5 Reasons To Be on Twitter

Twitter was launched July 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone, and Noah Glass. It has grown incredibly in the past 10 years to include now, 19% of the entire adult population and 24% of all teens use Twitter. I know by the numbers, it sounds like only a small percent, but if you look at the actual number of people on Twitter (1.3 billion) There really is no denying how huge this social media site is. There are famous people, politicians, world leaders, entrepreneurs, bloggers, business owners, and just regular citizens with Twitter accounts. Fun facts: Justin Bieber has more followers than Spain has people and Caitlyn Jenner reached 1 million followers in 4 hours. Those are crazy Twitter success stories of famous people... but still just goes to show how many active followers and users there are on this social media base. If you're reading this as a blogger, who is not on Twitter... You need to get your butt on there NOW, and I'm about to give you some reasons why. Also (I feel like I usually write to just bloggers, but if you're a non-blogging normal teen here's some reasons for you to be on twitter too). 

Quick Stats-

347,000 Tweets are sent a minute
320 million active users a month
1 billion unique visits to the site
100 million users are active daily
65 million US users

To non-tweeting bloggers:

Increase Your Audience // Twitter is where the majority of my readership finds me. I've interacted with other bloggers that I never would have discovered if it weren't for the website, and they would have never found me either if it weren't for Twitter. I know there are a couple major blog conferences and advice posts that say to "put all your eggs into one social media basket" and really focus on that one. I agree with that to a point, but I think Twitter is the best way to show people your writing style, personality, what you're interested in, what you care about, etc. in 140 characters. I use my Twitter account as almost a sampling, and if they like what they say, I constantly tweet links to my blog and my link is always in my bio of course so they're directed to my site. Anyways, Twitter is such an interactive social media and it's great for growing your audience.

Making Friends // I love how interactive Twitter is. It's almost difficult to be on Twitter and not make a couple friends as a blogger. You never miss a post from your favorites and they'll never miss a post from you either! It's also super easy to show your support with a simple "like" or help them gain a few views on a post by "retweeting" or sharing their post with your followers. Twitter Chats are great ways to interact with and meet new bloggers and also gain a following!

Bringing Attention to Old Posts // Instagram won't let you reshare old blog posts on it like Pinterest and Twitter will. But with Pinterest's weird algorithm, there's really no guarantees that anyone will see it. On Twitter, you can at least get a few views from tweeting out a post which takes no worry and less than a minute to do. As all bloggers can relate, sometimes we have wonderful posts from way back that have significantly lower numbers than others. While of course it's never about the numbers.... They do play somewhat of a role in the business part of being a blogger.

Show Your True Colors // I mean, if you're into authenticity and being transparent on the internet... and you're not on Twitter as a blogger, people might think you have something to hide. Twitter is a place where yes, it's doable to pretend not to be yourself... but it's difficult and stressful I imagine. I know just from being on Twitter that there is so much I would love to "retweet" and "like" but I have a mental list of things that would inappropriate to share with my readership. Even though it's important to show who you really are, be sure you're still being respectful... not those passive aggressive, angstful teen Twitter accounts, or anything vulgar and inappropriate. Keep it clean while you're showing yourself for the world to see.

Go Beyond the Blog // I know how hard it is to maintain an active blog site during a busy time... it takes time, effort, and putting off some of your "real world work" to put some work into your passion. However, posting a tweet takes under 15 seconds to do (depending on the tweet of course) and you can even schedule tweets so that it really takes no time out of your day. You can fill readers in on what's going on in your life and why you've been away from your blog. I know I've definitely used Twitter to inform readers a lot in the past months while school has been hectic. Readers enjoy that I'm still making the effort to connect with them and other bloggers enjoy that I'm still reading and sharing their posts. You can give sneak peeks of the reality behind a blog post or Instagram pic, ask for help with a particular project, really the possibilities are endless with Twitter so it's really wonderful.

I personally have maintained a successful Twitter account by sharing relateable material that bloggers, non-bloggers, college students, high school students, etc. can relate with. Posting at particular times when I know the numbers of people on Twitter go up, and scheduling tweets throughout the day help me to keep my followers increasing and my interaction with other users up as well. Twitter is in real-time, and allows you instead of writing a blog post right then and there, to tweet your opinion and accumulate other's opinions as well. Twitter polls can be used by bloggers to benefit them in remaining personable with their audience, as well as relateable gifs and material that you retweet. Your followers will absolutely love seeing a different, more real side of who you are aside from your blog.

To non-tweeting teens:

Know What People Are Talking About Worldwide // Twitter allows users to know what's "trending" and what everyone is talking about. During the different political debates this year, Twitter is the best way to keep up with the latest and outrageous comments said by Trump and other fun stuff like that. Also any award shows, I don't watch them... but I found out about the latest with Leo from keeping up on Twitter! Basically any popular culture event (Kylie's lip kit, fashion week, Damn Daniel, ect.) is on Twitter and can be found by using the discover tab to see what everyone's been talking about lately.

Breaking News // Of course apps like CNN, NBC, Fox, etc. send you notifications as soon as anything crazy happens... but following those news stations on Twitter is an even faster response than following their websites. I mean think about it... It takes no time at all to tweet breaking news, but writing and posting an article takes a little longer. Usually sources are pretty accurate (there was a "shooting" at my local mall during Primary week, and I wouldn't have known without Twitter) and include pictures. Also, since outlets are limited to 140 characters, you only get the important details from the event.

Make Internet Friends // It's not just bloggers that can meet people on the internet that instantly become their best friends even though they could be as far away as halfway around the world. Of course, I've also met people that are in the neighboring school district from me. The friendships people make just from social media are actually really incredible. Twitter is a wonderful way to meet people because right off the bat you can see what they stand for, who they admire, what they find comical, what angers and upsets them, virtually everything.

