Tuesday 9 May 2017

5 Ways I Want To Improve As A Blogger

5 Ways I Want To Improve As A Blogger - Blogging Advice - 1
  
Back in March, I wrote about the five best decisions I've made so far in my blogging "career". (I hesitate to use the word "career", but it's preferable to "journey", no?!) Ever since then, I've been meaning to follow it up with a post about five areas where I'd like to make some improvements. As I said before, I'm in no position to offer anyone advice on how to succeed as a blogger, but I do feel that sharing experiences is helpful.

This is me finally getting around to post number two!

1. I should practise what I preach - In my good decisions post, I talked about how jumping in at the deep end and just starting my blog, regardless of whether I felt ready or not, was a smart thing to do. But for some reason I don't seem capable of following my own advice when it comes to YouTube. Ever since I first started my blog, I've liked the idea of creating a YouTube channel to go with it. While I think that some content works best in written form, there's other stuff that's more effective when talked about, and I would love to be able to offer both. But I just don't get round to it. Partly this is because writing comes naturally to me, while talking, especially to a camera, definitely doesn't. Starting a YouTube channel was always going to be more of a challenge for me than starting a blog. But the main reason, if I'm being totally honest, is fear. Fear of putting myself out there on a notoriously unforgiving platform, and fear of being rubbish at it. But if I never start, how will I ever graduate from rubbish to half decent? Maybe this will be the year when I find some courage and actually do it. Who knows?!

5 Ways I Want To Improve As A Blogger - Blogging Advice - 2

2. I should think more creatively about my content - I cannot tell you the number of times I have published a post I thought was kinda sorta ok-ish, only to think of a much more interesting way I could have presented the content a couple of days later. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good old-fashioned, straightforward review post. I enjoy writing them and I enjoy reading other people's even more - it's my favourite way to find out about new products that I might be interested in trying. However, I do have a tendency to rush the thinking part of my posts. (Not the writing part - I do that painfully slowly!) And all too often, the result of this is that I'll create the most obvious and unimaginative post possible every time, which basically consists of some pretty pictures, and a few paragraphs along the lines of: "This is Product X. You use it on your face. I really like it." Afterwards, it will occur to me that I could perhaps have compared Product X to a rival product from another brand, or created a look with it, or something else. Anything that would have added my own unique spin to the post. The lesson here is that I need to start thinking more about the best way to present each piece of content, instead of just opening Blogger and starting to write.

5 Ways I Want To Improve As A Blogger - Blogging Advice - 3

3. I should take time out to learn my craft - It can be difficult enough to find the time to create regular content, promote that content, be active on social media and deal with my inbox, let alone anything else. But there are other things I would love to do that I know would help improve my blog a lot, such as finally learn how to make the most of my DSLR camera, or how to use SEO properly. Somehow, I need to find a way to manage my time better so that I can fit this kind of stuff in!

4. I should post more consistently - I am terrible at this, and once again, it's a consequence of not being as organised as I should be. All the advice you hear is that you need to produce frequent, but most importantly, consistent content for your readership to grow. As much as I would love to post more frequently, I've accepted lately that two posts a week is actually quite a challenge for me as it is, and that I should focus on achieving that before attempting anything more. There's no point in trying to run before I can walk, and I must say, it's been something of a relief to take the pressure off myself on this score. Hopefully the productivity will follow - watch this space!

5 Ways I Want To Improve As A Blogger - Blogging Advice - 4

5. I should remember why I started - I first started blogging because I felt so inspired by the beautiful content I saw others producing, be that in written or video form. It was a source of so much pleasure for me and I knew I'd get even more out of it by joining in and starting something of my own. I was right. But over time, things subtly change. You improve, even grow a little bit, and you start to think, "hey, maybe I could actually make something out of this". And that, of course, is where the dreaded comparison factor starts coming into play, and where you start raising your expectations, only to find it's a lot harder to succeed than you could ever have imagined, and that maybe the progress you've made really isn't that significant after all. In my good decisions post, I talked about not giving up my blog when I lost heart at the end of last year. Well, perhaps the most important improvement I want to make is in my attitude, by remembering more often why I started it in the first place - for fun. I bumped into the lovely Alina at an event recently, and we chatted about how the blogging world can get disheartening from time to time. Then we agreed that if it wasn't for our blogs, we wouldn't have been there that evening, sipping champagne, having a good old gossip and playing with brand new makeup. Which, after all, wasn't that much of a hardship! When we feel disheartened as bloggers, it's because we're ambitious for more - or at least this is true in my case. Ambition is no bad thing, but if the disappointment gets too much, it can be counter-productive. Sometimes it's good to try to see the glass as half-full.

