Blogging 101 {Pt. 1}

I recently asked on the Pretty Pink Posh Facebook page and Twitter if anyone was interested in me doing a post on Blogging 101. I got a resounding,”YES”, all the way around. Awesome, now I just needed to come up with content….who knew what started out as a little idea would lead to so many ideas, tips, lessons and, frankly, a series that I wish I had read when I first started.

Before I start out, I want to say that I am NOT an expert on blogging- I have so much more to learn myself. Throughout the years that I’ve been blogging, I have learned a lot, seen so many things and gained a lot from this world. I’ll share the good, bad and ugly {okay, there really isn’t too much ugly, but just thought I’d throw that in}.

Ready to get started on Blogging 101? Since I don’t want to make this too terribly long, I’ll be posting a mini series of sorts, every Friday until I spill out all I have to say. Today’s topics: blogging your passion & making your blog a reflection of you.

When I first started blogging, it was a place where I could get out my thoughts. There wasn’t a goal or audience I had in mind, I just did it. Oh goodness, I can’t believe I’m doing this, but HERE is a link to my very first post. Random? Yes, it sure is. The only thing someone could get out of it? That I loved Starbucks as much then as I do now.

If you are new to blogging, or are revamping your blog, you’ll want to ask yourself these four words: why are you blogging? Are you doing it as a hobby? Do you want to engage with people outside of your “normal circles”? Are you trying to promote something? Is it going to be your job? If you truly are trying to build an audience, you’ll want to blog about topics you have knowledge in and are passionate about. Why? You won’t run out of material and it won’t be something you dread, rather it’ll be an outlet or perhaps even fun for you.

You may be thinking to yourself- “Paulina, you blog about a multitude of things. Are you really one to talk?” You are absolutely correct- I DO blog about a variety of topics. However, I didn’t always do this. Previously, I blogged almost strictly cards and didn’t tarry far from that. With a recent change in my life and me growing as a person, I opened my blog up to someplace that encompasses everything I enjoy. It’s me on a platter, basically. I will say that the things I blog about now ARE things I’m passionate about and opening myself up on my blog has been one of the best things I could have done. Are there downsides to this? Absolutely. I’ll share those a little later….

I would highly encourage those new to blogging to figure out the purpose of your blog and then proceed from there. Are you trying to lose weight? Awesome, start a blog about that! {I did that previously and stumbled across so many amazing people on the same journey} Are you interested in fashion and make-up? Do a blog on that! There’s a whole world of bloggers who do that. Whatever your passion is, blog about that.

When you go to someone’s house, their decor, furniture and paint colors typically are a reflection of their personality and style. In the same way, your blogging is a reflection of you. Your writing style to the colors/ layout/ designs, your blog showcases who you are as a person.

At a quick glance, I’d like to think that you can get a feel for my personality. I’m girly, love aqua, pink and pretty things. Even 4 1/2 years ago, when I hardly knew a thing about blogging, I knew that choosing a name for my blog was important. After writing out a huge list of some possibilities {and realizing that all of them were taken}, I finally decided to mix together three components that I love: pretty, pink and posh things. A quick search, some questioning if it was a good name and voilà, a name was born.

Now some may go as far to say you need to “brand” yourself, but honestly, if this is a hobby and you’re just starting out, this is far from necessary. Don’t worry about having THE perfect blog with the layout/ design that you’ll keep for years on end. Chances are, your style will change and you’ll revamp down the road. For those with a little extra spending money, there are places that can help you get the exact design you want.

*I recently paid someone to add elements to my blog that I have wanted for quite a while but were out of my realm of coding. If you’re looking to add some custom items, or want to do a whole new redesign, talk to Lauren and her team at Restored316 Designs. She has worked with me on several of my blog changes and has done a phenomenal job. I got exactly what I wanted with a quick turnaround time and a reasonable price.

Okay, so that will wrap up the first installment of Blogging 101. I hope you are leaving with some things to think about. If I’ve given you food for thought, I’d love to hear what stood out. If there’s a specific topic you hope I address in a future installment, feel free to leave a comment with that. While I do have an outline of things I want to tackle, I also want to mix in topics you may have questions about. I’ll try to be as open of a book as I can be.

Thanks so much for your interest in this series. I’m already looking forward to sharing with you again next Friday!