July 27, 2020
Three-Year Blogiversary & Giveaway!
See my second-year reflections here.
See my first-year reflections here.
Grown Up
At THREE, I feel pretty “grown-up.” I’m fairly steady on my feet; I’m becoming more fluent in my ability to craft and format reviews; I’m thoroughly enjoying the ‘playground’ of the world wide web.
Growth
Areas of growth this year include:
- Using Alt Text
- Using Gifs
- Improving SEO
- Gaining Followers and Views (THANK YOU!)
- Expanding the types of posts (beyond book reviews) and participating in more memes
- Updating Old Posts (in progress)
Virtual Friendships
One of the most treasured surprises this year is realizing how many virtual bookish friendships I’ve made in the book-blogging community! I’m not mentioning names here, but you KNOW who you are if you’ve interacted with me on our blogs! One result of the friendships is this recent collaborative post with twelve blogging friends. Right after I hit ‘publish’ I thought “I need to expand this next year to include more friends!” It’s not only friendly conversations, but it’s also the fact that these blogging friends are scattered around the world! It’s a diverse and interesting community! It was this year that I realized I probably have at least twenty book/blogging friends that I could call for a coffee meetup if I were ever in their countries and their neck of the woods. From these virtual friendships, I’ve gained a support system that I’ve discovered is essential in the blogging community. I hope in your blogging world that you are connecting and conversing!
Followers!
A special SHOUT OUT to each of my followers!
Your views, comments, and shares are treasures to me and they do not go unappreciated!
- I return comments as soon as I read them, so if you leave a legit comment and for some reason you do not receive a ‘like’ or return comment, please connect with me in an email because I do occasionally find legit comments in the spam folder. Regarding spam, I trust WordPress to do their thing and filter the spam, so I usually don’t question their filtering system unless I happen to recognize you as a regular visitor. I try to check spam at least once a month, but they add up fast (hundreds in a month) so please let me know if I’ve missed your comment.
WordPress Reader
As long as you’re here, I want to mention how dependent I am upon the WordPress Reader to read YOUR blogs. The notifications in my email inbox are overwhelming ….in fact, my inbox on a typical day is exploding with spam. For myself, I find that using a ‘reader’ is more efficient than email.
Goals:
- Make progress toward updating all my old posts
(#throwbackthursday has helped motivate me as I reshare one older review each week); by the way, I discovered that when I started updating my old posts in January that my DA increased several points in a few months! - Start using the new WP Block Editor (I’m doing a ‘work-around’ right now by copying an older Classic Editor post as a template)
- Continue working on SEO
- Create my own Meme and Link-Up post
Stats:
I don’t compete with other bloggers. There’s space for each one of us and our unique voices. However, I do compete with myself! I love to look at my stats, and it seems that the learning curve is never-ending. For other stats nerds and new bloggers who are interested in what three years might look like for one blogger, here are a few stats with a comparison to the same time last year (scroll past if this doesn’t interest you!):
Total views: 130,558 (2019: 45,534)
Total followers: 1,924 (2019: 1,059)
Total posts: 393 (2019: 197)
Most viewed post: Where the Crawdads Sing
First follower: Gail @ The Junia Project (thank you dear, faithful friend!)
Most recent follower: Amy @ Read.Dream.Live (thanks for the follow and welcome!)
Most frequent commenters (tied): Carla @ Carla Loves to Read and Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog (your positive, encouraging, and supportive comments are dearly appreciated!)
Thank you again, everyone!
Regarding blogs, Lashaan @ Bookidote recently said, “I cherish its existence with my whole heart.” I completely concur Lashaan! Blogging requires a great deal of effort, determination, persistence, and time…but I love its existence with my whole heart!
Signing off for now because I’ve used up my quota of exclamation points!
With gratitude, Carol
Year THREE Blogiversary GIVEAWAY!
Thank you, Readers and Followers, for supporting me! I hope my reviews have encouraged you in your reading endeavors and have helped you find some great reads! To celebrate I’m offering a Giveaway!
