Blogging Tips <3

Hiiii!

So I’ve shared my fitness & health story & answered questions here & here, but lately I’ve been receiving one question, over & over again.

The most FAQ in my inbox is “how do I start a blog?!” Some of you have asked for any tips/advice/tricks/etc. for beginning bloggers. And for this reason, I’ve put together a little posty-post for all the babes who are thinking of starting ( or enhancing ) a blog. Here ya go:

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The idea of The Skinny Confidential came to me four years ago. Instead of immediately running to a computer & creating the blog the second the idea developed, I waited. And honestly? I waited because I’m an OCD, psycho, bat-shit crazy perfectionist.

This might be an advantage. Or perhaps it’s a disadvantage…if I had started it four years ago, I’d be farther along.

But I chose to practice patience because I wanted to execute the blog to the best of my ability. My goal was to launch it exactly how I visualized the idea.

Not a half ass version.

100%, balls to the walls, on my terms.

So here’s what I did: first & foremost I purchased the domain ( www.TheSkinnyConfidential.com ) off GoDaddy. Then I trademarked ‘The Skinny Confidential’ through a lawyer.

After that I bought a GIANT poster board & headed to the scrapbook store.

Yes, you heard right- the scrapbook store.

I pulled inspiration from stickers, colored paper, die-cuts, shapes, textures, colors, photographs, etc.

And then I got my ass to work.

I took all the materials & literally built the site on a poster board ( it’s so fun to get all nostalgic ).

After my “site” was built on paper, I began some major research. Keep in mind this was now a year & half into the two year span it took to build the site. I signed up for classes on nutrition, read everything I could on diet/health/fitness/balance/beauty/hair/etc., ripped out magazine articles, built a huge binder full of recipes, invested in a quality camera, & became certified in teaching fitness. I saved every dollar & put it towards ‘The Skinny Confidential fund.’

I meticulously planned the above actions to prepare for the site’s launch. It was my goal to become immersed in a healthy lifestyle before I spoke openly on the Internet. I also began teaching myself tips on photography.

I mean, a large part of blogging is photography so I didn’t want to look like a six year old with a camera. Turns out, studying photography not only enhanced the quality of my blog, but it also opened my eyes to something I never knew to be enjoyable: taking pictures!

Anyway, after teaching Pure Barre for a year & half, I hired an amaze balls HTML specialist to build the backend of the blog after showing him my poster board & sharing my ideas.

I was completely hands on. Every detail, every inch of the site, everything had to be perfect ( at least in my eyes ).

The idea was cultivated in 2009.

The site launched at the end of 2011.

& now, here we are in 2013.

Blogging has opened so many doors I never knew existed. I’ve made ‘Internet friends’ with fellow bloggers & on a daily basis I’m able to connect with the world. Not just San Diego, not just the USA, but the world. China. Holland. Australia. London. Norway.

So much fun, right?!

It’s been SO much work. But SO worth it. I work on my site seven days a week. BUT! I don’t care. It’s my absolute passion & a job that doesn’t feel like a job…& when work doesn’t feel like work, it’s a pretty rad feeling.

Ok, so. Let’s talk about you.

Say you’re an aspiring blogger. Here’s my advice: use WordPress, find your voice, be consistent, quality over quantity, take beautiful photos that are your own, & be YOURSELF.

Because really, everyone else is taken.

Let’s break it down:

WordPress: this is used as a platform for bloggers. I am not a fan of Blogspot &/or Blogger, but to each its own. WordPress is user-friendly- I love it.

Find your voice: when I first started blogging I was nervous. I feel like I didn’t really let my guard down; I wasn’t 100% myself. About six months into blogging, I began to find my voice. Now I talk like I talk in real life. Sometimes finding your voice takes a while- hang in there. Copying other people’s style of writing is inauthentic.

Be consistent: if you post every afternoon for a week, don’t go & change up the time the next week. If you post Monday, Wednesday, Friday’s, then make it a pact to post those days.

Quality over quantity: this is easy— keep your posts interesting. Don’t post just to post.

Beautiful photos: no one wants to look at crappy, sick-o pictures. Make sure you’re using vibrant colors in proper lighting. Keep it interesting, peeps!

Be yourself: because everyone’s interesting in their own way. Find your own niche.

Oh! And obviously utilize any social media platforms ( i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, etc. ) to build traffic too!

I guess I’ll leave you with this: if you build interesting content & maintain consistency, the readers will come. And they’ll stay.

I’m not saying my way is the right way. It worked for me. Do what works for you.

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FYI: the first person I told about my blog was my girlfriend ( & longtime blogger ), Erica- she’s been a huge help. Anyway, we are in the midst of building a blog consulting company called Blog-Doo ( << so excited! ). All the deets will be up in the next month. Basically her & I will work with each client, personally- on the phone & through e-mail. A blog facelift? No problem-o. We can do it all: Photoshop, blog design, business cards, building the site, inside advice, & social media tips. Maybe you’re interested in starting a blog & don’t know where to begin? We’re your gurrllls.

Since we can only take a certain amount of clients at one time, if interested make sure to e-mail me ASAP at Lauryn@TheSkinnyConfidential.com so I can add you to the list.

If you have any questions in regards to blogging, write them below, & I’ll get back to every.single.one.of.you.sex.kittens.

To purchase a thumb drive of all Blog-Doo’s secret blogging tips & tricks, e-mail Babes@Blog-Doo.com.

ton&tons of <3.L