Hey you! I've been dealing with some computer issues (yay) so this post is way later than usual. Yesterday on my Instagram I asked what personal post you wanted to see, and this had the most votes! I still can't believe I started my blog 4 years ago and my Youtube channel a year ago. Of course so much has changed (how could it not) but mostly importantly, I've changed. I've made a ton of blogging mistakes, but today I'm sharing 4 of them (for 4 years) and I'm sharing them in video, too!
1: Blog About What YOU Want
I started my blog because I wanted to show everyone how easy having a beauty routine can be. I wanted beauty to be accessible for everyone, and I wanted to dispel those beauty myths that I see every.single.week. Example: Preparation H won't do a thing for puffy eyes, ladies.
But did I start out doing a mostly-beauty blog? No. I thought no one but beauty fans would read it, so I blogged about everything else. It was a mess and kind of unpredictable as to what content I'd post. When I finally did move to mostly beauty, I lost readers who wanted just outfit collages or just my personal life, but this blog isn't about them. It's about what I like, so blog what makes you happy!
2: Bigger & Better Pictures
Cameras and Photoshop have now become a part of everyday lexicon, and of course, we are visual people. One of the biggest mistakes I made was my using my camera phone (all I had) for the first two years of pics on the blog. The pics were horrible and small, as Blogger automatically uploads in medium, and I never thought to make them larger. I know!
I don't have anyone to take or edit my pics, nor do I own a professional camera, but I can tell I have improved. I still have a long ways to go with learning pics and graphics, but I am truly proud at how much better they are now. You can have great content, but without great pics, the chances your post will get read decrease. I would also add a good blog design helps too with visuals.
3: Put Yourself Out There
Quick question: What's the difference between a magazine article and a blog? Short answer: with a blog, you feel you know the person, and maybe even trust her opinions. I've talked about this a few times before, but for the first year or so, you didn't see me on my blog. I wanted my blog to be a resource of information on all things beauty, but I didn't want "me" to be on here. It felt so self-centered. Ha!
Despite having a name for a blog title and blog address, there was no "Elle." Why? Since 5th grade on, people have felt the need to point out my physical flaws. Even to this day, it happens. If I have to deal with that in real life, why would I put myself out there to the world to be judged? Who would take beauty advice from an ugly girl? Look at the "big" bloggers--they are all gorgeous. Would anyone read what I had to say or just judge me first? I wasn't strong enough for that online ridicule yet.
I am so proud to say that I have worked so hard on this in the past year, and have certainly come a long way. I share more of myself on here (it is hard to marry beauty with your life in a post that isn't a mile long), started a Youtube (I was so nervous about my Southern accent. I would break out in hives after each video!), and I finally started accepting invites for blogging events.
Does it suck when I lost half my viewers after my first Youtube video last year when I was 40 pounds heavier? Yes. Do it suck when a pic of my coffee on Instagram gets twice the likes as a pic of myself? Yes. But at the end of the day, I love myself. And that's all that matters, which leads me into my last mistake:
4: You Can't Please Everyone
Hello, my name is Elle and I have been on a life-long mission to have everyone like me. But guess what? It is impossible. Impossible! No matter what I do, not everyone likes me, and that hurts. And that is just a part of life. To put it in a much, much bigger picture: name one celebrity everyone likes. You can't! Name a food everyone likes--you can't!
Things I tried: people wanted more reviews, so I did more of those, but then I got the same amount of people who don't like reviews. People wanted less drugstore, more high-end, and then I got complaints on that. People wanted videos so I started a Youtube last year, but it is my lowest-viewed content. I'm too conservative because I don't cuss or talk about my period. I'm too liberal because I posted pics of wine or because I accept everyone. Unfollow! I post too many pics of myself. I post too few. I talk too much about myself. I talk too little. You just can't win.
I know I'm a nice person, have great content, am knowledgeable, etc, but there are some people who will never like me or my blog. I don't get it. But what I do get is once you accept that you can't please everyone, you won't feel that stress of having to please people. To repeat #2, blog about what you want and what makes you happy.
What are your biggest blogging mistakes?
GIVEAWAYS for you!
- $75 Sephora Gift Card + 2 more prizes
- Gift basket full of RIMMEL makeup!
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