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Instagram killed the blog – right?
Instagram killed the blog – right? Yes, this is my blog post title and, yes, I am feeling particularly salty about the whole ordeal hence me making it my opening line too. Instagram killed the blog. There, I said it again.
Okay, dramatics aside, I’ve actually come here to share some relevant and interesting information (and not to throw my metaphorical toys out of my metaphorical cot) so I should probably get to it, shouldn’t I?
So the question I pose to you, friend, is this: Has Instagram killed blogging? My answer to this question varies on any given day.
Has Instagram killed the blog?
I’m sure you may have noticed that I don’t post on this teeny tiny little blog as often as I use to. And while I most certainly (and frequently) use the fact that I’ve birthed 3 humans beings in a period of 6 years as the reason why I’m unable to type away on my computer during my free time (because free time… hahahaha… that sounds like a nice joke) the truth is that I’ve also had to shift my focus because the blogging industry is changing.
It’s changing because Instagram has now kinda opened up the game. Basically anyone can be a blogger these days (FYI: The word “micro-blogger” is the term of endearment given to people who blog via social media without a website and a 3000 worded essay).
In the past you had to build a website, think out a clever name for your little space on the net, buy a domain, type out long-form posts that are interesting and easy to consume and then get people to actually visit this space. Blogging – in this form – took a lot more effort and time and, hey, moola.
These days, anybody can start a micro-blog. Simply register on Instagram and Bob’s your uncle.
If you’re really good at taking pics and sharing a story via short-form visual media, then Bob’s probably your rich uncle. Oh and if, on top of that, you have enough time in your day to comment on a gazillion peoples posts, thus upping the engagement on your own account, then Bob’s your rich uncle who left you a lekker inheritance.
With that said, short-form blogging is a lot easier to consume (mindless Instagram scroll, anyone?) and, as a blogger, short-form blogging is easier to maintain.
What does that mean for the OG bloggers? Well, our websites now have to compete with the likes of Insta and Tik Tok. Attention spans are shorter, so if we want to keep our blog alive and relevant, we need to put out content that answers a question/serves a purpose. Because, for the most part, people aren’t coming on here to hear about your feelings. Long-winding captions on Instagram takes care of that.
For cool-nerds like me (sniff, sob), who are a lot better at writing than taking a pic (or even posing for a pic, let’s be honest) this really and truly sucks monkey balls. It sucks because less people read my blog posts and, with more brands wanting to partner with bloggers who have bangin’ Instagram accounts, it means that I have to focus my attention there.
But also, for cool-nerds like me who actually own a blog, well… I actually own a blog. What I mean by this is that your micro-blog on Instagram belongs to Instagram. Whereas the content on your blog site belongs to you. And if the Instagram algorithm changes for the worse (as is the trend) or if the app shuts down tomorrow (imagine that… so many models without a job) chances are your content will die a slow and painful death along with it.
The content on a blog is evergreen and with the right SEO (search engine optimization – it means Google will find your blog posts on the interwebs with the right keyword search). Your content can be relevant for years to come, gaining views even when you’ve forgotten about it. Whereas an Instagram post’s lifespan is – what – 48 hours?
So yes, lot’s of information. And I wasn’t even thaaaat salty in this post. Hope my mum is proud of me.
In conclusion I do feel that there is a place in the world for you and for me and the entire human race (heal the blog, make it a better place). I think that blogging is relevant today, but just in a different way. A blog post can inspire, motivate, educate and connect (more than just sell you the latest fad).And while consuming short-form media (i.e Instagram) may be easier, you probably won’t end up on Instagram when you find yourself asking Google for “C-Section Recovery Tips” at 3 in the morning. (I gotchu girl. See my actual blog post about that topic right here lol seriously.)
I mean, if you think about it, blogging has stood the test of time (hello ex-My Space users, wud rofl aslr?). The blog is the one medium that has kinda shouldered it’s way past the crowd of popular platforms (Vine, Facebook, Snap Chat) and cemented itself onto the top steps of the interwebs. Not quite going anywhere. But also… not quite going anywhere. (See what I did there?)
And I’d like to think that this means that blogging is not dead. I’d like to think that this proves that blogging is very much alive.
In fact, I’d go out on a gander and say that blogging will never ever die. Fingers crossed.
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Cocoa Life: How eating your fave chocolate is changing lives
You do know that chocolate really does grow on trees, right? Nope, I’m not selling Willy Wonka dreams here, my friends. The cocoa beans used to make your favourite chocolate grows on cacao trees – with more than 70% of the world’s cocoa grown by farmers in West Africa. (See why I love living in Africa?)
A few days ago we had the opportunity to sit down with Yaa Peprah Amekudzi, the inspirational Head of Cocoa Life Ghana, who explained that most of the cocoa farms, in West Africa, are family-owned. And, unfortunately, due to things like climate change, disease and lack of access to new farming methods, many of those farmers have seen their yields dwindling over the last few years.
Good Cocoa, Good Chocolate
Because of this, Cadbury has stepped up to the plate (the chocolate plate?), establishing the Cocoa Life Programme in 2012, which serves to improve the lives of farmers who are doing the important job of growing those “chocolate trees”. (my chocoholic pals – hollar!)
The Cocoa Life Programme directly contributes to sustainable farming and responsible sourcing, reaching more than 40,000 cocoa farmers in 450 communities across 17 districts in five regions of Ghana’s cocoa belt!
