UPDATE: NEW BLOG

Hi everyone,

I’d like to start off by saying thank you to everyone who has followed, liked, commented on and responded to my blog in the past couple of months. It has meant so much to me – I’ve always wanted to start one but until the start of this year, I was too scared. FINALLY I took the plunge and it has been oh-so rewarding. So much so, that I have decided to upgrade:

Introducing…

TWENTY & CO

My new blog. Yep, I officially own my own .com. And it feels fabulous. Why TWENTY & CO? Well, as you may have noticed, The World by J doesn’t really have a “niche”. I’ve written about fashion, done reviews about books, random rants about topics in the news, and so on. So I decided, in order to make the name and my blog relevant to readers, I’m still going to write about all that stuff and more – BUT – TWENTY & CO is dedicated to all of us who are close to becoming, or are already, a “twenty-something.” In Australia, 18 is considered being an adult, but I still don’t really feel like a “real” adult. Will I ever feel like a real adult? I don’t know. But I’m looking forward to writing about a whole bunch of different topics as I begin my journey into the twenties. Over the next week I will be uploading some of my favourite/most popular posts from The World by J before I begin posting new content. First up is my career profile on Chloe Clark from Beginning Boutique. I hope those of you reading this decide to come along for the ride. If not, thank you for being so supportive and interested in my work here.

Lots of love,

J 

xxxxx

Follow TWENTY & CO on Instagram
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University Survival Guide

Are you starting university next year, or a current student looking for guidance? Head over to First Year La Trobe for some tips, tricks and anecdotes from students currently studying at La Trobe University – including me! To read my posts on First Year La Trobe, click here.

Although the blog is targeted towards first years, the advice given by my fellow students is applicable to all stages of your university education, and to life-after-highschool in general! Hello, welcome to the real world! First Year La Trobe is a perfect read for anyone who is worried about making the transition next year, wondering what university is like or interested in studying at La Trobe.

Blogging 101: Unique selling proposition

If there’s one thing I get bored of, it’s scrolling down my feed and seeing the same beauty product reviews again and again. I’ve come to notice that beauty blogs are probably the most common of all categories, and therefore to be successful, one must be different from the others. The only in-depth beauty review I have done so far can be found here, and although I may be biased, I do not feel as though it was run-of-the-mill.

Social media shout out

Hey guys!

Are you an avid follower of bloggers’ social media accounts? Do you love pretty pictures, thoughtful quotes and reminders when something new is posted?

If you answered yes, it’s time to add The World by J to your feeds!

Follow me on Instagram here:

Follow me on Bloglovin here:

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to read and respond to my posts. I appreciate every view and every comment.

Lots of love,

J

xxxxxxx

Blogging 101: How to get noticed

On my most recent Blogging 101 post I received a comment from someone wondering how to get his blog noticed. Now, as most people will tell you, blogging shouldn’t be about gaining attention and popularity UNLESS it is designed to promote your own business or product. Your focus should be on blogging because you enjoy and love it, not because of the potential for more followers or monetary gain. However, because we all love people to appreciate, enjoy and discuss what we write, here are some basic tips on getting your blog noticed.

Blogging 101: Staying inspired

One of the hardest parts of blogging is writers block; the inability to come up with any ideas for a period of time. It feels like a giant slump in creativity and ideas. Here are some of my tips for staying inspired when blogging:

Blogging 101: Choosing a name

Before the mothers-to-be of the blogosphere get their hopes up, this post does not contain advice about picking the perfect name for your unborn child. The naming decision I’m talking about is for anyone on the verge of creating their own blog. In my previous post I discussed deciding what you want to write about and what platform you will use, completely forgetting the importance of giving your little piece of the internet a name.

Blogging 101: Getting started

In this day and age, new blogs pop up every hour of every day. Two months ago, The World by J was freshly created and I entered the world of internet bloggers. I know for a fact that there are so many people out there who want to start their own blog but are too hesitant or don’t know where to begin. I was once in that position – I wanted my own space to publish my writing about things I love and enjoy, but I was too afraid of what people might think. Now that I’ve moved passed that feeling and out of my comfort zone, I’d like to encourage more people to let go of their worries and just START. Once you do, you won’t be able to stop! The first step in creating your own blog is deciding what you would like to write about and which platform you will use. As you can see, my blog doesn’t have a specific genre. On the side of my page you will see a Categories menu which lists the areas I write about. Hopefully soon I will be able to narrow them down into fewer, more specific categories soon. However, many blogs do have a consistent theme – the most common being beauty, fashion, food and lifestyle. If you are going to start a blog, do it because you LOVE writing or are passionate about the topic (which could be absolutely anything) – not just to follow the trend. If you do it because you love it, it will be far more rewarding.

