BLOG ADVICE


I started this blog out of passion for both writing and fashion. Back then, I had in mind fashion journalism for my future and , although this has changed, writing about style and trends still is one of my favourites hobbies. I was surprised and glad to see that many of you have the same aspiration and that you have written to me at my email, marymeetsfashion@gmail.com to ask for advice. Therefore, I decided to include the most common questions and useful anwers in this section, and I hope it will help you as well:


"Your blog is generally one of my favourite blogs, it's real, it's genuine and it's you. What more can a person ask from your blog? Mine has good views but i don't have followers, i don't really have that audience to connect to. Hopefully you'll give me great advice and maybe become as succesful as you."

Answer: I am always surprised and stunned when I get these kind of compliments and I see that people actually read my blog! This brings me to your question: there is no secret recipe, I guess it's all about how much it takes you to find your target audience and also about constantly evolving when it comes to the quality of your posts. Here is a little list with things I find really important when it comes to being a blogger:

1. Don't lose your patience! When I first started my blog, I had enough views but absolutely NO comments and although it felt kind of awkward not being able to connect with my readers, I kept on blogging. I realized that my readers weren't saying anything because there weren't major things to debate and that I needed to improve the quality of my photos. Nowadays, when I get mails like yours, I still get chills and remind myself the first comment my blog had: a spam from a Chinese brand haha.

2. Connect with other bloggers- That is quite a tricky part, because you are going to find a lot of people along the way who are only interested in you becoming their readers. That's not how a blogger friendship works, but you can't be discouraged by that, there will also be some incredible people who will give you advice about your blog and help you.

3. Photos are essential for a fashion blog- I don't know if you own a fashion blog, but if you do, I have noticed most of my readers first care about the visual impact. Also, if you use photos from magazines/other sites it would be nice to quote the source- it shows professionalism from your side.

4. Keep it simple with your blog design- not too simple, but clean. This way, it would also take less for the page to load and the emphasis would be on your photos.

5. Stay true to yourself- if a business opportunity comes along, only choose the brands you really believe in, or else the image of your blog would be damaged.



"Hello! I'm new into the fashion blogging world and I am completely lost. I feel as I can relate to you because you're young like me and I enjoy reading your blog. Fashion is something that has really become an influence to me and I'm feeling the need to share my style and how I feel about it! I don't know about you, but all of these famous blogs I've read about in magazines has become extremely intimidating. I was just curious to know how you got started and what it took to create a successful blog. Especially being such a young age and not being able to make an income, I feel as if I won't be successful if I'm not constantly buying and sharing my purchases and keeping up with current trends that I and others enjoy. I would just really like some advice and some insight on your experience."


Answer: If you feel this urge to show the world what's your style and how fashion influences you, then you have to trust your instinct and set up a blog! Be careful with the name though, although I love mine I realized I might like blogging so much that I'll go on even after my teenage years (we'll see how things work out). I would advise that you don't go for your name as the name on the blog, this option usually works more for a Tumblr account or for public figures.
I started just like you, anxious to share my fashion opinions and likings with the whole world. At first, I didn't use my own photos and as I was not getting any feedback I decided to push my limits. I guess that's what fashion blogging is about: knowing the potential of your site and what it's missing and making it happen! I used to take blurry pictures in the house. Even I didn't like them haha. So I convinced my friends and mom to actually go on the streets and take my photos and it is kind of difficult because people from Romania aren't used to seeing people doing photoshoots and taking pictures of their shoes / food. I truly hope that you live in a fortunate country, but if you don't , no worries: I'm a living example that if you set your mind to it, and have enough patience and passion people will eventually discover your blog.
As for the style and buying trendy items on a budget: I'm in the exact situation, but if you have readers that only want to see new clothes and famous brand in every post, you know that they're not the target audience you want. You have to hope for readers who visit your blog for your STYLE and ability to mix both new and old, in and out items. Of course, you can sport some trends which you actually love and when you have the clothes for a certain look. Also, bear in mind that going through your old stuff /your mom's and the DIY option are great alternatives for the time when you really like a trend but you don't have enough money to invest in it.



"I've been reading your blog all morning, and let me just say I love it! I love everything about it, and I have dreams to go into fashion merchandising or design in college. Lately I've been thinking a lot about starting a blog, but I have no idea how to begin! I was hoping you'd have some advice for me?"


Answer: I believe that the most important thing when it comes to a fashion blog is choosing a direction. I was oscilating between trend reports, personal looks and writing about influential fashion people and therefore it took me a lot more time to gain a readership, because not everyone was into these three sections.
I made a list of topics/style/types of blogs I am aware of:
-Personal style blog
-Trend reports
-Editorial - both new and old editorials, mostly with insights from the world of fashion models
-Streetstyle
-Beauty blog (tips about hair, makeup, nails)
-DIY fashion blogs - actually in demand right now, because fashion bloggers usually post DIY tutorials once in a month, and there are teens who are looking for creative and effective ways to improve their wardrobe
-Deco blogs - Share photos of different rooms and give creative advice on how to decorate a specific part of a room (i.e. desk)
-Personal deco blog - I'm not sure if it's the rarest, but I only found one a long time ago and I was never able to trace it again. Imagine that the owner kept redecorating her house and took photos of specific parts of her house- so cool!
-Illustrations & Sketches
-Inspiration & Moodboard blog - collages with glimpses of rooms or an outfit with a description of the whole vibe.



"I was wondering if you could possibly read my blog and email me back some tips as its fairly new."


Answer: For the tips, have you checked IFB? They have the coolest articles about developing your blog. As for the little obvious things I've noticed: you should make a banner, something related to fashion or minimalistic(with the name of your blog, yet standing out) and try to use photos with a larger size.

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