This means: the programme basically invests in community development, strengthening cocoa communities and inspiring the next generation of cocoa farmers. I love this so much!“Essentially, the aim of Cocoa Life is to ensure the cocoa that goes into Cadbury products is ‘made right’,” says Yaa.
“Making it right means tackling the complex challenges that cocoa farmers face by working hand-in-hand with the men and women who make their living from cocoa, focusing on where we can make a difference to transform the cocoa sector by inspiring lasting change, rooted in deep understanding, sector-wide collaboration and partnerships.”
According to Yaa, the programme touches on seven focus areas namely; child protection, community, environment, farming, livelihoods, women empowerment and youth development.
It also trains almost 150 000 farmers to grow cocoa more effectively. I mean, this includes so many things from identifying crop diseases to managing the soil and using chemicals responsibly. The new farming technology that these communities are introduced to helps to improve productivity and profitability.And you guys, it doesn’t end there. Cocoa Life also helps to provide female farm workers with the opportunity to set up small businesses, extending initiatives to microfinance schemes, village savings and loans.
To you it may be a delicious slab of chocolate. But to so many families, it is a source of income and when the cocoa season is on hold, these families need to find other ways to sustain their livelihood.So next time you pick up a slab of chocolate, check for the Cocoa Life stamp, which will be on all Cadbury Dairy Milk slabs from July 2019. And then give yourself a pat on the back for supporting farmers on our continent by simply purchasing product made from their farm yields.
More information about Cocoa Life and their initiatives around the world can be found on their website, www.cocoalife.com.
More about Yaa Peprah AmekudziYaa Peprah Amekudzi has been the country lead of Cocoa Life since its establishment 10 years ago when it was then known as the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership, forging strategic partnerships with government and non-governmental agencies to deliver the objectives of Cocoa Life. Starting with 100 communities in 7 districts, Yaa has expanded Cocoa Life to cover 450 communities in 17 districts within a period of 10 years, directly impacting 38,421 cocoa farmers and 415,464 community members of which 224,301 are young persons.
All the photos in this post were taken at the Mondelez International Cocoa Life Programme Bloggers Lunch, at No. 5 by Mantis, Summerstrand Port Elizabeth. The event was hosted by ECMeetUp. Photographer: Odette Johaar Photography
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by ECMeetUp
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How To Start a Blog in 2019
‘How To Start a Blog in 2019’ felt like the most legit title for this article since, you know, we have a bunch of resources available today that our forefather’s of yesteryear may not have had. (Toilet paper. Running water. Google. You know, important stuff.)
Truth be told though, starting a blog now a days is a bit like buying a camera and calling yourself a photographer – anyone can do it. It has become the hobby/part time job of choice and the thing is this: it’s pretty easy to catch the knack thereof, but you kinda need to be born with a certain je ne sais quoi for it, or else you’ll bore easily.
But, if you had to ask me (and so very many of you have asked me, hence this post) how to start a blog (in 2019) I would probably offer you these very simple tips.
(Disclaimer: I am by no means a professional anything (professional parent? is that a thing?) but these are some of the things I did when I started this very blog right here.)
Right, so first things first. What is a blog?
Well, I like to call my blog my online diary. But essentially it’s a website (usually a personal one) that contains a lot of written content (think: articles). Your blog can can be a resource of information, it can be a go to spot for tips and tricks or hey, it can simply be a place where you share your deepest thoughts. The cool thing is that it’s YOUR website and you can pretty much design it the way YOU want to. I think that this is the main benefit of having a blog… it’s a tad more personal than a business/news website because readers are able to link your face/personality to it.
How To Start a Blog in 2019:1. Decide on your blog niche. This means: figure out the type of topics your website will cover. There are a variety of options and you could pretty much have NO niche/genre and still be successful. But I’ve found that when you have identity, you kinda have vision… and when you have vision, you are more motivated to make a success of the thing.
2. Decide on your blog name. Remember that your blog name is, in essence, your website’s name/address. You would want to make it something that will be able to encompass you, as a brand. As I mentioned before, calling it “Single Girl in PE” is a cute idea, except that it may be limiting since you could actually get married and move out of PE one day. Choose a name that will still be relevant after a couple of years.
3. Choose a blogging platform. There are a variety of options (Blogger, Tumblr, Wix) but I’ve found that wordpress.com is the more popular and user friendly option. There are no start up costs, you don’t need to know coding and the themes make it really easy for you to get the look you want. However, keep in mind that because it’s a free option, you may be a bit limited on the design front AND your website will be owned by WordPress.
4. Create the blog. If you’ve decided on your blogging platform (step 3), all you have to do is register (duh). It’s pretty easy and straightforward. Once you’re registered you can choose your homepage layout, select a theme and create a free blog name domain.
Your blog name domain is the name of your website/URL. BUT it will be owned by WordPress, since it’s hosted on their web property. This means that your site will have the phrase “.wordpress” in its URL/address like so: www.girlintheworld.wordpress.com
You could totally roll with this free site (aka your wordpress hosted domain.) But if you wanted to go a bit more profesh (and get that “.wordpress” phrase out of your website address) you could purchase a domain. Buying your own domain is like paying for the space on the interwebs for your blog to live. Owning your domain kinda secures it and makes you look a bit more serious about what you’re doing. You can check out who the service providers are in your neck of the woods. I use Axxess. Other options include: Afrihost and MWeb.