Giveaway limited to followers who can receive an Amazon (U.S.) digital title (sorry I don’t have an international account….it’s on my to-do list).
I’m giving away ONE ebook of your choice not to exceed $20.00 (U.S.). You must supply an email address and be able to receive an ebook from Amazon (U.S.). ***edited to add….if you are international, I’m willing to try out Book Despository!
To enter the giveaway:
1. You must be following this blog (please don’t follow to unfollow because that’s rude and uncool), and you must be at least 18 years old.
2. To enter, please comment on this post and let me know if you’ve read a book or added a book to your TBR as a result of reading the blog.
3. Entries close at midnight PST on Sunday, August 9, 2020.
Good Luck! The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator on August 11 and announced on the blog on Wednesday, August 12 (and I’ll respond to your comment so that you receive a notification). If I don’t hear from the winner in 24 hours, I will draw another winner.
This is a GREAT chance to win that last book you’d like to read this summer!
Happy Reading Book Buddies!
“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke
“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes
“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text
Looking Ahead:
At the end of the week, I’ll publish my July Wrap Up post.
ICYMI:
My Best Reads of the Year So Far
10+ Highly Rated and Favorite WW1 and WW11 Reads
Let’s Get Social!
Thank you for visiting and reading today! I’d be honored and thrilled if you choose to enjoy and follow along (see subscribe or follow option), promote, and/or share my blog. Every share helps us grow.
Find me at:
Twitter
Instagram
Goodreads
Pinterest
***Blogs posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.
Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.
Book covers and author photos are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.
© ReadingLadies.com
Congratulations Carol and Happy 3rd Blogiversary! I really enjoy your blog and our blogging friendship and hope both continue for many years to come! Sadly I can’t enter your wonderful giveaway, as although I have an Amazon US account I can’t buy Kindle book via it.
Bummer! I’ll enter you anyway and work something out if you win! Can I order a book and they would send it to you? Is it just the kindle you can’t get?
I should list that as a goal to figure out the international give away technology. I appreciate our blogging friendship and your loyal support Nicki! 😍
Congratulations Carol!! Not entering the giveaway, but I just wanted to leave a comment. You work so hard and connect so many bloggers who love books as well. Well done — and so much growth! More to come 🙂
Thank you so much Afoma! I’ve enjoyed many of your MG recs! So fun to share the book love across continents! Thanks for taking a me the to comment! I appreciate it!
Congratulations! What an inspiring post! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you so much!
Congratulations Carol and what a lovely post. Not entering comp (in Ire) but just wanted to wish you many more years of successful and happy blogging xx
Thank you so very much! I need to figure out the international giveaway logistics, so I’ll include you and make it happen if you win! Thanks for commenting!
Congratulations with three years of blogging! It’s great that you keep learning and developing your blog. I have been blogging for 1 year and a bit and obviously the learning curve is very steep in the beginning, but I too hope I can continue to improve. Good luck, and here is to many more years of blogging! 😀 (I don’t have US / international Amazon account either and won’t enter the competition).
Thanks for commenting! If you win I will figure out a way! The first year of blogging is the hardest! Hang in there because it does it easier!
Congratulations Carol 👍📚❤ How nice that your most viewed post was “Where the Crawdads Sing” – one of my favorite books.
Thanks Lynne!
You’re the WINNER Lynne! Contact me at readingladies1@gmail.com with your section.
Congrats Carol on your blogiversary! As a newbie blogger, it’s awesome reading other bloggers reflections! I haven’t read a book read a book from here but I am going to look around on your blog to get some ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for much for commenting and looking around! I hope you find a great read!
Congratulations Carol! I’m glad to be a part of both your reader and blogger community. Here’s to more reading and writing! Perhaps I’ll be one of those friends you meet if you’re ever in my neck of the woods. 🙂
Thanks Kayla! Yes! A real life meetup would be so fun!
