cozy oversized sweater + 3 blogging tips for beginners

One of the most frequently asked questions I get from you guys is related to blogging tips – how to get started, how it works, how to grow, etc. These questions can be so hard to answer because IMO there is no magic formula that will equate to a successful blog (slash, what even is our definition of ‘successful’?! also grey!). I wish it was as easy as a 3-step formula that would equate to an income-generating blog, but there’s SO much more to it than that. There are countless factors such as timing, connections, branding, skills and passions, etc that play out differently for everyone.

I don’t say all that to discourage you. I say that so you know going into this post…that what works for me might not work for you. The steps I took to make blogging my full time job are probably completely different than other bloggers you follow!

ALL that to say though…I do think there are 3 basic tips that are essential in starting / growing your blog no matter what. So, I wanted to share those 3 blogging tips with y’all today!

Tip #1: know your ‘why’

I think there are countless girls out there who think “I want to start a blog!” solely because they think it looks fun, or because they want free stuff, or because they like the idea of not having to ‘go to work’ everyday (all good things!). To be honest though, if those are your only motivators…the blog will not last. There are two main reasons why it won’t last if those are your only motivators:

Blogging is not always fun. This might come as a surprise because it seems like we just take selfies and travel and get free stuff, BUT like any job…it’s not fun 100% of the time. Just like any entrepreneur or business owner…being a blogger means work never stops – not even when you’re ‘on vacation’ because you’re still creating content while you’re there, or responding to IG comments, or writing blog posts. I have blog thoughts / ideas / to-do’s bouncing around in my head at 6am or at 11pm. There’s always more work to be done and it can get pretty exhausting. I don’t say that to throw a pity party lol I obviously love what I do. But if your sole motivator in starting a blog is ‘it seems fun’, it won’t last. Because you’ll find out quickly that it’s not all fun and games and it’s alot of hard work!
Authenticity goes a long way. As y’all know, there are countless bloggers out there posting tons of cute outfits everyday. It’s a really saturated market. This world doesn’t necessarily need one more fashion blogger…but do you know what people do resonate with? Passion and authenticity. Knowing your ‘why’ in starting a blog is so important because your passion behind the blog is what will draw people to it! It won’t necessarily be your outfits or sale round-ups. Maybe you feel really passionate about encouraging women in their struggle with infertility and want to start blogging about that. Maybe you have a passion for camping and the outdoors and want to share that with people – then make your blog about that! Whatever your passion is, base your blog on that “because people love what other people are passionate about” (who can name that movie?! i quote it all the time!). (This tip will also help you to identify who your audience / reader is).

Okay sorry tip #1 was so long haha but I think that’s the most important one. The other’s wont be that long I promise!

Tip #2: be consistent

I can’t even tell you how many people I’ve tried to help start their blogs because they feel really passionate and inspired one day…and then lose it and stop posting haha. There will be seasons where you feel SO inspired and have tons of content ideas, and times when you’re beating your head against a wall to come up with stuff. The important thing is that you stay consistent and keep posting…even when you don’t feel inspired and even when it feels like no one is reading your blog.

Come up with a posting goal both for your blog and social channels and stick with that. For example, we try and post on the blog 5 days a week and instagram 3 times a day. That’s alot of posting and you definitely don’t have to start off with that! Just make your goal and stick with it! Even if your goal is 3 blog posts per week and 1 instagram a day. Be consistent with it! I also try and be consistent with post times- my blog posts go live at 6am CST every day I have a post. That way, people know when to check your blog or expect a new post!

Tip #3: “a picture’s worth a thousand words”

As a blogger, your job is to create content…and a big part of that content is photos. If you’re trying to start a blog or recently launched your blog…I can’t even tell you how important it is and how WORTH it it is to hire a photographer – especially if pictures / photography is not your strong suit! I’ll share a few reasons why this is so important.

When potential new followers click on your IG profile…if your feed is a hot mess with blurry pictures or bad lighting, they probs won’t click that ‘follow’ button. If a brand takes a look at your blog and the pics are all different sizes or blurry, they might not pick you for their holiday campaign.

I’m not saying that every single picture on your blog or instagram feed needs to be a professional photo and 100% perfect (clearly lol look at my feed! definitely alot of mirror selfies and #reallife). But what I am saying is that overall, your instagram feed and blog need to have beautiful, high quality photos. This will go a long way in growing your following, developing your brand, and getting brands to partner with you.

On a completely separate note! You guys know how obsessed I am with AG jeans – they are absolutely my weakness when it comes to shopping (well, that and Nike tennis shoes). I just got this pair from Evereve last week and I’m obsessed! I LOVE the fit and I like that they’re distressed, without actually showing skin underneath! They might be in first place in my jeans collection right now which is saying something haha.

Hopefully y’all find these blogging tips helpful or motivating! I feel like I was really real with y’all about blogging – hopefully not in discouraging way. I just want to paint this job in the most accurate picture possible and share a few things I’ve found important! Thanks for reading!

xo Lauren