One Year Blogiversary + 10 Lessons in Blogging

Well friends, can you believe it?! It’s officially been one year since I started blogging. Woah! Has it flown by as quickly for you as it has for me?

When I decided to move to Colorado from Texas last year, I set out on uncharted territory. And this sentiment was echoed when I started my blog.

In moving and in blogging, I challenged myself with making new friends, finding new adventures, and pushing myself in ways I hadn’t thought possible. And while it’s been (and still is) a tough road, I’m so so happy I went for it.

I love that this blog has let me create in ways I haven’t been able to as an engineer and has allowed me to discover parts of myself I didn’t know existed. I won’t sugar coat it, blogging is hard work (you may not realize it). But for me, it’s become somewhat of a necessity and a part of what brings me happiness in my day-to-day life.

For me, it took me nearly three years to summon up enough courage to start this blog. And while I’m ultimately glad that I waited for the right time, there’s also a part of me that wishes I had started sooner so that I could’ve opened up these opportunities for myself earlier.

At any rate, a year of blogging has taught me so so much. And while I am still no expert at blogging, there are a few lesson I’ve learned in this first year of blogging that I’d like to share with you. I also thought it would be fun to look back on these lessons in one, two, three years from now and to see how they’ve evolved over time. Because just like anything in life, blogging is a journey that is constantly developing, changing, and growing.

So without further ado, the top ten lessons I’ve learned in my first year of blogging!

What I’ve Learned: 10 Lessons in Blogging

ONE // Make the Jump. If you are thinking about starting a blog, do it! Make the jump! It took me nearly 3 years to start and while I’m glad I waited until I had the time to commit to it, I wish I had let myself start sooner! I think the hardest part about blogging is having creative ideas and staying motivated. So if you have those two, you’d be surprised at just how far you can go! It’s funny how even when you don’t think you have time to blog, you seem to make time. Looking back, the biggest hurdle for me was starting! So don’t hold yourself back. Take a leap of faith and go for it!

TWO // Define your niche. Figuring out where your blog fits into things is arguable one of the most important things in setting your blog apart from others. It’s also one of the things that takes the longest amount of time to figure out (unless you’re super unique from the get-go). I’m actually still figuring mine out, but I fall somewhere between a fashion blogger and a lifestyle blogger, much like I’m somewhere between a college student and a young professional (#gradstudentlife). My biggest advice is to decide what you want to focus on and start carving out your unique space as you go. Jump in and build up some momentum. See what kind of content flows naturally out of your creative spaces, and your niche will fall out organically from the process.

FOUR // Be Realistic. Expectations-wise, I’m a full time graduate student so I won’t have as much time as other bloggers. But that’s ok! That’s a part of what sets my voice, life, blog apart from others. Embrace what sets you a part and set expectations that are right for you and YOUR life. And know that finding realistic expectations is a process in and of itself. I’m still working on this one, even after a full year of blogging! Take the time to try different schedules and styles until you find the right one. For me, posting three times a week seems to be a good average number of posts for me. Anything over and above is just bonus! And remember, your “consistency” can look different from that of other people’s. I know mine does!

FIVE // High Quality Photos. High quality photos do make a difference! I can’t tell you how many people have come to me and complimented me on my photographs. I’m not saying you need to go out and spend tons of money on a pricey photographer or a super nice camera for every blog post. But take care and be mindful of the pictures you use (and be patient when trying to get the best shot, even with an iPhone). And when you do have the resources, invest in a nice camera or a professional shoot with a photographer. For me (as a graduate student), working with photographers who either understand my circumstance or who are a little less experienced than higher paid photographers have been my saving grace. Also, practicing taking photos on the weekends and editing the photos in Photoshop are other skills that take time to perfect but pay out big in the end. I use Photoshop Elements that came free with my computer a few years back, but I’ve heard really great things about Lightroom (and they have a monthly subscription available). I also use the A Color Story App to edit my iPhone pictures on the spot. Pictures are ultimately the first things your readers will see, and are likely the things to give your audience their first impression of your idea/blog/brand. So make those images the best they can be!

