This week has been SO much fun you guys… In case you missed our announcement on social media this week, I have some HUGE news: Sean proposed on Sunday and I said yes! I am so over the moon and excited and happy and just… so in love. Sean actually recorded his proposal, so I might share it here with you. We’re still debating whether to keep it private or share it. But for now, I just want to savor every moment of this amazing feeling. Until then, this shot is from where he proposed!
In case you missed it, here’s what we shared on the blog this week:
small space tips from Donna Garlough
High Point Market Design Bloggers Tour
25+ stylish floor lamps for your small space
I also wanted to share some of the results of my 2018 reader survey! You guys always have so much insight for me and constantly blow my mind with your wise comments, so I really love to hear your thoughts.
Which blog category topic is your favorite? Top 3 results:
- home decor/interiors
- Joanna’s home renovations
- DIYs
I am so glad you guys are into decor, especially our renovations. We have a LOT more of those planned for 2018 and, trust me, they are gonna be gooood.
Which blog category topic is your least favorite? Top 3 results:
- cocktail recipes
- videos
- beauty
After last year’s survey, I am not really surprised you guys aren’t feelin’ the cocktails. I’ve been trying to sprinkle them in with different types of posts so that the mix feels more balanced. I don’t want to do away with any of these categories because they are all topics that I am really interested in… The best I can offer is that I will continue working hard to make sure the blog feels like there’s a mix of content that appeals to you.
In terms of video, a lot of you commented that it’s hard to watch them due to the sound. I totally understand! One solution I’ve been working toward is to make sure that even if the post has a video, there is still some meaty content in the rest of the post so that you can still get something out of it I am going to work on this more and more for coming posts. Another option is to subscribe on YouTube so that you can view the videos at your leisure there.
What would you like to see more of on Jojotastic? A few fun responses:
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home diy that doesn’t look homemade
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More beauty ideas.
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Dog related stuff. DIYs, travel with your pet, and pictures are always fun.
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maybe gardening based posts as you continue to work on your own
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Fashion, maybe? Would also love to see more about your gardening adventures so far!
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More outfit posts – especially as you’re tightening your wardrobe
- Chickens!!
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Pacific northwest travel destinations
- small home hacks/tips
I love all of your suggestions! I just want you to know that I hear you loud and clear and will be adding in lots of these categories very soon to the blog.
What would you like to see less of on Jojotastic? A few fun responses:
- other people
- travel in general
- recipes/cocktails
- Just videos in place of posts, I guess, but there aren’t so many that it bothers me. If you’re having fun, keep going!
What is your #1 pet peeve of Jojotastic? I found a LOT of these responses to be totally enlightening, surprising, and thought-provoking, so I wanted to share them here:
Disqus is a pet peeve.
I hear you loud and clear. I am working on a redesign and, with that, a new commenting system.
I love reading your house/travel/beauty posts, but it’s tough to swallow how much of everything is sponsored/gifted. I understand that this is your lifeblood and how you make a living (and I love how transparent you are with your #ads), but it can make things unrelatable for me. Even with coupon codes, so much of what is featured is absurdly out of my price range.
With full transparency, feedback like this is something I’ve always feared happening here on the blog. I don’t want my entire life to be sponsored, so I work very hard to ensure that there is a good mix here on the blog and that if something is sponsored, I make sure it is very clearly marked as such. I really appreciate that you understand that this is literally my job and how I pay my bills, so I can’t really turn down great sponsored opportunities. All I can offer is that I will continue to only work with brands that I truly love and feel authentic in promoting. Also, I will also make sure that I keep different price points in mind, especially with product round ups!
Ahhhhh! Good to know. I will work on that ;)
When you shoot the youtube videos have more light on you instead of behind you because the halo effect is distracting from you. That could just be me lol…
Interesting! I will keep that in mind.
The category links are way at the bottom of the page. I like to go to my favorite blogs/sites and look at posts by category. I didn’t know you had categories until I looked for them just now.
This is great feedback for the redesign!
Your suggestions for how to improve Jojotastic:
More how-tos. More DIY. More “accessibility”–we don’t need more lux, unattainable ideas. Pinterest is full of that, as is the blogosphere. Give us something we’re excited to go try with the stuff we already have in our pantries, closets, stash, etc. Empower the “everyday”.
I sort of want to print this out and tape it to my monitor… I am totally going to work on this more and more.
I like your more personal posts and would definitely like to see more of those.
Ok!
If you have any budget wisdom to share, especially as it relates to renovating/decorating your living space, I’d love to hear it! More pretty pics of everything!!
Juuuust wait til we tear apart the kitchen ;)
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There were SO MANY MORE thoughtful, inspiring, kind responses that I cannot thank you enough. Every time I do a reader survey, I am always so blown away by how loving and encouraging you are. It really means the world to me that you’ve taken the time to weigh in and offer feedback. I plan to take every single one of your responses into consideration and hope to turn this blog into a place that inspires you even more.
XO
Joanna
photo from Jojotastic on Instagram.
