Proven blogging tips, content creation strategies, and writing advice for rural and equestrian business owners. Learn how to plan, write, and optimize blog posts that attract readers, build authority, and drive consistent organic traffic to your website.

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Are you a blogger or an influencer? Or both?

are you a blogger or an influencer?Are you a blogger or an influencer? They’re the same, aren’t they? Well no, no they’re not. You can be an influencer and a blogger, just a blogger, or just an influencer… here I hope to explain the difference. Not only is this blog for you if you’re not quite sure which category you fall into, but for brands too.

This blog was inspired by Haynet’s podcast, episode eight, which was hosted by the lovely Sam Hobden, owner and founder of Haynet. Listen to her ‘what makes a blogger an influencer’ podcast.

Are you a blogger or an influencer?

If you’re a blogger in the purest sense, you write a blog, which is an online written ‘log’. The term ‘blog’ came from the phrase weblog if that makes the word make a bit more sense. A blog can take many forms but blogs are generally informal and chatty in style. Blogs vary hugely in content, depending on the writer or objective.

Now, many influencers have a blog, but that’s not necessarily what earns them their title as influencer. An influencer is essentially someone who has influencer over others. Not in a weird or bad way, let’s just be clear. When people put a lot of time and effort into their social media, their audience (usually) grows, and this audience is usually engaged with the influencer. Let’s call the influencer Charlotte. So let’s imagine that Charlotte has grown an audience of 11k on Instagram. She takes pics of beautiful countryside things and gets lots of engagement on her feed. People ask her where they can buy what she’s wearing, or what she thinks about x’s new range, or the best place to visit in a certain county for country things. Charlotte is an influencer. She might have a blog. Her influence could be limited to a specific platform (like Instagram) or more widespread. She could have a blog too and use that to help support her influencer status. If she wants to. But she doesn’t have to.

How do you know if you’re an influencer or a blogger?

In simple terms, if your following engage with you and ask you for advice, ideas, buy things that you’re talking about or wearing, you’re an influencer. Because something you have done or said has influenced them. Or even they see you as such an authority that people reach out to you and ask you your opinion. If that’s you, you’re an influencer.

If you write beautiful blogs about your adventures as a creative outlet, just for you, you’re a blogger.

Or you can be both, if you write blogs about products, services, looks, etc that people read and absorb… and then take action on.

Don’t forget to have a listen to Haynet’s podcast about bloggers and influencers for more infroamtion.

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My best business books from 2017

Business booksYou might have realised that I have a bit of a thing for reading business books. Well, it’s more than reading, it’s learning in general. I really do believe that every day is a school day, and whether that’s the lessons you learn through reading or doing. In my role as an equestrian and country business coach, I am constantly learning and testing things for my clients. And in my role as a country and equestrian PR and marketing consultant, I am applying what I have learnt and putting my money where my mouth is. Because I believe than in order to teach, you need to do… but that’s a whole different blog.

How does reading help?

One way I continue to upskill is through reading. This might be blogs and articles online and in print, but it’s also books. I know that many people have Kindles and iBooks… and I do have both these apps, but I have to say a ‘proper’ book works best for me. I like turning the pages. I like putting the bookmark in or turning corners. I just like real books.

Now, not all business books are created equal, and as I write this I am deciding whether I have got all I need out of a book I am currently reading and whether it’s time to move on. I believe books should educate, of course, but I do also want to feel uplifted and inspired by a book. So, with this in mind here are my top 9 business books from 2017

