Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts

THE ART OF BLOG WRITING E-BOOK REVIEW

Saturday

This product was gifted to me as a PR product but all views are my own and I will be honest in my review. This post also contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase a product through the links I will gain a small commission at no extra cost to you.

So if you're in the blogging community, you will probably already know that Eleanor from Not So Modern Girl, recently released an E-Book called The Art of Blog Writing, and I am so excited to have a copy to review!


Even the most seasoned bloggers need advice on blog writing from time to time and it's always great to hear advice from different sources, so we can keep on top of our game. 


two brown pencils on white surface
Image by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.

The E-Book usually retails for £3.99 which is a great price considering Eleanor is a blogger with over 4 years experience. It includes a step-by-step guide on writing a new blog post as well as tips on creating great social media posts and advice on spelling mistakes to avoid and proof reading checklists.

Related: How to find out the best blogging niche for you

A lot of E-Books these days can have some scary jargon in that is intimidating for new bloggers but The Art of Blog Writing, in my opinion, has really straight-forward points that could easily be applied to blog writing.


The text also includes some great advice on writing social media posts as well as blog posts. If you are using social media to support your blog as many bloggers do, you will need to know how important it is to represent yourself and your brand across your social media channels and Eleanor explains this in the E-Book.


If you are looking for advice on writing blog posts and social media content then look no further. The Art of Blog Writing explains all the basics in a simple way, without any scary information or jargon that you may learn later down the line.

Related: Top tips for creating digital branding as a blogger

Have you read Eleanor's E-Book?

MEET MY MAY ADVERTISERS

AD - This blog post features my monthly advertisers. If you would like to advertise with me or find out more then please contact me.

This is now my 4th month of featuring advertisers on my blog and I have been really loving it. I love reading posts like these too and discovering new bloggers so I hope you have been enjoying discovering these wonderful bloggers too! This month, I have 5 amazing bloggers to share with you, I also offer ad slots to small shops too so if you are a small shop or business owner wanting to increase sales or views to your website then let me know!


Enviroline blog logo

The first blogger I have to share with you is one of my favourites, it's Enviroline Blog. Caroline is not only a lovely person, but she also shares amazing content about the environment and eating disorder recovery. I always learn so much when I read her blogs and love keeping up with her content on social media too.


Check out these posts from Enviroline Blog

Sunshine Sarah blog logo
Sunshine Sarah is another great blogger that I am proud to share with you. Sarah is a lifestyle blogger and she also shares really great vegan recipes. Her goal is to bring a ray of sunshine into your life with her content and she definitely succeeds in that.

Start by checking out these posts

Brit Voyage blog logo
Next up on the bloggers you need to check out this month is Brit Voyage. Georgia from Brit Voyage is a travel and lifestyle blogger that writes amazing blog posts all about her adventures around the UK. I am always looking for new places to explore in the UK which is why I love Georgia's content.

Here are a few of my favourite posts from Georgia


Skinned Cartree blog logo

A great blogger who I have only recently discovered is Corinne from Skinned Cartree. Corrine writes fab posts all about lifestyle and blogging help so if you love reading about that then you need to check out Corinne's blog!

Start by checking out these posts


Miel and mint blog logo
Finally, last but not least is Nadia from Miel and Mint. Nadia writes really helpful posts all about self-help, productivity and lifestyle. She is another blogger that I have discovered recently and I love her content. Again, I am always learning new things when I read her posts.

Check out these posts from Miel and Mint

I hope you enjoyed reading about these bloggers as much as I enjoyed sharing their content with you. Don't forget to check them out! 

Who are your favourite bloggers at the moment?

JUGGLING BLOGGING WITH UNIVERSITY

This is a guest post by Ruthie Loves Glamour. 

Blogging and studying are two really hectic, time consuming and effort taking things. And if someone had asked me few months ago if I would be able to juggle university with blogging, I would have given a big NO! but I'm doing it today and even though it gets tough sometimes, the fact that I'm able to juggle them both is something I am proud of myself for as they are no joke. Blogging and University are two different things but they both require an insane amount of time, energy, commitment and hard work. If I had to juggle university with babysitting the neighbours' 4 year old daughter, it would have been a completely different case as baby sitting even though stressful, is not as stressful as blogging. 

In the few months of me juggling blogging with university, there has been ups, downs, positives, negatives. I have learnt a lot from juggling both and today, I'll be sharing the good, bad, the ugly and the lessons I have learnt from juggling university and blogging.

messy work space
Image by cottonbro on Pexels. 

Some positives 


Juggling blogging and university made me realize that I am stronger, can handle so much and stay organized and I am so much more capable than I know. Sometimes, being faced with a really tough situation brings out our capabilities and brings out a kind of strength we never knew existed. I never felt like I wasn't strong or capable of handling things but I did feel like I wasn't capable of juggling university and blogging. I knew just how much time, commitment and energy they both require and at some point I did feel like it would be impossible for me to juggle both of them but guess what! I proved myself wrong. 