(If you plan to not spend money on purchasing a domain, you can totally skip number 5.)
5. Buy your domain. (Clip note, you could do step 5 before step 4, I did it the other way around) Once you’ve purchased your domain, log into your domain’s admin panel (that means, go into your profile on the domain website). Okay, breathe girl, I know it looks overwhelming, but it’s not! Right, so most (if not all) of these websites will have a one-click option that will automatically instal your WordPress. Click on it, get that WordPress installed and then simply log into your WordPress using the details you’ve used in step 3 and Bob’s your uncle. Unless you really have an uncle named Bob… then you’ll have two uncles named Bob. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. For everything else there’s Google.
6. Appearance. You can now spend all of your days (okay maybe not ALL your days, but a large chunk of it, because this can get really interesting) designing and redesigning your website until you’re happy with it. Find a wide range of ready-to-use themes on WordPress under the Appearance>Themes option.
7. Plug-Ins. Instal plug-ins (that’s like apps) on your blog (under Plugins>Add New) that will help you to safe guard your website, help to track your readers behaviour and a bunch of other cool stuff. Plug-ins that I use include: Wordfence, Akismet Anti-spam, Jetpack and Yoast).
8. Blog, you blogger! Yep… you’re pretty much set up. Now you can start creating that quality content that the world needs to see! Remember that Google and Youtube is your best friend… you may feel as if you need to have an I.T. boffin by your side throughout this whole ordeal, but truth be told fam, my Hubstopher is an I.T. boffin and he literally did ZERO work on my website. I figured it all out myself and with the help of Google and Youtube. And friends, if I can do it, believe me, so can you.
Extra tip: A great idea would be to register social media accounts in your blog’s name. Hint: You would want to make the name similar across all accounts, making it easy for your readers to find you. Social media accounts, for your blog, is a great way to keep people informed with your latest posts. It is also a great way to build community with your readers and to see what people are interested in hearing about.
So there you have it. My very doable, very easy ‘How To Start a Blog in 2019’ guide. You’re welcome.
Other articles that can help you on this blogging journey:
Choosing a blog niche
Blog design
How to start a blog
More on ‘how to start a blog’A huge thank you to Odette of Confidently Insecure for reading through my post to check that I’m not a raving lunatic, giving you guys inaccurate information!
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ECMeetUp: why blogging is good for the Eastern Cape
If you called me an influencer or a blogger a couple of years ago, I probably would’ve laughed at you hysterically. I mean, “blogging” wasn’t something that I saw myself doing long term – or any term actually. Why would I want to put myself out there for all the world to see? And anyways, only desperate attention seeking people would go the extra mile to document their lives on social media. Right?
**Insert crickets chirping**
Anyways, after giving up my 12 year “single mom” stint, getting married at the fabulous age of 30ish and welcoming my baby girl into the world, I found myself really needing to say #allthestuff about this new life that I had chosen. And I had nowhere to put all the words.
And then my friend Ella re-introduced me to the world of blogging. She showed me that it was more than just about whose abdominal muscles are the tightest and that you don’t need to know how to “beat yo’ face” (apparently that’s what the cool people call putting on make up) if you want to make an impact and say your say. I mean there’s nothing wrong with toned abs and perfect make up, but I just couldn’t relate (and, let’s be honest, I had nothing to offer in terms of abs or make up.)And then I learnt about the wonderful world of mommy blogging and it was like a light had been switched on. I found solace and familiarity in the stories that other mommy bloggers shared (many “me too” moments was had) and I realized that blogging was more than just a way to become “famous” as someone pointed out (I’ll never get old of throwing this one out there, hello snide comments my old friend).
And friends, once I dipped my toes into the never ending pool of social sharing, I didn’t want to stop. I found freedom in the expressing of words – whether it was well received or not. Blogging was a new sort of “dear diary” moment for me and I loved every second of it.
I also learnt that blogging or influencing can be more than just a hobby. I mean, you can actually turn your website into a business. I found myself partnering with really amazing brands and businesses and my little corner of the internet became a lot more than just a way for me to show my ex how amazing I’m doing right now. (Hahahah imagine that were true)
After hosting our first ECMeetUp (it’s the annual Eastern Cape based blogger event that I co-organise with Ella) we were more aware of the financial and social impact that having a healthy blogger/influencer community would have on the Eastern Cape.
I mean, other parts of the country were doing really well… businesses were investing (think: brand launches where they spend money to throw lavish blogger/media parties) into other parts of South Africa and our part of the country saw zero action.
It made my face pain. (This is the term I use on my kids when they make me frown at them). My face was paining, you guys. Alot. #facepain (We should make this a thing.)
We then decided to take it on ourselves to have more blogger and influencer events in the Eastern Cape, allowing us to invite brands and businesses to partner with us. To date we’ve had about 7 ECMeetUps and a few business specific events and we’re proud to say that ECMeetUp (as a brand) is growing!
Our last ECMeetUp event (which took place on Saturday, 1 June) was a huge success. We had more than 50 influencers attend and had more than 40 brands that partnered with us for the event.It kinda thrills us when a huge business finds value in working with an online entrepreneur from the Eastern Cape. The creatives, based in the EC, have a lot to offer and we get like, maternal excited (that’s like normal excited with a dash of mama pride) when we see one of ours flourishing. It means we’re growing as a community and we’re growing, digitally, as a city.
