So you Want to Be a Blogger?
I’m a tiny little speck in the world of blogging and influencing. Itty bitty. Teeny Tiny. A micro “influencer” if you will. Many people, including my own family members, have no clue what this is about and how it’s considered a job. If i’m honest, I didn’t really plan for it to become a real job. I started the blog and my Instagram page to share about products and sales that I love. Now, some of my most asked questions are- can anyone be a blogger? How do I get started? Can I make money? Do you make money? How do you get so many free products? and so on…
So, here’s the truth. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’ll tell you what I do. I typically get asked the same few questions over and over. So, let’s answer a few!
What platform do you use for the blog?
I use Squarespace. It’s fairly simple to operate- I did not design my page myself. I’m very fortunate to have my tech savvy friend, Royal Yates for that. He helps me out with all things tech related. You can pay for the platform yearly or monthly.
Can anyone do this?
If I can do this- you can do this. Finding time is the hardest part. If you’re a stay at home parent this is tons of fun but still very time consuming. If you have a job outside of the home it will be even harder. I’m just now starting to get consistent with blog posts! I am the type of person who loves to work in the quiet (my kiddos are both at school right now). But, if you’re constantly waiting for the quiet I’ve learned you’ll never be consistent. Jump in. Learn as you go. Don’t wait for a perfect situation.
Do brands reach out to you?
The biggest question- everyone wants to know HOW DO YOU GET FREE STUFF. First, as exciting as it sounds, the free stuff comes with tons of work. I’m not just saying that. Sometimes the work sounds like a blast and other times you dread it like any job. If you’re thinking of being a blogger to get free stuff I’d say you might want to rethink it. The work is typically more than the stuff! It’s hard, and it takes time. Building your brand can be very defeating - you’ll watch your instagram numbers rise and fall ( I still do). It’s been almost two years. But, to answer your question- sometimes. Sometimes brands reach out first and other times you reach out to them. I’d say it’s about 50/50 for me. Don’t be afraid to ask for partnerships if you feel like you’re in a good place to do so. The worst they can say is no. I started out with 119 followers and I worked with brands at around 1k.
Do you get paid money to blog?
Obviously big name bloggers get paid to blog— for me, it depends on the deal. Sometimes I get paid cash with a free product, sometimes it’s just a free product in exchange for chatting about it. I have to decide if it’s worth the money or the product that’s being offered. At this point I’m definitely not talking about things I don’t love. It doesn’t make sense to do that.
So, long story short, YES you can do this. You can claim your page on the internet and talk about whatever in the heck you want! There will be tons of people who roll their eyes and think it’s over done… and it will be those same people who eventually cave and try it for themselves. Don’t be afraid to start a blog or an Instagram page just because someone you know is doing it. There’s a spot for everyone on the gram! The biggest advice I can give you is to get started. Start today.