Though, it has not been easy, I have been doing well and the fact that I have been able to handle so much and still be on top of my game has made me believe so much more in myself and my abilities. Even with the fact that I have been juggling both, I have been able to do assignments, post twice a week and catch up with some other non blogging/non uni stuff and boy aren't I awesome?! 

Some negatives 


Juggling the both is stressful as hell. Juggling these two have given me sleepless nights, late nights and early mornings and sometimes, I get so stressed, I just leave both of them and go relax somewhere haha. The stress that comes with juggling these two is just too much but I have been able to stress less and up my productivity game with to-do lists. I swear to-do lists are a lifesaver and I would be forever grateful. Even with the to-do lists, juggling blogging and university is still a handful but the to-do lists make such a difference. Aside from the experiences I had juggling blogging and uni I have learnt a lot from juggling university with blogging and below are some of the things I have learnt! 

LESSONS I LEARNT FROM JUGGLING BLOGGING WITH UNIVERSITY 


1) Nothing's impossible and you can do anything you put your heart to


Who would have known that I would somehow be able to manage blogging and uni together? If you are a blogger I'm sure you feel me when I say blogging is super stressful. If you are a student too then you know that even though uni is fun, it does entail a lot but I did put my heart to juggling these two and it worked for me. I have been so hell bent on not leaving any behind, I have gone out of my comfort zone to make sure I keep up with both and things have been going well. There will be challenges on the way but you can overcome any challenge and cross every hurdle once you put your heart to it. 

2) It's about finding the right balance 


Balance is so important in everything we do and it is important that we try and find a balance in our lives as much as we can. Finding a balance between blogging, university and other aspects of my life really helped me a lot and as much as I put my everything into university work and blogging, I did learn not to ignore other parts of my life even when I am super super busy. 

3) Me time is a must even when there seems to be too much on my plate 


Imma be honest now, there have been times when I neglected me, my health and my wellbeing just to get everything else done but never again. Creating time for me is a must and it is also an important part of self love. I have realized that it is very easy to neglect ourselves and get wrapped up in everything else, all the hustles and bustles of life but juggling blogging and university made me realize that overworking myself would only make me less productive and I need to create time for myself no matter how much work I have to do. 

4) Passion is so so important 


I have always known that passion is super important but juggling blogging and university made me realize that the importance of having a passion for whatever you are doing can never be overemphasized. Passion gives you motivation to go on even when things are rough. On days where I have felt like quitting, passion kept me. If you are doing something you don't have passion for, it will be easier to call it quits when the storm hits but having a passion for something will give you the drive to keep going even when nothing seems to be working. 

These are my experiences and the lessons I have learnt from juggling university and blogging. Are you a student blogger out there, or are you juggling blogging with your day job or anything at all? How do you cope with juggling both and not getting burnout? What are some experiences you have had and what are some lessons you have learnt from juggling blogging with whatever you are juggling it with? Let me know! 

About the author 


Name: Ruth 
Website: Ruthiee Loves Glamour - www.ruthieelovesglamour.com 

Ruth is a student blogger who loves to inspire people to be the best version of themselves. She runs a blog about personal development, self care, self love, positivity, personal growth and all things lifestyle. Ruthiee Loves Glamour is a space for everyone to learn, develop themselves, interact and navigate their way through life. Keep up with Ruth and her blog. 

Socials: 


Facebook page - @ruthieelovesglamour

DATING IDEAS IN DORSET: ONLINE AND IN PERSON

AD - This is a sponsored post.

With the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, a lot of you might have stopped going on dates or trying to meet new people. That’s fine, it’s been a tough time for a lot of people but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stop meeting new people or going on dates, especially as online dates are becoming so prevalent now.


You may have been taking part in virtual or socially distanced dates already, but I am going to be sharing some online date ideas and in person date ideas around Dorset for you to get back into the swing of things. I will also try and give you my best advice on dating, I don’t consider myself an expert but I managed to get myself a boyfriend and we have been together for nearly 3 years so I must be doing something right.


man texting on iphone
Image by cottonbro on Pexels.

Online Date Ideas


If you’re on the dating scene and haven’t tried online dating yet then you need to! As the pandemic has made most of us realise, we really rely on technology so we may as well use it to meet new people. It is quickly becoming the norm for people looking for dates and it can help you connect with others in a safe way. You can find local single people on a Dorset Dating Site.


One of the main benefits of online dating is that you don’t have to leave your house so if you feel the date went terribly, it’s not too much lost as you won’t have gone anywhere. Also, they won’t notice if you’re in pyjama bottoms on a call. Look up dating sites UK to find singles in your area.


Quiz


I feel like so many people have done quizzes over zoom so why not do it on a date? It would be fun to make up some questions to ask each other as a way to get to know each other. Obviously if you are only just getting to know them you need to be careful with what you ask them, but it could be a really cool way to find out what you have in common.


