Today, one of #TeamDamyanti , Vidya Sury , tells you how to spread your blog far and wide via social media.
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A blog hop is all
about interaction, making friends and getting to know new bloggers. The
#AtoZChallenge is a readymade opportunity to connect, interact, and take your
blogging motivation to new highs.
So you've signed up for the A to Z Challenge (do it now if you haven't), and perhaps even the A to Z Theme Reveal Blogfest where you join a huge group of AtoZers
to post your theme reveal post. You're also busy outlining your posts and scheduling them for April, so you can be free to
party.
Yes, it is a
month-long blogging party that will change your life forever!
So, besides visiting
other bloggers, how can you amplify your blogging presence?
Use social media!
Social media is a
great way to attract new readers and engage with your existing ones. As
bloggers we cannot afford to ignore social media.
If you’re still
wondering why you should use social media…it helps you
·
invite collaboration opportunities
· get a book written (yes!)
· get gigs
and so much more!
How to get started?
1. Clean up your
sidebars
2. Place your
"follow/subscribe" buttons prominently so your visitors can find them
easily and follow or subscribe to your awesome blog updates.
3. Display Social Media Connect buttons for the networks you frequent. The most common are: Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest and of course, email. You can get combinations of the set. Don't forget to customize the buttons with your own profile links.
3. Display Social Media Connect buttons for the networks you frequent. The most common are: Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest and of course, email. You can get combinations of the set. Don't forget to customize the buttons with your own profile links.
4. Add Social Mediasharing buttons - so your visitors can share your posts on their social network of choice.
5. Have a Facebookfan page? Add the widget in your sidebar so you can build your audience right
from your blog. All your visitor has to do is hit "Like."
6. Create readymade tweets so your readers can copy and tweet. Like this:
#atozchallenge
tip: Visit AZ bloggers before Challenge begins, follow their blogs-build your
network! www.a-to-zchallenge.com @AprilA2Z
Try
clicktotweet so your readers can directly
click to tweet.
7.
Use a dashboard like Hootsuite to manage and schedule your social media posts.
Install the Hootsuite “hootlet” for your browser to tweet/schedule a tweet for
any page you are on. If you follow the blogger, don’t forget to tag them when
you tweet. The Hootsuite dashboard lets you see your tweet stream, sent tweets,
mentions and scheduled posts.
8.
If you use Feedburner, use the “socialize” feature to autoshare your own post on
social media as soon you publish.
9. Use
the #atozchallenge tag across all media to make them easily discoverable. Tag +April Hosteam on G+ (run by Pam), tag @AprilA2Z on Twitter (run by Nicole) and Blogging from A to Z April Challenge (run by Heather) on FB to get RTs and Shares of your posts.
10.
Big on images? Add a Pin it button
so your readers can share your gorgeous images on Pinterest.
11.
Use LinkedIn? Import your RSS feed to your LinkedIn profile using the blog link
application on LinkedIn to show off your posts on your profile.
12.
Go to your Twitter settings - and set it up to share automatically to your
Facebook profile.
14.
Spend some time every day acknowledging shares and engaging in social media.
Thank people publicly, give them a shoutout!
15. And while you are at
it, give your "About Me" page the once-over! Now is a good time to tweak
that, too!
16. Don’t forget to TELL
your readers to share your posts! For more tips: See
this post by M J Joachim's Aztech, C. Lee McKenzie.
17. The A to Z Challenge is not just about you. Consider using Twitterfeed to auto-tweet your favorite blogs’
posts and you'll have a bunch of RTers for your own posts soon!
18. If you have a twitter account, consider joining Triberr.com. This will ensure a lot of bloggers RT your posts.
19. Use Roundteam.co to automatically RT tweets on the #atozchallenge tag, or from bloggers you like.
20. Finally, check that
all your links work.
To summarize, sidebar must-haves:
- Subscribe / Follow button
- Social media connect buttons
- G+ button for your blog (different from the add to circles)
- Facebook Fan page Like Widget
- AtoZChallenge badge
Go forth and connect! Questions, problems? Ask away in the comments and Vidya will do her best to solve them for you!
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Have you signed up
for the #AtoZChallenge Theme Reveal Blogfest?
Do it now!
35 comments:
Hi, it's very helpful advice on tools to vulgarize our work and that of our community.
