How to Start a Blog: 5 Tips to be Successful

5 TIPS TO START A BLOG

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Happy Tuesday, friends! I am so glad you stopped by today because today’s topic is a fun one, but a bit out of the ordinary for me. You know I love chatting with you guys about all things fashion, sharing my favorite sales and of course mom talk! Rarely however, do I approach the topic of blogging. Being a blogger/influencer is an ever-changing world. It’s also not a cookie cutter job. There is no perfect formula for how to start a blog and be successful. What works for one girl most likely will not work for the next. Because of that, I have been hesitant to offer any advice on how to start a blog.

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But, over the past couple of months I have received multiple requests for this post and a lot of questions on this topic. I totally get it! Before I started, I reached out to several blogger friends for some wisdom on the subject. So, today I’m going to share with you some general tips that I believe every influence should and most likely does follow. I will say this, too, always keep in mind that when you are starting your blog, you must treat it like a business from day one. That means you will be investing a lot up front just like you would for any other start-up company. You will and should want to invest time, money, and energy in order to get it up and running smoothly. It’s worth it!

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5 Tips to Start a Blog and be Successful

invest in a website/domain – if you only follow one of these tips, this is the one to follow. I can’t express enough how important it is for you to invest in your own website. Why? Simple – it’s the only thing you own. The truth is, you and I don’t own Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Anything could change at the drop of a hat and if you are relying solely on one social media outlet, you may find yourself in a bind. But if you own your own site, no one can take that away from you. You bought it, you own it. Don’t get me wrong, social media outlets are great, but they should be utilized to drive people back to your blog. Building audiences on social media platforms is super important, but ultimately, it’s your blog that you want people to read and visit. I actually think the blog is one of my favorite ways to connect with people. You can share more imagery and write more copy. It’s like a long-form social media platform.On this same note, I would spend the money to invest in a wordpress site. It is very user-friendly and easy to navigate. I would also recommend investing up front in a good, well-designed website. That advice was given to me when I first started and I find that it still rings true today. Having a site that is visually appealing and easy to navigate is essential and worth leaving to the professionals. I hired a web designer and developer for fleurdille.com and it was well worth the investment.
find your niche & stick to it – I can’t harp on this one enough. Finding your voice is the most important thing you will do. It will effect what you write about, the images you produce, and the way you interact with your followers. Your voice should be uniquely you. YOU have a message, YOU have a voice, and YOUR voice is different from everyone else’s. So, don’t spend time comparing yourself to others or trying to immulate others. You just do you. This was hard for me in the beginning, and I learned that I quickly fall into the comparison trap. So for me, I only follow those accounts that inspire me. If I start comparing, I unfollow. I want my mind to constantly stay focused and true to my voice. Try and get your “voice” or “angle” down to one sentence. For example, my sentence might be “I am a fashion and lifestyle blogger sharing my favorite styles, products and tips to help you stay on-trend at an affordable price.” My color scheme is also uniquely me – I like whites, neutrals and blush tones. It’s truly me and so I stick to that and adapt trends to my personal style. You want your followers to follow you because they resonate with your message. When you have followers that like you for you, they will be more engaged and apt to stick around longer.
invest in photography – this was another great tip someone gave me when I started out. Unless your spouse or family member or friend knows how to navigate a camera, it’s worth investing in a professional. Think of your blog as a portfolio. It’s a reflection of you and a compilation of your hard work. Wouldn’t you want those images to be the best they could possibly be? Not only this, but people love pretty images. And even more important, brands like professional images. When brands partner with you, they want to be assured that they will get the best possible product from you.
network like crazy – this one took me awhile and I wish I would’ve figured it out sooner. Networking is so huge, y’all. It’s important to network with brands and stores, but it is just as important to network with other influencers. I’ve found that through networking I’ve developed friendships, found ample support, had the opportunity to work with other women, and garnered collaborations thanks to a referral from another blogger. It’s a very small world out there. Having a network of other influencers is also a great way to keep up to date on the changes that are constantly happening in the influencer market and social media world.
Be consistent – be consistent, be consistent, be consistent. This tip remains important no matter how old your blog is, but it is especially important in the beginning. When you first start your blog, you are working to build your brand. You may have family members and friends that are seeking your blog out, but the rest of the interwebbers are not simply because they don’t know you yet. So, you want to make sure you are constantly throwing content at them. You want to post on the same days at the same time. Create a routine, a pattern and eventually people will start to catch on. They’ll start to look for your posts and anticipate when the next one is coming. How often should you post? I aim for 4 posts per week and if I can, I will post 5 times. I would say no matter what you pick – 3 times, 4 times, etc. – just stay consistent. Post on the same days at the same time each week.

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