Right, I get it. Being a blogger and the blogging industry and digital media is a serious WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT minefield if you haven’t got a clue about it. I find myself daily explaining to people what I do for a living and why I spend most nights out and about, with a camera constantly in my hand taking more photos than a tourist and spending my whole life checking my emails, talking about my blog and thinking about what I’m to write about next.
Please NEVER EVER EVER say to me ‘oh it must be nice, you get all of that for free’ and if you’re a blogger never ever say that you’ve had a free meal or free merch, it literally shows the rest of the industry you don’t get the concept of what we do.
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I get nothing for free. You heard this correctly. Yes, I may be sent gorgeous candles, fantastic makeup, I go to events and eat delicious food, drink as much prosecco as humanly possible AND then have to drink my best friends too because she’s so polite to say she doesn’t drink but this all comes at a price!
My time.
I’m currently writing this after spending my whole day, sending emails, organising events, writing numerous paid posts (with real money, I have very expensive taste – I don’t do stuff for ‘free’), attending a gorgeous event and it’s now 00:30, I have a train to catch in the morning but for now, my day continues, it’ll continue for at least 2 more hours as I write and schedule.
Bloggers and business
Don’t get me wrong I love it but it all comes at a price. Yes, I write posts in exchange for products and food & drink but this is only a small part of my business. This is the social aspect of it, to network, to build relationships and secure opportunities for a longevity partnership with the company and other brands.
The more attractive you are as a marketing entity, the more attracted people are to working with you. Literally, catch me any time of the day and I’ll probably be talking about blogging or media.
It consumes my life, you will never ever hear me discredit myself or anybody else by saying ‘they got it for free’. They worked for it. They were there taking photos of the food, they were there checking in on Facebook, they were there redrafting their post to get it perfect, to grow their business.
It’s a complicated world and if you want to truly understand how it works and how you can make money from blogging and how lucrative it is I have all the time in the world for you, the more people that just get what I do for a living, the less time I spend explaining and the more time I can spend at events!
Nothing in life is ever free and your time certainly isn’t one of them.
No small feat
Navigating the blogging and digital media landscape is no small feat, it’s a dynamic and demanding endeavour that requires an immense dedication of time, energy, and passion. Despite common misconceptions, nothing in this industry comes without cost, especially not for those of us entrenched in its daily grind. Each product featured, every event attended, and all the prosecco sipped at gatherings is part of a larger narrative, one where ‘free’ simply does not exist.
Busy business
The reality is, the lifestyle of a blogger is incessantly active and perpetually busy, blending late nights of content creation with the relentless pace of networking events and email correspondences. It’s a testament to the commitment required to not only sustain but also grow a presence in this fiercely competitive field. Every post crafted, every photo taken, and every email sent is an investment into my brand, a calculated step towards forging lasting partnerships and opening doors to new opportunities.
This blog serves not just as a platform for sharing and engagement but also as a business endeavor where relationships are currency and content is both product and marketing. The behind-the-scenes effort is substantial, managing this digital persona involves constant strategising, creating, and renegotiating to maintain relevance and profitability.
For those looking to understand the essence of what we do, know this: the value of our work is rooted in the quality and impact of our content, not the price tag of items received. As we move forward, let’s shift the dialogue from what appears to be ‘free’ to the real conversation about the hard work, strategic planning, and creative energy that truly powers this industry.
Your understanding and respect for this craft not only validate our efforts but also enrich the blogging community, allowing us to focus more on delivering content that entertains, informs, and inspires.
I loved this, although a lot of the things look free people don’t realise how much time can sometimes be spent on a blog post. I only post once a week and blog just for a hobby and because I enjoy it rather than a job. At least with my design job, I can finish at 5 whereas you’ve always got access to work emails and social media!
I’m looking forward to the urban decay event you’ve organised 🙂 x
I loved this, although a lot of the things look free people don’t realise how much time can sometimes be spent on a blog post. I only post once a week and blog just for a hobby and because I enjoy it rather than a job. At least with my design job, I can finish at 5 whereas you’ve always got access to work emails and social media!
I’m looking forward to the urban decay event you’ve organised 🙂 x
I loved this, although a lot of the things look free people don’t realise how much time can sometimes be spent on a blog post. I only post once a week and blog just for a hobby and because I enjoy it rather than a job. At least with my design job, I can finish at 5 whereas you’ve always got access to work emails and social media!
I’m looking forward to the urban decay event you’ve organised 🙂 x
I loved this, although a lot of the things look free people don’t realise how much time can sometimes be spent on a blog post. I only post once a week and blog just for a hobby and because I enjoy it rather than a job. At least with my design job, I can finish at 5 whereas you’ve always got access to work emails and social media!
I’m looking forward to the urban decay event you’ve organised 🙂 x
I loved this, although a lot of the things look free people don’t realise how much time can sometimes be spent on a blog post. I only post once a week and blog just for a hobby and because I enjoy it rather than a job. At least with my design job, I can finish at 5 whereas you’ve always got access to work emails and social media!
I’m looking forward to the urban decay event you’ve organised 🙂 x
I loved this, although a lot of the things look free people don’t realise how much time can sometimes be spent on a blog post. I only post once a week and blog just for a hobby and because I enjoy it rather than a job. At least with my design job, I can finish at 5 whereas you’ve always got access to work emails and social media!