Happy Blogiversary Carol!! I love our book blogging friendship! Once the world settles down we can meet up at another author event. 🙂
I have added a number of books to my TBR list after reading your blog posts and look forward to adding many more!
If you need any help with the block editor let me know. 🙂
Thanks Tina! Meeting up again IRL will be a treat! Thanks for offering to help with Block Edotor! I’ll definitely put you on speed dial! I do have a question though about international giveaways….have you done one?
I did! I used Book Depository who ships to just about everywhere.
I’ll try that! Thanks!
Congratulations Carol!! Three years is amazing!!! And I love fellow bloggers and Bookstagrammers in real life 😀
Thanks for commenting! I love our community!
YAY! Congrats Carol! I love being a part of your community! Also thank you for the giveaway – I’ve added so many books to my TBR because of your blog 🙂
Thanks for commenting! I happy to hear my blog has been helpful in your reading life! 😍👍
Happy 3rd Blogiversary Carol!!! Here’s to many more 🥂🥳
Thank you so much! 🙌
Congratulations on your 3 year blogiversary! I can’t enter your giveaway as I’m in the UK but wanted to wish you many more happy years of blogging! 🙂
Thanks so much! I’ll look into Book Depository for international peeps!
Congratulations Carol on your 3rd blogiversary. I’ve enjoyed knowing you through the MMD Book Club and read your blog posts here religiously. You are so giving of your time and knowledge and I look forward to the day that I can join this wonderful world of book bloggers. You have set a great example of how to be a great book blogger and I’ve enjoyed learning from you.
Thank you for your kind words Gayla! I’m eager for you to join the blogging community!
Congratulations on this wonderful milestone, Carol! I’m really happy to see how you approach blogging and view it especially as a space for self-improvement. From the looks of it, you have nailed it and have been growing in all departments like never before! I hope you’ll be able to keep it up and to remember to always have fun while doing it!!! 😀 😀
Thanks Lashaan! It’s been an amazing 3 years! Thanks for your kind words!
Happy third anniversary, Carol! It’s a pleasure following you and you are one of the very first blogs I remember when I started a little over two years ago. I have definitely added books to my TBR thanks to you. ❤️
If you have an Amazon US account, you can easily buy things on Amazon CA and Amazon UK. You don’t even need to make a separate account. It should carry over with you when you go to the other website. I am pretty sure that’s all I had to do. That said, I’ve not bought a Kindle copy on those sites, but I have done electronic gift cards and other items and had them shipped. Super easy, just like being on our Amazon.
Thanks for your kind words Jennifer! 😍
Is there a link to get to amazon CA and UK within the US site or do I go to the other sites and log into my Amazon account? I’ll investigate today.
I remember when you helped me with Twitter! I had the impression you had been blogging for years at that point! I didn’t realize we were both newbies!
I have read a book because of the blog, but I’m excited for coronavirus to be over so I can get back to the library.
I’m beginning to feel like a Gentleman in Moscow….under house arrest for life. 😫 It will be great to be out and about doing ordinary things again!
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Congratulations on your 3rd Anniversary, Carol! I love checking out your blog especially when I am deciding what to read next. You offer great insight to help me try to choose! Blog on!
Thank you so much Deb! I appreciate your kind words and they give me fuel! 🙌😍 I’m so glad you’ve found my blog helpful in your reading life!
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Congratulations Carol and Happy 3rd Blogiversary. Although I have only found your blog in the last year, I love my visits and enjoy our interactions. I know that I will be adding to my TBR after visiting. 😁🎉📚
Thanks Carla! I’m thrilled we found each other! And YOU recently sent me down the Moonlight
Harbor rabbit hole! 😂 it’s probably dangerous for our TBRs to hang out together! 😂😂👍
My one vice, so I am okay with it. Although I will probably die with full bookshelves and a full kindle. 😂😂📚
Same! 🙌😍
I added Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson to my TBR list based on your review.
Oh I know you enjoy this unforgettable read Linda! Thanks for commenting!
[…] THANK YOU everyone who participated! […]