Pinterest is one of my favorite (and most used) social media tools. It shouldn't surprise you that I can spend hours (OMG, really?!) scrolling through boards and adding pins to my feed. As someone who spent years organizing inspiration folders on her desktop and many hours before that clipping magazines, it's become invaluable to my creative process! I may or may not boast upwards of 10k images spread over carefully curated boards... It's a problem.

I'm obviously a visually driven person and I'm also someone who's building her brand. The need to catalog inspiration and represent myself in a graphic way lead me to use Pinterest for a bunch of different purposes. All of these techniques can be used to make your business/blog better too!

+ working with clients / collaborators

One of the most important ways that I use Pinterest is by creating project-specific boards that correlate with things I'm currently working on. The introduction of the secret board earlier this year totally changed the way I was pinning! For example, right now I have four active secret boards... 2 upcoming shoot concepts that require a ton of inspo (my editorial team can add images to it too!), 1 client styling board where we can both get a sense of each others' visions & 1 board full of sources for a future blog post. The thing I love most about using Pinterest as a planning tool is, instead of explaining my vision for something, I can show the people I'm working with.

+ sharing your work

Another great use for Pinterest is as a platform for getting exposure for your work. Whether you're a blogger, a retailer or a general maker, who couldn't benefit from a few more pairs of eyes on your creations!? Since pinners are prone to repin visually appealing images (portrait style does better vs. landscape, brighter & cleaner reigns supreme, etc.) keep your target audience in mind when shooting/creating graphics.

+  creating a cohesive brand

My favorite part of my Pinterest account is that it's a visual representation of Chelsea & The City. While it's fun to pin a little fitspo, add a few easy recipes for dinner with the fam and bookmark DIYs to try, if you're using Pinterest for your business or blog I suggest sticking to a general theme. I'm careful to only pin images that illustrate the lifestyle I envision for my brand and for my readers. If you're a designer or retailer, I suggest pinning work from other designers that inspire you, color stories you're attracted to and/or ideas you'd like to explore within your brand.

p.s. Whatever you do, remember that Pinterest is a fun, innovative tool that can expand your audience quickly! Check out your most frequently repinned photos to get an idea of what your followers would like to see more of.

Check out my Pinterest adventures here!

After a lot of deliberation and several emails asking for insight into penning a successful blog, I've put together "Blog 101: tips for successful and intentional blogging". My hope is that, over time, we'll conquer the business of blogging together with gusto! Whether you're a brand new blogger or you've been posting regularly for years, I've got you covered with tricks of the trade and a few lessons learned from my tenure here at Chelsea & The City.

The first step to blogging successfully is gathering up your fabulous ideas (I know you've got 'em, you clever thing you) and starting a blog! Here are the top 5 reasons you should create your own site:

1. you have something unique to share - Blogs are a great way to let everyone else in on your fabulous ideas! The secret (that we all discover over time) is staying true to your unique vision and sharing things that only you could have dreamed up. There is only one you and odds are somebody is going to love what you have to say.

2. to showcase your skills - Maybe you're a wonderful photographer (I'm jealous!) or have a knack for curating the latest + greatest styles. Maybe you've got mad Photoshop skills or are a spectacular illustrator... Whatever it is, the world deserves the chance to see what you can do! Starting a blog is an excellent way to share what you're good at all while nurturing those same talents.

3. to create a community - I have made some of the most wonderful friends through this little corner of the internet. Blogging brings people who share your interests right to you and gives you the opportunity to connect. Through social media + blogging, I've been able to build such a wonderful group of inspiring women that cheer me on and share in my love for all things shiny... score!

4. to inspire others - Got a killer recipe that would do someone a world of good? Have an insight into dealing with a sticky situation that might make it easier for the next girl? Blogs are the first place I look for inspiration and I can't tell you how many new ideas I've discovered reading my favorites.

5. to find your own voice - Before I started blogging I lacked purpose. I didn't know what my unique aesthetic was and didn't get to explore my passions everyday. Since starting Chelsea & The City, I've been able to delve deeper into the things that I love and really get lost in them. Blogging is my biggest creative outlet and without it I'd be stifled. Think of your blog as your personal design/style/food/fashion/family portfolio... a timeline of what makes you you!

I'll be sharing more Blog 101 posts in the future! Need advice on blogging with intention or making your site successful? Don't hesitate to reach out via email and I'll get to your question ASAP.

chelsea@chelseaandthecity.com