Blogging is no easy feat so whether you are dreaming of blogging, a newbie blogger, or a pro blogger, you might still find yourself asking how to be a blogger or more specifically how to be a successful blogger. In the sea of bloggers, how can you achieve success? Trust me, being a blogger and being a successful blogger boss are two completely different things.

Throughout my life, I have always studied successful people to learn about their journey and how they got to where they are today. This new blog series How To Be A Successful Blogger will feature a new blogger each month. No matter the size of the blog or experience of the blogger, there is always something unique to learn from each and every person.

Today, let’s meet Laura!

Meet Laura of I do deClaire! Laura’s blog was one of the first blogs that I started following consistently and I’ve been following along for years now. She has managed to find the perfect balance between quality and quantity. It seems like every time I visit her website, there’s a ton of new content and it’s all great content! Her outfits are always amazing and most importantly, realistic. She doesn’t try to be anyone else and that’s one of the things that I love the most about Laura.

What Laura does really well on I do deClaire is produce a variety of content that always has some sort of take-away for her readers. Laura’s so creative with how she puts together her outfits, so she often writes about how to maximize your wardrobe, how to be fashionable on a budget, and how to wear one thing a million different ways.

1- Where are you from and how has that affected your style?

I don’t really have one place I could call home. My dad was in the Army so we lived in Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin, and even South Korea. Being exposed to so many places and cultures has made me appreciate individual style and uniqueness. It made me aware that style is more than what you see around you. And it isn’t always about trends. That’s what I love about style, you can show so much about your personality and experiences through your clothing!

2- Tell me about your blog.

I do deClaire is a life and style blog I began to help motivate myself to be the best person I could and hopefully help other women feel confident about themselves. As women, we place a lot of pressure on ourselves to do so much. Through my blog, I try to share on-budget outfits, how to remix my closet, fun DIYs, easy recipes, and more to provide inspiration to others.

3- What’s the story behind your blog.

After giving birth to my daughter, I was so looking forward to getting back to non-maternity clothes. But then I had the sudden realization that all my clothes were out of style, didn’t fit well, and nothing matched. I began reading blogs to help me revamp my closet and decided to eventually start my own as a way to document and hopefully inspire others that it isn’t that hard!

4- How did you come up with the name for your blog?

It took me forever to think of something because I wanted it to be meaningful. At the time I was a new mom and I decided to do something with her name. I finally settled on I do deClaire.

5- Blogging is huge right now! What about you and your blog is unique compared to other bloggers?

Blogging is so huge I sometimes wonder if my blog is unique at all. With all the competition how can you truly be that unique? But that’s ok. I love blogging and sharing myself. I try to focus on everyday clothing on a realistic budget that can be remixed multiple ways because that is what is most relevant in my life and I think others’ lives too. It’s not about 5 inch heels or sheer tops, that’s not my life and that’s not what I typically show. I try to show items that I wear time and time again on the weekends, to work, or on a date night.

6- Are you working on any exciting projects that we can expect to see up on the blog soon?

I’ve mentioned a few times on the blog my husband and I have been going through infertility. I’ve been slowly working on a series about our journey starting with when we had our daughter and then through the treatments we have tried. Infertility is unfortunately becoming more common and I want to share my story to help others going through this confusing, emotionally draining time. I’ve learned so much the hard way, and others shouldn’t have to go through the stress we’ve been through. Infertility is stressful enough. They are hard posts to write though so it’s been taking me a while to get them put together.

7- What Pinterest board do you pin to the most?

I typically pin to my Fall Style board and My Style  the most.

8- What do you think is the most important thing to becoming a successful blogger.

As long as your site and photos are decent, I think that first and foremost authenticity is most important. If you aren’t authentic it will come across in your writing. I most like it when people are relatable and when I can see parts of myself in them.

This or That:

Instagram or Twitter? Instagram

Snapchat or Instagram Story? Instagram story

Chocolate or Vanilla? Definitely vanilla

Sweet or Salty? Sweet all the way!

Sun or Snow? Sun! Please give me some sun right now!

What can we learn from Laura’s story?

• Remember why you started blogging and why you continue to. It’s easy to get caught up in the business of blogging but it’s important to still have fun and enjoy what you’re doing. Remembering why you do it during the tough times will give you the little nudge you need to keep going!
• Let your personality and life shine through your blog! Don’t be afraid to incorporate something personal in your blog name, mission, and posts. Even if you don’t consider your blog a ‘lifestyle’ blog, it’s never a bad thing to post about something new that you’ve learned or something awesome that happened to you!
• Be authentically you! Don’t feel like you need to wear a certain trend just because you’re a fashion blogger. If you aren’t feeling it, onto the next one! Showing your true, personal style on your blog will keep things real and your audience will connect with you on another level.

Do you love Laura as much as I do? Show her some social love!

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest |  Bloglovin’

How did your blogging journey begin? Leave a comment below to let us know!

logo: designed by Christie Geiger, photography: A Prettier Web

With the kick-off of this brand new series, I have a super special announcement to make. A lot of you already know that I’ve been over here dreaming and scheming! So, here it is… I’m working on a masterclass that’s all about blogging, From Blogger to Boss! Who said your blog didn’t come with a manual? This is it!

Based on so many statistics that I’ve read, content marketing is the new key to being successful in business. Readers, potential customers, and brands all want to see that you truly are an expert at your craft before they decide to hire you. In fact, 47% of buyers viewed 3-5 pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep (source: http://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics). But writing is hard. How can you come up with new ideas after years of blogging? How can you balance your blogger perfectionism with your real life? And even worse, what are the must-do’s before hitting that ‘publish’ button?

I’m a writer at heart and after blogging for 4 years & writing over 540 blog posts with original content, I’ve learned so much about the do’s and don’ts of content creation. During this masterclass, I’m going to let you in on all of my secrets. Learn more here: From Blogger to Boss.

This masterclass will start early 2017 but enrollment begins soon and seats are very limited. Be the first to find out updates and enrollment specials by signing up for my special From Blogger to Boss email list. As a thank you for signing up for this list, you’ll receive a FREE Editorial Calendar template and you’ll be the first to know about the official enrollment date to guarantee your spot in my first class.

[Editorial Calendar Template Comes In Keynote Version, Powerpoint Version Coming Soon]

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