To many the life of a lifestyle blogger can seem carefree and glamorous. We’ve all seen the stylised instagram posts but surely there’s more to it than that. What does it actually mean to be a lifestyle blogger full time? Do you need certain qualifications? What tools do you need to get started? Is it all hanging out in effortlessly cool coffee shops? Read on below to discover some top tips.
Let’s begin by talking about the essentials you need to get started. One of the most important tools for blogging is a laptop or tablet with a keyboard. You want to be able to blog from anywhere and you’re tied to a desk with a desktop. You might think you can get away with using your phone but it’s not sustainable long-term. It’s not as convenient as you might think to tap away at the screen and there’s the dangers of autocorrect fails. Trust me, you’re going to want a laptop.
Next up you are going to need a reliable internet connection. It’s likely you’ve got WiFi at home but working from home isn’t always convenient. Maybe you still live at home with your parents, or live in a crowded house share or maybe your other half works from home? Whether you don’t have the space or you find home too full of distractions and need to get out and about to write – you need a space that suits your needs and has WiFi access. You could go to a coffee shop and take up a table for five hours, ordering the bare minimum in food and drink just to use their WiFi. Or you could hotspot your phone, but that can be slow, drain your phones battery and rattle through your data allowance — not ideal.
One option to consider is a MiFi or mobile WiFi device. They’re similar to old school dongles – they’re compact, fit in your bag and connect multiple devices to the internet hassle free. There are a variety of MiFi deals to choose from, 30-day rolling, 12 or 24-month plans, and come with varying amounts of data. Anything from 3GB to unlimited, meaning you can tailor you package exactly to your needs. You could always write up your blog and then post when you get back home, but why wait? To keep your site current and up to date you’ll want to get those posts up as soon as possible. This makes MiFi the perfect device to get you started.
Finally, you’ll want to pick a theme. What do you want to feature on your blog? The title ‘lifestyle blogger’ is so broad, you could cover a myriad of topics. To begin with it’s best to stick to that old adage – write what you know. Once you build up confidence, find your voice and build up a following you can start to branch out, diversify your topics and get started on those Insta worthy pics.
