Firstly thank you for all the love in this series. I have enjoyed sharing the knowledge of others and some of the things I have learned along the way. Thank you Charlotte & Ray for being part of this series.
I started off the series with some of the basics of blogging on a budget. The second part of the series was all about blog photography. Now wrapping up the series with some information on creating your content.
Let’s get into creating content, how do you go about creating the content on a budget. It is no secret that the more income you have the more opportunities you can get and spaces you can enter however with that being said, there are still many opportunities for those who may not have as much disposable income as we would like.
As much as money shouldn’t be a factor when it comes to creating content, it still can be an issue. That is why it is important to write with passion if you write about something you are passionate about ideas for new content will keep on coming.
What Are You Passionate About?
The best way to approach creating content is to write about what you are passionate about. My blog posts are normally written with a lot of emotion and passion behind it, but very little planning, especially in the beginning. That passion did, however, allow me to be unintentionally consistent. There was always something to talk about. However, I have learned through several experiences with writer‘s block, that I cannot rely on my passionate thoughts on race to fuel me to write blog posts. If I did that my posts would become pretty repetitive and sporadic.
I even wrote about my writer’s block, which ironically leads to a list of ideas for blog posts – I Don’t Know What To Write About
I have started to brainstorm ideas for future blog posts, this has been a massive help for me, it helps with consistency and a good way to practice a healthy balance. Whilst brainstorming you are likely to come up with a few connecting blog posts. For example, if you write about your experience with anxiety, that could lead you to write about therapy, self-care, medication, etc.
A few things to think about…
Maybe there is a topic you have been itching to speak about, use your blog to share your thoughts.
Is there an inexpensive product you have been using for a long period of time that works?
What have you been reading? Has it sparked some thoughts for a conversation you could start on your blog?
Brain dump – Use your notebook to get out all of your thoughts, not only is it a great stress reliever, but you can look back at it to see if there is anything you want to write about.
Write about what you know. If you have a background in the health care sector you may want to write about the science behind a current trend.
Life experiences you are comfortable addressing on your blog is something to consider writing about.
What topic isn’t being addressed enough, can you address it better?
Attend Events For Inspiration & Knowledge
Attending events is a great way to get you inspired, with great speakers and tones of knowledge to gain, I would highly recommend that you attend as many events as you can, on a variety of different topics.
Gaining knowledge is one of the benefits of events, there is also networking, you get to practice your pitching skills, and if the event goes well it is normally a great talking point, you can write up some highlights from the event you attended.
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| @Industrymeoffical / Blog: Industryme.co.uk |
I have written a few posts on some of the events I have been to like; Black British Bloggers Social, Adzvice Push Event and 4 Key Things I Have Learnt From Attending Events.
A lot of events offer press passes as well. A press pass is a free pass given to someone with a platform to cover the event. Definitely, something to keep your eyes out for if covering events is something you want to get into.
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| @Char_x.o / Blog: Memoirsmusings.com |
A few things to think about…
Goodie Bags/ Gift Bags – When you attend events you are given a goodie bag/gift bag at the end of the day, some events allow you to pick your own products, typically beauty and fashion events.
Have a look through your bags test out the products and if there is something you liked, that is your queue to write about it.
Discount Codes – So many influencers now have discount codes for their followers, use them. If you have a friend or even just follow someone who has a discount code for something you are interested in, save some money and support a friend by using it. On the topic of discounts, you can buy products when they are on offer to save yourself some money as well.
Collect Products – Shahira made a good point of saying that it is better to collect products over a long period of time. So if you want to do a skincare haul or favourites post, do not feel obligated to get all of the products at one time.
What Do You Already Have? – The easiest way to get writing is to write about what you are already familiar with like; your favourite moisturiser for dry skin. Think about what it is that you have to offer, what do you think is missing? What isn’t being spoken about enough? Think about the things you already do that could be helpful or interesting to read about.
Pitching To Brands – Still, something I find scary and uncomfortable, selling myself is not one of my strong points, but it is important. I haven’t done much pitching, I have a great network that I follow so if there are opportunities to review products, I put myself forward. It is much easier to pitch to brands you already use, an example would be that you already know.
Example: Do you already use Sleek Makeup and that is seen on your platforms. Approach Sleek’s PR team with an idea for some content using their products. Maybe they have released a new range of lipsticks? If you already have an idea and are familiar with their products you’re already in a good position.
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| @Industrymeoffical / Blog: Industryme.co.uk |
And Finally…
With so many content creators out there, it is key that you stay true to yourself and write about what you care about. It is easy to write about what you think will do well, but people want to know who you are, your thoughts and opinions are valid. We all think about things differently, don’t be afraid to introduce those differences onto your platform.
Have a clear idea of what it is you want to represent and why you are doing what you are doing. It can be hard to be consistent and to produce quality content when you are unsure about why you are even doing it.
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| @Char_x.o / Blog: Memoirsmusings.com |
If I had any advice to give, I would say know why you are blogging and understand what it is that you want out of blogging. It is not selfish to think about what you want out of your blog, I am still learning to accept this myself.
I really hope this series was helpful and feel free to drop me, Ray and Charlotte a message if you want to know more about our blogging experiences. Have a relaxed and chocolate Easter Sunday peeps!
SAABIRAH LAWRENCE 