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How To Start A Successful Blog

How To Run A Successful Blog_Self Portrait Dress_Lace Dress_What Would V Wear_Vanessa Lambert

One of the many questions I receive is how I started to become a full-time blogger. While there isn’t a ‘secret formula’ on how to run a successful blog — there is, however, one thing that you need to keep in mind: To be successful, you need to build—and continue to grow—an audience. Continue reading to learn more…

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How To Start A Successful Blog_Self Portrait Dress_Lace Dress_What Would V Wear_Vanessa Lambert

As I have mentioned in previous posts I’ve started my blog mainly as an creative outlet. Many want to start a blog because they they think it will make them a lot of money, and while this is true that your blog can become your full-time profession, I recommend not to focus on that matter alone. You need to be passionate about the subject your blog focuses on. I would not be where I am today if I wasn’t 100% passionate about fashion.

How To Start A Successful Blog_What Would V Wear_Self Portrait Dress_Vanessa Lambert

Further, you will have a better chance of making your blog successful if you do a lot of research beforehand. You need to be clear which direction you want to take it to. You can either keep it as a hobby, or you can go the business route. Either way, both ways need time to grow, and you need to put in a lot of work. When I started, I made it a mission of mine to create really great content, and since my blog mainly consists of images I made sure that I kept educating myself on photography. My husband and I came a long way, and ’til this day we keep learning. It simply doesn’t stop.

To me, a successful blogger is someone who is not only passionate about blogging but who engages with her/his audience as well. To grow, you need to know who your readers are, and don’t forget: Sometimes real friendships can form which is certainly the best accomplishment.

As always, thanks so much for reading & have a fabulous Memorial Day!

Much love.

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DRESS: Choies c/o | LIPSTICK: CHANEL | CHOKER: Similar HERE 

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85 Comments

  1. Jennifer
    May 30, 2016 / 1:06 AM

    What a wonderful and truthful post! You must first and foremost have a passion for it… that is for certain! You my dear, are stunning in this dress! It’s just gorgeous! You are such an inspiration, Vanessa!

    xo, Jennifer
    http://www.publicistinpearls.com

    Reply
  2. Camila
    May 30, 2016 / 1:11 AM

    What a beautiful dress Vanessa, I am so glad you get to run such a successful blog. I try my best but with college taking most of my time it is pretty hard! Have a nice day gorgeous!

    My Vogue Style | http://www.myvoguestyle.com

    Reply
  3. Olubukola
    May 30, 2016 / 1:12 AM

    That exactly how I feel
    Blogging to me(even though I’m still relatively new) has taught me so much about my self. Specially how to be patient. I hope one day to be able to do it full time and achieve great success with it but I have to say it quiet lonely at times. It a matter of patient and as u said passion over money or popularity. I serious love blogging and I’ve been able to make new connection through it.
    I hope to be able to one day meet you too you always Inspire me.

    Reply
  4. Jackie
    May 30, 2016 / 1:17 AM

    Thanks for opening up and sharing your Journey with us. It’s so true you need to have a passion for it or you’ll just set yourself up for failure. I always learn something new from you and you continue to inspire me.
    By the way you look stunning in your red Lace dress?
    Have a great week!

    xo, Jackie
    stylemydreams.com

    Reply
  5. nancy
    May 30, 2016 / 1:38 AM

    What a rich color that dress! A real summerdress. You are so right about having passion for what you are doing. You ,,read,, it in the blogs if someone had that or not!

    Reply
  7. Michelle Joseph
    May 30, 2016 / 2:59 AM

    Great tips Vanessa. I will need this when I decide to restart my blog. Can’t wait to get back into the blogging community. Live the dress by the way.

