Not long ago I asked you on social media what topics would interest you, and all kinds of ideas and questions started coming in from you. They concerned me, fashion, the kids, and most often of all you asked about blogging. I was surprised by so many questions such as "why I started blogging, how much time it takes me, whether my husband supports me in it, how it works with fees and advertising in Slovakia and also what I'd recommend to beginner bloggers." Spontaneously this morning I decided to answer your questions and turn them into an article.
How to start blogging? Why and how did I start?
Trends are a fine thing and they're far from being only about fashion. For example, the current trends in professions are: "blogger, influencer, or content creator". Most (not only) young people eye these professions, and if they have the courage, they write one of these titles under their name, and in the better case they actually start doing it. The simplified idea of the job is to post pretty photos (ideally just on Instagram without a blog and from home), gather followers and get well-paid ads. It's important to say here that you become a blogger or influencer only after some (usually longer) time, if you manage to attract a big enough target audience that will follow you regularly. It's not enough to post pretty photos; you also need to consider what you want to blog about and what the message of what you do will be, because it's continuous, day-to-day work, and if you're not really good at something, it will be very hard to break through. Of course, I don't want to discourage anyone, only to encourage a realistic assessment of your own possibilities. You can start any time, the costs are minimal, the internet almost free. The ideal scenario is when your work or lifestyle leads directly into blogging.
For me it happened exactly at this time two years ago. My original profession of fashion stylist and editor was time-consuming, unpredictable and hard to combine with kids, yet at the same time I extremely missed creativity and fashion itself. The simplest solution was to "create" not for magazines, clients or brands, but for my own blog.
How much time does a blog take?
Well, this is very individual and depends on the blogger's lifestyle and attitude. I know some for whom it swallows their whole existence and the virtual blog life comes at the expense of the real one. They don't actually live, they just plan new photoshoot locations, collaborations and the so-called "content". Then there are those who chart their day-to-day life and don't worry so much about strategy or content, and then there are all those in between. It really is very individual. Personally, I don't devote that much time to the blog, since I have a very active life and two babies. I usually photograph myself, or the kids (for the outfits and fashion, of course) during the day in ordinary activities. For example, the photos for this article were taken yesterday while working for a shopping centre during a coffee break. Sometimes I even use the self-timer and don't fret over it, because you follow me mainly for fashion and outfit inspiration, not for photographic skills. When you want to see gorgeous photos, you'll go elsewhere, won't you?
A blogger's reward
There's a rule that if you run a blog for money or reward, you'll very soon pay for it. Readers or followers, if you have any, are curious about everything except advertising! They'll very soon see through it and find someone to follow for their passion and contribution to the topic, not for ads. Of course every blogger has paid collaborations, but they should choose them with regard to the subject matter and also so that they're credible in the context of the blog. I myself turn down dozens of collaborations precisely because I don't trust "them", and fortunately I do the blog as a hobby, other activities provide my living, and I'd do it for free just as I did for a long time before.
Support from those around you
If you cover a topic that also affects those closest to you, e.g. lifestyle, travel or a mum blog, their support is very important. It concerns them too, and you have to expect that they'll lose some of their privacy and comfort; that's the price of a virtual life. I have a mitigating circumstance in that my husband is my biggest fan and critic; in fact, it's he who kicked me into photography, I got my first DSLR from him, he constantly pushes me forward and supports me in everything I do. It wouldn't work otherwise. As for support, if you're good, the Bloggers' Association will also help you in every way, and I definitely recommend it.
I hope I've answered the questions you were interested in; if not, feel free to ask in the comments too. I keep my fingers crossed for you in blogging and thank you for your support.
__________________________________________________________
Photo: Dáša Šimeková, Outfit: Camaieu