Top 9 business books from 2017

  1. The Million Dollar Blog – Natasha Courtenay-Smith. I recommend this to anyone who asks me about blogging. Yes, some people have done incredibly well financially from blogging, and while this book definitely does cover this aspect, it’s inspirational and educational for anyone writing a blog. Whether you’re a seasoned blogger looking for a kick up the backside or you’re on the first step of your blogging journey GET THE BOOK. It’s a good one.
  2. She Means Business – Carrie Green. This is a very different animal to any other book on this list, but as I enjoyed it and a lot of people I work with love it, so it had to get a mention. Carrie Green is the founder of the Female Entrepreneur Association and has managed to build a really decent empire and income from helping others via FEA. In this book, she talks about how she got there and build this empire. But it’s more than that. It’s hugely motivating and inspirational. Even if you don’t apply every single thing Carrie talks about in the book, I defy you not to feel like you can take on the world after you’ve read it.
  3. Brand Brilliance – Fiona Humberstone. I do love branding and the process. I blame the fact that when I was marketing manager at a big equestrian company, I worked very closely with the graphic design team and created branding for new collections, POS, packaging, ads, copy and more as part of my job. Making sure what was created was ‘on brand’ was essential and became something I valued in every decision I made. Because branding doesn’t stop at a logo. It’s in a brand’s every fibre. When I see a slightly wrong shade for a brand, it annoys me. When I see an image that is ‘off brand’, I wonder what the thought process was there. When I spot that an incorrect font has been used for something, it bothers me. I could go on, but we’ve all got lives to lead(!). Fiona Humberstone, aka The Brand Stylist, is incredible. She’s gets right under the skin of brands from the start, from the season your brand is through to the finer detail. And more than that, this book is a flipping work of art. It’s probably the most expensive on this list but it’s a thing of beauty.
  4. AskGaryVee – Gary Vaynerchuk. This, along with Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, The Thank You Economy and Crush It are an education in social media, marketing, PR and how the world can work for you. Gary is a slightly outspoke American entrepreneur who I have a bit of a thing for. His brain and the way he processes information is genuinely incredible, and the fact he can then communication this in a way that’s easy to understand is something else. Not only a brand in his own right, Gary’s also behind a range of companies including Vaynermedia, and started his assent to greatness on YouTube, talking about wine. And anyone who knows their drinks that well gets my vote. This book is based around the popular #AskGaryVee show, which you can watch for free, but it’s the filtered version. And I liked that.
  5. Your Press Release Is Breaking My Heart – Janet Murray. Having been involved in country and equestrian PR and marketing for quite a while now, you might think a book about press releases breaking people’s hearts would not feature on my list. But you’d be wrong. I still wholeheartedly believe in the humble press release (when done correctly, for the right reasons and when you’ve put in a lot of leg work… there are many caveats!) but it breaks my heart too when I see them used incorrectly. Why? Because they will not yield results. Sending an editor you have never even exchanged an email with your life story is not going to win you any fans. And paying someone to bother that editor is a double kick in the face. PR and marketing is often thought of as a dark art and I couldn’t disagree more. It’s actually very, very straightforward. And this book helps promote this message.
  6. Lucky Bitch – Denise Duffield Thomas. I have read both of Denise’s books and found them both brilliant. They’re very mindset focused but also, again, very logical with very actionable ideas that you could apply to your life NOW that would make a difference to you and your business. It starts when Denise decided she was going to travel the world for six months and how she actually managed to do this, and be paid to do it, with her husband. It wasn’t luck, it was down to hard work, the most positive of positive mental attitudes and a lot of thought. It’s another one that’s easy (and nice) to read, so I would definitely recommend both of her books.
  7. Eat That Frog – Brian Tracy. If you’re a bit of a procrastinator, find your to do list leaves you unmotivated and you spend too little time on the things that make the biggest difference, I’m going to tell you to Eat That Frog. Well, I’m not actually. I’m going to tell you to buy the book. The advice given is, in many ways, stating the absolute obvious BUT it’s great to understand more about the process and why. And it works. The book cost me under £3 on Amazon (I did have to add P&P), so it was a complete bargain too.
  8. They Ask You Answer- Marcus Sheridan. An ode to the power of content marketing if ever there was one. Marcus managed to transform the fate of his company using the power of content marketing. And I have to say that I personally believe in the power of this more than most. Being able to speak freely, to put your story out there, to help you get on the elusive front page of Google, and answer the questions people are desperate to know the answers to for free is  big deal. And the for free bit – yep – it does take time and energy but you can do it yourself and the cost to have a go is zero. And, what’s more, it’s not a one hit wonder, it’ll keep churning away for you in the background for as long as it’s there. As Marcus explains.
  9. Pig Wrestling – Pete Lindsay. This business book is genius… but read it twice. It explains how to deal with issues (your pig) in a very interesting and logical way, and it explains this through telling a story. Yep. About a pig in a pen. I’d actually forgotten how much I loved this book until I saw it on my Amazon history, and I will be digging it out for a re-read. Turn problem solving on its head with this one.

