8 Mistakes Beginner Bloggers Make

Q&A 7 years ago 8 Mistakes Beginner Bloggers Make

If I could write my younger self a letter for when I first started my blog, I would have a lot to say.

Don’t get me wrong, there is true value in learning from your mistakes and I am incredibly thankful for where my journey has led me. When I started my blog in 2011, I had absolutely no idea what the future would hold. It all began as a hobby for me to test out graphic design and coding since I was freelancing as a website developer to make money. When I actually started making money from my own blog, it felt like stealing. Even 6 years in, I still cannot believe how quickly the industry took off and how many {thousands of} incredible content creators there are in the world. The market is really strong. So what does it take to stand out from the pack? What advice would I give to people who are starting a blog of their own?

So many of you write, e-mail and comment asking for tips on blogging, so I thought I would share what not to do, because in all honesty, I too am still figuring out what to do with Damsel in Dior.

Again: I do not have everything figured out and do not claim to be an expert.

No.1

Buying Followers

Luckily I did not have to learn this rule from experience because I have never, and will never, buy followers, likes, comments or bots. As tempting as it might be, especially with the Instagram algorithm giving everyone a run for their money, it just isn't a good idea. Buying followers screws with your authenticity, it messes with your stats and will not give you a strong gauge of what your true 'real' followers like, want and enjoy seeing. When I started out, I would geek out {hard} to analytics. Every blogger starts out with a big fat '0' number of followers and what it takes to turn that '0' into '100' is consistency, authenticity and a strong voice. Plus, think about how awesome it will feel once you have 100K followers and knowing that you earned each and every one! Brands will 100% know when you purchase followers. Do brands still work with people that buy followers? Yes, sadly they do. But what's worse, is that your peers will know that your following is fake... who wants fake friends? I certainly don't. Again, I know it is temping {especially in the beginning}, but you don't want to buy your way to the top because there is nothing respectable about that.

No.2

Obsessing Over The Name

This is a catch-22 for me because I really do wish I had obsessed over my name a bit more {ha!}. I've had a lot of calls with women who are starting blogs and haven't started for months because they cannot settle on a name. Don't let the name of your website hang you up too much - you can always change it later. My blog name includes 'Dior' in it and for so many years I thought I would run into issues with the brand. Luckily, the folks over at Dior have confirmed that they like my blog name and I won't run into issues of changing it. However, I do have to be clever when I'm doing larger brand deals. For example, I cannot license the name for a clothing line or product. I guess what I'm trying to say is: think about the name, but don't obsess over it. Some of the best names are so random, yet really good because of their obscurity.

No.3

Looking at Everyone Else

Don't worry about what everyone else is doing. I still have problems practicing this tip. It's really hard to see all of the top tier bloggers trotting around Coachella with Revolve or going to amazing shows at Paris fashion week and not beat yourself up over it. I know the feeling. It's kind of like you were the only one not invited to prom. But you know what? Who cares! Be the girl who is the rebel who doesn't even want to go to prom. Also, I don't know about you, but when all the bloggers are in one place posting the same kind of content, I get bored with it and don't even really look anymore. You can stand out by being out of the circuit of events that the other girls are going to.

No.4

Saying Yes

Learning how to say 'No' to deals, offers, loop giveaways and anything that comes your way in the beginning is very hard. All I can say is that you 100% must go with your gut instinct. Try make a list of things that your brand stands for. Write down key words that explain your style, your blog and overall vibe that you want to put out into the world. If an opportunity comes your way (even if it's another blogger wanting to cross-promote), if it doesn't match the list, then it's a pass.

No.5

Thinking You Are A Writer

It sounds a little harsh, but it's true. Every blogger under the sun thinks they are the next Carrie Bradshaw and claims they are different because they 'majored in journalism' and have always been a writer. Listen, I'm guilty of it too. You are not a writer. You are in advertising, selling product and promoting a lifestyle. That is unless you are a blogger who blogs about writing {ha!}. With fashion/lifestyle blogs, a lot of us come into this world and get hung up on the writing. I've learned over the years that while people come to my blog to 'read' it, my followers are more responsive to the posts where I've really opened up and have a conversation. When you sit down to write your blog, don't think of it as a term paper. Try to write your posts like you are writing a letter to your best friend. If there are grammatical erros - fuck it {see what I did there?}. We are all only human. Show your personality and don't get hung up on the small stuff. Definitely write something, just don't think you are Hemingway.

No.6

Doing It All

When I first started my blog, I thought I would do it all - lifestyle, recipes, interior decor, jewelry, fashion, advice and long-winded essays on a variety of topics that I would post about. Then one day I looked at my blog and felt really frustrated and confused by what I was doing. I took a poll from my 20 readers at the time, who said very loud and clear that they were most interested in outfit posts. So, that was all I did for 6 months - every other day. Be realistic with the amount of posts you are doing and which platforms and topics you are pouring your energy into. Take your time with each and you can always add to your categories as time goes on.

No.7

Being impatient

Listen: having a million followers and people visiting your blog every day is not going to happen overnight. I've been doing this 6 years and I only have 450K followers on Instagram. Roll your eyes all you want, but there are a TON of bloggers who started when I did and they have millions at this point. As I said above, I didn't start my blog to make money, nor did I start blogging to win some popularity contest. The truth is: I really, really, really love blogging. So if at the end of the day I am left with 30 followers - I will value those 30 and be very thankful for each and every one. On my consulting calls with small business owners I sometimes hear a wave of frustration over numbers and questions about how people can grow quickly. The answer is that there is no overnight success. You have to play the long game and be very, very patient with your growth. Lately I have been exceptionally frustrated by my Instagram number. It's been stuck at the exact same number for 2 months now. I felt really down because I wasn't hitting my goal so I decided to focus my attention on a different area of the business, which was to create my Summer Style Guide. It was very rewarding, creative and I received such a wonderful response from it. When you are stuck in a rut and feel like you are starting to lose your mind because you aren't growing, try to refocus on the reasons why you started to begin with and know that these things take time. I really hate to say it, but I roll my eyes when someone who has been blogging for 6 months to a year feels frustrated because of their 'small' following. It's like a farmer getting frustrated because there's no rain. Plant the seeds, pray for good weather and if you're lucky, eventually the crop will grow.

Do you have any tips or tricks that have worked for you with your blog? Any disaster stories or lessons learned that you can share in the comments below?

xoxo jacey

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Q&A 7 years ago 8 Mistakes Beginner Bloggers Make

Buying Followers

Obsessing Over The Name

Looking at Everyone Else

Saying Yes

Thinking You Are A Writer

Doing It All

Being impatient

Inconsistency

xoxo jacey

0 Comments Join the Conversation

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Damsel in your Inbox

Hi, I'm Jacey

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Q&A 7 years ago 8 Mistakes Beginner Bloggers Make

Buying Followers

Obsessing Over The Name

Looking at Everyone Else

Saying Yes

Thinking You Are A Writer

Doing It All

Being impatient

Inconsistency

xoxo jacey

0 Comments Join the Conversation

Loading Next Post

Damsel in your Inbox

Hi, I'm Jacey