HOW TO BUILD A BLOG

Tuesday, September 19, 2017
How to Build a Blog, LipSense, SeneGence


Blue hair, long cardigan, Tall Girl style

How to start a blog, Utah fashion blogger, Modest Outfit


Black and white cardigan, checked cardigan, blogger

killin it, SeneGence Distributor, Fashion



Hey hey!!!!

Are you looking to start a fashion blog? Food blog? Family blog? Or really any type of blog? Whether you’re a newbie blogger or looking to expand your current blog, here are my seven beginner blogging tips that have helped me grow my blog and my audience in this competitive industry. But first, let me fill you in on a little of my background and story!

I started my blog what seems like ages ago. It has been over 8 years!! When I first started my blog I did it as a creative outlet. I was in a rough marriage and I needed something to keep myself occupied and creative and quite honestly, happy. At this time NO ONE had a blog (well, compared to now). I was one of the very firsts. I didn’t have a nice camera, I didn’t have money to buy brand name clothing, and I was just an average girl. No designer clothing, no traveling, and I wasn’t even good at writing. lol I am by no means a “big blogger”. This may be why it took me a lot longer to grow. Either way I have experience. I know what it’s like to grow from the ground up and become and influencer and have to put a ridiculous amount of work into it to get every single last follower.

How to Build a Blog

1. Know & have passion for your niche and what you want to promote

Before you can start thinking about making a blog or possible blog URLs, domains, and titles, figure out what you want to get out of your individual blog. What do you want to promote? Fashion? Makeup tips? Cooking tips? Family life? Exercise and diet routines? All the above?! Take the time to sit down and brainstorm what you are most passionate about and what you can continue to write about. As you’re brainstorming, also think of ways to make your blog different and stand out. This will be key down the road as you start and build your blog empire.

Also, whatever you brainstorm/imagine your blog to be, know that tweaks will come along the way as you make a blog, begin to blog and create your brand. I’ve learned a ton from my years of experience blogging for The Red Closet Diary and what I imagined it at first is completely different than what it is today...which is a really good thing!! Your business and brand will always be evolving!

2. Know who you want to cater to

Part of the brainstorming process should include identifying who your audience is. What topics will your audience engage with the most? You can learn a lot by trial and error with your blog posts, but it also helps to write out who your audience is and what content they will engage in the most. At the end of the day, ask the question, “What does my audience want from me and who am I talking to?” Remember, just like your blog, overtime your target audience might change when it comes to engagement, likes, dislikes, etc, but that’s okay! Having an engagement strategy in place can save you a lot of stress!

And the one caveat to this is always be yourself!! My fashion and style is very unique, but it’s me. I have blue hair, I don't follow "rules", I just share what I like. Not everyone is going to love it, but I LOVE IT, it makes me confident, happy and that’s what matters (more to come on this topic)!

3. Have active social media accounts

Okay, so you’ve mapped out your blog idea and target audience. Now you need to turn to your active social media accounts. If you want to become a successful blogger you need to maintain active social media accounts, specifically Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest and Instagram. Social media is a great way to engage with your audience and keep them up-to-date outside of your blog. Plus, it’s a great way to promote your original content.

So that may seem like a lot of accounts, but for me, I really stay up-to-date on Instagram first because who doesn’t like visuals when it comes to outfits and makeup?! Because I get a lot of interaction (comments, likes, messages) I know that’s a great way to keep user engagement up. But I don’t necessarily neglect the other accounts. For Facebook and Twitter, I see them as a great way to post links to my latest blog posts. Obviously Pinterest is a great way to promote the fashion and makeup side of my blog and have people share my latest outfits.

Bottom line: Instagram and Pinterest were key for me when starting my fashion blog! Ultimately, find the social networks that work for you, and invest most of your time in the one or two that drive most of your engagement and then stay consistent on the others!

P.S. did you know that Pinterest just hit 200 million monthly active users!?! Pinterest is growing pretty quick! For reference, Instagram has over 700 million monthly active users—that’s insane!!

4. Network!

Social media accounts are another great way to meet and connect with other successful bloggers in your same niche when starting a fashion blog. Follow those bloggers that you love/admire and leave encouraging comments on their WordPress blogs. By going the extra mile and making a comment on posts you “like” the more likely you’ll be noticed by other bloggers and can start to build a relationship.

Better yet, once you make the connection, it opens the door for more creative content, such as partnering with them or collaborating on a video or photo shoot. This collaboration can lead to more success and doubling your audience. Having friends and a support system who do the same things you do is so much fun! I can attest to that!!

5. Focus on quality content

When making a blog, map out high quality content that will benefit your readers. This means perfecting and spending time making sure your blog posts present something beneficial to the reader. Your audience will know the difference when you spend 5 minutes on a post and when you spend a couple hours.

Another way to boost your quality content when making a blog is to invest in professional services when it comes to your media. Use professional photos, videos, graphics, etc to help give your blog a more polished feel. This is a quick way to grow your audience when they can see the professional photos on your social media accounts.

Also, when thinking about your content and blogging topics, focus on material that can be evergreen, meaning that it can stay relevant for years and years, and not just for the week or for the season.

6. Be confident and take risks

Confidence is key, especially when to comes to creating a fashion blog. Wear and promote clothing that not only fits you, but you feel happy and comfortable in. The moment you lose confidence is also the moment you lose your audience when blogging. As you know with TRCD, I only promote outfits that I love and feel comfortable and confident in! I will never post something I don’t like!

Being confident also means not being afraid to take risks when it comes to your content or social media presence. Have the mindset that your blog won’t be perfect—but that’s okay because that’s what makes it different. You’ll learn from your mistakes and this will really help you create a blog that is unique and relatable to more people than you think! Occasionally I’ll go back and see some of the outfits I wore 7+ years ago and I’ll cringe a little! Okay, A LOT. Lol But at the time that’s what I loved, and my fashion has obviously evolved a lot since then!

7. Let your personality shine

Bottom line, if you don’t include your unique personality into your content, no one will care about your blog. I’m up front and real when it comes to TRCD. I ALWAYS give my 100% opinion and share outfits that I really love/would choose for myself. Your readers will know when you are not genuine, so my rule of thumb is to always be personable. You’ll see that it’s a simply way to connect to your audience and build new friendships!

I hope these blogging tips help in your journey in how to create or improve your own blog. If anything remember to be consistent, be yourself, and have FUN!!


XO






13 comments on "HOW TO BUILD A BLOG"
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