Blogging Tips for New Bloggers

Wearing: Kryz’s Closet Top | Target x Who What Wear Collection Skirt | Forever 21 Heels | ASOS Belt Bag | PinkessCo Sunnies (similar here)

Humidity is the Enemy is officially two years old! I honestly still can’t believe it!  I’ve met some bloggers recently who have started blogging towards the end of last year or beginning of this year.  When I say I have been doing it for two years now, I’m still in shock.  Even when I told one of my best friends, “Hey, my blog turns two this month”, he couldn’t believe it.  He was like “I remember (back when we worked together almost 6 years ago), you would always talk about how you wanted to start a blog.”  And here I am, two years in.

I love blogging and I am so happy I have this platform that has connected with me with so many awesome bloggers and has given me the opportunity to work with some cool brands.  I’m also so grateful for the little community I have on Instagram.  The feedback and love I receive daily is honestly so amazing.  You guys really know how to make a girl feel good! 🙂

Whenever I meet bloggers who are just starting out, they always ask for advice with blogging, social, etc.  I didn’t really have someone to help navigate me when I started blogging, so I know exactly how they feel.  It’s hard trying to figure it all out on your own and wonder if you’re making the right decisions.  I love helping people so if I can help anyone succeed by sharing my experience with them, I will do so!

I decided to put this post together and share what I have learned and what has worked for me.  I’m not perfect!  There are still things I am figuring out and plenty of things I still want to learn.  Heck, I’m sure there are tons of apps I am not even aware of that many bloggers use on the daily for their images or tracking their followers.  However, if you’re feeling discouraged or unsure of what else you can do, I hope some of these tips help you get back on track!

You have to be patient.  It will take some time to get readers and to obtain an audience.  The blogging world is so saturated and there are SO many bloggers and influencers showcasing their OOTDs, promoting products, pitching to brands, sharing their daily makeup looks, etc.  You have to bring something different to the table and you have to be authentic.  Be you and be real.  There are so many bloggers/influencers showcasing these perfect lives.  And in reality we know, it is not always rainbows and butterflies.  People will appreciate your authenticity in the long run.

Don’t be afraid to take some risks too!  You never know, that drafted post you’ve been sitting on may be the post that gets a ton of feedback.  And if it ends up being a total flop, you know that’s not your readers’ cup of tea and you cross it off your list.

You also have to be consistent especially when it comes to your social media.  Most people are directed to my blog through my Facebook page and my Instagram account.  Instagram is huge for bloggers.  A myriad of people are scrolling on Instagram everyday throughout the day looking for inspiration, new accounts to follow, giveaways to enter, sharing pictures/videos, etc.

Give people a reason to keep coming back to your account and looking forward to your next post.  Pay attention to your analytics and learn what posts your followers really respond to.  (If you haven’t converted your Instagram account from a personal to a business, do it now!)  I don’t post every single day because some days just don’t work for me but I do try to post at least 4-5 times a week.  For example, on the weekends, Sundays receive more engagement than if I post on a Saturday.  Hours that were prime for me a couple of months ago aren’t my best posting times now.  It’s all trial and error and you have to find what works for you.  Engage with your readers and get to know them!  Ask them what they have planned for the weekend or even go live!  I always try to post on my stories daily as well, even if it’s just my skincare routine or alerting that I have a new post.  Just be as consistent as possible!

Instagram can also be very discouraging with this algorithm not really being on anyone’s side.  As hard as it is to say, don’t worry about the numbers.  They will drive you crazy.  Focus on your engagement.  As long as you are proud of the content you are producing, the followers will come.   If people like what you are posting, they will follow you, listen to you and look forward to your content.  Brands will fall in love with your content too and want to work with you.  It was something I didn’t believe myself until I landed the same campaign as another blogger with almost 30k followers.  Believe in yourself!  Stay focused and trust the process!

Networking is key.  This year I told myself I would start going to more events, even alone if I have to.  Like I said before, the algorithm is not on everyone’s side and you’d be surprised how many bloggers actually exist considering you’ll never see every account on Instagram.  Attending events has helped me open up more and talk about my blog/brand.  Its amazing to meet new people as well as people you have been following or who follow you!  I can only talk to my friends so much about blogging but they don’t understand the struggle as much as another blogger will.  It also opens up opportunities for collaborations.

Become a part of the blogging community.  When I first started out, I would get so frustrated because I felt like there wasn’t anyone I could talk to about blogging.  I felt alone and I didn’t have anyone else to relate to or understand my struggles as a newbie.  Now I have so many bloggers that I can lean on and talk to locally and internationally.  We can complain about the Instagram algorithm changing for the millionth time or the fact that its raining another weekend and I’m so overdue on shooting new content.  It may feel like you’re alone but you are not.  Trust me.

In addition, there are so many Facebook groups and even Instagram groups where bloggers connect, share posts and ask any and every question regarding creating a media kit or whether or not to do a collab with a certain brand.  There is support!

Blogging is a lot of work, especially if you don’t have a team and you are doing it solo.  What I can tell you is the more work you put in, the more it will pay off.  Once I revamped my blog last fall, that’s when I started to get noticed more.  I purchased the theme I have now which definitely gave my blog a more elevated look compared to the theme I had prior.  I started working with my friends who have professional cameras to really capture my vision and give me more high quality images.  I posted more consistently and monitored my analytics and more collaborations started coming.  You can’t sit and wait or expect things to happen.  You have to work hard and put your ideas in motion.

Now that I have been blogging for two years, I think it is time I start looking at Humidity is the Enemy with a more business mindset.  I know what I want to do and it is time I start putting things into motion!  Thank you so much for continuing to follow me on this journey!  I appreciate all of the love and support!

I hope these tips are helpful and if you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to e-mail me or DM me on Instagram. 🙂