I had always assumed that throwing spaghetti at a wall was a bad thing. In fact, I’ve heard many times during my life the phrase “throwing spaghetti at the wall” and this has always been in quite a negative light. Today I am going to share how throwing spaghetti at the wall is actually a brilliant thing and share how testing out ideas and analysing results can really benefit your life.
Do You Throw Pasta At The Wall?
You may be wondering where the phrase, “throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks” comes from? Traditionally throwing spaghetti on a wall is one method for knowing when your spaghetti is fully cooked. If it sticks to the wall, you have cooked it for long enough, however if more cooking time is needed, the pasta will not stick.
Whilst some people might see this method of testing random ideas pointless, this is actually a great metaphorical method to test out ideas and grow!
Take me for example as a blogger. I completed a blogging course a few years back where the “teacher” taught it was bad to just write random blog posts and wait to see what happened. I was taught that everything should be planned, that titles and keywords should be researched and content planned methodically.
I felt awkward and a little “bad”. I almost didn’t fit in because my way of doing things was not the norm! I didn’t have a specific niche like I was being told to have and preferred to write about all aspects of my life.
Writing What I Feel!
Whilst I agree that content planning and keyword research when writing a blog post is important for search engines, I also think it’s important to write from the heart and to remain genuine and be yourself!
For me, I try to write a mixture of well researched articles and posts that are straight from the heart. At the end of the day, some of my most random thoughts have become my most popular blog posts.
Writing From The Heart
Whilst writing what you feel like, may not get you all the search engine traffic you desire, it can result in genuine and loyal readers, in genuine comments and you can easily see what does and does not work for your readers.
I know that by being so different I have been able to excel as a blogger. I haven’t followed the majority but done my own thing and I’ve learnt so much through this process. Blogging is a learning process and a journey which never ends. Sharing my thoughts day in and day out and testing different methods to promote my posts is educational and exciting. The more I test out ideas, the more I learn!
Why We Need To Change And Adapt
We live in a world where things change often. Technology is ever growing and changing and so too is social media and the way people speak and share their thoughts. Whilst one method of driving readers to my blog or getting engagement from my audience may work today, it may not work tomorrow and that is why throwing spaghetti at the wall is so important.
If you have one strict way of doing things, then what happens when change inevitably comes? You crumble right? For myself to be a success, I need to roll with the punches, move with the changes and adapt. It’s something I am good at and something that helps me keep afloat.
Ride The Wave And Then Ride The Next
As a blogger I’ve learnt that it’s great to ride the wave while the wave lasts and then to look for the next wave so I can ride again! For example, when I first started blogging, twitter was a huge thing for me. I was growing super fast and my audience was highly engaged. I rode the wave and made the most of it. Things changed and over time many people shifted focus to Instagram. I still enjoy using twitter, however I learned from this that it’s important to use the social media that works best for me in the moment.
In 2017 my husband did an instagram course and grew his Instagram following to almost 20K following using methods that worked at the time. He rode the wave but I did not. I was focussing on Pinterest instead. By the time I was ready to try and grow my instagram presence, the rules and alogrithms had changed and this method no longer worked.
New Methods Become Old
The thing I have learnt is what works one day may not work the next. The way I engage with my audience today or share my content from The Inspiration Edit today may not work tomorrow.
AND THIS IS WHY THROWING SPAGHETTI AT THE WALL IS SO IMPORTANT!
As a blogger and as a parent, the same method may not always work! I need to be able to adapt to a situation and test things out to see what works at the present time. As a mother, what works one day may not work the next. Likewise in blogging, if we follow one method and expect it to always work we are deceiving ourselves.
I’ve heard bloggers complain about methods changing, rules changing and algorithms changing and I agree, it can be a huge pain in the rear, especially when we have found a method of engaging, growing and interacting that is working. However it’s the mindset that needs to change and the realisation that going with the flow and expecting change is easier than fighting change.
Accepting Change Is Not Always Easy
Accepting changes is not always easy. Trust me I know. I am still coming to terms with my life changing health conditions six years on and it’s not easy. It’s something I struggle with but learning to expect change and to deal with it is much better than fighting against it.
In terms of blogging, changes will come. The way I worked with PR companies 5 years ago is so so different to now. It seems different brands and companies have different methods of collaborating and whilst I may not personally like a new method or system for working together, it’s going to happen.
Likewise for Pinterest. What works one month may not work the next. Best practices change, optimal pin image sizes may change, descriptions and hashtag use may change. The key is not to get all caught up in “the right way” but to test out what is the right way right now and know this may be different tomorrow.
Spaghetti Takeaway
I guess the point I am trying to make as I share my thoughts today is that no one method of blogging is “right”. What works for one will not work for another and what works for me may not work for you. We are all unique, blogs are unique, our focus and aims and goals are unique and you don’t usually ride a wave with another person, you ride your own wave.
Sharing what works with others is so so useful, however in order to succeed in life, in blogging and as an individual we need to work out our own destiny. We need to figure out what works for us and what does not. We need to be able to make changes and improve and not get stuck looking back what once was.
Look to the future with hope and excitement. Listen to advice but then figure out what works best for you. Be your own person, make your own decisions and be prepared for ongoing change and you will be a success. Throw that spaghetti at the wall and dont look away, analyse and find out why it stuck and use that information for your future.
Angela
haha…I thought i was the only one that threw spaghetti against the wall (literally). but here in Australia we have another saying ”throw enough s*** against the wall and some of it will stick lol
Ah that is a better phrase!
This is really great! I love how you said, “you don’t usually ride a wave with another person, you ride your own”. And that so true!
Throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing if it sticks is perfect when it comes to blogging. We don’t always know what will work so trying new ideas isn’t a bad idea at all. We have to find what works for us in different areas of our lives to see if it “sticks”. I enjoyed reading your post and it was one that made me think.
There are no rules in this social media world, in my opinion, and it really makes me sad when people talk about rules they need to follow in order for X Y and Z to happen. That’s just not the case. No one has the right answers in order to create rules!
Hehe…the spaghetti analogy got me, the foodie! I thought the entire post was all about the spaghzz. Back to the point, over time, I have come to appreciate the way heart-felt articles are written and leave the longest-lasting impressions on peoples’ hearts and minds. That’s where my writing is all based from.
great post, rest assured, there are many of us trying to make pasta stick to the wall.
There is a misconception on blogging and what audiences expect, ever since companies and businesses took over the good ol’ blog to profit. You are doing great, your blog is your domain and you can throw anything anywhere. Thanks for sharing.
I’m a newbie to blogging and you have some amazing points. I think you’re doing an amazing job and thanks for sharing what works for you!
What a great post to read most especially to those people who are new into the world of blogging.
what a great post. i love how you spun the post with the throwing spaghetti metaphor. i am currently digging through the ultimate blogger bundle and feel like throwing some spaghetti myself. 😉
Joy at The Joyous Living
I totally agree! I do write mostly for search Engine results, but once in a while I throw a ‘from the heart’ post in there and it always gets tons of feedback! Plus it’s therapeutic to write! Great post!
What a great metaphorical method to test out ideas! I also believe bloggingis not about planning only, you need to write from your heart – I often try to remind myself that it what makes my blog unique, what makes me ME.
Yes..we need to be who we are!
You can create your own rules in social media. You are doing a great job! Keep it up!
Ah thanks so much! It’s important to be ourselves!
I will be sharing this because I think every blogger needs to hear this. If we take courses we are being taught to do things exactly like that exact blogger does, but it’s being different that gets bloggers doing successfully.
I agre.. 🙂