blogging top tips

Over the past few months I’ve made a real effort to make sure that I am known as being an ethical blogger. I want to put out a message that I believe in, whether it be easy or not to do so. I want to attract the right crowd and I want to create a new one! I’m only in the early stages of making this change, but I thought my experiences so far in making the change to become a specifically ethical blogger, might help out those making a change of direction.

IN THIS POST: Blogosphere Magazine Issue 11 

1. Your followers might change…

I can’t say that I’ve lost a drastic amount of followers since publicly changing my social media bios from “fashion blogger” to “ethical blogger”, especially not enough for me to get worried over, but I’m sure that ever since my blog post topics have changed, some of my readers have lost interest.

This can be because of a handful of different reasons. One of the reasons I’m trying to avoid is guilt and the idea that they’ll feel bad for their choices or what kind of lifestyle they lead if they read my blog. That’s not the idea, of course.

Another reason, especially as a fashion blogger who used to post a heck load of outfit posts and feature heavily on affordable high-street brands, might be the fact that you’re not publishing blog posts they “can’t” buy into anymore. Blogs can be a huge inspiration and influence for purchasing new items, and of course what I’m doing now is sharing better options, but for some people, those options just aren’t what they’re looking for. That’s okay. It ties back into the guilt reasoning, in a way.

One of the best ways to deal with this is part of my next point…

2. You’ll be able to work out who to support, and who supports you…

Thinking about quality over quantity is vital when making a shift for the good. I don’t know about you but I’d rather have a handful of readers who are truly interested in my journey and the message I’m trying to spread, than thousands who are reading for the parts of my blog that are in some way still carrying through from when I wasn’t an ethical or conscious blogger.

You’ll be able to pinpoint who has your vision and who to attract in the future. You can narrow down on those who want to help push you on further and that’s rather exciting and refreshing. Your vibe attracts your tribe, as they say.

You’ll also be able to connect with people who you want to push on further. When people get together for positive change, it’s very unlikely you’ll find someone wanting to compete and better only themselves. It’s about bettering each other and the whole community.

3. You’ll realise you can’t do everything…

This point comes from a tweet I received about my personal choices of eating meat. For some people, it might seem two-faced or hypocritical for me to talk about ethical fashion and all of these human rights issues when I still continue to eat meat. I understand where the person was coming from, but there are many reasons why someone might not focus on all aspects of a part of life. It’s about accepting that everyone is on their own individual journeys and we’re not all out to reach the same destination.

It’s also about understanding that you can’t do it all! My blog is about promoting ethical fashion. There is a much greater need for people to start opening the conversation up about the industry than there is for more people to start talking about the issues around food. There are so many more people already promoting veganism and the reasons behind it than there are people talking about why we shouldn’t support fast-fashion and what other options people have.

I don’t want to start focusing on food because fashion is where my heart lies. That isn’t to say I don’t believe in it, though, and that I won’t one day change my diet – it just means that I, and whoever else you’re taking from, can’t focus on everything at the same time. Nobody is perfect!

4. Brand collaborations are about to change dramatically…

I recently turned down the opportunity to work with major footwear brand, Kurt Geiger. If this was a couple of years ago, I would have said yes straight away and easily featured their shoes in a heartbeat. But this isn’t then, this is now and my focus has changed. After trying to get a response about their ethics, I declined the opportunity and moved on because I didn’t believe in working with a brand that didn’t match up to my mindset and beliefs.

They were actually extremely understanding and it was a really wonderful way to start my ethical brand journey, but I’m not going to deny that was a difficult decision.

I’ve worked with brands like New Look and ASOS, and many others which aren’t exactly advocates of ethical and sustainable fashion. Sure, they might be doing their bests at making small changes here and there, but for me, they’re no longer the sorts of brands I want to try and attract unless the collaboration focuses on openly discussing the topics I want to talk about.

So, for those of you who have worked with big brands who you’ve always admired, but want to make the change in able to change the world (dramatic, I know), it’s not going to be easy and I’ll admit that.

Start looking for brands that do have the same mindset, though. Even just following them can set you on the right path. Join in with #EthicalHour or research brands thoroughly when they get in touch. Know who you are working with, and not just by name.

5. Your income probably will too…

Working with different brands will most likely change how much money you earn, too. This is simply because a lot of ethical brands are smaller brands, which means they have smaller budgets, which means… they might not be able to afford what prices you were offering before.

This doesn’t mean you have to personally change anything, but it might mean compromising certain flows of income or settling for something different. Don’t ever undersell yourself or accept something for free if this is the case, though. Your work is still valid as a blogger and you deserve to receive compensation for promoting something so positive to the followers and readers who support it. You have a platform to influence people, and brands and businesses should respect that.