Drawing Games


You could pick any game to play on an online date, I am just using a drawing one as an example of something that could be fun. You could challenge each other to draw the same thing and see who’s is best, or draw something and the other person has to guess what it is.


Date Ideas Around Dorset


Now that rules are being relaxed and you can meet someone outside at a distance, it might be nice to start dating in person again, so I’m going to give you a few ideas of what you could do with someone out and about round Dorset.


Here are some socially distanced date ideas that are great for meeting new people


  • Outdoor Minigolf
  • Walk along the Beach
  • Have a picnic in a park
  • Get takeaway food or coffees

Before we finish, I’d just like to share with you my number one piece of advice before dating. If you are nervous about whether they will like you, just focus on whether or not you will like them. After all, the dating experience is about you and what makes you happy.


Have you tried online dating?

22 THINGS I'VE LEARNED IN 22 YEARS

I'm 22! I'm actually posting this on my birthday. I've seen a lot of people do this kind of post around their birthday so I thought I'd try it too. It was actually quite hard to think of 22 things but I got there in the end. So here we go.


22 Things I've Learned in 22 Years


1. It's better to have a few good friends than 100 bad ones

Honestly, having fake or bad friends can be so damaging to your mental health. It's great to have lots of great friends but what's the point having lots of fake friends? If you have a few good friends, you will really appreciate them more.


2. You have to be your own cheerleader

Don't wait for people to support you and gas you up for your achievements, you should celebrate yourself!


girl at Highcliffe castle dorset


3. I should stop calling myself dumb

I always say I'm dumb as a joke and that often provokes people to join in and say it to, when in reality I'm really not - I've nearly finished a degree.


4. Confidence is key but fake it 'til you make it

I've recently learned that confidence really is key. When you think of the most confident people, you wouldn't really try messing with them or putting them down. Although, it's hard to be confident, the more you try and act confident, the more it will come across to others that you are.


5. It isn't an edgy personality trait to like Lana Del Rey

My favourite artist is Lana Del Rey, don't know if you've heard of her? Haha 14 year old me thought I was so cool and different but really, you like what you like and it doesn't matter. It's not cool to try and be different.


6. I can't keep everything bottled up

I am someone who finds it really difficult to talk about trauma or how I'm feeling, I'll often make jokes out of things as a coping mechanism. Keeping it bottled up is the wrong way to deal with it because I'll often get overlooked. How will people know to be there for you if you don't let them know? I've found it's much more healthy to be open about how I feel.


7. Everyone is working at their own pace

The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to others when it comes to your life goals. Especially in your 20s when some people are married with kids, and some people are just starting to figure out what they want to do. It's all FINE there's no rush on anything.


8. You shouldn't sacrifice your feelings just to get on with people

I hate confrontation so a lot of the time when people have peed me off I haven't said anything, but if someone wrongs you, they aren't going to realise unless you tell them.


9. Age doesn't mean anything

Again, everyone is working at their own pace it doesn't really matter about your age. I am also saying this because I am a 22 year old with some greys coming through.


10. You don't owe anything to anyone

In the past I felt like I had to do things for people and felt bad for saying no to things, but now I'll pretty much only go out of my way for people who deserve it.


11. Like what you like

This relates to my Lana Del Rey point earlier. Unfortunately there are people that will make fun of you for what you like so you may as well openly enjoy whatever it is you enjoy, unapologetically.


girl on the beach at sunset


12. Celebrate the small wins

I feel like no one gives themselves enough credit and this is why I'm going to celebrate small wins from now on. There are so many things in life worth celebrating so we may as well make the most out of them.

13. You don't have to have a life plan

Did anyone else's school make them feel like they were supposed to know what career they wanted to do when they were 16? I still have no idea haha my whole life is a long time to plan for and I don't want to be stuck doing something I don't actually like so it's better to have options than decide on one thing in my opinion.

14. Putting yourself first isn't selfish

Honestly, at the end of the day people will come and go but you will always have yourself, so you need to put yourself first sometimes.

15. Appreciate little things

I feel like I don't always fully appreciate good times until they are a memory and the more things that turn into memories, the more I realise I need to appreciate those things while they happen and not just after.


16. If you can't love yourself, how in the hell can you love somebody else?

So true, thank you RuPaul.


17. Saying no to people is fine 

Again, it's not selfish to set boundaries and to not do everything for people.


18. You won't always have awful taste in men

I used to always go for toxic males and now I have the nicest boyfriend ever and am winning at life, I just wish I didn't waste so much time.


19. There is a lot in the world that needs to change

As you get older, you realise that there are so many things that are wrong in the world and things you thought you knew seem to be untrue and that we need to make take active steps into spreading kindness and trying to make the world a better place.


20. You will probably feel 18 forever

Ever since turning 18, every year I feel like I haven't got any older and I think I will keep thinking I'm 18, at least for the near future anyway. I wonder if when I am 30, will I still feel like I'm 18?


21. Don't grow up too fast

When I was a teenager, all I wanted to do was be older but now, I am going to be an adult for the rest of my life. You are only young for a short amount of time so you may as well make the most out of it.


