To make a long story short, over the years as shorter types of content started to be more relevant and social media started to take center stage, I pivoted from my blog in a way and focused more on my social media, especially Instagram. I would say this is still the case at this moment in time. I don't post on my blog as much as I used to, and that is something I would like to change because I still love blogging and writing.

However, having a full-time job and spending so much time on social media and creating content for many different platforms prevents me from focusing on my blog. Most brands these days look for influencers to collaborate with on social media, so posting consistently on your preferred platforms is very important.

Just a few years ago, there was this unwritten rule that you can start getting paid to collaborate with brands on Instagram when you reach 10k followers. That was my goal for a long time, and when I reached it, I was so happy. Since then, it has been harder and harder to grow on Instagram. Many influencers have experienced this in the last few years, and it can be quite frustrating. It seems like everyone hates Instagram algorithm, and everyone is still trying to make Instagram bring back chronological feed, although it has been gone for a few years now, and honestly, at this point, I don't think it's ever going to happen unfortunately.

Nowadays, you don't even need to have at least 10k followers to get paid collaborations. Many brands have started to realize the power of micro and nano influencers. However, it can be very difficult because bigger numbers always look better at the end of the day.

Over the last few years, I have definitely experienced collaborations with brands from all over the world. Some of these collaborations are gifted, and some are paid. One of the biggest challenges for me has always been getting in touch with the right brands to collaborate with. As I am in Croatia, many influencer programs don't even give me the option to sign up, and if I can sign up, then there are no opportunities for me because of where I'm from. This is really weird to me as Croatia is in the European Union, but most opportunities are usually for bloggers and influencers from the USA and the UK.

One of the best things about having a blog or a social media presence is that you can go back and see your growth over time. When I say growth, I mean personal growth, style growth, growth in numbers, growth in collaborations, etc. When I started my blog and later my Instagram, I had no idea what I was doing, to be honest haha! I just wanted to share my passion for fashion, lifestyle and beauty in some way. 

Over time I have learned how to take photos, I kinda found my style (even though I believe this is always an ongoing process), I keep learning so much about social media and copywriting, I have met wonderful people, I have collaborated with many brands from all over the world, and so on.

Another important skill I acquired is the ability to take criticism and not get so easily offended. I think this is a huge sign of personal growth and something I'm very proud of. When I started blogging, I used to get so upset about every nasty comment I would get and I would take it personally; hence, I'm so grateful I don't do that anymore.

I'm so excited to see where my journey takes me next!

Thanks for reading,

xoxo Sienna