Can you relate to any of these points? How would you like to improve as a blogger?

Kate x
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45 comments

  1. Lovely post! It's always nice to remember why we started blogging in the first place, I love to be a part of this community and I feel so inspired by the beautiful content that others are producing. Of course there are times when I feel down or blocked or not pleased with my content but a break always helps :)

    Yiota
    pinkdaisyloves.blogspot.com

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    1. I agree - taking a break works wonders for me too. x

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  2. Great post! And your pictures are stunning!

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  3. Really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this Kate, very honest and real. I know sometimes it's hard to think creativity, when you've spent so much time shooting and writing a post already! Lately I've tried to take my time and add as much value as I can to a post, so readers can get more out of it. It's easy to feel dishearten but like you said we're lucky to get opportunities that have come from blogging :)

    Also I know starting YouTube can be scary but if it's something that you want to try, definitely go for it! Everyone has to start somewhere :) I don't get as much interaction on my channel but I do it because I love creating videos. Personally I want to improve on growing my blog and building a community around it, because I love interacting with other bloggers and readers.


    Hanh | hanhabelle

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    1. Yes, the interaction is definitely one of the best things about blogging! Taking your time over posts is really good advice. I tend to feel rushed because I want to put out more content than I'm really capable of, but quality is better than quantity at the end of the day. x

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  4. I can relate to a few of them. Taking time out to improve my skills with the camera and be more creative in writing is on my agenda as well.
    As far as You Tube goes: Do it! I did it and I love it and so far the platform wasn´t half as harsh as I would have thought it would be. But I have to be honest, talking comes natural to me, camera or not.

    Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking

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    1. I've so enjoyed watching your videos Anne! You're doing brilliantly on YouTube and it's clear to see how much you enjoy it. x

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  5. These are all such awesome points, but it's the last one that hit me the hardest. Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of why you started a blog - which for most of us, was just to create enjoyable content and have fun doing it. I've bookmarked this page so that if I ever forget again, I can come back and remember. Also, the images are pretty haha.

    Amy;
    Little Moon Elephant

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  6. I really enjoyed reading this, Kate! There are so many ways that I would like to improve but I am really struggling energy-wise these days as my treatment is so hard on me. I feel like maybe I should take a break and during that time try to decide exactly what I want to do and plan how to implement the changes! xx

    Beautylymin| LuxurySkincareGiveaway

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    1. Yes, that's maybe not a bad idea. Every time I've taken a break before, I always come back with renewed enthusiasm! x

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  7. Blogging is tricky since everyone does something different! It's great that you took a step back to identify your goals. Right on, girlie. :]

    // itsCarmen.com

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  8. Thank you for this post! It is very useful and I love your blog. :)

    http://valentinasomers.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Thanks so much Valentina, glad you found it useful. x

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  9. I can definitely relate to some of those. I've been thinking of YouTube for a long time but I don't think I'm brave enough and have enough time to do it on top of blogging.
    I also often create a post and then think of other ideas I could present it. Blogging is such a learning curve and I guess you will never feel like you can improve some areas of your work. x
    Mummy's Beauty Corner

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  10. This is a wonderful post! I'm definitely the same with looking back on my posts and thinking how could I have made that better. You definitely should start a youtube channel, I think you'd be great at it! x

    Liz | LotsofLoveLiz

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  11. All of these points got a little head nod from me whilst I was reading it aha, I think all of us feel at least one of these at some point! But I think having these concerns & always wanting to improve only shows how passionate you are about it which is a really good thing :-) I feel the same way about starting a Youtube channel, it's so scary, but I really need to just get into myself just do it! Because I'm pretty sure that's all anyone who's really successful with it now would have thought, I need to stop worrying about everything being so perfect and just do it! You have a really lovely blog so don't give up!

    Xo Gemma
    Sunday Somewhere

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  12. Lovely post and I definitely relate to it, the fear of YouTube is definitely something I have as well and I also need to 'learn my craft', but, just as you, I tend to prefer creating content when I have some time to blog, simply because all my admin things feel a little bit more like work to me!

    http://fannyanddailybeauty.com

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  13. I love your blog, these are some great improvements which I think even I could do with doing!

    Lauren x Huggled

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  14. I can definitely relate to this post. I have always felt better at expressing myself on my blog, though I've created a YouTube channel I am not confident in front of the camera so have only used it for events. I need to put more effort into it. The blogging has been a whirlwind and I definitely need to swat up on seo and how to use my camera. Thanks for sharing these tips 😀
    Jaz xoxo
    http://www.thelifeofasocialbutterfly.co.uk

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  15. Yes there is so much to do with blogging and being an influencer today. But yes video is the future, big time. I recently just got in to video and made my first two videos. I used software from a company called Wondershare it called Filmora and makes editing so easy. And start with doing voice overs. Less scary.

