Everyone wants to blog right? You need to follow these top tips…
If you were to look back five to ten years, the word blog was still a rather foreign concept. They were around sure, but the crazy heights and celebrity scales in which bloggers have now reached, was unfathomable. Blogs were a place to spill your thoughts, add in a few images and hope for the best. Nowadays bloggers are the go-to for advice, inspiration and entertainment and a fair few have become celebrities in their own right.
From the outside world it can seem simple- they post a few words and opinions, a few images and hey presto- prestige is achieved, freebies are sent to review, and you have brands everywhere looking for collaborations. This is not true. And I would advise anyone who is thinking of starting a blog to really research the work before going in to it half-heartedly.
If I were to offer some top tips, it would be this…
Be prepared for slow progress.
Whilst some lucky ones might be lucky enough to be snapped up by the big-bods in a couple of months, for the most part it takes a good few months and even years to build up a rapport with brands and to build up a small following.
Celebrate each milestone.
You received your first 100 views? Amazing! You received your first free piece of makeup to review? Brilliant. Don’t get lost in comparing yourself to others or at higher expectations you hold for yourself. Celebrate each tiny achievement and realise you are the one that made that happen, no one else.
Set a realistic time to post and keep it consistent.
Whether you want to post several times a week, or once a month, set a schedule and stick to it. This will allow your readers to know when to expect a post, and help you keep to a deadline. Without this you can get swamped in emails, ideas and half-finished posts that can easily bog you down. If you set yourself a time and a limit you have to stick to it, rather than just panicking and creating posts randomly and inconsistently.
Be prepared for hard work.
Creating and upholding a blog is not easy. All too many times I come across blogs with so much potential, but just one or two posts. Blog if you are serious about it and make sure it’s not just for any freebies or rewards. Blog about something you are passionate in, something that you will not dread sitting down to type about, but something that you love.
Don’t let it become a chore.
Remember that you started this for yourself. If it becomes too much, too stressful or too demanding, take a break. Come back to it in a couple of days’ time. Don’t ever lose sight of the real reason you decided to begin. At the end of the day, it is your outlet and for you to share your views with everyone and you need to remember to put yourself first.
Don’t take criticism too literally
We are all like to experience criticism at one point and it is inevitable that whilst you might love something or feel a certain way, other mightn’t share this opinion. If you do receive a negative comment or email either ignore it, delete it or respond constructively. Don’t let it deter you from your work and remember, if everyone thought the same, the world would be one boring place.
If you have any questions or want any advice, please feel free to email me on Natasha@seeninthecity.co.uk.
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