4 Years of Blogging! | What I've Learned

I genuinely cannot believe I've been writing on this little blog for almost 4 years, I'm seriously impressed I've stuck to it for so long, this usually doesn't happen haha.. But where have those 4 years gone!? It feels like yesterday I posted my first entry on here, I'm pretty sure it was about Longleat, how cute. 

Over the past 4 years I've learned a lot about the blogging world, good and bad, surprisingly when I first started I didn't think there was really anything to know because you make it your own.. however there are so many tips and tricks and do's and dont's, like most things really I suppose! Anyway, this is what I've learned over the years..

1 -  Photography - is really important! 

HOWEVER! When I first started my aim was to get a huge camera that takes amazing photos. When really, you don't need it. Nowadays most phones do a pretty good job, I use my iPhone 6s for my photos, then literally just brighten them up, sharpen, and we're good to go. If you have a 7plus they're even better, that portrait mode though *heart eyes*. I think you can make any picture look decent with good lighting and a good editing tool. Fancy cameras really aren't needed so don't waste your money! Also, I've found making the photos as big as possible really handy for me, theres nothing worse than loving a blog post but having to hold my macbook right up to my face to be able to see the photos properly.. people judge a book by its cover, so bigger brighter photos is key!

2 - Instagram - everyone LOVES it

Literally. I'm one of them. This has been an amazing way to post photos from blog posts, connecting with other bloggers, I've made a lot of friends through IG! It's where I've found people with the same interests as me, it's fab for connecting with like minded people. 

3 - Nastiness - it's definitely out there 

With all of the good unfortunately comes the bad. The internet is an amazing thing but obviously with that you'll get the shitty people who use it to their advantage to leave horrible messages on your posts, or backhanded compliments, I think they're the worst. it's so easy for people to be little bitches now haha! It's awful, a friend had a shitty comment on a photo the other day for no reason what so ever, it's a shame its become so easy to do. But i've learned to shrug it off, I have other priorities, and someone who is so small minded isn't one of them. 

4 - Consistency - it's bloody difficult!

My main aim was to be consistent, that I have not achieved and probably never will do! Don't get me wrong theres never been a time when I've not uploaded for months, but I've wanted to just pack it all in loads of times. Finding the motivation to write posts take photos and upload it is hard, especially when you're still working for a living. But I don't let it get me down because actually, I've kept this up for 4 years now and that in itself is something to be proud of. You don't need to post every single day - never feel like you should. What works for someone else, might not work for you. 

5 - Brands - it's not the be all and end all working with companies, honestly

Don't get me wrong, id be a liar if i said I didn't enjoy being sent products to review and try, that is a perk of doing this, but it isn't the reason why I do what I do. It's fab that I've had brilliant opportunities because of my blog, but actually, blogging is about more than freebies, I think you can really tell when someone is in it just for that because the quality of their posts just isn't great- once you find something you enjoy writing about it becomes much more than just wanting free stuff, and anyway, its much more satisfying writing a post you're really proud of, then writing a post reviewing something because a company wants you do - although, sometimes I've managed to combine these two together, then we really are winning!!

There's just a few things I've picked up on over the last 4 years, i still can't believe it's been that long! Here's to another 4 more..

Soph xo

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