Blogging

As someone who has been blogging since their late teens, I often get A LOT of questions from people hoping to start a blog of their own! From friends in real life to strangers on the internet, I never go long without someone asking, "how do I start my own blog?". Well, I'm no expert, but I'd like to think I've learnt a few things about blogging that might help you on your way!


So how do you start your first blog post, and what should it be about?


Grace is sitting to her desk scrolling on her laptop


I'll let you into a little secret, there is no right or wrong way to start your first blog post! Yep, that's right, you literally can't go wrong with this first creation! Okay sure if you're starting a blog for your business or you're going for a more professional angle instead of a personal blog you probably won't want to swear your head off, but this is your new baby so it's down to you how you plan to do it!


But don't worry, I won't leave you to figure it out yourself, here are my tips...


Just start it!


Stop overthinking it. Chances are your first blog post won't be a work of art. This is a brand new thing to you, you can't expect to be 'good' at it straight away! The longer you stress and rewrite your first blog post, the longer it will take you to launch your blog properly, and let's be honest you want to get this off the ground sooner rather than later right?


Brainstorm


If you're really stuck for ideas - get brainstorming! What is your blog going to be about? What do you want to tell people who click on your site for the first time? Maybe you want to introduce yourself, or maybe you just want to give the reader a run down of what they will find here in the future? Scribble down your ideas and get cracking!


Stick to the golden blogging rules... or don't!


Once you have an idea of what you're going to write about, get stuck in! Now in the blogging world, there are some rules to make your posts the best they can be. These rules help your blog posts appear in google searches and they are super important if you want to drive traffic to your blog. However, I don't think they matter too much when you are just starting out! It's your first post at the end of the day - you should have fun writing it, not worrying about making it SEO perfect!


Oh you're a sucker for the rules eh? Okay, I'll tell you a few of the basics to see you on your way:


  • Try to write over 500 words, but definitely no less than 300
  • Insert at least 1 relevant photo
  • Keep your title short, ideally no more than 60 characters


The longer you blog, the more rules you'll learn to live by but for now just enjoy your new creative outlet!


Grace is sitting away from her desk. She is holding her laptop and looking down at it.


What photos should I use?


Again this is completely up to you! If you're introducing yourself, maybe a nice inviting selfie would be a good idea, or if your blog post is going to be about beauty, a photo of your favourite beauty products would be great. Just try to make sure the photo is good quality and belongs to you. You don't want to use photographs you don't have the rights to as you might find yourself with a surprise bill if the owner catches you using it!


I've written the post but it just doesn't look good?


Don't beat yourself up too much if your first blog post doesn't look the way you expected it to. Learning to style up blog posts takes a lot of time and patience. Have a play around with the fonts, font sizes, headings, and even colours until you're happy with how the blog post looks. In time you can purchase blog themes which will give your site and blog posts and more unique uniform look, but for now, just have fun!


Starting a blog can be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding modern hobbies, but just like anything else, you won't master blogging straight away. Some of the biggest bloggers with the most beautiful platforms have been doing this for 10 years, and believe me their blogs DID NOT look that pretty when they first started! So get cracking, go write your first post, and most importantly enjoy putting your new creation together!


If you're after a few more tips on setting up your blog check out my ultimate guide to starting a blog for everything you need know about getting going. I also really love Sarah's post about her 5 step blogging checklist and Jenny's blogging Q&A post is also sure to help you on your way!


And if you're still super stuck on what your first blog post could be about, I've rounded up a few easy ideas below:


  • Introduce yourself
  • A run down of what your blog is going to be about
  • The creators who inspired you to start a blog
  • 50 facts about yourself
  • Why you're starting a blog
  • A round up of your favourite blog posts
  • a Q&A or a FAQ


Good luck starting everything up, I'm sure your brand new blog is going to be AMAZING!


Thanks for reading!


If you liked this post don't forget to click here to follow me on Bloglovin!



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Grace is sat to her desk. She is looking down at her laptop. Text below her reads "How to start your first blog post & first blog post ideas"


Birmingham, UK

HOW TO START YOUR FIRST BLOG POST & FIRST BLOG POST IDEAS

It's no secret that from time to time I'm sent 'free' products. Occasionally I'll receive skincare items, clothes, and even a gifted lunch here and there. The 'freebies' I'm sent often give me great content ideas and I love unboxing them on my Instagram stories too. While I don't accept every gift I'm offered, I have received an influx of PR packages recently which has caused my DM's to practically explode with questions.


Right now my inbox is flooded with a million queries about my blogger mail and that's understandable! So I'm going to let you guys in on the secret.


Grace is holding 3 boxes full of free PR products

How I get PR products and everything else you've ever wanted to know about blogger mail...



What is blogger mail?


Blogger mail is a fun little name for products sent by businesses to influencers in the hope that their product will get coverage. For brands, this is a very inexpensive way to advertise which is why it's so popular at the moment. But a word of warning - starting a blog or an instagram account just for freebies won't get you far. Bloggers and brands can spot it a mile off and besides that it takes real dedication to post regular content and build up quality following.


