My Thoughts On Blogging

Hi guys! I wanted to write a quick post because something is on my heart that I really want to share. I want to have a little chit chat with you about blogging, why I love it, and some things I've seen that are really getting my goat lately in the blogging space.

So let me start off by telling you why I love being a blogger. I feel like it's a great way for me to get my thoughts out and share content without cluttering up Facebook with looooong posts. Whoever created the first blog...bravo. I love blogging because it allows me to be me in a space I created all on my own. I put my own spin on it. I love having an outlet. To me, blogging is a stress reliever. I was never one for writing in high school or college. I was always good in my English classes but I hated writing. Blogging has made me love it. I think because I'm writing about something I'm passionate about...Life! Yes, my blog started out all about fashion and beauty and now I'm moving more into the lifestyle space but I am still so passionate about my blog content.

In recent months, I've been seeing some things in the blogging community, especially the style blogger community, that raises some questions for me. Let me ask you this, how many sponsored Instagram and Facebook posts have you seen today? How many of those do you feel were actually genuine? I have seen an increasing amount of sponsored posts from fashion bloggers in the last few months. And not only sponsored posts but giveaways. Now before I go on, I'd like to say there is nothing wrong with giveaways or sponsored posts BUT I think when I'm seeing them daily from bloggers, it starts to seem inauthentic. Maybe that's just me. It frustrates me and honestly, I have unfollowed a lot of bloggers for that reason. I think giveaways are a great way to bless your followers and thank them for following your blog but I think a lot of bloggers use them as a way to superficially gain followers. I have never been a fan of giveaways. Now, if it's a $25 gift card to Starbucks that's being given away, that seems much more authentic than a $1,000 shopping spree that's being given away for a like, follow, share and tag. I'm much more inclined to enter a giveaway that asks for an answer to a question in a comment than one that requires 90 steps to gain more followers. That's just me. I think as bloggers, we need to use them sparingly and I think when we do them, it needs to be to bless our followers rather than trying to gain as much traction as possible. You feel me? That's just my take.

Sponsored posts are a whole other thing. Sponsored posts are a great way for bloggers to make a living and I am so on board with that. It's their job! What I have a problem with and where I think it becomes inauthentic is when someone is sponsored every other post. A lot of bloggers drive home the fact that they only take sponsorships by companies whose products they really use and enjoy and I respect that. It gets tiring for me when all I see is sponsored posts. I don't like to be sold to constantly. Would you be more likely to buy something from a recommendation from someone who uses something on the daily or someone who just randomly throws products at you to buy? I really like when bloggers talk about products when they aren't sponsored because they're not being paid to say good things about it and I know they really like it. Again, sponsorships can be great things, but I think they can be seen as inauthentic when they happen really often. I am so passionate about my blog and sharing things I truly, truly love with you guys that it upsets me when I see people just flinging products this way and that way just to make a buck. I think blogging is so personal and I think you absolutely have to be passionate about what you blog about. To all you bloggers out there rocking your blogs and really living out your passion, kudos.

I just want to say again that sponsorships and giveaways are in no way bad and I do understand that's how a living is made. I just think we need to be careful what we get behind and how we go about them in order to stay authentic and not make our blogs cheap. Ya feel me?

XO,

Gabby