One of my favorite things about doing this Growing My Blog series has been getting to know other bloggers and getting tips from some big-timers! A few months ago I shared my interview with Lindsay from Pinch of Yum, which was super fun. This week, I talked to Sally of Sally’s Baking Addiction.  

I’ve used (and LOVED!) several recipes from Sally before. Her blog is beautiful, her photos are stunning, and her recipes are different and always produce something delicious. Like this Funfetti Sugar Cookie Cake. Or these adorable Candy Cane Kiss Cookies (YES, I already have Christmas on the brain a bit. And I know it’s August). And I think she’s a super genius, because she came up with this Salted Caramel Apple Pie. The ingredients of which just made it on to my grocery list. 

Better yet, she doesn’t only blog about baked goods. One of her more recent recipes is for a Glowing Skin Smoothie that I can’t wait to get my hands on! Oh, and did I mention drool-worthy photos? Here, let me prove it.

Aaand best of all, she was super great to talk to and had some wonderful advice for growing bloggers like me! She also has a section on her blog devoted to blogging tips, which was very helpful and gave me a great boost of encouragement. I really can’t wait to see what else Sally comes up with!

Alright, on to the good stuff! Here’s Sally’s advice for us.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO GO FROM BLOG READER TO BLOG WRITER?

At the time I was emailing all of my recipes to my friends and after doing this for about a year, I decided I wanted to just put them all in one place. Starting a blog seemed really scary, but my fiance Kevin encouraged me to go for it. I also love to take pictures, so it was
inevitable.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BLOGGING?

Hearing from readers all over the world telling me how much they loved X recipe. Or that I gave them courage in the kitchen. Or that my cookies helped comfort them through chemotherapy. This makes working 7 days a week with little sleep completely worth it.

WHEN DID IT FEEL LIKE SALLY’S BAKING ADDICTION HAD A SUBSTANTIAL FOLLOWING? DO YOU THINK THERE WAS A POST OR EVENT THAT HELPED YOUR BLOG TURN THAT CORNER?

My Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe went viral extremely quickly. It brought a lot of new eyes to my website, which encouraged me to work harder to keep all of the new traffic. Investing in a fancy camera and learning to use it helped too!

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR BLOGGERS WHO HAVE FULL TIME JOBS BUT ARE EAGER TO GROW THEIR BLOGS?

Get used to sleeping less. Ha! Well, I’m sort of being honest. If you are serious about growing your blog and taking it to the next level, you’re going to have to work. Extremely hard. It takes long hours, dedication, and persistence. And a lot of coffee.

WHAT MAKES OTHER FOOD BLOGS APPEALING TO YOU?

Good photography. We all eat with our eyes, myself included, and I am drawn to beautiful irresistible looking food. I’m also drawn to other blogs (not only food blogs) if the blogger is real, genuine, and honest. It’s easy to spot blogs who aren’t 100% into it or are really just looking to earn money. You have to love it, and that’s extremely obvious in a blogger’s writing style and how they make an effort to connect with readers.

HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH OTHER BLOGGERS?

I try to comment on other blogs when I have a spare minute and/or share their recipes on my social medias. There are so many talented bloggers out there! I remember reading these exact blogs before I became a blogger and now they know who I am through my blog. It feels pretty cool to work hard and get to this point! The food blog community is incredible and I’ve met a lot of friends through it.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR NEWER BLOGGERS?

Do it because you love it. If your heart isn’t into it, you may begin to resent it. It won’t be all rainbows and sunshine, and it takes a lot of sweat (really, it does! running around with a 10 lb camera for 6 hours is a good workout!) and tears. But if you truly love it, you’ll pass through the bumps and plateaus at marathon speed. Have fun along the way, too. And don’t be afraid to learn something new.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Sally!

For more stuff I’ve put together about growing my blog, check out my Blogger Resources page.