It’s a milestone day here on No Gluten, No Problem. This is our 400th blog post!
It’s a day surrounded by other milestones. Our second cookbook, Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakes, came out earlier this month. The blog celebrates its 3rd birthday next month. (And it’s been 4.5 years since I made the switch to gluten-free.)
In that time, we’ve posted dozens of product reviews. Dozens more restaurant reviews. And shared more than 85 new recipes. (I suspect those numbers are actually even higher, since the tallies are based on post tags, and despite my best efforts at being diligent with them, I’m sure I’ve missed a few along the way…)
I’m using today’s milestone as a jumping off point to reflect on the blog, how far it’s come, how it has evolved over time, and where it’s going in the future. This blog is about us, but it’s also about you. We can’t be all things to all people, but as we forge ahead with No Gluten, No Problem, I want to be sure that we’re a) staying true to ourselves, and b) taking into consideration your desires and feedback.
For example, over the years, our readership has grown – both in sheer numbers, but also in geographic scope. According to Google Analytics, in 2011 alone our readers have come from all 50 U.S. states and more than 120 countries. (Holy moley!) As the demographics of you, our beloved No Gluten, No Problem readers, have expanded, I’ve begun to question the value of certain types of content. Take restaurant reviews. If we review a local restaurant here in the Hudson Valley, that information has very little applicable value for a good number of our readers. On the other hand, I know that some of our perennially popular posts include our Small Town Gluten-Free Guides, which include roundups of gluten-free restaurant options in places such as Steamboat Springs, Colorado and Ithaca, New York. The backbone of those Small Town GF Guides is our restaurant reviews. And so, should we continue to do restaurant reviews?
That is just one of the questions we’re wrestling with. But we don’t intend to answer it ourselves. We want YOU to help us answer it! We’ve constructed a quick and easy 10-question survey using SurveyMonkey. Please take the survey, and help guide the future of No Gluten, No Problem! As an added incentive, we’ll randomly choose one survey participant to receive a complimentary signed copy of Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakes. It’s the least we can do to say “thank you” for three amazing years and 400 blog posts of No Gluten, No Problem.
Here’s to the next 100…and beyond.
– Pete
Congratulations on your 400th post!
Mucho congrats… keep up the terrific work!
(p.s. your beignets ROCK!!!!!)
Yes, here’s to 3 amazing years and 400 blog posts at NGNP! And to the next 100! Are you talking years or blog posts? =)
I’ve followed along with all your wonderful posts, reviews and recipes and congratulate you and Kelli for a job well done. I look forward to more good stuff in the future. Can’t wait to bake some of your spectacular looking cupcakes. Just received my “pre-ordered” book from Amazon. I’ve been anxiously awaiting its release. Wow, what a mouth-watering collection of treats!
Melissa
Bravo Pete and Kelli! You’ve listed a bunch of accomplishments there. I’m excited about all of them, although I admit I’m partial to all those mouthwatering cupcakes. 😉
I’m very much looking forward to what comes out of NGNP and the Artisanal Gluten-Free series in the future!
Shirley
Congratulations!!
Thanks everyone! It’s crazy to reflect on 3 years and 400 posts of the blog… It at once feels like we’ve always been doing it, and that it just started yesterday. Time flies when having fun!
Cheers, Pete
Right as I was reading this, my cupcake book arrived in the mail. Congratulations on all you’ve achieved — you’ve made my gluten-free life much more delicious!
Hi Melissa… Yeah! Enjoy the book!
Cheers, Pete
Oh, we’ll definitely enjoy it. My husband and I looked through it last night, and we both agreed this is the first cookbook we’ve ever bought where every single recipe looks like something we would make and enjoy — and we have a lot of cookbooks.
We’ll probably gain 15 pounds each, but it will be worth it. Thanks!
I first discovered your blog through a google search (dreaming) about eating out while travelling to exotic places. I don’t remember if it was particularly a restaurant review I found. I can’t even remember the country for which I was searching, maybe Italy or Mexico. But both Joe and I are glad to have stumbled upon your blog.
Restaurant reviews are a great resource to everyone on the internet because of google. So yes, yes, yes. Even though Joe and I may never get a chance to travel to any of the restaurants about which you blog, 1) we enjoy dreaming about them; and 2) anyone who googles GF options in a certain town can easily get the into you’ve provided.