Happy Wednesday, fellow beautyholics! This has been one trying week for me and I’m hauling ass over that hump, I tell ya.
I enjoy doing an “Ask Me Anything” post every now and then where you can just, well, ask me anything! If you have any questions about anything at all, whether it’s related to beauty, blogging, shopping, food or anything under the sun, just holler. If I’m able to help you out at all, I will. If not, let’s open it to the floor where other readers may be able to help you as well.
If you don’t have any questions, do drop in and say hi. Let me know how you’re doing. Is everything all right with you?
Me, I’ve had a couple of trying weeks. I’ve been having issues with Google Analytics where my web stats have tanked significantly (my daily traffic remains the same but my number of Unique Visitors and Page Views have decreased by high amounts). It’s incredibly disheartening because 1) I want to know if it’s Google or it’s me and 2) if it’s me, what am I doing wrong? Next, another blogging-related thing that didn’t go the way I planned it to be. I’ll tell you more about the latter when the time is right but I’ll say this for now: thank heavens for good friends who understand blogging problems too and not think I’m just a whinger. 😛
So for now, I’m just putting one foot forward at a time, bloggie-wise. If you’ve had any problems with your blog and managed to overcome them, please do share it with us. I sure can use with some victory stories to look up to. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a blogger either; let us know if you’ve managed to conquer a problem at home, work, etc, no matter how big or small. Let us celebrate your victory with you.
On top of that and as always, I welcome any questions you may have. Over to you. Tell me anything. Ask me anything! 🙂
Leopard prints or jaguar prints? 😛
Both! But if I have to choose, I prefer leopard print. The marks are not as big as jaguar’s and a bit more subtle 😛
How do you take back your blogging mojo? After a heavy season of school work I now don’t like how I write and cost me the double to pull off a post, things are changing but after almost a month without writing I’m worried about losing readers.
Also I have to congratulate you for your post about brightening and whitening skincare; that’s what I’ve always think about but people don’t understand (Mexico it’s like Asia, people want to be fairer).
Hope Google starts to behave better with you!
Efraín recently posted..Quiero que haya más tonalidades de maquillaje
Love this question Efrain because I can honestly tell you now that my blogging mojo is really low. With the Google issues and other blogging issues I’ve been having, I feel like I’m climbing a hill and it’s getting more inclined.
I’ve lost blogging mojos before and I find the best way to get it back is to step back. I know what you mean by losing readers but if you keep forcing yourself to write, you won’t just misplace that mojo, you’ll lose it altogether and may never find it again. Step back and write less. But if you do, keep it consistent. For example if you write 5 days a week, pull it back to 2-3 a week and stick to it. Let your readers know that things are very busy for you at the moment and you need to take a step back to perhaps 2-3 or even 1-2 posts a week. Loyal readers will understand. When school work gets better and you have a bit more time, then write more.
Other than stepping back, I find that writing about other things work for me. E.g. if I can’t be bothered writing reviews (it can be a bore at times especially when I’m tired), I write about other things that interest me. I write personal anecdotes on the blog. I wrote about the brightening vs whitening story (so glad you like it!) at a particular time when I should be writing a review of a brightening product but got sick of writing it (words weren’t flowing) and thought I’d write a rant instead. Oh did the words flow out of my hands! 🙂
Observing your surroundings help too. Get out of your house, out of school and go to the shops. Not asking you to buy anything 🙂 See what’s trending, what people are wearing and doing, etc. Often I find ideas from people-watching alone. Even if I don’t have time to write them down or I don’t feel like blogging at that moment, I still write down the ideas in a notebook. You never know when they’ll come handy.
Hope this helps! 🙂
Well, you’re right after my rant about shades of products, I felt better about my work; however making reviews isn’t my cup of tea these days (I’ve been struggling the same review for two weeks) but after reading that really good bloggers like you have the same issue I’m not afraid of go a little slower.
I have to specify that I haven’t posted in a month, but last Sunday I post again (the rant about makeup and shades) and it was a little step to return my mojo.
Now I have another excuse to wander in the mall, it’s for inspiration 😉
PS I’m ending the review for the week.
Efraín recently posted..Quiero que haya más tonalidades de maquillaje
Hahahaha have fun at the mall! It’s a great place for inspiration 😉
Hi Tine. Hope your week will get better as it goes on. Mine is alright, going along slowly.
I remembered you replied my comment sometime ago on your post about beauty regrets where mine was not using sunscreen at an earlier age. You suggested for me to try Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution for brighter skin as it contains Vitamin C. I am in the midst of deciding whether to purchase it or not.
