After two years of trial and error, Francesca Navarro finally got it right. She came up with the perfect blog, Swear By The Sea. It is a sunny, smooth, cool, and relaxed site that effortlessly reflects her admiration of west coast style.
Her ideas did not come to life over night, to say the least. She tested about a million different blog names, focuses and website builders. Though, she didn't let her immediate struggle hold her back from taking both the fashion and blogging world by storm.
Now, Francesca shares her tips on how she went from the bottom to the top of the blogging sphere.
Deciding On What Kind Of Blog To Create:
I decided on a fashion blog because it would let me talk about style- something that can go beyond just fashion. I also chose fashion because I'm honestly not as passionate or knowledgeable about many other topics in life.
Finding Inspiration:
My inspiration for starting a blog was wanting to really get into personal styling and social media. These are some of the only things that I consider myself good at and what I have always pictured as a career. I love helping people feel comfortable with who they are. I also love having a creative outlet via photography and (guilty, I know) Instagram! Helping family members shop for vacations and special occasions was very inspirational because I was able to simultaneously make them so happy and help them shine!
How To Build Your Brand:
I went about building my brand by researching and educating myself with fashion and style most prevalent on the west coast. I know that I'm an Arizona native, but hitting So Cal has always put me in my true element. Each time I visited any part of Southern California, I took it as an opportunity to look around, take notes of the lifestyle there that has always drawn me in, and of course- shop! The fact that there are so many local businesses in that area made it pretty easy too. Remembering this place that I love and remembering where I came from made for a great combination for my brand.
How To Choose An Effective Name:
I chose Swear by the Sea because I really wanted it to include the things that I love which are style, fashion and the ocean. You notice that "Swear" has the word "wear" in it, so that's where I included a little fashion pun! I also believe that my style is something I should "swear by" since it greatly reflects who I am, what I love, and where I come from.
Social Media Strategy:
My social media strategy is to post pics that are relative to both my life and my blog. Since I try to live everyday sporting my style (because it's also something that I love to do), this is quite easy to take pics and post.
How To Keep Your Readers Coming Back For More:
Keeping readers interested, has a lot to do with brevity and honesty. When I read a blog post, I like it to be clearcut and to the point. This is hard but achievable! The number one thing I focus on is good quality, colorful, and descriptive photos!
Some tips I have for aspiring bloggers is to JUST DO IT, don't worry about the negative things you think people will say, be patient, dedicate your time, and make sure that you're always being yourself. It's the only thing that will eventually make you stand out in the fashion world!
Best Blogs To Follow:
Some of my favorite blogs to follow have always been Lauren Conrad (she's been my idol since sixth grade), Simply Audree Kate, and Shop LUX Clothing (this is really more of a store in Riverside, CA but I just can't get enough of them)!
