7 Blogging Tips

BE YOURSELF

Blogging is really rather popular at the moment and hence there are many new and exciting blogs popping up every day, you don't want yours to get lost amongst the crowd. I mean, yes there may be many beauty blogs out there, but not all of them are written by you, so they're not all going to be the same. Have a niche, write about what you love, don't get caught up in the latest blogging trends and become a carbon copy of your favourite blogger. 

ONLY POST WHEN YOU WANT TO

I genuinely think you can tell when a post has been rushed and only published for the sake of it. I'm sure your readers would much prefer to read one well-written post a week than seven that have been half-heartedly churned out during your lunch break. 

STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

This one is slightly contradictory, but if you only ever post about black, volumizing mascaras for example (niche, I know) then why not do a more broad beauty post one day? Sometimes it's nice to read a post that you wouldn't necessarily expect from a blogger, it makes a nice change. And who knows, your blog may evolve if you realise you prefer writing about something different! 

HAVE AN EASY TO NAVIGATE LAYOUT

I'd say this was pretty vital. A website that is easy to use and not too flashy is often much better than one that should come with an instruction manual for those browsing it. For example, perhaps have all of your social media accounts/widgets/links in one place, so that if someone wants to follow you, they can do so with ease, all without having to scroll any further, or having to uncover a hidden page tab.

SET GOALS NOT EXPECTATIONS

Yes, you'll enjoy seeing your blog grow and change, but setting expectations is not an overly great idea. Having an idea of where you'd like your blog to be in X day/weeks/months is all well and good, but don't be disheartened if you don't reach it in time. That being said, ambition is great and having an idea of what you'd like isn't necessarily a bad thing, just don't get caught up in the numbers. Hence, I'd argue that goals are better than expectations, but more than anything, just enjoy it. 

TWITTER, TWITTER, TWITTER

If you haven't already got an account for your blog, make one! There's always lots of blogging related things going on over there, and it's a great place to promote both your blog generally, and your recent posts!

POST TITLES ARE VERY IMPORTANT

Not only in terms of your blog's readers and followers, who may or may not, be intrigued to read on, but also in terms of Google searches. People who've never even heard of BF&L may stumble across it if they search something I've posted about previously. So, in order to maximise traffic use titles that'll spark interest, but are also snappy and relevant. 

What's your number one blogging tip?
TWITTER - BLOGLOVIN

HOW TO: Blog Organisation

So, BF&L has been around quite a while now, and if you go back a few years I'm sure you'll find quite a few dodgy posts. That being said, I've kept the same sort of organisation system this entire time and in my opinion it works rather well. This being said. I don't like to force myself to publish half-hearted content. So, if I'm not feeling like posting, I won't. 

For me, blog organisation centres around three main things; notepads, a diary and tweet scheduling. I always find myself with multiple blogging notepads on the go, each with pages of ideas, lists, things to do etc. I find that if I don't write a post idea down as it comes to me, I tend to forget about it. Then, when it comes to writing a post, all I need to do is turn to one of the aforementioned notebooks, flick to the most recent page and choose a topic to write about. 

This is also where the diary comes into play. I like to write my posts a few days in advance to make sure that I'm totally happy with them by the time it comes to pressing publish. So, having a calendar or diary really helps to lay out what's going up when, and thus what to finish off first. Also, with all my upcoming posts written before me, I can distribute them evenly throughout the week. For example, rather than posting 3 recipe posts consecutively, I can spread them out by posting a lookbook and a beauty review in between them, for example. 

The other thing a diary helps with is tweet scheduling. I love using twitter to promote BF&L, and always tweet a new post's link as soon as it's up. But this even happens when I'm out and about, and have no access to the internet? Nope, it's not magic, it's the beauty that is scheduled tweets. If you know when a post is going up, you can tweet the link and schedule it for when the post is live. Amazing, ey? Personally I use Hootsuite, but I know there are many other websites that offer the same service and I would wholeheartedly recommend giving it a go. Especially if you have readers on the other side of the world, who are asleep while you're awake and posting, and will have missed your tweets during the day!

How do you stay blog organised?
TWITTER - BLOGLOVIN

3 Ways Blogging Has Changed Over The Last Few Years

BF&L has been around for quite a while now, and despite the sporadic posting, I've watched as this whole blogging thing has evolved. Now, don't get me wrong, change is good. But in today's post, I just wanted to shout out the good ol' days and reflect on just how much has changed whilst I've been around. 

First and foremost, this has now become some people's careers?!?! Back when I started in 2012 (Yep, BF&L is that old) blogging was simply a hobby for the vast majority and sponsored posts were very few and far between. I mean, bloggers were selling ad spaces as a means of generating income, not part of campaigns worth several thousand pounds, if not more! Nowadays, many are lucky enough to be part of such campaigns, and hence blogging can become a full-time job. Who'd have thought it, ey? Amazing.

The importance of photography is another thing that I'd say has changed over the last few years. It's always been important, but over the last year or so it's become pivotal, with blogs looking more and more like professional magazines. I mean, 'flat lay' has become a phrase used in everyday conversation, and some bloggers have studio lights in their bedrooms to aid their flawless photography. But, it's nice to see that written content is still equally important as it was previously. As, after all, that's how you really get to know the person behind the blog!

Tag posts. Why aren't these a thing anymore? I mean, granted, some were a bit cringe, but they were really quite fun to write. Speaking of which, who remembers the Liebster Award? I remember being nominated and feeling as if I'd made it in the blogging world.
Back in 2014 I even made my own tag, the Makeup Mishaps tag, and I'm still shocked by the number of people who have done it?!?!?!?! It's crazy. If you were one of them, thank youuuu!

Would you say that this whole blogging thing has changed over the last few years?

TWITTER - BLOGLOVIN