Welcome to a new series here on the blog, where I’ll be sharing advice and tips on how to conquer the blogging world. It’s not easy, and I remember the overwhelming feeling it gave me when I first started. Everyone could use some tips to learn more and grow, and I want to help you! So look forward to insights on everything Blogging; from how to start, photography & cameras, editing, planning your feed, choosing/working in a color scheme, writing good posts, curating quality content, reaching out to brands, media kits, collaborations, clients, staying organized, designing your blog, tackling Instagram, sponsored posts, and more.
Your blogging needs will all be satisfied! And if not, ask me your blog-related questions and I’ll answer them in my Blogging Q&A series!
Read on for the first steps to take when starting a blog…!
Blogging 101: First Steps
Lots of people ask me for advice on how to get started being a blogger/influencer. And though it’s equally as complicated as it is simple, I’ve come to the realization that before anyone starts a blog, here are the first things to consider:
1. What’s your niche?
- If you’re wanting to be an influencer, it’s because you have something to share with the world. You have a unique perspective, maybe even a rare one, and you’re 100% certain people will enjoy it. You need to decide on what niche your blog is going to be, and stick to it so Instagram and Google will be able to know how to categorize you. Therefore they will be able to show you to your target audience. Maybe it’s fashion, fitness, health, food, travel, photography, life hacks, model life, acting, music, writing, or etc. But you want to lock it down to one main niche before branching out into multiple niches. The more specific, the better. And your blog name/Instagram username & profile picture should reflect this!
2. Create your Quality Content
- This is equally important as choosing your niche. Everyone starts somewhere, and it may be that you are a novice at photography and/or editing. But you can find your strong suit (maybe it’s street photography, lifestyle, flat lays, or composition with architecture), and use that to your advantage. You want the highest quality imagery possible to represent your online identity. Even if you’re just starting with an iPhone, download some good editing and creative apps to make your content visually appealing. Study what other people do, and try to learn from them. (Be inspired, but for goodness sake, don’t be a copycat!) Start building up a cache of your content before you start posting, because to maintain a good account, you’ll want to post 1-3 times a day. And that content will go quickly! So plan ahead!
3. Color Scheme & Aesthetic
- When planning your content and possible photoshoots, you’ll want to know what color scheme and feed aesthetic you’ll be working with. The best way to choose your color scheme is NOT to force your feed to be what it isn’t, but to find what colors and vibes you see the most around you, the ones that are part of your daily life. If you’re shooting indoors a lot, is the location warm and cozy? Then a cold pale feed probably isn’t going to be easy to achieve. If you’re shooting outdoors and you live in the concrete city, colorful tropical vibes probably aren’t going to work out. The most important rule to shooting aesthetic content, is shoot the colors you want to see in your photos. Then edit to make them even better!
4. Photography
- So maybe you aren’t able to shoot your own photos. This will make it tough to shoot that content you need to create every day, but you can always find a photographer. Either you will need to hire one and fit in a few different blog/IG posts per session, and shoot at least twice a week, or you may find someone who is willing to shoot with you for free. Just remember the above tips when shooting, and be sure to communicate your content needs to the photographer! You’ll want to try to break up your feed with different kinds of angles and compositions- some photos should have more white space, while others should be close ups. Keep in mind how many photos you want to get out of each shoot (like 10 good shots per outfit), and know how you can use them in your feed. Planning ahead is your best friend, from location to styling. And for planning your feed’s posts to be the most aesthetic, you’ll want to download a free or paid planning app for your phone!
5. Engage, engage, engage!
- So now that you’ve found your niche, built up a cache of content, and started posting, how do you grow your account & blog? There is no magic solution to success in blogging. You work your ass off, learn from experience, and get better as you grow. What everyone had to do in the beginning (and still should) is engage with other users! Search for people in your niche through hashtags, the explore page, and google. Follow them, leave comments, and comment something relatable on their blog with a link to your blog. The best you can hope for is that they are intrigued and return the likes/comments/follows. It’s going to take a lot of time, but if you’re diligent with it multiple times a day, you’ll start to see your following grow. The bigger it grows, the better your engagement will become, and the IG algorithm will start to show you to more people because you’re gaining traction. Of course, I’m going to be honest, this only works if you have the QUALITY CONTENT and that Je Ne Sais Quoi that sets you apart, and makes people want to follow you. Use your voice, use your life experience, and present your unique angle to the world.
I’ll be talking more about each of these topics individually in upcoming Blogging 101 posts, along with topics like creating a Media Kit, reaching out to brands, building your website, and more! So stay tuned, and be sure to subscribe to get updates directly to your inbox!
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