So, You Wanna Start A Blog? | 8 Tips For Beginners

I created my blog when I was 14 without hesitation. 5+ years and I am so thankful for that decision. I've learned a lot about the blogging world. For those of you who want to create your own corner of the internet, this post is for you.

1. Do it.

First things first: stop questioning whether or not you should click "Create A Blog." Do it! You'll never know something is for you unless you try.

2. Plan, plan, plan!

Before you launch your blog, write and schedule several posts. This will help you stay on top of your content. It can be very overwhelming trying to keep up with your blog.

To avoid stress, I try to outline content 3-4 months in advance. On top of that, I like to have blog posts scheduled at least 2 weeks in advance. Sometimes, this isn't the case because I am busy with school and work, but I try my best.

3. Quality over quantity. 

This was a rule I struggled to learn. When I was in my "prime," I focused on publishing 3-4 blog posts a week. I'll be honest-- they were crappy posts. I learned that 1 quality blog post a week was much better than 4 sloppy ones. Warning: sloppy content can decrease traffic.

4. Photos can make or break your blog.

When I first started my blog, I used my iPhone 5. Obviously, the photos were not the greatest quality. Now, I use my Canon T6i to take pictures for my site.  I like to edit my pictures with Canva and PicMonkey. These applications/websites allow me to color correct, increase exposure, and overlay text.

5. Use social media to promote your content.

I love platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share and promote my posts. I also like Mix and Pinterest to reach a broader, larger audience. Find platforms that work for you. Mix is really easy to operate, not to mention it increases my traffic immensely.

6. Create an "About" page.

It took me years to master the "About Me" page. Here's what to include:

-A witty intro that shows your personality
-Your story
-Q&A highlighting your most frequently asked questions
-Social media
-Contact information (Hello, brand deals!)

7. Collaborate with other bloggers.

When I was first began building my space, I collaborated with several different bloggers.. I teamed up with bloggers from all over the world to help expand my viewership. This really helped my blog grow. But, more so, it helped me create everlasting friendships. The individuals I worked with have so much in common with me-- and you-- a desire to create content and make a change.

8. Find inspiration.

One of the questions I get asked all the time is, "How do you come up with ideas?" This is a really hard question for me to answer. 9/10, I simply just start writing and the title comes along once I've completed the article. However, sometimes, I find inspiration from other bloggers, Pinterest, and YouTube.


Link your blogs below! I'd love some new content to read!

25 Blog Post Ideas For Spring

Who else is on lockdown? Florida is on lockdown until April 30th. (And, I hate to say it, but I have a feeling it is going to be extended.) If you're stuck at home like me now is a great time to start a blog. Below are 25 ideas to get you started!

BEAUTY

1. Spring beauty favorites

3. Spring makeup look

3. Spring beauty trends

4. Spring perfumes + scents

5. Get Ready With Me: Easter


FASHION

6. Spring fashion favorites

7. Spring fashion wish list

8. Spring lookbook

9. Spring shoe collection

10. Spring purse collection


LIFESTYLE

11. Spring bucket list

12. Workout routine

13. Cleaning tips

14. Cleaning hacks

15. Spring date ideas

16. Day in my life

17. Spring playlist

18. Easter basket haul

19. Spring favorites

20. Quarantine essentials

21. What's in my purse


SCHOOL

22. How to ace your finals

23. How to write an awesome research paper

24, Things you learned

25. A recap of my spring semester (favorite + least favorite courses)


Please send me your blogs! I am looking for some new content to read during this lockdown. Stay safe!

How To Balance A Blog + College

Being a full time college student makes it difficult to be a part time lifestyle blogger. For those of you who are in my position, I'm sure you understand.

Here are some of my tips to help you run a great blog while maintaining an awesome GPA:

Use a planner.

My planner is my best friend. (I'm sorry, Natalie! You're a close second, I promise.) I use the heck out of my planner. My top tip: come up with a color coding system.

SCHOOL

BLOG

FITNESS

LIFE (VOLUNTEER, FAMILY, ETC.)

IMPORTANT

It's a pretty basic system, but I really like it. It helps me stay on top of all of my to do's. 

Stay organized.

Keep your work space clean. Keep your planner intact. Keep your computer files in range. If you stay organized, you'll be able to manage more tasks. And, you won't feel as overwhelmed. (I don't work well with a messy desk.)

Prioritize school work.

School, then blog. In high school, I couldn't imagine putting my blog second. However, this time, I'm paying for my college education. It's important that I devote the needed amount of time to my schooling.

Devote time to blog.

With that being said, if your schedule allows, block out time to devote especially to your blog. I like to spend Friday afternoons in my school's cafeteria. It's the perfect time to eat and blog, and blog and eat. A few weeks ago, I sat in my school's cafe for 2 hours. I had soup, and a grilled cheese. Oh, and fries! Two orders of those curly things. They're addicting!

Plan blog posts in advance.

During winter break, I like to go to town and plan for a year's worth of blog posts. That's almost impossible, so I settle for the end of the semester. I like to use Google Drive to help me organize dates and blog titles.

