Being an authentic blogger in a world full of fake online lives can be difficult. It’s not easy to feel like you can be yourself when we are constantly told that we should be a certain way to be liked. Authenticity can be really hard to come by, especially when it comes to relationships and on social media. Everyone loves to put on this persona online, and its one that I will not get behind. Being an authentic blogger is something I have grown to learn. When I first started back to blogging I found it hard to open up to my readers. I still keep alot of my life private, but choose to share the vulnerable parts of me in hopes that it will help others.
Doing this has helped me so much in feeling more comfortable. And has enabled me to become the authentic blogger I feel I am today. Not all bloggers are like this though. Their platforms are built on copyrighted content and ugly personalities. And let me tell you, you will. not get far in your blogging career behaving that way. I’m no saint, and I’m claiming to be this perfect blogger that gets it right 100% of the time. I have made my fair share of blogging mistakes, and have openly admitted to them on many occasions. I think authentic bloggers are few and far between, and thats why I wanted to share this post. So that new bloggers will know what’s expected of them, and also what will help them to grow into the bloggers they aspire to be.
CREATE ORIGINAL CONTENT
It’s no secret that the blogging world is very over saturated. Its near impossible to create content nobody else has thought of. Creating original content, is simply you sitting down and typing out your post. Its not taking ideas from other bloggers and using their words as your own. I have never spoken about copyright before, but it something thats really important in the blogging world. It’s a law and an offence to use someone else’s work and claim it as your own. If you want to be an authentic blogger, then it’s important that the content you post is yours. Re-sharing or re-blogging content is perfectly fine, because you are not claiming their posts as your own.
When I first started blogging I had no idea about laws and copyright. I thought it was okay to seek inspiration from other bloggers work. I’m not saying that I copied and pasted anybodies writing, but I soon realised that you wont get far in blogging if you are only using other peoples ideas. It was a learning curve and one that I really hate when I see it happen to other bloggers. I don’t think its happened to me yet (thankfully), but I’m sure my day is coming.
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SHOW VULNERABILITY
Something I found hard when blogging was how to be vulnerable. I found it so hard to open up on my blog, but when I did it was so well received. Being vulnerable on your blog isn’t something that alot of people feel comfortable doing, and I get that. It was so hard for me to first open up, but once I did. I realised that it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. I think one of my worries was how my audience would receive it. The post I shared about my best friends funeral was the first post where I truly opened up. I had held onto that post for nearly 4 years before deciding to post it. It was almost like therapy for me after I did. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
Being an authentic blogger is about more than sharing your birthday or your middle name. It’s about being raw, and real and sharing parts of you that you haven’t ever shared with those around you. Similarly, if you don’t feel comfortable sharing vulnerable things. Thats okay. It doesn’t make you any less authentic than the next blogger. Always do what you feel comfortable doing.
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BE YOURSELF
This sounds obvious, but I notice alot of bloggers fail to do this. Some people come into blogging wanting to be the next Zoella and seem to put on this mask and be someone they are not. Your readers will see through this, and will figure out what you are doing. Blogging is special because you don’t have to have a certain look, or personality to make it as a blogger. We accept any and all people. And thats what I love about this platform. We don’t discriminate.
Being an authentic blogger is about sharing who you are and being proud of it. It can be hard to be yourself in a world full of fakes and phoneys.
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ENGAGE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
Remember that your audience plays a key role in the success of your blog. If they stop coming, then your blog will fail. Engaging with your audience is one of the most important things to do. Especially if you want to be a pro at blogging. Engaging with your audience can look very different for different people. It could be replying to comments on your posts, or visiting other blogs and networking. It could be interacting with your followers on social media too.
Being an authentic blogger is making sure that you don’t let the numbers get to your head. And it’s about making sure that you support and love on your audience as much as they do to you. It’s a two way street here. If they support you, then you should support them too.
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Do you feel like your an authentic blogger? What are some things that make a blogger authentic?
It can be hard in todays society to be anything but yourself. We live in a time where we are made to feel inferior, and less than if we don’t look or behave a certain way. My friend, you are who you are and we love you for that. Keep shining your bright light on this world. We need more of it.
Olivia x
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You’re right. You need to be true to yourself no matter what anybody else thinks. The number of likes and followers isn’t everything (which is just as well as for me) 🙂
Your right!!
Likes and follows literally mean nothing. They’re numbers on a screen, and we need to remember that!
That’s so true!!
I so agree! The numbers dont matter its more authenticity which is crucial 🙂
Great post! I think a lot of bloggers imitate their favourite bloggers when they’re starting out and learning how to do it. It can be hard to be yourself on the internet but once you have a grasp of the world and how welcoming it is, being yourself is definitely best.
You’re right, I think its quite a common thing to do. Especially when you’re so new at blogging, you want to get it right!
So true!
My blog is all about me, my thoughts and my feelings. Unfortunately I barely have time to write the things I want to write and do all the other admin bits we have to do, so I’m not about to waste my time ripping off others. You have to be true to yourself, it must be draining trying to be someone you’re not. I don’t earn anything from my blog and I’ve stopped worrying about stats. It’s for me, it’s a bonus others read it 🙂 thanks for sharing!
You’re so right! Running a blog is so time consuming, probably why people think its okay to imitate others. Saves them the time!
I’ve not come across this yet, what’s the point in copying someone else? If I thought someone was imitating my blog id be having words then naming and shaming.
Will have to check you out, sounds like you’re a blogger of great integrity 🙂
Amazing post. I definitely feel like an authentic blogger now but there’s definitely been times in the past where I’ve felt that authenticity slipping away from me. It’s important to act and figure out why when that happens so you can come back to you!
