So You Want To Start A Lolita Blog?

While this isn't from my backlog of Ask Miss Caro-chan questions, it is a question I have been asked a lot. That question is: how do you go about starting a Lolita blog? I've had this blog for over a year, and if I do say so myself, it has been pretty successful, at least, a whole lot more successful than I ever thought it would be when I started! So with this post I will be sharing a few tips and tricks that I picked up along the way.

Before you make your first post

There's really not a whole lot of prep you have to do before you make your first post, but there are a couple things that really help.

• First of all, you're going to need a blog name. Now, judging from my own blog's name, I don't really have a lot of tips for picking a good name! But toss some ideas around in your head and try to pick something both fitting and something that isn't already taken. Do a Google search for your future blog name to make sure that there isn't anything else with that name.
• Make a list of blog posts you would like to make. You don't even have to have any idea about what you want to write in those posts, just do some brainstorming about what it is you would like to write about, or even what you would like to read about. I do this every month or so, I don't always follow my list, but it's really handy to pull up whenever I'm a bit lost about what to write about.
• Set up your blog. Before you even make your first post, you're going to need somewhere to put it! I use Blogger and I would highly recommend it. Personally, it has everything I think I could ever need. Wordpress is also a popular choice, but I have never used it. Some people use Livejournal, but honestly I wouldn't suggest it for a public blog because Livejournal is seen much more as a personal journal site, and some people are hesitant about reading other people's Livejournals.

Tips and tricks for starting your own Lolita blog

Once you have a name, a place, and some ideas for your blog once it's time to get started!

• Comment on other blogs. The best way to get your blog's name out there is to comment on other blogs. Remember to fill out the whole form box, especially the one for your site before leaving a comment. And, of course, leave a genuine comment about the post you are commenting on, don't just ask them to visit your blog or spam their blog with obnoxious self-promotion.
• Link to other blogs. Be sure to keep a blog roll of all your favorites on your own blog. Blogger has a handy widget that will automatically post all the blogs you follow. As well as that, link to other blogs in your posts if you found them helpful while writing yours, or if you just think they are interesting. Remember that these other bloggers aren't your competition, they're your peers, readers, and muses.
• Be active in your online community. In the case of Lolita, that would be EGL or whatever forum you happen to frequent most of all. Post a link to your blog on your profile page or your signature and start participating in discussions. Eventually, so long as you don't make a habit of arguing with everyone for the sake of arguing, people will start recognizing your name, and your blog.
• Be helpful. My main reason for starting F Yeah Lolita was because I have learned a lot about Lolita over the years and I really wanted to share all the things I've learned, and this, I think, has been one of the biggest reasons why my blog has been successful. I most often find that my most linked and talked about posts are ones in which I share some kind of advice or tips. Even if you consider yourself a Lolita newbie, there's still something helpful you can share! Maybe a handy tutorial for making something cuter, a review of your latest purchase, or a cute Lolita find in a mainstream store, share your knowledge of the frills and people will really appreciate it and come back looking for more.
• Don't get too personal. Of course, it is up to you how personal you want your blog to be, but a good rule of thumb would be to avoid treating your blog like your own personal diary. People might love looking at your daily coordinates and hearing about local meetups, but most people are going to feel awkward and shy away if you start ranting about your boyfriend or parents or any problems you might be having. If you feel you absolutely have to type up these things, consider a separate, lockable place to write them up, such as Livejournal.
• Post often. A rule I certainly need to follow more! Make it a point to post at least once a week, it keeps people remembering your blog if it pops up on their blog roll frequently. If you need some motivation to post more, draw up a list of what to post on what days. For example you might post a tutorial or a link to a tutorial on Mondays, a review of something on Tuesdays, a great find on Wednesdays, a personal reflection on Thursday, and your weeks worth of coordinates on Friday, or something along those lines!
• Get some Analytics. Google Analytics is a really handy tool to know where your hits are coming from. You can find out who's linking you, how long people are staying, and which posts people are reading most of all. It's easy to install and very useful for knowing what your most popular pages are.
• Just enjoy blogging! My final tip is to just enjoy blogging, don't make it a chore. Try not to focus too much on how many hits and comments you are getting, just focus on blogging about what you love!

Personally, I don't think there can be too many Lolita blogs. Everyone has their own take on the fashion and their own experiences to share so the subject never gets old.

If you want some more advice about starting a Lolita Blog, especially advice that goes a little more indepth about the whole blogging world and finding your place in it, check out Miss Lumpy's series Operation LoliBlog.

To all my fellow Lolita bloggers, how has Lolita blogging been for you? Do you have any tips and tricks for getting your blog's name out there? Do you think that one particular thing, such as getting linked on a particular blog or site, was the start of getting a lot of hits? Are you simply thinking of starting your own blog, if so, what's holding you back?

To the right of this post you can find a list of a lot of Lolita blogs that I've been following for a while, but I know there are a lot of new blogs out there, and I would love to feature them in this post. So if any of you have a new blog, leave a comment with a link to it and I'll make a list of up-and-coming Lolita blogs and link them at the end of this post!

Up-and-coming Lolita blogs

Panda Princess
The Weekend Lolita
Momoberi
Fresh Strawberries
The Melonpan of Haru-Haru
Les Fleurs Noires
Lolita Weekly
The Midnight Ballroom
A Sparkling Tea Party
Naissance du Lolita
Luna Rain
Drink Me
Doomicorn Rainbow
The Velveteen Lolita
Fairy Chaos
Adorably Lolita
Ruffled Tea Diary
The Hime Graphica of Miss Matched