A successful social media influencer/blogging/digital marketing scene would be GREAT for our city’s economy. Besides for brand launches and events, there is also opportunity for digital entrepreneurs to finally beable to quit that 9 to 5 and work from home. Being on the forefront of digital trends kinda isn’t the type of dream your grandma had for you, but that’s the direction the world is moving in. Why should we stay behind?
And anyways, if we aren’t punting the Eastern Cape and Nelson Mandela Bay online, who else is going to do it?
Needless to say, both Ella and I are super passionate about our city (#sharethebay) and we know that the people of the Bay have a lot more to offer than some people think. (‘Sup Gareth Cliff)
Anyways, before I break out into Celine Dions “My Heart Will Go On”, allow me to introduce to you some of the very fabulous, very generous 2019 ECMeetUp partners.Our bloggers found the following products in their goodie bags:
Blistex who gave them each a Blistex lip medex pot
Christian Art Media who so graciously gifted each blogger with a special gift
Faithful to Nature also gifted each delegate with a bamboo straw
It’s Cookie Time created special sugar biscuits for the event
Iwori gifted the bloggers with their amazing face masks and creams
Johnson’s Baby gave all the mommy bloggers something from their new range
KOO really spoilt each blogger with a hamper of the latest KOO products
Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism made special beanies for the event, we love them!
Oh So Heavenly really spoilt the ladies with shampoo and conditioner and creams
Silistraw gave each blogger one of their nifty reusable straws
Swiitch Beauty gifted each blogger with a lip primer kit and an eye liner
Tinkies gave us some of their delish product
Vaseline sent us each a few jars of their wonder working product
Woolworths Beauty came on board and gave each blogger a reusable shopper bag, to hold all of their booty in
Special mentions:
We also really need to send a huge shout out to Mastertons, Soga Organics, Oh Snap Instant Camera Hire and Hello for making our morning so delicious and entertaining. Our venue, The Boma, as always came through with the setting and the most AMAZING food you guys. We were so spoilt!Check out Eleanors post on some of the fantastic Locally Yours Market PE based brands that really came through with their amazing hand made crafts. And a huge shout out to our very own Milky Tea (Hughan Millborrow) for the gorgeous photos. We have some serious talent in the Bay!
The following brands also gave away really fabulous prizes!
Annique Beauty
Apiarista Farm Shoppe
Bonamia
Daily Dish
Fushin
Gumtree
Hasbro
HeraldLIVE
Kids Emporium
Kuzuko Lodge
Mastertons
Meridean
Netflorist
Pure Beginnings
Serenity Hair
Sunstar Gum
Vision WorksSjoe that was a mouthful! But I guess what I’ve come here to say is that blogging/ influencing/ whateveryouwannacallit, in the Eastern Cape, will probably morph and grow into something pretty spectacular (I mean, unless a huge Tsunami tidal wave hits and takes us off the map, but let’s not be morbid, Sheila). And we’re really excited to be involved!
By the way, if you’re keen to see who actually attended the event, check out the ECMeetUp website for more on the guest list.
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Meet the 2019 ECMeetUp Panel
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I mean, besides for my birthday and Christmas. Yep, that’s right, it’s #ECMeetUp time! For those who are new around these parts, #ECMeetUp is the biggest blogger and influencer event in the Eastern Cape. I get to organise it alongside my friend and family member, Eleanor of JustEllaBella (she’s family because I made her marry my cousin… well, not “made” but you get the gist).
Our previous meet ups have been pretty-flippen-fantastic, because the influencers in the Eastern Cape are rather spectacular. I mean, seriously, they are the most genuine bunch of peeps this side of the internet. And, if you consider all the drama that goes on in the online world of “influencing”, it’s rather refreshing to hang out with real life people who are super nice AND they understand what you mean when you say things like “I really need to find a plugin that will help me to monetize my website”.
We usually invite a guest speaker to join us, since we’re all about learning and growing. But, this time around, we followed the prompts of the pre-event survey (we usually send one out before each meet up) and it seemed that most bloggers wanted to learn from… get this… EACH OTHER!Eeeek! Feeling like a proud mama over here!
This totally blows my mind because it means that game recognizes game. I love that our local influencers rate each other AND that they are humble enough to want to learn from each other. That’s rare and beautiful and you guys can all have ice-cream for dessert!
I also love that we get to showcase (read: show off) some of the local influencers who are kicking butt and taking names. They are pretty rad, if I do say so myself.
Lastly, we want to celebrate diversity at this year’s meet up and what better way to do it than to witness the fitness of a group of influencer’s who each represent a different niche. I mean, it’s pretty cool, you have to admit.
Anyways, before I break out into song and dance, let me introduce you to the 2019 ECMeetUp panel. They are:
Anje RautenbachAnje Rautenbach is the Port Elizabeth based travel writer behind the blogs, Going Somewhere Slowly and Vroetelvoete. She has been globetrotting, writing, discovering and capturing the world as a solo traveller since 2009. Anje is passionate about responsible travel, animal rights in tourism and discovering the nooks and crannies of small towns and big cities. The award winning blogger has an extensive following with a over 20 thousand reach on social media alone. Her work has been featured in countless magazines and on numerous websites and despite being rather camera shy, she is one of the most recognized faces in travel blogging in South Africa.