Cheerz
I need to learn so much from this. Thank you Vidya. Looking forward to A to Z.
I have my A to Z already prepared and waiting for the big day.
As one of Lee's Ambassadors it gives me time to look at other blogs.
Great post and tips.
Yvonne.
I mean to say, Hi, it's very helpful advice on tools to popularize our work and that of our community.
Cheerz
PS Somehow I am not able to delete my earlier post.
Cheerz
Fantastic tips, Vidya! I hope we can all learn something from this! Sharing makes all the difference as we well know.
:-) Feels great to be here! I've tried to link as much as possible to resources with more information. Happy to answer any questions.
Let's rock the A to Z Challenge and then, strengthen our communities!
Love,
Vidya
A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal BlogFest – Sign Up Now #atozchallenge #atozreveal
well I was quite pleased to check off some of the points you mentioned but a lot more to be done.. Great tips Vidya
PhenoMenon
So kind Vidya thank you. I think I can also check off some points and will look into the others - will have to ask for help in this regard even though you have made it sound so easy. Thank you again.
(I just wish I could sort out my blogger profile)
Vidya all the points are so well integrated with links and tips that it is almost as good as following it simply step by step. Been doing a lot off this, except of course the roundteam.co and I believe I might pick it up soon :D
Richa
Yicks I am confused, I will go and lie down for a bit.
Not sure I need a Facebookfan Page. I only have the one fan and they tend to avoid me in the street.
Fantastic tips, Vidya - thank you so much for some tools I'd never heard of. The only trouble I have is reading everything in one day :)
Great post.
Jemima
#TeamDamyanti
A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal Blog Fest - Sign Up Now
Great tips. I have my blog publish via networked blogs on Facebook. I haven't done much else in terms of promoting it b/c I just don't have time to take on yet another computer project. That's why I haven't made a FB page for my blog. I already have one called Tahoma Beadworks but that's just for my crafts and I rarely even update that one.
I also have to say that one of my biggest pet peeves right now is the overuse of these obnoxious hashtags. People are doing it on Facebook and it makes me absolutely crazy. I would like to see that trend stop. I don't know which site that started on - instagram maybe? - but it must go. I refuse to use them. Isn't that what 'labels' are for?
Wow, that's a lot of social media :D Thank you for all the tips! You are on top of everything! :)
Csenge @TeamDamyanti
Excellent advice for A to Z April and also for year round blogging. I do most of these already and once they been set up you don't even have to spend much time with them on a daily basis.
Lee
Wrote By Rote
An A to Z Co-host blog
WOW! These are fantastic tips, Vidya! I need all the help I can get managing and scheduling social media posts:)
WriterlySam A to Z Theme Reveal
Vidya, really well done. So organized and with so many resources. I recently opened my Pinterest account and haven't figured out how to get the "pin it" onto my blog, so I'm going to check that out, and I'd completely forgotten about putting the facebook widget on Life is Good. I started a Life is Good page just a few weeks ago. So now I have homework!
Thanks for this.
Tina @ Life is Good
A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge
http://www.facebook.com/TinaLifeIsGood
Good tips. I'm not on several of those social sites but the other items apply.
These are wonderful tips that have helped me improve my own blogging experience. Thanks so much for sharing!
What a great collection of tips!
Thank you so much for a very clear concise and exciting post!
jean baldridge yates
I love these tips. I'm going to follow some of these. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, so much good info. I signed up. I remember seeing this before, meant to sign up then. Thank you ladies. Now, if I could just put all this wonderful information to good use. :)
Thanks again. I'm wonderfully overwhelmed.
thanks to you I got a Pin button in my blog :D wonderful tips... now off to revamp my blog :D
@Vishalbheroo
Thank you Vishal! I love how you support everyone!
@Sugandha
Looking forward to the A to Z Challenge fun with you, too!
@Writing for Pleasure
Yvonne, just love your tag because that's exactly what I do - write for pleasure! Needless to say,am also in awe of your preparation. Thank you for your kind words!
@Corinne Rodrigues
Corinne, thank you! The best part of blogging is community and learning together! Love!
@Pheno Menon
That's wonderful! :) Looking forward to your awesome posts in April!
@Susan Scott
Please do feel free to get in touch with me at vidya at vidyasury dot com. :) I tried to add as many links as they are resources for the how-to part of the tips! All the best!
