Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Welcome to INDIE!
Blogging 101: Focus
By Elizabeth, Delightfully Tacky
I was first exposed to the world of blogging when, in the summer of 2008, I was living at home between my Jr. and Sr. years of college, working a kind of boring job and sort of just stumbled across fashion blogs. I ended up landing on The Clothes Horse and was incredibly inspired. I was reaching a point in my life where I was less self conscious and wanted to express myself more, especially when it came to personal style. Plus, there were all these really cool girls with blogs, and I wanted to be able to interact with them and comment on their blogs. So, I started my own, pretty much the same day I discovered blogging! I knew from the start that I wanted my blog to be a style blog. I slowly started getting into posting outfits, and posted wishlists of things I really wanted to get. As I continued blogging I refined my personal style and started really enjoying taking outfit photos. I also wanted my blog to reflect who I was, and so naturally I decided to include some text about my daily goings-on, my artwork, and other inspiration. I think my blog still retains a lot of the same focus as it did when I started it. I now post every day and it's probably evolved a bit, simply because I've grown up some since 2008 and new things happen in my life which affect the content of my blog (the Brave, living in Alaska, moving to Tacoma, falling in love, etc.), but I still love posting outfits, and I think most people would classify my blog as a personal style blog.
An important step to take when you're starting out as a blogger is to determine a focal point for your blog. Granted, you don't have to limit yourself to just one thing. Some bloggers have found success in covering a range of topics. Emily from Cupcakes & Cashmere has found a niche in covering both food and fashion. Elsie from A Beautiful Mess has everything from DIY, to fashion, to inspiration, to decor. The important thing is to give everything a cohesive feel. And even more important is to post about what you really feel passionately about. If you're not into runway fashion, but see a lot of bloggers posting images from the latest fashion week collections and think you have to do that to be a fashion blogger, think again! If you don't care about your content, your readers will notice and your blog will feel stale and contrived. Plus, you'll enjoy it considerably less if you post things that you have no interest in!
It might help to take a few minutes to sit down and write out things that you really enjoy. Then, after you consider those things, decide which things you would enjoy incorporating into your blog. For a while, my blog focused almost exclusively on outfit posts. Occasionally I would post something about my life, or art, or something else I found interesting, but for the most part I focused my blog on personal outfit posts. Some people love fashion, but are not really interested in posting about their own style, so they post inspiration photos, or street style. It's all about determining what direction you want to go in with your blog, and that's all dependent upon who you are!
This e-conference has a focus on fashion/personal style blogs simply because that's what Tieka and I have been blogging about for years and feel most knowledgeable in, but almost all of the information presented should be helpful to anyone looking to improve their blog, no matter what the focus. So don't think that this conference is going to teach you to be a certain kind of blogger, it's all about you figuring out what you want your own blog to be about, and then using the tools we present to make it the best blog you can make it!
One important thing to keep in mind, as you blog, is that you are a human being and by necessity, you will change. As you grow and change, so will your interests. Don't let your blog keep you from that necessary growth. Don't pretend to be interested in something that you aren't anymore. Don't let your blog hold you back from growing. Let it grow and shift with you. You might lose some followers by not posting as much of what they've grown to expect from you, but that's never a good excuse to keep yourself in a shell you've outgrown. Make your blog work for you, not the other way around!
Blogging 101: Voice
by Elizabeth, Delightfully Tacky
Unless you are strictly a photo blogger, it's likely you will be composing some sort of text in your post. Are you going to be a more verbose blogger, or are you going to let your photos do the talking? What kind of voice are you going to take? Colloquial, as Vintage Virgin does-- or more poetic, such as the way Rebecca from The Clothes Horse composes her posts? I like to write my posts in a very accessible way, very much the way I talk. I think this makes my blog a little bit more personal and helps my readers to get to know me more.
Take time to consider what you want to write about in your posts. Will you write about what's going on in your life? If so, how much are you comfortable revealing to the wide world of the internet? It takes some balls to put yourself out there with honesty, so be prepared for the occasional mean comment, it's the price you have to pay for broadcasting your life on the web. Just remember that the haters aren't the people who matter! They've made a conscious decision to bring negativity into the world instead of bringing a positive attitude. Plus, you have exponentially more people who give you positive comments. Focus on that!
