How do you get started blogging? How do you build a career out of social media? How do you edit photos and create a cohesive Instagram feed? I want to start a blog… but I don’t know what to talk about or where to begin? These are all questions I see very often in my Instagram DM’s! The blogging industry is still super new and is especially new as a career so it’s only natural that there isn’t much of a “road map” for how to get started. This is actually something that very much excited me in the beginning (and still today) because there is no “one size fits all” approach to blogging especially in 2019. Do you really need a website? Which social media platform is most important? Do I need to be on every social platform? All questions I’ve been asked in the last few years and also asked myself when I was getting started!
It’s funny because I still feel like I’m figuring things out all the time and don’t have things “all together,” if that makes sense. However, I am grateful to call this my career and have learned a thing or two along the way! I’m more than happy to help other bloggers and honestly wish I would have had someone to give me the facts when I was getting started. Often times, I’ve been asked if I think the industry is now “oversaturated” because it’s so popular! My answer is absolutely NO. Every person has a unique point of view, purpose, and passion. If you find that pursuing blogging or influencing as a career is on your heart, I think it must be there for a reason.
Today I want to share with you the number one most important tip I have for new bloggers! FIND YOUR MISSION STATEMENT.
Let’s rewind. All during college, I wanted to start a blog. I thought about it and mulled it over but couldn’t figure out what was holding me back or what I was waiting for. I always felt it “wasn’t the right time” and knew in my heart I knew I would do it in the future. In hindsight, I now believe that God wanted me to go through certain life experiences and health experiences in order to be able to share them as part of my story and perspective.
After praying and praying about what exactly my blog would be called, it came to me one day in a yoga class. LOVE INSIDE & OUT. A wellness, beauty, & lifestyle blog created to inspire LOVE from the inside out. A space where women can leave feeling BETTER about themselves and know just how loved they truly are. Promoting clean beauty, healthy bodies, style that makes us feel FAB, and TRUE self-love. I dreamed of creating a corner of the internet where women didn’t need to buy a designer handbag to feel beautiful or loved. SURE, those are fun and great but you they don’t really make you happy. Happiness comes from being kind, gentle, and loving with ourselves. Talking about moving the body in a way that feels healthy and right while forgetting about the stupid number on the scale. Taking a long bubble bath because you DESERVE IT. Paying attention to the foods we feed our bodies and the way we talk to ourselves. These are all things that made me so darn excited to get started!! Since then, my content has evolved as I’ve branched out into more style, beauty, and wellness but the core mission will always be the same. Love from the INSIDE OUT.
This is the mission statement of my blog. It’s the lens of which I filter all my content and brand partnerships through. When I have days where I feel uninspired or like I’m in a rut, I come back to this mission statement and it brings me clarity. I also find the mission statement to be important because it’s like the guiding force of this blog!
When I started, I really had no idea what the path might look like. However, I knew that because I felt crystal clear on my mission statement, the rest would fall into place. I spent HOURS googling things like “how to start a website” and “how to edit photos using Lightroom” (a photo editing software program I recommend).” Getting clear on my mission statement really lit a fire under my booty to get me MOVING. Ever since then, I haven’t looked back. Once you have that mission statement, it’s time to get to WERK. No one is going to do it for you but if you put your mind to it, anything is possible!
How do you find your own mission statement?
What are some things that your friends always come to you for? Are you super stylish and great with mixing and matching pieces? Are friends begging you to do their makeup on the weekends? Do you love having people over for dinner and sharing the latest recipes? Start with what makes you unique! What lights you up and gets you excited? What do you dream of?
I recommend making a list of 100 blog post ideas or content ideas for social media and see what the trends are. I remember doing this and coming up with tons of post ideas about sharing my favorite wellness and beauty products. This showed me that my content would fit in with my mission statement.
Another important tip is focusing on how you want readers to feel when they leave your website? Do you want them to feel lighter and happier? Maybe it’s moody and edgy? Make note of this and it will help you nail down parts of the mission statement! DO NOT try and fit your ideas into the mold of someone else’s. I honestly recommend putting blinders on to make sure you’re staying true to yourself here. Focus on your unique point of view. Maybe it’s travel, running, cooking or a combo of all three but focus on the things you truly LOVE. This way, you will be excited to talk about them and share endlessly.
Once you nail down that mission statement and core mission, I recommend getting started. The mission statement is the most important part in my opinion because it really helps you get clear on a direction! From there, it’s full speed ahead.
Thank you for reading, beauties!! Leave any blogging or social media questions below and I will answer them in my next post.
2 comments
I always wanted to be a blogger, but i didn’t know how to go about it.
Seriously i need your help. God help you
I found your website on Pinterest and so glad I did. This is an informative post and I appreciate the tips! Having a missing statement is essential and such a beautiful story of how you came to yours. I hope you had a great weekend and happy Monday!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com