Creative Business Inspiration for bloggers

When I'm in a bit of a blogging rut I often turn to Pinterest in the hopes of being inspired by all the beautiful imagery and creativity on display. One of my favourite boards to pin to is Blogging Resources (click here to see all the awesome posts I've lined up for future reading) and it's been while scouring content for this board that I've come across some pretty fabulous bloggers. These bloggers have helped me to feel inspired again with their business advice and the overall awesomeness they exude.

Today I want to share their blogs with you so that you too can feel motivated to take your blog to the next level while gleaning from their infinite bloggy wisdom.

First up is Lauren who blogs over at Elle & Company. I check out the Elle & Company blog at least 3 times a week and I actually look forward to her newsletter instead of hitting the delete button as soon as it hits my inbox.

Lauren is a fellow SquareSpace blogger who is completely open with her business and shares the how's and the why's behind her blogs success. She also offers great tips on blogging with SquareSpace and has really some really awesome posts on branding. I have learnt so much from Lauren with regards to my own branding for CityGirlSearching and since implementing her tips & advice I have noticed real growth in my readership.

Two of my favourite post she's done so are Why and How to Brand Photos & Why Branding Matters. Speaking of branding, how gorgeous are her blog images? It's no wonder I was hooked as soon as I first saw her posts on Pinterest.

Next up is Regina who blogs over at ByRegina. Every time I head over to By Regina I am once again filled with an intense passion for my blog and I am reminded of all the reasons why I started blogging in the first place. ByRegina is for anyone who needs a little push in following their creative dreams and making those dreams a reality. Regina writes so well, and with each and every blog post she'll have you feeling as if she's talking directly to you and that the two of you are best buds. She is also hilarious and her blog makes for a fun read.

Below are two of my favourite posts which have both inspired me and really pushed my boundaries in terms of how I see myself and my blog as a business.

I have only recently stumbled upon Francesca's blog, Fall For DIY and have spent the last few days scouring through each and every beautiful post. Her posts are all accompanied by gorgeous photographs and graphics that tell a story.

Her DIY's seem so easy to do (unlike a lot of other Pinterest posts I find) and I can't wait to start making some of them. Her blog leaves me feeling inspired and ready to get creative with my camera.

I love the clean look and feel of FallForDIY, and I am especially drawn to her styling and use of lovely elements. I loved her post on making your Instagram feed more loveable, as it was filled with really useful ideas for growing my own account. I loved the idea she mentions of becoming a collector of objects or textures to shape your Instagram feed.

Another of my favourite posts from FallForDIY is about how to get stuff done when you're having an off day. We all have off days and the 5 practical steps she outlines in her post will have you feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the world with your to do list in no time at all.

You may have seen me mentioning Melyssa from The Nectar Collective my Weekly Wishes posts. Those goal setting posts are a series Melyssa hosts weekly on her blog which helps women connect all over the world in an effort to write down our goals and then tick them off. Melyssa is super encouraging and is just such a lovely person.

Melyssa blogs about the business side of blogging (with posts on freelancing, finance, & productivity) as well as great DIY & photography tips (like this guest post by Jessica Keller on creating colourful backgrounds for your blog posts!). The Nectar Collective was the first blog I ever found that catered to more of the business side of blogging, and it was this post How I grew My Blog that got me hooked. Also, her recent post on How & Why to Create a Media Kit is super useful for bloggers, and as she's so nice she has even included a free template so you can create your own.

Erika is the sweet lady behind Olyvia and it was her blog tag line that first drew me in:

BE DELIGHTFUL ONLINE

Isn't that a lovely tagline?

So much online marketing advice seems to imply throwing your brand into peoples faces and I am always worried about flooding my family & friends Facebook timelines with blog content (how else are us smaller blogs supposed to get our content seen???). Well this is exactly what Erika blogs about. Olyvia is all about showing you how to get your brand noticed online without seeming desperate.

Erika's blog posts titles are awesome and clever in their own right and will draw you in (I have been trying to work on my own titles since noticing hers) and she writes in such a way as to keep you not only entertained but coming back for more. I loved Erika's video series, How Do I get Noticed on Facebook and have found her tips soooo helpful for my own Facebook ages. I particularly love that she co-titled that post 'A Sleaze-Free Video Series to Help You go From Ho-HUm to Wow'. Her post on How To Get Pinterest Followers & Repins has been one that I keep going back to and is filled with practical, no nonsense tips for helping you get your Pinterest account noticed.