When you first start out as a blogger there are so many blogging questions in your mind, because there is so much to learn. I remember feeling so overwhelmed when I really started to take my blog seriously. I kept seeing words like SEO and media kits being thrown around and I had no clue what it all meant.
Most things are overwhelming when you first start them, which is why I want to create this knowledge hub. So that it’s a place to go when bloggers have questions and they’re struggling to find the answers to.
In life we often forget about the importance of the small things that happen in life, and just focus on the big stuff. Those big pivotal moments in life get all of the glory, but when do we actually stop and focus on the small things that happen? Those moments that we take for granted and don’t think about, where is the big celebration for them?
These moments can come in so many different variations. It could just be the fact that you woke up and showered today when you couldn’t bring yourself to do it for a week. It can be anything! In todays post I want us to focus on those small things. No matter what they are, or how stupid we might think they are. If they are important to you, they are important to us.
As many of you know I really love using social media for my blog. I find it so beneficial to use and have shared the positives I’ve found from using Instagram for blogging. But with most positives there comes negatives, especially where social media is concerned. I find its such a blessing and a curse. It can be used for so much good but so much bad too. There is such a fine line between the good and bad though, that sometimes you don’t even realise that the bad is there.
I’ve been lucky enough to have mainly positive experiences when it comes to social media but have had my fair share of negatives too. But I know thats not alot of peoples experiences online.
Social media can be toxic and can be bad for you if you allow it to. Remember that you are in control of what you allow into your life. There should always be a line between your personal life and what you share online.
There are many things I’ll miss about 2020 , and thats a bold statement considering this year has been tough. We have been and still are living through a global pandemic. We have seen innocent people of colour die in the hands of those who swore to protect them. We have seen fires in several countries destroying homes and businesses. I mean I could go on and on describing the terrible things that have happened this year. But in amongst the bad stuff there have been some positives, and those are the things I’ll miss the most.
Instead of focusing on the bad stuff, I thought I’d end the year on a high. I want to share the things I’ll miss about 2020 as we go into 2021. And I want you to do the same too. Take some time to really think about the good stuff that has happened to you this year, even if it’s that you simply survived the year.
If you follow me on my Instagram, you will know I have shared my media kit before. When I asked my followers if they knew what a media kit was, alot of people said no. And when I look back to when I re-started my blog in July, I had no idea either. I remember finding a post about media kits at the time, and found it was so helpful to have a post that broke it down for me and explained in detail what it was.
A media kit is a portfolio type document that represents you and your blog. It’s something you use to sell yourself to brands. It’s important that your media kit is professional and sleek. And It should have all of the relevant information a brand might need to know about your site.
Be sure to keep reading as there is a freebie at the end of this post that I know you will be interested in!
Whether they are doing Blogmas or they are posting Christmas content, as bloggers we know now more than ever that we need your support. No matter the time of year or season, we are always striving to create good content for our websites. Theres something about Christmas content though that requires that extra level of research and time put into the posts.
There are alot of bloggers out there who have spend countless days and nights preparing for Blogmas and December. It took me nearly 2 months to write all of my 25 Blogmas posts. Some bloggers depend on their blogs for their income, and with that extra time they’re putting in, its up to us to make sure we are supporting where we can.
So for todays post, I thought why not share some ways you can support bloggers during this Christmas season. Of course these tips can be used throughout the year too, but it’s important to have a focus on the Christmas season. Because this is blogmas after all!
When I first started blogging my inspiration came from here, there and everywhere. I had a beauty focused blog, so it was pretty easy to find makeup inspiration all over social media. Now I find it alot harder to find inspiration for my posts. I think it’s because I worry about what I post and overthink it way too much. Which I know alot of bloggers do!
For this weeks open discussion Saturday I want to know where you find your inspiration. How do you come up with blog post ideas and how do you choose what you want to share with the world? As always I’ll share where my inspiration comes from then I want to hear from you!
We have all used the beloved unfollow button at some point in our lives, and don’t lie to me and tell me you haven’t. There is a reason why the unfriend button is there on every single social media platform.