A Good Laugh // Twitter is full of hysterical accounts that can get me laughing to the point I pee myself some times. From wisdom teeth videos to funny animals, Damn Daniel to funny photos and memes, there's a funny for everyone on Twitter. When I'm up late and it's been a long day at school... I simply long onto Twitter, scroll through my feed till I find something funny, do some minor stalking, and then I end up almost peeing myself from laughing. Also, where else are you going to find a social media account solely dedicated to goats. Side note: I freaking love goats.

Keep Up With Your Favorite Companies, Famous People, etc. // I know this is kind of a weird and teenager-y reason to have a Twitter, but honestly some of the stuff celebrities post is absolutely hilarious. You can also keep up with your favorite brands and companies for when they do giveaways! Kanye West kills me and sometimes famous people might surprise you with their deeper thoughts... or not.

Anyways, Twitter is a smaller social media (compared to Instagram and Facebook) but one that is both extremely entertaining, helpful, and important to be on to keep up with news and what's going on in the world. I HIGHLY recommend that if you are not yet a part of the site, you join soon, and if you're a blogger, you hop on that even faster! You're missing out on a completely different audience by staying off of Twitter... Anyways, this post probably was a little weird if you already have a Twitter, but hope you enjoyed!

Let's Talk INSTAGRAM

Y'all see that? That's a video! I made my first YouTube video and you all should be so excited.. Especially everyone who has ever asked me an Instagram related question. I hope I answered ALL your questions, or at least gave you some insight, or showed you just how long I can ramble.. This video is kind of long.. almost an hour actually. But that's why I decided to publish on a Saturday morning! So you can have some nice breakfast in bed, and listen to me rambling.. And read the rest of this post! Not only is this video filled with me rambling about all things Instagram, but the rest of this post will be filled with a break down of my tips & tricks & favorite blog posts! I hope you guys enjoy and be sure to TWEET at me and tell me what you think! Oh and also FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM.. Happy watching, friends and happy Saturday!

Extra Tips & Tricks from me:

~To prevent unfollowers, engage with them. Most the time people only follow you so that they can get that follow back y'know? So basically you have to give them absolutely no reason to unfollow you. Continue to engage your followers on a personal level so that they continue to follow and keep up with you and your life and your posts. 

~Adjust the brightness and contrast, highlights and shadows, add a bluer tint ALL BEFORE adding that filter. Then adjust the amount of filter you apply. Add just enough, but not too much. 

~A while back I found out about the wonders of Iconosquare.. And how you can use it to analyze your Instagram data and further engage your followers and get the most likes. If you learn the patterns that are working, then it's easier to continue those patterns and make the most of your following.

~LIGHTING IS KEY! It doesn't have to be perfect.. remember there are editing tools, but get it as close to perfect as possible. Make sure you have your background set up near natural lighting, or take photos outside whenever you can. Natural lighting is easier for editing so I've learned.

~Always take multiple pictures. You always have one that's going to blur or line up weird.. So just always take at least 3 or 5, you can always delete later. I typically upload them all to VSCO then edit them all, and upload my favorite to Instagram. Add some finishing touches, and then post.

~Ever heard of the rule of 3rds? LEARN IT. So helpful! 

~Are you noticing that when you lighten your photos you lose some of the pop in the colors? Try adjusting the saturation.. Not too much, but just a little. Especially with the falling leaves the saturation really helps the leaves pop.

~Stay personal with your followers. I'm certainly not an expert at this, but I'm trying. Posting perfect captions isn't always what followers want to see. Show your followers that you're an actual person. Give them relatable content to engage with. 

Here's some other posts to help you out with all things Instagram:

Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere shares some Instagram tips and her favorite apps

14 Do's and Don'ts for INSTAGRAM SUCCESS -- which is what we all want, amiright

Lauren Conrad shares some tips

Sarah's Instagram is one of my favs! Check out her tips here

Here's how you can create a cohesive feed like the pros

Melyssa gives you 11 ways to grow your following!

Find your personal Instagram voice...

Secrets from the Instagram stars themselves!

Here's how you can grow your following FASTER

Looking to try out some new photo editing apps? Check out this resource for some new ones to try!

By Levo, the 3 Things we should be doing on instagram

A few more do's and don'ts.. because I just can't get enough

Glitter Guide tells us how to take the perfect instagram...

Selfie Tips from Dolce & Gabbana

5 tips and tricks from The LALA so you can reach Instagram stardom

Here's some POWERFUL apps to use for editing

Started from the bottom now we here.. Grow your Insta from day one

Here's Hello Society's tips on Instagram

I'm a huge fan of simplicity.. this 2 step process will help you gain Instagram followers like that *snap*

Caitlin of Southern Curls and Pearls shares her tips on how to take an Instagram

The Nectar Collective (my fav) shares the best hashtags so you can get #noticed

SO WHAT DID YOU THINK? Did you learn something? Share your tips, and what you learned from this post in a comment below! I can't wait to see :) Do me a favor and share this post on Twitter and Pinterest! Happy Weekend XO

Let's Talk About Instagram...

Follow me by clicking on the image above

Let's talk about Instagram.. Or actually.. I'll write, you read, and share your thoughts at the end! Is everyone familiar with Instagram? If you're not... YOU LIVE UNDER A ROCK. just saying. I don't know how anyone couldn't know about Instagram. BUT moving on! I have gotten a ton of compliments lately on my feed... which isn't that great honestly, and I've seen so many posts talking about how you need to find your "aesthetic" and I don't know I just really wanted to put this post together for you all!

