5 Tips for New Bloggers & Influencers in 2021

Are you new to social media? Have you always wanted to start a blog or your own business online? Here are some tips for new bloggers and influencers in 2021 to help you get started:

I get questions all the time about how to get started working with brands or growing your page.

My Number 1 piece of advice is to STOP overthinking and START taking action. You will never feel “ready” to start something new. You will never know everything or have perfect content ~ I am almost 7 years into my journey as a blogger/influencer and I still learn new things all the time!

Here are 5 tips for new bloggers and influencers to help you get started!

1. DEFINE YOUR PURPOSE:

Before you begin any sort of social media or blog, you need to recognize that you are starting your own business! Creating content and sharing your life is a ton of fun, but you need to know the difference between a viewer/consumer and an influencer/blogger.

Who are you here to serve?

What type of value will you be providing your audience?

Are you interested in just making money or actually helping people?

If your purpose is to just make money from your blog or Instagram, I will tell you right now there are plenty of other ways to make a side income that are a lot easier (dog walking, food delivery, selling old clothes, Ebay, etc).

If you are passionate about actually helping people and building real, residual long-term income… then social media and blogging may be for you!

2. PICK YOUR NICHE:

Now that you’ve committed to building a real sustainable business, you need to choose what topics you will share with people.

Having a clear point of view helps your audience understand the type of content they can expect from you. Many people choose fashion, beauty, fitness, food, travel, or lifestyle which encompasses a little bit of everything. If you choose lifestyle, I encourage you to really narrow it down to 3-5 areas of interest you will focus the bulk of your content on. People LOVE routines, so try to share your daily life in a consistent manner and have a clear area of focus.

3. PUT YOUR FEARS ASIDE:

I 1000% get it. Putting yourself out there can be really really scary! When I first started, there were no Instagram Stories or IG live options! IGTV and reels weren’t a thing either… so I started my own YouTube channel alongside my Instagram. Sure, talking on video was extremely stressful and awkward at first, but I recognized the importance it had on connecting with my followers. I knew I had to put myself out there and physically TALK to people in order to build trust.

Over time, you’ll feel more comfortable. You’ll get in the groove of your content style and what works best for you ~ whether its Instagram Stories, feed posts, reels, going live, or just blog posts!

Don’t be afraid to include your personality in your posts and use your natural writing voice, unless formality is a part of your brand of course. In my experience, being courageous and just being myself online has brought me a long way! Don’t try to be like anyone else or you won’t build true connections with people.

4. DEFINE YOUR AREAS OF SUCCESS:

Benchmarks and performance metrics will help you stay on track towards your goals! You need to clearly define WHAT you want to accomplish, and when.

Some people’s areas of success are their follower count, number of blog visitors per month, engagement rate, or simply being able to help someone else and make an impact on their life.

You have to remember, “success” is always going to be subjective. For me, if I’m able to help other men and women feel confident about starting their social media journey and build a profitable business online, then I feel successful!!

Remember: Who are you here to serve and why? What are your quarterly and yearly goals? What are you looking to achieve, and what are your actionable steps to get you there? Having those written down on a piece of paper will help you stay focused. Bonus if you can hang it on the wall, eye level at your desk, or somewhere visible to you everyday!

5. PARTNER WITH OTHER CREATORS:

Partnering with other content creators, coaches and mentors can get you a LONG long way. It’s like reading a book… you can learn someone’s entire field of study and their struggles, successes, tips and tricks in just a few days of reading! Why take years of trial and error by yourself when you can learn together, or FROM someone else directly?

These days, the influencer world is opening up more and more about sharing knowledge and collaborating, and I am all for it! I highly encourage you to invest into a course or ebook, even a mentorship program where you can get 1-1 or group help from someone who has been in your shoes. Find another influencer and ask if they’d like to collaborate and create content together. Partnering with other people can be great exposure and a ton of fun!

If you’re interested in partnering with me in my business and learning how to monetize your social media platforms, fill out this info request form and let’s chat!!

Remember to always be patient with yourself and learn as you go. Nothing will ever be perfect ~ but putting yourself out there, publishing consistent content, trying new things, learning from others, and clearly defining WHO you’re here to help and WHY will take you far!

Thank you for reading. I hope you found these 5 tips for new bloggers and influencers helpful!

xoxo,

Colleen

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