Personally I utilise the unfollow button on almost every social media platform I own. I am always clearing out my online friend lists. Just like in offline life, we don’t hang around or be-friend people who are bad people, so I am a firm believer in not inviting them into my online space either. If I wouldn’t be friends with them in life then I won’t be friends with them online. We really need to normalise removing people from our social media platforms. So many people get upset and offended if they find out that you unfollow them. But alot of the time it’s just because of the content they post. If I don’t like it, I’ll unfollow you. It doesn’t mean anything other than that.
Today I’ll be sharing some reasons as to why the unfollow button should be used more and how it can help filter out that bad stuff!
Should you stay in your niche as a blogger? This is a question I have often asked myself, but more so now I have other bloggers ask me. Niche is a hot topic it seems like currently in the blogging world. Is it okay to step out of your blogging niche? Should I just stick to the topics I blog about? These are the questions I see all over the blogging space.
Blogging is full of many queries and questions and I feel like there is always something new to learn. I also feel like I am constantly changing and advancing my strategy, which is a lesson on how fast new things appear and how fast things become irrelevant. I thought today for open discussion Saturday I’d share my thoughts, and share the results I have had from moving out of my niche into what I do currently.
Remember this is open discussion Saturday, so as always I want to hear your thoughts and your own experiences of this too. So once you have read the post, leave a comment!
With December around the corner what better time than to share some of my favourite subscription boxes, perfect for Christmas gifts. Subscription boxes are a great and inexpensive gift to give at Christmas or any time of the year really. Alot of subscription box companies create bespoke boxes around Christmas, which I love. And today I’ll be sharing some of my favourites. If you aren’t familiar with what a subscription box is, its a curated box that usually has around 5-10+ items in them. They can be one off boxes or you can subscribe and recieve new boxes every month.
I thought this would be a great time to put out some Christmas content before Blogmas in order to give you a little teaser at what’s to come in the month of December. I’m so excited to be sharing these companies with you today, and hope you consider putting them on your Christmas list or gifting them to someone else.
A simply beautiful life is a new bespoke subscription box service. Their Christmas boxes are available from the 20th November – 22nd November and if you decide to order one, they will be shipped December 1st. They kindly gifted me a box so I could try their products! Everything arrived packaged beautifully and I was so impressed with the quality of the products in the box. The box comes with so many different items which is why I think it will make a perfect Christmas gift!
Each Christmas box includes: – 1 Customised Starbucks cup (first 20 people get free personalisation) – DIY Ornament (Multiple ornaments can be ordered where required) – Sageandclaydesigns pair of earrings (each month they feature a small business) – Several other surprises!
Prices: – $35 for one time purchases (Only $31.50 with my discount code *see below*) – $30 each month if you sign up for subscription (discount already included in $30 price) All prices include shipping (US only)
[GIFTED]
Here is their Instagram so you can keep up to date when they launch!
A Simply Beautiful Life have kindly offered my readers an exclusive discount on their Christmas one time subscription box. Use code ‘December10‘ to get 10% off.
The Degusta Subscription box is a snack box that arrives at your door every month. They fill the boxes with up to 15 products each month, and they’re all new products that are new on the market here in the UK. Not only do they include food items but new drinks too! The great thing about Degusta is that they have a gifting option, which is perfect for Christmas. It allows you to pay in advance for boxes for other people! How cool is that?
The Degusta box is £12.99 a month, which is such a steal considering shipping is included in that price too.
Degusta has kindly given me a discount code for you to use to get £3 off your first order. Use code ‘QZSK0‘ at checkout to save some ££!
If you’re a beauty fanatic like me then you will love this box. The great thing about their boxes is that you can look at previous months they have done, that way you get a feel for what the products included are like. What I really like about their boxes is that they include full sized items. So many companies try to get away with only sending mini versions of products, which sometimes make the boxes not value for money.
Glossy box have various different payment plan options:
Have you ever had a subscription box? If so what kind are your favourite?
Subscription boxes are really good value for money and such a great idea for those people in your life who are hard to buy for. I hope you liked this little blogmas teaser! Can’t wait to share the rest of my Christmas content in December.
olivialucieblake.com 