I have felt like that too, I think alot of us have to be honest. As we grow as bloggers, so will our writing style and everything else. Its all a learning curve!
I love this post! Trying to leave behind the idea of being the “perfect” blogger with the “perfect” life is hard but once you take the step of not worrying what other people think it makes it easier to be more open and yourself 💕
It can be so hard, especially when other social media platforms promote perfect lifestyles! 🤪
What a great comment Bethany x
Great post Olivia!! I would like to do a guest post on your blog!
Thanks so much :). I’m not accepting guest posting at the moment.
Your welcome!! Ok, could you let me know when you are, I am really interested in doing one 🙂
Authenticity is something I value highly, both in blogging and in life. There are too may fake people in the world.
I try to be very open and honest on my blog. I write content I feel like writing, not what I think people want to read. If people don’t like it, they are free to disagree or not read.
Thats the best way to be Michelle. Its important to be ourselves when posting anything online and in real life, like you said too!
I just got from a human
without an answer from him to my text
a resounding, justified slap in the face – get
what I’m ashamed of
For me, my lyrics are
a public confession
of my ineradicable sins
I am not a judge of good and bad
I have enough to do with my self-doubts
i don’t want success
I want to be able to tell my story
i don’t want friends
no followers
i’m a simple person
nothing else
Lovely! Thanks for sharing this!
I’ve only followed you for a short time Olivia, but your posts always seem authentic. They also offer helpful information for those of us getting started. Thank you for opening up with your thoughts and sharing your stories. ♥️
Thanks so much Kathy, I really appreciate it!
I try my best to remain true to myself. If you aren’t being true, people can tell. I do though try to have a bit of a boundary more to protect the privacy of friends and family over mine.
You’re so right. People see through it!
I love this post. Everything you said about authentic blogging is true. I really do try to be as transparent as I can too, and just tell things as they are while being respectful. Nothing annoys me more than stolen content.
Its really hard to police it aswell. Because unless its word for word, you cant prove they have taken it from you. It must feel really disheartening
Authencity is so important.. There are so many fakes out there and no one wants to be around a fake. It’s taken me time to accept me for me and not try to morph into someone else just to be liked.. I am who I am and the people who like me for me are the ones I want in my life ☺️ thank you Olivia for being authentic and sharing the best ways to follow in your foot steps for us newbies ☺️ I really love your posts 💖
It can be so hard for you to remain authentic especially when you first start out at blogging. You’re right, you can try to be like someone else. But that wont get you far. You need to be you!
I so agree and I will keep striving to be me ☺️
This is all so true and will definitely keep a spark between you and your readers.
For sure!
Thanks so much for writing this! I do truly feel like I’m an authentic blogger and sometimes don’t understand why I have such a humble following 🙂 I’ve had my blog since 2017, and have gotten the hang of things over time, but yes, I try very hard to be authentic. How long has it taken for you to get your following?
Im so glad being authentic is so important to you. As it should be to all bloggers.
I started blogging in 2015, and then stopped for 4 years. I came back in July 2020 and rebranded with 160 followers. And have grown to the size I have now 🙂
It’s so, so beautiful, congratulations 😘
This is a great post and obviously shows that you’ve had some experience doing this. One thing that I’ve found with blogging and authenticity is that the reader wants to know a bit more about the true me. I’ve gotten into the habit of every once in a while putting up a personal –not so perfect–picture of myself. I’m not all made up or coiffed…the reader can really identify. They also love my dog.
Stay real.
I love this idea! It gives another level of personal that I think blogging sometimes needs!
It really does take the blog to a more personal level. Pix don’t need to be super personal but just real. If you know what I mean.
Well said!
Thanks alot!
Great post Olivia. I love to write about my personal experiences, my thoughts which makes me feel great because it’s all about my life and no one can write about that because they never know the stories. But every time I can’t open up everything but I try to write something where my readers can get connected to it.
Sometimes its not possible to really let your readers in, and thats okay. Some things should stay private!
Very true Olivia 🙂
Great post!
I only realised recently that I got distracted, and was creating content due to the situation we’re all in, and not in my niche. The content I put out I hope is useful, but my passion is natural hair. And wanting to recycle information learnt in many free webinars I have be doing to learn and better my skills., and create blogs with that information. But like I noticed they were distracting me from my passion, but I also think it’s because research is needed and it did put me off slightly, hence why I created easier content. Life
Brilliant
Thanks for sharing these amazing tips!😄
Being yourself is more important than ever! I feel that it’s good to show vulnerabilities to show people that they are not alone in whatever they are going through. But at the same time, there are parts of my life I choose not to put out there. It’s a balance that every blogger has to establish. Great tips also, Thank you for sharing this post.
So good, Olivia. I agree, it’s better to be authentic than an imitation. You don’t have to put every life secret out there, but people come to blogs to read what the writer has to say, not the same thing five other writers have said.
riveting post ! i think that being an authentic blogger can be really difficult at times especially when you bare yourself and don’t get as much positive feedback as you hoped, i will definitely be trying these out ! thank you for sharing ❤️
This is such a great post Olivia! I always was never sure how much of my life I should put online (especially being anonymous) but it’s totally true! I’m quite a bubbly talker which is why I tend to use exclamation marks a lot! Great post!! <3
So true! Thank you for sharing this! 👏🏽
Nice one
Good ideas
Thank you for your informative posts. They help understanding this colorful blogging world a bit better. I believe (and know speaking for myself), that it’s tough getting started and getting the hang of things. Therefore I appreciate finding support in articles like yours. Much love ❤️