I got the idea for this post a month or so ago but kept putting it off. I wasn't in the right mood to write but sometimes you have to put that to the side and just write.

If you've been reading Royally Pink for a while (I started this blog 6 years ago and that still blows my mind every day) you'll notice that I don't do things like other bloggers. For example, I try to take it as seriously as possible but sometimes I lack that. I could probably take better photos and write a little better but sometimes, I get lazy.

One thing that I think really separates me from the pack, and one that I'm not sure if it's a pro or con, is that I don't take outfit photos.

I don't consider myself a fashion blogger and while I do talk about clothes, accessories, and fashion in general but I never show you what I'm wearing.

That isn't intentional... my blog was just never about THAT. It was always meant to be a place where I could share my thoughts on products, events, and anything that I came to my mind. I didn't have a strategy when I started and didn't set out to create lookbooks. It's just not who I am.



When it comes to fashion, I wish I could be like the other bloggers. I love how they put together a look and how it just looks perfect. They find the best items and know how to frame it so it looks like an outfit.

When it comes to fashion, I'm slightly lazy. My #1 thing when it comes to my clothes is that I have to be comfortable. If I'm not comfortable, I'm miserable; there have been times when I put an outfit on before work and feel so weird in it, but wear it anyway because I feel like I need to switch things up -- I end up having the worst day and feeling like crying because I can't focus on anything but my discomfort.

This definitely comes from years of not being happy with my body, and I'm still not 100% thrilled with it.

I love my leggings and my J.Crew shirts, and that's pretty much what I wear daily. On the weekends, since I've been going out more (on dates with a guy I'm seeing) I try to step it up with jeans and different styles of shirts and sweaters.

However, I still don't consider myself stylish enough to put together outfits and shoot them.

Another reason I don't take outfit photos is that I don't have a photographer nor do I have the time to shoot outfits (the laziness comes into play) and I also am not comfortable in front of a camera. If it's not a selfie, I usually am not in any photos. It goes back to not being happy with how I look...

I have considered taking photos of myself in the mirror and sharing but I need to find a better mirror than what I currently have, or just put it in a better spot. There are times when I really love what I'm wearing and want to share it with everyone.

So, if you were wondering why you never see me strutting my stuff on a New York City street, that is why. I wish I wasn't like this because I know OOTDs and outfit shoots are content that does well but at the same time, I like being a little different.

*This doesn't knock any fashion bloggers -- I am OBSESSED with fashion bloggers who take gorgeous outfit photos, specifically Emily Ann Gemma who I literally want to be when I grow up*

At the end of the month, I'm going to be celebrating my 6 year blogging anniversary. That in itself is enough to send me over the edge -- I never thought I'd be blogging consistently for six years. It's quite the milestone in my opinion.

Over the past six years, I've tried all different techniques to help propel my blog to the next level. I'm all about organization, making my life easy, and making sure I'm using the best items to help me make the best content I could.



Within the past six years, I've seen my fair share of blogging tools, tips, and tricks to make the most of your content but right now, in 2018, I have found the tools that work best for me. I'm sure if you're a blogger, you've heard of these (I'm definitely not reworking the wheel here) but I just had to share!



Tailwind: This is the best Pinterest tool out there and everyone from brands to top influencers to micro influencers are using it. It's $15 a month and I've done the free version, but it's definitely worth it. For a time there, I was getting tired of spending the monthly fee so I canceled my membership. However, I quickly resigned up because I saw a dip in traffic and realized that it made my social strategy much better. I was basically lost without it.

All you do is schedule your Pinterest posts and Tailwind will send it out to the boards you picked at the right time to maximize views.  It gives you all sorts of analytics and has a lot more features that I really need to take advantage of. Pinterest has always been my #1 traffic source because it's essentially a search engine, not a social media platform so if you aren't using Pinterest, you have too!

*I just discovered Tailwind Tribes which is basically like a huge group board directly on Tailwind, which will directly help your pins show up in front of more eyes. It's wild and maybe I'll do a whole post on this!

Buffer: I used to use Hootsuite to schedule my Twitter and Facebook posts but I find Buffer much easier to use. I have the widget installed on my bookmarks bar and just go to the URL I want to share and schedule it out, without even leaving the page. It makes re-sharing really easy and gives you good analytics as well. I love having the app on my phone and iPad so that way I can schedule on the go. It's very easy and a must have for all bloggers (and social media mavens!)