Don't let it scare you from being genuine though. Bring your voice to the blogging community because no one has your voice, it is 100% yours. If you look around the proverbial blogging room and feel like you have nothing unique to offer, just think about how you are totally unique. There is no other blogger (or human being, for that matter) who can be you- who can say things the way you do, who has the life experience you have, who has the same creativity as you do. That's important! Never forget it.
Take some time to think about your limits. Will you swear on your blog? Will you talk about loved ones and friends? Will you post about your faith or politics? Will you talk about being a vegetarian or vegan?
Another thing to remember about writing online is that you don't have your tone of voice, inflection, or body language to help people understand you. All you have is text and photos, so make sure what you write comes across as clearly as possible, especially if you're trying to write about something important or controversial. Misunderstanding can happen easily on the internet simply because you don't have those physical and verbal cues to aid in understanding. Learn to communicate yourself accurately and effectively through your writing. This is kind of a learn-by-trial-and-error process. If it seems like people are frequently missing your point, not getting out of your post what you meant for them to get out of it, or taking what you're saying the wrong way, you may want to evaluate your writing and try to work on communicating better through writing.
Most important: be yourself. Don't write like another blogger just because you think that writing like them will get you lots of followers like them. Be you. Be confident enough in yourself that you don't have to emulate someone else for people to like you!
Blogging 101: What kind of blogger are you?
This is the biggest thing you need to figure out before you start your blog. Or, if you've already started your blog, it's something you need to deeply think about and make sure you're living up to. This session will be of great help to you to figure out what kind of blog you want to run! Most of the truly successful blogs out there have a clear purpose for their blog and expand on it within every post they create. Let's dive in!
There are so many different things your blog can be. It can be a fashion blog (which can even expand down to a shoe blog, a dress blog, an accessories blog, but make sure you don't limit yourself too much that you run out of topics within the first month!). It can be a food blog (baking, cooking, dinners, soups), but again, don't limit yourself, but you do want to have a clear focus. Or, you can mix and combine! There are amazing blogs out there that mix fashion and DIY, baking and sewing, vintage and film reviews. Just remember to take what you love and what you're passionate about and try to stick to those topics. If you choose a topic you're not passionate about, you'll run out of ideas and become uninspired. We don't want that to happen!
1. Fashion. You can do several things with fashion. You can post personal outfit posts, images from an upcoming line that you love, photos from a magazine or online photos you found that you love, wish lists of items you'd like to purchase, ways to put together outfits, video blogs on how to style a dress, the possibilities are endless! Choosing a broad topic like fashion will give you many options for posts so you shouldn't run out of ideas!
2. Cooking. A lot of bloggers mix cooking with fashion! Even though, they may not go hand-in-hand, they are both creative and both give you a lot of options to work with! You could feature a weekly recipe, show what you cooked for dinner last night, do a review of a cute restaurant or do a product review of something you use while cooking. Even though I don't read blogs like Jen Loves Kev for cooking, I am always interested in reading her Last Night's Dinner posts!
3. Vintage. Let's say you love vintage. It ties in really nice with fashion and personal style, but also opens up your blog to a whole other audience. You could post on cute vintage items you found thrifting, you could show how to clean up or repair a vintage item, you could talk about what to look for when shopping vintage, etc.! Plus, maybe someday you could open your own Etsy shop to sell vintage items? Again, endless possibilities. I'm very much inspired by Sally Jane Vintage for this style of blog.
My main themes are: personal style, love and adventures. I say personal style instead of fashion, because I don't really post much on fashion. I don't want to trap readers into saying I'm a fashion blog and they'll expect upcoming reviews of designer lines, or constant inspiration for what's on trend, because that's really not what I'm passionate about. I'm passionate about dressing for my body and showing girls what can work for more of a small-town girl that may not always be on trend. I also love to post about my husband and the things we do together, so I included love in my themes! He's a huge part of my life and I'm insanely passionate about him, so I never tire of talking about my husband! And third, a huge part of our life together is going on adventures. I like to take corny trips around the area and show readers that you can have fun in any little small town! Plus, it gives us endless opportunities for posts plus we're having a blast traveling around trying new things.
