Blogging

Blogging

Blogging 101: Social Media

Blogging-101-Social-Media

Blogging 101 is a 10 part series where I share my tips and tricks for creating and growing a blog from scratch. This is the seventh installment in the series, and you can find more information on the topics of this series here.

Social media is one of those things that when it comes to blogging, is really just like real life. In real life as you probably already know, everyone is all about the Facebook and the Instagramming, and even your grandmother has a Twitter handle, so if you’re not signed up and actively using it, you’re missing out! It’s the same for bloggers! Of course, bloggers have the extra pressure of having to make sure their Tweets, Facebook Posts and Instagram pics are well thought out and put together, but luckily, I am here to give you some pointers so that posting and engaging in social media is a breeze!

One of the hardest parts of understanding and using social media to benefit your blog is knowing when to use Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to give you the biggest bang for your buck. This isn’t to say you won’t be using all three at one time, but how you use each of these outlets will be different! Now, I also am going to stick to talking about these three social media outlets only, because although there are plenty of others, I consider these the big 3!

Twitter is great because you can quickly push information and articles out to your followers and through the use of hashtags people will be able to find your tweets, locate your content and hopefully become a follower of yours and your blog. I mentioned before that I use a site called Twitter Feed to push out my blog posts to my Twitter automatically as my posts go live which saves me a lot of trouble, however, Twitter Feed can only do so much. Unfortunately, you can always tell my Twitter Feed posts from my others because they are automatically formatted and just plain bland. So, I like to go back and Tweet out my newest blog post in a more Twitter friendly way, usually by making a cute comment that relates to my blog post or by asking a question that my blog post helps to answer. For example, Twitter Feed posted the following tweet about a recent blog post I wrote on 25 Blog Post Ideas:

{Strange & Charmed} 25 Blog Post Ideas for Any Blogger!: In my opinion, one of the most difficult parts of sta… http://bit.ly/1e7Dj7k 

As you can see, its formatted to show the name of my blog, the title of the post and then the first few words of the post itself with a link at the end that takes you to the post. Boring! So, instead, I would Tweet something like this:

Having trouble brainstorming some new blog posts? Try these! http://bit.ly/1e7Dj7k  #blogger #blogpost

Which tweet are you more interested in learning more about? It’s not rocket science, but it’s about crafting content that works for the medium. Since you only get 140 characters for a tweet, you need to be short and sweet and use just one or two relevant hashtags to help people find your tweet!

Okay, now for Instagram, everyone’s latest addiction! Instagram is a little more useful now than it has been in the past because not only can you post pictures, but you can also post quick videos as well! So, how do you think you can make the most impact through this social media outlet? If you guessed through creating eye capturing pictures and a quick and simple video every now and again, YOU’RE RIGHT! There really is no secret to winning at Instagram, you really just need to make sure you are posting great pictures and tagging them properly with the hashtag system. As a blogger, images are super important and I have discussed my opinion on making sure you only use your own images on your blog, so if you are trying to use IG to promote your blog, all you need to do it post a great image from your latest blog post and write a quick, twitter like description that will help pull people in and want to know more. My rules for great IG pictures is to make sure they are well-lit (if you can’t get good natural lighting, use some photo editing software to brighten it up), well composed (study up on the rule of thirds and make sure to ask yourself if the image is visibly legible, meaning can you quickly understand what is going on, if not, don’t post it), and to make sure you are choosing the most effective hashtags you can (IG gives you more space than twitter, but try to stick to the most descriptive hashtags as possible).

Now, for Facebook! Facebook is interesting because you get a mix of images and words to choose from when you post. I suggest leading with a great picture, but also making sure you give a though provoking description. Since Facebook allows you to post multiple pictures, this is a great place to share blog posts that are picture heavy, especially if you include more than one image in your Facebook post. Hashtags really aren’t necessary here for search purposes so feel free to leave those out when crafting your posts. Focus more on making sure you “pitch” your blog post to your potential readers. If you don’t give them a reason to click on your post (like solving a problem, answering a question or giving them great advice) they won’t bother! Although you get nearly unlimited space in a Facebook post, don’t feel the need to write a novel here. Quick and light is more attractive than a post you have to scroll through.

