topics that you think you’d be most likely to comment on.
  • Ad networks are one way to make money from blogging, but not the only way. Building relationships with brands is a great way to potentially earn extra money.
  • Blogger meet-ups are a GREAT way to get together and just start bouncing ideas off of each other.
  • The more you write and the more you post, the more likely you are to find your true “blogging voice” <—I think it took me almost a year and a half to really find mine.
  • From Heather: “After writing your post, go back and remove 10-15% of your wording and try to find better adjectives.”
  • If you aren’t already on Twitter – SIGN UP!

And finally, you can feel free to check out the Twitter hashtag that we had going during our panel (#HLSblognewbies) HERE.

WHEW! Talk about information overload…

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Three cheers for a successful panel discussion with my awesome panel mates!!

There was so much going on that we didn’t even have a chance to cover everything, but overall, I think the session went really well.

And I realized just how much fun I can have speaking like that…despite the fact that my public speaking skills may be lacking slightly. Winking smile

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Related

August 22, 2012 Filed Under: Blog, Healthy Living Summit Tagged With: #HLS12, blogger question and answers, healthy living summit, tips for new bloggers

About Courtney

I'm a working mom of two beautiful little boys, Lucas and Alex, and I began writing Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life in April 2010. I enjoy chronicling my love of food (healthy and indulgent!), baking, motherhood, fitness, fashion, and everything in between!

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Comments

  1. Claire @ Live and Love to Eat says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    Thanks for this recap for those of us who couldn't attend!
    Reply
  2. Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    Sounds like an awesome panel! Sorry I couldn't be at HLS this year and missed it, but thank you so much for sharing. I'm definitely taking a few of these tips! :)
    Reply
  3. robfiasco @ run2thehills says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:11 pm

    great post Courtney! Do you have any recommendations for places that will design custom headers? I've tried doing a couple different ones but absolutely hate anything I come up with. Thanks for your help!! :)
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:35 pm

      I used the Blog Fairy, and she was great. Not sure if she's still taking clients or not. Ryan Sullivan (from WPSiteCare - you can click the link above on the right hand side) did my whole personal training page + header and he was fantastic!
      Reply
  4. Kristy Doyle says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:26 pm

    This post has great, great, great info! I've been blogging for one month. I wasn't sure if it was going to become a passion, but I knew that I was passionate about READING HL blogs, so I thought I'd give it a shot. So far, I've been loving blogging. I thought I would get discouraged by not having the readership right away, but I'm not at all! I love every view I get, and I am just proud of my content. There are so, so many things I want to do with my blog, but I'm just taking my time with it. This information is invaluable! I have a folder of bookmarks for blogging info and this post has been bookmarked! Thanks Courtney!
    Reply
    • Alicia says

      August 22, 2012 at 4:34 pm

      I am the same way! I just started as well and really was thinking 'Oh if I don't get any readers then I will probably stop'. But it isn't true you just feel happy with any views that you get!
      Reply
      • Kristy Doyle says

        August 22, 2012 at 4:36 pm

        Alicia, I added your blog to my Google Reader, so now you'll at least have one more viewer!
        Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:35 pm

      You're so welcome!!
      Reply
  5. Elaine says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:31 pm

    I hate that I wasn't able to go this year, but I am marking my calendar and definitely attending next year. Thank you for recapping the panel for those of us who weren't there. LOTS of great tips! I'm going to look into Windows Live Writer as soon as I finish typing this :)
    Reply
  6. Kristin says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:33 pm

    Thanks so much for the recap Courtney! I am really considering starting a blog because my favorite thing to do each day (at work nonetheless..whoops!) is read healthy living blogs (like yours!!).
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:36 pm

      YAY!! :)
      Reply
  7. Rachel says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:35 pm

    Great post! And Tips :) I wish I could have gone
    Reply
  8. Caroline @ After Dinner Dance says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:35 pm

