Warning: this is a rant post.
You see, I belong to many blogging related Facebook groups.
I frequently catch myself getting worked up and wanting to contradict other people’s advice in the comments.
Sometimes I’m eye-rolling like:
There isn’t one right way to do most things in the blogging world, and everyone has their own perspective on things.
Sometimes, I don’t see eye to eye on what other bloggers are preaching.
I decided to write this post to express my differing opinions on popular topics instead of debating on Facebook.
Let’s dive in with the oldest ones in the books.
Bluehost.
Guess what? I recommend Bluehost.
Despite it getting negative reviews.
Spend a week in a blogging Facebook group, and a question about Bluehost or hosting is sure to come up.
And many blogging experts and tech support people shout, “avoid Bluehost at all costs!”
If my tech lady reads this post, she will go bonkers.
But I am here to tell you that Bluehost is hands down the easiest hosting platform to get started as a brand new blogger.
That is why I recommend Bluehost for brand new bloggers.
Bluehost is the easiest, most friendly non-techy user experience out there. The dashboard is clean and easy to navigate. The set up is smooth and straightforward.
Before I updated my start course last year, I tested Bluehost, Siteground, Namehero, Flywheel, WPEngine, and Biz Budding to see if I could find a better alternative, and I couldn’t.
They were all more complicated.
Starting a blog is complicated enough. New bloggers need things to be as easy as possible.
I will be the first to tell you that Bluehost is not your blog’s forever home. Bluehost is great for new bloggers, but once you reach 10,000 pageviews a month, it’s time to upgrade hosting to something beefier than basic shared hosting.
Usually, people that have problems with Bluehost are the people outgrowing their hosting plan.
If you’re just getting started, Bluehost is my preferred hosting company. (yes, that is an affiliate link)
The main reasons I recommend Bluehost:
- Easiest setup
- Affordable
- Great customer service
- Discounts to G Suite
- Free domain
- Free domain privacy
- Great interface
Bluehost’s support is usually top-notch.
Another common reason you see so many negative comments about Bluehost is that people have unrealistic expectations of what support covers.
Bluehost customer service exists to help you with hosting issues. And they excel at that! You do not pay for them to be your tech gurus, your developers, or your WordPress maintenance package.
Don’t even get me started on the Bluehost vs. Siteground.
Okay, I guess I started.
Bluehost vs. Siteground
Switching from Bluehost to Siteground is just switching from one basic shared hosting to another basic shared hosting.
You moved from Burger King to Wendy’s. Wahoo.
Bluehost and Siteground both have their pros. Both have their cons.
If you want stellar hosting, invest in stellar hosting. But don’t waste your time, energy and efforts switching between those two. The best one out of the two is the one you already have.
And before someone says, “she’s only recommending Bluehost because they have a higher affiliate payout… blah blah blah.”
Based on the number of sales I make a month on hosting, my commissions for Siteground and Bluehost are equivalent. And even if they weren’t, I could probably negotiate the same deal if I promised to switch everything over to one or the other.
- If you want the most user-friendly experience, go with Bluehost.
- If you aren’t tech-savvy, don’t use Namehero.
- If you don’t want your site traffic capped when you have a pin go viral for the first time, don’t go with Siteground.
While I’m ranting about Facebook and Hosting, let me add that FB is not the best place to ask for the best hosting recommendation. Your hosting needs are dependent on the size of your blog, the amount of your traffic, how much you want to DIY vs. have it managed, and your budget. The people of Facebook are going to give you various answers of all perplexities. Look into hosting that fits your current (and near future) needs.
Phew. Two down. Three to go.
Next up is…
How to Launch a Blog
I already have an article dedicated to how many posts I recommend you write before launching your blog.
And I have an entire course called the Blog Launch Plan.
But the question “how many blog posts should I launch with” gets asked so often on Facebook I have to include it on this list too.
I’m afraid I have to disagree with the notion to “just launch” with one post for the sake of getting out of the Google sandbox.
I see this answer all the time:
“It can take Google six months or more in order to index and see your site so the sooner you can start the better“
And on the flip side, other SEO experts tell you to write 30 blog posts and launch with those, so there’s an ocean for Google to index when you go live.
My blog launch plan is not designed for search engines.
It is for you.
I also disagree with the idea to “do it scared and launch before you’re ready because you’ll never be ready.”
(side note, I know he looks all buff and manly in this GIF, but I just can’t move beyond Even Stevens and Holes.)
I get where Shia and the just do it experts are coming from. It’s true; it is easy to get stuck in the research and the preparing stage. It’s easy to put off your dreams. But…
Launching on the fly with one post and no plan leads to discouragement, confusion, and usually, the new blogger quitting.
