Free Resources for Better Blogging
Blogging is a strange profession. A lot of people start blogging on a whim and have no formal training. I mean, there’s really no degree in “Blogging” anyway. When I started I had NO idea what I was doing. I was only following about 5 blogs at the time and had never taken any courses in fashion, website development, marketing, or social media management. So pretty much everything I’ve learned about blogging I’ve had to teach myself.
That’s why I think it’s so important for blogger’s to share information and be as transparent as possible. I don’t believe that information alone can make someone successful. It’s all about your hustle and how you use that information. So feel free to ask me anything!
I thought that I’d share some of the resources I use to help my blogging game!
BLOGGING RESOURCES
Fohr Card: Fohr Card helps connect brands and Influencers and can offer insights into the strength of your social media following as well as connect you with brands. All you have to do is sign up (it’s free) and connect your social platforms and they can analyze the quality of your followers. The goal is to have the majority of your following be “active”. They also give you a detailed analysis of demographics, age, location of your followers and more! 
You can also download a free “presskit” that you can send to brands. It’s a one page sheet with a summary of your analytics, social channels, and brand work from the information you can set up in your profile. If you don’t have a Media Kit this is a great option to start out with.
There’s also a Brand Directory where you can reach out to brands through Fohr Card!
James Nord, one of the founders of Fohr Card, also has a Youtube series called “A Drink With James” where he talks about all the latest Influencer trends and strategies. It’s entertaining and also provides great insight into what brands are looking for when they decided to partner with Influencers. I don’t agree with everything he says (particularly when it comes to when to ask for payment for work) but it’s still a good idea to hear different perspectives.
Blog With Me: Marianne Hewitt is the superstar blogger behind this resource for bloggers that is coming soon! The website is not up yet but she has a Blog With Me Instagram page where she answers all questions related to blogging. I recently attended a casual blogger meet up in Los Angeles that she set up where I got to meet some other LA bloggers! It’s a great resource for connecting with other bloggers. #BlogWithMeFam
Julie Solomon: Influencer Podcast: Julie hosts a free podcast where she shares a ton of information on all things blogging related! I actually haven’t listened to one yet (It’s on my list of things to do for 2018!!) but I’ve heard good things about it. Plus she offers resources and courses for pitching to brands. You have to pay for those resources but Julie’s background is impressive so she’s a source to be trusted!
Chloe Digital: This is both a paid and free resource for bloggers. I actually pay a monthly fee to be a member of ChloeDigital. With that membership they gave me a site audit where they told me what I could improve on the front end and back end of my blog. They are also available by email to answer any questions I have about blogging and to help fix problems should they arise. If you are thinking about joining and have questions about what they can do feel free to email me! You can cancel your membership at anytime so I would recommend signing up for 1 month to get the site audit and then canceling if the $99 a month is out of your budget. If I’m being honest, $99 is a HUGE commitment for me to make because some months I only make $100 from blogging but I feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders because I don’t worry about all the little stuff anymore so it’s worth it. I know that I have a support system available to help me.
ChloeDigital also has a Blog where they share all sorts of blogging related content and strategy. It’s free and those articles contain a lot of the information they share with us as members! You just have to do more digging yourself instead of having someone available to ask specific questions. So this is a great option if you don’t have the money to spend for a membership!
Facebook Groups: If you aren’t a part of a facebook group for your niche you need to join one NOW! It’s an awesome way to stay connected to other’s in your field, bounce ideas off one another, and get help. I’m a part of 3 or 4 right now. If you are a part of RewardStyle I would suggest joining the RewardStyle Bloggers Group. If you are looking for Instagram Tips, try the Instagram Posse group.
Are there any resources that you’ve found helpful? Please share in the comments!
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