    Thanks for the recap! I'm going to try the wording/adjectives tip. I often feel that I'm blabbering too much. I also might try one of the Mac apps. I just feel like no one ever gives those apps a glowing review like people do of Window's Livewriter.
    Reply
  9. Anne Marie @ Rocky Road Running says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:37 pm

    This post is so super helpful, thank you Courtney! I've been blogging for about a month now and have had so many questions - this post answers a ton of them! I love the tip about removing 10-15% of wording upon review, I'm going to try that for sure :-)
    Reply
  10. Michelle @ Eat Move Balance says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:38 pm

    Thanks for the recap! You guys have some great advice. I just joined the Healthy Living Blogs group the other day--and I'm super excited about it. I'm still working on what "my" consistency will be. So far it's been once a day, but now that I'm back to teaching full-time, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up. I'm thinking every other day, or maybe only during the week. I still have to feel it out . . . .
    Reply
  11. Lindsay @ Lindsay's List says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    GREAT TIPS!! Especially the LiveWriter one - finding that out saved my life!
    Reply
  12. Brittany @ GOtheXtraMile says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:43 pm

    These are all awesome tips! I was following along with all the tweets and it sounded like you guys did an awesome job. :)
    Reply
  13. kim@hungryhealthygirl says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:50 pm

    Great information! As a new blogger, your session was one of the ones I was saddest to miss. Thanks so much for sharing the info with those of us that were unable to attend. You definitely gave me some tips and info that I will put to use.
    Reply
  14. Michelle@Peachy Palate says

    August 22, 2012 at 3:00 pm

    Great info! Most amazing discovery when I started blogging was definitely Windows Live Writer!!!
    Reply
  15. Amanda says

    August 22, 2012 at 3:29 pm

    This is great info! I have a question and it may seem a bit silly but I know that when you switch over to self hosting on wordpress it changes to .org. Does that mean your domain name will be a .org? Or do you know? I don't ever see any .org blogs so I was a bit curious! This is all still very new to me! :)
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 23, 2012 at 1:47 pm

      Not silly at all! It doesn't become a .org. When I switched over, my domain stayed the same, it just didn't have .wordpress.com at the end...just .com :)
      Reply
  16. Erica @ For the Sake of Cake says

    August 22, 2012 at 3:36 pm

    Sounds like the panel was a success! Thanks for sharing what all was discussed; I was hoping you would! :-)
    Reply
  17. Katie says

    August 22, 2012 at 3:37 pm

    Wow, such helpful tips. Thanks for sharing for those of us who could not attend. It's experienced bloggers like you all that help us "newbies". :)
    Reply
  18. Beks says

    August 22, 2012 at 3:54 pm

    Thanks for this. I'm constantly looking for ways to improve my writing as well as readership (espcially since I'm still such a newbie). I came across your blog via Julie (pbfingers) and am loving it so far!
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:39 pm

      Awesome!! So glad you've been sticking around - thanks so much for reading! :)
      Reply
  19. Eva @ Committed2Nutrition says

    August 22, 2012 at 4:12 pm

    Thank you for this! as a new blogger, I love reading new tips.. this definitely helps. I spent a lot of money to transfer my blog to self hosing AND a customized design, but I truly felt it was the only way to go and get my name out there. I agree with twitter AND signing up at HLB.com..and lastly, I agree that some of the very best blogs get few comments. More isn't always better!
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:39 pm

      So true!!
      Reply
  20. Tessa @ Amazing Asset says

    August 22, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    I'm seriously so glad you put this together and provided details on what you guys talked about! I am not a newbie blogger, my blog has been around for a year and a half now, but I can definitely still benefit from these tips. I did attend the other session during that time, so again, thrilled that you put this up :)
    Reply
  21. Sam @ Better With Sprinkles says

    August 22, 2012 at 4:24 pm

    Thanks Courtney, this is all awesome info! I've only been blogging for about 7 weeks, so I'll take all the information I can right now on how to get my name out there a little bit. I'm really hoping to go next year and get to know more amazing bloggers (such as your lovely self)!
    Reply
  22. Antonia V says

