I’ve reflected on why I started blogging a few times before. When I was asked for an Ask Callista post, I said:
“I actually started blogging WAY back in 2003. I had websites from geocities starting in 1999 for many different things and on one I did book reviews. Then I found amazon.com and started putting my reviews there. Then in 2003 they changed the rules and didn’t allow anyone to post reviews on amazon.com if they hadn’t purchased from there and I didn’t have a credit card so I couldn’t purchase from there.
So I was planning to go back to my website for reviews when I stumbled upon a book blog and saw that this would be a great place to feature my book reviews. So I started my book review blog first and then shortly after, started this one. It was originally mostly for me, with results from online quizzes and my own thoughts. Then I saw that others were blogging for an audience and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. The direction of Callista’s Ramblings has changed many times but that’s how it all started.”
I also talked about how my blog has evolved over the years in this recent post for The Great Canadian Blog Bash:
Callista’s Ramblings Over the Years
- Started 2003 – when I was a teen and was new to blogging. Posts from back then are mostly memes, personal thoughts and silly quizzes.
- 2004-2006 – I posted irregularly, mostly in little spurts.
- 2007 – Mid year I started taking blogging a bit more seriously and started trying to post regularly. Still mostly memes and such though.
- 2008 – late in the year I started getting contacted by companies and started out with small posts with product compensation.
- 2009 – This is when I consider myself to really be a serious blogger that works with brands. I started doing more reviews and giveaways with opinion and random posts mixed in. April 2009 I got my current design. I also accepted my first guest post.
- 2010 – Posted the post that has received the most page views and searches EVER on my blog, even to this day it is the most popular and it’s very simple and I wrote it on my own. Why is an Orange Called and Orange? I also got my first “gig” with Mom Central as a Majesta Mom. I also held my first special event: Camping Week
- 2011 – big year for brand work and building readership. I participated in my first cash giveaway and started doing blog giveaway hops and sponsored posts. I also did my first Christmas Gift Guide
- 2012 – Realized I was getting to be too much reviews and giveaways and not other content like I had originally hoped. I’ve lately started to write other posts (such as 6 Things to Remember When Hosting a Child’s Birthday) but have been catching up on reviews. I plan on unveiling more content soon.
So if I wrote about this before, why go through it again? I was tagged by Newlywed Survival to do a post on how my blog came to be.
So now I pass on the tagging. I’ve included one of their more recent posts if you want to check them out.
- Darcy of Tales From the Nursery – Recent Post: Moxie Girlz True Hope Dolls Support Center Research (+Giveaway)
- Tiffany of Fabulous Finds by novembergirlxoxo – Recent Post: Culturelle for Kids Tummy Truths 14 Day Challenge: Day 12 plus a giveaway
- Kari of Mommy to Elodie – Recent Post: Spinach and Soy Chorizo Quiche “Recipe”
- Amanda of The Frugal Greenish Mama – Recent Post: Get a Free Personalized Downloadable Elmo Song
- Cristina of Tailor Made Momma – Recent Post: Brandcation Here I Come
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