Social Media can be a challenge to master! So who better to interview than Pop of Style to learn about her successful blogging strategies!  

Tell our readers about yourself and your blog

I’m a fashion and lifestyle blogger. I’m a 31-year-old high school English teacher during the day and so I mostly focus on creating looks that work for the office and weekends while remixing pieces. I love the idea of making a piece work at least 5 different ways so that my closet has sustainability and is versatile. In addition to fashion, my husband and I create food and drink recipes and ideas for entertaining guests.

Tell us how you first got into blogging.

I got into blogging in 2011 as a way to challenge myself to create more accessible looks based off of popular fashion trends. I was never very fashionable in school, but I always was interested. Pop of Style allowed me an outlet for creativity while simultaneously teaching women to make the most out of their closets.

How did you establish your “theme” or brand?

Pop of Style originally was named this because I always incorporated a “pop” of print or color into every outfit as an “unexpected” factor. When I first began, I was very heavy into fitness and also included “fitness tips” as “pops” of information at the bottom of each outfit post. Over time, I decided that I wanted to focus mostly on fashion.

For your theme or brand, do you have things that you do consistently?  

Yes, I find myself remixing pieces often and I’m a huge fan of color combinations and print mixing. I try to incorporate the one piece that seems to make the outfit pop.

Where do you find the inspiration for your blog posts?

Originally, I was finding my inspiration solely via magazines like InStyle and People StyleWatch. Over time, I became a huge fan of Pinterest and all of the creativity that goes on there. Periodically, I find different color combinations in stores, nature, and on people walking by that I try to emulate in my looks to keep evolving.

What do you think is the best strategy to get more traffic to your blog?

SEO, backlinking, and quality photos.

What’s your favorite social media platform?

Pinterest; it’s the only social media platform that I find still constitutes the idea of escapism. At times, I get the feeling that many of the others are so laborious, forced, or even negative. Pinterest is 100% visual and curating boards feels like more of a relaxing craft than a competitive sounding board.

How do you gain and keep followers?

I try to do my best to offer different content via different social media outlets. I love sharing with my readers different articles, deals, or trends (from other publishers) that I feel resonate with my outlook and ultimately theirs. Creating differentiating content on different outlets allows readers to engage on a deeper level, I think. I’m not really obsessed with the idea of gaining followers simply to gain them. Pop of Style didn’t start as a way to shove my ideas and style in other people’s faces; rather, it started as a way to challenge myself and others to shop their own closets and find great deals while putting together outfits that make us feel great about ourselves!

How many times a week do you post?

2-3 on average now that I work full time. For 3 years, I was posting 7 days a week.

Is this a part of your strategy to keep gaining followers or do you post at random?

I try to keep a consistent schedule by posting on the same days every week.

What are some misconceptions about social media?

That you should base your self-validation off of it. When you stop to think about it, those things don’t matter nearly as much as staying true to who you are and what message you’re sending in your everyday life.

Do you have photos taken professionally or do you take them yourself?  

My husband takes them for me with professional equipment that we have purchased over the years.

What are some tips you can give in order to take a good photo?

Educate yourself. Do lots of research on what types of photos you want and what kind of equipment will help you in getting to your goal. After that, it’s completely user-oriented which means the person taking the picture has to know what they’re doing. We find that viewing many, many pictures over time has helped us to see differentiating perspectives and help to nail down our own style that we feel comfortable with.

What’s your favorite location to take photos?

I try not to become married to one location. I really like taking photos in Miami but sometimes taking them back in Pennsylvania (where I’m from) does magical things with the changing seasons.

How do you find relevant hashtags for your photos?

I try to find hashtags that never have more than 6 digits in the amount of people who have used them. I feel that once you start tagging the more popular ones, your photos get pushed quicker and you risk no one seeing them.

What are your top 3 favorite emojis?

The cry laughing face, the red heart, and the smiley face.

How do you keep your website updated & relevant?

I have a great team who works with me very quickly and cohesively to remediate issues, update the site, and evolve the graphic design.

What apps would you recommend to our followers?

Photography: Snapseed and VSCO

Productivity: Wunderlist, RewardStyle, LiketoKnow.it, CrowdFire

What else do you want to add to help small business owners?

Be consistent and stay positive; remember why you started!

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