Today I decided it was time to share a bit of my journey of being a full-time blogger, as I just passed my one year anniversary I feel that I’ve learned a lot…

Blogging is hard af

Blogging is hard, for real. There is a lot of work involved in almost everything you do– research, photos, writing , editing and then you have to learn how to pitch, how to create a media kit, a rate card…. The list goes on forever.

Expect long ass hours & days

When I first decided I was going to start blogging as more than a hobby I really had no idea what I was getting myself into, I quickly learned that between managing your social media channels, taking photos & writing content as well as responding to e-mails you could expect to work anywhere from 60-80 hours/a week. As I’m a workaholic I’ve found finding the balance can be incredibly hard.

Do your research before you start

When I first started I didn’t even know the difference between self hosted and hosted– the lesson I learned from having to make that dreaded change was do your research before your start: look into self hosting options from the start such as bluehost, wix, godaddy , squarespace etc.

It could save you hours down the road as well as keep your headaches to a minimum.

Hire a graphic designer or buy an etsy template you love but if you don’t know anything about coding (like me),  don’t try and learn in 3 days to build a new website- believe me, I’ve been there.

Writing takes a lot of time & research

For me one of the hardest parts of being a blogger is actually “blogging” , I love taking the photos, the events, the networking , Instagram and now Youtube BUT I find writing a post can be one of the hardest things to do depending on your skills. It takes a lot of time to be able to write a blog post that not only has an outstanding SEO but is also relevant and “on brand”.

Branding is hard , really hard

Always being on brand is tough, at least at first. For a while I really struggled to figure out what my brand really meant to me. I quickly learned that my brand was about who I was and I really needed to capture that– in March of 2017 I completely redid my logo, my signature and my site to best capture me.

Pink , flowers and colorful. I started branding myself with using words such as: unicorn, edgy & chic. Overtime the process of being more consistent with my branding meant being real with blogging, instagramming and all walks of life.

You have to create- consistently

This is one that I find I’ve personally really struggled with, for the past 2 months writing a blog was hard, I was uninspired and drained: burnout is the term that comes to mind. This is exactly where I was at… THANKFULLY I’ve gotten over that and as many of you know am back to creating.

Last weekend I went to Drumheller with the sole purpose of taking photos for my Blog and Instagram, I started a Youtube Channel & I’ve gotten back into content creation.

One of the things that has helped me most through working through my burnout has been going back to the basics of why I started blogging, what inspires me and writing about things I love.

There’s no guidebook

Actually there is, many. I’ve bought at least 10 and have learned the same thing in different words from each of them.

You have to be willing to push out of your comfort zone, work long hours and be different. You need to stand out.

ASK QUESTIONS

A lot of the knowledge I’ve gained has come from other bloggers and people in the industry. I’ve learned so much from just asking: opinions, advice, how to do things .. you name it! It’s helped me grow as a blogger and has been one of the main reasons I’ve had success. Don’t be afraid to ask.

Find a suppport group 

Having a support group can be so beneficial, it allows you to talk with other in the industry as well as bounce ideas off each other. For me having a support group has really helped me on the “off days” as well as when I’m in dire need of a girls night out.

Enjoy it

Last but DEFINITELY not least, enjoy it. Blogging can be so fun for so many reasons so make sure you take the time to enjoy it, bask in it and love what you do.

Photography was done by Sara Jewell 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out or leave a comment below !

Until next time…