Do you want to start blogging more ethically? Let me know in the comments!

This blog post was of course not meant to deter anyone from going down the ethical blogging route, more as to help you along and bring up some of the challenges I have faced to make them easier down the road for you!

Whilst I haven’t been blogging as much as usual, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what I’m doing on here, what I plan to do and what I’ve done so far, and it’s made me start to think about how the labels I’ve used have started to change and have started to develop. One of my biggest blogging characteristics is my age – I’m still a teen blogger, but I’ve started to realise that’s not what defines my presence on the internet anymore.

When I started blogging there were only a few teen, or tween, bloggers (aged from about 11-16) that were well known within the online world. It wasn’t a commonly known thing, so whenever I was asked about my blog and how young I was, there used to always be an element of surprise and intrigue, as well as questions about how I was coping at such a young age of 11. I was asked about what my parents thought and how they handled things; I was asked whether I knew how to cope with bullying and the other darker, scarier parts of the internet. It wasn’t really about what I wrote – it was about who I was as I wrote it.

You can still read my very first blog posts; they’re still live and I haven’t archived them even though there’s been a great temptation to do so. Looking at them now as a sixteen-year-old who’s been writing and creating for almost five years, they make me cringe and cave into that tempting thought of wiping the slate clean. I used to write about how you could recreate celebrity style when five years later I still genuinely don’t know who the Kardashian’s are and why they’re such a big deal.

People used to like what I wrote though because I had feedback and interaction and there was obviously an interest because I was getting asked to feature in magazines and travel to London for events and to film a pilot for a TV show, and all these sorts of exciting things… however, all of these features and all of this interest was mainly being given to me because of one thing – my age.

WHAT I WORE: Blue Floral Blouse (Jumble Sale) // Sparkly Black Maxi Dress (Charity Shop) // Vagabond Dioon (Mastershoe My-Shu)* // Jewellery (Unknown & Claire’s) 

I was a ‘tween’ blogger and it was what became my niche, even if it wasn’t intended. My content wasn’t necessarily unique or ground-breaking, but it supposedly was because the ground-breaking thing was who it was being written by. I wouldn’t usually share statistical matters with just anyone but if you must know, my biggest click back and referral to my website is still the article about teen bloggers I was featured in by The Telegraph Magazine. I was 12 years old, I was wearing what was technically a culturally appropriated piece of headwear and I was shooting most of my blog posts on an iPhone 3G.

I’m not trying to say that it’s all been an illusion and I don’t deserve the successes I’ve been given because trust me, it’s not been easy. Blogging isn’t easy. Being an 11-year-old and constantly updating a website and maintaining it, isn’t easy, and I can see why I was unique and ‘inspiring’, and why I still am in my own right.

In fact, all of the stresses and long nights of writing blog posts have made me understand why bigger names and voices get frustrated over the fact that their hard work is often overseen because no matter how big the industry is becoming now, it’s still seen as a hobby and something that anyone can do (well, technically anyone can, but not many are ready for the commitment).

What I’m trying to say is – now that I’m older, I’m growing out of that label. In fact, in about two years’ time, it won’t even be factually correct, because I’ll be an adult (yes, this blog is going to have seen my full transition from an 11-year-old to a fully-fledged ‘adult’), and guess what? You don’t really hear anyone calling themselves an ‘adult blogger’ do you? Unless, you know… you’re into that kind of thing.

And these days, I know I’m not the only one who soon won’t have a blog to base upon their original niche. Although there were only a few popular teen bloggers in 2012, there were still many opening up blogs and Tumblr accounts to give it a shot (I have proof in the form of dozens of emails asking for advice and guidance).

Teen bloggers aren’t a niche anymore because it’s so easy to start something at the click of a button. I’ve found out that a lot of my readers of the same age and younger are bloggers themselves, just by clicking on their Twitter profiles after receiving a reply or a like.

I don’t get asked whether I’m coping with cyberbullying or hate anymore; my parents are barely mentioned when I’m answering interview questions, and it’s all because five years on, people know of these issues and how they work. They’ve seen it hundreds of times over. Young people can make blogs and code their own social media platforms. It’s not new anymore, and that’s a hard honest fact to come to terms with.

So, if you’re reading this as a teen blogger (a blogger who is within the age range of around 11-16 years old), how do we redefine ourselves? How do we stand out and make sure that our young voices don’t get drowned out by the hundreds of others doing the same thing? How do we grow up as a teen blogger?

