Mug: Old (some other cute ones are here, here, and here | Pens: Here and here | Sharpies: Amazon | Planner: Corie Clark | Planner Stickers: Here, here, here, and here
I know this post is LOOONNNGGG overdue. Life has just been so hectic and crazy, but here I am doing it!
A while back, I did a poll on stories to see what you were all interested in as far as blogging is concerned. So I thought I would answer the most common questions here: (disclaimer: I am by no means a professional and don’t have all the answers. This is just what has worked for me).
1. What camera do I use?
I use a Canon Rebel T6 SLR Camera, but I honestly believe the lens makes the picture. I use the 50 mm f/1.8 lens and have for the past 4 years.
2. Do I do everything myself?
Yes and no. I pay a sweet young girl to take my photos a couple times a month. My mom also helps me a lot! As far as the editing and running my blog, etc... YES! Blogging is what you make it and is like anything else where you will reap the benefits of how much time you choose to invest in it.
My number one priority is being a mom. So that comes first no matter what! I am still very much trying to balance it all and there are times where I fail at something, but that’s okay. I usually try and always invest in my blog while Hudson is at preschool, or if he happens to nap, or after I put him to bed at night. Yes, I may have to answer some emails here and there, but for the most part I try and do it when it’s not during my mommy time.
So needless to say, I only blog part time, and I am okay with that. I edit my own photo, create my own content, answer all my emails, negotiate brand deals, etc...
3. What do I use to edit my photos?
I use a preset through lightroom. There are a million presets out there, which is honestly the best investment I have ever made. It’s a one click magic, I have to make adjustments here and there, but has saved me so much time. And it gives your feed a cohesive look. You just have to figure out what kind of look and feel you want your feed and blog to look like and then go from there.
4. Blog Design and Templates?
I use the platform blogger and have from the very beginning! I used to have a blogspot.com webpage. It’s free and there are a ton of different templates you can choose from to create your own website.
Once I decided to actually give blogging a shot to bring in income and not just as a hobby, I knew I needed to make an investment in my website. Just like an other business (yes, it’s a business and we have to file taxes), you have to invest money in order to make money.
I actually was referred to a gal over Facebook who creates websites on the side (unfortunately, she doesn’t anymore) and together we created my website (all over the internet). I am not very tech savvy when it comes to starting something from scratch, so if you are interested in starting a blog, set aside some money and invest into your blog!
I know this may sound funny, but I guess nowadays you don’t need a “blog” to be a “blogger”, it is where we now have the word “influencer.” But, I do have to say having a blog opens up more opportunities and more income. If something were to ever happen to your social media platforms, at least you still have your blog for your followers to go to.
But to answer the question, I still use the blogger platform, and I bought my domain name on godaddy.com and pay a yearly fee for it.
And the most asked question...
5. How to bloggers make money?
This was the number one question I think we ALL get asked. So there are a couple of ways
#1: Through LIKETOKNOW.it which is you don’t know what this is, it is a free app that you download on your phone and create an account. When a blogger or influencer shares a photo through the app (which 99.9% of a bloggers photos on her feed and linked through the LIKETOKNOW.it app) all you have to do is screenshot the picture and as soon as you open the app, the picture you just screenshot will appear and you can click on the item you were interested in and it will take you directly to the retailers site. Or you can follow the influencer in the app and when you scroll through your feed (just like Instagram you will see all the new posts from influencers you follow). However, you don’t have to have the app in order to shop through LIKETOKNOW.it you can simply go to the webpage.
We get a VERY SMALL commission off those sales. So every time you shop my links, I sooo appreciate it! And if you can shop through my links at any time, it is helping build my dreams. Even though I have my own links I can make commission off of, if I see another blogger post something I want to buy I will use their links to give them credit.
So anytime time you see something we post, swipe up on the story, like the photo, leave a comment, and if possible shop our links. And don’t be afraid to DM us and ask us for the links too!
#2 Sponsored Posts: Okay I knot this is a big one and I could write a whole blog post just on this, but to sum it up...some followers and readers find this annoying. Now I will admit, I follow influencers who post sponsored content everyday and I’m like surely there is one brand or item that doesn’t work for you.
However I can only speak for myself, and truly only work with a brand that I would normally purchase the product from one my own. I can not tell you have many times I have declined PAID collabs because it wasn’t a fit for me. For example, I was offered a 4 figure deal with a wine company, and as much as I could have posted a pretty picture about it said how amazing it was, I don’t drink alcohol. And many of you would have not even known that, but I have to stay true to myself.
When it comes to skincare products, I also tell the brand that I have to try it out for 2-3 weeks before I can post about it. And if it doesn’t work for me, then I have to decline a paid offer. I remember getting a teethwhitneing kit in the mail and after using it a couple times I noticed I got headaches after each use....okay that’s not normal and there was no way I could accept that brand deal. So, there is alot behind the scenes you don’t see.
So yes, if you see a post using the #sponsored or #ad chances are we have been paid for that post. The word “gifted” means it was just sent as a gift to us. I have a rate sheet that has different packages at different price points that I send to brand who are interested in working with me. And we go from there.
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