As a blogger, I often feel like there’s no quick and easy
way to sum up what I do. When I tell
someone that I work full time and also run a blog, the usual response is “Oh
that sounds fun!” Don’t get me wrong…
it is fun… but it’s also a lot of work and I often wonder if people think it’s
as easy as typing something and hitting publish.
In reality, as a blogger you end up being a
writer, editor, photographer, PR gal, social media pro, graphic designer, brand
researcher, and much much more. You have to market yourself as a brand in all
ways possible and that alone is a lot of work.
On any given day at my full time job, I can be seen
responding to blog-related emails on my cell phone anytime I step away from my
desk for a bathroom break.
After I get home,
there’s usually a few packages at my door, so I have to open them, log them in,
and if I have time I stage photos. If I
don’t have time, I have to make time very soon so I can plan any outfits for
photos, edit the photos, write the blog post, format it,
schedule it, plan and schedule social media shares, and let the company know
about what’s going on.
So how do I do it all without losing my mind?
I know a lot of people out there can teach you about SEO, Social Media, and more, but I find that sometimes you just need to
get a few tips to help you stay organized so you don’t become overwhelmed.
1.Use an Editorial Calendar
This is what you will use to schedule posts, track the
progress of them, and allows you to schedule what days you need to take a
posting break. I use my calendar to
plan everything and to give myself reminders for when I need to reach back out to a
brand down the road. Bring this with you
everywhere. I carry mine in my work bag
and if I’m traveling I carry it in my regular handbag.
2. Keep Your Emails Organized
Use folders to sort and store different types of emails and
leave your general inbox as clear as possible so it can act as a REAL inbox for
you.
If it’s still sitting in there, it
means you either need to file it or respond to it!
I have my GMAIL inbox all organized with
folders including: Product Reviews DONE, Product Reviews (for open ones),
Product Reviews MAYBE(follow up with them later), Brand Ambassador, Blogger
Networks, PR Emails, Reading (for all of my newsletters).
Keeping an
organized email inbox makes it MUCH easier when you need to
find something.
3.Track Gifted Items on a Spreadsheet
Whenever you agree to feature a gifted item on your blog,
you need to make sure you track when you receive it, whether you’ve scheduled
it for a review or not, and if it’s even been posted.
I use an excel spreadsheet with the following
columns: Company, Item, Price, Date sent, Date received, Date Posted, Giveaway?
Y/N.
Everything is highlighted in
yellow until it is scheduled for a review, then that row gets set back to
white. Once I post the review, I log the
date and I change the highlighting to dark gray. This really comes in handy when a company
asks If you received their product and you really can’t remember!
4.Schedule the time you work on your Blog
Whether it’s all at once on a specific day, or a little bit
here and there a few days a week, make sure you set time aside to work on your
blog and don’t make any excuses. I
schedule Tuesday and Thursday nights for blogging and I always chip away at it
when I can.
5. Don’t Post Every Day
You’ll exhaust yourself and your readers. Set a day aside where nothing gets posted,
and a good day for that is a Sunday because most people don’t do their normal
routine of Internet stuff on Sundays OR if they do, it’s the day they catch up
on a lot. My days off are Sunday and
Thursday. I put giant X’s on those days in my Editorial Calendar.
