Having been a blogger for a short while now I've read countless posts and books on taking your blog to the next level. I want to share with you all the tips and tricks that have helped me along in my career. Here are my Top 10 tips + tricks to branding out into the blogging world or simply improving your already established mark in the industry.
ONE THING AT A TIME
If I had a pound for everytime I've written tasks and been caught out for trying to do too many things at once I'd be lying on a beach somewhere hot sipping champagne and eating a posh superfood salad. My NUMBER ONE productivity tip is to firstly; set out your daily tasks (the night before so you don't waste time in the morning figuring out your day) and secondly; complete ONE task at a time. No exceptions. You'll find you get so much more done and it will be much easier to measure your accomplishments at the end of the day. Be sure to always leave some extra room for tasks that pop up during that day too.
NEVER LEAVE A TRAIN OF THOUGHT MID JOURNEY
You never know where your daydream or brain-storm might lead to so never leave an idea half-thought out. Try and reduce all distractions around you while you're working and always have your pink sparkly notepad or iNotes handy (other colour note pads and other mobile phone apps are available) incase you come up with a monumental blog idea or need to take some business deets down.
ENGAGE WITH BRANDS, BLOGGERS + FANS
Engagement is such a massive part of my blogging life. Whether it's supporting another blogger's amazing accomplishment, thanking followers for their amazing support or just letting a new brand know I dig their stuff, it's always appreciated and incredible when they engage back. Not to mention I've made friends for life that just started out as a cute commenter on one of my selfies. Engaging also makes you SO much more visible to other people and brands to might want to connect with you on a personal or professional level.
WHY WAIT FOR BRANDS TO CONTACT YOU?
Even if you're just testing the blogging world water or you're well on your way for your first gazillion followers, it's okay to contact bomb brands before they find you. For me, Instagram is my favourite way to find brands that suit me and my blog, but you can even do this just by googling 'blogger opportunities'. No matter how big or small you or the company are, giving them a message to introduce yourself and telling them what you (and your blog) are about is SO respectable and the brands will know you've made an extra effort to be personal with them. Sure it might not be a 'get rich quick' opportunity, they might even feel like you're just not for them right now, but they may still consider you for future collabs and if it DOES work out, it's content + exposure for you AND them. Worthy brands will care more about your content and online impact than just your follower count so be brave Dave and your confidence could land you the best opportunity.
TIME IS MONEY
The more time to you spend putting off that blog post or replying to that email, the less money you could be earning. I'm not saying to bash out rubbish rushed content everyday but being as focused and productive as you can will bring in more success and more opportunities.
SPLIT YOUR DAY UP
I know that realistically I cant allocate each task to each hour of the day, but I do like to block my time for different activities. For example: I like to make sure I have answered all my emails by 10am so I can get my content writing done by the time I sit down for lunch. After lunch I know I can then answer any more emails I've received that morning and continue on with the rest of my less time critical tasks.
ALWAYS PLAN YOUR BLOG POSTS/SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS/VIDEOS
This is so crucial for me, and even more so if it's a sponsored post as all the relevant criteria must be included. I always create mind maps, write out my content by hand, then type it up. There is something about the reading and typing process that helps me focus more. Something else might work better for you so experiment a little on what makes you roll.
WRITE A MONTHLY SCHEDULE FOR POSTS/VIDEOS
I am THE worst for this. My way to make myself more productive overall is to write down what I'll be posting and when, throughout the month. This way I'll be able to have a better idea and understanding of my commitments, thus, fulfilling those commitments is a lot more likely. If they're written down you gotta do em'!
BE VISUALLY PLEASING
Perfectly written content is fab but it's even better to have super pretty pictures to go with it. This doesn't mean you need the latest DSLR or the fanciest lighting, but a little clarity and structure to your pictures will attract more followers AND brands who want you to promote their products. It's all very well having a SUPER CUTE new bag as your main focus but with the dirty dishes or the cute kitty eating out of the bin just behind, it's kinda off putting. Oh, and a little editing of the brightness will work a treat, PLUS it's free!
Okay, this can REALLY get on my nervies. What good is it writing about your incredible experience in Miami and you're huge Sephora haul if I literally cannot read it. It is SO simple to read your content back to you before you post it and correct any booboos. Personally, I get my super clever A+ in English Language friend to read it for me (he's always brutally honest about the post too) but it makes so much of a difference to the quality of the post, and it really shows you take pride in what you do, too!
What are your tips + tricks? Have any of these worked for you? Leave a comment below and I'll talk to you soon about my little trip to MURAD HQ's which is happening tomorrow (EEEEEK!)
TTFN x
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