There are many good business books out there, and a number I have read and enjoyed that didn’t make this blog, but I would love to know which business books you think I’ve missed? What has been your best business book from 2017?

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Why I stopped vlogging (and why I am pleased I did it!)

why i stopped vloggingYou may remember a little while ago, I decided that I was going to produce a weekly vlog. And I did it for a while. But a few weeks ago I called time on it, and I wanted to tell you why. Not because I think vlogs are ‘over’ or old, far from it. I’m a huge fan of vlogs and would rather watch these on Youtube than the rubbish that appears on my TV screen but, for me, it wasn’t working. Here, I’m going to tell you why I started vlogging, why I stopped vlogging, and what I learnt… so you can learn from my experiences.

Why did I start vlogging?

Well, I love a vlog. And I love video. And as with all things I like to have a go. I find this useful because, for my coaching and PR clients, I like to have been there and got the t-shirt before I advise or suggest things. And nothing works better than actually doing it. I have an iPhone 7 plus, so I had the tech (or, at least, tech that was more than capable of the job), my husband edits videos… so I was all set up.

And what did I learn through vlogging?

Well, a lot! In order to make 10, or even 15 minutes of interesting content each week, you have to do a lot of recordable things. This posed a problem for me. With my coaching, I couldn’t record what I was doing due to client confidentiality, so that was that scuppered. I spend a lot of my time writing and planning… and that’s dull to watch. I spend a LOT of time organising my toddlers (well, I say organising… more like managing!!), and I’m not happy filming them (that’s another blog I need to write!!). So what does that leave me with? Walking the dog? Dealing with the horses? OK- not the worst content in the world, but I felt I was majorly lacking on sharable content. So I guess that was the first thing I learnt. You need to be doing a lot of interesting, sharable stuff to vlog.

Next thing I learn was the need for good light and sound. I know this is important because of the other videos I create, but many a time I had to delete a decent vlog clip because I filmed it when I was walking the dog and there was a slight breeze that really messed with the microphone.

I also learnt that it is incredibly time consuming… and I don’t even edit my own videos. The filming takes a long time, the checking, the Youtube element, the promoting. It took a long time.

Because of the time it took, the other, more informative videos I make fell by the wayside. And I didn’t like this. The instructional and informative videos add more value to my brand and to my clients and following. And it felt a bit frivolous to abandon that in favour of this.

I also learnt that I need to be careful how I spend my time. It’s good to try new things, but also being able to say ‘it’s great but it just isn’t for me’ is also a really important thing. You have to try things to make them ‘break’, or find out if they work for you.

And I learnt a HUGE amount that I have passed and can pass onto my clients if they want to have a go at vlogging or creating more casual videos. And that’s worth its weight in gold.

Do I regret vlogging?

Absolutely not. I might revisit is again in the future – you know – if I get more interesting(!). No, in all seriousness, I don’t regret it for a second and I have learnt a huge amount that I am sharing with clients all the time. I also think that increasing popularity in Instagram Stories made the decision to shelve vlogging a lot easier, because that’s kind of a daily vlog anyway. Well, for me it is. And as I say, I might well vlog again in the future, Vlogging can have MASSIVE value for the right people and the right businesses. People have made their fortunes through them, have gained clients through them and a lot more too. I had plenty of lovely comments on my vlogs, and I did actually attract clients and enquiries through them, but they didn’t feel right for me at this time. But I would encourage EVERYONE to have a go.

You can see my vlogs over on my Youtube channel. I hope you enjoy them.

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I’ll blog when I have business

I'll blog when I have a businessA few weeks ago, I was chatting to someone about their business. They had big plans and great ideas, but a line that they said had me confused. And that was a line about blogging. And when they were going to start blogging.

See, part of their marketing plan was to use their blog. I liked that. It ticked my content marketing box. The thing that I queried was when they were planning to put the time into blogging. And that was when their business had become a success. Not before. The line ‘I’ll blog when I have a business’ stuck with me. I didn’t really get it. Here’s why.

Let’s look at why we blog

There are plenty of reasons to start a blog. I mean, I could rattle a load off to you now. SEO, brand awareness, social media content, exclusive content, thought leadership, promotion, etc. etc. etc. All of these elements work for established business. I have absolutely no doubt about this – they’re one of the reasons why I put so much time and effort into blogging and why it’s an important part of my marketing strategy. But do you think that all these things could also help new businesses? Yep. I do too.