Instagram is a way to share your life in photos on social media, and it's SO MUCH FUN! As you can see from my collage above, I post all kinds of things on my page... Paper, chai tea, plantation houses, quotes, outfits, ice cream and other food, and selfies. I really put a lot of time into my account, and it's always nice to hear complements from followers letting me know their thoughts on my feed. So see, I don't have a set in stone Instagram aesthetic. By that, all I mean is... all black and white photos, all edited with the same filter... ect. Basically it's just your photo style.

I do edit my photos before I post them to Instagram. Most the time I use the editor inside of the Instagram app, and if I still need my photo to be lighter or whatever I'll screenshot, back on out, and tell it to discard changes. Then I open up the screenshot and edit it accordingly. When Instagram is not enough, I'll use Afterlight. I've heard lots of bloggers use VSCO Cam. I have the app, but it's not one of my favs at all.

Typically when I am editing my photos, I adjust only a few specific things. Usually I always play around with the brightness, highlights, and shadows. If I had an "aesthetic" I guess it would be bright colors, sharp ish details, and always brighter than the original photo. Here's some examples of my editing in three's and how they change before I post:

Original

brightened up some..

Final: all cleaned up

original: taken on my dad's blackberry

Final: right before it was posted

original

lightened and rotated

Final

Original

middle stage

FINAL Lightened up even more... Upped the sharpness, messed with contrast. 

So that's editing... Let's talk finding followers and connecting with followers!

From the beginning... You gotta use hashtags. My major advice to you is don't use #cool #beautiful #day #love #instagood #i #love #spring #i #am #hungry. Like what? Write in complete sentences please! After you get basic sentence structure correct, move on to adding emojis and trending or large hashtags. Likeeeee #lillyfortarget or #preppy or #photography Sometimes you can get a couple likes from adding hashtags. 

Talk to your friends! Let them know about your account, and ask them to follow you! Make sure you have a good profile picture and bio with a link to your site. You will get recommended to other accounts, and you have to make sure your photo is interesting so that people will view your feed, and then decide on following or not! First impressions are everything. 

Go on liking sprees and then follow a few accounts.... But mainly: like other photos. People like you so much more when you like a bajillion of their photos, they might like some in return as well! 

Okay one speedy way to find followers would be to organize or participate in a loop giveaway. Loop giveaways are so good for getting a bunch of followers super fast. Just know that when the giveaway is over, you will lose a ton of followers. If you have any questions about how these types of giveaways work... dm me on Instagram, and I'll let you know!

So you always have to reply to comments on your photos... I'm not always the best at this, but I'm trying haha. Followers love it when you engage with them, thank them, send them snail mail.... y'know! Fun stuff like that...

Also, one really good tip to always remember: Put thought into your instagram photos PLEASE. I don't particularly like scrolling through my feed and finding totally random pictures of I don't know.. A trashcan you saw at marshalls. Or if it's in your house or room... Please make sure it's tidy and there's no noticeable clutter in the background. It's all in the details! Make sure they're sharp and on point and that the colors aren't too crazy. Be original and creative and take your own photos. Don't rely on Pinterest for all your posts. Don't just give shoutouts and use other peoples' photos. I like fresh, new content. 

The Importance of Blogging Friends & How to Find Them

So today is the *unofficial* blogger appreciation day linkup hosted by the lovely girls at NC Prepsters. I've had the idea for this post in my blogging ideas notebooks  for the longest time... Like probably for about as long as I've been blogging (a year plus). SO IT'S HIGH TIME I SIT DOWN AND WRITE THIS POST! 

Like I said just a few sentences ago-- I've been blogging for a year plus.. It was one year January 5th actually! Blogging has been a freaking incredible experience so far... *side note I'm not planning on quitting any time soon* But I'm serious y'all, it's been just so great. One HUGE reason my journey has been as great as it has been so far is because of my super special people in my life. Especially those that are bloggers themselves. In one day I might small talk, chat, rant, tweet, comment, reply, ect. ect. ect. to any number of bloggers from 5-35! But I have my go-to girls that I come to with any questions that I might have, blogging related or life related.. I honestly have to scroll sometimes through my messages to find some of my friends that I actually see in person on a daily basis to see where they are or ask for homework help. THAT'S how much I talk to these girls. Sometimes your friends that you've had for life just won't get this other side of you. They'll try, and be supportive, but they just don't really get it. Some bloggers try to bring their real life friends into their online world. It usually doesn't end well... Jealousy.. competition.. lacking motivation... But what I'm trying to say is that things like SEO, comments, retweets, follows, emails.... MEAN SO MUCH TO US BLOGGERS Am I right?? But your real life friends just can't support your online/blogger/social media savvy self. Aside from being some of the bestest friends you will ever have, it's imperative to have friends in the online blogging world as a blogger.
#instaworthy or nah? My blogging friends will tell ya.. I ask for approval on a couple instagram photos before posting. Sometimes it's good just to get someone else's eyes on it before it goes live! Or to have a little help with a caption.. or editing.. y'know!

Talk traffic to me....

For a blogger, a huge spike in traffic (page views) is so exciting! Tracking links that lead up to your blog, finding out how people are getting to your site, counting re-pins and reblogs and screaming about how they link back up to your site! When I hit 100,000 views, my Instagram post had a good amount of comments from bloggers who were so excited and supportive. Thanks y'all :) That's what you need in blogging friends! People that you can get excited over for their accomplishments, and people that will get excited over your accomplishments.

What do bloggers do on Friday nights? 