You don’t need a ton of posts, but you do need to have a few posts written and a content plan for moving forward.
Okay, I’m done with beginning blogging topics; let’s move to Pinterest.
Yes, things are heating up in here.
“Pinterest hasn’t changed”
Maybe you’ve read these statements lately, “Pinterest hasn’t changed that much” and “We didn’t have to make any big shifts when announcements were made because this is what we’ve been teaching all along”
I disagree.
It has changed.
I will be the first to admit that I have actually said this one myself. In February 2019 I sent an email that said, “For the most part, I do not feel like much has changed in terms of how we approach Pinterest marketing. Because you have gone through Pingineered for Growth, you know that saving to Pinterest is only a small portion of what contributes to success on Pinterest.
But in the last almost two years it has changed.
Yes, Pinterest has always said to space out Pins. Pinterest has always said not to spam with repetitive Pins. And Pinterest has always reminded us when we saved the same Pin to a board.
But how bloggers were spacing out Pins in 2018 is very different than how we need to be spacing them out going into 2021.
In 2018-19 we were intentionally creating multiple, similar boards on Pinterest to save the same Pin more often. (That is not a good idea anymore)
Because I’m a nerd, I dug deep into Pinterest FB groups and old Pinterest marketing blog posts.
In 2018 the recommendations and conversations about Pinning were:
- 12 – 24hrs is a good interval time. It really depends how much you’re sharing. You just want to make sure there are enough pins in between your reshares.
- Pin it to all relevant boards at least one time per day. 24 hour interval in between until you have no more boards to Pin to
In 2019, these were the discussions and suggestions
- When you create new content, pin it to all relevant boards at least one time per day (use a 24-hour interval between if you’re using Tailwind).
- Maybe try stretching out 2-4 days apart.
- When you create new content, pin it to all relevant boards at least one time (I add them to each board about 3-4 days apart using Tailwind)
Although, hat tip to Louise, who started spacing her Pins out seven days back in 2019.
Going forward into 2021:
We need bigger spacing. Longer intervals.
I am spacing out the same Pin 30 days. That means I am waiting at least 30 days before the same image shows up on a different board. And I am saving it to far less boards than I used to.
Some of my Pinterest guru friends are only saving a Pin to one single board. Yes, you read that right. One and done.
So, don’t say Pinterest hasn’t changed.
When it comes to saving on Pinterest, the change has been dramatic.
The foundation elements of Pinterest haven’t changed. Keep rocking your keywords. Keep saving to relevant boards. Keep designing eye catching Pins.
But don’t keep saving the same way you were Pinning in 2018.
We need to change.
You don’t need to save other people’s Pins
I saved this one for last because it gets me most riled up.
This one has popped up a lot lately: “It’s not really necessary anymore to save other people’s Pins”
I apologize in advance to anyone I offend saying this, but it needs to be said:
Anyone who says that saving other people’s Pins isn’t necessary doesn’t truly understand how Pinterest works. And yes, sometimes that means Pinteres reps themselves. Their suggestions are based on followers and your profile page.
But the algorithm is a whole different story.
The Pinterest algorithm is all about relevancy.
- The pins you save on a board help Pinterest understand the context of each Pin.
- The Pins you save around the same time (in a session), tell Pinterest what your Pins are about.
Most bloggers need to save other People’s content to help Pinterest understand their Pins content.
Note: I do agree that well-established bloggers with loads of content and good domain rank do not need to save other people’s Pins when it comes to relevance. They have enough content that Pinterest is going to figure out the context. But I’d also argue that they don’t need to save their own Pins either. Although not needed, I think they still should in both instances.
Saving other people’s Pins also helps keep boards active. Pinterest recommends active board to Pinners throughout various places on the platform and in their email blasts. If you can’t keep boards active with your content, you need to supplement with other’s Pins.
Everyone’s talking about how we don’t need to save other people’s Pins anymore, and then in the next breath, everyone’s talking about how Pinterest traffic is down, and Pinterest just doesn’t work like it used to.
Hmm… I wonder why.
Do you know what the best way to grow your audience is? By tapping into someone else’s audience.
We help each other out when we save each other’s Pins. If you aren’t saving pins from your industry, who is?
If other bloggers aren’t saving your Pins, then who is?
You want bloggers saving your Pins! They have your audience!
Which means we need to be active participants in this. A rising tide lifts all boats. This is true with Pins on Pinterest too!
Now, I am not saying we need to save other people’s Pins mindlessly. Don’t log on to Pinterest or Tribes to find Pins for the sake of finding Pins.
Pin for the sake of relevance. Pin to support your fellow bloggers. Pin to keep your boards active.