Abegail WitbooiAbegail Witbooi, is a social media maven who has taken inspiration from her natural krulkop and used her social media presence to create a booming local business. Krulkop Society is a local South African brand which aims to create a culture of authenticity and originality. The brand expanded as Abby noticed the need for declarations of affirmation, love and appreciation in the society. This was how the Krulkop Society Gifting and Treats range was birthed. All merchandise and goods aim to uplift, empower and boost self-esteem, and confidence in society. A big part of Abby’s brand is growing a sense of community and togetherness. Her success has seen her being featured in numerous articles and on television but to her, seeing connections between people and in society is the biggest success and achievement for the brand.
Laurina Machite24-year old Port Elizabeth social media influencer, lifestyle blogger, part-time accounting student and school teacher, Laurina Machite manages her own online platform that empowers women with a range of lifestyle and beauty advice, from fashion tips to make-up tutorials. Laurina was a crowd favourite as one of the top ten finalists in the 2018 SABC 3 presenter search. She has worked with top national and international beauty brands and apart from regulary MCing various events, she is one of the featured faces of the All Things Hair web series. Laurina built up her following in just a few years and has accumulated a reach of 15.2 thousand.
Megan BothaMegan Kelly Botha is the blogger behind By Megan Kelly, mom of two boys, and Client Relationship Manager at SOMS. Her blog focuses on beauty, parenting, and lifestyle and aims to be a convenient one-stop platform, where you can catch up on the latest beauty launches, parenting tips, messages of faith and lifestyle trends, with a heavy dose of bad-jokes and relatable realness. Her passion for digital marketing saw her and her husband starting their own digital agency which later lead them to joining one of the fastest growing digital agencies in the country. She spends her free time watching far too much soccer and starting online petitions for chocolate to be recognized as a crucial food group.
Amanda KlaasAmanda Klaas from Yellow Orchid Child is originally from Kwa-Zulu Natal but has been in Port Elizabeth long enough to call it home. She studied Media Communication & Culture at Nelson Mandela University and started blogging in 2016 as a way to share her voice with those who might relate. Yellow Orchid Child is a uniquely curated style, lifestyle and motivational blog. She has used her brand of motivation to further her career as a keynote speaker and host at various events. She has also aligned herself with niche brands and has one of the fastest growing social media platforms, locally.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: Luchae, could you not have chosen a less attractive panel, I mean, we’re going to be SO distracted by their sheer beauty, how will we learn?! We’ll figure this out together folks.
Also, second thought: Luchae, where the guys at?! Good question, my friends, good question. We’re hoping to see more male involvement at future meet ups (‘sup boys) and hope to feature alot more male influencers at upcoming events. I mean, we’re known for pulling rabbits out of hats, but even our kungfu is not strong enough to include those who are not around.
Anyways, we are so excited to learn from these industry experts! Are you? Our 2019 #ECMeetUp seats are fully booked, but if you’d like to attend (because, as Dany Targaryen has taught us, you just never know), please do drop us an email and we’ll add you to the waiting list.
Check out JustEllaBella tomorrow for more deets on the upcoming 2019 ECMeetUp.
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ECMeetUp: do bloggers actually like each other?
On Saturday we got to hang out with some of our fave Eastern Cape bloggers at our final ECMeetUp of 2018. The event was unlike any other blogger meet up we’ve ever hosted, because we wanted to see if bloggers actually like each other in real life. I mean, it’s easy to be all quirky and polite behind a screen. Right?
And hey, I’ve built many a friendship via the internet (you know who you are, friend!) But the cool thing about us EC bloggers is that the Eastern Cape is small, yo. And we actually have a chance to hang out a lot more than some of the other influencers, in other parts of South Africa. And so Ella and I wanted to facilitate a gathering of sorts, where we could all just let loose and focus on getting to know each other better. The night was filled with festive games and laughter. Plus, prizes and gifts… need I say more? You can read more about that over on JustEllaBella today. But I’m here to talk about the people.
My favorite thing about living in Nelson Mandela Bay, is the people. I mean, yeah we have a slammin’ beach and really cool touristy attractions and all of that. But our people are worth their weight in gold! Our (sometimes over the top) friendliness can often be misconstrued as being fake or false or “this woman is not right in her head.” But, in retrospect, living in a smaller metropole has its perks and one of the perks is that we are a tightly knit community and so even though you may not know everyone, chances her your new friend knows someone who knows someone who once worked with your family member at Cadbury. Or Volkswagen. Or Edgars, Greenacres. You get the gist.
Anyways, my point is that I am simply over the moon that our little EC blogging community is growing so nicely. Why be happy, some would ask. I mean, doesn’t this mean that there is less opportunity for the rest of us? Uhm, NO. It means that there is more of us to take note of! (That was me throwing shade at the rest of South Africa, who, it seems, often forgets about us). We are a growing force and a thriving community and yep, we actually like each other. How about that?
Anyways, before I trail off into another mommy-lecture, allow me to introduce the EC bloggers who were in attendance this Saturday. Please feel free to stalk away!
