New series alert! I’ve been blogging for 1,5 years which means I know a thing or two on the subject by now. I get a lot of questions from girls who want to start a (successful) blog and wonder what I did to get to where I am now. That’s why it only made sense to share a bit of my knowledge with you. Let me know if you’d like me to make this in a weekly segment. I would also love to hear what questions you’d like me to answer. Today I’m starting from well, the start: starting a blog! Let’s get started! 😉
Picking a name
Let’s start with the absolute basics: picking your name. You’ll be saying your blog name to loads of people in the future and it has to be something they can remember. So make sure that your name is something clever or funny and stands for what you stand for. Also check if the domain name and social media handles are available to save you a lot of hassle in the future.
I picked my name because I thought it sounded funny. I knew I wanted to display my design and illustration skills, all with a little bit of fashion: A Dash Of Fash. It wasn’t until later that I found out that a lot of people don’t know what ‘dash’ or ‘fash’ means, so they end up googling my name instead. The only upside is that my blog name starts with ‘A’, so I’m at the top of a lot of alphabetically ordered lists.
Picking a layout
The whole technical side to blogging may seem a downer at first, but it really doesn’t have to be that hard. First things first, buy a domain and install WordPress. WordPress is the easiest blogging platform and has loads of professional looking layouts available. When picking a layout, look for something that suits your style. If your style is minimalistic, go for a minimalistic layout. If you’re into quirky things, go for a layout with a quirkier feel to it. Pay attention to the details too: is the font readable, are all of your pictures the same width, will you have full posts on your homepage or smaller previews?
Be professional from the start
So you’ve set up your blog and are writing your first post. Pretty exciting, huh? You’ll probably feel like nobody but your mom will be reading it, but that’s ok. You’ll grow your audience, and when your future boss googles you chances are your blog is what pops up first. Brands and PR agencies will be looking at your blog as soon as you’ve shown your potential. So at all times: be professional. Even if you don’t plan on being a professional blogger in the first place. Don’t get too personal and don’t get too negative. Be honest when you need to, but always make sure your blog reflects you at your best. Make your blog something you can be proud of!
Build an audience
Building an audience can be tough, because it doesn’t feel very rewarding if you’re talking and no one’s listening, right? The easiest way to build an audience is to 1. tell everyone you know or meet and 2. reach out to other bloggers. Leave an honest or helpful response on a blog you like and chances are that blogger will have a look at your blog. Being part of the Independent Fashion Bloggers community also really helped me getting in touch with other bloggers. Another way of building your audience is by being active on Instagram. You’re probably addicted to it anyway, so why not participate more, by posting and commenting more often? Don’t forget to @mention the brand you’re wearing and they might give you a little regram/retweet!
Set goals
So you’ve started your blog and you probably know why! If you don’t, have a seat and write it down. It’s always good to know where you want to be heading. Maybe you want to build a portfolio, then make sure to post enough of your work. Or maybe you just want people to know you are the most stylish blogger out there, then let every outfit you post reflect that. Be your own worst critic, but also, be patient. You’re not going to be the best you can be from day 1. Blogging takes practice. A little tip: if you post as much as you can, you’ll grow a little quicker into your new role.
Have fun!
Obviously you wanted to get into blogging because it’s such a fun thing to do. And it is! So don’t forget to have fun and don’t take it all too seriously. Don’t take yourself too seriously either. If you get successful, then yay! But don’t let it get to your head and always stay true to who you are.
I hope this post was helpful to you! If you have any more questions, shoot!
