Creating a blog and updating it can be challenging enough, but the real difficulty lies in promoting it. I have had Organised Clutter for over a year now, and I am still learning the ropes of the blogging world. Initially I did not have numerous social media accounts since I found it difficult to dedicate time to each profile and my blog – but now I have come to realize that these social networks exist to make our lives easier.
If you’re a blogger who wants to expand their horizons and reach more people, then it is important that you invest the time to create and maintain profiles on social networks. Now the problems is – there are hundreds, yes hundreds, of social networks out there, which one do you use to promote your blog? No fear, here is a list that I have made to help you understand the usage of the 5 most popular networks around:
#1 Twitter
Twitter is similar to blogging, except it is done on a minute scale. You have a space of 140 characters to express yourself and grab the attention of millions. With an estimated 500 million registered users, Twitter is your oasis to get the word out.
Tips:
- Use #hashtags to get your tweets found. Hashtags are like ‘tags’ (used in WordPress, Tumblr and Google+)
- Include a link to your blog within your bio
- Customize your profile picture, header and background
- Link your blog to Twitter so posts are directly tweeted
- Follow other bloggers and show your support – it is all about networking!
Follow me on Twitter!
#2 Pinterest
Pinterest is similar to Twitter, except it is with images. Treat your account as a literal ‘pinboard’ of your interests/ideas/thoughts. It is like a place where you can collect inspiration and create excellent links back to your blog. As the fastest growing social network, my suggestion is that you start pinning!
Tips:
- Hashtags are a huge part of Pinterest – use the wisely
- Link your blog in the bio section
- Upload your profile picture to unify your online presence
- Create links to your articles by uploading images and providing a link
- Create pinboards related to different themes e.g. if your blog is about beauty, you can have pinboards such as ‘Lips’, ‘Nails’ and ‘Hair’ (amongst many others) Don’t be hesitant to have random boards such as ‘Wish List’ and ‘Places I want to Visit’ – these give your blog a personality and humanizes you for your followers.
Are you following me on Pinterest yet???
#3 Facebook
As the most obvious social network, Facebook is an excellent place to promote your blog. Only issue is, it takes time and dedication. Personally I find Facebook to be the most demanding network as I have to dedicate time to build the content for the page. However – it is also the most fun social network out there for bloggers so it is well worth the effort. Since I have made my Facebook page, I have joined groups (such as GIG Bloggers), which help you meet more bloggers and find amazing articles.
Tips:
- Personalize your cover photo and profile picture
- Customize the tabs to feature your blog and other social networks (check out my page to see how it looks)
- Connect your blog to Facebook so all posts are directly available on your timeline
#4 Bloggers.com
In a nutshell, bloggers.com is a platform where you meet other bloggers. It is like a Starbucks for us – we can connect and follow others to keep up to date as well as provide a glimpse of our blog. You can participate in ‘Talks’, which can be treated as forum/discussion groups and build an audience for your blog. Claim your blog on bloggers.com to explore the world out there!
Tips:
- Claim your blog by following the simple steps on the website
- Add a badge in your blogs sidebar/footer to let visitors know how to find you
And while you are there, you can follow me.
#5 BlogLovin’
Having joined bloglovin’ yesterday, I must say it is one of the most useful social networks for bloggers out there. If you are on WordPress, then BlogLovin’ can be explained as being the ‘Reader’ – all latest posts from blogs you are following are streamed in one convenient place.
Tips:
- Claim your blog by posting the code provided upon registration
- Upload your profile picture
- Follow bloggers and spread the word!
Here I am on BlogLovin’
On a Parting Note…
What’s even more convenient and amazing is that social networks are available on your finger tips – just download the apps and viola! you can engage with readers wherever you please. Technology really has made our life easier, why not take advantage of it!
Social networking is an essential part of blogging. If you want to get the word out there about your blog, you need to have fresh content combined with an active social presence. Yes, some blogs have made it without social media – but why wouldn’t you want to connect with others on various platforms to expand your scope?
PS: I know it seems self-promotion-y, but I included the links to follow me to see how each page looks. Don’t feel pressurized to click ‘follow’ if you don’t want to (although I hope you do)
Hi there. Take a peek at my most current post. I am going to add your post as a related article at the bottom if you don’t mind.
Jennifer
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Thanks for the mention Jennifer – really happy that you found my tips useful! 🙂
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Pingback: So You Want Traffic? 5 Things NOT To Do. | writingsofamrs
Reblogged this on This Thing And That and commented:
Some good “pointers!”
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Thanks Steve!
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My pleasure…it’s good info…
Steve
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Great post! Thanks for your tips!
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Glad you liked them 🙂
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Great tips! Thank you ^^
The Cupcake Philosophy
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I’m happy to help 🙂
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I haven’t joined Bloggers.com yet. Is it helpful? I thought it was more of a blog hosting website!
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It is a good place to see other blogs and find interesting posts – I would definitely recommend it to you 🙂
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Thank you for listing it! kisses. xox 🙂
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Always my pleasure Ashley! 🙂
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KUDOS! Thank you so much for sharing..! :’D
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Happy to share! 🙂
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Just tried blogger.com but it seemed to be a massive spamfest – I put a link to my blog on a “show me your blog” thread and then gave up when I realized that’s all anyone is doing. Seems like it could be a lot better.
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Well, it depends on what you are using it for. I have linked my blog to my blogger.com profile, which means that all my posts are streamed there. It is easier access to people following there, quite similar to bloglovin’
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Thanks for sharing! But isn’t it exhausting and difficult to manage all kinds of social media platforms? Besides wordpress, I’m only using Facebook and Twitter right now but I already feel overwhelmed.
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It is very challenging to maintain the profiles on all these social networks – so I would recommend maybe sticking to 2-3 at the start, and then building your way into others. I know exactly how you feel!
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Thanks for sharing! This is really helpful. I’m just getting consistent with blogging and learning about social media and other things.
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I’m glad you found this helpful 🙂
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I just signed up on BlogLovin…. I had no idea it existed. I’m going to have to learn about it…. so if we follow blogs on there – I guess they won’t clog up our emails then?
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Yes – it is like the Twitter for blogs. I really like the concept and layout of it, and it makes following blogs hosted on other platforms easier.
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This was so much more helpful than a lot of other “tip pages” I’ve come across. 🙂 Except… I hate twitter. Is it really that great of a platform and attracts that many readers that time should really be invested in it?
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I am so glad you found my post helpful, Christina! Twitter is a great social network – it is the easiest one to build a following on and engage with other bloggers/readers. I would highly recommend trying it out. I am looking into doing a post just about Twitter and blog promotion, so watch this space for more tips!
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Reblogged this on Networking to the Max! and commented:
I suggest that you look into how you use the available social media/networks that skew to your passion and interest. That’s being ON-Target. Read on…and have a good one! Kudos to My Clutter Box.
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