SIX // Develop Your Voice. Your voice is one of the most important and defining characteristics of your blog. The best way to develop your voice is to use it! Practice makes perfect, right? If you’re unsure of where to start, I would recommend reading lots of other blogs–taking in what you like and making mental notes of what you don’t like. That way you can incorporate what you find into your own writing style and develop your voice through trial and error. It takes time to feel comfortable in your own voice, but the more you blog, the more your voice will shine though naturally!

SEVEN // Stay True to Yourself. In EVERYthing you do (blog-friends-life), stay true to yourself. It’s easy to want to emulate the people we look up to. And sometimes this is great and means we are reaching for our dreams and who we want to become. But don’t lose sight of the fact that you are your own, very unique, WONDERFUL individual. Only you can be YOU. Don’t let others take away from what only you have to offer. Not to sound cheesy, but beYOUtiful! Just because you see other bloggers doing something one way, doesn’t mean you have to do it that exact same way. Also, if you don’t feel comfortable working with a brand…don’t do it! Being authentic and staying true to who you are is THE biggest, best thing you can do for your blog and ultimately your brand.

EIGHT // Put Yourself Out There. As a blogger, your life (or at least your style choices) are out there for the world to see. And it can be scary! But don’t count your opinion out. Odds are there is someone else in this great big world who agrees with you and wants to share it with you. I remember feeling like I was somewhat of a fraud when it came to “fashion” and “style”. I mean I’m an engineer! But as soon as I got over my fear of not being the same as everyone else, that’s when my true style was able to shine through. And guess what?! I feel more in my skin and more comfortable with my style now because I experimented with my style on this blog. And over time I found a community of other bloggers and friends who shared a similar aesthetic to mine. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to other bloggers and put yourself out there! Bloggers LOVE to hear from you and want discuss things with you. We wouldn’t be sharing things on the internet if we didn’t want to invite you into the discussion. Don’t be shy! For me specifically, it’s a large part of why I started my blog–to make friends in a new city! (It’s also #7 on my 101 in 1001 List.)

NINE // Organic Growth Takes Time. Simply put, organic growth takes time. It’s one of those things that you really can’t change, even with the best of marketing campaigns. It just takes time for people to find your blog in the first place. And that’s ok! Again, just stay true to yourself and keep the content authentic. That way when people do find it, they will fall in love with it and never want to leave! And one more soapbox comment about organic growth, especially when it comes to social media…I’m not totally opposed to the loop giveaways you see on Instagram nowadays. I just don’t believe it’s the best way to grow your brand. Yes, you get tons of followers and really fast, but at the price of engagement. For me, having 600 followers with 20% engagement is much more desirable than 10K followers with 3% engagement. And while that might not land me tons and tons of brand collaborations, I’m ok with that! I know that my followers are following me because they genuinely love what I have to say. And at the end of the day, engaged readers means a lot more to me than a huge number on my profile. Quality versus quantity, right? (Just my thoughts on the subject!)

TEN // Have F-U-N! And last but not least, don’t forget that blogging is about having FUN!!!! This is your space to develop, create, explore! YOURS! If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right. (Case in point: me doing the robot in the photo below.) Don’t forget to laugh at your outtakes, try out those crazy ideas of yours, and have tons of fun doing it! There are already a lot of serious things required in blogging (scheduling, deadlines, photo editing, collaborations), but creating content should always stay fun and exciting! Your audience can feel how much fun you’re having through your photos and voice, so don’t make sure to let those shine through!

And as always, thanks so much for visiting my little corner of the internet! I’ve loved sharing little moments of my life with YOU this past year and can’t wait to see what the next will bring!

What about you? What’s your biggest blogging lesson learned?

You might also like…5 Things I Learned at My First Blog Conference and Balancing Blog Life with Real Life.

Photos by Allen Ream

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Top: Banana Republic (similar here, here, cute turtleneck) | Dress: Express | Shoes: Old Navy | Purse: J. Crew | Necklace: J. Crew Factory (kids) | Bracelet: J. Crew Factory