5 Things Every Blogger Should Know in 2021

Don’t be afraid to re-define.

Just because you started out your blog with one focus such as fashion or beauty etc., doesn’t mean you have to stick with that if something else seems to be more naturally coming to the forefront.

When I first started my blog, I defined it as a fashion, beauty & travel blog, but I also sprinkled in home decor, fitness and more. I didn’t have one specific focus, and I wanted it that way because I have a lot of passions and things I want to share in different areas. I slowly started to define my blog as more of a lifestyle and travel blog because that is more all-encompassing of what I do and share. Something I had always wanted to add to my blog was recipes so I have started to share my favorite recipes here now too. And with the arrival of my son, I have become really passionate about sharing pregnancy and motherhood tips etc. so defining my blog as lifestyle encompasses that as well.

On the other hand, if you started out with one or a couple things you planned to focus on, but then really find that you primarily love sharing about travel for example or home decor etc. consider transitioning your blog to just focus on that one thing that you are great at and love the most. There is definitely something to be said for finding a niche and sticking with it when it comes to gaining a following!

At the end of the day, share what you love to share about, and that might change a hundred times over the course of your blogging career. Our lives change and take us in different directions. Our passions and focus change. So it only makes sense that our blogs will kind of morph with us as we do.

Constantly re-evaluate.

To be successful as a blogger, you need to constantly re-evaluate what is working for you, and what isn’t. This will help you determine where should you focus your time and energy so maximize your impact.

Whether you are blogging as your side hustle or are lucky enough to be able to do it full time, it is FULL time. You are probably pouring your heart and soul into your blog all hours of the day and the night {when I first started blogging I stayed up writing until 6am one night}! So the last thing you need to be doing is wasting time. If you aren’t aware of where you are getting a return for your time {and possibly money}, then you could be directing all of that towards something that is making no impact.

I won’t lie, this is one I still struggle with. But paying attention to my analytics on my website and other platforms and also asking my audience what they want to see has really helped me to re-direct and re-focus my energy to what is actually working for me. And keep in mind, that changing something that’s not working for you could be just as simple as no longer doing something {a platform, a niche, etc} that you aren’t truly passionate about!

Be adaptable.

This landscape changes practically by the minute between instagram algorithm and feature changes, new platforms like when TikTok and Reels were rolled out, brands updating their influencer marketing strategies, and so on. Because all of these things are out of our control, we need to constantly adapt.

TikTok may not be your cup of tea or your forte {I wouldn’t call it mine lol}, but with each new platform, feature etc. comes opportunity. That’s not to say you have to jump and do every new thing that comes about, but evaluate how it could work with what you currently do and where you want to go with your blog and affiliated social marketing platforms to determine if it’s something you want to pivot some focus onto.

Similar to my last point, continuously evaluate what is out there in this blogging and influencing world and how the space is changing so that you are ready to adapt and stay relevant and growing.

Collaborate.

That’s what this is all about really. It’s about sharing ideas, tips, inspiration etc. When I started my blog, I just wanted to share things with people that I thought would inspire them. I had always been a resource for friends and even strangers on certain topics, and I really loved being that for them. So I figured why not make it into something where I can share with more people.

But in addition to sharing with others, it’s important to learn from and partner with others to truly keep growing as a person and blogger/influencer. I have a couple group chats with other bloggers where we share tips, heads ups when IG is down, ask advice, build each other up and celebrate each other, and commiserate when needed lol. These chats and girls mean so much to me, and I would undoubtedly not be where I am today without them. They have also become some of my closest friends.

Also, I am part of the RewardStyle Facebook group, which is not run by RS itself but a group of girls who saw the value of collaborating ideas etc. and started the group. If you are on RewardStyle, I highly recommend you join because it has really opened my eyes to what other influencers and content creators pay rates are, terms they negotiate, brands they have worked with etc. so is a great business resource first of all. But it’s also a great community of like-minded creators sharing information, opinions and support and helping each other out.

On instagram, a lot of influencers and bloggers will band together for “share weeks” or giveaways which are also great ways to expand your community, make new friends, increase your following in your niche, give back {for giveaways} and be creative with your platform.

Lastly, just being open to learning from and being inspired by others’ content is so important. If you are looking to really grow as a creator and grow your blog into a thriving business, collaboration is a must!

Learn SEO.

This is obviously focused solely on the website portion of your blog. Learning SEO is so important to getting organic traffic to your website, which will in turn help it to grow and increase your earnings from affiliate links etc. Most importantly though, more traffic means more people seeing all of your hard work! That’s why you wanted to start blogging anyway isn’t it? To share your skills, thoughts, knowledge etc. and influence and inspire others, right?

So do some googling on SEO or even take a short course on it to pick up some tips. And definitely download the Yoast SEO plugin for your blog!

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Congrats on starting your blog if you have recently begun this journey and thank you for visiting if you are a seasoned blogger just looking to revamp or continue growing! Be sure to connect with me on instagram @sunseekinginstyle and send me a message letting me know how you found me!

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