I have read a lot of bloggers comments but still cannot make up my mind about it. Do you think I should get it? Since it cost RM200 in Malaysia, it is a hefty investment for me although I am aware that the product can last a good 7-8 months. Some bloggers have said that Kiehl’s product is either a hit or miss. So far it has been good for me since I am currently using the MRC and also the scrub. I figured the product must be quite effective since it is number 1 on Kiehl’s 2013 customer favourites. Thanks in advance for your advice 🙂
Hi Victoria!
I understand what you mean and that it’s not a cheap serum to buy. I’m not going to suggest that you still buy it if you’re not sure especially when it’s not a cheap one to begin with. If you’re not able to obtain a sample of the Kiehls serum to try first, I’d like to suggest you to try Cosmetic Skin Solutions’ Vitamin C+E serum. It’s a serum I highly, HIGHLY recommend as it gave me great results. It contains a higher percentage of Vitamin C than Kiehls’ and it’s much more affordable at US$39.85.
At the time of writing this comment, they’re still having the 5% off sale. They ship to Malaysia as well, I believe. I know it’s not a well-known brand but their products have less fluff ingredients compared to Kiehls (ie unnecessary ingredients to make it feel/smell better) but higher-strength active ingredients. If you ask me if I prefer CSS or Kiehls’ Vitamin C serum, I’d go for CSS anytime. The link to the serum: http://www.cosmeticskinsolutions.com/Product-List/Vitamin-C-E-Serum-Advanced-Formula.html
Okie, thanks again for your recommendation. Just to let you know that I have placed my order based on your glowing review about this product. Fingers crossed that it will work for me 🙂
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you too! If possible, do keep it in the fridge. If not, then make sure you keep it in a dark place (like inside a drawer) away from the light. I found that mine oxidised (turned darker) after 6 months because I left it on the dresser. If I were to keep it in the drawer, it would have lasted longer.
Tine, since the end of May, my Google Analytics stats have tanked. My traffic from google/organics has become almost non-existent. Visits that I know I’m getting from Bellashoot and Blogher are not registering or are registering as 00:00. My blog is almost 8 months old, was growing steadily till the end of May, and now it is tanking according to GA and it is very discouraging. I am trying to find a Wordpress/SEO consultant who doesn’t charge a fortune to help me fix the blog, but I don’t really know how to find someone. I don’t want to pick a complete stranger. Any advice? I’m sorry to hear you’ve been hit too. Is this the effects of Penguin 2.0. I haven’t gotten any messages from Webmaster, and according to Webmaster tools, my links (the incoming) look fine. Grrrrrrr!
Allison recently posted..Estee Lauder Lilly Pulitzer Summer 2013 Gift at Belk
Hi Allison, I’m sorry to hear you’re having issues with Google Analytics too. I had a chat with my blogging mentor, Paris B (mywomenstuff.com) and she’s been having similar issues too. We both reckon it’s no thanks to Google’s new algorithm that just mucks everything up. If your GA has tanked severely (say from 500 a day to 10), then something could be wrong with your GA plugin/code instead of GA on its own. I had that problem once. My stats were normal until one day it went to 10. I found out that something was wrong with my plugin and I had to use another one.
Check your GA code again or remove and reinstall the GA code (maybe use another plugin). If there’s a very very significant drop like I mentioned, it could be that your website isn’t registering the hits.
Thanks, Tine, for the quick reply. I hope I can get to the bottom of this!! And you too 🙂
Allison recently posted..Beach Makeup
Tine, my traffic dropped by 2 – 3k suddenly but surprisingly, I’m not so affected emotionally. I think over the years, I’ve learned that there are some things that are out of our control as a blogger so I’ll just chill. I still like to write often but I can’t cope due to work commitment.
Okay, question for you. How do you feel about companies that invite you to try a specific service and then decides to charge you extra for something you ask. Eg. it’s a hair color session that I was invited for and I asked to get my fringe trimmed. Frankly, how much effort does that take? I’m ok to pay but I wonder how come the company is unwilling to extend the service out of goodwill and insist on me paying a $20 for that. I don’t argue, I pay but it doesn’t leave a nice feeling if you know what I mean. If I were them, I would just waive off.