Planoly: As a social media manager, I understand the importance of crafting the perfect Instagram post. I think before my job, I didn't really play into the Instagram game with my blog. I kind of just crafted an Instagram photo and threw it up. What changed that, besides the industry, is Planoly. Before this app, I didn't really have a way to plan out content, without paying for a subscription to something. Planoly has completely changed that.

It is a scheduler/planner for Instagram, has deep analytics, and an amazing blog with so many resources for influencers/bloggers/social media professionals. What I mainly use this app for is to schedule my Instagram photos, and also seeing what a photo will look in my feed before actually posting.

It's really helpful in planning out content for campaigns or sponsored posts because you can schedule the posts and kind of forget about it until the push notification pops up on your phone!

I love that you can store your hashtags so you don't have to write the hashtags out for every post. I have a beauty hashtag group, everyday group, and books. I should add more and will eventually!

If you want to up your Instagram game, please go check out Planoly!

Google Docs/Sheets: This is a new addition to my blogging tools routine and I've been loving it. I have countless notebooks that I use for blogging but digitally, I would just use my Notes app that comes with the Macbook. However, I started running into issues because I would want to reference something that was in those notes but I was away from my computer. I started using the Google Docs/Sheets for my editorial calendar, blog ideas, brand outreach, and everything in between and it's been life-changing. I love being able to reference things on the go and I feel so much more organized. It's amazing and I highly recommend!

What are your favorite blogging tools?
xoxo
B

Next month I'm coming up on 6 years of Royally Pink...That is truly mind blowing to me!

I started this blog after discovering the world of blogs, through Carly The Prepster and I have never turned back. I always had so much to say and no one ever cared -- maybe 6 years later that is still true but at least I found an outlet where I can talk about anything and everything.

I am by no means a truly successful blogger. I don't get a ton of pageviews, don't have an incredible amount of followers but I'm very proud of the brand I've grown and that there are people reading Royally Pink everyday.

Despite that, I get to work with some amazing brands and that is mindblowing to me. I work on the brand side of influencer marketing and it's incredible to know that brands see me as a benefit to them. However, that isn't why I got into blogging. I wanted to create a space where I could talk to people about the things that were important to me, and to create a fun, interesting spot on the Internet.

Since 2012, blogging has really taken off and having a blog is not a 'weird' thing to do anymore.

One of my best friends has been trying to get into her blogging groove and a few weeks ago she asked me for some advice, and it got me thinking about this post. I've shared a few blogging tips in the past, like creating an editorial calendar and explaining Google Analytics but I wanted to start a series about blogging, so why not start with blogging tips for beginners.

Some of these may not be groundbreaking but I think they're important to remember.

Credit

1. Blogger vs Wordpress: I've worked in both in some capacity but I personally love Blogger. I think it's very easy to use, it's linked to Google, and there are so many easy to install layouts to help you make the blog your own. It's easy to purchase your domain -- I pay $12 a year for RoyallyPink.com and it's well worth it. No matter what, pick your website and stick with it. I tried to transfer to Wordpress last year and it was too much to handle so I never did.

2. Do it for the right reasons: If you get into blogging because you want free stuff or want to make money, you will do neither. You have to be authentic because your followers will see right through you -- brands will be able to tell if you're here for the wrong reasons as well. Blog because you love writing or love taking photographs, or because you're passionate about the subject you're talking about. Passion will always win.

3. Consistency: Through 6 years of blogging the thing I remember most is to be consistent. I started off blogging 7 days a week and did that for about a year. Once I started my senior year of college that wasn't attainable for me so I switched to 5 days a week. Of course I miss a post here and there (more so nowadays than ever before) but I try to have at least 4-5 posts a week. Aside from when my dad died I've never taken a break and I might be do for one soon. I just love blogging, I love creating content and I feel productive when I get something up. Sometimes I'm lazy and a post won't go up but being consistent is the key to having loyal followers and key to working with brands.

4. Organization: Get a seperate blog email, get a blog notebook and/or planner, figure out how you want to sort out your editorial calendar and get to work. Brainstorm blog post ideas and have a handful ready before you hit publish on your first one. To me, nothing is done right if you're not organized.

