Blogger Bible: Fave Four Sites for Bloggers Old & New

As a new blogger I'm always looking for ideas, inspiration (or pinspiration!), and topics to discuss. I was recently using my most beloved research tool, Pinterest, and found tons of helpful blog pins. I was in awe of the resources I had at my fingertips. Not only could Pinterest help plan my wardrobe, teach me how to cook, but it could also help me blog.

Here are the pins I found the most helpful. Enjoy!

#1 Bloggers Bazaar

Just starting to blog? Start here, you won't regret it. Bloggers Bazaar offers an array of blogger help, tips, tricks, and ideas, but one of the articles I found especially helpful was "How to Develop a Social Media Strategy for Your Blog". They offer step-by-step directions for laying out a successful plan for your new blog. After you follow these steps to a kick ass blog, check out Bloggers Bazaar for other great blogging information.

#2 My Snippets of Inspiration 

Via Danielle's Blog

Not only is this blog fantastic for all things social media, but it is so chic! Danielle, a great blogger with awesome advice, lays out the basics for new bloggers in easy to read posts. She highlights the essential blogger tools and how to use them in this great beginners post.  She also provides information on blogging workshops for bloggers who'd like to take it to the next level. The amount of information on her blog is incredible, the advice is rock solid, and it's pretty. What more could you want? 

#3 IFB (Independent Fashion Bloggers)

Run out of ways to promote your blog? No worries. IFB offers 23 Ways To Promote Your Blog. With the basics like, Facebook and email, but also new ideas on creating infographics, guest speakers and more. After reading that post, click on the Blogging Tips tab and prepare to be blogtastic. Everything you want to know about blogging can be found at IFB, all you have to do is check it out!

#4 The SITS Girl

Already have a blog? Great! Check out the SITS Girl How Healthy is Your Blog? post. This post gives you a check list, or better yet, a check up list for your blog. Make sure once you get the ball rolling on your brand you don't just let it roll off into the distance. This blog offers ideas and ways to keep the goals and ideas of your blog in check. They also offer a free downloadable flow chart to help you keep your blog in order. 

I hope these websites help you in all of your blogging endeavors! If you have a favorite blogging website comment below or tweet me. I'd love to hear from you!

On The Trek to Number One

Reasons Why Pinterest Is On Its Way To The Top

• Not only is Pinterest the 3rd most popular social media site in the United States, but it is taking the world by surprise. Countries around the world are utilizing Pinterest and all of it's value. In order to become #1 Pinterest has created a site that not only satisfies American's urge to pin beautiful creations, tasty treats, and the latest fashion trends, but to satisfy this urge for people across the world. 

• Pinterest hit 11.7 million unique monthly U.S. visitors faster than any other website in history. This number is off the charts crazy. If a site can draw that many people to it, it must be something pretty darn special.

• Pinterest has 70 million users and counting.                                               That's right, 70 million. The key words are and counting. The number of Pinterest users is continually on the rise. 

• It's just a baby.                                                                                   Pinterest was established in March 2010. This website barely has 
its walking legs, let alone its running legs. Give it a couples years, maybe even a couple more months, and Pinterest will be on top. 

• There is so much to pin. There will never be enough pins in the world to make people stop pinning. New content is added everyday by users around the world. Having user content added is what makes Pinterest so easy to love. The pins are up to date, trendy and always evolving, and this is what keeps users coming back everyday for more and more. 

• To be #1 you have to think like #1. Pinterest is always updating, creating new apps, and adding new features. Pinners will never cease to be amazed by the out pour of technology from the Pinterest team. For example, the new pin feature for touch screen devices. By holding a finger down on a pin a pinner is given three options pin it, like it, or send it. 

Via Tech Crunch

Not only is Pinterest a site that I love (obviously) but millions and millions of others enjoy it as well. Being in third place isn't too bad, but it could be better. And it will be better. Given the amount of time that Pinterest has been in commission, I'd say they've done a pretty good job increasing awareness, the amount of users, how user friendly the site is,  as well as the over all experience of pinning on Pinterest. 

There is no stopping Pinterest now. It is on the mighty trek to be #1. 

                                                                  

Here's a helpful infographic that breaks down Pinterest and some of its statistics. 

#WeddingWednesday

In honor of a new trend, well new to me, #WeddingWednesday, this blog is all about... well you guessed it, weddings. Of course as a young, twenty two year old college student I do not have my sights set on a wedding anytime soon, but I am interested in the slight obsession, well, full blown obsession that people have with planning their perfect wedding via social media.  I am reluctant to admit it, but I have a wedding board on Pinterest. Does that mean I'm part of the obsessive wedding trend? I'd like to think not, but we all know we're guilty.

Screenshot via Pinterest

We'll start with the mother load of all mother loads, Pinterest. Where else can you go to plan the ultimate, chic, country, outdoorsy, traditional, trendy, monochromatic, two-toned, floral infested, candle lit, perfect day of your life?

No where.

Screenshot via Pinterest

Of course there is a board for that. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of boards. Spend an hour on Pinterest and your wedding will be planned to the T. But be warned your pretty little head just might explode with pre-wedded bliss from all of the options. Colors, flowers, the ring, the dress, ring bearer, flower girls, center pieces, shoes, cakes....does it ever end? No. 

Pinterest is the definition of a perfectly planned wedding. According to Angela Elias these are a few of the top wedding pinners you should follow, if in fact it is your dream to create a stunning wedding. Along with these pinners there a ton to pick from. Hell, don't even follow wedding boards, just search the word 'wedding' and you'll be scrolling for days, months, even years. It's an endless plethora of all things wedding.

I took the time to do some fun, I mean grueling, research on the #WeddingWednesday trend. I wanted to see what was trending with my new trend.



Twitter
Twitter is the hub bub of all social media sites right now. Along with a million (give or take a few) other trends, #WeddingWednesday is clearly a favorite. With Twitter handles like @theknot, @WeddingWire, and @MarthaWeddings (That's Martha Stewart, in case you were wondering. The forewoman of the crafting generation and a wedding savvy lady.) you can do no wrong searching twitter for the best of the best when it comes to wedding planning. Searching the tag #WeddingWednesday you will find a ton of tweets that will be beneficial to planning your big day. 

Screenshot via Twitter

Facebook
Don't stop at Pinterest or Twitter for your #WeddingWednesday trend. Head right on over to Facebook.  Wedding Wednesday on Facebook fits perfectly for this #WeddingWednesday trend. Which came first? The Wedding Wednesday on Facebook or #WeddingWednesday? Regardless of which came first, this site is on board with the trend.  

Screenshot via facebook

Hash tagging (#) isn't just for your average tweeter. Wait, yes it is. Everyone is #hashtagging right now. It's a trend. 

Get trendy. Be trendy. Set trends. (Woah, trendy overload.)

Use #'s to your advantage, especially when planning one of the most important days of your life. By using the hashtag (#WeddingWednesday) everyones ideas will be collectively brought together. They are linked in a special # type of way. 

 Tomorrow is Wednesday, which means... #WeddingWednesday will be in full swing!