FAQs About Blogging

Hi everyone! Hope your 2018 is off to a great start! This post is long overdue since I’ve had few ladies reach out to me about blogging over the past couple of months. They were all asking the same questions so I figured that I’d just do a post on it since I’m sure there are more of you wondering the same thing but just never asked 🙂 I hope this helps you!…

“How did you start blogging?”

I know a few bloggers and follow a bunch on social media and it just looked like so much fun. I was already active on social media so I figured why not take it to the next level and see how it goes! To be honest, it took me a couple months to officially convince myself to just go for it because I was worried about what other people may think or what if I don’t succeed, etc. If you’re thinking about starting a blog though, listen to what Nike said and JUST DO IT! Once I made my decision to become a mom blogger… I made myself a Wordpres.com account, bought myself a DSLR camera and never looked back 🙂

“Should I post every day?”

I started my blog when I was on maternity leave with my 2nd baby, Landon. It will actually be my 2 years of blogging in a few months! Since I was on maternity leave and my husband was (still is) super hands on, I managed to get a post up every day. I think that’s what helped jump start my blog to be honest. Now a days, I just post when I can because it’s definitely better to have quality over quantity! If you can give good, quality posts every day… I say go for it!! Be authentic, especially in the beginning when you might not have collaboration requests yet, share everything you love… products, recipes, favorite outfits, or whatever fits your niche! OH and always tag the brands you post about.

“What platform do you use?”

I use WordPress.com but have been wanting to switch to WordPress.org because their sites are more customizable and look more professional! Hey, maybe my blog will get a complete new look for my 2 years?!

“How did you find your target audience?”

Finding a specific niche was tough for me because there are just so many bloggers these days and it’s so hard to set yourself apart. Yes, I’m a mom but I love everything about fashion and beauty. I eventually decided to go with a mom lifestyle niche and still focus on fashion and beauty. Most of my followers are fellow mamas, which I love, then I also have some who are interested in my fashion and beauty posts.

“How do you work with brands?”

When I first started, I posted about products that I truly loved and always tagged them and used appropriate hash tags on my IG posts. Also, when you do start collaborating with brands, always be honest with your audience about the products. I’ve actually turned down collabs because their product wasn’t beneficial for me and my audience.

“How do you reach out to companies?”

Most companies have their Instagram accounts set up as a business account so you have an option to click “e-mail” on their IG page. When you feel comfortable, you can totally e-mail them and introduce yourself, share you social media accounts and pitch a possible collaboration.

“What camera do you use?”

I use a Canon Rebel T6i… it was a splurge but I knew that I eventually wanted to make my blog a side business so you’re going to need good, quality photos that brands and followers will appeal to. If you have an iPhone though, that works too! I edit all my pictures using Adobe Lightroom (even the iPhone shots). Just know that you may need to spend some money to market yourself.

“Do you make money?”

A lot of people who reach out to me about blogging asks if they can make money… you totally can! I feel grateful to have paid collaborations here and there but that is after more than a year of putting in A LOT of work and COUNTLESS hours into growing my blog and IG. (Honestly, once I started blogging I was so surprised at how much work it really takes… it’s more than a pretty IG feed). You can’t just expect to start a blog and all of sudden make a ton of money… patience, patience, patience. You should start a blog for the right reason which is sharing information/products/etc. that people will find helpful. It will help to really love what you do.

Well I hope that helps you guys! Let me know if you have other questions. You can ask me personally too by DM’ing me on Instagram: @rainaelegado 🙂 Have a great holiday weekend!