Hi Paisley! What’s the name of your blog?
Paisley Simmons.
Where are you from?
Raleigh, NC.
Tell us a little bit more about you and your blog, Paisley Simmons.
My blog has been around for several years – four to be exact! She has been several different names and changed several different times to focus on an array of topics. In 2019 I completed rebranded to a self-titled lifestyle hub focusing on pop-culture, women’s issues, and the millennial experience.
How many years have you been blogging at Paisley Simmons?
4 years!
Give us your best tip to staying on top of the blog/work/life balance?
WRITE THINGS DOWN! Whether you’re a notes app kinda girl, planners with color coded stickers, or a sticky note lunatic (that’s me!), it is always helpful to write things down – yes, even the social things! Though the brain is an amazing muscle, we all fall short to forgetting things at times; especially when there’s lots going on. There is no better way to make sure you are hitting the mark every time than when your tasks are right in front of you.
Fill in the blank. What people don’t realize about blogging is….
it is not one size fits all! Having a pretty website and a multi-thousand count following doesn’t make one any more of a blogger than someone utilizing different resources.
What are three things you wish you knew about blogging before you started?
- I don’t have to write about what your blogger peers are writing about.
- My website (or blogging platform hub page) can look like whatever you want it to look like! Stop trying to fit your story and your brand image into the lines of someone else’s.
- What is for me will always be for me! Congratulate your peers for securing brand deals, campaigns, and achieving high-level interaction. Yours is coming!
What’s your favorite WordPress plugin?
Email subscribers! I’m a sucker for a good newsletter and email nurture campaign.
What skills and qualities do you think are necessary for a successful and professional blogger?
Not only quality content, but relatable content. I believe success is measured by how many people you move and inspire. If your readers cannot relate to the content you are working hard to pump out, they won’t be your readers for long.
What has blogging taught you/given you that no other career or job has before?
Blogging has taught me a sense of freedom that no other job (thus far) has afforded me. Being my own boss and having the autonomy to make split decisions when needed is a love like no other. Aside from freedom, blogging has taught me a ton about patience and diligence. Just do the work!
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out in the blog world?
One piece of advice I’d give to a new blogger is: play by your own rules. Sure, it’s super helpful to connect with blogger babes from all over the world and from different content specialties than you, but create YOUR lane for YOU. Decide what you want to say to the world and why it’s important that you are the one saying it. And don’t ever ever ever compromise on what you want to say.
Is there an app or business tool that you swear by?
This may be old school, but I still swear by GSuite. I write most (if not all) of my blog posts by hand in my notebook, then draft them in Google Docs and THEN move them over to their respective platforms.
What is your main focus, blog or Instagram?
Blog.
What makes your brand different than other bloggers?
My brand is different from other bloggers because I focus on authenticity. I don’t always get pampered, find a cute coffee shop, get content shots and then use it for my blog. I don’t always hire a photographer to follow me around for “content days”. My brand is rooted in relatability and allowing people to see that the title “blogger” doesn’t mean just one thing.
What topic do you most enjoy writing about?
Women’s issues and the millennial experience, for sure.
What would your dream partnership look like?
My dream partnership would be with a well-known publication (read: Buzzfeed, Refinery29, HuffPost, etc.) being added to their go-to list of freelancers. I would love to write about the very same topics that I am currently well-versed in – with preference being women’s issues – to a larger audience. The above-mentioned pubs, and like-pubs, would be an absolute dream to work with!
A current blogging goal you are working on?
I’m working on being more consistent in my posting schedule and monetizing my writing.
What does a typical workday for you look like?
A typical work day for me looks like going through my current drafts and deciding which posts are going to go live and in which order. This decision is based off of brand cohesion and flow, as well as outside influences. All of this while simultaneously creating content for the other brands I work with and pitching stories to potential partners!
What’s your most recent WIN with your blog?
My most recent win with my blog was getting published on Medium!
What is one thing in the blogging industry that frustrates you that you wish you could change?
The disproportionate opportunity and pay rate of writers of color.
How has your content changed since you first started blogging at Paisley Simmons?
Tremendously! My blog started out as a fashion blog in 2016. Now, in 2020 I have stayed away from fashion content (for now) and focused on lifestyle topics. I’ve found that my readers, old and new, get way more out of my content change.
What’s your guilty pleasure TV show?
The Office. Does that count as guilty pleasure? If not, Married At First Sight!
What’s your Starbucks order?
Venti caramel macchiato or chai latte. I’ll take that hot or iced. Surprise me!