Ask yourself, why are you blogging?

If you’re known for being a young blogger, or your readers are young and they look up to you for the fact that they can relate to what you’re saying, you need to make sure that you’ve defined the niche that yourself and your readers will be able to grow up with. For me, it’s been a journey. I now class myself as an ethical fashion blogger (and aspiring fashion designer) because that’s what is important to me. If you write about teen beauty, specify what your core focus is on. You don’t have to label yourself as a ‘confidence blogger’ or an ‘acne blogger’, but make your core focus a key message throughout everything you do (more on this in the next point).

Labels aren’t everything, though. You don’t have to feel like you’re fixed in one position, because of the fact you’re going to change. You’re what you are in this specific moment in time, not forever.

Write a mission statement…

If you want to make a point about what you’re doing and you want to stand up for what you believe in, shout it! Write a mission statement and make it clear and precise as to what your goal is. Your readers will know what they’re there for and what they’ll be gaining at the same time. Start defining what part of being a teen blogger is most important to you. Here’s mine from my about page…

Let things change…

Don’t feel like you have to stick to a certain style or to a certain aesthetic just because that’s what you started with. I believe in creating a strong branding, but that doesn’t mean you can’t branch out and become the blogger and person you truly are. Allow your blog to grow up organically. Don’t force yourself into writing content just attract a certain audience. Let things change and develop. Think of yourself and your blog as a flower – you need to blossom and bloom.

…and accept it.

The hardest part is knowing that things have got harder and that being someone young online isn’t going to cause a stir. It might not have been why you started out, but it might have been what got you off the ground. It caused attention and it created your audience, but it might not necessarily do that anymore. It’s not just because of your age, it’s because of how much more choice there is. You have to accept the path things go, which is in fact, part of blossoming and blooming.

I’ve started to take this quote on board a lot, whether it’s to do with confidence or life in general – flowers are pretty but so are fairy lights and they look nothing alike. You can still have your own unique voice and still bloom into something individual and undefined by your age or another part of your personality or general being, and be successful and stand out. It really is about knowing what that is to you and watching people follow. In fact, I guess it’s about growing up in general – you have to work out who you are, first.

If you’re a teen blogger – how are you growing up online? Let’s chat in the comments!

The word ‘influencer’ has started to creep into my vocabulary recently, because I’ve come to the conclusion (along with the media/press) that bloggers (including myself) are now much more than just bloggers. We’re influencers.

WHAT I WORE: Faux Leather Jacket (DIY & Peacocks) // Maxi Dress (ASOS) // Floppy Hat (ASOS) // Rings (Unknown) 

Bought something you’ve seen a blogger wearing? They influenced that decision. Had an opinion changed by a blogger you read every day? They’re influencing your thoughts. That sounds rather 1984/Big Brother levels of scary, but if we can be influenced by brands and magazines in that 1984 scary way, then there is nothing to stop us from being influenced by bloggers (again – including myself), just the same.

I’m not here to talk about beauty standards and societal conformities and that kind of influence though. I’m here to talk about positive influence and my irritation over the fact that Not. Enough. Bloggers. Are. Using. Their. Audiences. To. Make. Change.

I can’t say I’m perfect. I haven’t spoken about racism in the fashion industry, or politics (but I guess with that one I’d be expected to talk about Theresa May’s shoes, wouldn’t I?) on my blog before, and I’m not making petitions and getting you all to sign it, but I am doing my small part in sharing my views and opinions on certain things, specifically ethical and sustainable fashion, and how fast fashion is getting kind of old. So, I am doing something… but just the odd blogger, here and there, in my opinion, isn’t enough.

I’m not here trying to guilt anyone who is a blogger, but I hope that you will agree with me saying that there is a need and lack of bloggers using their audiences to make change happen. Perhaps my frustration comes from the fact that I’m not a huge blogger… yes, okay, I have a few magazine features under my belt (way to blow your own trumpet, Tolly) but I am nothing in comparison to the superstar YouTubers and followed-by-200k-on-Twitter bloggers, yet I am trying my best to put out a message that will only reach a few hundred. These bloggers, with a power and influence that they know they have, could be doing massive amounts to change the minds of literally thousands (if not, millions) of people. But they’re not. Why? Well, that’s the answer I want to figure out.

I’ve seen a few arguments to this question, including ‘It wouldn’t fit in with my aesthetic/blog topic’ and ‘I want my blog to be a place to escape’, or even, ‘There’s somebody else already doing it’. They’re all valid, and if that’s what you believe, then it’s your blog; sure, stick with that. But think about the possibilities of what you could be doing.