Another major perk of blogging

Another major bonus of blogging against other forms of marketing is the cost of entry. That would be zero. You can get a blog on a platform like WordPress for £0 if you’re happy to have wordpress in the URL, and we’re talking pounds if you aren’t. So, something that is FREE, that can allow people – customers, partners, collaborators and more- to find out more about you, and it goes to the bottom of the pile? See… I just don’t get that.

I get that blogging can be tricky

I understand that some people struggle with blogging. In fact, I’ve written an article all about it and ways to help overcome some of the common issues. I also understand that some people will never ever ever blog. That’s fine too. It’s not something I would advise or suggest (as in, I think everyone should blog), but that’s fine. Everyone has their own beliefs and quirks. But if you’re looking to integrate blogging into your marketing plan in the future to help promote your business, then please PLEASE consider starting sooner rather than later. As you get busier, your time will be more stretched, especially as your business grows, and blogging might find itself at the bottom of your list. But what if you could put in some of the legwork now, when you have more time, and have this content continuing to generate leads and interest now and in the future? If you’re new to your business and you’re trying to build one, and blogging is part of your plan for the future, then I would really really urge you to consider starting it now. It could help you to reach where you want to be quicker at the same time as helping to support you moving forward.

How I embraced blogging

I’d blogged for clients for a long time, but my own blog got knocked to the bottom of the list for a long time. I know. Pretty shameful given my line of work. I was determined to do a better job, so I decided, in my infinite wisdom(!) that writing a blog every day for 40 days was a good idea. Yep – I doubt my sanity sometimes too. However, it was the ‘baptism of fire’ that I needed and I really haven’t looked back since. I would urge you to try blogging, You don’t need to do one a day, or even one a week, but start. Write something relevant and authentic, promote it, and see where it leads. And keep doing that over and over again. And if you’re stuck, I have some blogs that might help you…

End of the 40 day blogging challenge

How dictation software can make blogging a whole lot easier

Should you bother with a blog?

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Have you heard the new Haynet Podcast?

Haynet PodcastHave you heard the new Haynet Podcast? I’m delighted to say that I’m working with Sam, the lady behind Haynet, on this, and we have a cracking series in store…

What’s Haynet?

Haynet is a lovely website that, when it started, really helped to bring blogging to the equestrian and country sector. Following a slight tweak in focus this month, Haynet is now helping to promote bloggers through the #horsebloggers hashtag, utilising strong social media networks, and is also working on new ideas as well as its existing Equestrian Blogger of The Year and Country Style Blogger of the Year awards. And you can find out more about Sam here – she was kind enough to take part in my ‘a few minutes with’ feature too.

What’s the Haynet Podcast?

The Haynet Podcast is a way to help support the country and equestrian industry through providing informative podcasts that people can listen to when they’re at the stables, walking the dog, driving – well, just any time they’d put on a podcast and escape to another world!

The first podcast is hosted by yours truly and addresses this question: ‘Is the equestrian industry in better shape than five years age?’. This was a question set by Sam and it did get my mind whirling. I mean, I know what I think based on what I’ve seen and how my business has gone, but I did also do a bit of research into the facts and figures surrounding this. If you’re interested in what I had to say, please have a listen here. And I’d love to know what you think too. Do you think the equestrian industry is in better haynet podcastshape than it was five years ago? How do you think it’s changed?

Coming up next on the Haynet Podcast

The idea of the Haynet Podcast is that each episode will end with a question, and one that myself or Sam will answer in the next episode. She’s already set mine (yes, I need to get on and record that pronto!), but I am more excited to hear how Sam tackles the one I asked last time: ‘what is the best platform to start blogging?’. I’m really looking forward to Sam’s response on this, and also the feedback it gets from the equestrian and country bloggers that follow her and the podcast. I wonder what she’ll say…

To listen to the Haynet Podcast, follow this link, and don’t forget to follow Haynet’s social media channels to keep up to date with the #horsebloggers hashtag and future episodes of the podcast. Enjoy 🙂

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Why I love… The Million Dollar Blog

The Million Dollar BlogWhen I started my 40 day blogging challenge (yeah.. that happened… and you can read more about it here), I did it because I wanted to really throw myself into blogging and make myself sit it out. To experience the trials and tribulations that my lovely coaching clients do, to help my SEO… and because, when all is said and done, I do really like writing. And I have done a LOT over the years for other brands. And although I continue to… it was nice to write a bit for my own website which, until the blogging challenge started, was definitely neglected. OK. You could say ever so slightly feral. But let’s not think too much about that…

So what changed?