    August 22, 2012 at 4:40 pm

    Hi Courtney, I was hoping you could share more info about your experience with managing your blog/website? I'm interested in your self-hosting experience and what you think the pros and cons are. I'm guessing you started out on a free blogging program like Wordpress or Blogger and then moved to self-hosting ( please correct me if I'm wrong!). I want to start a blog, but I don't want to be too restricted and I don't want to incur significant start-up costs (purchasing domain name, hosting, etc.). What do you think?
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:45 pm

      I did start out with a free Wordpress blog, yes, and then I moved to self-hosting. As far as the design goes, it was actually set up fairly similar, but without as many design features (you can read a little bit more about it in this post here: https://www.sweettoothsweetlife.com/2012/04/07/a-thank-you-gift-from-me-to-you/). I would still recommend purchasing a domain name if you have one you like - that was one of the first things that I did and I believe it only costs about $15/year. Very cheap. Depending on how much traffic your blog receives, it may be beneficial so you can speed up your server. I use BlueHost for my server, and I believe the lowest rate is $6.95/month? I could be wrong though - they occasionally have different deals. I'm now paying a bit more because I needed to be on a bigger server, but that didn't happen until earlier this year. I hope that helps!!
      Reply
  23. Dalis says

    August 22, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    Hi Courtney Question for you about your HA diagnosis. Did it have any correlation between the diet you went on back in January? I know you were working out a ton and limiting your diet a lot. I use to look at what you ate for a day, and think how is she not starving! I know you lost some weight, and I am just curious if regret the strict dieting you were doing. Also, sometimes I noticed that you use la torilla high fiber wraps and sugar free syrup. Do those not give you tummy troubles? I always have issues with those specific types of food.
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:48 pm

      Hi Dalis, My HA diagnosis did not have anything to do with the nutrition plan I was on in January. I discovered that I've actually had HA for well over a year now, if not longer, so it had nothing to do with that. The nutrition plan I was on really wasn't limiting my diet very much though, and I never once felt restricted - I still ate all the foods I wanted, and on many days, ended up eating MORE frequently than I had been before! I felt amazing while I was on that plan, so I don't regret doing it at all. I do have to be careful of my fiber intake (too much = no bueno) but the wraps don't bother me at all. Since the HA, I've slowly been trying to cut out the artificial sugars (i.e., sugar-free syrup) - it's a work in progress! :)
      Reply
  24. Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says

    August 22, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    Ty so much for these tips!
    Reply
  25. Chase says

    August 22, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    I don't think I could recap it any better! I'm just going to send my readers over here to learn about the panel :) Courtney, it was a true pleasure joining you for this event!
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:50 pm

      Thank you, Chase! I absolutely loved paneling it up with you...I only wish we had had more time to chat! :)
      Reply
  26. Alicia says

    August 22, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    I love this re-cap! It is so helpful for people who are newbies. But how do you know when it is time to go from a free blogging tool (i.e Wordpress or Blogger) to a purchasing a domain name? That is something that I am still struggling with.
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:51 pm

      I think it's totally personal choice. I decided to purchase my domain name after about 3 months of blogging. I believe, at the time (not sure if it's still the same) my domain only cost about $15/year, so it was a cost I could definitely justify. By that time, I knew it was something that I wanted to continue doing, which was what I wanted to wait for. I'd say, if you really think that it's something you're going to stick with, go ahead and get that domain - it's probably one of the cheapest investments you can start out making!
      Reply
  27. Sarah B. says

    August 22, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    Great tips!! These were incredibly helpful. I especially liked the one about removing 10-15% percent of your wording. When I look back on a blog I wrote during college it was SO wordy! I'm really going to work on taking these to heart. You look great in the pics! Always so put together! Glad you had fun!!
    Reply
    • Courtney says

      August 22, 2012 at 7:52 pm

      Aww, thank you so much! :)
      Reply
  28. Stephanie @ The Travelling Tastebuds says

