Blogging On A Tiny Budget
There seems to be this strange belief that if you want to write a beauty blog or for any blog for that matter then you need a ton of cash to do so. It's something that's simply isn't true, up until this year I hadn't really spend any money on my blog so I've had 3 and half years of running this little internet space with no budget and I don't think it's hindered me in any way. So today I wanted to talk about blogging and when you don't have a ton of money to invest in it.
The Tools
A huge misconception about blogging is that you need all the latest camera equipment with 6 different lenses and every Apple product imaginable. Some might think I'm being hypocritical because I do own a DSLR and have a MacBook, but these are things that I owned before I started blogging due to the course I was studying at university. The chances are that you already own a laptop or computer of some kind with an internet connection so that isn't an expense and as the majority of the world owns an iPhone which has an awesome camera (that can be utilised a lot more than people realise) so again you don't need to invest in a separate camera. If you're just started out blogging is there really any point in sinking a lot of money into something you're not sure you will even stick to? No, it's always wise to give yourself time to see if you're really enjoying the whole blogging thing before investing into it. All hobbies can be invested in and there should be nothing shameful in doing so if it's something that you're super passionate about, but there are two things you need when you first start blogging and that is an internet connection and passion.
The Layout & Platform
Until I moved over to SquareSpace the only money I had invested into my site was buying my web domain which cost me £6. All of my HTML knowledge is self-taught [thanks, MySpace] and Google really is your best friend. For me, half the fun of creating a blog was getting to build myself a layout because it gave me the chance to learn more about HTML and CSS which I think is super interesting. The joy of creating something that is completely yours is that hopefully no-one else will have an identical layout to yours so you will stand out. The blogging platform that you use is something that is a total personal preference, for years I used Blogger because it was free and it did everything that I needed at the time. Now I've moved to SquareSpace which I pay £13 a month for and I'm happy to spend that money as I love the platform, but it's not a necessity. It's simply a matter of trial and error when it comes to your layout and what platform you decide to use.
The Products
Now this is where the biggest debate is when it comes to beauty blogging. If you want to create a blog to solely review products then yes it's a given that you will probably have to spend a little bit of money, but to just write about beauty then I don't believe you need to go and blow all your hard earned pennies in Boots and Space NK. Throughout the years that I've been writing about beauty not once have I brought a product just on the premise that I can blog about it, as personally I only like to talk about products that really excite me. So here are some ways to talk about beauty without spending a single penny:
- The beauty products that you already own and love.
- Your relationship with beauty & what makeup means to you.
- How you look after your skin.
- What items you think are worth investing in and what aren't.
- The products that you repurchase time and time again.
- Create a concept around the beauty products that you already own.
Most of the time that I've been writing From Roses, it's when I've barely had any money and I believe that its made my blog so much better, because its made me get really creative with the posts that I've written and look at things in a different way than simply just reviewing products. I feel it's important to point out that ultimately you can spend as little or as much as you like on your blog, but you definitely don't need to spend money to write a successful blog. There is absolutely no rules or protocol, so remember not to get bogged down when you see posts on what people use to blog, they aren't necessities just a personal preference. The most important things you can have is a passion for what you're writing about and your personality.
Do you have any tips for blogging when you only have a small income?
R x
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