Magnolia tree and daffodils in full bloom with bluebells just starting to bud this morning

Each spring, I re-launch my blog. It’s an exercise in learning more about writing blog articles, WordPress websites, and what motivates on social media. To avoid crossing streams, because to quote Ghost-Buster’s movie “that would be bad”, I write about my gardens and family… and not architects and engineers. And then in the fall, as the growing season comes to a close in Wisconsin, I put my blog to bed again.

This will be my fifth year blogging. I’ve written 86 different posts and branched out from my initial shares on Facebook to posting stories on a variety of social media platforms. My following is very small, but my online engagement has been steadily growing.

I have a few ideas about what I want to experiment with and learn this year. There are some new social media platforms, photo apps and WordPress plugins I want to try. My gardens are more mature now that they’ve been in place since 2008, so my focus is less on filling empty spots and more about getting rid of bad ideas and/or moving experiments gone awry.

Of my blog content that was most successful in terms of engagement:

• Simple recipes using ingredients currently available in the garden
• Reviews of gardening related products and services with links to vendors
• Notices of local events related to gardening
• Re-running blogs from previous years

That last one surprised me. However in reviewing the comments and looking at who was re-tweeting, liking and sharing, it appears that my audience has grown and evolved so they may not have seen those stories the first time around.

I asked a friend which articles he liked best as he’s never engaged online but mentions my stories when we meet. He said photos of my gardens and stories about me and my family. So there may be an audience who is quietly enjoying my efforts.

Lots of my friends share similar interests, so what would you recommend I experiment with this season?