    August 22, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    Speaking on a panel sounds like so much fun! I'm horrendous at public speaking myself... but sharing the experience with others on a panel... well that just lightens the load a bit :) I like the info about reviewing your post & changing 10-15% of it to find better adjectives! It's hard to think of words other than 'good' and 'delicious' and 'yummy'... so I tend to make up words... 'yummilicious' & 'fantabulous'.
    Reply
  29. Julie says

    August 22, 2012 at 8:27 pm

    What an awesome panel it sounds like! Congrats to all of you. All this advice sounds fantastic, and they are all steps that seems very manageable for a newbie. Some blogging conferences get so wrapped up in brands and money making that I feel overwhelmed! So thank you so much for the advice!
    Reply
  30. Jenna says

    August 22, 2012 at 8:31 pm

    Thank you so much for this! I definitely took some tips from your overview and I really hope to be at the next summit!
    Reply
  31. Danica @ It's Progression says

    August 22, 2012 at 8:59 pm

    Hey Courtney....I'm to the point where I'd really like to have ad networking on my blog. Where do you suggest looking? thanks!
    Reply
  32. Courtney says

    August 22, 2012 at 9:06 pm

    Awesome tips! Makes me wish I could have been at HLS even more! HLS13 here I come. I'm bookmarking for sure!
    Reply
  33. Claire says

    August 22, 2012 at 9:26 pm

    The re-cap of topics during this post was really helpful. I had thought of a few of them through the past year, but not all of them. My blog is not really going in any one clear & concise direction at this point, and to be honest I'm not sure where I see it going, so it was helpful to hear your opinions about frequency of posting, forcing a post, etc. I really liked your ideas. Gracias :-)
    Reply
  34. Laura @ LauraLikesDesign says

    August 22, 2012 at 9:40 pm

    I loved reading all of these great tips! I can't wait to look into a few of them!, especially the Healthy Living Blogs subscription/membership. BLOGGERS LOOKING TO HIRE A DESIGNER: I'm a freelance designer and illustrator that works with a lot of bloggers on updating their sites with fresh and professional new look! Contact me for more information! I'd love to chat details with you!
    Reply
  35. Meredith @ DareYouTo says

    August 22, 2012 at 10:35 pm

    Amazing tips!! Thanks, Courtney. Learning from the best ;)
    Reply
  36. Melanie says

    August 22, 2012 at 10:36 pm

    A perfect recap. Thanks again for all of your insight! You ladies were a great panel!
    Reply
  37. @pluvk says

    August 22, 2012 at 11:22 pm

    Thank you for such great and informative tips! I'm not a blogger, but I keep toying with the idea... healthy living blogs has been a lifesaver for me, and I love the supportive community that you bloggers have. Having a Newbie Q&A panel discussion is such a great idea, and I bet it was extremely helpful! I definitely learned a lot from this post... thanks again. :-)
    Reply
  38. Khushboo says

    August 22, 2012 at 11:45 pm

    Not a newbie blogger but really appreciate you posting these tips. My favourite is the tip about commenting to contribute to the conversation. It is transparent when a commenter genuinely is interested and when he/she is just posting to get their own name across.
    Reply
  39. Brooke @ Pretty In Protein says

    August 22, 2012 at 11:54 pm

    This was so-o helpful for me as a brand new blogger who feels SO lost! Thank you so much.
    Reply
  40. Liz @ IHeartVegetables says

    August 23, 2012 at 1:48 pm

    Thank you so much for the recap! I was sad I couldn't make it to the summit and these are super helpful tips :) I like the tip to cut down your post by 15% ;) I always have unnecessary stuff!
    Reply
  41. Trisha says

    August 23, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    Great tips!
    Reply
  42. Bek @ Crave says

    August 24, 2012 at 4:43 am

    Thanks for the tips!!! They will definitely come in handy :)
    Reply

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Sweet Tooth Sweet Life
Court Profile CircleI'm Courtney, a 30-something wife and working mom living in upstate NY. I'm a food lover, fitness enthusiast, baker extraordinaire and lover of all things sweet.
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