As you all should know, I have been running Fashion and Style Police for over 3 years now, and it has been a bit of a bumpy ride. I had to lay down some ground rules earlier on in my blogging journey, for my sanity sake and I still blog by those rules.
Here they are:
Remember Why I Started Blogging
I started blogging in 2012 to get busy. I wa spending a ridiculous amount of time online and on social media in particularly, so I decided to get productive and so I did. I set up Fashion and Style Police in October 2012, and I have not looked back ever since. Whenever I had a bad day, I remember why I started blogging and where I was at when I started, and that gets me through even the most difficult days.
More on why I started blogging in my soon to be released book, so look out for updates on Twitter for that.
Ignore the Trolls and the Negativity
If you a blogger and you are yet to have anyone disagree with your thoughts, opinion, outfits, posts, body, or your face, then you are not yet a BLOGGER, if you get my drift. Trolls and the internet come together, anyone can be a troll, it could even be someone you know, hiding behind a screen.
The good news about the trolls is that most of them give up and leave you alone, and go off to the next ‘new’ blogger, when they realise you are not going to feed them. They tend to attack the new bloggers the most, I guess to put them off blogging, or they see them as the weak ones. My trolls really came for me in my first year of blogging, and they said everything possible to put me off my blog, but I didn’t let them. I still do not let them.
The whole blogging/social media ‘thingy’ is still fairly new. Many have no clue how we make money or how much we make, so they hate on us or disregard us. It is human nature to ignore what you do not understand, so I get that, but what I don’t get is the hate and the negativity many non-bloggers/hobby bloggers have towards pro-bloggers, or bloggers that earn some kind of income from their blog.
I just ignore the negative people, who have no idea of how the digital industry works, and I hope they one day understand, but for now, their ignorance is my bliss.
Say NO
I have learnt to say no to any collaboration that does not benefit me. So I won’t just hop on a train for a press day in London because a PR said so, I won’t review every product I am asked to review, and I won’t accept every sponsored post request. There is no way I could say yes to all the offers I get anyways, so I take my time and weed out the non-beneficial ones from the beneficial ones, so I don’t waste anyone’s time.
In the early days, I was happy to accept almost anything, but not anymore. The tables have turned, kind of.
Enjoy Blogging
I enjoy blogging so much that I see myself doing this for a very long time. I find it relaxing and entertaining, and the fact that it has become a job now makes it even better. However, once I no longer enjoy what I do, I will stop. I won’t like it to be like my previous jobs, lol, but for now, I don’t see myself not loving what I do.
Ask for What I Deserve
Gone are the days when I happily took any offer I was offered. I know what I deserve and I go higher than that, to leave room for negotiation, just incase. I won’t write a sponsored post with a million links for $20, just like I won’t write a favourable review just because you want me too. Any review you read on this blog is 100% real, whether I buy the product myself, gifted the products or received a review fee. If the product is soooo bad, and I have nothing good to say about it, I won’t feature it as I won’t want to completely slack the brand. However in my 3 years of blogging, I am yet to come across such a product.
What blogging rules do you live by? What do you think of bloggers earning money from their blog?
Saying no to bad collaborations is definitely a blogging skill I wish I’d mastered a long time ago!
Yea I had my fair share of bad collabs. LOL.
My main one is not comparing my blog to other people’s. It can be easy to see everyone else getting great opportunities and feel jealous, but we are all on our own journey.
Yea I try to focus on my blog. Thanks Dannii x
Those are great rules. I would also say don’t compare yourself to others. Every blog (like every blogger) is different and life would be boring if we all had the same opportunities and the same content x
Yea same content will be so boring.
I love reading posts like this! I’m quite new to blogging, so I’m grateful for any advice I can get, your tips are definitely very helpful! 🙂
Glad you loved the post Elanor x
I think the rule I have to live by is actually get out and enjoy life and the inspiration will come
Yea true x
I think these are great rules, I think it’s important to focus on why you started blogging and to make sure that you enjoyed it!
Yea so important. Thanks Jenni x
I think you have some great rules there, I think the important one is why you started your blog x
Yeap. I hope I never forget why I started.
These are great. I have started to say NO to PR’s now recently. Feels so much better
Yea it makes me feel good too.
Some great blogging rules and I follow them too especially about the fake accounts and the trolls jealousy is a bitch
It is. Trolls have nothing better to do so they troll. So sad..
My main rule for 2016 is to keep learning. Blogging is a learning experience from improving my writing, networking, keeping up to date on social media.
Exactly.
Great rules to live by, I live by some of them too x
Nice x
I totally agree with all your pointers Stella.
I live by not being afraid to ask. There is always someone who knows what you don’t know. I always ask and learn.
I also live by do it genuinely because you love it and not because you want benefits from it. Benefits comes with real passion.
Hope your week is going well 💜
Cheers, Mojisola
http://www.mojintouch.com
Spot on Moji. Thanks for reading x
I agree at first I was accepting every blogging opportunity I could get but now I know better and choose ones that fit my blog the best. As for sponsored posts I accept very few because a lot of them want to pay very little money and I cannot afford that!
Yea think every blogger accepts anything at first to be honest.
These are great rules. I found an important one is “don’t get bogged down in numbers”. Stats are important but they are not the be all and end all of everything.
Yea true. I think good content comes above everything else. The rest will follow.
These points are so important, I’ve been in a blogging funk recently and this post has livened me up quite a bit! i need to remember why i started blogging because I love it so much! Thank you!!!