Now, like I said, using social media to your advantage is all about knowing which medium is right for each post and occasion. You may not want to post all your blog links to all three sites. Stick to sharing the types of posts that work best in each medium. Twitter is great for luring readers in with a great tag line or by asking a question that provokes readers to click-through to your blog to get their answer. Instagram is great for posting beautiful pictures and a quick description that should incite followers to seek out your blog to see more, and Facebook is great for giving longer details and multiple images but be sure not to give too much away so that readers don’t need to click-through to your blog!

Using social media is definitely a balancing act and I would say that it’s all still so new that you really have room to experiment. I suggest researching your favorite bloggers and keeping an eye on their social media to see how they do it. If you see a post you like of theirs via social media, ask yourself what drew you in and see if you can implement that in your social media posts!

So, did you like this post and find it informative? Instead of leaving me a comment below, let’s try an exercise in social media, shall we? Use those social media buttons to share this post in your social media feeds. You can tweet it out, post it to Facebook or take a screen shot and post it to Instagram. Let’s see how creative you can get with it! Oh and make sure to tag me, @MissTrenchcoat so I can see your posts!

Blogging

Blogging 101: Advanced Hardware & Software

Advanced-Hardware-software

Blogging 101 is a 10 part series where I share my tips and tricks for creating and growing a blog from scratch. This is the sixth installment in the series, and you can find more information on the topics of this series here.

Last week I discussed the basic hardware and software elements you would need to start a blog sufficiently. Now, its time for me to dig a little deeper and talk about some items you may want to think about if you plan to be a dedicated blogger! Of course, owning or using any of these items may not make you the worlds best blogger, but to me, these things are extras that can either help you save additional time and energy or help you stand out from other blogs out there in cyber space! Let’s begin!

Hardware

In our last installment, I explained that a blogger needs a decent camera and briefly brought up the subject of a DSLR. Now, while I fully believe that having a decent point and shoot can take your photos pretty far if you’re a student of photography and composition, having a DSLR can make capturing beautiful images even simpler. Personally, I do not yet own a DSLR, mostly because I am stubborn and have been able to get by with some good photography skills and having photoshop around doesn’t hurt, but a DSLR camera would make quite a difference in my photo’s. There is definitely a learning curve to using a DSLR and a great expense, not only for the camera itself, but for the lenses in particular, but it can make a world of difference. I’m not saying that bowing a DSLR and a decent lens kit will turn a newbie photographer into a pro, but the quality that a DSLR can product is noticeably superior to many point and shoot cameras, so if you can afford one or have a particular interest in taking beautiful photos for your blog, I suggest getting one and learning as much as you can about how to use it!

Now, to go along with your DSLR, or really any camera that you are using, I suggest a studio lighting kit. I use this one because its relatively inexpensive and it definitely makes a difference in my photo’s, even on my old point and shoot! If you know anything about photography, you know lighting is extremely important, so unless you live in a glass house with crystal clear lighting, get yourself a kit!

The final little extra that I really enjoy having around is a Wacom Tablet. I whip mine out whenever I have a lot of work to do in Adobe Photoshop because it really helps to have more precise control of the program with the tablet and pen input system. It also takes a little getting use to, but I find that it makes me a little quicker and gives me more flexibility while I am working with my images and designs!

Software

The first additional piece of software that suggest for a more advanced blogger is video editing software. There are lots of different programs out there depending on your operating system, but I think it can make all the difference when it comes to new and original content for your blog. Now, you may be thinking “but I’m not a vlogger and I don’t do video” but thinking that way really limits the possibilities for you to connect with your audience. Every blog could do with a little video content once in a while in strategic places, so having some sort of video editing software is necessary. I use iMovie on my mac because, well, it works really well and it’s simple and easy to use, but there are other programs out there like Final Cut and Adobe Premier Pro that work on a PC as well. You don’t need to have the most expensive program out on the market, but you do need to have something that will help you create and edit polished videos for your site!

Another piece of additional software I would recommend having on your computer is some sort of task management software. Why? Because running a blog is a lot of work and bloggers often have lots of balls in the air with projects, posts, videos and more! I think it’s all fine and well to have an analog project management system where you put pen to paper, but when it comes down to it, you need something on your computer because that is where you are writing posts, uploading pictures and editing your content. Again, there are tons of different types of programs depending on your operating system from basically free to moderately expensive. I use a mac program called iGTD, but there are many programs out there as well as web-based organization applications like Remember the Milk and Wunderlist that you can access from any web connected device.

