BritishBeautyBlogger

Great post. I think the term 'pro blogger'...

2012-05-27T22:16:09.992+01:00

Great post. I think the term 'pro blogger' can be quite misleading as many bloggers who appear to write for their blog full time also do freelance work. I'm constantly asked how I 'made my blog into a career' - I didn't. My blog makes very little money and although it's opened doors and made it much easier for me to work freelance, 90% of my income comes from my business. I work 9-5 (and often beyond) just like anyone else!

It takes serious readership to make any website profitable. With such saturation in the blog world, I think it's nearly impossible now to achieve the level of views needed to make a liveable income from a blog alone. And it's quite nice to have some freedom from your stats... they can so easily rule your life!

I'd love to write for my blog full time but I ...

2012-05-27T21:35:44.425+01:00

I'd love to write for my blog full time but I know it's never going to happen. Really good article, made me appreciate the fact that my blog is my hobby. There's no pressure, if I only get 200 page views, oh well. The pressure to do this full time would be immense. Hats off to all the 'probloggers' out there.

I'm the type to buy crazy shades like this so ...

2012-05-27T21:25:06.127+01:00

I'm the type to buy crazy shades like this so I'm definitely getting my hands on it. Blue lip gloss can transform any shade and my favourite is swiping it over red lipstick to give it a deeper look.

Great post on the reality of blogging and with eve...

2012-05-27T21:20:56.890+01:00

Great post on the reality of blogging and with everyone blogging, I can see where PR will become more picky and choose those with the highest stats.

Me, I have to go with the flow of what I can muster. As my stats indicate and the number of emails I have written to companies for, at least a discount, to buy some of their products so I can review; shows I don't have the readership for this either. I admit at times the fun of blogging turns into pure frustration.

I know I will never be a pro blogger because I don't want to be because of the headache of it. I admire you for doing it and dealing with the brands.

I do hate it when certain products are exclusive t...

2012-05-27T20:56:58.968+01:00

I do hate it when certain products are exclusive to certain countries and UK always seem to get products last for some reason. This packaging is amazing and its really pretty too.
Thanks for sharing~x

www.beautypicknmix.blogspot.com

Well thought out article Jane. I would think only ...

2012-05-27T20:27:15.311+01:00

Well thought out article Jane. I would think only a tiny percentage of blogs, regardless of subject, become proper money makers for their authors. But that's not to say a person shouldn't go for it she (or he) wants to.

I'm thinking writing free lance is an option I want to explore. I'm realistic enough to accept that, for several reasons, I can't make a decent living strictly from blogging. But I love my little beauty blog and never started out with a payday as the goal.

Ali

I have to disagree, am terribly excited about this...

2012-05-27T20:21:59.784+01:00

I have to disagree, am terribly excited about this. Am passionate lover of all things beauty but live in a part of the country (Not London) where you can't get brands like Nuxe or Dr Brandt anywhere. And I do mean anywhere. Not any of the above mentioned brands. Of course I can go online and look at these brands but I can't go and look at and touch the packaging or sniff testers and I know the vast majority of people I know in the real world won't have heard of any of these brands at all, and think this could be a great thing indeed because I have so many friends who would love these products! Outside of HUGE cities and the beauty world I think you'd be surprised how unavailable all these things are to ordinary folk!

Oh god. My mind is boggling to be honest. It's...

2012-05-27T20:11:40.263+01:00

Oh god. My mind is boggling to be honest. It's a fantastic informative post btw but I can't get my head round any of it really... I kind of go with the flow and see where it takes me (not very far as it happens)...

I guess I'll just continue pootling along in my own way... perhaps at some point I'm really going to have to get my head around all this... am amazed about the agents thing. Not because I find it shocking or wrong, but because I genuinely had no idea.

Thats me in a nutshell, clueless.

Thanks for such an honest insight Jane. I am one o...

2012-05-27T20:11:37.343+01:00

Thanks for such an honest insight Jane. I am one of those that daydreams about being in your shoes and must admit this post has really made me think twice! I'm just not sure that I could cope with that level of pressure were I lucky enough to be under it! ;)

Nic xx

I love your blog and your honesty and insight. I d...

2012-05-27T20:10:53.167+01:00

I love your blog and your honesty and insight. I don't mind bloggers making money from their readers as long as they are upfront about it and I appreciate hearing the challenges you face sometimes in maneuvering the rocky blogging landscape.

Blogging laid bare. Great post as usual, Jane. Som...

2012-05-27T19:45:15.269+01:00

Blogging laid bare. Great post as usual, Jane. Sometimes I get asked by people how to make money from it and I reply, it's very difficult. Like you, I didn't set out with this in mind but to write, honestly and with a degree of objective wit (saying things the mags won't) about fashion and beauty.

My blog is precious as it's an outlet and a brand I work hard on but some newbies seem to want everything too easily, instant celebrity and fortune without the graft, and, as is the truth, there's no easy route to this. I'd much rather have integrity and respect from my peers and readers who know I remain steadfastly honest than sell out or expect too much. To date, I'm keeping on keeping on. Here's to us!

Both Thalgo Ocea Sun and Thalgo's Bronzing Act...

2012-05-27T19:34:22.562+01:00

Both Thalgo Ocea Sun and Thalgo's Bronzing Activator are on my wishlist - I would like to gain some form of tan this year, no matter how slight!

I visited the High Street Ken store yesterday and ...