22. It will be harder to think of things for this post than what you thought


I struggled with finding 22 life lessons I've learnt, but I hope you enjoyed reading my list.


What's one thing you've learnt?

MEET MY APRIL ADVERTISERS

Monday

 AD - This post features my monthly advertisers. If you are interested in advertising with me then please contact me or find out more on my advertise with me page.

woman working on a keyboard

I have really enjoyed sharing some of my favourite blogs with you each month, it's such a good way to interact with and discover new people.

Life of Morag blog logo

Firstly, we have Life of Morag, a fabulous blog all about travel, politics, health and life in general. I recently discovered Morag on Twitter and I'm so glad that I did, she has such insightful posts that are written from the heart. Be sure to check out her blog!


Start by reading these posts


A girl with a view blog logo

Tash from A Girl with a View is one of my all-time favourite bloggers. She writes about lifestyle, university, travel and more. I always make sure to keep up to date with her posts and you should too! If you love reading helpful, honest posts then you need to check out A Girl with a View.

Check out these posts by Tash


Pickle Emporium logo

Now, this suggestion is a little bit different as I usually advertise bloggers but why not promote small shops too? Prickle Emporium sell really lovely succulent plants and plant accessories. These plants would really brighten up a room and by buying them you would be really supporting a small business. Make sure to check out Prickle Emporium for your plant needs.

Lynn Mumbing Mejia blog logo
Lynn Mumbing Mejia is a great lifestyle blogger with some really helpful posts about DIY and life in general. My favourite posts of hers are her recipes, they always look amazing! If you want really informative posts and advice then you need to check out Lynn's blog!

Make sure you read these posts by Lynn

Sophia Patel blog logo
And finally, last but definitely not least we have Sophia Patel. From blogging help to lifestyle and travel, Sophia has such an amazing range of posts on her blog. If you love reading all about lifestyle or need a bit of blogging advice from time to time then her blog is definitely for you!

Check out these posts from Sophia


Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy these blogs and shops as much as I do, let me know what you think of them. I loved having them on my blog! Remember, if you want to advertise with me for as little as £3 per month then you can just reach out to me.

HOW TO WORK OUT THE BEST BLOGGING NICHE FOR YOU

Saturday

This is a guest post from Sophia Patel.

Blogging can be a challenge, especially when you feel like you are always scraping for content. After 6 years, at times I can find it a weekly struggle to come up with content good enough. There are, however, several tools and habits to stop you from walking down this path - one of them is establishing your niche. Here's how.

Get To Know Your Audience

Just like your blog, your audience will evolve. You will gain some, lose some, and others will stick with you along the way. Base your key topics of interest on your analytics - what are my most popular posts within a particular time frame? What is the demographic of your audience? Both your topic and audience have to work together, otherwise, you will have no one reading your posts. For example, a parenting blog would not be 100% relevant if your audience were 10-15-year-old boys, would it? Establish your demographic first.

What Are You Interested In?

Over the last few years, I had had so much inner conflict with this. I started as a beauty blogger (reviewing the likes of Benefit's They're Real Mascara). Now, you will see 3 beauty posts per year. Why? Because over time your niche will naturally change. I have always considered it an evolution because the ideas you come up with at silly hours in the morning is usually a clue as to what you want to post. And let's be honest, content is always better when it comes from the heart. That's why over time I have ditched the beauty and moved into blogging tips for beginners and home & finance. When the content slowly evolves, some will stick around, and some will leave - that's just part of the process.

laptop coffee and to do list

Don't Try and Blog About Everything

This is a mistake I learned pretty late on. Over time, it is so easy to add a little bit of everything. Been on holiday? Blog about that. Done some clothes shopping? Blog about that. Cooked yourself a nice meal? Blog about that. Just in this example, your blogging niche has expanded to travel, fashion and food. But it begs the question of which one is your direct niche. I have been calling myself a lifestyle blogger for years, yet what does it mean? If new audiences want to gain a snippet from your blog and see a dozen blog posts in different niches they may be slightly confused. Nail down your focus to a few interlinking topics (I have linked blogging tips and home niches by talking about creating a home office to blog), and perfect them. Chances are, there will always be someone else blogging about the niche you ditched so no need to worry.

If You Cannot Write About It, It's Not The One

If you have a niche that you love, but cannot ultimately write content about, then it is not the one. Increased competition means that posts need to be near 1000 words to meet the requirements of Google. If your niche cannot meet that easily, you will still struggle for content. When thinking of a niche, without any resources - make a list of as many blog posts as you can. When I moved to home and interior blogging, I came up with 50 ideas, meaning I could effectively have enough titles for the next 6 months (excluding guest posts and exclusive content). Bounce blogging ideas off one another and aim to interlink many of your posts (a series / two part post). Not only will this help to create content, but strengthen your niche.

What Blogs Do You Read?

