As I have been blogging for quite some time now I thought I would start sharing a bit of what I have learnt so far. So to start off I have come up with a few ideas on how to blog better this year!
1. Make your images more searchable
When you add nice images to your blog you want them to be found in image search results however search engines cannot "see" images they can only read text. So re-naming your image(s) to describe what the image is of before making the post live is quite important.
For example the above image was originally titled "DSC_0031" by the program I used to edit it, which doesn't really mean anything. However I would like the image to be found via Google images so before uploading it to Flickr/my blog I renamed it "Beauty_blogging_tips" (this is called alt text) so if anyone was to Google that and look in the image section it would be likely that my image would appear and they may click on it and read this post.
If you want to manually change the alt text for each image you need to look for
<alt="this is where you enter the image description" or <image scr = " ___" in the HTML section of your blog post editor. My main tip would be to keep the text short and clear.
2. Buy a notebook or get a sticky notes on your desktop
This is a pretty simple one but can actually make a big difference to how you blog. I personally find having Sticky Note software on my desktop really helpful for random blog post ideas that pop in my head while using my laptop or for important deadlines that I need to remember. There are lots of different ones you can download that are free but I would always use a good source such as CNET Download.com. Though if you like putting pen to paper then keeping a notebook next to your desk or bed can be a good way to make lists or write down any ideas that spring to mind.
This is a pretty simple one but can actually make a big difference to how you blog. I personally find having Sticky Note software on my desktop really helpful for random blog post ideas that pop in my head while using my laptop or for important deadlines that I need to remember. There are lots of different ones you can download that are free but I would always use a good source such as CNET Download.com. Though if you like putting pen to paper then keeping a notebook next to your desk or bed can be a good way to make lists or write down any ideas that spring to mind.
3. Join a new social media platform
When using social media it is easy to stick to what you know - Twitter & Facebook probably being the main two. However there are some great platforms that can increase your readership and also help you interact with other blogs/bloggers.
My favourite is BlogLovin' as you can not only easily claim your blog and create a profile (so people can follow, like and read your posts) but you can follow other bloggers, see popular posts of blogs worldwide and view hundreds of blogs by catagory. You can also keep a track of how many new followers you receive each week and where you are ranking in your blog category. Other good platforms are Hello Cotton and She Said Beauty.
When using social media it is easy to stick to what you know - Twitter & Facebook probably being the main two. However there are some great platforms that can increase your readership and also help you interact with other blogs/bloggers.
My favourite is BlogLovin' as you can not only easily claim your blog and create a profile (so people can follow, like and read your posts) but you can follow other bloggers, see popular posts of blogs worldwide and view hundreds of blogs by catagory. You can also keep a track of how many new followers you receive each week and where you are ranking in your blog category. Other good platforms are Hello Cotton and She Said Beauty.
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This seems like a but of a cop out piece of advise BUT since creating my own notice board where I can pin clippings from magazines, PR releases and generally pretty things, I have been feeling more inspired. It is just something that can give you a bit of inspiration or even remind you to blog about something. To create your own DIY notice board you will need a large frame with the glass removed (you could use a piece of chipboard also), then stretch and staple a fabric of your choice over it and then simply add some ribbon and pin in a criss-cross fashion.
5. Collaborate with a fellow blogger
This is seen so much now on Youtube as a way for Youtubers to share each others subscribers by collaborating in videos together and it definitely works. Now I'm not suggesting just writing a guest blog post for a fellow blogger but actually doing a swap of blog posts so you both guest post for each other around the same time or on the same day! My tip for this would be to contact fellow bloggers with a similar niche as you and a similar amount of followers so it is equally beneficial! Another way to collaborate with a beauty blogger and gain international followers is to do a makeup swap and both agree to do a blog post of what you received. I'm actually thinking I'd like to do a makeup swap soon as they really are fun to do!
This is seen so much now on Youtube as a way for Youtubers to share each others subscribers by collaborating in videos together and it definitely works. Now I'm not suggesting just writing a guest blog post for a fellow blogger but actually doing a swap of blog posts so you both guest post for each other around the same time or on the same day! My tip for this would be to contact fellow bloggers with a similar niche as you and a similar amount of followers so it is equally beneficial! Another way to collaborate with a beauty blogger and gain international followers is to do a makeup swap and both agree to do a blog post of what you received. I'm actually thinking I'd like to do a makeup swap soon as they really are fun to do!
6. Create a product image library folder
From time to time it is pretty impossible to take blog pictures. I know for me it is either - it has gone dark so the lighting is bad, I have been out all day but still want images to blog with at night or I'm ill and don't want to leave my bed! So I decided to create a new folder on my destop for single images of products. I'm not talking group images of products here but just single product shots of individual items.
Why am I doing this I here you ask? Well when I'm having a day when I cannot photograph any products (or heavens forbid my camera breaks again!) I can delve into this folder and use the images or even create a collage for say a blog post on 'My Top 5 Foundations' or 'Products I'm Loving Right Now'. So for now my library of images is looking small still but every blog post I write that has just a single shot of the product I'm talking about I drag it into my new folder to maybe re-sure it in the future.
Hopefully I have given you a few new ideas to try out!
Part 2 to be up on Wednesday.
Fee xo.