How I get my PR packages


The majority of my press packages are from big brands or PR companies who usually contact me over email. To make everyone's life easier, and to make sure I don't miss out on opportunities, I ensure my email address is clear and visible on all my platforms. While some brands are happy to slide in the DM's I still find the majority like to do business over email and they will be much more likely to get in touch if your email address is easy to find. 


From time to time I'll see that a brand I love is actively working with bloggers, and if I want a piece of that pie I'll email them first. I have secured a few goodies this way before but it's never guaranteed results. If this is a path you're considering taking just remember that while big companies often have a budget for gifting, it's not fair to ask smaller businesses for 'freebies'. 


Do I get paid?


Occasionally I will receive a PR product and payment, this usually happens when a brand has specific requirements. Many bloggers and influencers will be happy to accept products on the understanding that they may or may not receive coverage, but this isn't always the case. If a brand expects coverage or gives guidance on the type of content they expect to be produced to promote the product I would encourage the recipient to discuss payment. There won't always be a monetary budget for this but brands have got to start understanding that as amazing as their new skincare launch is, we can't pay our bills with a fancy pot of moisturiser.


Grace has opened one of the PR boxes and is looking at the items within


How to get on a brands PR list


There is no foolproof way to get a space on your favourite brands PR list, sometimes it's just down to luck! I do however have a couple of tips to help you on your way:


  • Interact with the brands you love on social media and tag them in relevant content you create, they might just notice you.

  • Check #BloggersRequire and #BloggersWanted hashtags on Twitter. Yes, these are often clogged up with other bloggers chatting shite, but PR teams often tweet about upcoming opportunities using the hashtags too!

  • Keep in touch with PR's after you receive a product, let them know you've received it and when you are going to mention it. It's also helpful to send over your engagement stats if you mention the product on social media. Be nice to you PR and they will remember you fondly for future opportunities. 


Beware of the scams!


Because gifting has become such a popular thing in the influencer world, scammers have picked up on it. Ever received a comment on your latest Instagram post that goes along the line of "Hey babe DM us for a collab!" Well, chances are it's a scam. They work by offering you a collaboration where you either buy the product and are later refunded after your post about it, or you pay the postage and are later refunded. The only problem here is that you will never get a refund. A legitimate company will never ask you to pay for any part of a press product. 



I hope this has answered a few of the burning questions you all have about PR packages and freebies! I know that not everyone likes or even understands the influencer industry, but for so many of us who have spent hours creating content and building relationships with brands, these are just little perks of the job.

 


Still have a question about how to get free press products or anything else? Feel free to leave a comment below or drop me a message on any of my social media accounts!


Thanks for reading!


If you liked this post don't forget to click here to follow me on Bloglovin!



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Grace is holding 3 boxes full of PR products, below her is text that reads "How to get PR packages & everything else you've ever wanted to know about blogger mail"


Birmingham, UK

HOW TO GET PR PACKAGES & EVERYTHING ELSE YOU'VE EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BLOGGER MAIL

* This is a sponsored post

Over the years I've consumed tones of advice on how to grow my blog, but there's always one tip which seems to come up time after time - pick a niche. Now there are plenty of tips and tricks I'll happily listen to in the hope that my online presence grows however, this will never be one of them.


Grace is facing the camera, holding the laptop she has just been working on

While I agree that by picking a niche and focussing on one area to write about, your blog may grow quicker, and yes it will probably help with SEO too, but I think it also hinders your creativity and limits your blog's potential. That's not to say you shouldn't pick a niche when starting a blog. If you have a passion for something in particular or you run your blog alongside your business it makes sense, but for budding bloggers just starting out, I don't think it helps to restrict yourself.


Why am I so against this advice? Well, there are a few reasons. The first reason I never took it onboard was simply that I have so many interests. Right at the start when I created my blog I knew I wanted to talk about fashion, and makeup, and travel tips, and anything else I found interesting. I simply didn't want to chain my blog to one subject.


Another reason I steered clear of picking a niche for my new creative venture was that I saw it as a hobby and not a revenue stream. Making money from my little space on the internet was not my priority. That's not to say blogs featuring various content can't be profitable, many bedroom bloggers have gone on to make millions from their diverse, multi-subject blogs. It is possible to be a successful lifestyle blogger while also covering a multitude of areas. Which brings me to my next point...


The problem with so many articles on growing your blog is that they suggest you cannot be a successful blogger without picking a niche. This is an issue because not only is it false, everyone's idea of success is different. To one blogger success might be achieved with a certain amount of monthly views, to another, it might be when their blog starts to generate income, it depends what each blogger is hoping to get out of creating their blog.  