I threw myself into the 40 day blogging challenge because I knew the power of blogging, and I knew what I could do. I knew of many 30 day blogging challenge, but for some reason unknown to me, I looked at the 30 day blogging challenge, and I decided that 40 would be more fun? Yes. A blog a day, each day, for 40 days.

How did the blogging challenge go?

It was good. I enjoyed it and still blog three times a week. But I got a whole heap more inspired too.

So what’s The Million Dollar Blog?

It’s a really, really good book that I recommend to anyone looking to get into blogging. It’s written by Natasha Courtenay-Smith, it’s well written and easy to read. Despite the name, it’s not about making million of pounds from blogging. Well, I suppose it is about making money from blogging, but not necessarily as you think. Anyway, money aside, it’s a really, really inspirational and interesting book that looks at the power of blogging. The people I’ve recommended it to (and there have been many) have all purchased and enjoyed it. Even pro-bloggers get something out of the pages – even if it just helps to keep the enthusiasm burning… and sometimes you can feel like no one is reading… but that’s not the point. People won’t read at first. But that’s OK. It takes time to build a following but by God it’s worth it.

Is The Million Dollar Blog any use for small businesses?

Yes. I firmly believed in the power of blogging for business before, and after reading The Million Dollar Blog book I am even more committed. Blogging for business is a superb way to show your expertise, reach potential clients, share a bit of you, create sharable content and improve your SEO too. And it’s free. This kind of content marketing is something you can undertake for your small business. You just need to start. Start creating content around things that matter to your customers and your business. Let Google find you. Share your content on your social platforms and you’ll be amazed at the power your blog could have.

So should you buy The Million Dollar Blog? Isn’t blogging the way forward?

If you’re even a teeny weeny bit interested in blogging, from a personal point of view or a business point of view. Then yes, buy the book. It’s great. And if you aren’t interested in blogging and don’t really get why you need to bother, you should buy the book too. Because you will be after.

Yes, vlogging and video is the way forward. It’s massive now and it’s getting bigger. I say this a good few times a week. But video content works in a very different way to written content. It’s massive on social and is predicted to continue it’s rise, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect the other areas. Even if you blog around your video content, for example, it will help improve your SEO… it’s important, Honest.

To find out more about The Million Dollar Blog, have a look on Amazon – that’s where I got it from…

Would you like to win a copy? Pop on over to my Instagram or Facebook page and find out how to enter!

 

 

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Why I love… why the new blog series

Why I love... my new blog seriesI’ve been trying to think of a way to share with you the numerous gems I come across in my travels… because I am lucky to find a lot. This might be a book (and I read a lot), or a podcast, or a gorgeous bit of stationary or maybe something even more special in terms of a stunning or clever product that I’ve bought, been given or have helped to promote. I promise that everything in the ‘why I love’ series will be something that I genuinely love. I do get to see a lot of lovely products in my equestrian and country PR and marketing role for a couple of key brands, and even more in my business coach role, but I want to give you my take on some of my top finds in this blog series. It might seem self indulgent and that really isn’t the intention. And I’ll explain my reasoning…

Why I want to share what I find with you

You know those people who find something extraordinary and then hide or keep it to themselves? One of my children is currently going through this phase with small rocks and acorns. You see his face light up when he uncovers a dirt encrusted rock and he’s delighted… and then you see the sneaky little devil go and stash it in the seat of his push along quad thingy or the hole that the parasol fits down on his sandpit. Why? Because he’s not too keen on me, his Dad or his brother touching, looking at or finding out about his ‘precious’. He’s really into rocks. Anyway, I’m pleased to say that the things I get excited about are ever so slightly more useful that rocks or acorns (well, to adult humans anyway), and I like to share. If it’s a resource I have found that has helped me learn something, I want to share it with people I think will benefit. If it’s a lovely ‘thing’, well, I just like to share the knowledge of things I have found, bought and adore with people I think will love them too. And if it’s a client product that’s jaw droppingly gorgeous, well, I really, really want to tell people about that. I know it’s sad cliche and everyone says it, but that thing about raising others up and helping them progress and improve? Yeah. I’m all in on that score. And I also really like it when people tell me about brilliant things that they have found that  they think I might like. Recommendation for someone you know and trust is a big thing for me, so I am extending that to you. Equally, I would LOVE to hear about things you recommend. I am planning to cover one ‘thing’ in each post, and anything connected to that thing that you would recommend would be brilliant.

