Hello Everyone!
I thought I would take a little break from focusing primarily on beauty in today's post and talk to you about blogging and my advice if you are new! I am in no way a pro, in fact I still consider myself a new-ish blogger even though I started properly blogging back in November 2015 (and did occasional posts every few months before that).
Blogging can be an intimidating and overwhelming adventure but believe me, it's going to be one of the best things you started.
Blogging can be an intimidating and overwhelming adventure but believe me, it's going to be one of the best things you started.
#1 - Keep it simple
When you first start blogging you don't want to bombard yourself with lots of different ideas, plans or schedules. Start off simple! Draft a few blog posts that you are interested in and that you can write freely about. Have a short and sweet schedule consisting of when you want to sit down and write and when you want to set up and photograph your pics that co-inside with your everyday responsibilities. The key here is to not stress yourself out by giving yourself lots of tasks because you feel that you're new and need to produce hundreds of posts to get noticed, that's actually the worst way to go about it.
#2 - Be passionate
Being passionate about something means you genuinely enjoy and love what you are writing about and this will reflect in the writing to the reader. It's going to be pretty obvious if you aren't bothered about the topic and you're only writing about it because it's "popular" and it will "get you views". As both a reader and blogger, if I feel someone isn't being passionate in their writing then the text feels almost robotic with no sense of emotion or connection. Everyone has a style of writing and trust me, it's so apparent if you're not being you.
#3 - Interact!
As daunting as the blogging community seems, everyone is so lovely and welcoming! I feel like bloggers are one of the most easiest and enjoyable groups to get on with and you can be 100% you. The easiest way I find to meet other bloggers is via Twitter. Hashtags such as #bbloggers, #ukbloggers and #fbloggers are great to find posts and conversations from fellow members. There are also tons of daily chats hosted by bloggers that usually consist of questions that you answer and can discuss with all participants, they are super fun and last an hour!
#4 - Be creative
As easy as it is to just do the same old blog post everyone else does, try and be creative and put a spin on things or come up with fresh new ideas. I must admit, this is difficult and I even struggle with being original but by changing up one thing, it can add a whole new dimension to the once boring and repeated idea. You can even create a new tag or challenge post for other bloggers to try, how cool would that be?
#5 - Be consistent
You don't want to be posting 4 posts every single day, that would be silly! But perhaps a post every other day or even once a week is sufficient enough to attract readers to your blog without them missing any posts. If you aren't consistent with your blogging, people may just forget about your blog and not bother to keep an eye on whether you've published something new. Some people just get fed up on waiting and think "well if you're going to take another 2 months to write something, I'm not going to bother" That may seem rude but can you blame them? There's being patient but that's a whole new level..
Of course life gets in the way and you shouldn't have to explain your reasons for not being around but if you are serious about your blog then just a quick message will do!
Of course life gets in the way and you shouldn't have to explain your reasons for not being around but if you are serious about your blog then just a quick message will do!
#6 - Don't think you'll be making £££'s
Yes, blogging can get you money and it can be a pretty big whack if you're a well known blogger but be realistic! I have blogged for nearly a year and only had one paid post opportunity yet I'm still thoroughly grateful for that. Blogging takes a long time to master and get your name out there, so many people are joining the community and it's difficult to be noticed by brands and companies. Don't stress if you're not getting any proposals, that doesn't mean you're a crap blogger, you just perhaps don't meet the correct criteria or outreach for a specific company just yet or perhaps they just haven't stumbled upon your blog quite yet... give it time!
#7 - Don't accept everything that's free
This kind of leads on from #6 but instead of being paid you are being offered products to review/demo etc. I have had many emails asking if I would like to work with companies and sometimes you just have to learn to say no. Yes, freebies may sound enticing but you need to sit down and think about a few things. Will your readers genuinely be interested in this product? Would you actually buy and/or recommend what's being offered? Are you prepared to sit down and trial the product eventually leading to a review or demo post? You will get junk email basically containing crap, delete those! You will get amazing opportunities too and because of my blog I've had the chance to work with lots of skin, hair and makeup brands and also be invited to Makeup Revolution's Exclusive 2nd Birthday Party (which I sadly could not attend, I was gutted).
#8 - Use social media
Social media is vital for your blog! How do you expect people to find you if you don't have any platform to promote yourself on? Twitter for me is the best for promotion, you can hashtag things, tag shoutout accounts onto your posts, join in chats, connect with other bloggers and brands... There's just so much potential on Twitter that other websites like Facebook just don't offer.
#9 - Be snap happy
I'll be honest, a blog is so much better when you've got you own photos in amongst your text. Imagine reading a swatch post on some new lippies and there's not a single picture included in that post.. That's just pointless don't you think? You want to show-case what you're talking about and once again build that connection between reader and blogger so it feels like you're almost having a good old chit chat about your topic. I recommend taking more photos than necessary and then narrow down to your faves as I've made the mistake of taking the bare minimum and hating every single picture due to angles, lighting or the layout.
#10 - Have fun!
I believe this is one of the most important things to stick by! If you're not having fun, is it really a hobby? Blogging should be relaxing and an escape from reality, not a burden. Don't force your posts if you're not feeling it that day as that will be obvious in the way you write. You will get your off days and feel like blogging is a task but don't fret as this won't last, you'll soon become inspired by something and be happily typing away once more. Let the words flow onto your screen and have fun!
I hope you have learnt a little something from my tips! Are you a new blogger? Leave your links below
- Emily x
I hope you have learnt a little something from my tips! Are you a new blogger? Leave your links below
- Emily x
