Hi guys, apologies for the late blog post tonight. Honestly, I usually have something scheduled but not tonight! Normal service will resume tomorrow with some nice new posts (I have lots to show you!) but for now, I wanted to share some love and recommend some blogs to you that you might not already read. Blogging has changed a lot since I first started, I feel like its a different world in a lot of ways, everyone is trying to self-promote and get more readers, there are so many blogs now that it can be hard to get yours noticed, and I feel like sometimes people don't want to share the love as much as they should! This is whole other blogpost really, but I strongly feel like blogging is about staying true to your own personality and being completely yourself. Blogging can seem competitive, but remember, there is only one of you. If you blog for yourself and be yourself, you won't compare yourself to others half as much and you'll have a lot more fun.
I love finding new blogs to read, but I especially love to find them myself, scrolling through twitter, hellocotton or bloglovin' with a cup of tea in my hand, rather than having people shove their links down my throat. All of the blogs I've linked below have been found organically and are real treasures to read, some old, some new. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do, go show them some love!
Lily Loves Lola
Edit to add: Since publishing I've had a few messages which lead me to think I have upset a couple of people. When I talk about people shoving their links down my throat I mean quite intrusive and spammy emails and messages from people asking me to give them shoutouts and then being quite nasty if I don't. That isn't what blogging is about for me. I definitely don't mean people leaving links in the comments, I've found some of my favourite blogs that way and a lot of the ones on this list for that matter. Self promotion is something we all do, I just wanted to show that for me, its not all blogging is about. xo
43 comments:
Starting my blog was one of the best decision I ever made. Not only did it enable me to work for my favourite magazines, I also met amazing people along the way. It might be competitive, but it is well worth it!
-Elodie x
http://www.elle-yeah.com
This is such a lovely post and i agree with what you say. But i don't feel people try shoving there links down your throat as they are just leaving it (like me) just i case you fancy a read. I don't see whats wrong with that. Unless they just leave the link which is a completely different matter.
http://thefashiondistrictnlc.blogspot.com/
Ah, I totally agree there isn't enough sharing of other bloggers links :) I love finding new blogs to read, I can spend ages going through peoples blogrolls but it's nice when there are personal recommendations from other bloggers! xx
@Nicola Oh no of course people leaving links under comments I actually like, but you'd be surprised at the messages and emails I get guit tripping me into mentioning someone or talking about them in a youtube video. It makes me uncomfortable really, because I would much rather find a blog and read because I wanted to, not because someone makes me feel guilty if I don't, if that makes sense? x
Some gorgeous blogs there, thanks for the heads up! You've actually inspired me to add a link list to one of my posts each week as there definitely isn't enough of this around! Everyone plugs their own blog but rarely do people recommend each other. Lovely post!
Claire
xox
I have been reading blogs for over 2 years and have just started. I first found blogs via youtube videos, and read my faves almost daily. I agree with what you say about people wanting to put themselves out there, almost as if the number of readers is taking over the actual blogging because you want to.
Lovely, honest post Gem :)
-Nicola x
nicolabooklust.blogspot.com
I agree with some things here but not others.
http://www.allthingsbeautymake-upandshopping.blogspot.com
@Gemma - Oh i totally understand im sorry. I agree people can be really rude and just not the true spirit of blogging!
Agreed! I always find the best blogs through chance.
great post Gemma! I also love finding new blogs!
notafashionstudent.com
As a new blogger, and as much as I'd like people to read my blog, I wouldn't dream of emailing or tweeting someone purely to ask them to read my blog. I just tend to leave the link at the end of a comment and if people want to click it then great. I'm a firm believer that if you post regularly and interact with others via comments and twitter etc, people will check out your blog without you begging them to do so.
http://oohdearsarah.blogspot.com
hello, I'm a new blogger (2 months in) and I would never force my blog on anyone, I do it because I love it and that is it. I enjoy getting more traffic and more readers as any blogger does. The ways I like to share my blog are through posting my outfits on chictopia, lookbook and WIWT as well as reading tonnes of blogs and leaving comments on posts/blogs I have found and genuinely love. Whenever I leave a comment I leave my blogspot address, just because, sometimes, you have to promote a little :).
