Q&A Time - Life Lately! | KingdomofSequins

I was going through some of my DMs on Instagram the other day and realized I am WAY behind on answering some of the really good and repeated questions. I have been asked a lot of great questions. that sometimes I really have to think about myself…. And it really makes me think about how far I have come with blogging and where I am going. So I decided to change-up this weeks format to answer a few frequently asked questions.

If you do follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed some parenting drama and a mommy meltdown last week. Everything is fine… we just have some of those “life moments” we are going through that are really making me put things into perspective. Parenthood, Blogging, Work-life, Marriage etc. I want to thank everyone who shared their words of wisdom and parenting tips with me… they literally made my life and helped me more than you know! I am going to be sharing all the feedback I received and some of the best tips with y’all via stories 🙂

How do you manage your time and stay so organized?

With patience, a great planner and A LOT of determination! Every Sunday night, I write out my posts for the week and make sure everything is set. I write what post will go up when, any ideas I may have for the post, and jot down any random ideas I may have for the week for Instagram. For any random ideas, I write them in my notes on my phone. It’s the easiest and most accessible way for me to remember and, if I’m lying in bed at night and think of something, I can jot it down immediately! Usually at night is when most of my ideas come to me. But I’ll sometimes be walking around and think of something. The key is to always write down your ideas, keep a planner with everything for the week written out and plan your posts!

Any tips for newbie bloggers?

Don’t be discouraged when everything doesn’t happen at once. It takes time to build a readership, and nothing happens overnight (though it may seem like it for some people). Try not to compare yourself to other people, if you see someone else’s photography or Instagram that looks amazing, don’t feel bad about yours, take inspiration from it. On the other hand, don’t try and copy others so you lose what’s individual to your own blog. Every successful blog out there probably started off small and amateur so just keep persevering! Blogging takes hard work and dedication, but you need to remember why you began blogging in the first place. Dont let the success of others determine your success. Everyone brings something different to the table. Your niche might not be the same as someone else’s and that is ok. Dont follow the path of someone else, be yourself, always!

What’s your favorite part about blogging?

I have met the most incredible people on this journey – both bloggers and readers. Connecting with so many talented, smart, inspirational people across social media is definitely the best part about blogging. I have local blogger BFF’s that I would have never found without my blog, and I have worked with the most amazing creatives and PR agencies! I also really love getting surprise emails from people no matter how random the message. Its the community that keeps me going and continuing the madness!!

Do you have any tips for growing my Instagram account?

First of all, don’t worry about follower count! I always get excited when I reach a big milestones but it’s important to keep in mind that it’s just a number. You can have amazing content and still not have many followers! Just be grateful for every person who takes the time to like and comment on your phones instead of constantly trying to get more. If you’re serious about growing your account, do it organically and engage with genuine people who you can relate to. Follow and engage with accounts that are similar to yours, because they will typically follow back. Follow people you actually want in your feed and DEFINITELY don’t follow to unfollow – it’s frankly rude and not fair to other accounts. They work just as hard as you do and deserve better. Lastly, post content that you love and you’re confident in, and be proud of your page! No one else can do you like you can. Let people follow for the actual you, not a “filtered” version of yourself.

How do you manage work life, motherhood, marriage AND blogging??

Sometimes I look at bloggers who post killer content each day, are posting pictures of their fabulous life on Instagram several times per day, creating new products to sell on their blog or shop, and maintaining a respectable social life. Why can’t I do that?? Then I remind myself that those women are full-time bloggers and have tons more time to devote! This is the time I remind myself that I can’t accomplish everything, and that’s okay. If you feel jealous of other bloggers because it seems like they can do everything, I guarantee another blogger or friend is thinking the same of you! Do what you can but make sure you are loving the process at the same time. One key tip is shoot your blog photos in bulk! This one is something I’ve been doing pretty much since day one . Quite often I will use my days off to shoot 3 or 4 different outfit posts one after the other, so that I’ve got a few stored in my drafts in case of emergencies! You never know when the bad weather’s gonna hit and you can’t get out to shoot, so plan your outfits in advance and get multiple shoots done in one go. I’ll tell you – my last 4 posts – all photographed on the same day! I know, right? But I don’t have time to be a “model” (I use the term loosely obviously – ha!) everyday. Once a week, I load up the car with clothes, shoes, accessories and head to cute locations to take pics. The blogger life ain’t glamorous y’all! It’s either changing in the backseat or going into public restrooms in one outfit and coming out in another. Oh the looks I sometimes get. Who cares?!

How do you get to work with brands?

It’s definitely a process! If you’re considering starting a blog, don’t do it just because you want “free stuff”. It takes a while to build a quality platform that brands trust to provide an accurate portrayal of their products. Once you have a consistent following and several posts, you can start reaching out to brands via email or Instagram message. I received a partnership opportunity with Tarte because I included one of their products in a post and emailed them with a link. They offered a paid collaboration and I have a continued partnership with them to this day. Be proactive with contacting brands you love, and you might be surprised with their response.

How long is it going to take for my blog to be a success?

I can’t give you a specific deadline. No one can. It all depends on you, really. There’s no magic formula except hard, very hard work. Most of the bloggers out there work like crazy for years before that hit that big break. Focus on what’s important- creating a useful, engaging content that will benefit your readers. Keep consistency, grow your social media numbers and everything will fall into places. Just don’t lose hope after a few weeks of trying. You will never know when your next post is going to go viral!

What tips would you give to somebody who just started on Instagram?

The most important thing when it comes to anything having to do on social media is to have fun with it. Post pictures that you love, shoot content that you genuinely like. If you are too focus on metrics, followers, engagement and so on, you will soon get tired of this industry. This is how I and many of my social media friends started our platforms. We would have never thought we would reach milestones as we did and this is all because we do everything out of passion.

What’s your favorite thing about marriage + where did you and your husband meet??

We met at a restaurant/bar 9 years ago when I was home for the holidays. I was still in Cincinnati but moving back home within 6 weeks of us meeting. We actually talked on the phone the whole time before I moved back and I think that was the best thing that could’ve happened to us. Honestly, my favorite thing about being married is just having someone that I know is 1,000000% in my corner at all times. Hector and I are just such a team and I love knowing that he always has my back, is always going to be there for me, and I just have someone I can go to with anything. Yes we have our struggles and fights. Of course there are times where we want to throw in the towel and give up, BUT, we both know we wouldn’t want to do life with anyone else so we do whatever it takes to make this relationship work.

Who is the most influential person in your life?

My mother. My mother is an amazing, loving, selfless and a caring woman – everything you would expect from a stellar mom. She has taught me so much and shown me time and time again what it means to be a good person and a loving mother. She really is my best friend!

What are some future goals you have for your blog?

In the short term, I would just like to focus on good content, creation and growth. After all, I have only been doing this thing for 3 years now – the blog still needs to grow and I still have much to learn! In the long term, I would like to figure out if this is what I want to do full time. I love working in an office and being social but I also love blogging! It is my #1 passion! I also have to be realistic when it comes to my family and the social media world!