All About Blogging
I love answering your questions. Being able to interact with readers whenever I can is super important to me and is one of the most exciting things about blogging. When it comes to emails and private messages, most are concerning social media, partnerships, and blogging in general. Last week, I wanted to open the floor to those who had questions so I could answer them for you today. I send out a Google form last week and last night I picked out some of my favorite questions and really thought out these answers. I hope you all enjoy and that they are helpful to you whether you are wondering about social media platforms or just how to get your foot in the door of the partnership world. If you have any further questions, please feel free to email me!
Q: Could you please explain the way a blog works. Do readers subscribe or get notifications when a new post is up? Or do they just check back daily?
A: I write a post each day, or at least I try to! Because this blog is public, anyone can stop by! I do have the option on the sidebar to the right where every single time I publish a blog post, it will be sent directly to your email but I also have a lot of loyal readers who swing by everyday to read. I know there are a few of you out there who read DDoP with their morning coffee each day! You can keep up with me through BlogLovin' as well! Click here to follow along!
Q: Do you reach out to companies for partnerships or do they approach you?
A: A little bit of both. When I first started out, nobody knew who I was and I needed to really put myself out there. I would email a few companies here and there and I would get denied most often but sometimes, companies would take a chance on me. As I gained following through social media platforms, larger companies began to work with me then. As you get your name out there over time, the roles will be reversed and companies will approach you more than you approach companies. It is always important to have a way to communicate readily available for companies. Make sure that you have an email or a business contact in your social media biographies as well as a contact me page on your website.
Q: How did you come to advertise both yourself and your Instagram to gain followers?
A: I started Instagram with the intention of sharing my love for fashion and that was it. There was no ulterior motive to get "famous" or seek monetary opportunity out of it. I think that is an extremely important thing to notice. If you are in the blogging world and you don't have the passion for it, you won't go anywhere. When it comes to advertising for yourself, the key is to create captivating content that makes people coming back for more all while showing a little bit of your personality so readers can know you better. There are four key points that each blogger/Youtuber/influencer should follow in my opinion: communication, quality, consistency, and originality. You need to communicate with your audience through live streams, replying to comments and liking their photos back. You must have high quality pictures and posts; investing an a DSLR camera really took me to the next level. You need to be consistent, meaning that you need to keep at it. Post constantly, always be trying to best yourself and create better content than the day before. Finally, make sure you are original. Nobody wants a knockoff of someone else. Don't be afraid to show your style, personality, and creativity!
Q: How do you continue to make such cute outfits without wearing the same thing 2 times?! Do company's send you things or...?
A: I love reinventing looks. See, you think that I don't wear things twice but I wear a lot of things over again, just in different ways! I take a lot of my outfit inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram. I buy a lot of basics and versatile items so I can style them with a lot of different things. I pretty much buy all of my clothing on my own. Every now and then a company will send something my way but mainly things on my Instagram are just found on sale somewhere. Never feel like you have to pay a thousand bucks to look like a thousand bucks!
Q: How do you get more followers on your social accounts?
A: Social media can be a tricky thing and honestly, I'm still trying to master how best to use it. To help gain social media following I would do giveaways, collaborate with other bloggers, and focus on creating high quality content. Using hashtags and tagging people aren't a bad idea either when trying to get your name out there. Remember though, a solid social media presence doesn't come overnight. You have to just keep at it and work hard! If you do that, I promise it will eventually pay off!
Q: What do you recommend doing for sponsorships and brand deals if you are a smaller blogger?
A: Everybody needs to start somewhere. My first partnership was with a small vinyl monogram company. I then moved onto a company that would send me stickers, and then another that would send me promo items like koozies and pencils. It's okay to start from the bottom and work your way up. I do recommend taking a leap of faith every now and then and reach out to a larger company. After all, the worst they can say is no. I'm not saying to rep a sticker company for a month and then hit up Lilly Pulitzer or Vineyard Vines but I think trying to perfect a craft at a small level and climb the ladder is important. If you are a small blogger I would first iron out the details of establishing a schedule, taking pictures, and growing followers and then work on sponsorships. Work on the fundamentals and then add things in. I would email a few people though and just put yourself out there, be sincere and kind, and really show them what you have to offer. Include your engagement rate (followers to likes and comments) and all of your stats!
Stay Preppy,
Lucy
