What You Should Know About Blogging

When I started blogging, it was with the naive assumption that becoming famous, like Zoella, would happen overnight. I saw blogging as an easy way to get rich quick. But I know different now. 

I'm sure I'm not the first, and I know I won't be the last, to make the same, naive assumptions when it comes to blogging. So, if you're still a bit naive, or you're thinking of becoming a blogger, here's a few things you should know!

1. You're likely to spend more money on your blog than you'll ever make; unless you're one of the lucky ones. Blogging on a budget is possible, but there are some basic things you'll want, if not need; a domain name, photography props, a blog layout or webpage. Then there's all the times you'll find yourself saying; "I need that for my blog!" 

2. It takes a lot of work. What were you thinking? An hour a week, two? Forget about that. One post can take me five, or more, hours to put together; from getting the perfect picture, to working out the wording! That's five hours, four days a week, in my case, just on blog posts. Then there's all the planning and self-promotion you'll have to do! 

3. Blogging will take over your life. Suddenly everything will be a blog post opportunity. You'll find yourself carrying a camera, notepad and pen with you wherever you go, ready for inspiration to strike. And even if you've got a week's worth of blog posts scheduled, you'll still find yourself planning, and writing, more!

4.  Your social media accounts are as important as your blog, especially when it comes to promoting yourself. And finding a balance between tweeting enough to keep your followers interested, and spamming your followers is hard, but necessary. You'll learn what works for your audience after a few weeks, it just takes some time. (P.s. Tweetdeck/Hootsuite are your friends!)

5. The blogging community is a wonderful community; welcoming and supportive. You'll make loads of new friends, and speak to people all over the world. There's no better feeling than connecting with people through your blog!

For all the negatives, there are more positives. Blogging isn't easy, but, at the risk of sounding cheesy, it opens up a whole new world of opportunities. Now I've started, I'll never stop.

I've got the blogging bug! Have you?!