The final piece of advanced software I recommend for bloggers is Mail Chimp. Mail Chimp is an email marketing service that makes sending well designed emails and newsletters simple! Many bloggers use email lists as a means to promote their blog through newsletters and frequent updates that keep their audience engaged and coming back for more, and Mail Chimp helps to streamline that often hectic process!

So, what did you think of these advanced extras? Do you implement any of these on your site or in your blogging routine? What are some other advanced programs or pieces of hardware you would suggest for bloggers? Let us know in the comments below!

Blogging Solutions

Blogging 101: Software and Hardware Basics

software-and-hardware-basics

Blogging 101 is a 10 part series where I share my tips and tricks for creating and growing a blog from scratch. This is the fifth installment in the series, and you can find more information on the topics of this series here.

Since I began this Blogging 101 series, I have covered a lot of fun motivational topics to help you get started blogging, and now its time for some utilitarian type posts. This week I am geeking out to talk to you about the software and hardware you are going to need to get started. Good thing is, if you are reading this, you most likely have much of what I am going to suggest. Then next week, I will be going in-depth with a list of some more advanced items you may want to pick up if you are hoping to bump up your blog and produce some major content. But for now, as promised, the basics!

The first thing you will need is {dun, Dun, DUN!) a computer! Yes, I said this was going to start out pretty easy! So, you need a computer, and pretty much any one will do! I use a Macbook Air, before than a Macbook Pro and when I first started I was using the original White Macbook, but those were just the machines I had. You can certainly use a windows machine if that’s what you have, and wait for it, even a tablet if that’s all you have! Since all you’re doing it writing and uploading pictures, there are a variety of options available to you!

The next item you will need is a word processor! Not sure what a word processor is? Think Microsoft Word or Apple’s Pages. A word processor is a piece of software where you can write and edit… anything! I use a program called Scrivener that I have written about before. Check out this post if you would like to use Scrivener on your computer in conjunction with your iPad! Scrivener is a unique program because it was meant for writing books and longer pieces like articles and term papers, but if you write a lot, it’s a wonderful way to organize your work!

Next, you will need a camera, preferably with some sort of video capability as well! You could use a smartphone, I frequently use my iPhone 5 to take photos and video, but I also use a regular point and shoot. My point and shoot is an older Canon Powershot, nothing fancy, but it takes great photos, has lots of options and controls for taking photos, as well as a 720 HD video capture feature! You could use a DSLR if you have one, I will go more in-depth on that in the next installment of this series, but a camera is a camera and as long as it can take a decent shot, it will definitely do!

The final item you will need is some form of image editing software. Most computers do not come with this sort of software installed, but there are plenty of options available to you based on your operating system. On my Mac I use Photoshop CS6, but there are plenty of options available like Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Apple’s Aperture, Corel Paintshop, and even a great free photo editor that I used to use called GIMP. There are also plenty of iOS and smartphone applications that do this that are relatively cheap and I rely on a few of those for my iPhone photos, but those will be discussed in another post!

For now, that is everything you need to get started in my opinion! If there is anything else you have questions about please feel free to leave a comment about it below. Remember, next week I will be discussing some extra hardware and software items that you may be interested in using if you want to go above and beyond!

Blogging

Blogging 101: Content is King

Content-is-King

Blogging 101 is a 10 part series where I share my tips and tricks for creating and growing a blog from scratch. This is the third installment in the series, and you can find more information on the topics of this series here.

Although I will be giving you tips and tricks throughout this blogging series, there is one single factor that will determine the success of your blog and that is your content. No matter what your blog looks like, or what the name of your blog is, or what camera you use to take your photos, its your posts that will attract your readers and keep them coming back for more. Now, I know that many of you reading this may not be looking to create the next million dollar blog, but whatever your goals are for blogging, your content is the key to fulfilling them!

When it comes to developing great content consistently, you really need to understand a few things. First, you need to know what great content looks like. Think about it, which sorts of posts do you like to read? You probably like posts that incorporate beautiful pictures with well thought out text. You probably like posts that have been well researched with thorough explanations and relevant information. You know, I read a lot of blogs and different blog posts, even ones with topics that I am not necessarily interested in, and can you guess why? Because when blogs post good content, its hard not to want to read it. Even topics that aren’t exactly up my ally can become interesting when well written and well presented.