Make sure you figure out what makes you unique. You don't want to take your favorite blogger's blog and replicate it. You'll never stand out. You need to find what makes you you and work on it. Let's say you love fashion, old films and 1940's fashion. Expand on that. Take those passions and embrace them in every aspect of your blog... from content, to blog design, to features! Nobody can tell you what your theme will be, it's the biggest thing YOU have to figure out. Take what you're passionate about… and write about it. Find your niche in the blogging community!
Blogs that lack theme, purpose or thought can be boring or get lost. Readers won't know what to expect when they come to your blog and will quickly click off if they don't find what they are looking for within the first five seconds. Find your purpose and clearly state it on your blog and showcase it within every post.
1. Create a name for your blog that will encompass all of your passions you will be writing about! I chose Selective Potential because it was so universal and could grow in time with me. It can pertain to personal style, adventures and love, but doesn't limit me to those three themes… it gives me room to grow in the future if I want to expand to new topics! (like a baby in the future!)
2. Create a tagline! Say your blog is called "Flight of Fancy" and your tagline is… fashion, travel and everything fancy. You could post on fashion, what to pack while traveling, travel posts, photography, cute themed posts. You could even decorate your blog according to your theme and tagline! A tagline really helps readers know right away if they want to read your blog. Let's say one of the biggest aspects of your blog is writing reviews on films, but you don't really let readers know that you'll be doing so, they might be put off when you keep posting on film reviews and maybe they'll stop following. Be clear about your purpose!
3. The biggest thing is… how would you describe your blog to your mom, or friend, or co-worker? It should be very easy to define. "What is your blog about?" "Oh, you'd love it! It's about fashion, baking and travel!" "Oh, wow, I love fashion, baking & travel, I'll definitely check it out!". If your blog is a hundred different things, you might not have the focus and drive to keep at it, so don't overwhelm yourself with trying to cover too many topics. Keep it simple, driven and with a real purpose!
Good luck! xo, Tieka
BONUS: 10 Ideas for a Blog Post!
3. Going on vacation? Show how you packed your suitcase!
4. Show the inner workings of your closet in a fun video blog.
5. Have a fun DIY tutorial? Nail polish tricks? Share them!
6. Do a Q&A post! (Break it into different sessions!)
7. Show a tutorial! How to do your makeup, how to straighten your hair, you name it.
8. Post a weekly or monthly recap with lifestyle photos or things that make you happy.
9. Create a slideshow of your favorite outfits from other bloggers. (iMovie is the best and SO easy!)
10. Show bloopers of silly photos of you!
Blogging 101: Ethics + Etiquette
by Elizabeth, Delightfully Tacky
The topic of ethics in blogging is one that is slowly finding its balance. Since blogging is a relatively new medium with roots in both journalism and art, it's definitely had (and will continue to have) growing pains. Jennine Jacobs, founder of Independent Fashion Bloggers and The Coveted, has spent a lot of time working through the issues of ethics in blogging-- including having one of the panels of the Feb 2010 IFB Evolving Influence Conference focus exclusively on the topic. It was a very interesting discussion with many viewpoints presented from both bloggers and professional journalists, and I highly recommend watching.
I believe you should generally follow the mantra, "honesty is the best policy." As long as you are upfront with things, you should run across a lot fewer ethical and etiquette issues. Here are a few specific areas where ethics and etiquette are often involved:
Courtesy Items
For some of you, you'll have to deal with companies wanting to send you free things or writing sponsored posts. This is definitely an area that is pretty controversial when it comes to ethics. For some, they feel like accepting courtesy items will always negatively affect the content of the blog, making the blogger some sort of shill for the company, believing that the blogger will no longer be able to write non-biased content regarding the company. I personally don't believe this is always the case, though I think the reason some people feel that was is due to the fact that they've seen it happen.