    Allie of
    www.allienyc.com

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  16. I really enjoyed reading this post...it definitely inspires me to think about how I want to improve as a blogger!

    http://roadesque.com
    http://ourruins.com

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  17. I really want to improve as a blogger, so this was amazing!

    THE PINK ELEPHANT SHOE // INSTAGRAM //

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  18. This was such a lovely post Kate, it's so interesting to hear your thoughts on how you'd like to improve as a blogger! I can understand your hesitancy to start a YouTube channel, though if it's fear holding you back, I really hope you create one soon - I'd watch your videos, for sure! :) Also, going to join your on no.4 and try to post more consistently haha.

    Gabrielle | A Glass Of Ice x

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  19. This was such a great read girl! You really seem to grasp the importance of self-improvement. I'm also always looking for ways in how to improve my blog, my content, etc :) Thanks so much for sharing babe!

    I would love for you to check out my current giveaway!
    XO Jessi,
    http://www.mywhitet.com/major-giveaway/

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  20. This is such a thought provoking post for a blogger like me. I think #5 is so important since how you would go forward if you forgot why you even started? :)

    ❤️ Alyssa // STYLE VANITY // Instagram

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  21. Great post, I love the one about being more creative with posts. After five years blogging I am so tired of seeing the same kind of posts day in and day out. I realised that I also wasnt contributing anything too different either. Time to switch it up!

    Abigail Alice💕

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  22. What a lovely post! I definitely identify with much of what you've mentioned here. I think 2 posts a week is a LOT! What with juggling all the other things in our lives, I think that if you're consistent with that, you're doing great! I'm also working on being more consistent. And I totally compare myself with others way too much. Sometimes it's good because you can learn from others and improve what you do, but sometimes it's hard not to feel down that you're not further along =).

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  23. Love this post! I think remembering why you started is so important, as you said, it's all too easy to get caught up in the comparison game and become disheartened. I'm exactly the same as you with YouTube- I really want to do it, but I'm terrified :/


    Rachel xx
    http://www.thedailyluxe.net

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  24. Great advice, I definitely struggle with consistency. I think creating a vision board for me has really helped keep me motivated and focused on my own path instead of constantly comparing which just gets me down. Thanks for sharing xxx

    ALittleKiran | Bloglovin

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  25. These are such great tips! I Still find it difficult to make youtube videos, or talk in in videos!
    xoxo

    Ileana

    Novelstyle Blog

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  26. Great advice, I need to post more consistently too.

    ZEKALIN

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  27. These are all great starting point, for the record though, I think your blog is already excellent! With regards to youtube, just go for it, it's hard the first few times but it gets much easier :)

    Rosy | Sparkles of Light Blog
    My Instagram | Instagram

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  28. Posting twice a week is also a lot for me already too, so I totally understand!

    http://www.myclusterofthoughts.com/

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  29. Thank you for this post.
    I agree with you so much!
    Greetings from Austria.

    Julia from http://juliakampl.blogspot.co.at/

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  30. I think we all kinda get lost in the whole blogging world after a while and forget the main reason why we started. I did too last year and was feeling absolutely miserable about blogging. This year has been better as I only accept collabs and write what I want instead of accepting everything blindly.

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  31. This is a really lovely post! I think you should just go ahead and start your channel! Otherwise you will keep overthinking it and never start and I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think :) xx

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  32. I think that being consistent is a lot more important than posting frequently. As far as YouTube goes, I used to make videos and they're quite time-consuming, but they're also so fun to work on. I'm sure you'd do amazing!

    Paula
    Thirteen Thoughts

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  33. Great post! I want to start my blog and it's more difficult that I expected. But your tips are really helpful! thanks.

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  34. Yes to all of this, I'm awful about the creative stuff, it's only once something has gone live that I think of another way of doing it. I'm getting better and I have been making the time to learn new things and expand the way that I think about things. How have you been getting on with your list? YouTube advice - honestly just do it and feel comfortable with being shit to start with. I started on youtube before blogging, my first videos are woeful. I love it now though.

    Honestly Aine

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    1. Hi Aine! All the points are a work in progress but I have been making some headway on all of them, including filming and now editing a practise video for YouTube. I think it's great advice that we need to accept that our first videos/blog posts will be pretty rubbish - my first blog posts definitely were! I will get there! x

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  35. Great post! I really enjoyed reading it, especially as a newer beauty blogger. http://www.mrsqbeauty.com

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