Oh yeah, one more thing. Those percentage statistics about how much content of yours vs. theirs…
They are made up numbers.
They were made up numbers when it was 50/50. They were made up numbers when they were 20/80. And they are made up at 80/20.
It is not an algorithm thing that puts up a flag saying you saved the wrong ratio.
So don’t stress the ratios.
—–
Okay. Rant over. I’ll probably add more to the list on an as-needed basis.
Meaning when I get the urge to disagree on Facebook.
I enabled comments on this post.
You are free to disagree with my disagreements.
Or agree.
But no hating.
If there’s anything you’d add to this list, leave them in the comments!
And/or save this post to Pinterest!
A rant but an informative rant with interesting gifs what more could we ask for. I used Bluehost a few years ago they were good enough for my needs. I currently use Dreamhost and have done an experimental PPC program and it was able to hold over 100 visitors on my site at once. I don’t expect much more traffic as I am a random blogger and don’t stick to a niche. The service is cheap enough anyway I blog as a hobby get some work freelance work from it.
Hello Kristie. I agree with your concepts which you have told above and I think their are something to disagree while blogging and you are absolutely right with your concepts.
Great post! I agree with you I gave up on Pinterest a while back because I didn’t ‘have time’ but I’ve started up again and all your info was so helpful!! Thank you for sharing with us. I’ve been testing a lot and it has changed but not so much that we can’t still do very well as bloggers.
Hey Kristie,
I agree with you major problem comes with these 5 things. I loved it. Your exact differentiation is amazing Bluehost vs site ground.
Had a great time with you. Have a great year ahead. I am glad to tie up with you.
Haha, I’m glad you liked the fast food comparison. Thanks for stopping by!
I completely agree with you for Bluehost vs Siteground, as a beginner, it does not matter at all and we should focus more on improving our writing skills and genuinely try to help people
Hi Kristie,
Great post and informative article, I agree with your disagreement. I hope I’ll see more and more content article like this in future posts.
Thanks,
For sharing this article with us.
Thanks!
I agree with the disagreement, although I don’t know anything about your hosting statement. My blog isn’t hosted there.
The point I like most: write for your audience, not for Google!
YES!! Write for your people. Google will like you for that.
I really enjoyed this article to read, Because you explained with awesome inputs and gif images. Keep posting like this, I am eagerly waiting to learn other things on your blog.
Will do! I’m glad you liked the GIFs. They were fun to use.
I too agree with you Bluehost provides the best web hosting service.
Perfect for beginners!
Kristie,
Thanks for educating me that moving from Bluehost servers to SiteGround makes less sense. Relieved me and helped me saving from unnecessary hassle in migration.
You are very welcome! They are pretty similar hosting services, just different people prefer the different host. When you’re ready, go for something beefier!
Glad you can focus on other things instead of the hassle of migrating. 🙂
very well written blog i must say. i know it takes lot of work as i am a blogger too so appreciated buddy loved your work. keep up the good work
(construction services in london)
Amazing Article
Thanks for sharing the wonderful article.
Cheers!
Pinterest is a social platform where I pay less time. Thanks for your heads-up about Pinterest promotions and further, the misconceptions in online marketing that you disagree. Inspiring!
Kristie,
Good read it was. Indeed, I agree with you about switching to SiteGround from Bluehost. It’s not a kind of hosting upgrade. As usual, you’re rocking Kristie.
The one thing I disagree with is the age old “all you need to do is write good content and wait”. I disagree because if you write all of this amazing content but don’t engage with other bloggers, how do you expect it to be found?
I LOVE this James. Thanks for sharing. You’re right, good content is not the end all. I’m a big fan of engaging with other bloggers too. And, we have to put in the marketing work too!
Great post! I agree with you ✊ I gave up on Pinterest a while back because I didn’t ‘have time’ but I’ve started up again and all your info was so helpful!! Thank you!!
Yay! I’m glad this has helped you. Good luck.
Great points!
I agree about Bluehost. Maybe the bad rep is partly because it’s so heavily promoted? Sure, you’d want to migrate somewhere else if your traffic is growing and you’re committed to growing it further. But for that first year, when most people bail anyway, it’s a way to get started for less than $100 bucks and see if it’s something you want to pursue. I’m not with them now, but had no complaints with their level of service.
Thanks for the reminder about Pinterest. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own content, boards, key words etc and forget that pinning other people’s stuff is what helps us all.
You said it so perfectly Bill! Bluehost is perfect for the first year. Glad to help you out on the Pinterest bit. 🙂
Thanks for the nod! I heard about it from our friend Kate Ahl 🙂 Great roundup of controversial tips.
You are very welcome. You’re a rockstar when it comes to Pinterest! Thanks for stopping by Louise.