Bella
xx
iheartfashionforever.blogspot.com
I love posts like these, best ways to find new blogs :)
Laura xoxo
http://call-of-beauty-xo.blogspot.com/
Awww J-sis!! Thanks so much for including me!!! We be reppin' from back in my YT sudocreme dayzzz ya hurrr! Your videos and blog are still my utter favorite and it's made all the better because of the amazingly lovely, genuine person you are!! Shalom!! ;-) Xxxx
awww this is a lovely thing to do.
im a beauty blogger myself and im only 1 away from 100 on my gfc, sooo excited, could you just pop over and have a look for me :]
http://penelopesbeautyobsession.blogspot.com/2012/02/oh-i-lush-you.html
Love all the blogs you've linked :) such a good idea to share the love xx
dollyfaces7.blogspot.com
Could you please check out my blog Gemma? I've just started and I'd love some feedback etc :}
www.beccadoesbeauty.blogspot.com
Thank you xx
I Gemma, I think you're right about people being unnecessarily competitive about followers/sponsors/'cliques' (dare I say it!) etc...
I started to blog late last year after being a reader of a handful of blogs for over a year... and since I started to comment on peoples blogs and started tweeting I have found so many great people who I now genuinely call my friends, even though I have never physically met them! If I didn't enjoy blogging, I would stop posting. I don't care how many people follow me or comment, because generally the people that do interact with me make me feel so amazing that it doesn't matter if it is 1 person or 100 people that comment on a post!
Anyway, kudos for your honest approach, I've always appreciated it in your videos too! Belle du Brightonxx
Definitely agree with this post, blogging should be something you love and bloggers should be friends, not competitors! Love that you've shared the love with some other bloggers here - all of their blogs are amazing too! xx
I agree with you totally! I haven't been blogging that long really but personally for me, I find that the best way to get yourself out there is self-promoting because no-one else is going to do it for you! Obviously I would never ever dream of emailing a blogger and asking them for a shoutout or whatever, I don't think that's right! I also find that communicating with people on Twitter and getting involved in the #bbloggers chats sometimes really helps people find your blog without you having to over self-promote. Great post Gemma! :) x
lauradreamsanddresses.blogspot.com
Such a refreshingly friendly post. I love reading these sorts of posts so I can add to my reading list.
Although I hate the kind of comments where people comment just to leave a link like 'nice post, follow me because I read it' which you probably get a lot lot more than me!
x
http://catesewell.blogspot.com/
Thank you for including me!
I agree, I don't mind a blog link in a comment. It seems to bug some people a lot, but I did it when I first started out so I can't complain :)
Emails on the other hand... not sure how I feel about those.
xx
Love posts like these, always like to find new blogs and sometimes i would never come across them without people showing their appreciation like this.
Thanks! x
http://peachfizzz.blogspot.com/
I love these kind of blog posts, as there's nothing I enjoy more than finding a new blog to read :)
There's a few on the list that I've never seen before, so thanks for sharing Gem!
Tor @ That's Peachy fashion blog xx
You're feeling a lot of love at the moment Gemma! We all share a passion for reading (and maybe writing) blogs. It's how we find new ones too! x
http://www.la-vida-fresa.com
Aww Lovely post and you have listed some of my all time fav blogs so will be sure to check the others! I've been reading blogs for a couple of years but only just got the courage to start one cause the competitiveness kind of intimidated be, so it's nice knowing bloggers do support each other
xxx
miabellaluna.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for Mentionig my blog, that really means so much to me coming from your mouth since you are one of my all time favourite bloggers/youtubers in the world. Honestly, thank you!