    Mich xx

    Reply
  8. Rosanna
    May 30, 2016 / 3:40 AM

    Thank you for the tips! I love your dress, so pretty!!
    Have a lovely day 🙂
    Rosanna x

    Reply
  9. Nina
    May 30, 2016 / 4:10 AM

    It’s so true you need to have a passion for what you are doing !
    You look stunning in this dress! It’s just gorgeous!
    Much love !
    Nina
    xox
    http://www.ninasmode.com

    Reply
  11. Franci
    May 30, 2016 / 5:13 AM

    Everything you wrote is true, you must have passion for start a blog!! You look stunning in pink, fantastic as always!
    Kisses! F.

    La Civetta Stilosa

    Reply
  13. Izabela
    May 30, 2016 / 5:54 AM

    People who want to start blogs solely to make money should change their mindset. I completely agree with you that first you need to have a passion for a topic. Success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and a lot of effort.

    http://www.mydailywear.co.uk

    Reply
  18. Denise Kokinis
    May 30, 2016 / 8:52 AM

    Loved reading this! You highlighted so many important things about starting a blog and how to make it work, especially for you! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend with your family. That dress is so gorgeous on you!

    Denise | Fashion Love Letters

    Reply
  19. Jess
    May 30, 2016 / 9:06 AM

    You’re such an inspiration, Vanessa! I been following ever since you started your blog! You have indeed come a long way but frankly — your photography is has been so beautiful! You’re not only beautiful but you have a beautiful heart also! Hope I get to meet you in person one day!
    xo, Jess

    Reply
  20. Brittany
    May 30, 2016 / 9:27 AM

    Great post- I love your posts about blogging! I always love reading your blog and watching it grow! P.S. that dress looks amazing on you!

    Brittany,
    http://www.lawyerlookbook.com

    Reply
  21. Jalisa
    May 30, 2016 / 9:34 AM

    You look absolutely gorgeous in that dress, Vanessa! I love the crochet details and color of course; I LOVE pink! I think you shared such sound advice. If you do anything just for the money, people can sense that. It’s very easy to sense if someone is not passionate about what they’re doing, in and outside of blogging. Building a community is also very important, like you said, connecting and interacting with your readers is essential. Thanks so much for always sharing and being so open with us, my gorgeous friend, and I hope you’re having a wonderful Memorial Day, sending you LOTS of love!

    XO,

    Jalisa
    http://www.thestyleconour.com

    Reply
  23. Denise
    May 30, 2016 / 10:35 AM

    I loooved your outfit, dear V., colorwise and fabric, so beautiful! A really feminine style, I loved it! You are stunning and so sophisticated, elegant, always! You are so right, dear V., the audience is important and yes, we can build real friendship links – but also, don’t forget, that sometimes the reverse is also true 🙂 It happened to me, both things! Some nasty people, and I thought “my goodness, I am so harmful”! But thankfully positive make it all better! Hugs and regards, dear V.!
    DenisesPlanet.com

    Reply
  25. Tamara
    May 30, 2016 / 10:55 AM

    I totally agree with you, your focus shouldn’t be the money but the passion! And great content is what will take you far in the blogging community!

    Loving the dress can’t believe it’s only $31, I’m buying one for myself! Thanks for sharing!

    XoXo,

    Tamara – LoveofMode.com

    Reply
  36. Hailey
    May 30, 2016 / 12:30 PM

    I love your honesty in this post! Your success is enviable and I have so much admiration for how you approach blogging in general. Beautiful dress, as well! xo

    Hailey
    http://www.themiddlecloset.com

    Reply
  37. Marina
    May 30, 2016 / 12:59 PM

    Thank you for great tips, Vanessa. I completely agree with you on this. Very wise words!
    Fashion blogging world has come a long way in the past years. And It is nice to learn from already established and successful bloggers like you.

    Have a wonderful day!

    Marina

    http://www.marinasummers.com

    Reply
  38. Amy Arnold
    May 30, 2016 / 1:03 PM

    This dress is gorgeous on you!! I love the color and lace detail. Passion is definitely key when blogging.

