I can’t promise these are all the right answers, just what has worked for me personally or others that I know. If you have more questions leave a comment below! I hope this helps you in your journey to blogging!
@OnlyGabrielle__: @marianna_hewitt what inspires your style and what are some staples in your wardrobe ?
- I’m a very laid back casual kind of girl. I like to have my outfits well put together but I’m not always dressy and there is always some sort of comfortable element to my outfits. The staples in my closet are well tailored jeans, a leather jacket, nude shoes and pencil skirts.
@OzDris: @marianna_hewitt what is your strategy on social media marketing?
- I don’t have a strategy. But I do know what works well on my page. By using sites like Iconosquare, you can sort your images by the most number of likes and comments and see what photos you post get the most engagement from your followers. Once you know that, you can start posting more of those types of posts and photos to ensure that engagement remains at that level.
@alicia_raee: Hey girl, Ive been trying to start a blog forever, I just have no idea where to even start. Between needing a photographer and getting a following and affording new clothes frequently to blog about! @marianna_hewitt
- The best thing to do is just to start! Once you start you can see where to go next. The most important thing is good photography but this doesn’t mean you need to hire a photographer. Invest in a camera and have a friend take photos for you. You can watch youtube videos about basic photo skills to get a great pic and use items you already have in your closet! As it grows, you can invest more into your blog but no need to spend any money in the beginning.
@alyssa___camille: When u film, do u use special lighting? And if u could post some of your editing favorites for a mac that would be phenomenal!
- I use a ring light and two soft boxes, I also sit in front of a window to try and get as much natural light as possible.
@sugarandcloth: Yes, please tell me all of your overnight success secrets!
- Your site is incredible and is so cohesive and has incredible photography! You are already a success!! (IF YOU HAVEN’T SEE HER SITE YET CHECK IT OUT!)
@luzinfante: Some questions: what should the first be? It has me stuck! How do I gain a follower base? What programs do you use to put the photo collages together of products for posts.
- Use your existing social media followers as a base to send traffic to your site. You can also collaborate with other bloggers who have a similar audience and following as you. You can trade posts or share links on social media to help send each others followers, to the others site. This helps a LOT! For photo collages I use photoshop.
@sharinsoomro: I started my LA based blog few months ago but having trouble gaining followers. Any tips? @marianna_hewitt
- I mentioned in a previous question the best way to get new traffic is to trade posts with other bloggers with similar followings! You can tweet links for each other or share posts on each others sites to send traffic from one audience to the other. Kind of like when one girl #WCW another girl on Instagram to send them their followers!
@leylainit: I just don’t know where to start I get so many questions about my three kids aged three and under and people tell me I should start a blog but I don’t know how! I’d love some help off your gorgeous self
- Sign up for a site on wordpress, download a theme and just start writing!
@styledbykels: Hi @marianna_hewitt. I’ve recently created a style board to express my vision as an aspiring stylist. What would you consider the fundametal key in creating a brand/image of your own?
- There are so many sites, so you have to just make yours different and unique somehow! Find a way to add in your personality or individuality to make it stand out from others just like yours.
@emmycorinne: I have trouble being a full time student and modeling and acting and trying to have money for when I graduate while running a blog and not failing school. I also don’t have time for myself and my friends or having fun. I don’t want to give up blogging but I get overwhelmed with the amount of school work I get on top of everything.haha do you have any tips for handling this amount of things at once? It’s hard and a lot of times I feel like I work insanely hard and it’s going no where
- It is very difficult. I think there is an assumption that having a blog is easy and it is NOT. It takes a lot of time to sit down and put together a post from photos, editing, writing and uploading. Make a goal of doing a post a week if you can and if the other things in your life aren’t giving you the time to blog, focus on where you are most passionate. If you don’t feel like blogging or it is rushed, it is better to not post at all.
@lafashionistahhh: @marianna_hewitt me and my friend @xoxodeedee are launching a fashion blog. Our goal is to help people get inspired and learn how to put things together in order to have better opportinities (generally speaking) at work, dating, everyday lifestyle etc… We would like to have a better comprehension on how we can achieve our goal efficiently. Thank you & fyi you have been a true inspiration to us. We love you.
- I’m not sure what the question is, you want to achieve your goal and your goal is to help people by inspiring them? I think the best way to do that is to lead by example. If you site is to help others in fields like dating, work etc reach out to experts in those fields and interview them and post them on your site to give your readers advice on those subjects. I hope this helps I kind of am confused by your question!
@kkris__: I already have a blog but not so many know about it. Maybe you would like to have a look at it? Link is in my bio
- Best way to get people to click is to ask!
@christyhernandez: How do you attract people to your YouTube channel/blog? In other words, how do you make it known?
- By using your current social media following is a great place to start. Also look for girls on youtube that have the same or a little more subscribers than you and collaborate together on a video where you can link the other person’s page to help build each other’s audience.
@fridaysclutch: Hello, yes I’m new at blogging and have not started my website yet, what are some key pointers I need to know when I do?
- The best advice I have is just to start. I took time to think of a name and find a good template that I liked. I just started posted and the more I posted, the better vision I got for what I wanted it to look like and what posts to do. Use a program like google analytics to see what posts perform the best and do more posts like that!
@thecaliforniadoll: Hey. What can I do to make my blog as successful as yours?
- Spend time on it! I spend so many hours by myself with a computer editing photos, filming videos, writing posts. It really is a full time job but if you commit to it and spend enough time on it … like anything in life … it will show results!
@maryannastar: HOPE YOU SEE THIS: @marianna_hewitt Do you have some tips for a flat stomach… ? THANKS A IM A HUGE FAN OF YOU, by the way. Greetings from Germany ( sorry if my english isnt that good hahha )
- Pilates and no fast food!