I make an effort to remain honest and open about the items I receive. If an item is of sub-par quality, or isn't what I expected it to be, I'll tell my readers that. I never want to con my readers into buying something from one of my sponsors by misrepresenting it. Your readers will start to realize your dishonesty and they will start to distrust you and your blog.
Legally, you must declare the kinds of advertising you do for profit. I always note when an item in an outfit post has been sent to me by a sponsor by saying it's "courtesy of" so-and-so company. It's important to do this, not only for legal reasons, but also to remain honest and up-front with your readers. Trust me, they'll always appreciate when you trust them with the truth.
You'll have to make a personal decision as to whether or not you want to monetize or accept free items. Think about yourself and decide whether you believe you'll be able to remain unbiased and honest. It's a big decision, so don't take it lightly! Bloggers who have poor etiquette and ethics in this area give all bloggers a bad name, so make sure to really take time to consider it.
Spam comments
Don't do it. It's annoying.
No really, it is. When you comment on someone else's blog, do it genuinely. Don't say something like, "OMG cute shoes. Follow me? http://myblog.blogspot.com." It will always come off as insincere and self-serving. I almost never click through to their blog simply because it really bothers me that they didn't seem to even look at the post. If you really think someone would enjoy your blog or believe you two have a lot in common with your blogs, go ahead and send them an email saying how much you like their blog and that you'd really appreciate if they would check it out. I'll pretty much always check out a blog if someone takes the time to email me!
Sourcing
Make an effort to always source what you post. Say you do an inspiration post every week, always make sure you have an accurate link back to the creator of that image or product (don't just source ffffound.com or weheartit, etc.). It's always nice to give the people who created those things credit for their hard work. It's also a nice way to send traffic their way. Remember to treat other people the way you'd want to be treated. If someone took a photo from your site and didn't source it back to you, you'd probably be kinda bummed out, right? Plus, this is a way to share more awesome artists, bloggers, and products with your readers, which they'll always appreciate!
Read the FAQ page or About Me page before asking
This isn't a hard rule, and I would never want to discourage a reader from asking me any question, but if you have a question about someone's blog, make an effort to see if they've already answered your question in an FAQ page or something like that. FAQ pages are there specifically because people have already asked the blogger some questions. See if you have the same question as someone in the FAQ, it can save both you and the other blogger a lot of time!
Auto playing music
Another "rule" that isn't hard, but I (and I know a lot of other bloggers I've spoken to) find auto-playing music really obnoxious. For one, you're probably already listening to music, and when you open the person's page, some cacophonous noise is suddenly erupting from your computer when the two songs start playing simultaneously! Or you could be sitting in a quiet coffee shop or library when *blam!* someone's favorite song is all of a sudden blaring and everyone gives you the stink eye. If you want to share your favorite music, do it in a playlist post like Kaelah or Chelsea. It's a great way to share your music without forcing it upon everyone who opens your page.
Dealing with mean/anonymous comments/trolls/etc.
This is an area that you should expect to deal with when you start blogging. It's the internet. There are tons of crazies out there and people, for some reason or another (it's a mystery to me) looking to bring. you. down. Don't let them. My policy is always, "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." If I don't like someone's blog, there's no need to write something mean or rude to them. Just don't go to their blog! Problem solved. Unfortunately, some people feel the need to tell you that they don't like you, or your blog. Don't let them get you down. Take the comment in stride and move on. Be graceful and rise above those people who would seek to bring negativity to your little corner of the internet. If you feel like you are a bit more sensitive to those comments, feel free to disable anonymous commenting! Or go ahead and require comment moderation. There's nothing wrong with doing that! However you feel you need to deal with in a healthy way. Consider placing a clearly stated comment policy somewhere on your blog so people know what you accept and what you don't Don't allow the mean comments to take over your mind when you've got so many more amazing comments from people who love your blog!
Links on ethics and etiquette to consider:
BONUS: Create a working environment
by Tieka, Selective Potential
A working environment is a huge deal when you have a blog! More than likely, you'll be working from home a lot and you need to set aside the distractions that might come from working at home. Create a little corner, clear off a desk, set up at the kitchen table… whatever it is, make sure you have a special working environment that suits your needs.