If you get comments on your posts, it’s because somebody has taken the time to read the majority of the words within it (and finds it worthy of adding to). That means that somebody is listening to you. Somebody is being influenced by you. Even if it’s just one… that’s somebody who could learn about something important and topical, that they might not have thought about before.

Let’s take me and ethical fashion, for example. I’ve had quite a lot of readers commenting on my blog and saying ‘I never really knew about this before, I’m definitely going to learn more’, which is exactly what I want whenever I talk about it. So what if a blogger with 100 times the amount of readers as I have, spoke about the same issues? That would be 100 times more the amount of people being influenced.

The argument of ‘It wouldn’t fit in with my aesthetic/blog topic’ is a bit of a weak one for me personally. It takes me back to one of the reasons I even wrote this post – Vivienne Westwood (and Ian Kelly)’s book about Vivienne’s life and career. You probably already know, but Vivienne works closely with climate change and combines fashion and her activism into one. When she spoke about this in the book, she said that everything is connected, it’s just finding a way to comfortably connect it that can become a struggle… but, it can be done.

Obviously, if there’s no cause or topic you feel worthy of talking about, then don’t force it just to influence people. Talk about something that you are passionate about and believe in strongly. If you’re a beauty blogger, you can still talk about such topics as ethical and sustainable fashion, because fashion links in with beauty and trends and how consumerism and capitalism do their part. If you’re a book blogger, talk about books which discuss these types of topics.

~ HOW TO SPREAD A MESSAGE ~

Whatever kind of blogger you are – you have an audience that listens, trusts and is influenced by you, so you may as well use that to your advantage. Even if you don’t do it on your actual blog, speaking up about things on social media is important too, because it is even more easily shareable, which means the people you are influencing can then influence their friends and family and their own audiences.

I think it probably hits home to me so much because ethical and sustainable fashion now seems to me, unquestionable. I don’t really understand why more people aren’t talking about it. I’d love for people who do have bigger audiences than me, to start spreading the same awareness. Especially those who have millions of beady eyes watching. I’ve only seen a couple of people who have started to do this, like CutiePieMarzia, who worked on the Fashion Revolution ‘#Haulternative’ campaign, and more recently, Tanya Burr, who is working on the Global Goals campaign which focuses on gender equality worldwide.

The most important part about people such as Tanya spreading these messages, is the fact that she is reaching out to teens. Younger people are being fed knowledge and are starting to question things because someone they watch and admire is telling them that it’s important. She’s using her influence, and really – it’s just that simple.

If you’ve been contemplating writing a post about a topic that is close to your heart, then write it. Use the power you have at your fingertips. If just one person reads it and decides to learn even more, that’s one person you’ve influenced. That’s one more person who might just go off and change the world (even if that sounds rather over the top).

Let me know in the comments what you’d like to see influencers talking about, and how you think it can be done!

Ever since I did my LFW At Home post, I’ve been really inspired to do ‘list posts’. I find them a really easy read on other blogs, so I thought why not do another? Today though, I thought I would talk about blogging. I get so many questions about blogging whether it be on Twitter, Instagram or by email, you guys just want to know the ins and outs of blogging. So today is for those thinking of starting their own blog, or perhaps for those who are new bloggers who just ‘don’t see the point’.

1. It’s a hobby…

Blogging is a fabulous hobby. In fact, it’s more than a hobby, it’s a project. That’s exactly why I started mine, for something to do in the summertime. Okay, it is a bit like a full time hobby at times, but that is if you want it to ‘lead somewhere’. Blogging has no rules, and I think that is something we ignore… You can write and do whatever you want! I believe in this little circle of beauty, lifestyle and fashion bloggers, we forget that we’re not the only bloggers. There are science, art, language, relationship, university and whatever you want bloggers! You can blog when you want, what you want and how you want… It’s just like every other hobby, there are no boundaries!

2. It’s a learning curve…

There are so many things you can learn from blogging. It’s not just writing like you might think… Blogging teaches you about language, grammar and spelling, social media, PR, coding, site design, photography, culture, admin and management, the blog topic you write about, and believe it or not, yourself! Now if that isn’t making you want to start a blog, then I don’t know what else will. I didn’t even know that brands sent products to people before I started! I had literally no idea what a page rank was and never in my wildest dreams did I think I would know what an f/ stop was either!

3. You can gain new connections…

Whether it be new friends or possibly your future boss, blogging opens thousands of new doors. Even just tweeting in Twitter chats starts a conversation with a new group of people, and just like in ‘real life’ this can lead to even more. I have met and chatted to loads of lovely people from all around the world who genuinely support me and want to help out in making my goal become a reality. I’ve worked with brands who I used to shop at all the time, and I have made some amazing friends.