Glad it help Deanna. Thanks for reading x
Really enjoyed reading this post, Stella – as a complete novice at blogging, I feel as though I need tips like these! Thank you <3
http://harrietpattison.com
Glad you enjoyed the post Harriet. Happy it helped.
These are some great rules to blog by. I’d add honest disclosure and using no follow links to that too. The number of blogs I see who are blatantly ignoring google and ASA rules is unbelievable!
Disclosure is so important but many do not disclose.
These are all excellent blogging tips. My most important tip as a blogger would be to be aware of traffic and stats, but remember that they’re not be be all and end all!
Yea good tip.
These are some great rules to go by! So many bloggers are not giving themselves enough value and are being taken advantage of or lose sight of why they were blogging in the first place xx
True that. Thanks Kitty.
such wise words especially saying NO! it’s so easy to just say yes to everything then lose your way!
Yea and get stressed out working on trash.
Great rules, remembering that we are supposed to enjoy this blogging lark seems to be the key.
So true.
Great tips… I’m still learning, and still trying to figure out what makes a popular post. Keywords are what I’m working on at the moment, to get the blog noticed far and wide.
Yea keywords help with SEO
I have been blogging for almost 5 years now and the best thing I did was to say no. I have over 20 request a week to review items and I just cant physical do it. So now I am only saying yes to things that I really like
Yea me too.
I love the sassy pic! Some great rules, I’m the same.
Nice. Thanks for stopping by.
Some fab pointers, definitely ignore the trolls, we all get them and if ignored they go away x
Yea true
This is a great post – I think at first it is tempting to accept every review and opportunity you are offered, but there comes a point when you have to be more selective.
Yea so true.
This is a great read. I have been blogging for 4 years now and I always divert back to the reason I started blogging. Over time I have also learnt to say no.
Good job Helen x
Really enjoyed reading this post. What blogging rule do I live by? I guess by the same rules I use when working in the fashion industry, one of which is the same as yours: Just say no! to certain jobs…xoxo
Glad you enjoyed reading it Biki x
I stopped blogging for a while as I forgot why I loved it and began writing what and how I thought others wanted me to. I don’t do that any more I write for me in my voice! These are great rules to have and it’s good to know that they really help!
Yea they do Tracey
Fantastic rules to live by. Number 1 is definitely important. It’s easy to get carried away with blogging and staying grounded and remembering why you are writing is what matters.
Exactly. Thanks for reading x
These are simple, but great rules. I have to say no a little more this year, as I go into my third year of blogging. It is now my job, and I LOVE it! Kaz x
Oh good Kaz x
It can be so easy to get sucked in my stats and collaborations and like you said, you have to think about why you first started blogging to tap in to your creativity and still enjoy what you’re doing! Brilliant rules, perfect for any up and coming blogger to take advice from! X
Ah glad you liked the post. Thanks for reading x
Thank you for this post, girl. I started blogging about an year ago just because I love photography, beauty and to be creative in general. I have gone through many tough moments as lack of time is my biggest enemy. part time job, 5 years old boy and many more… but as you said I never forget why I start blogging. I also totally agree with you that everyone should know their price. Even if I don’t have huge amount of followers ( as i don’t do any follow for follow things 🙂 ) I have had quite a bit of offers, but half of them I had to decline…
I do blog for fun and I feel happy when I connect with people so nothing else really matter.
Thanks for sharing this post.
BTW well done for the huge amount of followers through these 3-4 years! I don’t know how to achieve that much, lol. xxx
Thanks Ninz. Glad you like the post. As per the followers, just keep posting and sharing on social media and they will come.
Ignoring negativity and remembering why I got into blogging in the first place are my two biggest rules. I think your rules about saying no and asking for what you deserve is really important advice too, so many bloggers sell themselves short these days and it’s such a shame. x
Yes it is.. Thanks Zoe x
Learning to say no to opportunities that don’t really benefit you is such an important rule and still one I’m struggling! Think I need to make a list like this myself and then I’d be more productive >.<
Yea do so Laura. It helps keep everything in perspective x
Great tips and I absolutely agree with every single on of them! 🙂
Thanks Lubka x
Great rules to live by! I agree with all your points. Especially with collaboration, as bloggers we should only support projects that we truly believe in and not because it’s free. We shouldn’t have to compromise our moral code.
Also, there will always be Internet trolls who have nothing better to do with their time. Sadly. It’s not worth giving them an ounce of energy.
xo, Jackie
stylemydreams.com
Yea not messing about with non beneficial collabs this year. Thanks Jackie x
These are great blogging rules 🙂 I think it is important to remember why you started blogging in the first place x
Yea so important x
I think every bloggers has to learn the skill of saying “no” otherwise we would never have any time for anything else.
Yea. I won’t be able to cope being Yes woman.
This is really great for those new to blogging. It’s easy to accept every opportunity that comes your way but readers don’t appreciate endless amounts of reviews and it can be quite stressful to keep up with it all. I’ve never experienced a troll but I know some that have, it’s a shame people are so hateful but it’s just got to be ignored! Never forgetting why you blog is mportant, otherwise the pressure of churning put posts can get to you and you’ll lose your mojo
Yea so true Lizzie.
I think bloggers often undervalue themselves – I’m the same as you and would rather decline than accept less than I’m worth.
Great rules x
Yea. More bloggers need to think like this.
Yes girl! Loving all of your points, especially saying NO!! This is something that I’m doing more this year xxx
We all need to x