Ice cream and musicals (hey Kath.. What' up?) pizza (because it's so good) and planning future posts... Sometimes your other friends just don't get it, and you need a blogger bestie to chat with. Also live texting while watching a favorite movie at the same time as your friend is SO MUCH FUN.

Social Media Presences...

A social media presence is crucial for any blogger wanting to grow their audience. Having these online friends can really help your social media following and engagement with followers. A simple little tag or retweet or reblog or facebook share or any sort of share honestly can really help. Also, it's a lot of fun to shoutout your favs on social media... Or at least I think it's a bunch of fun! And it comes back around to benefit you and your blog most of the time too.

Keeping an Eye Out...

You always have someone looking out for you online! I remember back in January I had to deal with something where a site was using my content in German?? I never would have noticed except Jamie tweeted at me and made sure I was aware of what was going on. She stuck by me and checked in to make sure that things were taken care of. That's what a good blogging friend does!!

Get Yourself Some #bbfs and #bestbloggerbuddies

Even if you don't have a specific person or people that are your #bestbloggerbuddy and you have cute little hashtags and nicknames and inside jokes.... you still need to have those bloggers that you do a daily run through of their social media and blog and make sure you are up to date. You repin their content, retweet it, and like their latest instagrams. There are tons of people that I don't text or email or connect with on a daily basis but I check in with their social accounts. Little nicknames aside, make sure you have some blogger friends to check in on and to check in on you throughout the week.

Creativity

Sometimes you just go blank. You need motivation. Your real life friends won't be able to motivate you to blog or make YouTube videos (Heyyyyy Ash) like your online friends will. Even if you have ideas, you might need help with a caption or post title or anything! Use their creativity, and help them when they need your creativity.

Comfort

Blogging gets rough sometimes.. You get tough criticism, rude comments, other people you gotta deal with, unsupportive real life friends.... Your blogging friends get it. They'll keep you sane. You NEED them. And they'll be there for you when you need them. You have to make sure that you're there for them when they need you too!

So I have my girls... Who are your blogging friends? Want to find some BBF (best blogging friends)? Here's some tips and ways to find your BEST blogging friends!

Open up your eyes

Are you on Instagram (if not what the heck are you doing with your life make one right now)? Take a look at those people with similar blogging niches as you, that like your posts, follow you, leave comments on your posts... ect. Once you open up your eyes and look around there are SO many girls that are blogging now. ALL ages too! Most of my friends are seniors in high school, college students, honestly it doesn't matter. Also check Twitter! Twitter is an amazing way to connect with great people and get to know them even better. Make sure you are staying present on all social media accounts and you update them on a daily basis. That makes you look like a person open to connect with anyone and everyone that wants to chat online!

Don't be scared

Think someone's interesting? Stalk their blog! Stalk their social media! *Don't really stalk them* Just do your homework basically.. Find out more about them, and then start up a chat! You just gotta be bold and jump on out there haha! Trust me, it's worth it!

Start sharing

Share other bloggers' recent posts, posts you love, helpful posts... ect. Twitter is a great way to do this! Use hootsuite to schedule a few of your favs, and make sure you tag their Twitter account too! You can go on a pinning rampage (I wouldn't know anything about this.... #soguilty hahahaha). Totally stalk their blog, instagram, everything and just pin it all!!! Facebook can also be used to share all of your favorite posts, and leave some comments! It's good to connect and do them a favor by sharing their content.

Blogging Networks

Join a couple big sites that you can mix and mingle and chat with new people and bloggers. You'll learn a few things.. or more.. and meet so many great people. After you are exposed to a great many bloggers, think email chains in this as well, you might even want to add a few people as facebook friends! But blogging networking sites are so great for getting to know some amazing people.

Suggest a Collaboration

I get a ton of emails in a month for collabs, linkups, guest posting.... most of which I never end up participating in... life gets in the way I guess... but that's how I got to know my good friend, Kathleen! We have the same name, share a love for Disney, Sofia the First, and Lilly Pulitzer. She's so much fun to chat with and I reached out to her suggesting a collab... I knew immediately from her reply that we were gonna be great friends! You can't be scared to reach out.. Just go for it!

Instagram Giveaways

When you get invited to participate in a loop giveaway on Instagram, there's a ton of other girls involved too! HERE'S YOUR CHANCE!!!! Follow all the girls, comment on their posts, comment on their blogs, follow across social accounts... Just go for it! Engage in conversation! Ask questions! Just go chat and mingle with some new people.. You can't be scared y'all just go for it.

Don't wait

Trust me, it'll only hurt you in the long run. It's so much easier when you're growing amidst a group of your friends to grow and help them to grow then it is just to get yourself up in the world. Don't wait for your blog to be 100% perfect, trust me it will never be. Don't wait for the hundreds of thousands of followers you dream of. Just start finding some friends RIGHT NOW. Like stop reading. Go find some BBF's.

Why You Should Blog

I really enjoy writing these kind of posts where I get to share my advice on the things I've learned in my blogging experience so far. I am younger compared to other high school bloggers.. and all bloggers. And I started a year ago when I was even younger. I've learned a lot so far, and I can't wait to continue to learn even more, and continue to grow and share my thoughts with people from all over. So today's post is all about why you should start a blog. I feel like so many bloggers now-a-days are starting their blogs for all the wrong reasons. And, honestly.. It kills me. 

I know you've seen the infographics and images sharing people's stories about how many thousands of dollars they made in a month just from blogging. Those words spark ideas in people's minds. "hmm.. maybe I could do that! How hard can it be? Just sharing a few pictures.. writing a couple words.. and hit publish!" WRONG. NO. DON'T DO THAT. If those thoughts go through your mind, do us all a favor and don't start a blog. 