4. You can record your life…

Just like a diary, a blog means you can look back on all the memories you have captured and shared. This can be fashion related, so you can see all the outfits you have recorded over the years, or lifestyle related, with all the days out that you took your readers on. I’m most looking forward to seeing how my style has developed, which is such a nice benefit to writing this site!

5. It has it’s rewards…

I’m not going to lie, I like to be honest so… I enjoy getting freebies from time to time. This isn’t a reason to start a blog… at all. It’s just a bonus, us bloggers have to be upfront and say we enjoy receiving parcels. If you want to, and once you get to a certain stage, brands will be interested in sending you things to try out. If you start a blog for this reason.. well it will be obvious and most likely people will just think of you as a freebie hoarder. Also not really a ‘reason to start a blog’, but a bonus, is the opportunities you get, including being in magazines, on TV, radio and designing things with brands. These things don’t come easy though, you have to work hard for them, and I really want to make it clear that these things are bonuses. 

I hope you enjoyed this short little insight into why many people start blogging. I honestly couldn’t say a bad word about blogging. It has made me look at certain things in life in a new way and made me such a more care free person. I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the people who have made my blogging journey a whole lot better, you guys rock!

Psst.. 10 days until the launch of my new blog design! Eeee! You can see a snippet on my Instagram!

I’ve been thinking for a while about getting my Blogging Top Tips series back on the road again, so here I am! It’s back! I’m pretty sure everybody enjoyed it last year, but there were a few things that I missed off the list. In the next few months I am going to cover a few things including Cameras & Lenses, Search Engine Optimisation, and many other things which bloggers might need to know! I hope it is helpful, and that you take something from it!

Options for Cameras –

Generally, people say that your blog will be more unique and interesting if you use your own images, and I totally agree with that statement. Using other people’s images for things can make it slightly rigid and boring, in my opinion, so that is why most bloggers will have this question on their mind at some point: ‘What camera should I buy?’  A lot of people go, ‘I think I’ll buy a DSLR’, without even thinking of the other options…

The first option is, your smart phone or tablet. Of course this way of doing it won’t be as high quality, but most people have one with them so it’s an easy option. The second option is a digital camera. For quite a long time I was using an old digital camera which was pretty good quality and just had it’s simple built in zoom lens, and it worked fine. Going for this option it will save you quite a bit of money also. The third option, is going for a Digital Single-lens Reflex camera (a DSLR), which usually have a hefty price tag of over £200, which can be a lot to spend for just your blog. Although these are really good quality and you can produce professional looking shots, you do have to learn a lot more before you can say ‘I’m such a good photographer’ just because you have an expensive camera.

SKIP TO:   Smart Phones & Tablets // Digital Cameras // DSLR Cameras

Smart Phones & Tablets –

Using a smart phone like an iPhone or Android, is actually quite easy. It seems hard to get a good shot but there are several things which will enhance your final images. The 3 things which you need to remember to do are: 1 – Focus, focus, focus: Make sure you tap on your screen on the subject to bring it in to focus. It’s the most important thing to make sure you do, as it will increase the quality of your picture. 2 – Lighting: You need to make sure you are taking your pictures either outside, or by a window. It will make the clarity of the shot better and it will make focusing easier. 3 – Save in full size: When emailing or downloading the image off your device, make sure you click ‘Actual Size’ because it will save it in full quality, and you’ll be able to resize it to your blog photo width. Another benefit of using a phone is the fact that you can Instagram and share your images directly from your phone! Bonus! If you want to see an example of ‘great’ (IMO) iPhone photography, look at this picture I took last year!

Digital Cameras –

Using a digital camera will increase the quality of your shots, create a better depth of field as well as focus things better. The cost of these cameras can start from just £50.00 and have most functions which you might want from a DSLR like filming in high quality, and take great landscape pictures. They’re also compact and small so they are great for things like travel, or vlogging which a lot of bloggers do on the side. I’d recommend investing in one of these if you are starting out and do really want your pictures to be better quality.

DSLR Cameras –

This is the part of this post where I really want to let people know why they should and shouldn’t buy a DSLR camera. It may seem obvious to buy one, but they aren’t for everyone. With DSLRs, the quality is outstandingly better than a compact camera or smart phone. Not only can you save images in amazing quality, you can adjust things a lot easier like ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed etc. There also lots of different cameras for different things, which means making a decision for you is quite easy. Filming quality is immensely better in appearance and sound.

