Hi Amanda! What’s the name of your blog?
Tell us a little bit more about you and your blog, Sequins & Sales
Sequins and Sales is an affordable Fashion + Lifestyle blog for the millennial woman on-the-go! I love serving the world by providing the best fashion tips, lifestyle hacks, and travel advice through my own lens.
Give us your best tip to staying on top of the blog, work, life balance?
If you know how to do this, please let me know (haha)! This is something I struggle with every single day. It’s hard to balance working + blogging and still making time for things. I try to make sure I have at least ~most~ of one day off a week.
Fill in the blank. What people don’t realize about blogging is….
How much time and energy goes into it! I work full-time in e-Commerce and also full-time with my blog!
What are three things you wish you knew about blogging before you started?
- How to successfully use SEO on my site.
- Why you need to have a blog host.
- What to know if you want to monetize your blog.
What’s your favorite WordPress plugin?
Pin-It! It gives me a small little Pinterest save button in the top corner of each image on my blog.
What skills and qualities do you think are necessary for a successful and professional blogger?
Passion, Perseverance, and Authenticity. All three are so necessary to run a website. You need to have the passion to create your brand, grow your following, and share that with the world. You also need perseverance because there are times where it gets HARD. I was frustrated that I wasn’t seeing growth and then realized my Google Analytics code was wrong! There are high times and low times just with everything else. Authenticity is also key because without it you have NOTHING!
What has blogging given you that no other career or job has before?
A community! In most of my corporate jobs and internships, I was one of the only Black people/women of color on my teams. I’ve met so many bloggers of color who are all as amazing and passionate as I am!
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out in the blog world?
Make sure to look up resources other bloggers share! I have sooo many posts to help newbies and I know other bloggers do as well.
Is there an app or business tool that you swear by?
Canva! I use it to create Pinterest pins, gift guides, product roundups, etc.
What is your main focus, blog or Instagram?
What makes your brand different than other bloggers?
I think my authenticity sets me apart. I’m not afraid to talk about social issues, anxiety, and just regular life struggles! I also crave being able to share tips with people so I’m always doing that.
What topic do you most enjoy writing about?
Fashion – I have a Fashion Merchandising degree and taught myself how to sew when I was 14! It’s been a passion of mine for as long as I remember.
What would your dream partnership look like?
Target – I would love to work with their Who What Wear collection! As a teen it was affordable version of the designer clothing I loved. I’d love to partner with them and showcase multiple dresses and accessories and wear them around Atlanta!
What is a current blogging goal you are working on?
My currently blogging goal is to hit 25,000 sessions on my blog so I can apply to Mediavine! I got 20,700 last month so I’m getting close.
What does a typical work day for you look like?
On a weekday I usually work from around 8am-5pm. Then I work out, eat dinner, and start working on my blog! I usually spend 4-5 hours on a weekday working on my blog and 8-10 hours on the weekend.
We love to celebrate WINS. What’s your most recent WIN with your blog?
Hitting 20K sessions on my blog! I FINALLY correctly set up Google Analytics on my blog at the end of April and saw a 4-5x traffic increase in just one month.
What is one thing in the blogging industry that frustrates you that you wish you could change?
The lack of diversity brands share on social media and in their marketing. It’s something I wrote about in 2019 and it’s still an issue to this day! I also hate when bloggers/influencers buy likes and/or followers. It’s very obvious but not as much to brands which means they still get collaborations.
How has your content changed since you first started blogging?
I first started sharing thrifted transformations, clothes that I made myself, and DIY’s! Now I’ve moved into more fashion, home decor, lifestyle, and travel. I also share blogging tips I’ve learned along the way!
What’s your guilty pleasure TV show?
New Girl.
What do you have on for background noise when working?
TV or music.
What’s your favorite blogging memory or highlight?
I won the Fashion Influencer of the Year award through InfluenceHer Collective and was flown to LA to accept the award!
What’s your go to Starbucks order?
Pink Drink.
If you could do brunch with any blogger, who it would it be?
Officially Quigley
