I can’t even believe it!

I’ve been blogging for 5 YEARS!!

In 2014, I created this blog after a coffee date with a colleague of mine.

Back then, the only goal I had in mind was to show women how they could wear scarves in different ways on a day-to-day basis. However now, a few years later, I encourage women to live and love life via business tips, lifestyle insights and style guides.

I’ve gotten to work with well-known brands like T.J. Maxx and Simply Be plus be featured on ground-breaking digital platforms like Travel Noire and Filter Free Parents.

Needless to say, it’s been an amazing journey!

I’ve learned so much! However, there are a few business lessons that rank in my top 7 secrets to becoming an influential blogger.

7 Secrets to Becoming an Influential Blogger

(1) Always Start With What You Have

You don’t need the perfect tools to create the content that you want.

If you have a cellphone, use it! Whether that’s for photos or videos.

If you have a camera, use it!

Use what you have and then grow from there!

My husband (boyfriend at the time) and a coworker took photos for me with my cellphone when I started. It was a good 9 months before I started working with a professional photographer as you see consistently today.

(2) Don’t Let Fear Stop You

Will you feel scared? Absolutely.

Will you feel like there are people better than you? Yep.

Will you feel awkward taking photos or videos? Yes.

But DO IT ANYWAY!

No one becomes an expert overnight. It takes time.

Trust me, when you look back, you’ll see your growth.

For example.

(3) Breathe…Your Friends & Family May Not Be Your Audience…And That’s Ok.

This took me a while to recognize.

I used to get so upset when my friends and family didn’t read my blog but I learned that most of the time, they are not the audience I’m creating content for.

Therefore, I needed to find my tribe – the people who actually wanted (or needed) my content.

Think of it like this.

If you are selling lipstick but your friend doesn’t wear any…well…they’re not your ideal reader, far less your customer!

Look for the people who love lipstick!

Furthermore, if you are looking to monetize your blog, remember this:

[bctt tweet=”Businesses don’t target their friends and family members in order to establish themselves. They find the people who have a problem that their product/service can fix.” username=”baydiangirl”]

As a blogger, find those people and pour into them!

(4) Those Who Are For You Will Always Support You.

This is the answer to that burning question:

As my friends and family, shouldn’t they support me?

Well yes! But support comes in many different forms.

Let me use my family as an example.

My brother, who is 24 years old, has NO social media accounts. He is not here for it. Therefore, he never shares my posts online.

Whenever we talk though, he always asks, “How’s the blog going?”

I’ve even learned that he has recommended my blog to several of his classmates who are now a part of the #TheBayTribe!

Here’s another one!

One of my dear cousins is busy with her own life in Barbados.

However, when I really needed to rework my daily schedule, she not only made a suggestion for me to wake up at 4:30 AM EST daily. She called me every day to help me consistently wake up at that time…from Barbados!

Oh, and my parents?

They legitimately don’t frequently read my blog unless I WhatsApp them the link 😂

But when they do, or when I work with a new brand, they celebrate with me AND tell me constantly how proud they are of me.

Sure, they don’t contribute to my social media likes and blog statistics frequently BUT they are in my corner!

[bctt tweet=”If they are for you, they will support you!” username=”baydiangirl”]

Be open to what that support may look like.

(5) Likes & Followers Do Not Equal Impact.

And no, this is not a rant about how people who have thousands of followers are not influential. 

Impact/Influence simply means having a strong effect on someone or something.

Yes, numbers are a thing!

But connections and community also show your influence.

Every time you receive a message from someone saying your post helped them, that’s confirmation that you are needed in this space!

Additionally, and hear me on this, having tons of followers, getting a ton of likes, that doesn’t mean you have the perfect setup to sell (aka monetize your brand).

On the other hand, having a small audience doesn’t predict OR limit your earning potential! I am proof of that.

I worked with T.J. Maxx exclusively on Instagram with under 10K followers.

If you remember anything, remember this:

[bctt tweet=”Numbers, such as likes and followers, are a thing BUT engagement is what matters.” username=”baydiangirl”]

(6) Social Media Is A Funnel NOT The End Goal.

The truth is, business is business no matter the platform.

And if you’re looking to monetize your blog, or even sell products and services, you’ve got to remember that social is just another funnel to make your brand visible to someone who has a high potential to buy what you’re selling.

Social media does not make the rules of business irrelevant. It’s another accessible tool!

Keeping this in mind from Day 1 of your blog is crucial to developing your influence!

(7) Embrace Your Failures

Failures will happen.

Did you hear about the influencer who had 2 million followers and couldn’t sell 36 shirts?

Well, on May 27, 2019, social media users made it clear that this was unacceptable!

I was one of them…but not in the way you think.

I am so thankful that a fellow influencer was vulnerable about a struggle she experienced….even with all the followers in the world!

It was brave and humble of her! Furthermore, it was a reminder that we ALL experience failures.

Remember the staggering statistic that 20% of small businesses fail in the first year and 50% in the fifth year? It’s still a thing, meaning a lot of people don’t quite get the rules of business, not just influencers.

Yet, there are two positive messages here!

First, even though that statistic is shocking, there is still a high percentage of businesses that fail, figure it out and become successful!

Which leads to the second positive message.

Failing is not to be looked down on. We all fail at some things. But when we get back up and learn from our failures – and the faster we do that – we set ourselves up for success.

Were these secrets helpful? What lessons have you learned while blogging or being in business?