So what advice should you take when trying to grow your blog? While I'm no blogging expert, I've read a lot of blogging advice over the years and these are the tips which seem to pop up quite a lot:


  • Use social media. Instagram, in particular, is one of the best platforms to get your creative content seen. You should also share your new blog posts on social media and engage with other creatives too.
  • Get to grips with basic SEO. Yes, search engine optimisation can seem like a minefield for newbies but it's an important technical part of growing your blog.
  • Leave meaningful comments on other blog posts and social media content. Generic 'nice post' comments may get you noticed but building relationships is much more important.
  • If you don't already own a custom URL for your site it would be worth buying one as it makes your blog look more professional and can help build trust with your readers. 


To conclude, there is tonnes of really great advice out there that may help budding bloggers to grow their platforms. Whatever you chose to do it's important to pick the advice that works for you and your blog, and if that means writing about a whole host of subjects then so be it. There are some things you'll need to do to grow your blog, but picking a niche isn't necessarily one of them.


Thanks for reading!


If you liked this post don't forget to click here to follow me on Bloglovin!


A Pinterest image. Grace is looking into the camera holding the laptop she has just been working on. Below here is text that reads " Trying to grow your blog? - Ignore this advice"


Birmingham, UK

TRYING TO GROW YOUR BLOG? IGNORE THIS ADVICE*

2020 is already a year for the history books, and we are only 6 months in. There are a lot of things happening around us right now, and whilst it might seem very doom and gloom, I think many of us can already see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

This year is going to be a year of big changes. Millions of us have already seen our lives turned upside down because of the pandemic, and now we have more change on the way due to the massive surge in support for the Black Lives Matter movement. But these events have accidentally caused a mini-revolution within the online world, I believe they've triggered the demise of the influencer.


Photograph of a computer screen showing the definition of an influencer
 Definition of an influencer 

Influencers will always be around, the very definition of an influencer is ''a person or thing that influences another'' so for that reason we will always have an influencer of some sort. However, the influencer as we know them are running the risk of extinction, and I'm not mad about it.

Instagram is full of the typical influencer, you know the 'do it for the gram' crowd, and if I'm honest I've fallen into this category myself one too many times. We've all taken a photo, or shared some content purely because we knew it would get likes. I mean I still do it, I'll spend hours getting ready just to take a couple of cute shots and whilst there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, I think the world is starting to getting bored of it. My generation, in particular, is getting tired of empty Instagram posts and a lot of us have already abandoned celebrity culture for this exact reason.


Photograph of a phone screen showing the instagram page of Stephanie Yeboah
Stephanie Yeboah

I've followed bloggers and influencers for years on many different platforms, and whilst my favourites have changed over time, there are certain people I have always kept around. I didn't realise the reason for this until last week when it hit me that some of the 'influencers' I've followed the longest are the ones with a voice. People such as Stephanie Yeboah, Grace Victory, Leanne Woodful, they've all spoke up on important issues, and I've always admired them for that, whether I realised it or not.

This certain type of influencer offers the world so much more than a pretty face. They share important information and opinions, they unapologetically advocate for change, and they give us hope of a better world. As much as these women can influence others to purchase the latest skincare products, they also have the power to inspire a revolution, and that is what I believe my generation is now looking for.

So how are current events causing the demise of the current top influencers? I think it's been very clear over the last couple of weeks just how fragile this industry is, and how shallow some of the most popular influencers are. With the murder of George Floyd and the disgust that followed both on and offline, it was obvious that many of us looked to our favourite influencers to speak up. And many of them did. Our feeds were filled with information and acts of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, but disappointingly many influencers chose to stay silent.

Photograph of a phone screen showing the instagram page of Grace Victory
Grace Victory

Influencers with huge followings seemed to ignore the disgusting acts of police brutality and everyday racism that was being shown on all platforms, and this simply wasn't good enough. Staying silent when the most important civil rights movement of our generation is battling on around us is not good enough. If you're not using your voice for good, what are you using it for?

I think maybe some influencers, especially those with a smaller following may have felt they didn't have anything of value to add to the conversation, especially after the controversy around the black square on Instagram. But I also think more and more of us are waking up to the fact that with a following of any kind comes responsibility, and it is our job to at the very least amplify voices of change, which in this case was the Black community.


Photograph of a phone screen showing the instagram page of Leanne Woodfull
Leanne Woodfull

"Influencers" won't be going anywhere just yet, but influencers, as we know them, will soon find themselves dying out if they don't shape up and find a voice. People are tired of nothing but empty Instagram posts and they are tired of influencers, especially those with a large following, staying silent on important issues. In the coming weeks and months, we are going to see a surge of people looking for leaders and I'm not sorry to say if that if you're not with the movement publically, your silence suggests you're against it.

The way is currently being paved for influencers who have the power to change things for the better, and that is something I can get behind.


While you're here, have you had a chance to donate to the Black Minds Matter fund? The fund aims to provide mental health services for Black people in need. If you would like to make a donation you can do so on the Black Minds Matter Go Fund Me page.

Thanks for reading!


If you liked this post don't forget to click here to follow me on Bloglovin!

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