Chances are, your niche and the topics you are interested in are going to be linked. If you are still struggling to pinpoint your niche, look at it from a different angle and self-reflect. Think about yourself - your hobbies, career path, the books you read and the blogs you follow. Create a Venn diagram if need be and see where it all overlaps.

Then look at the competition. If the market is oversaturated, it is going to be difficult to stand odd / offer content that Google doesn't have the answer to. E.g. Blogging tips is a very large field with lots of high DA Bloggers competing. As this is something I want to pursue, my niche has shifted to beginner level. We strip back all the technical terms and start from scratch. The key is to find a balance where you are offering content that has not been done a million times before, and something that you have enough experience to talk about. After all, list posts and how-to's are the most popular.

working on laptop with flat white

Give It Time

This is the number one piece of advice. Blogging takes time, finding your niche takes time. If you find it straight away then you are the lucky one - but more than likely a new blogging niche is caused by a love for something else and a critique of current work. If you ever have that dilemma, then it is time to change, because otherwise it'll be shown in your content.

About the Author:

I am Sophia - a recent marketing graduate who is blogging full time in lockdown. I talk about all things blogging; as well as the progress on renovation of an 18th century home on a budget, to boost valuation for sale.

TOXIC POSITIVITY: THE LOW DOWN

I am continuing on my blog series called The Low Down. I haven't done a post in this series for a while so if you are new to reading my posts, I basically just write my opinion on things in this post. I've written about things like student housing, friendships and being a fussy eater before, and this time I'm going to be writing about toxic positivity.

long grass by the sea
Image by Nathan Cowley on Pexels.

What is Toxic Positivity?


Before looking into toxic positivity, and hearing a few things about it on social media, I didn't know anything about it. 

"Toxic positivity is the assumption, either by one's self or others, that despite a person's emotional pain or difficult mindset" - Dr Jaime Zuckerman, clinical psychologist in Pennsylvania. Read the full toxic positivity article on healthline.

Toxic positivity has become even more prevalent in the pandemic. How often have you told someone you are having a tough time to be faced with responses like "it could be worse" or "everyone has that" or even "you should feel lucky?" You may have even responded in this way to people.

It supports the rhetoric that we are not allowed to feel sad or in a bad mood and we must try to feel positive and think positively. It's not possible to think positively 24/7 so why, as a society, do we try to push this?

What can we do about Toxic Positivity?


I think it's definitely important first and foremost to recognise toxic positivity. Before reading about it, I wouldn't have even known that it can be harmful to people and a lot of the time, people believe they are helping by trying to make other people think positively.

Obviously, it is great to have a positive mindset and, I'm just saying that it's impossible to expect this from people all the time and if you or your friends are feeling down, it's important to look after yourself and recognise that you are down so you can deal with the emotions, rather than just pushing them away while trying to be positive.

Change your approach


Start with yourself. If you're feeling down then remember that's ok and hopefully you will feel more positive another day - remember to go easy on yourself and treat yourself with kindness. 

As for being there for others, if someone is coming to you with a problem or they are feeling sad, think about how to approach this. Instead of trying to get them to think positively, just tell them you are there for them and it's ok to feel sad now and again. Ultimately, if someone is coming to you with an issue, they will be reassured that you are there for them, there is no need for saying things like "it's ok, you have nothing to be upset about," as we spoke about earlier.

Just to reiterate - positive mindsets are GOOD and it's great if you are mostly positive. However, not everyone has that mindset all the time and it can do more harm than good to try and force people to look on the bright side when they are feeling low.

What are your thoughts on toxic positivity?

10 STEPS TO HELP YOU GROW YOUR INSTAGRAM

This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase a product through these links I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Over the last couple of months, I have been trying to up my Instagram game and it's been paying off so far so I thought I'd share my tips with you. If you have Instagram already, you might know how frustrating it can be but don't give up! Most of my brand collabs are actually on Instagram and my blog is secondary to that so it can be a really good way to score collabs if that's what you're after.


First of all, you will need to think of why you want to grow your Instagram. It could be because you want to attract more people to your website or business, or you might want to collaborate with brands.

 

Before anything else, I just want to emphasise that follower count is not the be all and end all, engagement is what's most important!


You can follow me on Instagram here.


Like Comment Follow Instagram icons
Image by Christian Dina on Pexels.

1. Take care in the images you upload


The main reason people will want to follow you or engage with you is because of the content you put out. You will be wanting to put out content that your followers will enjoy and content that says a lot about you. For example, if you love travelling then post some of your favourite travel snaps!

Related: 5 Steps to Taking Successful Instagram Pictures

2. Engage with people


If you are wanting people to engage with your content, you should engage with theirs too. Don't be scared to comment, reply to stories and even DM people sometimes. The more you connect with an account, the more likely Instagram is to show your post to those accounts.


Remember to support your favourite creators by engaging with them and seek out accounts you think would like your content and engage with them too. You should be engaging with people before and after you post too!


3. Follow relevant people


Similarly to my point about engaging, if you are expecting new followers, you are going to have to follow some people to. If I see an account with over 2000 followers but they are only following 200, that says to me they don't really want to engage with other accounts.


