Peaches to Pearls Turns Four

Four years ago today, I decided to do something crazy and start a blog. I had NO idea what I was doing but I went for it. I am so thankful I did because these past four years have been incredible. I have been given tremendous opportunities, met some of my closest friends and grown so much through blogging.  If you would have told me that I would someday work with brands like Starbucks, William Sonoma and Amazon- I would have laughed and said “yeah right“. But hard work definitely does pay off in the blogging world my friends. Thats why today I want to share 10 Tips for New Bloggers! I hope these are helpful for anyone starting off.

1. Pick Your Passion

Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step of blogging- deciding you want to start a blog! Now you just need to figure out what you are going to blog about. Whatever you decide- food, fashion or lifestyle- stick with it.

2. Three Words

What three words do you want to describe your brand? For example, mine are feminine, chic and southern. Those are the three words I want YOU to think of when you see my blog and social media platforms. When you work on your blog make sure everything you create aligns with those three words.

3. Uniformity

If possible, make sure all your social platforms match your blog name. If you are just now thinking of a name, make sure your name is available in every platform. Also, try to make sure all your platforms have the same color palette. That way when people think of you brand, certain colors come to mind as well!

4. DO NOT Buy Your Followers on Instagram

As tempting as it may be, do not buy your followers. Sadly a lot of bloggers do this to get ahead. But brands are catching on and can use websites like Socialblade.com to figure out who is buying followers. Also, if you plan on one day working with big brands, this will hurt you. I have spoken to various ladies in PR and they know how to find out if a blogger is buying their following and/or likes. They can also tell when a blogger is part of a “comment pod” so their comments aren’t authentic. As more and more bloggers buy their followers the stricter brands and PR companies are becoming. So don’t buy your followers! Work hard and be patient like all the big bloggers have been.

Also, don’t participate in “secret giveaways”. Wait, what is that?? This is a newer “loop giveaway” where a celebrity or very big blogger (I’m talking 1 million followers) participates so everyone in the giveaway gains thousands of followers. I was recently approached to see if I wanted to participate in one of these secret giveaways and for $500 I would be guaranteed 10,000 new followers. In my opinion, what’s the difference between that and just straight up purchasing my followers? Not worth it! Those followers will not stick and brands will see that.

5. Be Kind

I have been fortunate enough to not have any bad experiences with other bloggers or followers. I truly think this is because I stay positive and kind on my blog. Nice people attract nice people! So the best advice I can give you is to always be thankful and kind to your followers and fellow bloggers.

6. It’s Okay to Say No

This is one I wish I knew from the beginning- it’s totally okay to say no. As you start to grow different brands will approach you and ask to work with you. As tempting as it might be, if it does not align with your brand, just say no thanks.

7. Stay Positive

Always stay positive on your accounts because who wants to follow a negative Nancy? I personally follow bloggers that inspire me and make me better. I especially advice you not to talk bad about other bloggers or brands on your accounts. This might be a ‘duh’ for some people but I have sadly seen it done by mean girls.

People always ask if I ever leave negative reviews when I don’t like a restaurant or brand I work with. The answer is no-I never ever speak poorly of anyone or anything on Peaches to Pearls. This is why saying no to brands that don’t align with my blog is important to me.

8. Consistency

Staying consistent with your content is by far the most important thing when it comes to growing any platform. I read somewhere that said Google will recognize your blog if you post 3x per week. Also, when it comes to Instagram, consistently posting is what will make you grow. In the beginning I would post 1-2x per day. This really helped me grown and gain loyal followers.

9. Squad

I honestly couldn’t have made it 4 years in the blogging world without my squad. Surround yourself with positive, uplifting people that will encourage you to grow. Reach out to other new bloggers, join blogging societies (I recommend The Rising Tide Society and if you are in Atlanta the new ATL Girl Gang Community) and network with fellow creatives until you find your group!

10. Don’t Give Up

There will be days you will feel discouraged or that your brand isn’t good enough- that’s totally normal but don’t let it get you down. It’s easy to look around and compare yourself to others {especially as women!} but everyone has their own struggles and works at their own pace. Keep reminding yourself WHY you started your blog and stay positive.

Xo,

Savave

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