Bernadene Freeman of Be You Daringly – Facebook Instagram
Catherine Richards of Curious Cat – Facebook Instagram
Clarice Geduld of A Healthy Travel Addiction – Facebook Instagram
Eleanor-Douglas Meyers of Just Ella Bella – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Eridene Coltman of Journey with Deenah – Facebook Instagram
Jenine Damons Marneval of The Fat Fairy – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Kelly Adams of Basically Kelly – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Kenastacia Asia of Kenastacia – Facebook Instagram
Luchae Williams of My Spreadsheet Brain – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Mandy Frank of – Frankly Mandy – Facebook
Maverick Coltman of Maverick Coltman – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Melissa De Klerk of Fox & Owl Media – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Miriam Maulana of New Kid On The Block – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Nadine Rose Larter of Passing the Open Windows – Twitter Instagram Facebook
Odette Johaar of Totally Confident and Completely Insecure – Twitter
Ralph Dirsuwei of Chasing the Rainbow – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Ruth Abercrombie of Pursuing Purpose – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Sandi Leith of A Life In Spring – Facebook Instagram
Sarah Dirsuwei of Chasing the Rainbow – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Simone Cameron of An Ordinary Gal – Facebook Instagram
Tanya Lilley of Just Me, T – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Tayla Rodger of Tailored Inspiration – Facebook Instagram
Theresia Muller of Lessons Learnt – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Venean Bosch of In the Meantime – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Yolande Holloway of Sheer Empowderment – Facebook Instagram
Yolandi Barnard of Styles by Yolandi – Facebook Twitter InstagramDisclaimer: All the pics in this post was “borrowed” from the EC Bloggers Instagram accounts. Give them a follow! You can check out all the meet up action, and exactly what the bloggers went home with, by searching for #ECMeetUp on social media.
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#ECMeetUp: Why we’re not inviting everyone
So as you guys may know, Ella and I host two #ECMeetUp blogger events each year. These events are basically a conference of sorts, for bloggers and social media influencer’s who are based in Nelson Mandela Bay. It’s our baby, but certainly wasn’t our idea… I mean, the Jozi and Capetonian bloggers have been hosting similar meet ups, probably since, like, the beginning of time. Or maybe a little bit after that. Anyways, not the point. The point is that we really love hosting this event… it has become a highlight on our calendar of life (so dramatic, always) and we get excited for every ECMeetUp. But, this time around, yoh, it’s become something else altogether. I mean, for starters, we’re not inviting everyone.
*pause for emphasis*
Okay that was me breaking out my inner Stephanie Forester because keeping people in suspense is so not my jam. Anyways, yeah, I said it, this meet up is not for everyone. Allow me to explain:At our big meet up (we casually call the May event the “big meet up”, and the end of year event, the “mini meet”) we open up the guest list to PR reps, brands and even peeps who are interested in blogging but may not have a blog at the moment. It’s a great way to encourage networking, within these circles. I mean, it’s all about “meeting up”, as the name would imply.
But this time – oh this time! We’d like to focus on blogger-to-blogger networking. Yes, that means, we want to get to know you guys man! And we want you guys to get to know each other too. I mean, blogging (much like any competitive industry) can become pretty ugly. But the one thing that makes us EC Bloggers remarkably different from the rest (sorry South Africa) is that we are PE girls/guys… we love people (for the most part) and we’re really good at community (when we aren’t in a bad mood because someones car got stuck on the N2 AGAIN).
Guys, we’re stronger when we work together. And while I’m not saying that we should be all up in each other’s faces all the time, I do think that being supportive and encouraging (or atleast, just decent human beings) towards each other, will go a long way towards building the blogging scene within the Eastern Cape. I mean, if you’re all for wanting to actually get to know the other bloggers in our region, I do recommend that you come and do that! We won’t bite, I promise.
Other highlights about our upcoming meet up:
1. No goodie bags. Instead, we’d like to give you a Christmas gift, thanks to some of our fave brands, who promised not to send nick-nacks. We’re also trying to plan a little somethin’ somethin’ that will help you kick start your 2019!
2. No long speeches and no long talks. In fact, we want to encourage you to talk to EACH OTHER. Ahhh a brave, bold new concept!
3. A lekker time to dress up, take cute photos, enjoy some festive spirit (read: food and music) and just soak up the ambiance of the most magical season of the year! Yes, I love Christmas, okay?!
4. A chance to #sharethelove, by bringing along a toy to sponsor to the Project Hope children. Project Hope is an organisation that feeds more than 100 disadvantaged children in the Northen Areas of Port Elizabeth.
5. Okay there isn’t really a number 5 but I just want to say that it’s going to be legit, man!So what do you think, EC Blogger? Are you in? Tickets cost R200, and includes a yummy three course meal from Bonamia, Walker Drive. Bonamia is actually owned by a fellow blogger too! So that’s a double win for us!
You are welcome to rsvp with myself or Ella. Tickets must be paid by November 25. We are only reserving 30 seats this time around, so I do urge you to make sure to rsvp as soon as possible!
Looking forward to getting all festive with ya!
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Celebrating one year with Oreo Enrobed on World Chocolate Day!
Today is World Chocolate Day and what better way to celebrate than by stuffing your face full of chocolates, right? I hope you’re doing that right now, as you read this. And as for me and my house? Well, we’re probably going to get into some delish Oreo Enrobed a little bit later. Did you know that Oreo Enrobed (in Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate) turns a whole one years old today! That’s right, it’s been one year with Oreo Enrobed and we still can’t get enough of this choclatey goodness!
Not sure what Oreo Enrobed is? Well, picture this: the wonder-filled goodness of oreo biscuit, completely covered with Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate. Exactly! The best of both worlds! I was so honored to get to celebrate this melt-in-your-mouth biscuit with a bunch of my blogging friends a few days ago. The Oreo Enrobed team treated us to a delicious brunch and we celebrated in true ‘first birthday’ style, complete with cake, balloons and even a clown. But enough talk, here are the pics for your ooh’ing and aah’ing pleasure!
