My best blogging experience of 2015-My 1st Blog Hop

Since, I started blogging in March of this year, I thought I would wait until then to do a full blogging year review.

I couldn’t let the year end though without talking about my BEST Blogging Experience of 2015.

From October 26-November 20th of this year, I participated in a blog hop hosted by Kristy of Runaway Bridal Planner.  When she first introduced the idea she made it very clear that the Blog Hop would take time each day and that anyone who participated would commit to doing their part to engage with each blogger and to support social media channels if asked.  The rules were clearly defined.   I initially was signed up for Round 1 only but I asked to join Round 2 after having so much fun in Round 1. Over the  4 weeks, I  interacted with 78 other bloggers in the hop as well as others.

Why Blog Hop?

Kristy  states:
FIRST its a great way to meet and get to know other bloggers.

-This was an awesome experience of meeting so many awesome bloggers.

SECOND, its a great way to teach you proper networking habits.

-As a new blogger, I am always looking for ways to network and grow my blog interactions and subscriptions. 

THIRD It’s a hop strictly for those interested in growing their blogs, who aren’t sure how to do it, or want help in doing it.

-Again as I new blogger any support and resource that I can get, I will gladly take!

LAST by the time you’re done with the hop, you’ll have new habits started.  Hopefully you will keep them up and continue to grow your blog on your own with your new relationships.

-I  learned so much in those 4 weeks.  I am more committed to writing post, linking -up with fellow bloggers, supporting fellow bloggers and have begun to develop some awesome blogger friendships (bonus!!)

One of the rules that I really liked was Leave a thoughtful comment. It was strongly suggested to make sure your comments were not generic and thoughtless like ‘great post’ but to really engage with the blogger and connect with them if you are able to. I thought this created a really great environment of thoughtful and meaningful engagement with each other.

Each day we got the following email as our daily assignment:This made each day of the blog hop a bit time consuming but it was what we signed up for and totally worth every minute!

REQUIRED: Leave a thoughtful comment on each of the 4 Spotlighted blogs post  (listed below)

(If you don’t see a post for today, leave a comment on their last post.)

HINT: For the purpose of this hop, if you want bloggers to come back to visit your blog after you leave a comment.  Make sure you leave your website, or sign in to their comment system so they can find you quickly and easily.

Visit ALL the bloggers who leave a comment on a post on YOUR blog today and return the favor with a comment on their blog.  (You should try and maintain a 48 hour or less turnaround on this.  Which the exception on your spotlight day, 3-4 day turnaround.)  This is one of the MOST important parts of networking in this hop!

This is only required if they leave a way for you to find their blog.

Regardless if it is your spotlight day or not, Reply to any comment left on your blog today.  Because this shows you care that others took the time to visit.

For each round of the Blog Hop, each blogger was given a Spotlight Day. It was suggested on this day you use some of your post to introduce yourself because that was the day that all who were participating in the hop would visit your post.

Since I participated for both rounds, I got 2 spotlight days (lucky me!).You can read them here and here, if you haven’t already.

On those spotlight days my blog got record numbers of views and comments. As a new blogger, I have to say I got a bit giddy and emotional about that. I look forward to the day when on a daily basis my views, likes and comments will reach those numbers or at least close to those numbers again.

Overall, I really enjoyed my 1st blog hop experience! It was a lot of work but totally worth it.

I enjoyed the support and encouragement from Kristy! I I enjoyed ‘meeting’ new bloggers and finding out more about bloggers that I already follow. I am thankful for the bloggers who subscribed to my blog after the blog hop and I am looking forward to continuing to develop some great relationships.

My biggest take away from the blog hop would have to be basic blogging etiquette . Some of which I had been following but learned a few more things to do and not to do which has been extremely helpful to me!

If I am giving the opportunity to do it again with Kristy or any other blogger, I would sign up in a heart beat!

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