Blogging 101: Get noticed

On my most recent Blogging 101 post I received a comment from someone wondering how to get his blog noticed. Now, as most people will tell you, blogging shouldn’t be about gaining attention and popularity UNLESS it is designed to promote your own business or product. Your focus should be on blogging because you enjoy and love it, not because of the potential for more followers or monetary gain. However, because we all love people to appreciate, enjoy and discuss what we write, here are some basic tips on getting your blog noticed.

1. Social media
This one’s a no-brainer. Social media is the easiest and fastest way to get your blog noticed. This can be as simple as sharing your posts to your Facebook and Twitter followers or creating an Instagram profile for your blog. Personally, I share my posts to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr and will do a little ‘post announcement’ on my recently made blog-dedicated Instagram page. This way I am not only reaching my friends and family, but strangers who will come across my posts via the hashtags on Tumblr and Twitter. It can be very daunting sharing your work on a personal account, but I see no harm in showing people what you love to do!

2. Key words
Another simple tip for directing traffic to your blog is by using particular words or phrases. I use this trick where possible in my posts, usually in the title. By using Google Trends, I check which words or phrases are ‘trending’ or popular. For example, I changed the title of this post from Blogging 101: So you want to get noticed? to Blogging 101: Get noticed because it was a more common search term. When I take a moment to do this, I notice the results in my WordPress stats – I can see the search terms people have used to find my site and I keep the results in mind for future reference.

3. Relevance/controversy
If you write about a controversial, popular or relevant topic – chances are you will get noticed. You can also check out trending topics on Google Trends. However, I don’t recommend doing this just for the sake of a few more views. Only write about something controversial or popular if you are truly passionate or have an opinion about it. If it ignites something within that makes you want to write about it, whether it be anger, sadness or compassion, go for it! If you choose the topics of your blog posts simply by following the herd, it isn’t really a reflection of yourself.

4. Comments & feedback
I love when I get a notification stating that someone has commented on a post of mine. I try to do the same when I find post I love. Not only does commenting bring happiness and feedback to a fellow blogger, it also effortlessly promotes your site. Many people have been referred to my blog via the comments I have made on posts.

5. Post often
I left this point to last because I felt it was already obvious. The more you post, the more you will be noticed. The amount of time and effort you put into your blog will be reflected in the attention you receive.

These are the simplest ways to get your blog noticed amongst the hundreds of thousands of blogs out there. There are many more, complicated ways of promoting your page which I may explore in the future and share with you. If you start a blog for the right reasons, work hard and love what you do – I have no doubt that it will be noticed by those around you and blog-readers across the world wide web!

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Best of the Blogs – My Top Four Favourites

There are countless blogs floating around the internet, including mine. These are my absolute favourites – some which I have only just discovered and others which have had my eye for a while. If you haven’t already, I definitely recommend joining Bloglovin (follow me while you’re at it). It’s the best way to keep track of all your favourite blogs across all different platforms and find new ones to fall in love with! In my opinion, the best blogs are those which are relatable and inspire deep thought or exciting action.

1. World of Wanderlust
World of Wanderlust is a blog run by 22 year old Australian Brooke Saward. Not only are the photographs and information about travel destinations helpful – but Brooke’s general outlook on life and positive mentality is inspiring. I only discovered World of Wanderlust relatively recently, but I’ve been hooked on reading everything she posts since!

2. Essena O’Neill
Essena O’Neill is a young girl living by the amazing ocean scenery of Noosa, Queensland. For a 17 year old, Essena is wise beyond her years and constantly encourages her followers to challenge their view of the world – particularly by providing an insight into her vegan lifestyle and the reasons behind her decision to embrace it. Although I am not vegan, or even vegetarian, reading Essena’s tumblr blog and her website always leaves me feeling enlightened and positive.

3. Adele Maree
Adele Maree is a ‘local’ blogger who I have been following for quite some time. Her focus is fashion and I always discover new online stores with affordable, stylish pieces on her blog. She is currently travelling Europe and her Instagram photos are beautiful and making me so jealous! I’ll be there soon, I promise!

4. NYC PR Girls
NYC PR Girls is a blog that details the ups and downs, tips and tricks of two women working in public relations in New York. Considering I am studying communications, I have found their CAREER & PR posts super helpful and they inspire me to finish my degree and work Plus… they live and work in New York – a dream come true for many.

Other notables (4/5 were discovered on Bloglovin)…

A Bikini A Day, Natasha Oakley Blog, Damsel in Dior, Queen of Jet lags, With Love from Kat