When I started blogging a year ago, I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve always liked writing, but defeating Instagram’s algorithm was new territory for me.I started out with less than a thousand followers and had no idea how to make other people want to hit that follow button when they came to my page. I can definitely say that I had no clue what I was doing and I’m still learning everyday. Here are some of tips that have helped me:
1. Join a Blogger Facebook Group By joining a “bloggers only” Facebook group you are able to connect with other influencers and bloggers all over the world. I find these groups very beneficial considering that you can ask questions and get some great insight from more experienced bloggers. I suggest joining more than one group, in order to get different point of views. One of the groups that I felt helped me the most was “Miami Bloggers & Influencers”, due to the fact that I live in Miami. Connecting with other bloggers in your area makes it easier to collab and meet up with like-minded individuals. These Facebook groups are also a tool to market your blog. By posting your most recent blog you may be able to gain followers from other bloggers in your niche. I was also able to join giveaways, which I found to be a great way to attain followers. Additionally, I was able to find out about local blogging events in these groups, which brings me to my next tip.
2. Attend Networking Events Go, Go! Go to as many networking events that you can, especially if they are free. Some of the networking events that I attended had panels featuring successful bloggers and influencers. These bloggers talked about how they built their following and marketed themselves to different brands. Going to these events is a good way to gain knowledge and pick the brains of some successful bloggers, considering that majority of the time there is usually a Q&A segment. You will also be able to connect with other bloggers in your my niche and possibly gain followers on your social media platforms. Now some of these events are free and some you may have to pay a fee, but make sure that you are attending an event that fits your niche. For example, I was invited to event that was being put together by a local makeup artist. I decided not to go for the reason that most of the panel and people that were attending were other makeup artists and hair stylist.
3. Do Your Research!Reading is fundamental people! I purchased a couple of books on influencing and read whatever free information that I could find online. If you are not reader there are YouTube videos and live seminars that you can attend as well. One of the books that I found very resourceful is Influencer by Brittany Hennessey. Brittany was the first Senior Director, Influencer Strategy & Talent Partnerships at Hearst Magazines Digital Media where she acquired fashion & beauty influencers for big brands like, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Esquire, Town & Country, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping. If you are looking for a dope influencer to learn from, Jalisa Vaughn, is my absolute favorite. I have learned so much from my research, but one of the key components is that consistency is key to gaining followers. it is also very important to engage with your followers and other accounts in your niche.
4. Create Bomb Content!This was definitely one of the hardest things for me. Anybody can take nice pics for the gram, but do you have any substance behind that pic? Why should people follow you? What do you have to offer to people? This all things that you should consider when creating content. You also have to constantly ask yourself “what’s trending”? or ” what do people actually want to read about”? Personally I decided to write about topics that actually affect me, I want to connect to the everyday girl like myself. My blog is a lifestyle blog, so therefore I write about a variety of things, which may consist of skin care, fashion and travel posts. You have to find what are passionate about and write about it.
Invest In Yourself! Make sure that you invest in yourself, if you can. I invested in a good camera, Sony A5100., which is a great light weight camera for videos and pictures. I also invested in tripods and a stabilizer for my camera. Its okay if you cannot afford to get any of these fancy gadgets, you can take great pics with just your phone. Here are some of the apps that I use for blogging:
1. Muses: This app allows you to network with different creatives and brands.2. Ripl: Ripl helps you brand your videos and pics for social media. 3. Planoyl: Using This app you are able to plan and schedule your post. 4. When To Post: I this one the most, it tell you when is the best time to post according to your pages analytics
Being a successful blogger does not happen overnight, it can take years. I know sometimes that it can be discouraging, because you only have a couple of people actually reading your blog. Keep going! One day the right person may read your blog and love it! In the mean time STAY CONSISTENT and BRAND YOURSELF constantly. Ask your friends and family to share your post, if you have to. It could be your mom’s friend that saw your blog and wants to sponsor you. Hey you never know.
Happy Blogging!!
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