‘In the Blog Seat’ is a series of interviews with bloggers and vloggers who share their blogging journey, inspirations and learning lessons…

Anna Nuttall lives in London with her husband and has been a blogger for the best part of 18 years! Her blog, annanuttall.com,  focuses on fashion and women’s lifestyle.

When she gets any time to herself Anna enjoys RPG games (role playing games) on her PlayStation 4 and, being a bit of a history buff, enjoys visits to castles, historical buildings and places of interest.

What three things can’t you live without to help manage your blog – and why?
Facebook, my phone and camera.

Who is your ideal reader?
I like to think my readers are mainly female and also adore fashion and love going shopping! I also like to think of my readers who look for friendly advice in life and I’m there to help them in any way I can.

How did you first get into blogging?
I’ve always been a writer. I was that kid at school who adored English and would spend hours messing around on the computer.

I remember the first blog I read was a girl from Australia and it inspire me to do the same. I then started reading Catwalk Queen written by Gemma Cartwright and I was transfixed and wanted to be in that world, especially as online media was becoming more mainstream.

How did you choose the niche(s) that you have chosen to blog in?
I have always adored fashion from a young age and it wasn’t until I came across a fashion blog that I realised I could make it as a job. I studied fashion journalism at uni as I wanted to be a fashion and lifestyle writer.

How do you manage time to run your blog efficiently?
I often get up early (my husband is an early riser so I get up the same time as him0 and go straight to my computer – and I don’t leave until bedtime! I’m pretty much on my computer all day.

What strategies have worked well for you in getting more traffic to your blog?
The big game changer was last year with Stumbleupon and Facebook, although lately my SEO has been paying off.

What blog achievement are you most proud of?
Last month I made enough money from my blog to pay my mortgage and buy a dress. I was also really proud when I got 20,000 page views.

What are your blogging goals for the next 12 months? 
To keep getting bigger and better. I know it shouldn’t be all about the money, but I would like to earn more so I can do some travelling.

What’s the most challenging issue for you in your blogging journey so far?
Keeping everyone happy. I have people who complain that I have too many beauty posts and then there are some who dislike my fashion posts. I also find it challenging to be more open about myself.

What motivates you to keep your blog up and running?
The freedom to write whatever I like. I know it shouldn’t be all about the money, but the earning potential keeps me motivated. I also love connecting with fellow bloggers.

Is blogging your profession or just a hobby?
It’s my job. I’m a full time blogger and I’m also a Digital Marketing Manager with my digital marketing agency, Nuttall Media. 

Where do you hope your blog will take you?
I tried ‘traditional’ employment and I hated it. I used to work in retail and it drove me mad, so I hope my blog just keeps growing stronger, so I can keep working from home. I also would love my blog to allow me to do more travelling.

Do you monetise your blog – and if so, if what ways?
I do – I use Adwin, Skimlinks and Adsense. I’m also slowly opening up to more sponsored posts.

Where do you get your inspiration for your blog posts?
Honestly anything that comes into my head! I enjoyed writing about subjects that I can relate to and have fun with. I also might read something or watched a YouTube video and that would inspire me. I like my blog post to be informative, fun and interesting for readers.

What’s the best thing a blogger can give to their readers?
A virtual friend – that person they can asked for advice on anything. Be the person they can email and have a good chat with. I always say that people can email me anytime and I’d be happy to chat.

What do you love most about blogging and how long do you spend blogging in a typical week?
The freedom to write whatever I like. I spend approximately 168 hours a week working on my blog.

If someone was interested in starting a blog, what one piece of advice would you offer him or her?
Just do it! Now with smart phones and having blogging tools on smartphones, you can now blog wherever you are!

The nitty gritty...

What is your favourite blog post (or one of your favourite) you’ve written and why? This is an honest account of my problem when I was trying for a baby. I have various miscarriages attributed with dangerous level of preeclampsia. Despite that I would still get judgmental comments from people asking why I’m child-free. After a rather snobby cow encounter I sat down and wrote why I’m child-free.

What type of blog post do you most enjoy writing? 
Fashion and lifestyle posts. I like to think of them as my specialty. I also enjoyed my photos blog post.

Do you regularly collaborate with brands? 
I’m happy to work with brands. Lately a lot of fashion brands been contacting me so that makes me happy.