TOP TIPS FOR UPDATING YOUR DIGITAL BRANDING (AD)

*This post is sponsored.

When I tell you that I've been crying over the smallest things when it comes to my blog, I ain't lying 😭 Especially domain authority - MOZ you have been very mean to me over the past few months but I forgive you as I've been working super hard to make my blog stand out even more (which has helped me improve said DA). One of the main things I've been doing over the past few weeks is updating my digital branding, starting off with the ads that I place on my website and the way I structure my paragraphs.

LIFESTYLE || LOOKING AND FEELING YOUR BEST THIS SUMMER

Summer is finally here, well the season is definitely here if not the weather. With Summer comes the idea of getting into healthier habits, whether that means exercising more or eating better I will share with you my top tips for feeling your best this Summer.

There is no hiding the fact that we all like to look our best, we just all have different versions of that. However, health doesn't always have to do anything with the appearance and has much more to do with how you feel on the inside. We often neglect the time to take care of ourselves the way we used to when we had fewer commitments and more time to ourselves. Sadly, the days where we would soak in a hot bath for hours, relax with a face mask and take our time to get ready are gone. Nowadays we might be lucky enough to have an extra 5 minutes to ourselves other than being in the bathroom! Although I do not have any children yet, I can only imagine what it must be like for parents or carers having to sacrifice every minute of their day to other people! But all those things don't mean that we can't all be a little more health-conscious and use the Summer as the ideal time to focus on our physical and mental well-being. With that in mind, here are some of the small changes that can make a huge difference in how you look and feel this Summer.

HOW TO IMPROVE BLOG PHOTOGRAPHY - USING FREE SOFTWARE & PROPS

I think I have googled this question about a million times since starting my blog back in 2013 and have only recently improved my photography skills by far. I usually use a professional camera to take my blog pictures, but you can easily take amazing photographs using your phone if the camera has 8+ megapixels. For example, I currently own an iPhone 5s which has an 8-megapixel back camera which is more than enough to take good quality pictures for my blog or Instagram account. On the other hand, the camera that I use is the Sony DSCH400 20.1 Megapixel Digital Camera which is amazing for taking high-quality photos but unfortunately, it's not as good for filming videos.

As you can see in the collage above, the top picture looks a bit washed out and not quite professional for someone who is trying to introduce different products to their audience. However, the image below it is very bright and colourful which would catch anyone's eye from a distance as well as make an Instagram feed stand out.

To create Instagrammable photos, I use a light background like this one from Wilkos, and a few props to add a bit of your personality and unique style to the pictures. In this picture, I laid out a few different products and tried to make them look organised however if you prefer a more messy flat-lay then go ahead and do so as it might make the pictures look more interesting.
My favourite software to edit my pictures on my computer is Fotor which you can download for free here. The little routine that I like to follow to brightening my pictures is:

Brightness: 28

Exposure: 25

Contrast: -9

Vibrance: 12

Temperature: -23

This is the effect that I like to go for, which is bright yet colourful at the same time. Another software that I like to use is the VSCO app (you can upgrade it for more effects & filters) which is fantastic to use on the go when you've taken a nice picture and want to upload it straight away. If I want to create a collage or add text etc. to my photos then I turn to PhotoScape X, which is a fantastic free program but it can get a little bit difficult to use.

What software do you use to edit your images? Do you use the ones I mentioned above?

Lots of love,

Maya xo

HOW TO MAKE MONEY ONLINE

Many of you would know by now that I spend my wages as if I had an unlimited trust fund haha. I sometimes find myself having to sell my old clothes in order to buy new ones or when there's a new release of a makeup collab I have to have, then I will literally not buy anything at all for weeks just to be able to afford the products. I know this isn't healthy but that's the way I am - I am addicted to shopping.

I try to be good now, I've been saving quite a lot of pennies and even considering going on two holidays. But how do I manage to save up and make some spare cash outside of work? Well, read on to find out!

Surveys - probably the most common way to make some spare cash. The companies get paid and so do you, even if it means you only get about 10-20 pence per survey it all adds up at the end.
I've had an account with InboxPounds for a few months now and I've finally cashed out last week! You need to make at least £20 in order to receive your check and I waited until I reached that amount. Now I'm back to £2-3, trying to earn another 20 quid. This will probably take me a month or two spending around 10-30 mins a day (depending on amount paid for each survey).

Another great website to use - especially for shopaholics like me - is SwagBucks. You basically make money while spending it.. Sounds too good to be true? Well, find out for yourself! If you buy something online from, for example New Look, and go on the website via SwagBucks then you will either get cashback or some $$ put into your SwagBucks account!

Another great way to make some spare cash is by doing cashback deals from debit/credit cards. My bank offers cashback deals when you shop within certain stores/brands which is amazing as I shop everywhere 24/7.

Considering making money with your blog? I would suggest inserting relevant adverts or singing up to websites like Amazon Affiliate. This is an amazing program which allows you to insert links within your blog and for every click/purchase made you receive commission. This is great for those who do a lot of product reviews, as you can link the product to Amazon and get paid for it.

If your blog is starting to grow and you can see an increase in views/follows then I would suggest asking companies for payment for collaborations. I know this might be slightly awkward to address, but at the end of the day a free makeup brush is great but it won't pay the bills haha. I mean, I haven't asked any companies for payments as I don't feel like I'm there yet, but if I'm offered payment as well as a freebie then I'm on board!

I hope this post helped, this is how I manage to make some extra cash outside of work in order to promote my blog. So, all money made is going to be invested into blogging anyway haha!

Lots of love,

Maya xo