Blogging Tips

What Equipment I Use For Blogging – 2015 vs 2020

by Olivia

So much has changed in the 5 years this site has been active. Back in 2015 WordPress was so much different, and the whole blogging world was seen as so much different too. AAlotlot has changed with the internet & so many other things surrounding blogging. Even my writing style and my blog content has changed so much since then.

In todays post I want to share the changes I have made to my blog, and even the changes in the equipment I use to run my blog, in the last 5 years.

WHAT I USED IN 2015

If you don’t already know this blog has been running since 2015. Originally my site was called diadem of beauty and I posted mainly about beauty, hair and makeup. I blogged for a year and then didn’t return until July 2020 this year and did a complete re-brand.

For blog writing in 2015, I used a laptop to write down post ideas and to write the posts themselves. I typically used wordpress to write posts but I remember using Microsoft word on occasion to write them too. I would write on my laptop on my bed which was probably not the best for my posture. I always wrote my blog posts so fast and would write & upload on the same day. Which is crazy because I would never have the time to do that today.

I didn’t have much of a schedule back then, I’d post as and when I wanted to. And looking back thats probably why I didn’t get many views or interactions. I wasn’t consistent enough.

For feature images I only used Canva. It was my go to for sure! I love how much creative freedom it gives you with your images. I also used to take my own blog images back then, granted they were not the best but I did it anyway.

WHAT I USE IN 2020

I feel like in 2020 I really stepped my blogging game up. Its actually crazy to look back and think about the tools I used for my blog in 2015 compared to now. What I used in 2015 really suited me and my blog at the time & I think its important that we grow in time. And naturally when we grow, the tools we use grow too. Which is why its so crazy to see how much different my set up is now.

For writing blog posts now, I use a computer, an ipad and a phone. I write from my bed, my office or anywhere really. When I think of a blog idea i write it down in my drafts to come back to later. I have found it so helpful having an ipad to write my posts on. I sit down all day at a desk for work so sitting there after work and writing posts really isn’t my idea of fun!

Consistency is for sure one of the big changes I have made since 2015, going from posting as and when I wanted to 5-6 times a week has made such a great impact on my views and follower numbers. Even down to the time i post, I make sure its the same everyday! Consistency really is key!

For feature images I no longer use Canva, but I do use it for other things when I find I need to make a collage or something like that. Majority of my feature images are from Unsplash. They provide copyright and royalty free stock images which you are free to use on your websites. Occasionally if i’m doing a sponsorship with a brand I will take my own images, or if its a post about me i’ll use pictures of me but any others are stock images. I’m really glad I made this switch as it has helped keep consistency in my blog & helped it to look more professional.

How long have you been blogging for? Have you noticed any changes in your blogging setup or writing style over the months or years?

Thanks so much for reading, it’s so good to look back sometimes to put things into perspective. I’m sure years from now I’ll do the same thing and be amazed at how much has changed!

Olivia x
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45 thoughts on “What Equipment I Use For Blogging – 2015 vs 2020”

  1. I found your blog this year and been in love with it since. I started blogging in 2017 and re-started again properly with a touch of consistency this year and I have seen a growth which I haven’t experienced before. Like you I have so much has changed and I have grown a lot from then blogging to blogging now in 2020 xx

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  3. Nicely done, and who couldn’t use the reminder about consistency. Yes!
    I’m not consistent, but do aim for 4 posts each month. What’s changed for me is that I can write an entire post from draft to publish on my iPhone via WordPress app! I used to only write via iMac. I just ordered a new Macbook pro though, so we’ll see if that improves my consistency (as I have had situations where the phone app doesn’t work). I really want to get better using the Scheduler in WordPress. 😉

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    1. The WordPress app is great isn’t it? It saves me so much time and being sat at a desk to write my posts!
      The scheduler is my best friend! By the end of the week, I have all my posts scheduled and ready to go for the next week. That way I don’t have to worry about writing or creating content over the weekend. Im a bulk writer for sure!

