Who is Deena Pinto?
Listen, in her own words…
“I am a stylist & influencer, based out of Bangalore. I love to create content and share my reviews on the lifestyle segment, such as fashion, beauty, travel and more. The fact that it's a whole universe out there, the passion, and above all learning new ways to stay in the game keeps me motivated to create and share. “
“Feeling empowered, by just being myself is key to my healthy and positive state of mind. I define myself as fierce and fabulous. From eating right to making sure I indulge in a healthy lifestyle, has now become a habit. My motto is love and respect yourself, and put yourself above all.”
Can you tell our readers about yourself and your blog?
My blog is a reflection of who I am, it's more about my usage of time, products, travel and fashion. I try to write about products or places that interest me and connect with me. I chose the name skinnygirldiariez, as I was always bullied as a kid for being skinny. I had a very hard time accepting this and had an inferiority complex.
The reason I called myself skinnygirl is its my side of the lifestyle now, it's my diary in a way. I have also grown a thick skin, to call myself skinny and poke fun at me in a way. Its not body-shaming anyone else. the name skinny just stuck with me.
Describe how you first get into blogging?
2016, I noticed the market was hot and booming for bloggers. I decided to get my own blog, with the name Skinnygirldiariez. I got the domain and name, and there has been no turning back since. I write about lifestyle in the city of Bangalore.
How would you describe your blogging style?
Its more laid back, simple writing, about fashion, beauty and travel.
What type of networking do you think is better to enhance your traffic to the blog?
Best thing is to share across all the social platforms to gain traction. FB, TW, insta, and so on. Also keep your blog with keywords to enhance the growth.
What do you think is the best service a blogger can provide to their readers?
More detailed write about about a product or place or food, or anything that we are blogging about.
How do you manage time to run your blog efficiently?
At least keep a blog once a month, to ensure there is traction. If not writing keep sharing old blogs across to keep it fueled up for more traction.
How do you want to improve yourself in the next year?
That is something even I'm trying to learn. I love to keep myself very busy, with content creation. With Social media, there is no time off, so maybe next year I will take a break and travel to detox and feel rejuvenated to blog again.
What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that?
Daily is a new learning, from editing to writing. The social media space is always changing and we have to adapt, so I would not look at those as failures but as a learning curve. You have to hustle and stand up if you fall. The only way to see success is by working on yourself.
Tell me about your proudest achievement?
I am currently an Amazon Live show host. Its been a fantastic ride and year in 2022, from being a full-time lifestyle content creator to now a live show host and creator for one of the largest e-com platforms in the world.
Who has impacted you most in blogging and how?
I have always had a keen eye, to create and write blogs on my journey, and it's now an amalgamation. For me it's about the audience who follow me, and read, I have grown and adapted myself to stay in the now. To adapt and reinvent me over the years.
What is your greatest achievement outside of blogging?
Creating content on my own, from being my own director, editor, writer, stylist and makeup artist. It has taught me a lot on how to juggle as well hustle my way to still staying relevant and true to the influencer or blogging community.
What do you do in your spare time?
I love to cook, have a ton of Netflix or series I love to watch. Else its just jotting down what content to create or places to visit next for my blog post.
Where would you like to be in blogging five years from now?
Maybe focus more on international travel and fill up the blog with some good countries and places to visit.
What was the most challenging moment in your blogging journey so far?
Making time. hahaha, making time is the biggest challenge. With full time content creation, and being active on all social media, its been quite a journey.
Can you name some of your favorite bloggers and explain why they are your favorites?
There are so many, but I can't remember the top of my head, as bloggers have drifted now to just being on social media. But some top female bloggers are on my radar who motivate me.
How do you motivate yourself to keep the blog up and running?
For me it's making time, above all, I have all the footage or content that I can write. But uploading images or videos and staying more in the zone without writer's block is a drag. On my time off, I save what I can, and push myself to write and update. At times it the clients who push me to do it.
Can you tell me about a few sources from where you get products for review on your site?
I receive emails, from clients directly, requesting for a blog. The either pay or send me hampers of a certain amount to write and post.
What do you find the most frustrating aspect of blogging?
The editing of images, and layout. Plus not getting enough traction now as its all social media like Instagram, or TikTok that has taken the limelight.
What is the biggest difference in your life post-blogging?
The fact that my blog has a good rating, and still gets noticed by big clients and brands even after 6yrs – I show up on Google.
Did you have any professional help or did you create the blog yourself?
I learnt the entire aspect of how to create, get a name and do the hosting bit. But later I did get some help from a few close techie friends to spruce it up, but now I maintain and pay for whatever is there even now on my own.
How active are you on a weekly basis? How often do you communicate with your followers?
If I do add a blog, i share on all social platforms.
How much time do you spend blogging?
Once a month now, but i have drag myself and do this weekly.
What do you think is the best social media strategy for getting more visitors to a blog?
Share on all social media platforms.
Would you encourage other people to make their blog?
For sure, social media is short-lived, the apps come and go, but a blog will give you the upper hand, as it's your domain and will last you for years. Plus you show up on google searches or pages.
Is blogging your profession or just a hobby?
It started as a hobby and now its full-time profession. I get paid to write or post a blog now.
A lot of people think that blogging is an easy way to make money online. Do you have some tips for those people who are interested in making money from the blog?
It's about how you hustle. The misconception is you write or post and you are famous. Well, it takes time and years to show up on search engines. So be consistent. understand your niche, realise what you want to post and who your target audience is or are. The rest will fall in place.