As you can see DSLRs, are good options as they are all rounders, but there are some reasons to be careful on making this big decision. 1 – Price: The price of these cameras are quite a lot which means you might be saving for a while, or you might be with a loss of coins for a while. 2 – Weight: Travelling and using a DSLR out and about, can be quite tricky. These cameras are heavy things so if you are going from one place to another taking pictures, this might get in the way. 3 – Other Expenses: Things like cases, lens pens, SD cards, straps, tripods, lighting (optional) and repairs, all add up in price, so they are expensive to maintain.

Choosing The Right DSLR –

Nikon & Canon are the best brands to go too if you want to buy a DSLR. There are several options from each brand all at different price ranges. If you are beginner with these cameras, I suggest the Nikon D3200 as it is quite cheap compared to others and you can usually get a good deal with a kit lens. When you do come to chose one you need to make sure that you are getting a camera which is compatible with most lenses. The Nikon D3200 which I use isn’t compatible with older lenses which don’t have AF-S, so some lenses can only work with Manual focus. It’s definitely something to think about. Just so you know, all pictures in this post were taken on a Nikon D3200 with a 50mm 1.8d lens!

Lenses –

You don’t necessarily need to have more than 1 lens after you have a kit lens because they are pretty good. The difference between lenses include Aperture & Zoom. For most bloggers a kit lens (usually 18-55mm Zoom with f/3.5-5.6) will do, but if you really want your photos to stand out from the crowd and look nice and pretty with bokeh (blur in the background), then you want to look at lenses with lower F stops. The 50mm or 35mm f/1.8 lenses are brilliant options for DSLRs as they have amazing depth of fields and can create awesome bokeh. The 50mm f/1.8 is the cheapest option of all of the lenses for most brands, so I’d definitely look into it.

What Now?

You’re probably now thinking, well what now? It’s a hard decision choosing a camera, but if I were you I would go along with something like the above. If you are a new blogger, I would go for (or keep) a Smartphone or Tablet because it is pretty good quality when you listen to the 3 steps I listed. Then maybe move up to a Digital Compact Camera which isn’t that much money and will be helpful even when you are not blogging! When you reach 2 full years of blogging, I would look into DSLRs. Of course this is just what I recommend for newer bloggers, but if you want to, go full steam ahead! My sister who is starting up a baby blog (so excited! 😀 ) has already bought her self the Nikon D3200 and is getting the practice in, so if you feel like it, go with your gut! This is just my opinion and advice!

Good Luck! I also recommend checking out these 3 lovely bloggers who know quite a bit of tech-y photography stuff: Carrie//Natasha//Sarah

Before I begin, I apologise for not posting in this Blogging Top Tips, series for a while, I have been quite busy with my blog post schedule, but finally I am out of the ‘draft zone’, YAY! If you didn’t read the last post, make sure you go and do that now… In this post, I am going to cover Advertising on your blog, and setting your prices correctly. I’m not saying that all of this is right, but it can give you some sense of what to do for your blog… cheeky little offer at the end too!

Anything Bas // Miss L J Beauty

What Is Advertising?: Today, I am talking about advertising in the words of ‘blog ads’ or ‘banners’. This is where bloggers or brands pay to put a link/button linking to their site somewhere on your site. Some people like to call it Sponsorship, which is basically the same thing. It’s just like when football teams have brand name on their shirts! Some people like them, some people not so much… I think if it is not too distracting and done in the right way, you’ll get it spot on.

When or Should I Start Offering Advertising?: This is a question which a lot of bloggers ask. In my opinion, it is totally up to you. There is no set amount of followers you should have to offer them, or page views or what ever’s’. I started offering mine when I found out that I was going to be in The Telegraph magazine. I thought it would be a nice bonus and that it would be helpful for bloggers to get more exposure, but that doesn’t mean you should wait until you get featured in something like that. I think most bloggers start doing it when they have around 500+ followers on one social media platform, but that’s just what I have seen. I recommend that you take a look at other blogs and see how many followers/page views they have, it’s sometimes even worth asking politely.

photo credit: Images_of_Money via photopin cc

Is it Worth it? Will I Make Lots of Money?: Again, it really depends who you are. If you have thousands of followers, and you have been in this and that, then it is more likely that people will buy your ad packages. It’s more likely that brands will want to advertise too, but it’s different for everyone. In my experience, I have sold at least 2 ad spaces a month (excluding 1 month when I had no interest), this has given me a little bit more pocket money, and has just been a nice treat to blogging. Sometimes it is worth offering free packages at first, to see if anyone is interested – of course this may be slightly unfair seeing as it is free, but it’s worth trying.