Here are some tips to plan for a semester's worth of blog posts:

• Brainstorm. Set a timer for 20 minutes and put all of your thoughts on paper. Your bound to come up with some great ideas!

• Search the web. The worldwide web is the perfect place find content inspiration. I like to gravitate towards social media, like Twitter and Pinterest. They always have great ideas in stock for me.

• Revisit YOUR blog. Scope out your old blog posts for content ideas. Are there any routines you can update? What about a new story you can tell?

Those are all of the tips and tricks I have for managing a blog while in college. Live by your planner. It will make your life 10x easier! Put your school work first and devote a bock of time do your blog 1-2 times a week. And lastly, plan in advance! This is the system that works best for me. What works best for you?

Question of the Day: Do you find running a blog while in school a difficult task?

My Favorite Blogging Tools

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to my blog! This post is for all of you bloggers out there! I've put together a short list of my favorite editing sites and social outlets. Comment below what some of your favorite blogging tools are. 

PicMonkey

PicMonkey is definitely one of my favorite editing/designing apps. I actually used it to make my signature. I've found that the editing tool gives me a lot freedom.

Canva

This is another great designing tool. There are a bunch of themes that you can choose from for blog graphics. When I'm on a time crunch, I use this.

Bloglovin'

How can you not use Bloglovin' as a blogger? I gain a ton of inspiration from this following tool. Plus, it helps me bring in tons of traffic.

Pinterest

I use Pinterest all the time. I use it to help me organize my blog and come up with content. I also use it to publicize my own posts.

StumbleUpon

This is a website I found through Pinterest. You simply share your link and people "stumble upon" it. Pretty clever. Only a small amount of my traffic comes from this site though.

Hootsuite

I use Hootsuite when I'm having a busy week; between projects, tests, and excessive homework assignemnts. Being able to plan my social media posts is super helpful.

Google Docs

I use Google Docs to manage my editorial calendar. I like to rotate between beauty, fashion, and lifestyle posts. Though, come March, things are going to change a little.

Google Adsense

I love using Google Adsense. It helps me keep track of which posts are most "valuable."

Steno book

As of this January, I started using a medium sized note pad. It's made me so much more organized! My favorite characteristic about this notebook is it's size. It fits in the front pocket of my backpack perfectly. It also fits in my purse. I like to have it with me at all times in the event that I come up with a blog post idea.

Because there is a line down the center of the book, I use one side for blog post "stuff," whether it be ideas or outlines. As for the other side, I use it to write mini to do lists. My to do lists include promoting a blog post or emailing a company.

iMac

I wouldn't survive without my iMac. It's incredible! It's efficient and fast.


That concludes my favorite blogging tools. You might have noticed that I didn't include a camera. As of now, I use my iPhone 6. It does an O.K. job. I'm looking into purchasing a high quality camera such as the Cannon T5 or Cannon T6. I would really appreciate it if y'all commented below telling me which cameras you use.

Thanks for reading,

My Blogging Process

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to my blog! Today's post is dedicated to all of my fellow bloggers. I wanted to share with y'all what a day of blogging looks like. I went through each step and described it for you; from sitting down into my office chair to powering down my laptop.

Crank the tunes.

I'll be honest; I can't function without music. I start off by logging into my Spotify account. As of lately, I've been listening to Charli XCX.


Make a to do list.

I live by lists. It usually looks something like that:

• Outline/Draft: January 9, 2017
• Outline/Draft: January 12, 2017
• Edit
• Take photos
• Edit photos
• Schedule social media
• Update: About Me page

Check social media.

I'm not very good at posting on my social media. I post on Twitter and Snapchat fairly often, but rarely ever Instagram. I'm going to try to post on there a little bit more this year. Make sure to stay tuned for some live videos.


Draft blog posts.

I just go to town. Forget the spelling errors and the comma splices! Just go to town! That's what editing is for.


Edit blog posts.

I like to go through blog posts 2-3 times. Unfortunately, I still miss errors all the time! I'm sure there's at least 3 errors in this blog post. Life happens and that's okay.


Take pictures.

Taking pictures is my least favorite part of the process. Maybe that's because I'm not as creative as I would like to be. I usually set up an off white blanket in front of a window and begin creating some sort of flat lay mess. Sometimes it looks cute... other times not so much. Bear with me.


Edit pictures.

Again, editing pictures is something I find pretty difficult. I can never make them look as white as I'd like to, or as sharp. If you have any tips, please leave them in the comments below.


Upload pictures.


Add extras!

Extras include links, sources, etc.


Schedule blog post.


Repeat.

I repeat this process until I'm done for the day. I can usually carve out 2-3 blog posts when I do this process. I dedicate a whole snow day or Sunday to this. It helps me stay on top of my blogging game.


That just about wraps up this blog post. I do take my blog very seriously. I like to treat it as an actual job-- that I love. Comment below telling me how you go about your own blogging process.


Thanks for reading,