I’ll keep this intro fairly short and sweet, as my posts are always too long! I’ve been having a little think of those extra things you can do to really give your blog a boost, as I know some of you often feel stuck in a bit of a rut (as we all do at times!). As always, let me know if you have any tips in the comments, as these posts are all about helping each other!
Play To Your Strengths | I’m not actually sure what my strengths in blogging are yet, but figuring it out and working towards them as a basis is really good. If you write beautifully, play that up. If you take absolutely gorgeous photos, showcase them. If you’re hilarious and witty, then include more of this in your posts. Readers appreciate seeing the character in a blogger, so if you’re good at something then make sure you utilize it!
Be Unique | I know this is easier said than done, but branching away from what all the ‘popular’ blogs are doing and creating your own style can work wonders for your blog. Flowers and that Ikea plantpot do look lovely (I mean, I have it for brush storage myself…) but once you’ve seen it on one blog, you’ve seen it on a thousand. Opt for something creative, whether this is in photos or content, and really emphasise your individuality.
Network | This is really important if your aim is to get ahead in blog world. Make sure you participate in blogger chats (see times in this post) and really get to know fellow bloggers, not only are they a lovely bunch but you never know what might pop up (as some of them do work for brands etc). Follow lots of PR companies and brands on Twitter, talk to them, subscribe to their newsletters and really take an interest in what’s going on in the fashion/beauty/lifestyle (delete as applicable) world. It’s good to follow industry professionals too, like photographers, makeup artists and models too as they’re often a great insight into what’s going on. Attend blogger events, if you can, take some business cards and make an effort to talk to everyone!
Learn Some Useful Tips | I know I write these tips posts, but what I mean is really read up on other more in-depth tips. Learn some basic SEO, as this will really help your pageviews. Learn some photography tips, as photos are really important to a visual (such as beauty or style) blog and can make a huge difference on impact. Learn some basic HTML so you can make small edits yourself and think of creative ways to display your content. There’s lots of helpful posts out there, so get reading!
Keeping Relationships | This is really important I think, as showing your face often makes a world of difference, as blogging is bit of a community after all. Make sure you regularly comment on blogs, especially those who you really like or interact with a lot. It’ll go a long way, as regular readers are something to be cherished (you know who you all are, much love to ya). Interact on social media with fellow bloggers and brands and you’ll notice a difference, I think anyway.
Put The Hours In | I’ve said before that I spend around 30hrs a week on my blog. It’s essentially my job around my internship and that’s the way I want to keep it. If I didn’t put that work in, I’d definitely fall behind, my content would suffer and ultimately I’d lose the readership which is not what I want! If you want to succeed in blogging (depending on how you determine the word ‘succeed’) you really do have to put in the work. Readers aren’t going to check back on a blog that posts once a month or comes up with constant excuses as to why they can’t blog today. If you’re going to run a blog, then run a blog. Put in the effort!
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Helen x
Check out these blogs: LeLore, A Dash Of Ginger, Agent Smyth, Abracadabra Girl and Gyudy’s Notes of Beauty!
