How My Blog Has Changed

 

I cannot quite believe that I have now been making content for over 10 years. My first blog started out of sheer boredom. I was 16 years old with too much time on my hands. Friends were few and far between and I needed a new hobby. That is when I reached for my old and crappy laptop and started my first Blogger site. I began by writing about the makeup that I had in my collection. From there, I expanded and started chatting about all of the main areas of my life. Whether it be mental health, fashion, my home and so much more.

Since those early days, my blog has changed in ways that I could never imagine. For todays post, I am going to share with you some of the ways that my blog has changed over the years…

 

 

The layout has improved.

Back in the day, I had no idea what constituted a good layout for a blog. The style of blog when I first started out was quite cluttered and busy. Because of that, I just used to cram as much into it as possible. When I first made an attempt to tidy up my online space, I stripped everything back. My intention now is to try and keep my layout as simple so that information can be easily read and consumed by people. If you are wanting to make a change, either on Blogger or WordPress, check out some of the amazing themes. They are super easy to install and then you can personalise them!

 

I now use WordPress instead of Blogger.

Switching from Blogger to WordPress really was a big thing for me. I had used Blogger since the very first day that I began writing and it was so easy. Working in marketing, I knew that if I wanted more from my blog, I would have to make the switch eventually. I will admit that Blogger is much more straightforward in terms of usability. However, you can see that WordPress is able to take things to the next level. If you are wanting to advance your site and make improvements, I would recommend making the switch. It did amazing things for my site.

 

I take note of SEO.

Because I work in marketing, SEO is my life. However, back when I first started my first site, I had no idea what SEO was. As I got into my marketing career and I learnt more, I began to enhance my posts. Now, I cannot write a post without going through a small SEO checklist in my head. It is second nature to me at this point. There is so much more that I could do in terms of SEO and my blog, however it would be all consuming. I probably give 25% effort towards SEO on my blog at the moment and I hope that one day I will be able to dedicate more time to it.

 

I have a picture of myself.

My first blog was completely anonymous. The thought of anybody that I went to school with finding out that I had a site would have mortified me. So, I kept my name off the site completely and I didn’t add a picture for years. It wasn’t until my first big partnership with one of my favourite brands that I realised that my blog was something to be proud of. Granted, I still didn’t put it out there for everybody that knew me to see what I was doing, but I still added my picture. It was a big thing for somebody as nervous as me!

 

The content which I produce has changed.

As I mentioned in the intro, when I first started blogging, it was all about makeup. It was my main focus and back in the day, I could write about it forever and a day. However, as I got older, my priorities changed. With that, the content that I wanted to write about also changed. I went from speaking about foundations, to wanting to speak about handbags, shoes, household items and so much more. Personally, I think that my content changed for the better. Having more variety means that I can switch up what I am talking about, and it really helps to reignite my passion.

 

My photography has improved.

Photography still isn’t a main focus of mine. I do wish that I could dedicate more time to it, but sadly I do not have that luxury. However, I still have some of the very first photographs that I ever took for my blog. If my memory serves me right, it was of the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer. I took the picture on my iPhone 6 in a very dark room. I placed the concealer in front of my vanity and took the photo with the flash on. All you can see if a bright flash, a bit of a product and my face gaping in the background. My photography still isn’t great, but much improved!

 

My posts are much shorter.

Back when I first started writing, I thought that it was all about the more the better. So, for that reason I would write posts which were like essays. For a standard product review, I would write up to 2000 words. Which is astronomical and far too much. I now try to keep my posts between 700 and 1000 words. To some people that still may seem too much. However, it suits me well in terms of creating the content. Plus, I think it is a good amount of content for other people to consume.

 

I hope that you guys enjoyed reading this blog post. As I mentioned, my blog has changed massively over the years. When I started my first blog, I would have never imagined that I would still be writing a decade later. Not only that, but the blogging space is completely different these days. At the moment, I am not sure what the future looks like for my blog. However, I do know that in some capacity or another, I will still be writing. Writing has become an enormous passion of mine. Even though the way that I write is very laid back, I feel like it communicates me and my personality well. As always, I would love to hear from you guys on this. Are you a blogger? When did you start? How has your blog changed over the years?