I’m Going Ahead, Now What?: If you decide that it is the right time to start offering advertising, you need to start setting prices, and naming your prices (that’s the fun part). Most bloggers just go with ‘Large, Medium, Small & Mini’, but you can name them what ever. What Do I Include?: Once again, it’s totally up to you. It’s good to have one simple package which involves just a button (this could be your Mini one), then your Small one could be either a slightly bigger button, or you could do weekly shout outs on one of your social media platforms. For your Medium package you could go with, a button, shoutouts and an advertisers post, and so on and so fourth for the Large one. What Do I Let Them Know?: Some people will turn away if you don’t tell them your follower/page view stats. It’s good to let them know why it’s worth advertising on your blog. I don’t let them know my stats, but let them know they can always ask, I just don’t feel right in letting the whole world know how many people read my blog every month 🙂

photo credit: kenteegardin via photopin cc

What Do I Charge?: I’m not going to say what you should charge, because everyone is different. But, I did once read that you could divide your monthly page views (individual/per page) by 1,000. For example, if you get 4,000 page views, you could charge £4 for your biggest ad package. If you get 10,00 charge £10. Simples! Should I Charge The Same for Brands?: It’s your decision. But… I honestly think that you shouldn’t. Brands will generally have more money to spend on things like this, so make sure to clearly state, that prices will be slightly different for them.

How Do People Pay?: There are 2 options. The most popular option, is via PayPal. If someone is interested they will email/fill out the contact form, with what package they want, then you let them know if they can advertise or not, then ask for their account’s email. You then want to send over an Invoice (this makes it easy to state the package name, and put in any discounts), and then just simply wait for them to pay.  The second option is via Passionfruit Ads. This is basically making your life a bit easier. You have to put in a widget into your advertising page which will mean bloggers can basically go to a checkout, the checkout is only in dollars ($). They fill out the information, leave their button image, their blog link etc, and then pay. You can then either accept or decline, and if you accept them, their ad will automatically pop up in your side bar, or where ever the set place is. BUT, a very big BUT (hehe), Passionfruit is NOT free. It will take a % from your sale which is different to PayPal.

photo credit: Images_of_Money via photopin cc

Do I State Where The Money is Going?: In literal terms of ‘your bank account details’, of course NOT! Haha! But, sometimes it’s nice to say what you will do with the money, for example, you might want to donate some charity, or if you are a teenager, you might be saving up for a new laptop for school and blogging. You don’t have to, but some people like knowing that they aren’t wasting their money completely.

So that’s it! Of course I couldn’t leave this post without a cheeky plug, could I? 😉 Hehe… If you are interested in advertising on my blog, all my packages are HERE. I’m going to do a little offer for you guys… if you comment on this blog post with ‘Give me 20!’ and you want a space, you will get 20% off in November, (not applicable for teen bloggers too)! I offer 50% off for teen bloggers, all year round though!

You lot seem to be absolutely loving this series of blog posts?! I didn’t think that it would be so popular! Following on from the last post, you guys wanted me to do a post all about ‘how to gain exposure’ for your blog, so here it is, Blogging Top Tips: Gaining Exposure! *long post… sorry*

Social Media: Twitter, Facebook & Instagram
Social Media is one of the best places to gain exposure because literally everyone and their dog has an account on one place or another. Here is my little guide of why to join what!

Why Use Twitter?: Twitter is the place to be as a blogger. Not only can you promote your blog, you can connect with brands and bloggers in your area, bloggers who are the same age, bloggers who blog about the same things, literally anyone.
What Can I Do On Twitter?: You can promote your blog, talk to people and share your views on topics. For bloggers I would recommend using Twitter for self promotion and connecting with people.
What To Remember?: Add the hashtag chats into your schedule. Times are in GMT.

Monday – #fbloggers at 8pm – Fashion.
Tuesday – #fblchat at 8pm – Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle.
Wednesday – #bbloggers at 8pm – Beauty.
Thursday – #fbloggers at 8pm – Fashion.
Friday – #teenagebloggerchat – Teen Bloggers.
Sunday – #lbloggers at 7pm, and #bbloggers at 8pm – Lifestyle & Beauty.

Why Use Facebook?: Facebook is great for connecting friends, family and friends of friends etc to your blog. Although this seems scary and ’embarrassing’ it’s nice to know what people think if they know you. It’s also nice because it’s a more safe environment in my opinion.
What Can I Do On Facebook?: You can promote your blog, get feedback easily, and get your favourite blogs into your feed! You can also create a Facebook page which you can link up to your BlogLovin’ so your ‘likers’ can get every post you publish, in their feed.
What To Remember?: Join blogging groups. It’s a great way to get exposure for your blogs and also you can find some new friends! The groups I have joined are: FBL Bloggers – The makers of the #fblchat on Twitter – & Fashion Beauty Lifestyle Bloggers (Very similar but different bloggers in each).

