I thought it would be nice to post another instalment of my 'Blogger's Guide' series today and what I wanted to focus on this time was content. When I first started my blog, I was so interested in the written word; early posts feature essay-length diatribes on the latest fashion and trends and the way that I would style them within the boundaries of my own wardrobe. Later, I started including basic image content, snaps of purchases or mirror pictures of an outfit or two.
I remember, in those early days, sensing a disconnect between blogs that I liked and blogs that had amassed a huge following. The blogs with all of the followers didn't have much text, there wasn't much more to say in a lot of the posts than a quick rundown of the contents of a look, but the images were captivating. Other blogs that I loved to pore over, seemed to have the same level of written content as mine did; minimal imagery, and again, not as much of a following. Not that this matters, of course, and I'll be touching on ways to make your blog more impactful in another episode, but I did notice very early on that lots of quality pictures definitely seemed to make blogs more desirable.
I didn't have many photography skills then as now, and my pictures have always seemed to be secondary to the text I include in the post, although I've learnt over time that, like everything, a good balance is essential. Especially with the rise in popularity of other photo blogging and
sharing sites such as Pinterest and Tumblr, it's no longer enough just to share breathtaking imagery, you need to talk about them in depth, too. I try to make my copy as interesting and 'readable' as I can, because I need it to be as impactful as the pictures I am posting.
A common question I am asked is 'where do I get my ideas from?' and I have definitely found that coming up with new and interesting content daily (I try to post every day where possible) is a challenge. I work full time as well as maintaining the website so I find that keeping a notebook is essential for jotting down any ideas. Recurring post series - such as the 'Blogger's Guide', Archive posts, Instagram round ups and 'Charity shop find' give me a wealth of content to use across the month but I am aware that I don't want these segments to become stale, so variety is key. Of course I post outfits as frequently as I can but the logistics of shooting product to ensure items look their best and the styling is as I want it is difficult; sometimes (most of the time) outfit posts are fitted in around lunch breaks or before Adrian and I leave for work, (though as soon as the clocks change, after work outfit post shoots will be a 'thing' again!) and I try to mix in a dash of beauty as well as some lifestyle bits and pieces, be that charity shop finds or interior inspiration.
Of course I am lucky enough to work with different brands and companies more frequently these days which means I often have a plethora of content ideas on the backburner or posts that I know I can schedule in, and this helps but there are always days when the writer's block hits, or I have no useful imagery to share, and on those days, I tend to step away from posting at all. I used to be very obsessive about the importance of posting everyday; but I would rather miss a day occasionally if I have no great quality item to post about. Again, it's a balance, and it's an important one to find.
If you are starting out on a blogging journey and you are unsure about what to post next, I would advise sitting down and sketching out several useful post ideas that you can happily translate into content. It might be a wishlist, or a few shots of a favourite garment you can style in several ways, an outfit post or a post about something you are passionate about. This always comes through, if you enjoy the topic you are discussing, you'll make a brilliant post about it.
XO Amie
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