Blogging 101
To all the aspiring bloggers out there... This one's for you! Here are the most common blogging tips that I found, when I first started my blog way back in 2013. I literally used to Google things like "blogging for beginners" or "how to start a blog." Blogging for Dummies was pretty helpful too, believe it or not. With so many free resources available to you, there is no reason not to at least get your blog off the ground. There are just a few basic components to a blog that you have to nail, all of the time but especially at launch time, so that everything else will always fall into place. And then you'll look like one of those famous successful bloggers that really have their -ish together.
Style
Your blog should be styled as you are. Your blog should look like you. Your blog should sound like you. And if you're blog could walk, it should strut like you too. If one of your followers were to meet you in person, they should be able to say "I feel like I know you." Most of the time, bloggers have a way about them that no one else has. And even then, there needs to be just one little thing that separates one blogger from the rest of them all. For example, a fashion blogger who only wears jeans and casual wear. This isn’t that big of a deal, but this small niche is what will separate this fashionista apart from the rest of the blogging crowd.
Be authentic, but don't share too much personal information on the blog. Remember, your blog is not your private diary or some sort of emotional outlet. This rule can be broken in some scenarios, like when you’re a mommy blogger talking about breast feeding or sex after pregnancy. Despite how personal these things may be, readers appreciate these true stories because they are either just curious, going through the same struggles, or mothers-to-be who are researching these topics. I’ll give another example that you can check out— Michelle, a Maryland based blogger I know, shares personal stories about how she crushes Crohn’s Disease and more recently, her fertility journey. Spoiler alert: She’s currently pregnant! Her blog can serve as a resource to patients who just discovered they have Crohn’s or starting out their fertility journeys. Connecting with an audience through storytelling is very valuable when it comes to building your following on both your blog’s email subscriber list and on social media. In any case, generally, a blog is a professional space where you can showcase your sense of style and writing skills.
Branding
Create a brand that is unique to you. And if you can't create it, at least be able to design what you want. Your logo is so freakin' important, it's not even funny. Seriously!!! Your logo is the face of your brand, after you, of course. Design your own logo on Canva, if hiring a graphic designer is out of your budget. And if you're not Photoshop-savvy and do have a budget, find a creative with some serious design skills to create your dream logo for you, like I did! The talented creative soul behind my logo is Beth Mand, Creative Specialist & Founder of Be Art Minded.
Most importantly, the logo design needs to be all you. Use the same color palette that you designed your logo with, for all branding and marketing purposes. Choose as many colors as you'd like, but keep it consistent. When it comes to fonts, one or two will do, and three is the max. Again, even with fonts, use them consistently all over your blog (and on social media).
Design
Learn to be creative, so that you can design whatever you want. Web design (mixed with some coding, if you dare to learn) allows you to create a website that is all your own. But it does take work and may require some extra learning, like it does for me. I took the DIY Web Design Course with Alex over at Hei Pro Digital and it really helped me lay the groundwork for what the blog looks like today. Find out more about the DIY Web Design Course!
I think Squarespace is very user-friendly and easy to learn, but others prefer WordPress. I won't talk down other website platforms, but I will share my experiences with you. Wix is another popular website platform that small businesses use. While Wix has all of the features I could ever possibly need, I don't find their website templates very customizable. However, the blog I mentioned earlier is actually hosted on Wix, so take a second look at that. After using WordPress for several years, I was never able to create my dream website for my blog. And I found it very hard to learn how to customize my site, no matter what template I tried. That's why I finally made the switch.
Knowing what functionalities you want on your website is very helpful for deciding both the host and themes of your website. For example, I wanted my website to be two things: a blog and a online boutique. And I was able to create my website with both of these features, by customizing the “Brine” template on Squarespace.
Content
Great photos are a must, but professionally taken photos are the best way to create high-quality content. Sooner or later, you’ll learn that no matter how good the phone on your camera is, nothing beats a professional photographer. I actually use my Samsung Galaxy S10+ for most of my day-to-day photos, including pictures of my outfits and for posting on social media. But when it comes to sponsored content with products like clothing and accessories, I like to go with the pro.
And when you have those images, use them sparingly. Spread photos throughout your website. If blog viewers/readers/followers wanted to read a book, they would have. A blog needs a well-balanced amount of image and copy. BTW, copy means text. Remember this rule of thumb — Content should consist of 30% imagery and 70% text.
Stock photos are great too, but original photos are always better. I choose to have a mix of both my own images and stock photos on my blog, but because of the nature of my blog most images are my own. The only issue that arises with Unsplash, iStock, Getty Images, or any of those stock photo libraries is that everyone has access to them. And nothing bothers me more than using content that does not help me stand out from the crowd. I see other legal blogs do it all the time when they publish posts and use the same pharmaceutical stock photo as ten other attorneys. It’s the one with a blue counter top and a bunch of different colored pills in a silver tray, and I see the same stock all the time! Sometimes freelance photographers can create custom stock photos for your specific needs, or they already have a gallery to choose from, like SC Stockshop. You’ve probably seen a few of their stock images on my website already.
Pictures will show who you are and what you like, while text will let you tell viewers who you are. However, being a blogger on a budget myself, I do understand that professional photos of your outfits everyday can get expensive. Fun fact — Most of the professional photos on my site, including the one on the left, were taken by photographers from a company called Shoott. What I love about Shoott is that I only pay $15 for the photos I decide to purchase and for an additional charge, they also provide photo retouching services. Shoott is your one-stop-shop for high quality photos for your blog. Book your next photo shoot with Shoott with 10% off using this referral link!
Trends
Be on top of what's new in your industry. Scan social media and subscribe to lots of email newsletters. I follow so many bloggers and influencers on social media, then I subscribe to their email newsletters if they have one. And if they have a website, I take note of the things that I liked reading about because I may want to cover these same topics on my own blog. Monkey see, monkey do, right? For example, I only started covering my shopping overhaul at the annual Nordstrom Anniversary Sale” because I noticed a lot of other fashion bloggers were doing the same and my inbox was flooded with these same types of e-newsletters.
Once you find out what’s new and share that with your followers. Fashion bloggers should let their followers know about those new shoes... and the fact that now you have them too. Share your styling tips and latest and greatest accessories. Hair bloggers should share the latest hair products, the truth about hair myths, or how to do that "new bun thing." Chef bloggers should share the latest trends in cooking or maybe secret ingredients to spice up your own recipes. You get the point. Just stay relevant. Subscribe to the general OSFL newsletter here, to keep up with all the latest in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. And for more info on blogging and other career advice, subscribe to the OSFL Bossbabe Newsletter here.
Community
Convert your once-in-awhile viewers into religious, trendy fashion-lovin followers. Connect with as many of your followers as possible, but try to get to know them and find out what they like because after all, you are creating content for them. Getting to know your followers is crucial because you need to blog about what they want to read about. You'll never know, if you don't ask. Surveys are the best way to find out what your blog readers want to read more about (and what they don't). Talk to friends and family about what kind of content they think is popular. You need to know what your list of email subscribers want to see in their inbox and how often they want to see that content. And if you have good friends following your blog, ask for their honest opinions. Rely on the opinions of your community to improve your blog.
Further Reading
“Before You Start That Blog, Read This List” by Lindsay Valdez on BlogHer
“7 Secrets to Becoming a Successful Fashion Blogger” by Meghan Blalock
“How To Start a Blog – Beginner’s Guide for 2020” by Jessica Knapp on Blogging Basics 101
Originally published April 18, 2018 at 9:00 AM. Updated June 10, 2020 at 7:00 PM.
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