The Ultimate Blogger FAQ pt.2

A couple of months ago, I shared the first part of my Blogging FAQs series which was inspired by my panel experience at Culinary Clicks at the Durham Hotel. I really enjoyed sharing my journey in blogging, and I decided to convert those questions into a blog post. So, I’m back with Part 2 of Three for this series.

Let’s dive into that just a little more [growing your audience from Part 1]. Can you give any specific examples of your method and how long it takes to cross the threshold of 1K & 5K or whatever the reach goal may be?
- I am embarrassed to admit in the beginning I do occasional loop giveaways, but I did not find those to be helpful in me gaining authentic followers. I do not engage in “follow” then “unfollow” methods on social media channels for the same reason. What I find to help with growing my audience are the following:
  1. Using a mix of personal captions (to my comfort level) to share into my life outside of what I show on my social media channels and blogs. I’m not always super comfortable with this, but when I do post personal posts, it really does boost my engagement and followers.
  2. Instastories really helps with my engagement on Instagram. I notice authentic followers and engagement with my posts or my Instastories. I don’t always have time to do this throughout the week, but since I don’t post on weekends, I try to engage my audience through Instastories during that time. Instastories where I am talking always helps with engagement, too!
  3. I don’t always care about how many likes my photos get, I look at other things. How many saves did it get on Instagram? How many reshares did my tweet get? How many link clicks did my Facebook post get? How many pins did my post on Pinterest get? Also, how many of my posts are shared by others to those sites? Those things matter more than likes!
  4. Tagging others always helps me grow my following! I tag on Instastories the most because that can be an organic share the way that Instastories provides that option now!
It seems impossible to keep up with a website/blog, Facebook, Instagram (and don’t forget stories/Insta TV), Twitter, Pinterest, and even YouTube. How do you figure out which platforms are best for you and how do you manage them all?
- My primary focus is on the information and photos I share on my blog. I use all other platforms as a way to drive traffic to my blog. My blog is what I technically “own.” I can control that, which is why I made a decision to continue to engage with my blog content.
In the over-saturated web and social media world of blogs, how do you make a splash out there and find your unique tribe?
- It took me a while to find my niche, but with my focus on all things North Carolina and a focus on small businesses, it has helped me find the tribe that works for my content! There is no dollar amount that can help with that!
What platform and hosting site do you use to power your blog (WordPress, Squarespace, etc.) and why did you choose that particular platform?
- I switched from Blogger to WordPress when I rebranded. After attending TBS Con in Charleston and listening to advantage about WordPress with its plug-in capabilities and that I own my content. I was pretty startled to learn that if Google wanted to delete Blogger, I would be out all my content that I have spent time and money curating.
From your previous experience, what advice would you give on building a blog from scratch to someone just starting out?
- Don’t try to conform! When I started, I thought the only blogging I could do was fashion blogging. And, y’all. I don’t like doing fashion blogging. I have found a lot more success for my style of writing to say “here is what to do, where to go, where to eat, and what to wear while you’re there” instead of a truly dedicated blog post to fashion. But that doesn’t mean that readers don’t like fashion blogging. It’s just not my style. Determine what your style will be. What will your writing style look and sound like? What do you want to start out writing about (knowing that it can and will evolve)? That’s where I would start!
We know that photography & great imagery for both your blog & social media is extremely important. Can you talk a little bit about what photos you take yourself and when it’s time to outsource for help?
- I am pretty good at flatlays, I am pretty good at photographing details on trips, but I am not always great at capturing the right light or editing with a consistent light. When traveling, sometimes I hire photographers to help me with my photos (like last year’s Nashville trip) and I love working with Glory Roze Photography. Sometimes I can even convince her to travel with me to do photos as well! Here are a couple of examples: Exploring the Graylyn Estate | Exploring the Graylyn Estate | AC Hotel North Hills
Let’s talk about taking photos in public places – this can be a real struggle and hindrance for getting the best shots (I especially used to struggle with this). What advice do you have on staying calm & confident taking both food photos in restaurants and lifestyle shots out in the community?
- I am not good at this. I am often super awkward and tense in public places. I hate being in the way, I hate being in the way or distracting people in restaurants. My pro-tip is that I often ask for a table away from people so I do not get in the way. I do better if there are people with me taking photos as well. I hope to one day get over this, but it is definitely something I struggle with from time to time. In this post, I incorporated some photos from when I went to Brewery Bhavana with Glory and my friend, ECW. It was so much more fun to have an IRL friend to be in my photographs because we got much more authentic smiles.
HASHTAGS are everywhere and can be used in so many ways. What is your advice on hashtags, particularly in Instagram? Are you a “In the caption” or “first comment” hashtag user?
- I use FocalMark to find hashtags to use, especially when traveling. I also use the same hashtags for my content. I use #imfixintoblog, #imfixintotravel, #imfixintohome for my content since you can follow hashtags now. I do a mix of both hashtags in the caption and then more in the first comments.
At what point in your blogging, photography, or writing journey did you see it as a business opportunity?
- Everyone laughs, but I realized that it was a business when someone sent me a pair of pantyhose to review. It has taken a long time, and I’ll be honest, there are times where I still spend more on my blog than I make. However, I never went into this to quit my full-time job. I went into this for a creative outlet and to help educate about all the opportunities across North Carolina! My blog is not an LLC at this point. I have thought about it and have seen the advantages to it, but I just haven’t felt it right at this point. I keep a spreadsheet for expenses and revenue to help during tax time. I also have a media kit that I update regularly with stats, collaborations, and photos. I generally use a contract. You can find a template on the Internet for a contract. I am a member of the Blog Societies and they have a resource library that I utilize for my business ventures as well.
How do you manage your time between your website, social media, and life?
- If you had asked me this question last year, I would not have had an answer. I was frazzled trying to do it all. I’ve never been good at saying no (it was on my goals for the new year every year for about 5 years). But, with my work commitments, grad school courses, and wanting to spend time in our home with my husband and our dogs, it became much easier. One of the first steps that I took was to cut back on how often I was posting and focus on the quality of my posts. I will be honest and tell you that I thought I was already doing that. But there were times I was writing frazzled just to get a post up. I post three days a week and my content is generally laid out months in advance with the exception of a free block here and there. If I don’t have content to fill that block, I don’t force it. I have always used an editorial calendar, but given my commitment to curating quality content, I have really stuck with this. With my grad school obligations, I find myself writing content in advance and then adding photos later or tweaking as well. It has worked so much better for me to do that.

Outfit Details:

Loft Top (sold out, similar here & here) | Paige Denim | Mignonne Gavigan Mini Madelines
Metallic Mules (sold out, similar here & here) | David Yurman Bangles 1 2

Looking for other blogging tips? Here are some of my favorites: