I had the privilege of talking with the very talented and ‘geekchic’ Louise Bell – creator of the gorgeous blog and online store Table Tonic. She’s a Sydneysider who describes herself as an Aesthete, a foodie, a fashionista, a frustrated interior decorator, and magazine addict. What some people don’t know is that before starting this amazing venture Louise was the Creative Director of Cosmopolitan, Cleo and Dolly magazine in Australia. Louise was happy to share her blogging tips with me for all of us. And if you haven’t checked out her store Table Tonic now’s the best time for xmas!
Mel: What gave you the inspiration to set up your blog?
Louise: I had this romantic idea one day – I would buy beautiful furniture on ebay and paint/restore it. Then I would start a blog, where I would visually document the process. Hence the name, “Table Tonic”. Needless to say, I didn’t go very far with the restoration side of things, but I have a couple of pieces I did paint and restore, which are very special to me now, considering they were such enormous catalysts. And besides, everyone else had a blog – I wanted one too!
M: What does your blog mean to you?
L: The Table Tonic blog serves two purposes – The first is to share cool stuff with like-minded souls – Interiors inspiration and a sprinkling of fashion & beauty. The second role the blog plays is to function as a form of marketing for the Table Tonic brand and online store tabletonic.com.au
M: What are your top 5 tips for other bloggers?
L:
1. Google anything and everything. There are a bazillion ways to create an amazing blog without being a tech whizz.
2. Blog daily, if you can.
3. Don’t expect to make (any) money from blogging. Yes, it can lead to other things, but if you’re doing it for the money, don’t do it.
4. Try and use only the best quality images – well lit, modern, sharp. What you leave out is as important as what you put in.
5. Always credit your image source. If you can’t, leave it out!
M: What do you especially like to post?
L: I love an image full of detail and colour, be it a room, an outfit, anything. But considering my home is an ever evolving process, I’m always looking for decor inspiration and ideas. I love nothing more than an absolutely fabulous room shot, bursting with visual interest and organised chaos!
M: Are there certain stories or categories you know will get a great reaction?
L: So far, I’ve found it’s the personal posts which get the most attention and comments – by far. So many things are blogged and reblogged over and over by various people (and for good reason), but when you share something personal, it’s unique. And can’t be found anywhere else.
M: What is your top tip for someone just starting out?
L: You won’t feel like anyone is actually reading your blog initially, but they probably are. Get yourself hooked up with “Statcounter” or something similar, and monitor your readership. Also, set up email subscriptions, RSS feeds etc. Make it easy for people to access your blog.
M: What are some of your favourite blogs and why?
L: All of the blogs on my blog sidebar are my favourite blogs! They all do what they do consistently well, and often – be it food, fashion or interiors that they blog about.
M: Would you say blogging is a creative outlet for you?
L: I would say it’s a mental inspiration board of sorts. A visual diary. But yes, definitely a creative outlet. For an ex-graphic designer though, blogger blogs are quite constraining when it comes to creative visuals. Well, for an IT-novice like me anyway.
M: Has blogging opened up doors for you with new contacts and conversations you may never had otherwise had?
L: Absolutely. I honestly don’t know where to start. Definitely the most rewarding (and surprising) aspect of blogging, for me. There are possibly hundreds of girls out there I feel I know better than some of my best friends, yet we’ve never met.
M: What’s the thing you like most about your blog?
L: I get enormous pleasure from my reader’s comments. The fact that people take the time to comment and share their own stories, links and tips is the best feeling ever! It’s a real community.
Thanks Louise – Now I’m going shopping at your store! xx
The Table Tonic Blog
Table Tonic
thanks for the blog…. nice and cool
Geek Chic