Will be be all business things?

Nope. There will be a good amount of things I love that are connected to business. I have a vice for business books and have a collection that could rival Amazon, and there are lots of other lovely business-y things I do like from Apps and software to podcasts and other businesses… but I also love well made products with a story, brands with a heart and the brilliant people behind them. I find the detail and design of some products completely amazing and I find it equally gutting when no one knows the story behind why something is as it is. So I have adopted the role for the things I love. To share with you why they’re special and why I love them.

So, that’s it – the reason behind the ‘why I love…’ series. And if you have something you think I’ll love, or know of something you think it right up my street or could be of benefit to my clients, friends, Small & Supercharged VIPers and more, Well, I would love to hear from you.

Stay tuned for the first one next week… I just thought giving you an explanation to the thought process was a good idea. I’ve been struggling with the Monday blog theme for a while now, but I am hoping that this ticks all the boxes. Here’s to ‘why I love’. I hope you love it too.

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Blogstars – Harriet Edwards – A Girl About Country

Harriet EdwardsBlogstars – the occasional series I run on here looking at some superb bloggers that have caught my eye – is back… and what I treat I have for you… it’s only A Girl About Country, aka Harriet Edwards!

I have the pleasure of knowing Harriet as she’s a brand ambassador for Hiho Silver, but she also works with a number of brands I have connections with and adore. Her style is just superb, her blogs are well written and interesting, she’s a proper country girl and, you know what else? She is so flipping lovely! I met Harriet properly at Badminton Horse Trials this year and she’s even more lovely in the flesh (and, let’s be clear, she’s always been a delight). Actually, it was her influence that MADE me add to my Fairfax & Favor collection. OK. She didn’t make me. She actually offered some really good advice to help me pick the right colour Drivers and told me how and when she wore hers, and that made me think about how I could wear them too. So I bought. Anyway, I digress… here’s Blogstars…

What made you start blogging?

Honestly, I think it has to be attributed to my shopping addiction! I’ve always been very passionate about style and more specifically country style. The countryside is my home but just because you need to wear practical clothes it doesn’t mean they can’t be stylish too. A perfect example of this combination of practicality and classic style is Fairfax & Favor – needless to say a good few years ago I fell in love and started my collection. It quickly expanded and through sharing my pictures of their gorgeous products I was encouraged by the guys at Fairfax & Favor to start a blog. I laughed it off at first – I’m not great with technology, but came round to the idea and the rest, as they say, is history!

A Girl About Country British Polo GinHow do you measure the success of A Girl About Country?

My blog is very much a hobby. I have a very stressful and somewhat scientific full time job that keeps me busy, so blogging is an outlet for me. That means that my idea of success is probably different to those who blog full time. For me, the success is knowing that what I have said or shared has made a difference to someone else or that they enjoyed reading what I have written. The first few times I wrote a post (and to some extent even now), I would feel a little bit nauseous at the thought that no one would bother to read what I had spent hours agonising over. The biggest measure of success for me has to be hearing from my followers that I have inspired them to try something new – the one I’ll remember most is a lovely lady who contacted me after reading my post on the Femmes Fatales (an all ladies shooting club), she had never even picked up a shotgun before but was inspired to give it a go after reading my post and now she’s a regular at their events!

Tell us about the post you’ve most enjoyed writing/has been best received for A Girl About Country

The blogs I’ve enjoyed writing the most are also the ones that I invariably feel most nervous about releasing into the world. The one’s that open my life and my choices up for criticism which actually makes me feel quite vulnerable but at the same time I feel so passionate about that particular subject that I really want to put my point of view on the table. The post that I believe has been best received was one of these blogs – it was an account of my first experience game shooting which is a very controversial and emotive topic to talk about. I was expecting so much negativity for that post and don’t get me wrong I did get some, but the overwhelming response was positivity and more importantly education. A lot of people really didn’t understand the reasons (my reasons at least) behind shooting game and I think I managed to help people understand that – even if they didn’t A Girl About Countryagree.