In this pic: (left) Miriam Maulana of New Kid on the Block; Luchae Williams of… well… this blog; Eridene Coltman of Journey with Deenah; Courtney Hall of Cee’s Journal; Eleanor Douglas-Meyers of JustEllaBella; Megan Botha of By Megan Kelly; Cassidy Pautz of The Novice, The Pot and the Pantry; Laurina Machite of the Laurina Machite blog; Kelly Adams of Basically Kelly; Taskeen Daniels of Styled to the T ; Elsie Mutsaka of the Elsie Mutsaka blog; Simran Juglal of Burgandy Beauty; Venean Bosch of In the Meantime and Yolandi Barnard of Styles by Yolandi.
Organised by: ECMeetUp
Venue: 39 on Church, Walmer
Photos: Cutepix Photography
Decor: Cute and Chic Events and Styling
Cake: KPA Creations
Macarons: Ginger Pops
Entertainment: Moaz the Clown -
So you want to be a blogger
I started blogging back in the day when a Telkom line and a fat salary was the only way you could connect to the internet. I used my blog as a way to channel my inner Anne Frank, sharing every
goryboring detail and every poorly taken Blackberry photo to an audience of like, three people (hi mom!) It eventually evolved, as I evolved, and became what it is today… uhmm still a way to channel my inner Anne Frank and share everygoryboring detail about my life. But blogging, in general, has since grown. I mean, who doesn’t want to be a blogger? It has become the new DJ/photographer… everyone’s doing it and everyone’s an expert. And rightly so, it’s alot of fun! But, the one thing I’ve learnt at ECMeetUp this year is that maintaining a successful blog and having a passion for this sort of overshare requires just that: PASSION.
We were totally spoilt at ECMeetUp. I mean, besides for the food, that is. Megan Botha of By Megan Kelly and Lyle Scritten of Travelstart, shared valuable information and really helped me to put things into perspective. Well, for starters both reminded me how important it is to be authentic. So you want to be a blogger? Well, guess what, YOU are your blog. You don’t need much to become relevant, because to YOUR audience you ARE relevant and if you keep catering to what they like and want, you’ll be successful.
I mean, take me for example. In the beginning, my blog’s name changed more than Katie Perry’s hairstyles and I actually struggled to find a niche that I deemed myself worthy of. Until I had my little girl. I’m going to be honest with ya (because it’s my party and I’ll word vomit if I want to) I actually only thought I had something to share, once I had Karis. When Kari came along, I was like, yeah man, this I can chat about. I am now a wife and I have a baby (but like, a legitimate one this time) and surely there are way more moms who can relate with this, right? Turns out I was semi-wrong. I found out that moms relate with moms. So, by allowing myself to be a mother, I found an audience in you, the single mom, the married mom, the mom of many children, the mom of only one child. That’s because being a mom is the tie that binds us. We get it. We get each other’s struggles and wins.
Anyways, my point (I promise I have one) is that if you want to be a blogger, and you want to start a blog, then DO IT. Stay true to yourself and who you are and the rest, as they say, is Google history. Other tips (some picked up from ECMeetUp) I can share with you is:
- DO find a blog name that is able to grow with you. I mean, if your blogs name is Brown Haired Girl, but you plan to eventually go blonde one day, you might want to rethink that name.
- DONT stick to a wordpress hosted site (that’s when your website looks like this –> www.brownhairedgirl.wordpress.co.za) Megan said that you want to go self hosted (i.e. www.brownhairedgirl.co.za) because it makes your site look more professional.
- DO have a game plan… Lyle shared that consistency is key. It also helps to have a content plan and schedule posts, when you’re having a particularly great moment of word vomit. (If I have a lot to say, I sometimes type up a couple of blog posts and save them in drafts, for those days when I have absolutely nothing going on in my head. Which is most days.)
- DON’T be shy to share your stuff on social media y’all. I mean, duh we want people to read our posts, right? Social media is like, the billboard of the internet. Ooh that’s good, I should tweet that.
- DO make sure your photos are on point and experiment with light and various forms of media. Lyle says that video is the biggest trend of 2017 and 2018. Someone once asked me how much I pay my photographer to take my everyday pics. Photographer for what… those are taken with my phone, girlfriend! Find a great photo editing app and use natural light. Guys, there’s an app for pretty much everything. You too can become a photographer/DJ.
- DON’T player hate on another bloggers hustle. Building relationship with other people within your network is KEY and also, it just makes you a decent human being, you know? Find a group of blogger friends to encourage and support… it’s nice to be nice.
- HAVE FUN! Seriously ya’ll… I would totally stop doing this if I wasn’t having the best time while doing it. Check your motive, check your attitude, keep yourself accountable and don’t turn into a jerk. That is all.
- Find blogger networking events like ECMeetUp (hosted in Nelson Mandela Bay) to learn, connect and grow!
So that’s it. If you’re looking for tips on how to approach brands, check out Megan’s blog. She is a goldmine of information! Lyle blogs over at Versatile Lyle, so do check him out. You can also check out the Travelstart website for great deals on flights. (Excessive use the word “check”? Check.)
And lastly, if you want to stay in the know with all things ECMeetUp, keep following Eleanor and I via our blogs and/or social media. There is also an ECMeetUp Facebook group. See you there!
Disclaimer: This post was written in collaboration with Travelstart
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#ECMeetUp 2018 – Who are the EC Bloggers anyways?
