Blogging tips - what I've learnt over 6 years


I've been blogging since July 2014. I was 15 at the time and now I'm approaching 22. Over time a lot has 
changed, both personally and professionally. The blogging industry isn't what it used to be. In some ways 
that's good as it's constantly evolving, but now theres a lot more pressure on people to be perfect at 
everything. I've learnt a lot since I first started and in now way am I claiming to be the best, but reading a 
post like this a few years ago definitely would have helped me out! 

Photos are a main selling point - I love the writing part of blogging. Getting to express yourself through 
words is an amazing feeling, however your audience will see the photos first. Photography is constantly 
changing, so what is 'in' now might now be in a years time. It's nice to follow trends but also important to 
develop your own style and niche. I love to do a lot of flatlays, and make them super vibrant through 
editing. I find inspiration from other bloggers and instagrammers as well as on Pinterest

Post what you want, but still consider your audience - Over the years I've always given the advice to 
people that you should only post what you want. And I still stand by that. However if you are wanting to 
do this as a career and 'take it more seriously' then it's key to involve your audience. You can stick to your 
genres but ask your audience what they would like to see. For example, I post about beauty, lifestyle, 
mental health, sex and wellness which opens up a lot of areas for me to talk about. I often ask on my 
Instagram for people to send in what they would like to see, so I know what others are interested in.

There is such thing as too much - In the last 12-18 months I've started limiting what I post. I will only 
post 3 times a week on my blog, as that's what works for me and I find it isn't too overwhelming and I'm 
still getting great engagement from it. In regards to Instagram I only post 5 times a week (maximum), and 
once a day. I don't want to overload my followers feeds with all of my photos, and often social media can 
take over your life so limiting myself helps to separate work and my personal life with social media. 

Be authentic and real - If you see another blogger, getting 5k likes on their photos and are working with 
incredible brands, do not change yourself because of that. People follow along with what you are doing for 
a reason. Yes it's ok to take inspiration from other people, but changing yourself and what you do because 
it works for someone else won't get you anywhere. 

Don't be afraid to contact brands first - Although I've been blogging for 6+ years it was only at the 
beginning of last year that I started establishing relationships with brands. I was so afraid to contact brands 
that it took so long to get to the point of where I am. I get the majority of my work through reaching out to 
brands myself, instead of them reaching out to me. Don't be scared to make yourself known to brands.

Know your worth - This goes in hand with the previous tip, especially when it comes to paid AD's. It can 
be hard to know how much to charge brands for your work. You don't want to undersell or oversell 
yourself and end up with too less for all of your work or not work with a brand because you oversold 
yourself. Speak with other bloggers and look online to get an understand of what you think you should be 
charging. Knowing your worth it also important when it comes to blogging overall. You need to have 
confidence and belief in yourself otherwise you'll find yourself stuck. Know what you are worth.

xoxo
Lea-Mai

11 comments

  1. I love blogging and I love planning my content! I do the same and stick to a schedule. post 5 days on insta so I have some sort of social life over the weekend and recharge x

    Joyce | www.joycelauofficial.com

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    1. It's finding the perfect balance that works for you x

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  2. I still love blogging too and have now being doing this for 8 years, I have literally no idea where the time has gone. It is important to step away from it though, more particularly the social channels as they can sometimes take over.

    Amy x
    The July Rose

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    1. Gone by so quick, sometimes a break is not only well needed but well deserved x

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  3. Photos are so important, they're such a huge part of my branding.

    Gemma Louise

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  4. I still love blogging too five years in! I had a patch at the start of the year where I felt a bit wobbly but it's my passion and it's such a labour of love. I love taking photos and sharing and writing!
    Happy blog birthday girl!

    Rosie

    https://www.loverosieeco.uk

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    1. I'm going through that currently, thinks it's because so much is going on! x

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  5. Great advice from a seasoned blogger!

    www.upyourvlog.com

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  6. Wow congratulations on making it to six years- that's quite the achievement! These are all such important points, I don't think I post quite enough on my blog but I'd definitely rather opt for quality over quantity and knowing your audience is so important too, you're so right!
    Soph - https://sophhearts.com x

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    1. Thank you lovely! Exactly - quality over quantity any day x

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