One of the questions that lands in my Direct Messages on Instagram most frequently, is how I started doing this. And by “doing this,” I presume you mean how I turned my passion for food and wellness into a full-time career, blogging.
I know it sounds daunting and I know it sometimes seems impossible to succeed in a world that’s so saturated with creators.
But I want this post to inspire you to take the plunge; because if you have a passion for something, and you are good at it, the world needs to know about it, and there’s a high chance that you will become successful doing it.
If you don’t know my story, I went from practicing law to building a successful six-figure business as a food blogger in just a few years. It wasn’t easy. It was (and still is) a ton of hard work. But if I can do it, so can you!
Unless you are a celebrity that gains thousands of followers out of the gate, you are likely a normal person just like me, and you need to understand that building a blog on any social platform, takes time, effort, consistency, passion, dedication, patience. AND MORE PATIENCE. AND MORE TIME.
I know, I know, that’s probably not the answer that you want to hear. And I get it! Committing to something that can take months, or even years, before it fully takes off can be scary as hell. But I promise you, if you keep at it and stay consistent, it will grow. It just takes time.
So many people try to fast-track this by buying followers or engagement. DO NOT do this!! Instead, focus on creating quality content and building a loyal following. Engage with people, follow other creators/fans, and build relationships. Relationships are everything in this business, and that’s why it’s called social media. And don’t ever forget that.
Many people think that they need to have the perfect business plan or their niche completely figured out before starting their blog. And I really think that mentality is a disservice. While it’s important to have a general sense of what you are going to do (what content do you want to share and why?), you don’t need to have everything ironed out before beginning.
Why? Because NO ONE EVER HAS EVERYTHING PERFECT. We, myself included, are always figuring things out, pivoting, and shifting directions as we go.
So what do you need to begin?
I suggest picking one platform and starting there. I chose Instagram and put all my energy into growing my account. Then, a few years into that, I created my website (HI!!) to support my Instagram account. And now, as Tiktok has gained popularity, I started slowly playing around over there. There is no way I could have done all of these things in the beginning. It’s overwhelming. So take baby steps!
It’s really easy to look at established creators and wonder how they balance creating content on multiple different platforms. But, it’s important to note that most of those creators have been working for years, and many of them probably have teams helping them. That’s why when you’re first starting, it really is best to just stick with one platform. Put all your time and energy into creating quality content on that one platform, and then scale to more platforms as you grow.
Now I know all those social media coaches are going to disagree with me, but the word niche means a specialty, and while that would be great if you had everything perfectly dialed in from the beginning, I think that to begin, you just need a GENERAL IDEA of what you want to do and run with that.
Because as you begin posting on your platforms, you will see what type of content resonates with your community and what you enjoy sharing, which then allows you to shift and create content that provides value to them…which in turn, will help you grow. Additionally, if you are hell bent on sticking to your niche, you might feel stuck at times. So again, I think it’s best to have a general idea/concept/direction, but allow yourself some wiggle room to grow and evolve.
In my case, I started as a food account. That’s ALL I ever posted. But then I got bored posting only food, so I began incorporating lifestyle content into my feed. It takes time to begin introducing new concepts, but that’s why it’s important that your “niche” is flexible, so you can branch out.
I know this might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people get so excited and enthusiastic when they start their blogs, and then they get discouraged and drop off. You absolutely must not let that happen to you, even when you’ve got bad days! If you aren’t consistent, I’m sorry to say, you just won’t make it. There are way too many creators out there who will be consistent, and people look for consistency.
Imagine, let’s say you post every day for 2 months and then stop posting for a month. Those people that started following you will most likely drop off, unfollow, or stop engaging with your content. So BE CONSISTENT, so you can grow.
I like to post every day around the same time, and you can decide if that’s something you want to do too! And if I don’t feel like showing up on a given day, I just schedule the post in an app (I like Later) and take a day off social media. It’s an easy way to make sure I’m prioritizing my self-care, but still showing up for my audience!
There are always going to be people out there that start judging what you are doing. It could be a post you share on Instagram that people don’t like, or perhaps your friends and have made comments about how much time you are spending on your new hobby.
I’m here to tell you that you have to thicken your skin and DO IT ANYWAY. People are always going to spew negativity, but you have to realize that it’s not really about you- it’s a projection of their own feelings. I like to remind myself that they’ve had the chance to live their lives how they want to, so I have the chance to live mine as I want!
Remember, I was a lawyer before I became a blogger. My parents didn’t take me seriously when I started my hobby on instagram. And I don’t blame them. People judge what they don’t know, and to many, social media wasn’t/isn’t a real career. If I believed what they said and stopped doing this, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So remember to keep plugging along. Do what makes you happy!
I hope this post was helpful! I wish you all the success on your journey into the social media world! And of course, I am here to support you on your journey. It’s a long one and it’s a tough one at times, but it’s WORTH IT!
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Thank you for being honest and caring about others who want to branch out! So helpful😍🥰😍
You’re so welcome! Thank you so much, Barbara!