xx Charlotte (Crooked Teeth)
Ooohh, will be checking these out. Love share the love posts, I try to link to others when I can. : )
http://essjay23x.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for the mention Gem. I wholeheartedly agree with helping one another out, blogging and Twitter, etc. is called social networking for a reason! I think a lot of people get caught up in furthering themselves which leads to looking pushy, etc.! x
This is such a good post, and I've discovered some really good blogs because of it!
www.lvalamode.blogspot.com
your blog post is very inspiring Gemma, I just started to make my blog and have been on my laptop all day trying to get it to a standard I am happy with. I am not posting to demand you come to my blog, I am simply posting to tell you that its people like you that have inspired me to try and do something interesting and something new and I may even get something good out of it, even if it is a few followers who will read my posts occasionally, I have been watching your YouTube videos for a while now and I wish I had the confidence you do to make videos and I also wish I lived in a community that wouldn't ridicule me for making videos on things I love. Your posts inspire me, Thank you (:<3 x
I don't think I would have one blog follower if it wasn't for my YouTube channel driving new traffic there. I am more of a blog reader than a YouTube watcher and really admire any blogger that just blogs. It's so much harder to get a following (in my opinion) so kudos to all of you that have succeeded!
thankyou for this, i will defiantly be checking these blogs out! i love blogging, if i ever have a spare chance,reading other blogs or blogging my self is the best way to spend it for me :) i love your blog, and i agree 100% that people telling me to follow them makes me more likely to not follow or even look tbh! . xx
Agree with this post so much! Life is too short to compete with one another, we should all support each other and share the love more often! Many people ask what's the best thing about blogging, many non-bloggers think it's freebies that we occasionally get sent but it's really not, the best thing is talking to and meeting other bloggers who have the same interests as ourselves. Setting up a blog was one of the best things I've ever done so thank you for this post and reminding me of that when I was feeling a little fed up tonight! :) x
I was like whaa how have I gained 10 many followers in 15 mins?!? thank you so much for the shout out it is much appreciated Gemma! and I totally agree, I'm a small time blogger but I'm going to try more blogs I like into posts. Thank you again I'm so glad you like my blog as much as I love yours & your youtube channel (hope your grandma is okay too i saw on twiter <3) xxxx
I completely agree, you must have hell to pay every time you put up a new post.
We only started a few weeks ago too and it's lovely to have as many readers as we do, but if numbers are all you blog for then it takes the fun out of it! Thanks for mentioning some blogs that I've never heard of before :)
http://cosmeticsshoppingandintoxication.blogspot.com/
I love these posts! I feel liks it's really likely that I'll like a blog if it's recommended by someone whose blog I like - if that makes sense! I'll definitely be checking the blogs on your list that I haven't already xxx
I also love discovering new blogs, so thanks for the recommendations!!
My blog is http://padmemakeup.blogspot.com and I write in spanish and english.
xx
Aww i love that you shared the love, it's really sweet! I also have a blog cause i like to post some of my outfits and the things that inspire me, but i have few followers and nothing special happened to me after i created it, but it's ok anyway, i mean not all bloggers become 'famous' or collaborate with amazing brands/magazines etc or receive amazing gifts and all that stuff.. sure it wuould be beautiful and some may always dream about it, but the most important thing is just to do what you like, and if no one follows you.. well, i think of it as my little 'secret' diary: if anyone wants to read it, comment on it, follow it, it's really nice, but otherwise it's ok anyway.. isn't it? :)
kisses,
Mila from Italy
http://thefashioncavern.blogspot.com
i actually follow some of them!
x
I gave these blogs a chance on your recommendation. And although they wouldn't usually be my choice really enjoyed them! I really admire your noble approach to continuing to look for blogs that you like.
I love discovering new blogs, if through bloglovin or a comment. I agree though, there's nothing worse than link spamming... It does the complete opposite than their intention!
xx
rococ0.blogspot.com
The Blogosphere is such a great place full of so many broadminded and supportive folk. But it's sooooo massive that sometimes you feel like you have to shout so loud to be heard!
Good to find you by the way :)
Post a Comment