Hi Becky! What’s the name of your blog.
Where are you from?
Savannah, Georgia.
Tell us a little bit more about you and your blog, Becky Thomason.
I am a thirty-something communications director who used the pandemic to make lemonade out of lemons. I used time found during social distancing to create a personal blog. I consider myself a lifestyle blogger, focusing primarily on my life and activities in my hometown of Savannah, Georgia with some travel thrown in for fun.
Give us your best tip to staying on top of the blog/work/life balance?
Write about things you love, especially if your blog is a passion project. Writing what you think you should be writing versus what you enjoy about makes juggling blogging/work/life more difficult. Also, keep your partner included on what you’re up to. Even though I haven’t been at this long, my husband’s support means a lot on low days and encourages me to keep pushing.
Fill in the blank. What people don’t realize about blogging is….
How much goes on behind the scenes. A fashion/food/lifestyle blog is so much more than what you see on the surface.
What are three things you wish you knew about blogging before you started?
Create some content prior to launching instead of producing it week to week. It will save you on busy weeks when you are balancing blog responsibilities with life!
What skills and qualities do you think are necessary for a successful and professional blogger?
Storytelling and “an eye.” I think of the bloggers who I have followed for years and the reason I’ve stuck around most often is because of their voice. It’s something I constantly work on —to let a little bit more of myself shine through in my posts instead of just the facts. I want to meet people and make friends doing this!
I say “an eye” as in “an eye for aesthetics” because for me to take a blog seriously it has to be visually appealing— not just the blog pages, but the photos, the layout. It should all feel cohesive.
I’ll add being genuine. I don’t want to read a post that has an exclamation point at the end of every sentence or some vague unrelated caption just so you they can post a picture with an affiliate link.
What has blogging taught you/given you that no other career or job has before?
I’m empowered knowing I can do this on my own. I built my site from the ground up. I take my own photos (with the exception of an odd stock image here or there.) I write my own posts. There’s something powerful about knowing you can figure these new (and sometimes complicated) things out. Also, the variety of things I’ve learned along the way…web design, photography, SEO, graphic design…the list goes on and on.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out in the blog world?
Don’t stop. Don’t succumb to analysis paralysis. Keep plugging until you find what works for you and for your blog. I tell myself this weekly, ha.
What topic do you most enjoy writing about?
Local businesses and activities in my hometown (Savannah, Georgia) and travel/weekend getaways.
What does a typical work day for you look like? Whether you’re a full time blogger or not, we’d love to learn what your schedule looks like and how you manage it all.
I work as the Director of Communication for a private school. I get to work at 8 am and I get off at 4:30. My daily tasks include social media, school photography, video creation, email communications, graphic design, signage— I wear a lot of hats! I try to take 10 minutes each morning before the day starts to write ANYTHING blog related, just to stay in the habit—some great ideas have actually come from this. Sometimes I’ll take a few minutes to write for my personal blog during lunch, but for the most part I am working on it between the hours of 5 and 7 pm or on Saturdays. I keep a running list of ideas in my Google Notes app that I refer to often.
What would your dream partnership look like? From the brand, the content, all of it! Dream up your perfect collaboration.
We’re planning a trip to NYC right now for December, so it’s on my brain. I think a partnership with a boutique hotel in a city like NYC with an itinerary of fun activities, places to eat, shop, etc. would be amazing. I’d even love to do something like this in the form of a staycation here in my hometown.
What’s your most recent WIN with your blog?
Finally being accepted to affiliate program sites for brands I really love and respect— specifically, Lo and Sons. I know that being accepted doesn’t mean I’ve earned anything yet, but it does feel like validation that I’m doing the right things.
What is one thing in the blogging industry that frustrates you that you wish you could change?
There are a lot of cliques among bloggers and I find that a little difficult to break in to. There are also a lot of people pushing products just for a buck, instead of seeking out quality partnerships for products and companies they are proud to represent.
How has your content changed since you first started blogging?
I feel like I’ve realized what I enjoy the most and where my time is best spent.
What’s your favorite blogging memory or highlight?
I reviewed a local business who reached out to me to thank you for such a nice review. I had not contacted this person to let them know I was writing the post, I think they received the pingback when I linked to their website. He was genuinely grateful for the kind review that I mean every word of and it was a post that I put a lot of effort into. It was very gratifying.
