There are so many hours that go into running a blog as a business. I started this blog back when Gabriel was just a toddler with no intention of it becoming a full time job! I was just a graphic designer fascinated by the blogs I was discovering, so I decided to start one as a creative hobby. As the blog grew, the time it demanded did as well. I wanted to share some practical tips today for those hoping to make blogging a line of work. Things I know now, and wish I had known from the start!
(Photos of my usual creative process….paper and print all over the floor with a baby or two on the scene.
Images by Haley Sheffield)
Many times, I get questions about how I grew the blog or social platforms. I can’t say I ever had a strategy, and what helped is that I just happened to get into it at the right time before blogging really took off. There was a bunch of you that have been loyal readers since the start! It may be much harder to break into the scene these days, but there are a few things that can really help…
1. Consistency – I put in many many hours before monetization was ever on the scene. I blogged every day for 3 years before I saw any financial income. Growing a blog may happen easier for some than others, but no matter what topic you blog about, when you are consistent in your content, you grow consistent readers. I never took off for a month at a time, even when I probably should have! Oh my gosh, as I type this I realize I haven’t had more than two weeks off in 7 years! Even after having a baby! Yikes I know. I gave up nights and weekends to invest in something my gut was telling me would be good for my family.
2. Narrow down your niche. There are so many great things I love to talk about, but I found that after narrowing down my topics, it was easier to identify what IHOD was about. This makes it much easier to focus your energy on the right things, as well as build an understanding for any visitor to know what to expect when they take the time to read. I could talk about food and coffee all day, but this blog was built around design and family.
3. Make a dream team list. A list of companies you would love to work with, small or big that may feel terrifying to think of approaching, but thrilling at the same time. Be genuine in your approach, and do some homework before hand. Find out the best contact info, and lead the email by name (vs. Hello!) . Pitch an idea that is hard to refuse, and be willing to create content for free if you may not have a big reach yet. I didn’t feel confident creating sponsored content until I actually proved I was worth investing in. I knew that time time spent was building a portfolio for my blog that could be used in the future. I always focused on making a partnership beneficial for both parties. For example, I pitched a campaign idea to 7 companies before one accepted. It would leave me with a pit in my stomach, but I knew the idea was good, and one was bound to accept. The one that accepted was Free People, and was one of my first big breaks I ever made on the style side of the blog!
4. Connect with others in your niche. It helped me so much to find other bloggers (and now instagram friends) in the same genre, to encourage and support each other. We would share each other’s content, offer feedback, share resources, etc. This still applies for me today and continues to be a big support.
5. Limit your time on social media. As a designer, artist, writer, or any other strength you are trying to share, it can be very tricky to come up with your own unique content when you compare for too long. When I scroll too much, I realize that my brain turns to mush. Instead of feeling like creativity is sparked, it feels like it is overwhelmed. There is so many people doing great things, but finding your soul stirring ideas won’t happen by browsing apps. It will happen through your own real life experiences, relationships, and things you can see, taste, and feel.
6. Study your traffic. Understand the patterns of why people visit your blog, and where they come from. It helped me narrow down my niche, and also cut out a lot of time wasting posts that were getting low traffic. If you want to secure sponsorships, and blog as a part time or full time job, brands almost ALWAYS look at your engagement on both blog and social platforms.
7. Make sure you have endurance for the marathon. Blogging takes more hours than you might imagine. Each post from concept to execution takes me 3-4 hours. If it is a bigger project like a room makeover, it can take weeks and weeks. If you don’t feel really determined or passionate about your work, than chances are burn out will come far too soon! That is why point #2 is so important to growing your blog.
8. It’s worth it to hire a developer. You only have a minute to make a first time impression on a visitor so you want to make it count. It helps if your site isn’t user friendly, mobile friendly (the majority of our readers are mobile!), with strong visuals. If it’s just a hobby it shouldn’t matter too much, but if you want to pursue it professionally, it is well worth hiring someone to help you establish a strong website!
9. Don’t start a blog (or instagram) just for the purpose of making money. I can honestly say, that I never would have been able to make this blog our livelihood if I had focused on making money or making pageviews rise. I blocked out my fears of numbers and stats, and made one thing a focus: to make the most of the life in front of me, and share it along the way. I am not in it for wealth or fame. Now that this is a family business, our main focus is to make this a place that is resourceful and uplifting. If we can do something we love that allows us to provide for our family, than that is my definition of success!
Please let me know if you have any questions on this topic in the comments below and I will do my best to answer! Thank you for reading!
Featured:
Anna- Top: ASOS / Denim: Levi’s / Embroidered Slip on shoes: The Fix c/o
Azelie – Dress: Baby Gap /Bonnet: Petite Soul Shop