It all starts with a love for something. For me, I love writing, creativity, photography, and fashion. I found a way to bring all of my loves together into one blog! That's why I started blogging.. You have to be passionate about what you're doing. You have to have that drawing feeling to your laptop or computer to go write 50 maybe even 100 posts about whatever the heck you're interested in! If you don't have those feelings or the drive or the will to focus on your blog and work on it.. Maybe blogging isn't for you. 

I had seen a ton of bloggers get free stuff (that ever so lovely c/o was calling my name) and I wanted that. I wanted companies to want to work with me! Of course, I didn't want to put any effort into it.. so in the beginning my blog posts were honestly sucky. I'm not proud of them. I reevaluated myself after about three months of suckiness.. And I slowly started putting more time and effort into my blog. It deserves more.. but I'm doing alright right now. 

But anyways, where I was going with that.. I signed up for the affiliate programs, brand reps, all those reviewing sites, EVERYTHING. And nothing worked. I knew then that the way bloggers find these bigger companies is because they are really dang good at what they do. And the reason they are really good at what they do is because of all the passion that they have for their blog, readers, and a love for what they write about. That's honestly the only way you can make it in the blogging world. I haven't "made it" yet but I know that with even more hard work.. I'll be on my way. 

If you go into this wanting to make some quick and easy money, or get free stuff.. You won't be as successful. Trust me, I know. It's all about focus. If you think about blogging as a chore, that's really not a good way to think about things. Your blog is your very own corner of the internet. It's YOURS. You should take pride in your writing, your site design, and sharing your interests. 

I'm sorry this is kind of short, but honestly it kills me how many people run copy-cat blogs with content that is just like all the others, and ads all over the page trying to get money. Please, Please, PLEASE DO NOT BLOG JUST FOR THE MONEY! If you go into it with that mindset.. You won't find any money okay? You just won't. People want to see what you're interests are and read your thoughts and ideas. 

Wow okay this is shorter than I wanted it to be.. But I think I got my point across right? Blog with a purpose, and don't let that purpose be to make a profit. Make sense? Good. 

Easy Ways to Grow Your Blog

Being a blogger myself, I know how long and stressful it is to publish posts on your blog.. and have little to no readers. It's an awful feeling. Knowing that you put that much work into a website and the posts.... it's not fun. So I've been blogging here on Classy Cathleen for a year + now, and I thought sharing some tips on how to grow to your blog might help those who are just starting out.. or maybe just give some good ideas for those who have been blogging for awhile. Let me know what you think in a comment:)

1. Instagram: This is a social media platform that is very important in growing a good readership and loyal followers. There are 300 million monthly active users and of those 75 million are daily users. Those are HUGE numbers! If you can figure out how to do Instagram the right way.. You can find so many new readers and followers of you and your blog. Do some reading up on "how to take the perfect Instagram" posts from bloggers (make sure you read this one, and this one.) and also search Pinterest, and you should find some good articles as well.

One tip I'll go ahead and give you right now is to go to the store and purchase a white poster board to take some of your grams on! They give such a nice white and clean background for your photos. See my feed here.

2. Facebook Pages: These can really help with your page views. If you have a lot of facebook friends, blogging friends, or just people you know in general.. Tell them to like your page! Share all of your posts to your page, and then people will click, and you'll get some views! They are fairly easy to set up.. And quite honestly I'm not the right person to give you advice on Facebook pages.. mine sucks.

3. Blogging Friends: I have a post planned on this very topic for later in the week.. so stay tuned! But it really is important to have connections in the blogging world. You need those people who are always going to read your posts, like your instagrams, give you helpful advice whenever you need it, proofread your posts, and just chat with! I've made so many friends throughout this whole experience (you ladies know who you are xo). I don't know how I would have made it this far without meeting new people and connecting so much.

4. Invest in a good camera: Again, I don't know how anyone can have a good blog, or at least one that will continue to grow without good, high quality images. I own a Canon EOS Rebel T5 and my dad has a Nikon d3100 so both are great choices, and I have used both on my blog. With a slight bit of editing.. your pictures will look very professional. If you are using your phone... That could be a reason why your blog is not growing, or is not growing at the speed you would like.

5. Twitter: When most people think of Twitter, they think of teens tweeting random little things that the world doesn't need to know.. I'm here to tell you that yes there are some not-so-great parts to Twitter.. but If you are following the right people *cough cough* follow me *cough cough* Twitter is super fun! It's also a great way to get some page views on your blog. Many people get lost on Twitter and spend hours on it. If you share links to your posts.. You'll get at least a couple clicks! Sometimes when I get super close to 100 views on a post, I'll tweet it and end up with 45 more views than I had initially wanted. I know it's only 45, but if you're struggling to grow your blog.. Those 45 views could be huge. Also, use the hootsuite app to autoschedule tweets to the times that are supposed to get the best response! (post coming soon on hootsuite!) follow me here

6. Pinterest: I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE ON PINTEREST. I have gotten the majority of my views from pins that went "viral" and linked back up to my blog! It's a great tool, and activity to do when you're bored. Honestly, I'm an addict and I could spend hours on it. The image at the top of this post was my Pinterest a few months ago. Now I'm at 18.2k pins or something crazy like that #sorryimnotsorry. I wrote a whole article on Pinterest for The Undeniable Report.

7. Google Plus: Surprised to see this pop up? I was too when I heard it could actually help.. I've gotten a good bit of views from the communities that I am a part of on this platform. It gives a significant boost of views. It's also a great way to connect with other bloggers that are interested in the same things as you. I wrote a whole article on google plus for The Undeniable Report.

