Sara Duckett from Sadie Olive is on deck to share some of her thoughts on writing her blog, Le Journal. Sara's home and items from her online boutique have been featured in Romantic Homes and Budget Decorating magazines. Why do I think she is a great blogger? Let me count the ways...
1. The quality of her photographs is just second-to-none. She recently took the obvious next step, and started her own photography business. She features many of her photos on her blog and even sells them in her boutique.
2. Sara knows how to market her Sadie Olive brand though all possible avenues of social networking. Take a look at her right sidebar. You can find her everywhere: Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, etc.
3. Her blog and website are designed impeccably. Yes, she is a web/graphic designer, so it comes easily to her. Not all of us are blessed with design talent like hers. But if you are serious about your online business, then it pays to hire someone like Sara to create your blog and/or website.
4. Sara uses her blog to share her inspiring ideas, like a DIY Glamour Shot birthday party, her Halloween decor, and the unique organization techniques in her fabulous home office.
5. Sara created a Flickr phenomenon called "Shades of Inspiration". This idea started on her blog when she posted red-themed photos, and encouraged others to do the same ("I Saw Red"). Eventually, she moved to Flickr so that non-bloggers could participate. Each week, there is a new color/theme assignment. Participants add their photos to the Shades of Inspiration photo group pool (4,500 photos and growing). Sara even created a badge so that participants with blogs can add it to their sidebar. Talk about a viral idea!
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Here are Sara's answers to the blogging questions I posed to her...
What was your blog's "tipping point" (a significant or defining moment)?
I think my best traffic came from when I posted before and after pictures of my home renovation projects. I think people love to see inside other people’s homes, and everyone loves to see “before and after” pictures. I know I do!
Do you ever get blogger's block, when you just can't think of anything to write? How do you overcome it? On the other end of the spectrum, do you ever write posts ahead of time when you are feeling particularly creative?
Yes! I often can’t think of things to talk about on my blog. I usually will get inspired to post when I have a photograph I want to share, so that is where I usually start. If I want to get ideas for posts, I’ll grab my camera and start shooting pictures.
Have you ever kept your blog a secret from certain people in your life?
Nope. My life is an open book. It surprises me sometimes when someone I haven’t seen in ages will know about something recent in my life because they saw it on my blog. I forget sometimes that friends and family read it too!
Do you regularly monitor the traffic statistics on your blog? Do you make decisions about blogging based on the results that you see in your stats?
I will check my stats in Typepad once in awhile. I don’t really change much according to what I see, but it helps to know what gets people interested in checking back. Most often I find that it is just the frequency of recent posts that will boost my traffic. Name a blog that you love and tell us why you love it.
Heather Bullard’s blog is probably one of my all time favorites. She is an amazing photographer and stylist. I love to get ideas from her and be inspired by her photos. She is also very good at updating her blog on a regular basis.
Do you have a blogging tip that you would like to share?
One of the best tips I can give it limit the number of posts and sidebar items on your main page. (Delete old “swap” buttons that have past, and don’t add to many photos to your sidebars). In the time it takes to load all of this content, you may have already lost a reader who was to impatient to wait. And for readers who have multiple items open on their computer at one time it will sometimes freeze their whole computer to load all of the content.
Hi, thanks for 2 new blog links, which I've already checked out. I like the blog tip. I think I have a little too much sidebar action.
Posted by: Laurin | October 22, 2008 at 08:55 PM
great post! i am off to check out her blog!
Posted by: karen | October 23, 2008 at 02:09 PM
Great post and interview! Sadie Olive is one of my favorites too and I love her online shop!!
Posted by: Jackie | October 23, 2008 at 04:03 PM
Thanks for the great post and interview! Sadies site is beautiful! Oh to aspire like her and her decorating....I am really trying to learn as much as I can about driving more traffic to my site. I am new at blogging and have become quickly obsessed!! I took your comment about leave comments everywhere! I AM wish more would leave them on my blog! I love blogging so I shouldn't complain!!! Thanks for the tips!
Posted by: LuLu | October 25, 2008 at 08:11 PM
I love Sara. She's a talented photographer, decorator, and blogger...and also a beautiful person.
xo
Posted by: Stephanie Howell | October 27, 2008 at 08:47 AM
You seem to have got the niche from the root, Awesome work
Posted by: watch one tree hill | October 31, 2009 at 02:16 AM