How to Be a Top Blogger
by Rebecca Golub
Photography courtesy of @thelittleflowerpetal
According to Tech.Co, millions of blogs exist, but not all of them are successful. The majority fails and gets lost in cyberspace before they ever gain popularity; however, there are a select few that become notable. These bloggers have done well and here is why.
Georgina Berbari, better known as @thelittleflowerpetal on Instagram, is a yogi and health conscious food blogger. She began blogging by finding a unique voice in the overwhelming environment of social media. She analyzed the specific social media scene to understand what audiences wanted.
Jenna LeeAnn (@jennaleeannllc), a fashion blogger from Connecticut agrees with Berbari.
“You need to be true to yourself and know who you want to be as a blogger, and always follow that” LeeAnn said. “It also takes a LOT of self-motivation.” If you do not love what you’re writing about, chances are you will not want to put the work in to write it and/or photograph it.
For most bloggers, developing a daily routine may be important. However, blogger-turned-model Omaima Doghmi (@omaimadoghmi) claims it is not. When she was a blogger, she would typically just “let the content find her." Doghmi said a “typical day of blogging consisted of casually stumbling upon ideas for new blog posts.”
On the other hand, if one considers himself or herself a planner and wants to ensure the time they spend is productive, take tips from food blogger Haley Hansen (@hungryhaley). Hansen plans recipes to post and plans her sponsored posts with companies ahead of time. She also sets up props beforehand, photographs ingredients and positions lighting.
Similarly, LeeAnn tries to schedule her time around answering and sending out emails, managing her social media accounts, networking, doing photoshoots, editing her photos, researching trends, and brainstorming new content ideas. With all of these daily tasks, she emphasizes “knowing how to plan your schedule is huge.”
After the work is done, the consensus is that the results are rewarding. Bloggers enjoy using their pages as creative outlets to express themselves. They also love the networking opportunities they get out of it––using their blog as a medium for meeting other like-minded people, and as a business through sponsorships. The secret to getting sponsored is to email companies relevant to one’s blog, attaching media kits with sponsorship pricing and negotiating estimated pricing. Sometimes, companies will also sponsor blog posts by offering free products in exchange for reviews or mentions.
To be a successful blogger, you must love your blog, enjoy the ride and be able to put your best foot forward when the times get tough. If these bloggers’ tips and thoughts inspired you, take the leap and give it a shot. Happy blogging!