4 Tips For Having a Successful Blog

I started my blog two and half years ago as a creative outlet for one of my biggest passions: fashion. I didn't have much direction as to what I wanted it to be or what I wanted to accomplish with it. All I knew was that I was inspired to document and photograph my daily outfits which eventually grew to encompass everything I love.

I took almost a solid year off when I found that blogging was becoming more of a chore and less of an enjoyable hobby.  I found myself sitting in front of my computer in frustration as I struggled to think of the words to say and it all felt so forced in the end. Only recently (in May) did I start blogging full-time again. This time around, I really took the time to re-evaluate my blog's purpose and hone in on what I hoped to accomplish with it.

Today I want to share some tips on having a successful blog that I wish I knew about when I started blogging:

1. Educate Yourself
I took an online webinar teaser course called 'Instagram with Intention' when I decided to re-launch my blog.  Although it was mostly targeted towards finding success with your Instagram account, it got the wheels turning on how to organize my blogging goals. Educating yourself is important because you can feel all over the place when you start a blog and rather than struggling through and learning what not to do the hard way, it's more effective to invest a little bit of time and learn from the experts who have been there and have knowledge to share!

You can also join blogging forums such as IFB to find tips for being successful with your blog or to network with other bloggers who have experienced similar feats.

2. Know Your Audience
If you take anything away from today's blog post is should be the importance of knowing your audience and writing with that audience in mind. When I determined who my audience(s) was, writing came so much more organically and felt a lot more genuine. It helped me narrow down my focus and really find my voice as a writer and blogger.

3. Be You
The next piece of advice which seems so plain and simple but I failed to follow the first time around is to staying true to you. I found myself saying yes to every collaboration request because I was so excited that businesses were showing interest in me. I would except clothing and items at times that I wouldn't personally buy or invest in if it hadn't been given to me. I would have a difficult time writing a post sometimes because I wouldn't be that excited about the product. It also takes away from your credibility as a blogger if you don't personally believe in or stand behind what you're blogging about - your readers will see that.

Being you also involves showing your personality or even getting personal at times. People relate to real people rather than the perfect lives that are often portrayed in blogs. People find it interesting and will come back to read the person they have gotten to know over time, if you're more personable in your posts.

4. Network 
This was another component I was missing the first time I launched my blog. While I would comment here and there and respond to occasional comments on my Instagram account, I didn't really regularly engage with fellow bloggers or readers of my blog. Not only does networking get your blog out there for others to see, you become a part of a community with shared interests and goals which in-turn can be very motivating and inspiring for you as a blogger.

As I continue to navigate the blogging world, I learn more about what works and what doesn't work, and you too will find that out for yourself. In the meantime I hope you can avoid some of the mistakes I made and keep these strategies in your blogging toolkit to use as needed!

Now on to today's outfit! With the recent heat wave we've been having lately, I comfortably traded in my jeans for jean shorts. I paired my shorts with a button-up chambray shirt, a choker (because I can't wear them enough), some caged sandals and a silk, lace-trim camisole.

O U T F I T  D E T A I L S:
1. Top: Joe Fresh
2. Shorts: Garage
3. Choker: Aldo
4. Sandals: 2020 Ave
5. Bag: Chanel
6. Sunglasses: c/o Clearly