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  6. It’s great to read about how much your blog and blogging style has evolved since 2015. I am so impressed that you have a full time job and manage to do blog posts almost daily!
    Definetely agree about consistency – I’ve now found a day of the week that works for me to post, just getting my head round scheduling as it never seems to work! Xx

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  9. I opened this account in 2014, I tried blogging in 2016, but I couldn’t meet up at all cause of school and I had no idea what I was doing. I re-opened my big in 2020, I’m still trying to get the hang of it, and I still use canva for my featured image

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  11. I agree that having a consistent blog schedule helps so much with engagement, growing a following and really settling into a writing style! I noticed you had grown massively in a very short amount of time and that sort of pushed me into a re-evaluation of my content. Our blogs have similar niches but I find it incredible that you come up with so many diverse post ideas! I’d never be able to have so many posts up and written each week, although mine do tend to be longer than a couple minutes.

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    1. We should work together on a collab some time ☺️ Its a challenge sometimes but inspiration is all around us. I ask friends and family members what they’d like to see and get alot of ideas from them!

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  12. Nice post! My wife and I recently “officially” launched our blog about 7 weeks ago. I spent about a year and a half total before our launch, building our website myself from scratch. On day one, I knew absolutely nothing about building a website, and now we have what we have today. I was exposed to a plethora of tools and equipment through that time, and some are still very helpful to this day! We recently created an account with G Suite and used the shared Google Drive account for all of our writing. We can access any post from any device with Google Drive, and we can even be editing on the same file at the same time from different locations. It’s been a game-changer for sure! 🙂

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  13. When I started blogging luckily for me my friend gave tips on having large traffic on my blog but didn’t mention consistency. I figured out the hard way this year and thank God it paid

    I just found your blog last night and I must say you really have great contents 👍 👍

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  15. Hey, just like you when I started my blog back in 2014 I was not consistent at all and I would write whenever I wanted and mostly it was personal experience. But it wasn’t until about a year ago that I started to post more and this year I finally made a schedule! Can’t wait to read more from you. 🙂

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  17. Hi Olivia,
    Once again, great post you have here! I was wondering about guest posting on your site. I saw where it said to ask about it above, so I am. I just need to get more readers, I only have 68 right now. I’ve been doing this only since September, but I think I may be able to pull together something you would accept. I appreciate the consideration. Thank you!

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  18. Consistency can take many forms. While keeping to a schedule is ideal, and I totally agree with you on that, I think the most important thing is to be true to your unique voice and vision. Over time, your growing and evolving loyal followers, know they can rely on a certain style and attitude from you. At least that is what has worked for me. I decided many years ago that I want to have my cake and eat it too. I wanted a blog that I could consider a home base for all the things I do and want to do; all the things I want to comment on and share insight about. So, while my prime interest in comics and pop culture, I’ve created a big enough umbrella where I can go in many directions. The specificity of comics keeps me grounded. The freedom to roam keeps things from getting too narrowly focused. I love culture, high and low culture. I love all sorts of subjects. I do a lot outside the blog. And I enjoy maintain an ecosystem within the blog. My methods and tools have been steadily upgrading to where it’s hard to pinpoint all the changes. I guess a big change is tech, of course. For example, while I love the idea of a WP app, it still has a ways to go before it can really compete with the freedom of movement you get when working from a desktop. Right now, I am writing this on a Macbook Pro at my desk in my art studio. But, I gotta say, the ideal setting is still at my iMac in my office. I like to spread out and have all the controls and whatnot spread out and you get that with a desktop experience. I use a lot of original content and, even for images I use for review purposes, I tend to take them over to Photoshop for a last tweak or resize. Hmm, too much more I could say. Don’t get me started on photo from my iPhone. They come up fairly often. Basically, I like to mix it up quite a lot.

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    1. You’re very right Henry, I think everyone has their own way of doing things. And you’re also correct about how your following gets used to you and what you write.

      I’m thankful that I have made my niche wide enough that I am able to write about pretty much whatever I want and it’ll still fit in the theme of my blog.

      Agreed on the WP app, I think it can be really temperamental but I think its needed as I know a few people who don’t have computers and create all of their blog content on their phones which is amazing!

      Thanks so much for sharing that with us! Great comment and insights!

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