The second thing you need to understand about good content is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. There is a difference between well thought out and complicated. Posts don’t need to be thousands of words or filled with tons of pictures or cover topics that require hours and hours of library research in order to be considered good content. As long as your content is well thought out, meaning that all your points or information is presented clearly and your post is written with a clear structure, your readers will find value in it.

The final thing you need to understand about good content is that it is relevant. Now, relevancy is like a grey scale from black to white. On one end you have posts that are about very specific topics and events, and on the other hand you have posts that are “evergreen” meaning that they are relevant at any time. For example, a topical post about the release of a new iPhone should really be published the same day or week as the event itself when many people will be searching for information on it. You wouldn’t want to write about the release of the iPhone 5s now that its March and the phone has been out for nearly half a year. Even if you did write that post in a timely manner, after all the excitement about the new iPhone has died down, that post may not be as popular in the future. As for “evergreen” content, those posts may be things like a recipe for your grandmothers apple pie or a post teaching your favorite hairstyle. Both of those topics are things that could be relevant at any time and people may be searching for either of those on a daily basis! Of course, there are other examples that fill in that grey area between posts that need to be timely and posts that are “evergreen” and great blogs have a nice mix of all of them. Try to think about your content and focus on writing posts that are relevant. When you write about topics that people are interested in and are searching for, you will develop a consistent readership.

What type of content do you find you like to read most often? Thinking about what you read in terms of relevancy, do you find you read more topical and timely posts or “evergreen” content? Understanding relevancy, identifying good content and writing structured posts are three skills that bloggers need to develop into a second nature, so test your skills while you read other posts and blogs and try to exercise and hone your skills!

Blogging Career Solutions

What do my Blog Colors Mean?

what-do-blog-colors-mean

Since this week’s installment of my Blogging 101 series was all about Choosing a Platform and Identity for your blog, I decided that I should probably talk to you today about my blog color scheme and what it means and conveys for my blog and its “brand.” Look, I am by no means a branding expert, but one thing I do know about branding is that you can do all you can to produce a certain image to your audience, but ultimately your brand is decided by them! It’s sort of a funny thing, trying to control other people’s opinions, but that is where consistency comes into play. Having a consistent look and feel to your blog and social media posts really helps to establish the vision of your brand that you want to convey to your audience. As you can tell by looking around, I have a pretty specific color scheme for my blog and the colors I have chosen are significant for a reason.

So, take a look around. What colors do you see as being most prevalent in my blog? If you said teal & grey, than hooray for me, because those are the colors I want to stand out to you on my blog! I have chosen the colors teal & grey for a reason. Not only are they some of my favorite colors, but they also mean specific things that I hope transfer to your minds when you visit or think about my blog. But, how do these colors affect the way you feel about my blog?

It all has to do with, wait for it… Color Theory! Now, don’t be afraid, I am not going to go all Art and Design 101 on you, but basically in society certain colors convey certain meanings and for me, teal & grey convey a specific message to you (hopefully!) whether you realize it or not. Teal or turquoise, as the case may be, supposedly conveys an image of femininity and sophistication. Grey, on the other hand, conveys a sense of security, reliability and intelligence.  Since I write about lifestyle, career advice and issues that are geared towards women, I want my readers to feel a sense of reliability and intelligence in my writing. I also want them (you) to feel like this is a safe place as a sophisticated woman to share opinions with other like-minded women. These colors don’t just convey a message that I want to portray to the internet, but they also help me to attract the right reader to my site. After all, if I am writing for women but attracting only men, my message is lost!

Okay, so I have gone and explained to you what my blog color scheme means, but what good does that do you if your blog is blue and peach? Well, I can’t go into each and every color and what they all mean here, but I have a very handy one pager with the basic meanings behind colors pinned for you to review here. If you are still deciding on your color scheme for your blog, use this resource to help you design a blog that conveys a message that reflects your blog and your ideal reader! If you already have a blog, use this resource to see if your current color scheme is saying what you need it to say and attracting who you need it to attract! You may find that you need to make some adjustments to your color scheme if you aren’t projecting exactly what you desire to the internet!

So, did the colors work? You tell me? Are you a woman, either in college or with an advanced education who considers themselves to be sophisticated, intelligent and career minded? If you don’t fit that demographic specifically, don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you are in the wrong place! Although I write for a specific ideal of a reader, that doesn’t mean that someone outside that sphere wouldn’t also find my blog useful. Remember, none of this is an exact science. So, let me know in the comments below if you fit my mold or if you’re outside the box a little! Either way I’m glad you’re here adding value to this community!