5. Niche: Now this is a controversial topic in my opinion. I don't have a niche -- Royally Pink is everything and anything. It's a lifestyle blog which in itself has become it's own niche in recent years. I don't think you should have a niche because I feel like it limits you. You'll write yourself into a corner and I just don't think you can blog that much about one particular thing. People want a variety and in this day in age, you're competiting with everyone. No niche is a good niche in my opinion!

I could probably go on and on but I think these are a good five to start. Maybe I'll come back for part 2!

What are your favorite blogging tips?
xoxo
B

Happy Friday! This wasn't that bad of a week, however, last weekend I had a massive panic attack and I felt it linger all week long.

I've been on the edge on all week, and just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I haven't had a panic attack since December and before that, I haven't had one in over 8 years.  I also felt one coming on yesterday but I pushed it away. I don't know what's happening to me but it's starting to worry me.

Tomorrow is the 2 year anniversary of my dad's death and I have a feeling that has a huge effect on me. I mean, why wouldn't it?

Other than that, the week was busy and I was good with that. Work has been utterly crazy, almost out of nowhere, and it's causing a bit of chaos but in a good way. It's very interesting to see how I'm adapting to it.

In terms of work, I was off yesterday because I had to take my mom to the doctor's and then I was feeling really horrible today (sickness has also been lingering and I think it's finally taking me for prisoner) so it's going to be a relaxing/self-care/working weekend for me.



In other news, I hope you're all keeping up with my entertainment news website, Breaking Bradshaw. As much as it's something I didn't need, I have been enjoying writing on there. I just don't want to make myself stressed out to the core trying to get posts up every day. I took a break Wednesday but it was all good.

SIDE NOTE: Did anyone notice the new blog layout? I've wanted something like this for so long and finally found a premade layout that was exactly what I wanted. I installed it over the weekend and I've just been staring at it lovingly for days. I hope you all like it and find Royally Pink a little easier to navigate!

Let's get to it, my favorite links of the week:

• Why are millennials obsessed with Jade Rollers?
• Someone, please get me a Crack Pie Latte! 
• The best wellness products to buy off of Amazon
• J.Crew announced their lingerie line this week and I'm so pumped
• UGH, I just want to be part of The Wing! 
• What are the skills you need to start your own business?
• I am SO here for my girls, the Chicks in the Office from Barstool Sports! Get it, ladies!
• The 41 best beauty products to be launched this year, so far

Right now, I should be on my way to Pennsylvania for a work trip to QVC but as Mother Nature would have it, I'm too sick to go. I've felt bad since Saturday but I thought it'd go away and I'd feel better. I felt better yesterday but today, when I got to work, I knew there was no way I'd be able to handle it.

I feel like it's just a cold but I have to go to the doctor to check it out.

That's not why I'm here... I'm here because for the 4th year in a row, I've forgotten the blog's anniversary.

It's not that the date is not important to me, because it is; it's not that I'm not good with dates, because I am. I don't have a reason... it just sneaks up on me every year.

5 years ago today I decided to start this little thing called Royally Pink.

I was home for the summer from my sophomore year of college and missing my sorority sisters and Iona desperately. I was working at a frozen yogurt shop, living at my aunt's house, and was kind of bored. I knew I had to start thinking of my future, of internships and jobs. It was the last summer that I truly had to myself knowing I still had some time.

Somehow, I stumbled onto Carly's blog, "The College Prepster" and was entralled with it. What was a blog? She posted every day? She got free stuff and took these gorgeous photographs? What was this world I had just stepped into?

I became addicted and read almost every post on her blog. She had just graduated college and was moving to New York to work at Levo League (a website I loved almost as much as I loved her blog).

I was a writer by nature and after obsessively reading TCP, I figured I'd be able to do this too. I had a lot to say on a lot of different topics and I knew people around me didn't care to hear, so why not tell people on the Internet?



Here is my first post, 5 years ago *yesterday* Even back then, I was blogging about beauty and was a shopping addict.

I've learned a lot since that post went live:

• Numbers and statistics aren't everything
• Be authentic; write as if you were speaking to your readers
• If you need to speak a day or two to gather yourself, take that time. You're not being graded.
• Have a good, clean layout that you enjoy looking at; if you want to change it, change it.
• Write about things that are important to you, even if you think no one wants to read it.