Why Use Instagram?: A LOT of people use Instagram on their phones, so imagine taking pictures from your blog posts and reminding people to read them? It’s a good idea. AND you can also connect with brands who have Instagram too!
What Can I Do On Instagram?: Connect with brands, share your new blog posts and find new bloggers to chat with.
What To Remember?: Use hashtags which are relevant. Brands will follow the blogger hashtags so they can find people who would be good to connect with. Plus, you might just get some likes and followers!

Advertise On Other Blogs: This is a great way to gain exposure! Not only will you connect with your favourite blogs you will also get their followers interested in another blog! A lot of bloggers either do button swaps, or they have very low prices. Obviously paying £25 to advertise on a blog for a month might be a bit too much, look at smaller blogs who have quite a few followers of which are interested in the same things as you. This is also good because brands who connect with the blogs you advertise on, may just want to connect with you as well. It’s also super easy! Pretty much 99.9% of bloggers will allow payment through PayPal, so it’s simples. *meerkat squeal* You can find my advertising prices here! Cheeky plug, I know 😉

Guest Blog For Other Bloggers: This is a really great way of gaining exposure. Bloggers have lives, which means… if they are going away or are having a little break, then they might need the help of YOU (yes, you) to blog for them! It’s pretty much free advertising. Take the opportunity to show your writing skills to another audience. It’s also a nice way to make your ‘Features’ or ‘Press’ page a little bit more bulky. It shows you can write well for other people, and for what ever type of topic.

 I hope you enjoyed this post! Unfortunately I can’t tell you how to make your views ping up. As I said in the last post, numbers don’t matter! The only thing I would say is to keep blogging. Every day if needs be. It keeps your followers interested and they will keep coming back. It’s taken me over a year to get where I am, and to be honest… I don’t even get a 500 views a day. It takes time and effort so keep going. You’ll ‘get there’ in the end. I promise. 🙂 *cheese on toast*

This is another post in my Blogging Top Tips series, and I hope you are enjoying them so far! This is a post which I can connect with, and I know a lot of other bloggers will too, so sit back and enjoy my ‘ramblings’ – I hate that word.

Success & Features: I am very fortunate in the fact that I have had some good successes and features so far. I have to say it, but I am very proud. But, it isn’t the be all and end all. I know some blogs which are so good, but haven’t had any features, not even ones on other blogs. The fact that makes their blog good is the fact that people enjoy reading it, not the fact that they don’t have their face on magazines. Most non-blogging readers will have no idea what a ‘Liebster Award’ is, so they really are not gonna’ care if you don’t have that green button on the side of your blog. Nah-ah. Not one single bit. Having a successful blog doesn’t mean having features. It means being happy with what you are doing, and not what other people think. Success is personal, I believe, so don’t worry about what other people think. As long as you are happy, you are successful. If you do have success in getting a feature well done. Don’t be shy in sharing the news! I really dislike it when people let you know personally all the time, on small things though. Not only are you appearing boastful, you also appear like you don’t care that the other person may feel like they are a ‘failure’ (read on), because they haven’t had a ‘success story’ so far.

Numbers & Followers: On a similar note, numbers are not what’s important. In my eyes, if you have 10 followers, of which are high up people, or people who really support you, that is all that matters. It is way better than having hundreds of thousands of people who don’t even know who you are, but follow for a chance of getting a follow back, isn’t it? So don’t worry about the number, just think about the people who make up that number. It also doesn’t matter if one blogger has more than you, because once again, they may have hundreds of spam followers, and you may just have a few very special ones!

‘Failure’: Let’s just get this straight. There is NO such thing as failure. Just because you see another blogger with more followers or page views than you, it doesn’t mean you are a failure. If you have a week off or two and aren’t able to keep up blogging and tweeting, you are not a failure. Whatever, you are not a failure. You may feel that way, but you are not. Having a break simply means you have a life. Having lower followers simply means, well nothing, we just covered that. Just because your views go down for a few days, doesn’t mean you are a failure. YOU ARE HUMAN. YOU ARE NOT PERFECT. IT DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE A FAILURE. End of.

I hope you enjoyed part 2 of this series as much as you did the last one (Thank You!). I have another installment coming up when I get back from my break (Er, I’m such a failure! I can’t keep up with all the chats. Er, I suck.) See what I did there?