Blogging Career

Blogging 101: Choosing a Platform & Identity

Blogging-101-Platform-and-ID

Blogging 101 is a 10 part series where I share my tips and tricks for creating and growing a blog from scratch. This is the second installment in the series, and you can find more information on the topics of this series here.

Choosing a Platform & Identity

There are many platforms available on the internet for bloggers to choose from when setting up a blog. To be completely honest though, most blogging professionals would tell you that there is really only one solid choice to go with for setting up your site and that is self-hosted WordPress. Self-hosted means that you buy your domain name (for example, my domain is http://www.StrangeCharmed.com) and you purchase a hosting package from a hosting service (Blue Host, Host Gator, etc) and you set your site up via the WordPress.org framework, giving you nearly unlimited control over your site and the way it looks and works. Now, going the self-hosted route is going to cost you money, perhaps about $50-$100 a year depending on the services you choose but it is the only way to have total control over your website. Obviously, for someone starting out, making a decision to spend this sort of money on a site that isn’t making you any money yet may seem a little frivolous but it is the most highly recommended route if you are serious about your blog, growing your audience and earning any sort of income based from your website.

For anyone who is starting a blog in order to supplement an online business, you definitely need to go the self-hosted WordPress route for sure, no questions asked. From a business perspective, a self-hosted WordPress is the ultimate platform and will give your online business that finish and control that you really need!

Now, although I have basically laid out the one single platform that I highly suggest, I know it’s not necessarily the route for everyone.If you are starting your blog purely for fun and just want to test the waters with blogging, there are other free options available. Before I went self-hosted, I used Blogger which gives you the blogspot.com domain you may already be familiar with. I enjoyed my experience with Blogger so I would recommend that platform if you want to go the free route. Also, there is a free platform associated with WordPress, which is WordPress.com where you can set up a free site similar to Blogger. Either of those two platforms will help you get started with your own personal blog and will give you enough choices and customizations to get your blog up and running!

If you are going the self-hosted WordPress route, I highly suggest checking out this book that I have blogged about, which will basically walk you through the process of setting up a site if you don’t feel confident doing it on your own. As for setting up a Blogger or WordPress.com site, both platforms basically walk you through the process so there is no technical know-how that you need to get started!

Okay, now, let’s move on to the second part of this discussion, and that is choosing an identity for your blog. When I say identity, I mean the name, url, and social media account identities you will be using to help support and promote your blog! First and foremost is your blogs title and domain name. Sometimes I think that choosing the right name for a blog is one of the hardest parts to starting one! Your blog’s name needs to be something simple enough for people to understand and clever enough for people to remember. On top of that, it also needs to convey an image about your blog to people so that they understand what your blog is all about, even if they have never read it before. Now, if your blog happens to be about you and your personal style, interests, business or life in general, using your own name for your blog is usually the best way to go! If you are blogging to support an established business, using the business name is the route you should take. However, if your blog isn’t as cut and dry as that, you may need to pull out a dictionary and thesaurus and start playing with words until you come up with something that you feel comfortable with.

There really is no magic formula for coming up with a great blog name, take my site for instance. I wanted my site to be a place where I could share all my quirky lifestyle tips with other women who needed career advice, daily inspiration and a dose of fun! One day, my husband and I were discussing name ideas for my site and we were playing around with the word “quirky” since that was the one word that I always though fit my idea of my perfect blog! Discussions of “quirks” quickly turned into a discussion of “quarks,” (you know those fundamental elements that constitute matter,) and suddenly strange and charm (two of six types of quarks) were a front-runner for my blog name. Strange and Charm, however, seemed to vague and too scientific. So, it was changed to Strange & Charmed, which seemed like a much more logical phrase. For me, it just seemed to work in my mind and in my heart, and so it became the name of my blog. Now, like I said earlier, I wasn’t self-hosted when I started Strange & Charmed so my url of strangeandcharmed.blogspot.com turned into strangecharmed.com out of a lack of options when I moved my blog over to WordPress. StrangeandCharmed.com wasn’t available, so we had to drop the “and” from the name out of necessity.