If you keep following relevant people (by relevant I mean people that post similar content to you) then you are getting your name out there and hopefully you will gain some engaging followers too.


4. Utilise story features


Now, posting on your Instagram story won't gain you any new followers, but it will keep the audience you do have engaged. I would recommend using the features on your story such as polls and questions regularly. Let your audience get to know you and post stories regularly!

Related: 3 Tips for Staying Creative

5. Post reels


As reels are a relatively new thing, Instagram seem to be pushing them and they have potential to get a really high reach. Sometimes when I have been scrolling Instagram, I have seen just reels and nothing else on my homepage so it's definitely worth getting onto them if you haven't yet.


6. Hashtag research


Using the right hashtags is the best way for your images to reach new people. Generally speaking you should be using hashtags relevant to your image. For example, if it's an outfit image you will want to be using fashion hashtags. You will also want to be using different size hashtags. Smaller ones have 10k or less images in it whereas larger ones will have over 100k. A lot of hashtags such as #fashion will have millions of images so it's unlikely your image will be seen with those ones.


There are a lot of blog posts out there with hashtags you should be using for your niche so just do some searching. Also, remember to use 30 hashtags on each post!


7. Set goals


I find when I set realistic goals, it helps me to achieve them and set new ones. If I set myself a certain follower goal in a week, it helps me to work towards it. Now, Instagram can be tricky at the best of times so don't feel disheartened if it takes a while for things to change.


Check out this Instagram Branding Pack.


8. Be consistent with posting


The more consistent you are with posting on your story and on your feed, the more engagement you will get. Also, you will look active to new people discovering your account and they will be more likely to follow you than if you haven't posted in weeks.


It can be hard to find the time sometimes, which is why it's best to plan your content ahead. I use an app called Feed Preview on my iPhone to plan all my feed content. I do try to plan out story content too but a lot of the time life gets in the way - which is OK too.


I try to post on my feed every other day and a few times a day on my story.


9. Use your analytics


Set your account to a business account, then you will be able to see your analytics. You will be able to see which posts have done well in terms of hashtags and you will be able to see when your audience is most active. Mine is most active around 6pm each evening so I will try to post around then where possible.


Also, once you have been posting for a while, pay attention to the posts that have had the most engagement and see if you can post something similar.


Check out this social media template bundle for Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.


10. Have fun with it 


This is the most important step! Remember, you are posting your content for YOU so make sure you are posting what you enjoy. There's no point posting things that you hate just to impress people or brands. If you're authentically you, it will pay off!


Do you have any Instagram tips?


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TOP TIPS FOR CREATING DIGITAL BRANDING AS A BLOGGER

AD – This is a sponsored post.

As a blogger, not only do I write and share blog posts, but I also have to make sure I keep my digital branding up to date. This is in order to show my personal brand and my blogging brand off across my social media platforms.


The digital branded content you may create as a blogger are as follows:

  • Media kit
  • Blog logo
  • Social media templates
  • Instagram story templates
  • Pinterest pins
  • Products in your branding such as Gumroad e-books
  • Newsletters and emails
  • Email signatures

In this post, I will be giving you some advice on how to keep your branded content fresh and up to date. So without further ado, let’s get into the tips.


laptop with flowers and phone
Image by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.

5 tips for updating your digital branding as a blogger


1. Create a clear logo


The first thing you will want to do as a blogger is to create an eye catching logo with your blog name on. Think about the colours you use because you can use them in a colour scheme for your other content.


Once you have created a logo you are happy with, you can then use this on other content you may wish to produce such as a media kit or social media templates.

Related: 3 ways to stay creative

2. Pick a colour scheme


Choosing a colour scheme is what all brands do when creating their content and products and bloggers should too. At the moment I tend to use light pink as that is in my logo, and other light colours such as a muted blue and peach. Admittedly, I need to work more on my colour scheme.


3. Choose fonts to use for different content


When creating different digital branded content, you will need to pick some fonts to use. For example, I have one font for my logo but I have a few other, more readable fonts for when I am writing more text like in my monthly newsletters or for the paragraphs in my media kit. Once you have decided what branded content you are going to create, I would suggest picking different fonts that you will use for different things and try and keep them as standard across your content.


Start your search for fonts by checking out this fancy fonts collection by font bundles. They offer a range of fonts for each occasion.


4. Standardise your content


Similar to what I was saying about picking standard fonts to go across your content, you should try to standardise all of your branded content using colour and any other signature effects you might use. This will help people recognise you. For example, if you have a branded Twitter header and one of your Twitter followers finds your Facebook page that has the same branding, they may remember your branding from Twitter and be more likely to connect with you on another platform too.


On social media, you should create pin covers for Pinterest and Instagram story highlight covers in your branding. It is also a good idea to create headers for Twitter and Facebook in your branding that contain your logo. These are just small ways to make your social media channels look more professional. If you are a blogger, your audience or brands will be more visually pleased when seeing branding on your social media than if you don’t have any. It also shows that you are serious about marketing yourself and blogging too.

