Wow! Joyfully So is one year old! What a year it’s been – from nervously launching to now part of the best platform in the world! I have learned so much, and have made many mistakes along the way, but it’s been a wonderful journey.

One of the most common questions I get is about blogging. Learn from my mistakes, y’all. I have some tips and tricks from over the last year that I think will be very helpful if you are considering starting a blog or new to the blogging world.

Before I jump in though, I want to give a huge, thank you!, to my mom and boyfriend. My mom has encouraged me to go for this little dream I have had for years and is always supportive. My boyfriend has been extremely helpful throughout this past year, and has helped with taking a majority of the fashion photos.

Thank you also to my readers, my friends. Without you, Joyfully So would not be where it is today. I’m so grateful for your loyalty and kindness. Thank you, thank you!

10 Tips and Tricks Learned in the First Year of Blogging

• Determine your goals. Why are you blogging? Is it a hobby or something you hope to make a supplemental income from in the future? Before you start, figure out the “why” and “how” to determine the best way to start. If you want to go into blogging for an income, I recommend WordPress as a website platform. It does cost a little money compared to free options, but it works more effectively in the long term compared to other platforms. You can find YouTube videos that explain WordPress and help establish a theme. Also, determining goals will help guide your blogging process. I knew I wanted to be part of the platform, rewardStyle, so I targeted my work towards what they look for in their members.
• Time Management. This is huge. Blogging is not my first priority – my faith, personal life and career in medicine take precedence. The remaining time I have is split between blogging, cleaning, exercising, etc… Blogging can be very time consuming so I try to work efficiently when I have the time dedicated to blogging. I batch fashion posts. Instead of going to the mall one outfit at a time, or photographing one at a time, I do everything in groups of two or three. Streamlining the process has helped me immensely.

• Photography. Lighting is everything and I am always chasing “the golden hour”, that time where the sun is low and decreasing shadows. Since blogging is very one or two-dimensional, photography is important. Learn how to shoot in manual mode to get exactly the look you need. My boyfriend helps snap the fashion pictures and I edit them in Lightroom. From there, I export the pictures to Dropbox to upload them onto my phone.
• Imagery. This plays off the photography point. It’s important to make photographs appealing to the eye. Bright > dark photos. Multi-colored > monochromatic photos. Open mouth smile > Closed mouth smile. Glasses > No glasses. Who knew?! There is a lot of sub-conscious psychology that goes into what makes an image likeable and clickable for readers.
• Find a niche. Joyfully So started out very broad, and part of it still is covering a wide range of material. I am sharing what I love:  fashion, DIY, home decor, travel, etc… Recently I became more specialized into the area I am more familiar with:  fashion. I have been fortunate to work with some of the most popular fashion influencers in the world to learn the logistics that go into fashion blogging. My photography background helps me to create visually appealing work. I don’t want to do just fashion, because I love so many others topics too, but narrowing my focus has definitely helped me to become more efficient, knowledgable and successful.  Brands appreciate specializing because they can advertise to a specific demographic of readers.

• Hustle. Get it, girl! Be your own girlboss. Work hard, stay up late, dream big, repeat. Blogging is not just trying on clothes, capturing images and shopping. It’s about being an entrepreneur. Soak in all the free resources that are available to you. Podcasts provide a wealth of information (favorites include Gary Vaynerchuk and Jenna Kutcher) and make a good listen while driving. Learn about business tactics, marketing, advertising, etc… Reach out to brands for sponsorships and promotional opportunities. Produce high-quality content. We live in a very unique time in history where we can all choose our own side hustle and go for it.
• Branding. If you are pursuing a blog for supplemental income, it’s important to stay on brand. Being consistent and creating a “voice” for your blog, will help attract a specific demographic. Aim to develop a relationship with this target market. If Instagram is going to be an extension of your blog, pictures that stay within certain color palettes tend to be more successful.
• Budget. Whatever the topic is you chose to blog about, work towards it wisely. Fashion blogging, for example, can be expensive. It gets pricey to keep up with the trends. I am a single lady now with a house payment, so when I started my blog I cut back on other areas of spending, and when I buy stuff for the blog I almost always buy it during sales. Reuse staples like jeans or solid pants, booties, jewelry and white camisoles. Make sure that you are staying within your means.

• Social Media. Holy moly. I mean, who doesn’t think they know Facebook? I have learned so much more about analytics and advertising than I can imagine. Facebook is a wonderful place to advertise because you can be very picky about which demographic you want to target. For example, when I did a post on the Lilly Pulitzer sale, I targeted females, ages 18-35, who follow Lilly Pulitzer on Facebook and live in the south. These advertisements start at $2 and help bring in new viewers. Joining Facebook groups is also helpful to network with others in your niche.
• Confidence. By nature I am an introvert who can be a little shy. Starting a blog can be daunting because you feel on display. I think that is why I waited a few years to start, I had to build up the confidence to just jump in. But looking back, this was a mistake to wait around. The best advice I can offer:  jump into the game and know that you have something to offer. Because you do! Affirm you strengths, learn from the failures (we have all had them), think positively, and keep on being your best self. Embrace that beautiful, strong soul within you – and let it shine!

Don’t hesitate to leave a comment below if you have more questions on this topic. While that was a lot of information, there is so much more that could be said about each tip.

I cannot wait to see what the next year brings! Thank you all!

Live your life joyfully so,

Ashley

Outfit Details:

(Top is rental, similar option for purchase also linked. Pants are last season, similar option is linked)