Luckily for me, I think it works fine without the conjunction, but because of this scenario, I caution others to make sure they secure their domains first before they fall in love with a name for their sites, and that includes Twitter handles, Instagram accounts and all other social media you plan to use for your blog. Secure everything before you start blogging, if you can, so that it makes it easier for you to keep a consistent name and brand everywhere you are online!

 Have you started a blog recently? Which platform did you choose and how did you come up with your blogs name? Feel free to leave a link to your blog in the comments below so we can check it out!

Blogging Career Productivity tech

Ladies Work It!

Ladies-work-it

 

So far this year, I have been ridiculously obsessed with productivity and since I have just started my Blogging 101 Series, I though now would be a great time to give you all a little bit of office eye candy! I love functional and feminine stationary and accessories that keep my desk looking cute and my mind focused on the tasks ahead of me. So here is a glimpse of some of my favorite items I like to keep around during my 9-5 hustle!

What are some of your favorite office supplies and desk must haves? Let us know in the comments below!

Blogging Career

Blogging 101: Why Should I Blog?

kate-spade-agenda

So You Want to Be a Blogger?

If you are considering or have already begun the process of creating a blog, CONGRATULATIONS! I love blogs, bloggers, and blogging personally! Heck, I must love it if I have been doing it since 2008! Blogging isn’t exactly what it used to be back then, today, it’s a much more serious and competitive environment than it was when I began, but that really shouldn’t deter you from following your passion and giving it a try! So, that is where I come in! I have picked up a few tips and tricks along the way that I thought I would share with any of you who are interesting in (a) starting a blog; (b) improving your own blog; or (c) learning more about blogs and how they work! Unfortunately, what I cannot tell you is the magic secret to becoming a professional blogger, because, heck, I am still trying to figure that one out (spoiler, I don’t think there is any quick or sure-fire way to become a full-time pro blogger) but, I can give you some tips that I find work for many of the professional bloggers out there! Sound good? Great! Then let’s get started!

In order to dispense all my blogger knowledge to you in easy to understand and bite sized pieces, I have decided it best to make this a 10 part series that will publish every Monday starting today! In addition to that, I am hoping to post some little extra’s throughout the week that may supplement that week’s post or just be helpful for anyone who wants to blog, so make sure you check back to my blog everyday to see what other goodies I have for you on the subject! Follow me on Bloglovin to make keeping up with my feed easy for you!

Now, since I know many of you will want to keep up with this series, I am also going to list out each of the 10 lessons here in this post so that you can bookmark this post specifically, and each week that I post a new entry I am going to link it in this post so you can use this as a reference to keep track of everything I have published! The 10 lessons are:

  1. Why Should I Blog?
  2. Choosing a Platform & Identity
  3. Content is King
  4. Organization Tips for Bloggers
  5. Software & Hardware Basics
  6. Advanced Software & Hardware
  7. Social Media
  8. Photography 101
  9. Networking
  10. Monetizing your Blog

So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Why Should I Blog?

If you are reading this, I can only assume that you are either one of my regular readers or you have been searching online looking for information on blogging! If you identify with the latter, you most likely have been thinking about starting a blog or have done so, and hopefully I can help you find some sort of inspiration or direction if you want it! Blogs are a wonderful form of media that many people enjoy both writing and reading. What you may not know is that the history of blogs is actually rooted in a very simple notion. The word blog itself actually stands for web log, in other words, blogs were initially created to be places where people basically kept or shared information. That’s it! The earliest blogs were really more like online journals, where people would just write diary style entries about whatever they wanted. Today, blogs are usually a little more complex, with the most popular blogs actually diving into specific topics or niches and posts are often filled with pictures and videos to supplement the written content. But let’s go back to the concept of the web log as a place for people to simply chronicle their lives and/or interests. Blogs are a wonderful form of expression. For many they are a creative outlet or hobby that allows them to impart their knowledge, expertise or opinions on the internet. Although many blogs are ran as hobbies, others are ran as or to support businesses, helping people develop skills and network with customers, clients or colleagues.

Now, I understand the hesitation that some people have for starting a blog. I know there are so many blogs out there that it may seem like such a saturated market, and of course, having your thoughts and opinions out there on the internet is something of a daunting thought. You have to remember, though, that your blog can be whatever you want it to be and you can talk about or not talk about anything you want. Don’t let the number of blogs out there in the world discourage you from sharing your unique point of view and interests with others. I for one read many blogs and am always on the lookout for new, interesting ones to read, so the more the merrier in my opinion!