Related: 100 Blog post ideas for every niche

5. Try and show you in your branded digital content


Try and bring yourself into your branding as much as you can. It is promoting you and your blog so make it personal, and obviously relevant to your niche. If you are a travel blogger, don’t be using makeup brushes in your logo, for example.


Creating personal branding should be fun because you can choose what you want everything to look like in a way that best promotes you, your blog and your services.


When it comes to branding and creating content, play around. It doesn’t have to be perfect straight away! I have had a range of logos before, it’s all trial and error until you have found what you’re happy with and it will feel really good when you do. I usually just play around with things until I get it looking perfect, just try not to stress out too much about it and have fun!


How are you getting on with your branded content? Do you have any tips?

DEALING WITH HIGH FUNCTIONING ANXIETY - GUEST POST

This is a guest post from Rachael Hawksworth.

Hi. My name is Rachael, I have a full and fun social life, a fantastic job and crippling high functioning anxiety.


Since I was a little girl I have been very talkative. I've been described as HAPPY, talkative, bubbly and enthusiastic my whole life. I attended drama school, studied dance and put myself out there to help anyone out, with anything. Anyone meeting me would describe me as confident, outgoing and friendly.


However I viewed myself as annoying. Loud, rude, in your face too much. Convinced that I talk too much, to much about myself or don't talk enough! I have a terrible habit of trying to please everyone and keep everyone happy from fear of them disliking me or not wanting to be my friend. Because I have believed for so long that no one would actually want to be friends with me, it must be because of things I do for them. Or, even worse, that if I do anything wrong then they’ll realise they don’t actually like me!



Underneath all this self doubt, I was desperately sad. But everyone always told me I was happy? Super positive!? I found myself convincing myself I was ok because everyone saw me that way.


I only realised when I was 28 that torturing myself this way wasn’t just how I was, it was anxiety. It took YEARS for me to accept and ask for help. Mainly because I didn’t realise what anxiety really looked like, the emotional and the physical symptoms are what caught me off guard. I always thought of anxiety as a strong anxious feeling! But its so much more.


I knew I had a problem for a while. I’d find myself rocking back and forth with my head in my hands, trying to soothe myself. Working in a busy, customer facing management role in hospitality, managing 3 teams of 120 people total and yet I couldn’t bring myself to leave the house sometimes, crippled with social anxiety and a feeling of severe dread for no apparent reason. I’d be going to parties with friends one weekend, then the next I’d barely be able to get my words out, stuttering and uncontrollable overthinking.


Cycle of completing a task with high functioning anxiety
Cycle of completing a task with high functioning anxiety


I did nothing about it. I didn’t seek help, I ignored it. Made all the typical excuses...
I talk to hundreds of staff and customers every week, I host parties at work and am always putting myself out there... how could I be ‘Anxious’’


I'm so confident... I can’t have anxiety? I felt GUILTY for even thinking that I could have anxiety... like I was belittling others who REALLY suffered with anxiety by comparing myself with them.


The reason I am sharing this with you and the rest of the internet is because there are bound to be hundreds, even thousands of people out there who are suffering in silence. Battling with themselves and unable to admit there is anything wrong. Could be you, could be someone you care about...


Everyone’s experience of anxiety disorders is different. Not everyone who has an anxiety disorder will experience the same symptoms.


Mental symptoms of anxiety can include:

  • racing thoughts,
  • uncontrollable over-thinking,
  • difficulties concentrating,
  • feelings of dread, panic or ‘impending doom’,
  • feeling irritable,
  • heightened alertness,
  • problems with sleep,
  • changes in appetite,
  • wanting to escape from the situation you are in, and
  • dissociation.


If you dissociate you might feel like you are not connected to your own body. Or like you are watching things happen around you, without feeling it.


Physical symptoms of anxiety can include:

  • sweating,
  • heavy and fast breathing,
  • hot flushes or blushing,
  • dry mouth,
  • shaking,
  • hair loss,
  • fast heartbeat,
  • extreme tiredness or lack of energy
  • dizziness and fainting, and
  • stomach aches and sickness.

What is High Functioning Anxiety?


High Functioning Anxiety - How it appears vs how it feels

High Functioning Anxiety - How it appears vs how it feels


If you feel like this is you, then I hope you might feel a sense of relief. Like you finally have permission to accept that you are struggling! Your feelings are validated and your not just ‘broken’ or ‘crazy’ - BOTH things I told myself for YEARS.


Human beings are not perfect, no one of us is! You don’t have to try to be. You can seem like a social butterfly and still suffer from a inability to even leave the house some days.


What to do if you recognise the symptoms of High Functioning Anxiety in yourself...


  • Reach out for help!
    It is not weak to ask for help, its the strongest thing you can do. Family, friends, loved ones who you can trust are great ones to reach out too but there are also lots of websites and organisations that you can speak too for advice.