Whoa! I love this rant and I’m thankful that I click on your email.
I used to listen to the advice not to Pin other people’s Pin. But somehow I found that hurt my Pinterest account. Not much traffic coming to my blog, my impression went down.
Reading through your rant, this makes sense! It’s because my Pinterest account is not that big, so I HAVE and NEED to Pin other people’s related Pins.
Thank you so very much for this rant!
You are very welcome! Glad it helped confirm what you have already discovered. Happy Pinning!
I enjoyed your rant and it helped me to understand Pinterest better but I was surprised to see that you didn’t mention Wealthy Affiliate as a beginner blog hosting platform. They have all the benefits of Bluehost but a better training platform and amazing tech support.
Great read thanks. Loved the pin.
Lily
I’ve never used Wealthy Affiliate before, I’ll have to look into it.
Thanks for stopping by today!
I wish I could respond to this with a standing ovation GIF. Well said, Kristie!
Wow. Thanks. That means a lot coming from you Dustin!
I feel like GIFs in comments should be a thing.
What happens if I try embedding one?
via GIPHY
sweet. it worked. Now I feel like going to comment on everyone’s blog posts with GIFs. BRB, heading to your site to test it out there.
Thank you!! Some of the things on this list I think all of the time. I manage Pinterest accounts and still firmly know that pining 3rd party content is a good thing! I also agree that pinning to several different boards is becoming obsolete. I now recommend one strong board in each subniche to my clients.
Great post! 🙂
Yes! Happy to hear we agree. Thanks for stopping by today.
Thanks for this, Kristie. I can always rely on you for a well-rounded, down-to-earth analysis about blogging and Pinterest. You certainly relieve many of us with your insightful explanations. I especially love the line “If other bloggers aren’t saving your Pins, then who is?” I had to laugh at the wonderful logic of it!
And your recommendation for hosting is so timely–I just decided last week to move my blog to a new host, so you must have read my mind! I will definitely be using your affiliate link.
Thank you again for so often coming to the rescue of bloggers and Pinners at just the right moment.
BrP
You are very welcome Barbra. Thanks for always supporting me. Best of luck on your hosting move!
I have to say I agree with you. I’ve been testing a lot and it has changed but not so much that we can’t still do very well as bloggers. Thanks for the info.
Exactly! We can still be successful, just need to make a few changes. In some ways, it’s kind of freeing.
The Siteground vs Bluehost comparison is very funny .
The consistent winning formula on Pinterest is A/B testing. This has and continues to work for me and my clients. That plus customizing your strategy as opposed to consistently hopping to whichever strategy people are claiming works.
I agree with all the other points.
Thanks for picking up on the hosting comparison funny. It made me laugh.
And YES to Pinterest – always testing things.
Great post! I absolutely agree with #5, and it always bugs me when I see those comments in groups about not saving other content. I definitely think it is still beneficial to pin other content (and I hope other bloggers will pin my content too).
YESS!! Let’s keep pinning other peoples stuff!
That was great! Thank you for putting your neck out there because there have been so many times that I have doubted myself because of what others are saying. It feels good to know that I don’t have to follow blindly along and there are times when I can stray from “best practices” when something is working better for me.
You’re welcome, KiM! Glad to hear this post freed you a little bit. Best of luck!
The Pinterest thing gets me too!! I’ve read experts say their pins weren’t affected because they have all the knowledge so we are all doing it wrong. Yeah well you got 100k followers so of course your page wasn’t affected! I get tired of the icky marketing that people do. Maybe I should write my own post!
And lol I hate bluehost. But I’m a tech girl so there’s that. I love flywheel.
My big beef is when people say you have to use convertkit. Convertkit is a hard platform to learn. I’ve had success with mailer lite but I know everyone is different.
Btw, the link in your email didn’t work. I found this post on your home page.
Let me know when you’re version of this post is live. Haha.
I feel like we could make an entirely new post on Annoying icky marketing techniques. My biggest pet peeve is “live” webinars that aren’t live.
Really, you’re going to be live in 15 minutes (at 11pm PST)? REALLY? and then in “live” video they’re all like, “just waiting for people to show up…” and “oh, this comment just came in..”
YUCK!
Thanks for your nice post.
Very informative and useful.i think most of common but sort of creative thing. Keep it up.
Thank you!
Totally agree with everything you said here, Kristie!
Including Bluehost vs. Siteground! I am so sick of people saying that Siteground is much better than Bluehost. They are both the same, good enough for starting out!
And I totally agree, commissions on both are exactly the same so recommendations aren’t based on that but on personal experience!
I guess I a bit of an outsider too 😉
THANK YOU! Yes, they are both the same. Glad we can be outsiders together.