8. Spend a bit of money: Loop Giveaways are a great option if you are interested in growing your Instagram followers. You can organize your own, or reach out to someone who participates in many different giveaways to find out who organizes them. I love loop giveaways because they allow you to meet new bloggers and companies, and also gain a good bit of followers. You do have to spend some money to pitch in for the prize.. but I've never paid more than $25 for a giveaway. If you want to learn more, or see an example go to @sarahlouisezerbe on Instagram.. she's always participating in a giveaway!

9. Trade space with bloggers: Make a little blogging badge (the sidebar images) for yourself to share with other bloggers. Ask if they would be interested in exchanging buttons, then put their image in your sidebar for your readers to find! Read this post for a tutorial.

10. Don't be scared: Don't be scared to reach out to other bloggers for advice, guest posting opportunities, link ups, collabs, giveaways... or just to chat! I've reached out to a few bloggers to get to know them better lately, and I'm so so soooo glad that I did! Also, don't be scared to tell more people about your blog than just your mom and your grandma and your cousins. Make sure you tell as many friends (as you feel comfortable with obviously) because most of them will be extremely supportive and will follow you across social! Just don't be scared to talk to people about you and your blog..

11. Collaborate with others: REACH OUT! SAY HEY! COME UP WITH IDEAS! Link ups are perfect ways for tons of other bloggers to find you and connect with you and jump on board as a follower! Also collabs between two bloggers are super fun for readers to see.. especially when the posts are outfit posts. One of my favorites is this collab with Abby & Renee. Guest posting is also so much fun! If you're going out of town, you can get others to guest post for you.. and if you just have tons of free time, offer to guest post on other blogs!

12. Blogging Networks: If you run a search for blogging networks.. You'll come across so many to join! Here's a short list of some to look into:

-BlogHer
-Clever Girls
-Smart Girls Group
-Influenster 
-HerCampus
-TheShelf
-BrandBacker
-High School Blogging Network

Other resources:
-Shopsense
-Reward Style

~Search pinterest for ways to make money blogging or networks to join~

13. Comments: Leaving comments on other blogs gets the name of your blog out there and makes more people familiar with it. When I want to leave a link to my blog in a comment I use this bit of HTML code:

Classy Cathleen

Feel free to edit it so you can use it! See where those " " are? Put the link to your blog between the " ". Where you see Classy Cathleen, put the name of your blog!

I hope this helped give you some new ideas at how to grow your blog! I will be adding to this list, so if you see anything I missed.. Let me know so I can update this post:) Also, do me a favor and share this on social media so other bloggers can learn new ways to help their blogs grow!

So now you tell me: What's one way you grew your blog?

What Bloggers Wish They Had Known...

Okay, this is my 300th post here on Classy Cathleen which is super exciting. I wanted to do a fun post as my 300th, so I'm super excited for this! It doesn't seem like it, but it takes a lot of work to be a blogger. Frustration with stats, procrastinating on collabs, balancing school, consistently posting, and just everything! I've made so many friends through my blogging experience so far, and this post gave me a chance to talk to all of them and share their advice with other bloggers! So without further ado, here is What Bloggers Wish They Had Known Before They Started Blogging!

Michaela Fisch of The Monogrammed Midwesterner says...

"Maybe don't share it with your friends and family right away. Like wait until you've really cleaned up your site and created some quality content then share. I went through about 5 different layouts and designs, and I wish people really wouldn't have seen the rougher versions."

Marshall McFadden of This Blonde Story says...

"I didn't know so much time went into running a blog. I wish I would have started out with a blogging schedule instead of just posting whenever."

Anna Tselevich of Undeniably Anna says...

"I wish i would have known how many doors it would open up for me, and how many amazing people I would meet through it. That way I would have started way sooner!" 

Sarah Zerbe of Stylish Sassy and Classy says...

"I wish I would have known the importance of linking your blog to social media (facebook page, instagram, pinterest, twitter..) using those social media platforms really helps grow your blog."

Caitlin Cooper of Your Typical Prep says...

"Probably that as scary as it seems to start a blog even though there are thousands already out there, you'll find a group of people in your blogging "niche" that you'll really bond and connect with. I also wish I had known not to expect results right away. I started my blog for fun, but I wasn't getting very many views. They've picked up a little, but still not by much. I love blogging either way though, haha." 

Lauren Aid of A Touch of Southern Grace says...

"The importance of staying active on social media" 

Allie Ducote of The Back Allie Way says...

"I wish I knew that I needed better self-motivation. Before I started blogging, I thought that I could easily come up with new content every week day and motivate myself to write every night." 

Alex Romano of Monster Misa says...

"My advice is to write about what you're passionate about. Some people follow the trends and write the same stuff as every other blogger but when you write about things you love, it helps your personality shine through." 

Emily Rizer of Emily and Dot says...

"Starting out as a blogger I wish I knew to reach out. There's such a great blogging community all around us with bloggers that are so willing to help you out whether it's with post creation, coding issues or even collaborations! Using the bloggers around me was a resource I wish I had known about earlier. Not just because of their assistance with blogging technical problems but also because you get to develop some great relationships with other chicas around the web! Blogger Communities (like Bloggers with Class!) are a great way to reach out in order to get to know and work with other bloggers!"

Frannie Acciardo of The Blonde Prep says...

"This is kind of specific but I wish I wouldn't have selected such a limiting name, because now that my style has evolved a little bit, I don't feel like the blonde prep is a 100% fit anymore"

Neidelyn Carmen of Get Up & Dress Up says...