Personal story: When my blog was really starting to take off last March, I was overwhelmed! I had sponsors to track, packages arriving in the mail that were piling up in the corner of my office, papers to put away, envelopes and shipping materials I needed to organize, cards, jewelry samples, beauty samples, etc, etc, etc… all just piling up! I needed some major help. So… I took a little nook in our recreation room and created my very own blog studio. I know, silly right? But it's been a huge help in my productivity since I furnished and organized it. I went to IKEA and purchased some very inexpensive items (I'll talk more about soon!) and created my own little nook! I love going back there and when I'm back there… I know I'm in blog mood. Plus, I have everything I need at my fingertips (plus it's SO cute! I love showing it off!)
Steps to take to create a working environment:
- Find your space. Find a space in your home you can set aside for a work-space. Like I said, it can be a small desk in the corner, a mini end table inside a closet, whatever it is… find a space that will work for you. I'm lucky enough to have a little nook in our recreation room that I devoted completely to my blog studio.
- EMPTY your space. Huh? Seriously. Empty it. Bare. Nada. Zip. It is so helpful to see the area alone, with no clutter, nothing. That way you can map out where everything will need to go! (Plus it's a great opportunity to clean from top to bottom!)
- Furnish. You'll need a tabletop or desktop of some sort! That way you'll have your computer in one spot, along with sticky-notes, books that are of importance and anything you'll need on a daily basis. I also included an enclosed shelf where I can store giveaway items, samples that I throw into packages and other miscellaneous items I might need. I also have a filing cabinet full of cards, papers I need to store and a pen drawer for all of my writing utensils and supplies. Include a comfy item for visitors. I purchased a cute chair from IKEA with a footstool, but it can be something as simple as a floor pillow or bean bag. Plus, if you're flipping through magazines or need a comfy place to think, you'll have it right there.
- Purge. Before placing anything into your space, think about it. Are you putting a box in your space that hasn't been sifted through? It's full of old dust bunnies and calculators that don't work? Get rid of those items! If you know you're not going to use it, now is the perfect time to sift through everything and figure out what you need and don't need to keep.
- Organize. Purchase some inexpensive file storage. I have boxes, magazine files and binders to store all of my papers, envelopes, you name it. Tip: Find ones with a place to label the box! My most used boxes are: shipping materials, envelopes and letters I've received in the mail from readers/friends/bloggers.
- Lighting. If you're working on your computer a lot, you're going to want to avoid bright lights if you can. It strains your eyes to have too much light while you're trying to look at your computer screen, so try to place a nice warm-light. I have two lamps in my studio… a table top one and a paper lantern. They are both very warm and it's cozy and inviting to be there at night, reading blogs and catching up on emails.
- Decorate. You'll want to add personal touches to your space! Include pictures frames, quotes, inspiration, magazine rip-outs, whatever makes you happy. When you are stressed and trying to get through a hundred emails, you can look up at something… be inspired and get right back to work. I keep a magazine rack so I can stop what I'm working on, get into my cozy chair and read a magazine. I also have a magnet board where I can rip out magazine spreads or print off pictures from the web and put up on my inspiration board. Whenever I can't find an outfit or need something to inspire me, I refer to my magnet board. It's a huge help!
- Make life easy. Is there something you use every single day? Keep it out! You don't have to have a perfectly organized and clean space. Every single week I need the address directory for the Delightful Dozen. So, I printed out the address directory which is on a cute map and framed it by my desk! I refer to it daily and so not only does it work in a functional-way but also an aesthetic way! I'm also constantly using my calculator, so I keep it out and don't put it away. I also keep a cup full of things I need constantly instead of putting them into a drawer. My cup contains my favorite pens, a ruler, scissors, you name it.
- Keep your space cozy. For me, that means the lighting is right, there are no crumbs on the carpet and things are organized. If something bugs you… like how too much natural light comes in through the window, purchase an inexpensive pair of blinds! Keeping your space cozy and up-to-par will encourage you to continue to visit the space and maintain the space. The more time you spend in your space, the better it will become.
Now go.. create your space! Enjoy!!
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