Hey Ladies and Gents!
Welcome back to another exciting blog topic. As you know, I’ve been blogging for four years already. I’ve experienced a ton of ups and downs in this industry but the one thing that’s always remained constant is my love for blogging and creating content for you all.
My first two years of blogging was a time when I was still discovering what I wanted to talk about. Originally, I started blogging about traveling, cooking and a little bit of beauty! I’ll admit, I was kinda all over the place but it helped me figure out what I wanted to talk about.
By the third and fourth year of blogging, I had learned so much already. I’m now, learning how to pitch myself to brands and collaborating with them. I also got more comfortable in reaching out to other bloggers! I’m hosting my first “blogger brunch” in two weeks <3
How to start your own blog?
It’s pretty simple, to be honest! You’ll need a website to host your blog. This girl has tried them all and I’ll be honest, I always come back to WordPress. WordPress does require a lot of time and work, so if you’re looking for something less complicated, then Wix or Squarespace are great options. You can customize build your own page with a ton of widgets they have available for you. You can buy your domain directly from their site or host it with GoDaddy.com.
Take your time and make your site look amazing. Have it represents who YOU are as a blogger and talk about topics you really enjoy. The key is to stay consistent with your content and being able to build on your mailing list. For example, my followers can expect new content on my site every Thursday! Now my followers will be sure to come back every week for new material.
Afraid to miss out? Make sure to subscribe and get notified when a new blog post goes up.
Do I need to invest right away?
In the beginning, you’ll probably get the urge to want to buy everything. Let me stop you there and advise you NOT to do that! Sure, having a good camera, clothes, shoes, makeup is essential BUT you don’t need to invest in expensive stuff right away. However, a good camera never hurt anyone. Here are some great starter options:
*NOT A STARTER CAMERA* Here’s the camera, I recently purchased!
Can’t invest in a camera? No worries, your phone will do just fine while you get started. The iPhone takes stunning and professional photos. If your phone doesn’t take great photos, hire out! I found a photographer through Up Work, and I was happy with the overall service. Also, find someone that can work with your budget. If you have a hard time finding someone, use your friends and family to take the photos for you!!! Trust me, I still do it!
How did you find your photographer?
I’ve known Pablo my whole life! I met him through my old childhood friend, Andrea! Sadly, as we got older we ended up losing touch for a few years. After discovering his work on Andrea’s Instagram page, I immediately messaged him and asked him to take my photos. He understands my style and what I need. I’m very blessed and happy that I have someone that gets my vision and brings it to life !
Once you start searching for a photographer make sure they are flexible with your time, willing to travel and are able to work with your budget. Interview a few people and have them show you their work. This is the best way to understand their style and quality of work. When you start getting more serious about blogging, great photos are a MUST! Brands want to see that you are producing great content and have amazing photos to go along with your work.
What Programs do I need?
For starters, most of the apps I use can be downloaded through the app store and most of them are FREE! Here’s a list of my favorite mobile applications to use when editing a photo, video or adding filters.
- Ultra Light
- VSCO
- Storyluxe
- Boomerage
- Lightroom – Mobile Free and Desktop Monthly Subscription
- ColorStory
- Snapseed
- A Design Kit: Cute and fun designs
- Canva
- Untold
- iMovie (Mobile) / Final Cut Pro (Desktop not free)
- UNUM or Planoly: Plan out your feed in advance & see if it’s cohesive
- InShot – Video Editor
- Facetune: Remove blemishes and soften the face
What hashtags should I use?
This is the fun part! You can get creative and use popular tags that everyone is already using. The BEST thing you need to do is find hashtags that are not over-saturated. For example, you don’t want to always use hashtags like #Blogger because it has MILLIONS of tags. Instead, use something like #LAblogger, #Latinablogger #Foodieblogger v.s #Foodie that has 114 million tags. These are just examples and you’ll alter your hashtags based on your niche, style, post and who you are trying to reach. Here are a few like to personally use:
#latinablogger #hispanicblogger #losangeles #labased #thesincerestoryteller #welcometomylife #mylifeinsquares #moodyportraits #brunette #mycanonphoto
P.S… Don’t forget to tag the brand in all your posts! This will help you get more exposure and the opportunity to get featured on their page 😉
Final Tip:
When you’re blogging about the things you love, you’ll always have a great time doing it. There’s a lot of competition out there but don’t get discouraged just focus on what you are doing! As long as you are producing great content, having fun, being authentic, and staying consistent, you’ll never go wrong.
Reach out to other bloggers and try connecting with them. Collaborating with other bloggers is a great way to meet new people, share ideas and grow together. Another great resource is https://www.bloggerswhobrunch.com/ This is a great community of women and when you sign up for their newsletter, you’ll receive exclusive invitations to public events.
There you have it guys! I hope this blog post has served as a great guide on how to get started. If you’ve enjoyed this, I’ll love it if you shared it with friends and family. Let me know down below if there are other topics you’ll like me to cover!
Xoxo
Dawn
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