How do you promote A Girl About Country?

As I mentioned, A Girl About Country is my hobby and so I don’t really promote it as much as I’d like to but I do utilise my Instagram account to direct people to my blog. I try and link the content with Instagram and the actual blog site so that the two are synonymous and people identify with both.

Any tips you’d pass onto people thinking of blogging?

YES! I feel very strongly about this, particularly with the influx of new country/style bloggers. Of course you should look through others content and take inspiration from that, in fact that’s a total compliment but please please please stay true to yourself. That is my biggest bit of advice. Don’t write about the things you think people want to see, write about the things that YOU love and you’re passionate about because that is what people really want to see. If you are trying to do something that your heart isn’t 100% in, just because you see others enjoying success with it, it won’t work. Be true to yourself and you will only be successful.

Has anything good come out of blogging?

Absolutely – if I didn’t enjoy blogging I wouldn’t do it, so that must mean some good has come from A Girl About Country in Ariatit right? If it ever gets to the point where I feel like I’m not enjoying it anymore I will definitely stop. I know that most people will expect a particular answer to this question – freebees, but the truth is getting freebees is about the furthest reason from the truth possible why I started blogging or enjoy blogging. I’m very independent and I’ve always bought my own things so I wouldn’t want or expect to blog solely for freebees – as soon as people do that the blog becomes false. The very best thing that has come out of blogging is new friends, I have been introduced to some of the best people and have formed some fantastic friendships and from that enjoyed some amazing experiences. It’s all about spreading the love!

Where can we find you online?

The blog – www.agirlaboutcountry.com

Instagram: harriet_lily

 

 

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Blogstars – Andrea Owen – Mud on my Mulberry

Andrea Owen In this ‘Blogstars’ blog, I chat to Andrea Owen – aka Mud on my Mulberry. Andrea is a country blogger who has horses and dogs, but has really worked hard to create several points of difference between herself and other bloggers. And her look book and ‘Shop My Look’ features certainly do that. Here are a few words from the lady herself…

Why did you start blogging? My blogging kind of came by accident I guess, I began by sharing pictures of outfit ideas, beauty tips, my dogs and horses on Instagram and it evolved from there. I love writing and it felt like a natural progression from Instagram to give people more information and write more which is why I started the blog. It’s really important to me to write from the heart and stay genuine, and I think that comes across in my posts. I have some really exciting projects on the go and cannot wait to get them out there too!

How do you measure the success of Mud on my Mulberry? I measure success by the feedback I get from people, all of which so far has been really positive. I think it’s easy to get consumed with how many followers you have or haven’t got and how many visitors you have to your blog, but I don’t think it matters if you have 10 or 10,000 as long as they like what you are doing and the response is positive then that’s all that matters.

Tell us about the post you’ve most enjoyed writing/has been the best received I’ve just started the look book page on my blog and these features are definitely the most fun, and the feedback on them Mud on my Mulberryhas been fantastic. I began doing the look books as I felt that would make me individual and different to similar bloggers, plus I love photography, so it enables me to get creative with ideas and themes. I’m just at the beginning of the development of these and I have plans to make them even better!

How you promote Mud on my Mulberry? I promote my blog mainly through Instagram. Instagram is a really strong tool to grow your network and following. Using strong imagery and carefully chosen hashtags can have a real impact on your followers. I also find that following interesting brands or people and commenting on other people’s posts grows my following.

Any tips you’d like to pass on to first time bloggers/people who are interested in blogging? My advice to first time bloggers/people interested in blogging would be find what makes you different to everyone else- there are so people blogging now, you need to find what makes you different. Also, be yourself because this is what people want to get to know, stay genuine and true to yourself- it’s easy to be influenced by what others are doing, but don’t be afraid to stand out!

Andrea Owen Mud on my MulberryHas anything ‘good’ come out of blogging? Lots of good things have come out of blogging, I’m lucky enough to be a brand ambassador for some wonderful companies which obviously comes with perks of being sent some lovely things to include on my blog and in my look books, as well building relationships with the people who work for or run those companies. I’ve also made a strong network of like minded bloggers. We all bounce ideas off each other and it’s fab to have them for support and encouragement. It also gives me a platform to experience new things. This year I want to try polo for the first time and I’m also going shooting for the first time too!