So, should you start a blog? That part’s up to you, but I can give you a few words of advice as someone who has been blogging for nearly six years now. I suggest that if you want to start a blog, you figure out what you want to blog about and how you are going to express yourself, either by written posts alone, or with the support of images and video content to best express your message to the internet. I suggest you keep a regular and consistent schedule for your posts, so if you start, make sure you are committed enough to see your blog through. Finally, I suggest that if you start a blog that you fill it with posts that you love and things you are interested in. Write posts that you would want to read and discuss things that you love with a passion! Above all else, have fun with your blog and it will shine through! Whatever happens with it, whether you develop a small, intimate following or become the next million page view success story, as long as you had fun in the process and stayed true to yourself and your interests, you will regret nothing!

It’s really as simple as that! So start thinking about your interests and passions and if you would want to turn those into a topic for a blog. Next week I am going to dive into some of the more technical aspects of starting a blog so that you can get your ideas up and running in no time!

If you have started a blog recently or are planning to start one in the near future, please leave me a comment below telling me all about your blog and even leave a link if you can! I love discovering new blogs and yours could very well become my next must read!

Blogging lifestyle

Blogshop Online Recap + 5 Things I Learned

Blogshop

A few weekends ago, I took part in the first official online Blogshop class! Back in November or December, I had seen an update on Bri Emery’s blog {DesignLoveFest.com} that her infamous course teaching photoshop skills to bloggers was testing the waters with online courses. Normally, Blogshop, is an in-person two day workshop that costs around $700 dollars per person to attend. Earlier in 2013, when I came to the decision to attend Blogcademy (another two day in-person workshop, this one dedicated to helping bloggers create awesome blogs)I had to choose between Blogshop and Blogcademy because I just couldn’t afford both! So, when I saw that the initial test group for this online Blogshop course would only need to pay about $200 for the complete course online, I knew I had to jump on the opportunity.

Initially, I wasn’t 100% certain of what to expect from Blogshop. I had been using Photoshop for years and thought that I knew how to do everything I needed to know how to do. On top of that, my husband is a graphic designer, so usually when I don’t know how to do something, he does! Still, after watching a few of the Blogshop promotional videos and recaps, I began to get the impression that even those skilled in Photoshop would learn new tips and tricks to help them specifically with their blogs. So I went for it!

Now, after having finished the online course, which pretty much consisted of a solid 3.5 hours of video teaching and then breaks to work on our own examples, I can safely say that I did learn many new skills that will help me be a better blogger, however, a majority of the content I was already familiar to me and put to practice on my site. I was definitely glad that I got the chance to partake in this online course, because for me, its all about learning new skills and new ways to make my blog awesome, so the fact that a majority of the content wasn’t new to me really didn’t bother me because I did learn some pretty valuable skills that I don’t think I would have learned if it wasn’t for this course.

To give you guys an idea of what a seasoned Photoshop user learned from the course, I am going to list the 5 Things I Learned from Blogshop!

  1. How to quickly (and easily) create a GIF!
  2.  How to add texture to text and just about anything else!
  3. How to edit photo’s with masking (and achieve some really awesome affects)!
  4. How to lighten and brighten my photo’s instantly (without the use of a Photoshop action)!
  5. How to create a collage or mood board in Photoshop (bye bye Polyvore)!

Well, do any of those skills sound like something you would like to learn? I certainly didn’t even realize how monumental learning this skills would be for me personally! I can’t wait to start putting this knowledge to use on my own blog because not only did I learn new skills that will help me create better content, but everything I learned only took a few minutes to achieve. My mind was literally blown when I realized how quickly everything took once I understood the way certain tools worked!

So, you’re probably reading this waiting for the part where I tell you whether or not Blogshop is worth it for you? The answer is really up to you, and the IHeartBlogshop website does a better job than I at explaining what you will get out of the course, either in person or online! For me, I think I made the right choice with the online class where I picked up a few valuable skills I was missing that will really help me boost my blog! I do think there is something to be said for taking the in person course, however, where you really get a chance to network with other bloggers in your area and bounce ideas off each other! As for a Blogshop vs Blogcademy overview, I will be working on that for you guys, so expect that in the near future if you are on the fence whether to take Blogshop or Blogcademy (if you can only afford one)!