"I would say how much work and effort it takes to be 'successful' I've always thought it would be so easy but it takes a lot of time and dedication" 

Nathalie Van Hauwe of The Coveting says...

"I wish I'd known that a good blog design is the key to please your readers and make your blog look organised."  

Sophia Breton of Curls && Pearls Prepster says...

"To always plan and schedule your blog posts!" 

Connie Browne of Prep Northwest says...

"I would say something about the time commitment. Its hard to balance working full time and blogging!" 

Salli Mandel of Style by Salli says...

"Probably that it's a lot more work than I'd imagined. You have to set aside a lot of time to dedicate to blogging." 

Jamie Eimbinder of The Fashion Newcomer says...

" I wish I had known that although people might not understand blogging, they will value the fact that it is your hobby if they are a true friend. When I told people about my blog, some didn't get it and as a result, I didn't share with as many people I know in real life when I started it. People are still sometimes a little taken aback by it, but I've found that good friends are supportive! Of course, I wish I knew some of the tricky technical aspects before I started too!!" 

Hallie Wilson of Corals + Cognacs says...

"I'd say that I vastly underestimated the amount of time it takes to maintain and grow a blog... But if you're willing to put in the hours, it's worth it." 

Jessica Dugan of Belle Adore says...

"I guess I would have wanted to known that the way other bloggers show their lives on insta/twitter/blog isn't necessarily reality...it totally gave me really high expectations for how my blog should have looked!" 

Marissa Michele of Makin it with Marissa says...

"How time-intensive it would be and how much time and patience really goes into making a high quality product that builds your readership and keeps them coming back!"

Rachel Martin of Seashells + Sparkles says...

"I wish I knew how much time and effort it was going to take. Blogging seems like a simple task, but to be an effective blogger you need to be organized, you have to plan, and you need to cut out time to work and sometimes it's difficult to find time to get it done!" 

Alex Eisenhardt of The College Lifestylist says...

"I wish I would've known how valuable good pictures are to a blog no matter how good the content is if there aren't great photos a lot of people won't keep reading. I have so many posts I wish i could go back and update the photos of!" 

Zoe Cayetano of That's Zoe says...

"I wish I would've known that blogging is a community and that there are people who will be there to help and guide you." 

Catherine and Julianna of Preppy By The Sea say...

"When we first started blogging we were anonymous, and changing that was one of the best things we did. It is important to go into blogging with confidence and that is definitely the number one thing we wish we knew from the beginning. People will find your blog and when they do, stick up for it and be confident in your work. In addition to this, using social media is so important and really helps to grow your following. Personally we think Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest are the most successful" 

Kelly Larkin of Kelly in the City says...

"I wish I'd known how wonderful the blogging community is. When I first started, I didn't even realize one existed. Sadly, even after learning about it, I largely kept to myself, and didn't attend events or reach out to other bloggers. I was shy, unsure of myself, and self conscious about my inexperience. When I finally opened myself up, though, I learned the true meaning of "community." I've met so many incredibly kind and inspiring people through blogging, and several have become real friends. I've learned a ton from these talented ladies, and together, we've had some amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experiences! Of course, I wish I'd opened up earlier on in my blogging journey, but better late than never! I'm very thankful." 

Cara of Caralina Style says...

"I wish I knew how important it is to consistently post, and that it takes time to build up a blog. I used to think that if I just started the blog and made a few posts, I would just gain readers. But much more effort is required!" 

 All of these girls had great advice to share, and I hope that for all bloggers starting out.. or considering starting a blog keep this advice in mind as you start out on your adventure.

Midterm Prep + Tips

The worst part about high school (in my opinion at least) is midterms ad exams. The amount of stress that they put on students is absolutely crazy. I cannot take it. I have my midterms the week before school lets out for break. I have two midterms every day except Wednesday next week. I have been so stressed out all this week and last week. 

The week before midterms is supposed to be extremely easy and not stressful at all. However, my teachers all have grades that they need to enter into the grade book.. so I have been overwhelmed with smaller projects, labs, essays, outlines, and other assignments this week. Plus all the stress that comes with those assignments, which only adds to my stress with midterms. 

I don't know about you, but when I get super stressed out all I want to do is go in my room and just be by myself. It can take a while for me to calm down, but good friends and Pinterest always help. I had a couple smaller stress related break downs, and one fairly big one the other day (special thanks to a certain someone for helping me get through. You know who you are:)) 

After calming down, I pull out my agenda and start studying. My main focus these past few weeks has been to review for Physical Science and AP Human Geography. My other classes are going fairly well so I decided not to stress over them. As it gets closer and closer to exam week, I start going to bed a bit earlier, and spending less time on Pinterest and other social media including my blog :(. I drink a lot of tea, and take even more notes in class. The gum chewing gets a bit out of hand (as does the cookie baking).. And I turn my room upside down searching for index cards and highlighters. 

My Tips on Studying for Midterms:

• Get as much sleep as possible. Eat dinner while studying, take quick showers, and sleep of course. Put the phone down, cut the T.V off and just sleep. 
• REVIEW ALL NOTES. I always write my notes in my own words, and I feel like it's easier for me to study when I can read my own words. I call it "Cathleen talk" haha
• MAKE COOKIES. You obviously don't have to do this, but baking helps to calm me down and get me back into focus. 
• Handwriting, typing, note cards, and highlight. I have a little system where I spend one night copying down important notes by hand, the next night typing, then note cards, and then highlighting key parts from my studying. I find it really helpful.
• Talking with friends. Sometimes I just need that special person to help calm me down. Whether it be your forever friend, someone you met through blogging or maybe even a close family member, I feel like you need someone to rant to about life, and someone to calm you down. 
• Write everything (AND I MEAN EVERYTHING) down in your agenda. I know I get so caught up in studying I forget a smaller assignment that was due. Color coding or just writing down assignments might help you get everything done. 
• If you hear your teacher say something that sounds of ish importance in class.. go ahead and write it down. It could be an indirect hint at something on your test. 
• Read some blog posts. I enjoy ending the night making stress free, uber random lists and reading my bloglovin' feed. I feel like it's just such a quiet calming thing, and I honestly do it almost every night. 
• TEA. Yes I'm from the South, and YES I love sweet tea, but I also love Raspberry Zinger tea from Celestial Seasonings. I just love how warming and amazing it makes you feel inside. Hot chocolate works too haha. 

