Since September 2016, when hygge hit the British media, there has been an explosion of blogs about hygge. I remember when I first started out with Hello Hygge back in January 2015 (has it really been that long?), there was only really one other blog I could find in this niche – Hygge House, which started back in 2004. Hygge House is still one of my favourite hygge blogs, with the My Hygge House section being my favourite part of the site, and beautiful photography throughout.

People often ask me how I got started with my blog, and what makes Hello Hygge different from the plethora of other hygge blogs out there. When Innovation Company approached me to ask where I see the future of blogging going in my niche, it got me thinking about my own blogging habits and where I think hygge blogging is heading in the coming years – and as I’m a marketing manager as a day job, obviously I have one or two thoughts on the subject…

Look and feel

For me, the look and feel of blogs is CRUCIAL, especially when you’re talking about a subject like hygge. Nobody wants an ugly layout to rip them away from their hygge fantasy, which is why I chose warm neutrals for my own blog theme. In a way, I think finding the right blog theme is a lot like interior design – you’re looking to evoke a certain feeling in your ‘room’, so you try out different colours and layouts and fonts and graphics to create the right vibe. I think that hygge blogs will increasingly practise what they preach with beautiful layouts to complement the content.

Photography

I’m certainly not a professional photographer, and I don’t even own a proper camera – I take all my photos on my phone and tweak the colour balance on my laptop, and that’s about as complex as it gets. But cosy photography is essential for any hygge blog, whether it’s professional or otherwise. In fact, I much prefer the ‘home photography’ style taken by amateurs like me – hygge isn’t glossy, and I want an intimate fly-on-the-wall insight into people’s hygge. In terms of innovations, I would love to see more 360 photography making an appearance on hygge blogs, especially for home and travel posts – it’s a great way to make a post feel more immersive, as it drops you straight into someone’s world. Perfect to capture the cosiness of a quiet evening in or the sky abundant with stars on your summer camping trip.

Video

There’s a distinct lack of video content in the hygge blogging community (I’m well aware I’m not doing anything to change this myself), so there’s a definite gap for bloggers in this niche to move into the video space. Hygge is about engaging all the senses, so adding music and sound to our content would help plant people firmly in our own little hygge worlds. Whether it’s a video diary of an afternoon with the family, or some short clips of morning birdsong in the countryside, or even an interview with your friend with the most hyggeligt home, there’s certainly a chance for us bloggers to show hygge in motion!

Spontaneous hygge

Hygge shouldn’t involve meticulous planning – sometimes you can be following the books to the letter and it still just doesn’t happen. But equally, sometimes hygge appears in unexpected places, and that’s where the beauty of social media comes in. Hygge bloggers can make the most of Instagram stories, Facebook Live and Snapchat to capture the hygge we never anticipated, making the whole blogging experience more holistic and interactive. I also like that this type of content is ephemeral – if Twitter is a form of microblogging, these disappearing forms of content are even more fleeting. Much like hygge, there’s no need to keep a permanent record of every little thing – sometimes the memories are enough.

Competitions and giveaways

One of my favourite things about Hello Hygge is the fact that it’s given me the opportunity to run my own competitions, either in collaboration with some great brands or independently. Sharing is very hyggeligt, so I can see competitions becoming increasingly popular in the hygge blog community. The prizes don’t need to be expensive, but I think of it as a nice way to thank my readers for sticking around and engaging with my content. Hygge isn’t about things, but the act of giving fills me with joy. Last Christmas, I ran a competition where I gave away a little hamper of hygge goodies I’d chosen and bought myself, and the winner’s reaction made it totally worth it. I’ll definitely be looking to run more competitions in the future, and hopefully my fellow hygge bloggers will be joining me!

Who to follow

If you’re a fan of Hello Hygge (and why wouldn’t you be?!) and want some more hygge content, I recommend checking out Hygge House, How to Hygge the British Way, Rambling Tart, One Pleasant Day, Simply Danish Living and Posie Gets Cozy (just a starter for ten here – always very happy to hear about cosy new blogs!). I also wrote about some of my favourite hygge Instagram accounts, so be sure to check those out if you’re looking for pretty pictures.

Fellow bloggers – where do you see hygge blogs going in the next year or so? Is there anything you’d like to see more of from our little community? Let me know in the comments!

Post written in collaboration with Innovation Company