    Amy Ann
    Straight A Style

    Reply
  39. Alma Moda Aldia
    May 30, 2016 / 1:08 PM

    Llevas toda la razón. Yo llevo poco tiempo y cada día que pasa me involucro más y más para q todo esté perfecto. Guapiscina el vestido es divino. Un abrazo

    Reply
  41. Pam
    May 30, 2016 / 7:49 PM

    I loved this and every word is so true! I love my blog and will continue to put all my effort into it just because it makes me happy. As simple as that. And I really hope everyone can find happiness in what they do someday. Have a lovely week Vanessa!♥

    http://www.pamelayaquelin.blogspot.com

    Reply
  46. katelyn chef
    May 30, 2016 / 9:39 PM

    Vanessa, I could not agree more with you on all your points and tips..I started mine as a creative outlet too & who knew there were so many aspects of blogging-photography skills being one of them. Your photos are always so lovely!
    Happy Week Ahead,

    Katelyn
    Theyellowspectacles.com

    Reply
  49. Andrea @ Living On Cloud Nine
    May 31, 2016 / 5:22 AM

    Beautiful tips by the MOST beautiful gal in all the land!! And that dress is amazing. Hope your week is getting off to the best start sweet and lovely friend!!

    Reply
  51. Quinn
    May 31, 2016 / 6:03 AM

    Such a gorgeous dress on you, Vanessa! And a beautiful message. Readership is very important and catering to your audience, while staying true to your own voice is a delicate, but necessary balance. You do it so well!

    xx http://www.qustomquinns.com/blog

    Reply
  55. Victoria Fox
    May 31, 2016 / 7:45 AM

    What a wonderful written post! This is sp true you need to be 100% passionate about what you are doing and not focusing on how much you can make! I feel like today so many worry about the money and not about the fun and creative side. This is beautiful and so true! Yiu look gorgeous also in that little dress number!
    xoxo,Victoria
    http://www.coffeeandablonde.blogspot.com

    Reply
  57. Rachel
    May 31, 2016 / 9:41 AM

    These are great tips, Vanessa! I totally agree, the passion definitely needs to be there. Also, what a gorgeous dress! The color is stunning on you! Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

    xo, Rachel
    A Blonde’s Moment

    Reply
  59. Monika
    May 31, 2016 / 10:02 AM

    Nicely said! You have to love and have a passion for this. That’s the only way you’ll be willing to put forth the amount of hours it takes to really achieve your blog goals. Love your dress too!!

    -M
    http://www.violetroots.com/blog

    Reply
  60. Biki
    May 31, 2016 / 10:14 AM

    Real friendships can form indeed! I feel that if we ever met we’d have so much to talk about and this is one of the things I love about blogging.
    And I looove this dress, what a gorge colour, it looks great on you! Xx

    Reply
  61. Jess
    May 31, 2016 / 10:31 AM

    Such a beautifully written post, Vanessa! I love your voice and I admire you and your success! It’s VERY deserved! And this dress is just breathtaking!
    xo, Jess

    Reply
  64. Stella Asteria
    May 31, 2016 / 10:48 AM

    First of all you look amazingly gorgeous in this dress my dear! Your passion about fashion and great content is obvious and I always love reading your posts! I started my blog as a creative outlet too and thanks to my amazing fiancé who has become a photographer, we manage to create good posts 🙂
    Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing these tips! Engaging with your audience is very important!
    Have a great rest of the week full of blessings!
    Kisses from Mykonos!!
    xxx
    Stella
    http://www.stellaasteria.com

    Reply
  65. Ashley
    May 31, 2016 / 11:03 AM

    So many great tips, lady- and running a blog is so much work, you have to be prepared for it! Love you in this pretty pink!