P.S. Special thanks to all my bloglovin' followers (there are 150 of you like omg) I love you all so much. I truly appreciate you for following along with my insane self. 

P.P.S. Thanks so freaking much to all my Pinterest followers, and all the undeniabaes and everyone for calling me the Pinterest queen haha and for repinning basically everything. Y'all make my life :) 

Cathleen's Guide to Polyvore

If you don't know what Polyvore is, you seriously are missing out. Especially if you're a blogger, it's such a useful and fun tool! I have been using Polyvore for about nine months now. Whether you are a fashion lover, beauty lover, house and home decorator, or just super artistic and enjoy making collages... Polyvore is the perfect website and app for you:)

I feel like sometimes people can get a little overwhelmed when they first go to the Polyvore website. I got the idea to have an easy little "guide" to Polyvore complete with extra little tips when it comes to creating. I hope you enjoy this, and be sure to follow me!

When you make your account... You'll see tons and tons of items, random creations and sets, collections, ect. It can be a little overwhelming, but don't let that get to you! It's time to start following some people. Are you a lover of the preppy fashion style? Then simply search prep and see what comes up! Follow a few people.. and like some items from them.

Liking Items

Liking items is easy. All you do is click on or tap the heart! The reason you need to like items is so you can have a wide variety of things to add in your sets. You can like basically any item. You can always search for a brand, company, type of product (ex. chairs, t-shirt), or go to your favorite website (jcrew.com) and clip items from that website.

Clipping Items

Let's say J.Crew just released some new products, and you are obsessed. You just can't wait to style these products in some Polyvore sets. but hmm you're wondering how to get those products into your Polyvore items collection. Let me tell you how! On the app, you can go under the Create > add item > my items > clip items from web. Type in the url or run a google search for the website you want to go to.

If you're using the website, things are a little different when it comes to clipping items...

See in that top right corner where it says "classycathleen" ? Your username should show up there. Click on that number in the square next to your username. You should see something very similar to the screen above. Click on "Get the Clipper". Follow the directions, and your bookmarks bar should look a lot like mine especially if you use Google Chrome.

Now you know how to like any items you would like to include in your sets. Which is extremely helpful when it comes to making blog collages! Like the one I used in this post on Preppy Monogram Style. I went on Belk's website, and clipped some images and used them in a set for the post. Which leads me into my next point!

Creating Sets

I'm gonna walk you through what I do when I create sets.. Which is usually on the iPad app!

When I go to make a set, I start with one item, and build an outfit around that one item. In this case, it was this J.Crew sweater. You tap on Add Item and search for an item, or look under your "my items" section and you can see all the items that you have ever liked.

When you finish, you publish your set. Give it a creative name, and post!

Some Random Tips:

• Follow a lot of different accounts so you always have inspiration, and new ideas.
• Challenge yourself to post every day! Your followers really love it when you have new content every day. 
• Link your blog in the descriptions of your sets. You'd be surprized at how many readers I have gotten from Polyvore.
• Be sure that the items you use in your sets don't have weird white areas around them. If they do, you can fix it on your computer. 
• When it comes to getting more followers, you can always message people and do shout outs and things like that.. Or, you can just post sets more than once a day, and people should find you!
• Don't get discouraged by how your sets look when you're just starting out. Mine were absolutely awful!
• Don't always use Polyvore for just blog graphics.. Give people something worth their follow, and not just blog post sneak peeks. You know what I mean? Just have fun! 
• GET THE APP. It helps a lot! If you get confused on the website, the app is a lot easier to figure out in my opinion. 

Polyvore for Bloggers:

Me being a blogger myself, I use Polyvore quite a bit.. I even used Polyvore to make the graphic at the top of this post! If you're a fashion blogger, you can use Polyvore's collection of symbols such as arrows, lines, and numbers to create graphics to go along with your posts. Same with you beauty bloggers out there! For house and home bloggers, there are furniture items and things that you can like and  then use those to create sets for your posts. And even if you are a personal blogger, you can still use it for things like Friday Favorites and/or Monthly Favorites. Basically, I'm saying there are so many great uses for Polyvore! 

Some More Tips...

• Make sure your text is easy to read! Some people use some crazy fonts that look great, but when you're going for the magazine quality type of set.
• You can clip photos from your own blog or other blogs using the "Polyvore Clipper"!
• Use different colored texts, different fonts, and add frames by browsing all items

Embedding Your Sets into a Blog Post:

This button is a Blogger's best friend when it comes to Polyvore. If you know basic HTML, then you can figure this out! You can get to this button by opening up all of your sets (on your computer). Then its as simple as copying and pasting, and then you've got a perfect image right in your blog post! 

If you ever have any questions related to Polyvore, please do not hesitate to send me a Direct Message on Polyvore! I would be more than happy to help you out:) 

Also, do me a favor and follow me:) I try and post about every day.. So you can always find me there! If you read this post and followed me... Message me, or comment on this post so I can follow you back:)