Well, ECMeetUp 2018 has come and gone and as usual it was completely amazing. And this is not me being biased, you guys. I mean, yes we come for the goodie bags, giveaways and food but in reality the people that attend are what makes every single ECMeetUp as awesome as it is. We were also very heavily supported by HeraldLIVE and Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism and are so grateful for that! Check out JustEllaBella tomorrow, because Ella wants to tell you guys a bit more about the brands that tied in this year and what our delegates went home with(and it was alot, yo!). But I thought to let ya’ll in on our guest list. I mean, who are the EC Bloggers anyways, right?
I must admit, when we started this ECMeetUp gig, we probably only knew five Eastern Cape based bloggers, between the two of us. Our meet up guest list reached a max of 80 this year, with majority of the list being local bloggers keen to connect with like minded folk. We had a couple of open seats, which we gladly gave to some of our local brands. I mean, besides for hooking the bloggers up with chow, knowledge and freebies, we also wanted them to hob knob with some of the brands that are looking to work with them. It’s win-win really.We were honestly so chuffed to have the guys from Travelstart join us this year. Lyle Scritten (who also blogs by the way, oh and remind me to tell you about his dad jokes) shared some wise nuggets on blogging and Kirsten Litsen shared more about the Travelstart affiliate program. The very charming Aislinn was my favorite though – but don’t tell the rest of the team.
Anyways, I could say a gazillion more things about this year’s meet up (and I probably shall) but let me rather just tell you who was there. The bloggers and social media influencer’s in attendance at the ECMeetUp 2018 were:Amanda Klaas of Yellow Orchid Child – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Andrew Sampson of V Model Management – Facebook Instagram
Anje Rautenbach of Going Somewhere Slowly – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Bernadene Freeman of Be You Daringly – Facebook Instagram
Cassidy Pautz of The Novice, The Pot and The Pantry – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Chantal Bezuidenhout of Social Media Shakeup – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Christopher Williams of Groove Station – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Claire Kivedo of Overall Events – Facebook Twitter
Cleo Allison of CASA – Facebook Instagram
Davene Prinsloo of Daveneprinsloo.com – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Eleanor-Douglas Meyers of Just Ella Bella – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Elgee Davies of Elgeedavies.co.za – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Elsie Mutsaka of Elsie Mutsaka – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Felicity Triegaardt of Travelbucket – Facebook Instagram
Inge Triegaardt of Travelbucket – Facebook Instagram
Jacqui Truelove of OVB – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Jenine Damons Marneval of The Fat Fairy – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Karyn Singh of Galicious – Facebook
Kelly Adams of Basically Kelly – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Kerryn Botha of A Girl Named Kez – Facebook Instagram
Kirsty Ferreira of Raising Rem – Facebook Instagram
Lana Breedt of Nog Steeds Lana – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Laszlo Maya of Maya Deaf Foundation – Facebook Twitter
Luchae Williams of My Spreadsheet Brain – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Mandy Frank of – Frankly Mandy – Facebook
Megan Kelly of By Megan Kelly – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Miriam Maulana of New Kid On The Block – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Neal Prinsloo of Storie En Al Films – Instagram
Odette Johaar of Totally Confident and Completely Insecure – Twitter
Ralph Dirsuwei of Chasing the Rainbow – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Ranique Roberts of Big Mouth Entertainment – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Ruth Abercrombie of Pursuing Purpose – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Sandisiwe Mfazwe of Sandys Place – Facebook
Sarah Dirsuwei of Chasing the Rainbow – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Sarah Huddy of The Mommy City – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Sarah Massey-Hicks of The Sunshine Thread – Facebook Instagram
Simran Jugal of Burgandy Beauty – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Tanya Lilley of Just Me, T – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Taskeen Daniels of Styled to the T – Facebook Instagram
Tayla Rodger of Tailored Inspiration – Facebook Instagram
Theresia Muller of Lessons Learnt – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Venean Bosch of In the Meantime – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Vuyo Ndongeni of Loving Me – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Yolande Holloway of Sheer Empowderment – Facebook Instagram
Yolandi Barnard of Styles by Yolandi – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Zaahida Joel of Journey with Mum – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Some of the brand reps that joined us (thanks for coming ya’ll!):Amy Mcbryne of The Beauty Store
Cameron Millar and Melvin Iverson of Yo! Media
Darryl van der Berg of KFC
Farren Foutie of Cute and Chic Event Styling (the sweety table was amazeballs!)
Gerald Pietersen of Agape Coffee Shop
Gillian Pillay of Mastertons (always a fave!)
Hannah Atterbury of Geekworld
Ian Bosch of Ootrey
Karin Le Roux of Fairview Race Course (what a stunning venue!)
Lameez Khan of Clarins
Lize Fouche and Micell van den Bergh of Nutristart
Maaasha Ismail of MoFireFly Photography (our meet up photographer)
Marelize Rosa and Richard Rosa of Bohemi Yoga
Michelle Kritzinger of Stylish Steppers
Octayvia Nayce and Zama Ndulom of HeraldLIVE
Rene Derrocks and Reuann Smith of NMBT (love and appreciate you ladies!)
Rika Olivier of Ivohealth
Waahida Williams of Woolworths Beauty
These images were very clearly sniped from the bloggers Instagram accounts. Please do give them a follow for more and check out the #ECMeetUp hashtag across all platforms. The official meet up pics will be posted later this week.
