Makeup, Beauty and Aashna Shroff are words you are probably going to use in one sentence. Mumbai-based fashion blogger Aashna Shroff is a social media sensation with 412K followers on Instagram.
From fashion trends to makeup tips and the first impression of cosmetics products, there is nothing that misses her eyes. Speaking to TLJ, Aashna talks about what drives her to do what she does and what makes her blog, The Snob Journal, so popular.
What made you take up blogging?
I was very active on Instagram (The Snob Journal) and loved experimenting with my style and posting about it. People who followed me nudged me to start a blog, and so I did.
Tell us about the Snab journal and the idea and motivation behind it?
The Snob Journal is an extension of my personal style, with my take on beauty and travel. It started out as a passion and hobby, and I really didn’t expect it to become so popular. My motivation comes from my love for creating varied content wherever I go and playing around with different pieces of clothing and makeup.
What is your style of blogging?
I don’t think I have a particular style of blogging. I just write and post about what I’m feeling at a given point of time, the new places I’m visiting, and the trends I love.
What has helped you gain followers and readers?
What has helped you gain followers and readers ?
I honestly don’t have an answer to this but maybe people can relate to me somewhere. Or maybe they like my style.
Have you faced any disappointments? Where do you see yourself in years to come?
Not yet. No matter what, I definitely see myself continuing blogging and working harder on my content for a long time.
What is your most noteworthy accomplishment outside blogging?
I used to be a preschool teacher before I got into blogging. I never thought I would be so passionate towards kids, let alone teach a class of 2-year-olds all by myself. This is definitely something I’m proud of.
If not blogging or travelling, what are you usually doing?
I’m always looking for inspiration and new ideas to get better at what I do. If not, you’ll probably find me watching a TV series. The Walking Dead show is my favourite.
Which bloggers do you look up to, and why?
I really like Victoria from InTheFrow. I feel I can relate to her in every way… Her style, makeup or even the kind of person she is. I’ve been following her for ages now, and she’s definitely an inspiration.
People often say that bloggers get free products which draws every third person into this profession. What do you have to say about the perfect click and hard work behind the blog?
(Smiles) Everyone loves free stuff and there is no doubt about that. But trust me, after a point, you can’t sustain yourself on free products. And blogging isn’t as easy as it seems. You need to be very particular about the smallest of things you put up, and there’s actually a lot of hard work that goes into every single picture and every bit of content in the digital space.
How many blogs do you write in a week and how much time do you spend writing?
I try to post once or twice a week, if not more. I would love to be more active, but there’s always so much to do, that I can hardly keep up. Each blog post takes me about 2 hours to write on an average.
How frequently do you interact with your followers?
I used to interact with them a lot earlier. Now I try to respond to comments every now and then, and I plan on making an active effort to do that more often.
Do you think page rank plays a crucial part in a blog’s life?
Yes, definitely. But I also believe in quality content over everything else.
Share your tips for those interested in becoming bloggers.
Share your tips for those interested in
Be patient. Success never comes easy. Keep working hard on your blog, and don’t give up.
Share about blogs that you are currently working on.
I’ve been working on a couple of travel stories and something about self-reflection recently. These might be helpful if one is feeling a bit uninspired lately.
Who is your favorite star? Would you like to style him/her for any movie?
I love Victoria Beckham and Blake Lively. I’m not too much into styling, but if I were given a chance, I would love to style either of them, as intimidated as I might be. (Laughs)
Any dream that you really want to come true?
I’ve grown up watching Wimbledon matches with my mother. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are my favorite players. Flying to London to witness Wimbledon, and getting to watch both my favorite tennis players play live will be one of my biggest dreams come true.
– Surbhi Varma