A couple of years ago I was a pharmaceutical sales rep for a biologics company *aka the farthest thing from a fashion blogger*, I spent my days discussing spine surgeries and dreaming about Fall fashion, I so desperately needed a creative outlet and place to surround myself with my passion.. clothes.
I've always been a risk taker when it came to fashion. I love to wear unique pieces and I will never dress to 'blend in' (nothing wrong with those who do, just not my personality). Growing up I spent hours in my closet, my mom's closet and my grandma's closet. I just loved to mix and match outfits, I loved to try on clothes, I loved being surrounded by the gorgeous pieces.
I am one of the biggest Sex and the City fans ever and have always dreamed of being Carrie. A few google searches later & I became a "blogger".
Looking back I was honestly clueless at the whirlwind of fun, hard work, tears and rewards that was about to come. I'm sure in two years I'll look back again and laugh at what I'm doing now. This whole thing is a giant learning experience. You learn about yourself, you learn about others, you learn about life and mainly you learn about your computer!
Looking back I was honestly clueless at the whirlwind of fun, hard work, tears and rewards that was about to come. I'm sure in two years I'll look back again and laugh at what I'm doing now. This whole thing is a giant learning experience. You learn about yourself, you learn about others, you learn about life and mainly you learn about your computer!
I understand it's hard workout a method that works 100% for everyone but I wanted to share as many tips as possible for anyone interested in joining this amazing community. It's all about learning from your mistakes and to keep going no matter what but often that's easier said than done, so a few extra pointers can't hurt!
1. Make a plan. Figure out your blog name (& think about it long and hard! Once you start branding yourself you can't go changing your name willy nilly.) Pick a hosting site, Blogger is best for beginners in my opinion (I still use Blogger mainly because I can't figure out how to switch!), I have heard amazing things about WordPress. Decide which topics you are going to cover… will you be a foodie? a beauty blogger? Maybe you are a pro at YouTube vlogs!
2. Content, content, content. It is so important to have a schedule and post consistently. Buy a planner and write everything down. I am constantly jotting down new ideas, what I need to shoot, when I need to post what and even when & what to Instagram each day. I've never been a very organized person but you will go crazy if you don't keep track of your posts. It's important to figure out a schedule for your blog posts. When I first started I would randomly post and sometimes go two weeks between posts, it's so much harder to grow and gain an audience without scheduled posts. I then went to three days a week (usually Monday-Wednesday-Friday) but now I am full time posting (Monday-Friday & often Saturday). I try to Instagram three times a day during the week and at least once on Saturday and Sunday. I've found it best to IG once in the morning, once around mid evening and once around 9:30 pm BUT you play around and see what your traffic is like. Everyone is different.
3. Find your voice. You do not want to sound like a robot. There are so many bloggers out there and you won't get anywhere if you're not being yourself. I sometimes feel silly with what I'm typing but it's my personality.
4. Photography. I originally would pick a Saturday, grab a few friends and shoot an outfit on my phone but that did not last long. Quality photography is SO important. Starting out you have a few options for photography.. Find a local photographer and offer to trade photos for publicity on your site, experience (if they are a new photographer and need content for their portfolio) or pay them. I know girls who pay per hour or per outfit. OR Buy your own camera and have friends, boyfriend or tripod take your photos. My biggest advice for taking photos is to pick one day and shoot multiple outfits. It's much easier to knock everything out while your hair & make up is done and then you have content for the next week or two.
5. Collaborations One of my favorite parts of the whole blogging process is collaborating. I have met SO many new people through my blog and I've learned so much from each of them. The blogging world is a community for interacting, not comparing. Starting out it's nice to reach out to other new bloggers and companies to collaborate. It's a great way to grow and meet new people. I highly suggest creating a Social Media kit for you to offer to companies when they are interested in collaborations (for more detailed info please email me at RileyBrahm@iCloud.com)
6. Be Yourself It's easy to get caught up in what other girls are posting and try to post similar to what they're doing. I've done it before and I always end up unhappy with the outcome. Posting your own thoughts and ideas in your own style will garnish the best results. No one else is you so it will guarantee your blog is one of a kind!
7. Do NOT Give Up When I first started I blogged for about two months and then quit for almost six months and there are still days where I think that I shouldn't blog anymore. I'm so happy I didn't/don't listen to that little voice in my head. Growing your blog and gaining readers is hard, it takes a lot of time and doesn't happen overnight. It's easy to see girls with 100k+ followers and think it's impossible but you just have to remember she was in your exact spot at one point as well.
Blogging is so different for each blogger but that's what makes it unique. I most likely do things completely different from another girl but it is what works for me. You cannot compare yourself to others and never give up. It's not all pretty pictures and fashion shows. It's hard work but it's definitely worth it! I am so lucky for everyone who follows along with Chacos & Chanel, I couldn't do it without them.
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