Blogging has certainly evolved over the years. When I first started in 2018, blogs were gaining popularity and the whole influencer concept was new to me. My primary reason for starting my blogging journey was simply to have a creative outlet. I have loved fashion and beauty since I was a little girl, and I naturally fell into the fashion niche of blogging. As video driven content has exploded, some say reading blogs is outdated. I myself have questioned whether blogging is still relevant. Well, the short answer is yes! Blogging is still very much relevant, and today I want to explain some benefits of reading blogs that you might not be aware of.
Reading Blogs Helps Creators & Consumers Take Back Control
I don’t know about you, but I am really tired of playing the social media game. These platforms control who sees what and when. If you “follow” someone on Instagram you in theory should see their content, but that’s not always the case. I have almost completely stopped posting on Instagram because it prioritizes video content and no longer gives photos any place in your home feed.
Algorithms decide what content you see on social media. In fact, Google’s search algorithm now includes AI. This means that content that is computer generated gets the same priority as content published by real humans.
Social media also forces advertisements down our throats, which is not only annoying but a little suspicious. It’s no coincidence that you can be talking about a product or searching it, and then it shows up on your feed as an ad. Google knows!
By reading blogs, you take back the control of who you follow and if you see their content. This is why bloggers like myself are always encouraging you to subscribe to our email list. We as content creators own our email list, so you can be sure that if you want to see our content it will be sent to your inbox. There is no algorithm deciding whether you see it or not.
You can sign up for The Scarlet Lily email list here:
Trustworthiness & Authenticity Have Value
When reading blogs, you know where every recommendation comes from, and that is important to a lot of people. I hope that women who read The Scarlet Lily have developed a sense of trust in me and the products I feature and recommend. Here, I do not allow guest posts and I am fully in control of every part of this blog. I don’t have an assistant or team creating any part of my content. I do all the photos, writing, and graphics myself.
About Sponsored Posts:
You might be thinking, what about sponsored posts? Isn’t that just a way for bloggers and influencers to make money? Well, partly yes; however running a website is a business and I can tell you from experience that it’s expensive. I rarely do a sponsored post, but if I do -it will be openly disclosed. Don’t come down too hard on influencers for accepting payment for their work.
Here is an example of a sponsored post I did with Minori Beauty. The company gifted me some products in exchange for my featuring them in a blog post. I did not get paid except for the value of the gifted items. I used them and gave an honest review.
On the other hand, there are plenty of influencers that will promote any and everything just to make money. I pride myself on only recommending products that I have and will use myself. Most people develop trust in an influencer over time, and that’s what I love about the small community of women that I try to serve.
The Facts About AI
AI can be a useful tool, but with all advances in technology we have to be careful to use it ethically. There are several YouTube influencers that have had their image and voice used to promote products without their consent with the use of AI. We all know that images can be generated and look very convincing, yet they are not real.
In the blogging world, I could completely have AI write all my blog posts for me, but that wouldn’t be authentic and I think people that know my speaking and writing style could tell the difference. Using AI as a tool is not wrong, but be aware that not everything you see is real. One of the main reasons I stick to blogging versus video is because I truly enjoy writing.
Reading Blogs Provides Useful Information
I have a style blog, so my job is to provide readers with information to enhance their lives in some way. My niche includes fashion, skin care, makeup, and home decor. Sometimes I share outfits ideas, or sale alerts. You will find lots of “how to” posts to help you solve a problem. Step by step guides for skin care routines or makeup application are other examples of useful information you can get from reading blogs.
Finally, you get honest opinions from the author. If I feature a foundation that looks awful on my skin, I will tell you and show you that it looks awful. My favorite way to encourage women is to show them ways to use the clothes already in their closets. Outfit formulas or inspiration outfits can help women put together outfits they feel good wearing.
Benefits Of Reading The Scarlet Lily
My tag line is elegant, affordable style. Those three words really do encompass my aesthetic and form the basis of everything you see here. I want you to look forward to opening each email you receive from me with anticipation of what little tidbit you can take in.
I never feature products that I would not want to purchase myself. I try to order things and let you see them on a real 54 year old woman’s body, and not a model.
Finally I have made a few changes recently. Most importantly, I have removed all ads from my website. This goes against what I have been taught in blogging courses, but for me I found the ads annoying and frustrating for readers. Yes, they provide income but I would rather give up that small amount of income for a better experience for readers.
I have also done some housekeeping on my website and changed a few things around. I try to make the site as user friendly as possible. I still use affiliate links, and this is my only source of income. When I link products, the seller pays me a small commission when someone makes a purchase using my link. It is pennies on the dollar, but it helps off-set the cost of running my website. It does not cost you anything to use my links, but I do appreciate your support when you use them.
Blogs Are Here To Stay
So no matter what you might be hearing, I think blogs in some form will be here for years to come. If you are tired of scrolling Facebook and Instagram and seeing video after video with little substance, I recommend finding a blog and a content creator that you can trust.
I like to think of The Scarlet Lily as my little personal magazine. Remember when we used to read magazines? Think about the reasons why you liked certain publications and how you learned things from reading them. The photos and written words were always there to refer to. Blogs are very much the same. Once I publish a post, it is there for years to come. Videos are here today and gone tomorrow.
I love what I do, so I hope this helps inform you about the direction content creation is going and how you can take back some control by reading blogs. If you have a girlfriend who loves fashion, then share this site and others.
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