    Anxiety UK
    Charity providing support if you have been diagnosed with an anxiety condition.
    Phone: 03444 775 774 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm)
    Website: www.anxietyuk.org.uk

    CALM
    CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably. A charity providing a mental health helpline and webchat.
    Phone: 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight)
    Website: www.thecalmzone.net

    Men's Health Forum
    24/7 stress support for men by text, chat and email.
    Website: www.menshealthforum.org.uk

    Mental Health Foundation
    Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities.
    Website: www.mentalhealth.org.uk

    Mind
    Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems.
    Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)
    Website: www.mind.org.uk

    Rethink Mental Illness
    Support and advice for people living with mental illness.
    Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm)
    Website: www.rethink.org
  • Recognise and address symptoms as they come up. There are plenty of grounding techniques and mindfulness & breathing exercises to do.
  • Start journaling!
    There is a journal for everything nowadays - productivity journals, daily, weekly or monthly journals, mindfulness journals... anything that you could want or need to track and plan - THERES A JOURNAL OR PLANNER FOR IT! Feeling organised and physically writing down your thoughts and ideas helps ease anxiety symptoms SO much.
    Often times your heads a mess with over thinking and your not able to focus... writing everything down, getting it out of your head and into physical form means you can make sense of it all.
  • Speak to your doctor and consider counselling
    Anti-depressants and anti anxiety medication has had this stigma around it for so long, its very annoying!! If you had a illness in your body and you need help, you go to your doctor no they prescribe medicine. This includes your mental health! Your doctor will go over all your options, they are highly trained in dealing with mental health and can advise you in any way you need. Plus they can refer you to local mental health organisations and even for counselling.

If you know someone who has High Functioning Anxiety or you think might have then speak to them about it. Be gentle and kind, understand that they may not be ready to talk about it but showing them that you are there to listen when they are ready to talk will make the biggest difference!


Most of the time someone with a anxiety disorder really needs to just talk, they need someone who will listen to them and let them vent and feel what they are feeling! It’s easy to try to say things which you THINK are helpful but that’s really not...


Things NOT to say to someone who is suffering from a anxiety disorder...


‘’It could be worse, other people have it way worse than you’’

‘’Cheer up’’

‘’You’ll be fine, you’ll get over it’’

‘’But your so happy, are you sure its anxiety and your not just being dramatic?’’


What may not seem like much on the outside, could be significantly effecting someone on the inside. No doubt the person who is opening up to you about their anxiety disorder, already has been telling themselves all of the above! The fact they feel comfortable speaking to you about it and opening up is a HUGE step. 



SANE Provides emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers.
Textcare: comfort and care via text message, sent when the person needs it most: www.sane.org.uk/textcare
Peer support forum: www.sane.org.uk/supportforum
Website: www.sane.org.uk/support

YoungMinds provide information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals.
Parents' helpline 0808 802 5544

MEET MY MARCH ADVERTISERS

Sunday

AD - This post features my monthly advertisers. If you are interested in advertising with me then please contact me or find out more information on my advertise with me page.

 

Woman working on laptop

Welcome to my March Advertisers post. In this post, I will be sharing with you all of the blogs that you need to check out this month.

Sunshine Sarah blog logo
First up is Sunshine Sarah, a fitting name as Sarah is a ray of sunshine. Her content always leaves me feeling more positive and her blog is beautiful! If you want some positivity to brighten up your life then you definitely need to check Sarah's blog out.

Posts you need to check out from Sarah


not my body type blog logo

The next blog you have to check out this month is Not My Body Type. Alice is a critical care nurse but alongside that, she writes all about fashion and style and I really love her posts! She also highlights mental health and body image issues.

Start by checking out these posts

Amy Marshment profile picture

Amy Marshment is one of my favourite people that I have connected with on Twitter and I love her blog! She is always just looking to support people and is generally lovely. She specialises in lifestyle, personal growth and beauty so if that's your thing definitely check her out.

Amy's posts you need to see

The Sunday Blogger logo
Zoe from The Sunday Blogger is another one of my favourite lifestyle bloggers. It's a perfect chilled Sunday afternoon read. On The Sunday Blogger, you can expect to find brilliant content all about self-care and wellbeing, beauty, travel and lifestyle. I would definitely recommend checking her out!

Here are some posts you should check out:


Steff's Journey logo

If you love lifestyle and blogging content, then you need to check out Steff's Journey. Steff writes all about her life and blogging experiences and she even interviews other bloggers too.

Start by checking out these posts:


Our favourite jar logo

Finally, we have Our Favourite Jar. Claire writes all sorts of great posts about lifestyle and family. Her posts are always really honest, so if you want to read about real-life family accounts, lifestyle and even up your blogging game then you definitely need to check out Our Favourite Jar!

Here are some posts from Our Favourite Jar to check out


And there we have it, thank you to these wonderful blogs for advertising with me. I hope you love their blogs as much as I do! If you missed last month's then don't forget to check out my meet my February advertisers post.