I’m looking forward to the urban decay event you’ve organised 🙂 x
I loved this, although a lot of the things look free people don’t realise how much time can sometimes be spent on a blog post. I only post once a week and blog just for a hobby and because I enjoy it rather than a job. At least with my design job, I can finish at 5 whereas you’ve always got access to work emails and social media!
I’m looking forward to the urban decay event you’ve organised 🙂 x
Great post Elle, Which is why I have quit blogging because people seem to point out any little mistakes and I really don’t want to spend all of my life making edits to things. Social media only frees my life to do other things plus I wasn’t getting any support for my blog anyway:
http://www.twitter.com/PhilipStar2016
Philip, that’s so sad that you quit blogging! I’m of the opinion it’s my space to talk about what I want (after all I pay the bill to have this space on the web) so if people have something to say that is just mean and most often due to insecurity I just think if you don’t like it, then don’t come here. I hope one day you fall back in love with blogging!!!
Great blog. I am only starting out – yes I have jumped on the "travel blog" bandwagon. I started a few years ago for family and friends but I really enjoy doing it so have decided to give it a go…. hopefully get paid something! I already travel full time as we live on a boat and we are currently cruising SE Asia BUT it is A LOT of work… and even hubby who sees how much time I need to put in to try and grow followers doesn’t really understand. It can be exhausting!
Kelly, it’s so exhausting but I promise you it’s so worth it! Your life sounds super exciting, I am going to keep checking your blog to follow your adventures!!! There’s a lot of opportunities for bloggers especially if you are already travelling!! x
Great blog. I am only starting out – yes I have jumped on the "travel blog" bandwagon. I started a few years ago for family and friends but I really enjoy doing it so have decided to give it a go…. hopefully get paid something! I already travel full time as we live on a boat and we are currently cruising SE Asia BUT it is A LOT of work… and even hubby who sees how much time I need to put in to try and grow followers doesn’t really understand. It can be exhausting!
Kelly, it’s so exhausting but I promise you it’s so worth it! Your life sounds super exciting, I am going to keep checking your blog to follow your adventures!!! There’s a lot of opportunities for bloggers especially if you are already travelling!! x
Great blog. I am only starting out – yes I have jumped on the "travel blog" bandwagon. I started a few years ago for family and friends but I really enjoy doing it so have decided to give it a go…. hopefully get paid something! I already travel full time as we live on a boat and we are currently cruising SE Asia BUT it is A LOT of work… and even hubby who sees how much time I need to put in to try and grow followers doesn’t really understand. It can be exhausting!
Kelly, it’s so exhausting but I promise you it’s so worth it! Your life sounds super exciting, I am going to keep checking your blog to follow your adventures!!! There’s a lot of opportunities for bloggers especially if you are already travelling!! x
Great blog. I am only starting out – yes I have jumped on the "travel blog" bandwagon. I started a few years ago for family and friends but I really enjoy doing it so have decided to give it a go…. hopefully get paid something! I already travel full time as we live on a boat and we are currently cruising SE Asia BUT it is A LOT of work… and even hubby who sees how much time I need to put in to try and grow followers doesn’t really understand. It can be exhausting!
Kelly, it’s so exhausting but I promise you it’s so worth it! Your life sounds super exciting, I am going to keep checking your blog to follow your adventures!!! There’s a lot of opportunities for bloggers especially if you are already travelling!! x
Great blog. I am only starting out – yes I have jumped on the "travel blog" bandwagon. I started a few years ago for family and friends but I really enjoy doing it so have decided to give it a go…. hopefully get paid something! I already travel full time as we live on a boat and we are currently cruising SE Asia BUT it is A LOT of work… and even hubby who sees how much time I need to put in to try and grow followers doesn’t really understand. It can be exhausting!
Kelly, it’s so exhausting but I promise you it’s so worth it! Your life sounds super exciting, I am going to keep checking your blog to follow your adventures!!! There’s a lot of opportunities for bloggers especially if you are already travelling!! x
Great blog. I am only starting out – yes I have jumped on the "travel blog" bandwagon. I started a few years ago for family and friends but I really enjoy doing it so have decided to give it a go…. hopefully get paid something! I already travel full time as we live on a boat and we are currently cruising SE Asia BUT it is A LOT of work… and even hubby who sees how much time I need to put in to try and grow followers doesn’t really understand. It can be exhausting!
Kelly, it’s so exhausting but I promise you it’s so worth it! Your life sounds super exciting, I am going to keep checking your blog to follow your adventures!!! There’s a lot of opportunities for bloggers especially if you are already travelling!! x
Great blog. I am only starting out – yes I have jumped on the "travel blog" bandwagon. I started a few years ago for family and friends but I really enjoy doing it so have decided to give it a go…. hopefully get paid something! I already travel full time as we live on a boat and we are currently cruising SE Asia BUT it is A LOT of work… and even hubby who sees how much time I need to put in to try and grow followers doesn’t really understand. It can be exhausting!
Kelly, it’s so exhausting but I promise you it’s so worth it! Your life sounds super exciting, I am going to keep checking your blog to follow your adventures!!! There’s a lot of opportunities for bloggers especially if you are already travelling!! x