I’ve now been blogging for over two and a half years and I
can honestly say that it’s one of the best things I have ever chosen to do. For
a while now, I’ve been going back and forth about whether to do this type of
blog post, but recently I’ve had an urge, more now than ever before to do so.
Why Did You Start Blogging?
I started blogging for a number of different reasons, the
main one being that at the time I started watching beauty videos and reading
beauty blogs and this is when I really started getting into makeup and
discovering some great finds. I wanted to tell a wider spread of people, other
than my friends and I figured that this was the next best thing for me as I
wasn't ready to delve into the world of YouTube. I didn’t have a hobby at this
time, so any spare time I had meant that I could spend on my blog.
Do You Like Blogging?
No. I don’t like blogging, I love blogging. It has opened
up so many doors, not just for my blog, but more importantly for me personally.
I have something that I can constructively dedicate my time to and strive to
make better as time goes on. I love how I can go to my first blog and read
through the posts and just see how I have evolved and changed as a person,
purely by the way I write.
What Are Your Views On Photography For Blogging?
I think photography plays a key part in blogging
regardless of whether you’re blog is about beauty, electronics, food etc. I
find that (especially using BlogLovin’) it attracts readers to your blog.
Despite the level of importance that it plays, if you’re new to blogging, I
would strongly disagree going out and investing in a camera and equipment
straight away. Try it out and see how you go, because you may find out at a
later stage that blogging isn’t for you. I invested in a DSLR when I had been
blogging for just under a year; however it wasn’t a big deal for me if I
suddenly didn’t like blogging anymore as I love photography regardless. If you
truly love blogging for what it is, you’ll make do with what you’ve got. I
started out using an iPad mini, a couple digital cameras and the phones to make
do. With regards to lighting, I am soon going to invest in some studio lights
however at the moment, I take my photos with natural lighting and sometimes I
go outside (in the shade) for even lighting at all angles.
How Do You Feel About Publicising?
When I first started blogging, I didn’t let anyone know
that I had done it, purely due to the fact that I myself wasn’t one hundred
percent happy with the appearance of my blog as I was still learning how to
tweak bits and bobs here and there. The only social networking platform I used
was Twitter as I felt that it was less personal and less likely for those in my
personal life to see that I had a blog. It was only until I had been writing
for four or five months when I told people what I had been doing and that’s
when I expanded where I share any post updates.
Nowadays, the main platforms I use are Twitter and Instagram as I take pride
in what I do and I generally have an "I don’t care" attitude towards
any deconstructive criticism. I do feel like you need to have a thick skin when
you do anything that puts yourself ‘out there’ online whether it is blogging or
vlogging. I have had my fair share of negativity regarding my blog, but I don’t
really pay too much attention to it as I think about the people who have
complimented my blog rather than those who take the time out of there evidently
uninteresting day, to construct negative comments.
Do You Think I Should I start?
I think if you think that blogging could be for you or if
you want to try something new; then go for it. No one can say, “yes, you must
do this” however it’s a great way of having your own little space on the
internet, which only you have control of what does and doesn’t get published. I
think it’s great if you feel like in your day to day life, that you don’t have
much space to yourself as this gives you an opportunity to have some virtual
space.
How Do I
Start?
Again, I wouldn’t recommend paying for any platforms if
you’re new to blogging, on the off chance that you don’t like it. There are a
few renowned free platforms such as Blogger and WordPress. I personally started
off on Blogger
(I’m now on a fee paying host which I really like) as it was all I knew at the
time and I later heard that WordPress was very technically difficult as it
consists of HTMLs and CSSs. I myself can decipher HTMLs having been on Blogger,
but if I had started off on WordPress, I don’t know if I would have been able to
do so.
Any Tips On Starting?
• The most important thing in my opinion is to write about
what you love, not what you think is popular, at the time I started, I was
really into beauty, so that’s what I wrote about. Even if you want to write
about mechanics; what you will eventually find out is that there is an audience
for every single category and interest. If you don’t have an honest interest in
what you’re writing, people will realise it sooner rather than later and more
importantly, you won’t enjoy it. It’s apparent that depending on what’s
happening in your life could determine what you end up writing about.
• Use all of the social networking platforms that you can
otherwise people won’t see your content that you have spent time and effort on
creating. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to share with everyone what you enjoy
doing.
• Don’t let anyone deter you from what you’re doing. I
experienced this a few times throughout my rather short-lived blogging life.
When people would mock what I was doing, for a split second or so I
contemplated stopping, but DON’T. I’m a firm believer of “First the
laugh, then they copy” which proved to be true in one instance. From being
ridiculed on twitter from some people I know, one of them ended up studying
hair and beauty, which just goes to show.
I hope this little guide helped you in some way! Do you
have a blog? What are your tips on blogging?
