Five Things I’ve Learned About Blogging After Four Years
The sweet women behind HerCampus asked me to speak to a room full of young women about my journey as a blogger and creative entrepreneur. I was a little lost at first what I would say. Then, I started thinking about how much I’ve learned since I started the blog. In fact, I’m still learning. I wanted to share a few of my insights here for those looking to start a blog, grow your blog, or maybe even start another creative business.
Do What You Love
If there’s one thing I’ve learned above all else, it’s that I do my best work when I’m passionate about what I’m doing. I can tell when I’m passionate because I get that feeling. I’m not just talking about that post manicure feeling. I’m talking about that feeling when you know you just crushed life. There are things that you are an expert at. Your friends come to you for advice on this matter. You enjoy going to this one class. You have encyclopedic knowledge about his subject.
For me, it was fashion. I was always the friend that got the call from the dressing room. I was asked to go shopping before a big event with a friend. I was voted trendsetter in high school. I get snapchats with style questions like: can you wear black with brown? (Bonus knowledge: yes, you can.)
This is where I started when I decided I needed to launch my blog. I was in a 9-5 job that wasn’t satisfying me personally. I had learned to build websites over the years. I had a journalism and studio art degree I wanted to put to use in other ways. So, I went back to my roots. I decided to build an online publication that made my style expertise easily accessible to my friends. Little did I know I’d be entering the big bad world of style and fashion blogging.
If you’re thinking about launching your own business, blog or building a creative career, make sure that it’s built off your expertise and your interests. If you’re going to be a photographer, what do you really want to take photos of? You’ll take better photos if you’re working with the right clients and taking photos of things you love.
This is what we call “authenticity.” This is what distinguishes successful creative entrepreneurs from the rest of them. They are honest with their fans and customers. They are honest with themselves.
Be Ready to Evolve
Now that we’ve talked about remaining true to yourself, let’s talk about being open to change.
I graduated college 10 years ago. The world of blogging has changed exponentially. There are new technical terms to learn. There are new tools to incorporate and leverage. There are new challenges. The retail market is always changing. Fashion is always changing. My followers have changed. I, therefore, have also been changing.
I make sure my blog and my business grow and evolve, too. For example: when I first started my blog, it was all fashion. After a while, I realised how much more people wanted to know about me personally. I also realized what kind of blogs I was seeking out and consuming my self. While my friends used to ask me mostly about fashion, my travel, fitness and skincare journeys also really spoke to a lot of people who needed help in these areas. So, I evolved.
I learned how to work with travel and wellness brands. I learned how to write about these subjects. I listened to what followers wanted more of and created more of that kind of content. Today, my blog covers a much larger variety of topics, but I have an even deeper and stronger relationship with my followers because of it. It also opens up opportunities for me to work with more businesses and brands.
Ask for Help
Running a blog or your own creative business can be very isolating. Though, I may be working on projects with clients, I may be out and and about at events, and have thousands of people checking into my blog every week, there is still a very large portion of my time that I spend alone working on my blog and my other projects. Because I’ve chosen to have a career that is so grounded in my own personal interests and desires, it’s really hard to let people into that world. But you have to.
You’ll always need to learn something. You’ll always hit a wall. You’ll always have a project that you can’t handle by yourself. You’ll always have a post that bombed.
Can’t figure something out? Ask an expert. Pay if you have to.
Not sure why no one read your post? Ask your friends and followers why. Get feedback. Adjust, learn, grow.
Be vulnerable. Be honest with yourself and your goals. Are you getting in your own way by trying to do everything yourself? Have you considered that someone else may be able to help you flesh out an idea or concept a little better?
I have friends who are web wizes I can call when I’m stuck on my website. I have photographers I can call for special projects. I have a partnership coordinator that helps talk to brands for me.
You’ll learn how to work with other people better and better. You’ll learn that it will help you and your brand grow. You’ll learn more about yourself, too. You’ll have to ask some people to leave your life or business. You need to make room for the good ones. You need to make room for the ones you help you draw out your most authentic self and your best work. You need to work with people who get your “Why.”
It’s Not About The Numbers
Speaking of growth, I wanted to be sure I touched on some more minute topics of blogging and online marketing. Let’s talk about numbers.
If you know me, then you know I’m not really a details person. I don’t do diets that have strict rules. I don’t watch the scale. I honestly have no idea how much I weigh. I don’t arrive right on time. I like to make plans that are flexible. I don’t obsess over my instagram follower count.
Why?
Because I know I create high quality content. I know I handle business professionally. I know I am honest, open and communicate clearly. I know my followers are real and they actually go into stores and buy the items my partners sell. I know they show up to events when I promote them.
The instagram and Facebook algorithms change almost weekly it seems. I used to obsess over tricking the system in different ways. I tried comment pods with other bloggers and we all commented on each others posts. It was exhausting. I stopped. I used to do big loop giveaways and gain a few hundred followers at a time. I’d lose them shortly after. My real fans said they hated them. So, I stopped. I stopped stressing. I stopped worrying. I stopped obsessing.
Instead, I focused on creating strong, real relationships with brands and my followers. I focused on talking about my strengths in my pitch.
The Pitch
So, let’s talk about that. Firstly, you all know the saying: you lose all of the shots you don’t take. You can’t get anywhere if you don’t ask for what you want. I have received hundreds of “no thank yous” and “No” replies.
I’ve also had some big wins.
There are a few tools I use now to create thoughtful, well rounded pitches.
- I communicate clearly. I tell brands who I am, and what I do well. I tell them what I can deliver, when I can deliver it. I tell them who my followers are and what kind of impact we can make together.
- I share a media kit that has all of my big numbers and captures the essence of my blog and brand. That helps, especially with larger brands who want a quick way to see if you’re a good fit or not. I make mine on Canva.
- I’m also part of a few networks that connect brands to bloggers. Lately, my favorites are Cohley, Social Native, and Activate by Bloglovin.
- I have a partnership coordinator. Her name is Becca and she’s a rock star. I’ve taught her everything I know about pitching and working with brands. She now does it on my behalf. She negotiates sponsorship fees, deadlines, deliverable, giveaways, and whatever else I need to do to make a brand love me and want to work with me again. Then, I do a good job. That’s my job. I do my thing.
Lift Each Other Up
It’s no secret that women, especially women in fashion, can take on a competitive mindset. Leave that attitude at where it came from: your own insecurities and biases. True connection and success comes when you leave your assumptions and personal problems behind when you do business. This work is personal. There’s no “just business” or “Just personal” when you create and connect with people for a living. As you can see, I work with so many people. I believe that a key to my success is that I am kind, open, honest, and direct. I genuinely want to make people’s lives better as they read my blog. I genuinely want to work with people who feel the same. You don’t have to invest everything in everyone you meet, but build your network. Build your advocates. Make sure they feel good about interactions with you and you feel the same about them.
Thank you again to the Her Campus team at VCU for having me speak at the Mid-Atlantic Conference. I am truly honored to be your keynote speaker.