@Richa Singh
Richa, hugs, girl! I love how you absorb like a sponge! And I admire you for sharing your learning to help others!
@Rob Z Tobor
I know that feeling! :) Been there. Done a lot of things since! Cheers!
@Jemima Pett
Jemima, thank you! Took me years to reach the stage where I could actually write this post :) So glad to be team mates with you on Team Damyanti!
@JoJo
I know the time suck it can be to manage too many things. The good thing is, much of it can be set up to autopost. In fact, I hardly ever do anything on my own Facebook page except have networked blogs auto post. :D Good enough I think! Took me years to figure out a lot of things! All the best! Yep...I understand about the hash tags :D
@A Tarkabarka Holgy
Hola, Team Mate Csenge! I am so glad for the opportunity to share what I have learned! I am far away from being at the top of things! :D But with a little help from my friends...I am in a happy place. Love!
@Arlee Bird
Thank you, Arlee for the kind words! You are absolutely right about setting it up and forgetting it! Gotta love technology! And then, the most important part - the connections! I am like a toddler waiting for her first ice cream with the A to Z Challenge this year!
@Samantha Geary Jones
Sam, thanks! I'd be more than happy to share what I know with you. Just remember to stock up on coffee! Hugs! One of the best things to happen to me via last year's A to Z is connecting with you!
@Tina
Thanks, Tina! Pinterest shows you how to add the Pin it button. What I do most of the time is use the "pin it" add on in my browser to pull images from the web page I want to pin. On Pinterest, you just have to drag and drop the button into your browser toolbar. Very easy! :D Let me know if you need help!
@Alex J Cavanaugh
Alex, thank you! I love how you stay connected with everyone!
@M J Noachim
Thank you MJ! Loved your social media tips post and linked to it in my post! :D
@Jean
Jean, thank you so much! :)
@Sheena-kay Graham
Thanks Sheena! Let me know if I can help!
@Silvia Villalobos
Glad you signed up, Silvia! :) Seems like a lot of info...pay attention to only one at a time ;-) and you'll ace it! All the best!
@Rajalakshmi
Rajalakshmi, thank you! Looking forward to seeing your revamped blog!
Wow, Vidya! So on top of life coach and general feel-good guru, you're also a web master? Why am I not surprised? These are *ex-cel-lent*! I'm going through one at a time, like a checklist. Great job with this, and thanks for sharing. This is a post that I'll bookmark and refer back to often. Rock it, Vidya! (And see below--your lessons are put to good use :) Thank you!)
Guilie @ A Hop Within A Hop: The A-Z Theme Reveal!
Vidya,I'm so proud to be working with you. I'm going to use some of the tips for my blog-- homework for me over the weekend!
Thanks for the FANTASTIC insights, Vidya! Have bookmarked this and am going to learn and follow a lot from this! Thanks for sharing :) ♥
Very good and interesting blog.
http://splashsys.com/
Thank you for all the tips, Vidya!
I have miles to go, but you've provided the direction.
Great ideas and important tips for getting the most out of social media. The only thing I'm not really on board with is auto-tweets. If you aren't there to respond back to a comment, it can seem like you are ignoring social interaction that is the point of social media. Or, say a tragic event unfolds and takes over social media and promo tweets go out (like what happened to the Kardashians promoing their TV show just as the Boston bombings unfolded). Auto-tweeting someone else's blog promo probably wouldn't cause an uproar, but I think the use of auto-tweets is often comes across as spammy, which to me is a turn off.
I like the sound of feed-good - Guilie! I might say the same of you! :D Muchas gracias! Looking forward to April fun together! And beyond. :D
Thank you, Damyanti - i am proud to be part of #TeamDamyanti too! (Love your profile pic!)
Thank you Shilpa! Knowing you, you'll have it all done in no time! Love!
Thank you, Mukesh!
Thank you, Pro. Don't hesitate to write to me for any support you need! :)
I understand, Stephanie and agree with you. I set up auto-tweets only for blogs I visit regularly, subscribe to and comment on. Otherwise, it doesn't appeal to me either. Unless we know the blogger, no point. And I am blessed with an interactive community. So that is the key. If we know them, tweet 'em.
Thanks for your insight!
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