Blog writing. If you’re currently reading this I’m almost 100% positive that you’ve thought about starting your own blog at some point in your life. For this week’s Campus Profile, blog writing holds a special place in her heart.
Meet Maureen, an urban lifestyle blogger and this week’s Campus Profile!
Maureen spends her leisure time writing for her blog, Metrópolette, and writing for the Anti Aging Central website. Although she dedicates quite a bit of time to writing for various blogs, you can still find her out and about Vancouver doing various recreational activities, such as yoga and hiking. You may have possibly seen her at the top of North Vancouver mountains, as her summer goal is to complete one hike per week. “So far,” she tells me, “I’ve been successful with this goal.” If this isn’t impressive enough, she also works while studying both geography and business.
Luckily for me, I was able to sit down and have a quick chat with her as we drank our yummy iced teas.
The basics
Name: Maureen Solmundson
Hometown: Vancouver
Currently studying: Geography with a Business minor
Year: 4th
What We Would Like to Know
What inspired you to start your own blog?
I was always reading other people’s blogs in awe while growing up. I absolutely loved the blogging world because it seemed to provide so many unique opportunities. It was clear to me that blogging is not only about writing, but about creativity, design and many other skills as well.
As a bonus, blogging is also a source of income and a way to meet new people that I otherwise wouldn’t have ever known. Also, the blogs I read were very inspiring, so when my mom urged me to “just do it” and start my own blog, I didn’t hesitate.
How did you decide on the name “Metrópolette”?
Before Metrópolette I had another blog called Urbanette. Urbanette was an undeveloped WordPress website that was more about city planning, as opposed to urban lifestyle. I quickly realized that I wanted something more spunky, but the Urbanette.com domain was already taken. Thus, Metrópolette was born. I chose the name “Metrópolette” because I wanted my blog to focus on women who lived in cities, so I took the word “metropolis” and added the ending “ette” to make the name sound urban, as well as feminine.
What are some of your favourite blogs? Do any other bloggers inspire you?
My three favourite blogs are abeautifulmess.com, helloglow.co, and galmeetsglam.com. All three of these bloggers inspire me!
How do you manage your time studying, working and blogging while trying to maintain a social life?
Well, to be honest, this has been very hard for me to do, and I have been putting my blog on the back burner for a little while. I believe that with blogging, it’s a lot easier if you plan ahead of time. This includes scheduling and pre-writing posts so that they are ready to be uploaded during busy periods of my life. Also, I make sure to schedule a block of time where I can focus on my blog writing.
What inspired you to start selling handmade coffee mugs on your blog?
Inspirational quotes are very trendy nowadays, and since these are also cute and something that I love I decided to start making the mugs myself! I love graphic design, and choosing fonts, quotes and colours. Quotes are a big part of my life, so I like to choose quotes that are inspirational to me. I will also make custom, unique mugs if a customer asks me.
How do you incorporate your own unique style and personality into your blog?
When I first started Metrópolette, I sat down and made my own business plan. I began by thinking of adjectives and personalities that describe my style. Then, I would use this list of words when writing for my blog, so as to keep a consistent image. I knew that I wanted to keep a certain casual vibe on my blog, like when I am having coffee with a friend, so I don’t try very hard. I like to keep it natural.
Do you have any tips for other students who want to start their own blogs?
Do what my mom told me and “just do it.” There are so many resources that you can use when starting your own blog. For example, search “how to start a blog” on Pinterest. Make sure that you do research before you start your blog. If you need someone to design your website, Etsy is a great platform to find a designer, and usually the cost is quite cheap too ($50 to $200). I also recommend using wordpress.org as your blogging platform because it’s very easy to use, contains various features, and you’re able to schedule your posts. If you have any questions about how to get started, feel free to reach out to me and I would be more than happy to help you!
What blogging platform do you use and why?
I use wordpress.org just like most bloggers because it’s very customizable, as I am able to add various plugins such as Woo Commerce. This is a plug-in that creates the e-shop portion of my site. With this plug-in, I can manage orders, add products, etc. Overall, WordPress is a great platform.
If you could only use one social media platform for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?
Hands down, I would choose Instagram. It’s a great platform, especially for blogging because it’s easy to discover new people, and I can use hashtags for others to find me. My goal is to up my Instagram game this year.
Has anyone ever bullied you about your blog? Are you ever worried that readers may judge you? If so, how do you deal with this?
Fortunately, no one has ever bullied me about my blog; although, sometimes I am a bit nervous that people I know will find out and think it’s odd. I’ve put some thought into this, and I’ve realized that at the end of the day I am writing this blog for myself and for readers who like my posts. These people keep me going.
Are you planning on expanding your blog in any way?
I would love to increase my blog’s readership and my Instagram followers. I would also love to find new opportunities through my blog. Collaborating with different brands sounds like fun, and I would love to start my own product line one day!
Thank you for sharing, Maureen!
You can connect with Maureen by sending her a direct message through Instagram (@metropolette) or tweet her at @metropolette.
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