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

    Reply
  66. MC
    May 31, 2016 / 11:17 AM

    Great advice Vanessa! Being passionate in everything you do is so important! Loving that lace dress on you – you look stunning as always doll!
    xMC
    http://mc2squared.blogspot.com

    Reply
  68. Lulle
    May 31, 2016 / 11:33 AM

    Great advice! I think the most important thing to say to people who want to start a blog expecting to get rich and famous is this: chances you will succeed are low, and if you do, it will take several years. If you’re in it to make it a profitable business within 6 months, you will fail. That’s why you can’t do it if you’re not passionate: you need to work countless hours on your blog with zero or very little revenue, and even very little recognition, before you start getting a regular audience.
    Beaumiroir

    Reply
  70. Uzo O
    May 31, 2016 / 11:46 AM

    Building ,learning and continuous growth ,you are definitely right about doing more research before embarking on a niche for a blog,i started out as a lifestyle blogger and gradually discovered what i enjoyed writing about.. Really glad i stopped by to read these tips, and i can not get enough of your dress . Gorgeous!

    http://www.stylenbeautylounge.com

    Reply
  75. Heidi
    May 31, 2016 / 5:51 PM

    I couldn’t agree more with all of these tips! You are such an inspiration to so many. Keep up your amazing work beautiful friend and I wish you nothing but success!

    Heidi || Wishes & Reality

    Reply
  77. Perkymegs
    June 1, 2016 / 12:07 AM

    Totally agree with you dear. Blogging really involves a lot of hard work but I really enjoy it as it is my passion. Me and My hubby are also constantly trying to improve our work, photos and videos day by day to keep creating better content. It’s really important to keep improving.

    http://perkymegs.com/

    Reply
  78. Marta
    June 1, 2016 / 5:01 AM

    Such a great post Vanessa and I couldn’t agree more that you have to be very passionate about your topic because making it into a full-time career is no easy task!! You have clearly stayed so focussed and are truly an inspiration my friend! Engaging with your audience is super important and something you are so good at which makes such a difference! Thanks for sharing these great tips! This dress is so beautiful on you and your pictures are always amazing! Hope you have having a wonderful week, love you girl! xoxo
    Marta
    http://www.sweatersstripesandsweets.com

    Reply
  79. KaSonndra
    June 1, 2016 / 6:06 AM

    You have most definitely been an inspiration for me. Especially during a time when I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to continue or not. I’m so glad I did not stop. The passion for what I was doing wouldn’t let me quit. I’ve seen great things happen once I fully committed to the art of blogging. And that’s what this adventure is…an artsy journey.

    Have a beautiful day
    KaSonndra
    http://livewellbefabulous.com

    Reply
  80. Dana Ivy
    June 1, 2016 / 10:53 AM

    LOVE your successful blog, my friend! And you and your husband have the photography skills down! You’re so lucky to have him to take your photos! Also, OBSESSED with this dress!! It’s perfection in every way!

    Xox Dana Ivy // http://www.iadorewhatilove.com

    Reply
  81. Jodi-Kay Edwards
    June 1, 2016 / 3:13 PM

    Bravo V! Your content is always breathtaking, I need to take a photography class to advance my YouTube knowledge of how to operate my DLSR. Lovely tips and I would love to see a blog segment on this! That dress is breathtaking and the shot of the blurred flower in the foreground is amazing!
    http://lifestylefinesse.com/

    Reply
  82. DNN
    June 1, 2016 / 8:43 PM

    Blogging is joy to the soul if you blog passionately and share priceless information with your readers. It can also make you a millionaire if you stay focused with affiliate marketing and creating quality content. Always remember long form content in excess of 1,000 words or better per post everyday for 2 years will rake in serious $ from affiliate programs. Congratulations on being mentioned in the CNBC article. 🙂

    Reply
  83. Jennifer Kanu
    June 2, 2016 / 4:21 PM

    you are absolutely right my dear,am happy i found myself in the area where i don’t look at the money side i do it because fashion is my passion and i love dressing up since was a young girl and now m using this platform to show the world my passion. I hope to grow one day like u but i know it takes perseverance and patient. You are my inspiration ,watching u come this far has taught me to keep pushing and following my passion. great Post
    http://www.jennifashtips.blogspot.com

    Reply
  85. Jona
    June 8, 2016 / 8:46 AM

    Hi! I’ve been following your web site for a while now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Porter Texas!
    Just wanted to mention keep up the excellent job!

    Reply

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