2012-05-27T19:06:07.386+01:00

I visited the High Street Ken store yesterday and liked the feel of the layout and seeing more niche brands available but agree that it would be nice to have brands that are not readily available.

I like the overall concept but agree with LBQ in that I would not immediately think of M&S having a beauty department of this nature so I wonder how they will get people to visit and how long will it be around? If they have interesting brands available I have no issue in adding M&S to my list of beauty retailers.

Chanel's, Dior's and Guerlain's Asia e...

2012-05-27T18:57:44.759+01:00

Chanel's, Dior's and Guerlain's Asia exclusive products can easily be ordered from Izzy's Beauty Shoppe

I've been thinking about going 'pro' f...

2012-05-27T18:55:47.962+01:00

I've been thinking about going 'pro' for a long while, but the troubles and pressures you describe you are dominated by are exactly the reasons why I don't think I could or should do it. If you are a blogger that does have enough stats, then yeah, why not, but it is SOOOO hard 'these days' to get to that level...

But one thing you describe, I find myself doing regardless of being or wanting to be pro or not - and that's almost only blogging about things that I think are interesting to my readers. But I think that's a natural thing to happen - you wanna 'reward' people for them spending time on your blog, so you wanna give them something interesting to read :)

Keep at it hunni, and good luck!! xxx

Pro blogging isn't for me. I already think tha...

2012-05-27T18:53:36.734+01:00

Pro blogging isn't for me. I already think that blogging as i am doing it now i taking over my life, never mind if i want it to pay for my cat's food as you said :P Part of me thinks also that as soon as something becomes your profession, then it loses in fun if this makes sense. i have yet to do a sponsored post, i'll be happy with an opportunity like that every now and then though x

Gorgeous. I hate Asian exclusives though, they'...

2012-05-27T18:46:43.900+01:00

Gorgeous. I hate Asian exclusives though, they're always so beautiful, but so hard to track down.

I started almost 2 years ago with the clear intent...

2012-05-27T18:34:31.133+01:00

I started almost 2 years ago with the clear intention of NOT becoming a commercial blogger. It cost me a lot - at times I even thought "Why the heck am I doing this?", but then, 100 followers isn't that bad, when youv'e decided to block all advertising.

I don't regret a thing as I have my faithful followers, I have people who come to me to ask me questions about a mascara or a lipstick, and most of all, I can sleep without bothering about stats. It's just that I want my blog to be as personal as a diary blog would be, and have only a handful of people really valuing my opinion.

You, bigger bloggers, are there to provide me with insights and stuff, and I'm really thankful there are people like you to take up all the pressure involved in pro-blogging :)

I love this post!! Really informative and very use...

2012-05-27T18:31:23.586+01:00

I love this post!! Really informative and very useful, as someone fairly new to the blogging world it's great to get a very honest perspective from some more experienced.
I must admit I'd love to make a living from blogging at some stage in my career but I really wouldn't know where to start. I've worked in IT for 10 years and feels scary at the thought of that much change!
I've also been guilty of being envious of other bloggers that maybe started around a similar time to me and you are so right, it doesn't do you any good. I try really hard to not let myself get jealous now and just concentrate on my posts and making them better.
X

I don't think of M&S as a beauty destinati...

2012-05-27T18:20:18.652+01:00

I don't think of M&S as a beauty destination and I can't see anyone going their with the intention of buying skincare or fragrance. I'm interested to see how it pans out - unless they invest a lot of money in pushing it to a mass audience and attempt to change shopping habits, I fear in 2 years time it will be no more.

I think there's too much of an expectation fro...

2012-05-27T18:18:00.287+01:00

I think there's too much of an expectation from up-and-comings (as I like to call them) that you can make a serious career solely from blogging. I was trying to work out in my head yesterday (following the conference you mention) what I'd have to do to jack my full-time job in to cover my salary and in all honesty, it scared the bejeezus out of me. I'd have to run a tonne of sponsored posts, spend the next year quadrupling my readership to generate more ad revenue, sign up with an agent to investigate other opps and freelance my arse off in an already saturated journalism market. I don't want the stress, hassle or pressure to support myself through something that's currently fun, but also that would completely change what my blog is today.

I was a little disappointed at the talk yesterday as the only route they spoke about to 'make a career out of blogging' was to affliate the hell out of your blog and sell a shedload of advertising. That's all utterly dependant upon readership, which to a room full of small/mid range bloggers (in size) just wasn't the right message. I think blogging can help open doors into various roles (PR, social media, marketing, online, writing) but it's not a miracle way to a pot of money at the end of a rainbow. There's a reason very few have 'made it' as a pro-blogger, the same way there's only a few ridiculously successful entrepreneurs in this world.

I'm currently trialing the Oenobiol sun supple...

2012-05-27T16:14:29.982+01:00

I'm currently trialing the Oenobiol sun supplements. Cannot wait to get a tan without having to bake for hours. Protects the skin yet enhances any tanning, even with high SPF.

Perfect for me who doesn't do the spit roast at the beach.

love the blush compact would buy this

2012-05-27T12:27:25.610+01:00

love the blush compact would buy this

Such a beautiful range. The bronzer is exquisite! ...

2012-05-27T12:22:49.623+01:00

Such a beautiful range. The bronzer is exquisite!

Nic x

www.strawberryblondebeauty.com

Liking the sound of these. Am also keen to try the...

2012-05-27T12:20:27.100+01:00

Liking the sound of these. Am also keen to try the Institute Esthiderm have heard si much praise for it.

Nic x

www.strawberryblondebeauty.com