I’m not a cheapo or being mercenary. I’ve declined countless invites and freebies. Sometimes, something captures my interest and I say yes. Time is precious to me. For the time spent, I like to get more done. Plus, most of time, these places are not exactly central. So it’s not about money so I appreciate companies being less calculative.
sesame recently posted..Dr. Woods has a black soap that cleanses me & my floor
Thanks for your advice, Sesame. I really shouldn’t allow it to affect me because this is out of my control. I can’t obsess over this because it’ll just affect the way I blog and my desire for blogging. I wished it was just a 2-3k drop for me though. I lost over 8k in a week 🙁
Anyway, to answer your question: Nope, that’s just not on. Unless the extra service cost a lot more money, tiny extras shouldn’t be charged at all. Say if I was given a complimentary service by a salon to try out their blowdry, if I needed a quick fringe trim that doesn’t take more than 5-10 minutes, I would expect the salon to cover that. I wouldn’t, of course, expect a full colour job. For the salon to charge for such a small favour and ask me for $20 for that bit of fringe trim, I’d still pay but I won’t be very happy about it.
It’s not a matter of taking advantage of freebies. If you’re known in the blogging circuit as a blogger who takes things seriously and conduct yourself professionally, this small thing shouldn’t affect your reputation at all. It’s not like you do this often; it’s a one-off! I just think it’s petty and calculative to charge for something extra. A quick fringe trim charge should have been easily waived.
I’ve not experienced that here, thankfully. Having said that, I don’t recall asking for something extra but even if I did, if it’s only a small favour that only takes up very little time and resources, I don’t expect to be charged for it.
Hey Tine, its not you nor your blog, its Google. I monitor the algorithms as over the years I’ve come to sort of enjoy understanding it a little more and I can tell you that the Google Search world is in a bit of a flux right now. There are a few reasons and Summer in the N. Hemisphere has also got to do with it. Things were growing nicely at my end but as is wont to happen, the house of cards has come tumbling down again. So, we just have to keep at it, do what we do best and hopefully Google comes around our way again.
As for the other thing, try not to stress over it. I know exactly how you feel (been there done that) and I’m hoping it all comes through for you in the end. I’m sure it will 🙂
Chin up! Its always darkest before dawn 🙂
Paris B recently posted..For a transparent Cheek Rush flush, these Estee Lauder gel blushes call the (Cello) Shots
Thanks Peebs. It’s disheartening all right but I can’t let it get to me. If I continue to obsess over the numbers, then I’ll start thinking how to SEO things better and all that, and that’s going to make my blog not enjoyable to read and write at all. One of my favourite blogs that talk about blogging have gone down the whole SEO route with their content and while it probably ranks better on Google, it’s just not that fun to read anymore.
Anyway, I’ll do as you said: do what we do best and hopefully Google will play nice again 🙂
i adore you tine..i love your blog so much..every post..and for the first time in life i wrote a poem and that was on BA 6th birthday giveway ..i thought it will make you smile but i felt disheartened after loosing it..anyways i loved this post..you are sweet
Thanks Anusha, you’re the sweet one! The poem you wrote was lovely, thank you so much for putting so much thought in it 🙂 x
Hi Tine, How are you going? I am in a blogging paralysis at the moment too. I will be taking the above ideas on board for sure. My question is how do you maintain consistency? I tend to have 1 or 2 weeks when I am on fire with my blog, then the next week-I still put out the same amount of posts but in my heart I know the quality is not the same the previous week. Is this just a blog schedule/editorial calendar thing? Burnout? Or me not picking enough interesting topics to write about? Or my writing sucks? (Don’t answer that last one!haha) Love your work-Enjoy the rest of the week
Hi Lisa, thanks for your question. I totally understand what you’re going through. Heck, I go through it once every few weeks! I’d be on fire 1-2 weeks and then the week after that, I’d be like …pfffffft. A way for it to work is that when I’m on fire and really gungho about blogging, I write as many posts as I can like a machine when the inspiration is still there. I don’t post them though. I keep them as drafts. The days when I feel like poo, have zero inspiration and need a pick-me-up, that’s when I go out with my camera and take pictures for those posts. It’s not taxing at all and a lot more fun.
On days when you don’t feel like writing, take those drafts out, edit them as you see fit and post them. Don’t publish all your good stuff all at once.
As for maintaining consistency, I do have an editorial calendar and it works very well for me. But many times I do cheat, shift posts here and there to spread them out so that I look like I’m still blogging consistently when in fact, I’m not really. Eg I blog 6 days a week consecutively but come Monday, I just don’t have the energy or inspiration to write for the week. So instead of having my scheduled posts on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I shift all those posts to Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, next Monday and so on. It’s still maintaining consistency but it’s spread over two weeks. At least this way, I don’t have a week of posts but the next week, I don’t have any at all.
When the blogging “fire” comes back midweek and I have inspiration to write again, I shift all the posts back as originally scheduled. That’s how I maintain consistency on the blog. Hope it helps! 🙂
PS: Your writing does NOT suck. Don’t ever think that 🙂