Where can we find Mud on my Mulberry online?

Instagram: mud_on_my_mulberry

Blog: www.mudonmymulberry.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTLP4PEag5CmYpddqqKN4pw

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Blogstars – Wiola Grabowska – Aspire Equestrian

In today’s ‘Blogstars’ post, I chat to Wiola Grabowska from Aspire Equestrian. The lovely images in this piece were taken by Christine Dunnington Photography.

 

Why did you started blogging?

I first started blogging in 2007 to share my new freelance coaching journey with friends and family. Most of them lived abroad and since I loved writing and wanted to practice my English language skills, the blog became my way of keeping everyone updated with my various ups and downs.
Over the years I went away from a typical diary format and now focus on growing a blog that you might call a coaching and a curious rider companion!

How do you measure its success?

The blog exists to help riders and coaches out there to ride and teach with horse’s wellness in mind. It is also my way of telling others what we do at Aspire Equestrian Riding Academy and how we do it. I consider it successful every time the post makes someone stop and think or gives them an idea Wiola Grabowskathat starts a chain of improvement in a skill they have battled with for a long time. Emails and messages from the readers as well as readers who become real life clients are my success measures.

Tell us about the post you’ve most enjoyed writing/has been the best received

This one is a funny one for me. Sometimes I spend a ridiculous amount of time thinking up a post. Making sure it is what I want to convey, that it is clear and concise. It, no jokes, takes me hours to put together just to then receive a several hundreds views and no interactions whatsoever.
Then I might be in the middle of a lesson and think oh, this could make a nice quick blog post. Jot something quickly on my phone, put a post together in just about half an hour (editing photos etc), let it fly live thinking it might help a few riders just to be shared everywhere and hitting over 30k views.

To answer this question fully – the posts I most enjoy writing are those that draw from my riders’ or my own experiences, that try to address real, well-lived in issues that we managed to tackle and can now pass a little knowledge on.

How do you promote your blog?

Carefully! 😉 I have a very specific audience in mind that I want to reach so I adjust all my promotion activities to that. I mostly use social media and other blogging platforms to spread the word about each post and have in the past boosted posts on Facebook but have not done it for a long time now.

Any tips you’d like to pass on to first time bloggers/people who are interested in blogging?

Blog with passion for what you write about. Write about the things you would like to read in a way you would like to read. Add photos that make the words in the post come alive and have a clear “why” for every post you write.

Has anything ‘good’ come out of blogging?

I don’t even know where to start here and how to keep it to a few lines! I would totally monopolise Aspire EquestrianRhea’s blog space if I accounted for every amazing opportunity blogging has brought me in the last 10 years!
One of my most memorable blogging “goods” was being invited to learn from Anna Ross for several years. I think it was her mum who read my blog first 😉 I went to spend a day auditing Anna’s lessons almost 10 years ago and have learnt a lot through watching, tagging along and helping on the yards she was based. To this day I tell anyone who wants to listen to go and watch riders and coaches. Just sit, observe and listen. You don’t have to copy everything or teach the same but there is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom out there that can really be learnt by quiet observation and analysis.

Around 2010 I think I was sitting at Cafe Nero in London looking out at crazy amount of snow outside that stopped my teaching (and my income) for days when an email appeared on my screen. It was from a lady in Norway who said she’d been reading my blog and wondered if I would be interested in coming over and running a clinic for their riding club…These were the guys who trained with Andrew Murphy and many top riders and trainers in the world. I said yes of course and then spent weeks wondering what on earth could I teach them they didn’t already know!
I went over to run the weekend clinic once, twice, several times. An experience I will treasure forever that not only taught me a lot but gave me friends for life.

Similar opportunities happened over time, from invitations to run my training weekends to gaining real life, long terms clients who loved what they were reading on the blog. I have been sent products to review from various brands, met some amazing, inspirational people and that’s only the beginning as we have big plans for my little blog!

Thank you Rhea for the opportunity to write for this series!

Where can we find you online?

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aspireequestrian/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AspireAcademy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aspireequestrianacademy
Website: www.aspireequestrianacademy.com

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