@logan.hofbauer_hair: Definitely what do you use to edit videos? I have a mac. That’s about all I know haha. Wanted to start hair tutorials!
@ckcraft: What editing software do you use for your videos, and how do you create creative intros digitally?! Thank you! 
- I use FinalCut Pro. For intros, I make them on my own by splitting clips and using black backgrounds and text.
@chubbybunny91: How did you get your blog out there so you could get follower?
- I was lucky enough to have a decent social media following when I started my site and that made it easy to drive traffic. As I became more active on my blog and youtube, my followers grew as I shoutouted myself out on there all the time!
@melinapizanoox: First things first, what’s the best way to create a blog? I created a blog but it was with Google, but I would love to have my own .com
- I really like wordpress!
@corvayadaily: How did you determine what to post? And then what was the next step after that?
- It depends what you want your site to be, I often do requests and when I get a lot of the same one that makes it easy to decide what to post next. Or I post things that are going on in my life, tutorials of looks I am using frequently, or if something is seasonal thinking ahead to post something for that. Right now I am working on Holiday posts and tutorials for Holiday parties. Some people work off an editorial calendar, I do a little of that and a little of what comes to mind. I try to balance it between outfit posts, beauty videos and a little travel.
@lenanasiri: What camera do you use for your IG photos and what editing apps? They are very bright and nice.
- For instagram I use an iPhone for almost all my photos unless otherwise credited to a photographer like Clara Bella Photo or Jared Thomas Photography. Lighting is the most important thing to remember when taking photos, I never shoot a picture of myself or anything in direct sunlight. To edit my photos I use snap seed and VSCO for filters. I have a video to explain more if you want to see how I edit instagram pictures.
@lenanasiri: When you post a look on your blog under each post you have products pictures. when we click on them takes us to the company website to buy them. How do you do that ?
- RewardStyle is a program with widgets to have photos to direct you to those links.
@classianaag: How to make people comment on your post and which blog platform is the best? As I want something easy to use but on the other something adjustable without spending too much time figuring out how to change something or add something? Thnx for help
- I never ask people to comment that is really organic. But if you want to get more engagement, you can finish your posts or videos with a question to have your readers leave comments like “What videos do you want to see more?” or for this post I could ask “Leave a comment if you have any more questions!”
- I’ve only ever used wordpress and I like it a lot. It is really easy to google new widgets to add new things to your site and it can all be done by yourself without having to hire a web developer.
@lmrossi51: @marianna_hewitt how do you edit picture of the items you post? Example, when you post the clothing pictures from companies. How do you get them on your blog the way you want them? Thank you very much for your time.
- For editing photos I use Aperature. If they are taken by a photographer, they are sent to me already edited.
- I usually choose 2-4 photos per post and I pick my favorite ones and make sure they show full body and some detail.
I love these tips. It’s great to hear up-to-date advice from a real human being. I’d say I really liked your answer to the first question; I found it really useful. :] // itsCarmen.com ☼ ☯
P.S. the title of this post says Tips for “Staring” a Blog. :]
xo, Carmen
When you first decided to monetize your blog or take your blog on full time about how many hits did you have per month? Thanks so much for your time! Please visit my blog if you get a chance- I would absolutely love your input!
XX
Erin
I think it just depends on your stats and every site is individual! I would keep a track of your stats from google analytics and use that as a resource to send off to brands when working on sponsored content!
Thank you so much for not only replying to my question, but thank you to answering SO many questions. This is the post was extremely helpful!
Well this totally just made my day! You are way too kind and I’d give you a huge hug if I could! I owe you one for the next cruise!
I am absolutely love your site. I think you give great tips. I feel so behind because I just discovered you!
I am a full time and I don’t have enough time to get out there and try and find what products are good
And what would work for me.
I am about your skin tone and I am exciting to try some of the products you have used. You have made
It look easy and effortless. I am trying the one where you were in Thailand.
Keep the videos coming because there are more mothers
Out there that need these tips, like me.
Thank you!!
Great tips Marianna! I have a nutrition blog. would love for you to check it out! Maybe we can do a collaboration one day since I know you are an amazing cook!!
-Mariam
I agree on your answers. It all depends! I mean, every blog should be unique. If we all would do the same stuff it would not be interesting anymore! I love your blog- but I would not want to be you. I am me and I enjoy you for being you!
Great tips!
http://www.shopopal.com
Seriously though, your blog is amazing.
Check mine out if you get a chance, xoxo.
sa-artistry.com
This has been such a great help!! Been wanted to set up my blog for some time now but have had so many uncertainties on how to get started. Thank you Marianna!
@yazmk
Can you tell me what theme you use for you blog? Thank you!
LOVE YOUR BLOG!!!
i hired a web designer
it isn’t a theme! her contact info is on the bottom of my site
great tips, thanks for sharing
LOVE THIS. Thank you! XO
What camera do you use to to film your videos, as well as what other equipment do you use. (like voiceovers)
i use a canon t5i with a 18-55mm lens. i also use a rode mic for boom mic and a usb mic from amazon for voiceovers. i have a youtube video with all this info.
Okay, so I want to start a blog but how do I create a website or what do I do first? Help pleaseee
go to wordpress.com then go fro there it will help u step by step best of luck
Hi Marianna! I LOVE your blog! I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I wanted to reach out to you about how you are able to financially support yourself through blogging? Is it through advertisements/sponsoring? If so, how did/ do you attain that? Talking with brands/advertisers? I’m completely new to blogging and am just curious about the financial details. Thank you so much for being so amazing and if you have time I’d love to hear your response!
Lily
hi! if you are new to blogging try sites like fame bit where you can talk to brands directly to get paid to post