Blogging Q+A
Blogging is a completely different world. One that I didn’t really know anything about before I got into it and one that I’m still so interested in even after doing it myself for the past 3+ years. Even though there’s all these online guides and recommendations, everyone does it differently. It’s not very often that I talk about behind the scenes work, but it’s something that I love reading about. I thought it’d be fun to take this month’s tag post as an opportunity to answer some of the most common blogging questions to give you an idea of what being a blogger is really like.
1.) Why did you start a blog?
I’ve talked about this before, and you can find the full story on that here. But making that long story short, my makeup collection, opinions, and knowledge grew rapidly after discovering the beauty community almost seven years ago. A few years later, my boyfriend (now husband) randomly suggested that I start a blog of mine own after watching me become disappointed in the direction the beauty community was going in. I promised to pride myself on sharing my honest opinions, affordable makeup options, and relatable content. I continue to think about those values with every post I publish.
2.) Where do you get your writing inspiration from?
My inspiration can come from many different places. Sometimes I’ll discover a product on my own, sometimes topics are suggested to me, and sometimes I’ll see a product or topic that another influencer has touched on that might spark an idea of my own. I have multiple ongoing lists of ideas both written down and on my phone. Don’t you know ideas always come to you at the strangest times?!
3.) What words of advice do you have for new bloggers or those thinking of starting a blog?
Do your research and plan ahead. Blogging can get overwhelming very easy. I didn’t do any research or planning before I started my blog. I mean, I didn’t even know what a hashtag was or how to use it! I had a lot to learn and had I been more prepared beforehand, I think the beginning would’ve been much easier. Having a schedule and planning ahead will make publishing, promoting, and posting much more smooth of a process.
4.) What are the ups and downs of having your own blog?
The positives of having your own blog is that you are completely in control. You own your space and get to do what you want. The negatives are that (most of the time) you are the only one in control. If you don’t promote yourself, no one else will. While being completely responsible is desired, there’s also times you might need a second opinion or some help. As with doing anything else in life by yourself, building a brand on your own can be very difficult and challenging.
5.) What other interests do you have besides your blog?
Music has always been a big interest of mine. I was in band all throughout middle school and high school and although I did enjoy those experiences, that’s not exactly what I mean. While I love music, I’m also very picky about it. As long as I have music that I like, that’s something that can completely turn my mood around in just a few minutes. I also loveee dogs, and sunshine. Instant mood boosters!
6.) Where do you hope your blog will take you in the future?
I’m not exactly sure where I want my blog to take me in the future. I didn’t start it with the intent of getting anything specific out of it. I truly just wanted to share my passions. I’m thankful for whatever happens because of it.
7.) What has changed most about the blogging industry since you first started?
It’s only been about 3 ½ years since I first started my blog and a lot more has changed in the industry than what I would have expected. Things have become a lot more professional and less relaxed, competition is getting harder, contracts are more strict, rates have increased, sponsorships are much more misunderstood. As unfortunate as it is, those things are all pretty common to see as industries grow. What’s the most disheartening is watching morals and values lower.
8.) How would you describe your blogging style?
I’m pretty relaxed with my blogging style. When I write, I type exactly what comes to my head as if I were having a conversation with a friend in person. Aside from checking for typos, I don’t do a lot of editing after the blogs are written. I don’t treat this as if I’m writing for a professional publishing agency, I like to keep it casual and relatable.
9.) What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that?
Monetization is probably my biggest blogging failure. Although I didn’t start my blog with the intent of making much money, I do feel like there’s more that I could do. This is something I still struggle with. I don’t crowd my blog with ads, I don’t push products, I’ve never done any giveaways, and I definitely don’t charge as much as I should for sponsorships.
I started way too late in trying to monetize my blog because it’s not something I feel very comfortable with. I need to get better about feeling confident in getting paid for the work that I produce. Making money online is still something that’s viewed negatively by a lot of people, but is harder work than anything I’ve done before.
10.) What has been your greatest blogging achievement to date?
I’m someone who celebrates every small milestone and I’m grateful for every tiny little thing that my blog brings me. One of the greatest achievements that I’m most proud of is the relationships that I’ve built with brands. I received my first products from Influenster about six months after I started blogging and now I receive products from brands directly. I’m grateful to have grown my brand enough to create trustworthy relationships with brands. One of my favorite is Pixi Beauty. They send amazing PR packages and never require anything from me in return.
Blogging is a very interesting world. It’s been around for years, but it’s still an occupation that’s not as common. Every time I tell someone I’m a blogger, it’s always followed by twenty questions because not everyone understands what it is or what it involves. It’s something I love talking about, but sometimes it can get overwhelming even knowing where to start. Specific questions like these make it much easier to explain what really goes on behind the scenes.
I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any other questions about blogging, please feel free to leave them for me in the comments. There will be a part 2!
XO ♥ Christina ♥
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