Top 5 Social Media Tips

When it comes to blogging, social media is a must. Nowadays, companies and brands want their names or products blasted over Facebook and Twitter. But it isn't as simple as writing about them in 140 characters.  To use social media effectively, you have to time everything and be interactive. Of course, it doesn't stop there. But the following five tips can help you use social media to your advantage, which ever platform you decide to use:

1. Be interactive. There is nothing worse than a cold Facebook page or Twitter profile. It makes your readers wonder if you really care about their opinions or just trying to make money from your blog. I understand that life can get busy and you can't interact like you want to, and that is okay. But be sure to post or maybe reply to a comment to let your readers (and possible brand connections) know that you do care.

2. Timing is everything. Have you ever published a genius post on your blog and when you go to post in on Facebook, nothing happens? It might not have been the best time of the day to publish your content on Facebook. Generally, the best time to post on your Facebook page is between 6am-8am to 2pm-5pm. I personally sometimes have luck posting between 6pm-8pm. On Twitter, the best time to post is 1pm-3pm. To get more repins, the best time to pin on Pinterest is between 2pm-4pm as well as 8pm-11pm.

3. Share, share, share! If you find something that is relevant to your blog or readers, share it! It shows that you are willing to network with other bloggers and help them out. Plus it allows your readers to discover new content.

4. Know your audience. This is pretty much a second part to sharing. Knowing what your audience is and what they want/like/need allows you to better plan your content, thus creating more engagement on your blog. Don't quote me on it, but it could also lead to more shares from your readers and fellow bloggers.

5. Ask questions. It would seem pretty straight forward, right? People love to chime in with their advice or experience about something. You can also get to know your readers more by asking questions about their favorite movie, what they prefer, or even what their plans are for the weekend. This shows you are a real person and not some posting robot.

While these tips may be out of order, the main idea is to be present- just don't post and forget about it. Interact, engage, and really get to know who your audience is and what they really want.

read more "Top 5 Social Media Tips"

Blogging 201: What your stats really mean!

When it comes to reviews, giveaways, and different opportunities, stats are a big thing. They aren't exactly everything, but companies want to make sure that their name is getting out there to as many as people as possible. Companies have different requirements, but don't think that just because your numbers are low that no one will work with you.

Many companies ask how many visitors your blog has in a month. If you use Blogger, do NOT trust the Stats page. Most of these stats come from spam sites and even your own views. Use Google Analytics as it is more reliable and accurate. The difference between unique visitors and average blog views is that unique
means how many different people visited your blog in a month and your average blog views is how many people total viewed your blog.

Some companies will ask for Klout and Klout is your influence on Twitter. If you drive enough engagement on Twitter in a certain category, you are essentially recognized for being influential in it. In many cases, brands and companies will work with bloggers who are influential in the company's area.

Having many newsletter subscribers is also a big thing because even if the readers don't visit your blog often, companies work with bloggers who have a large number of subscribers because their company will seen by subscribers.

Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+ seem to be ignored by some companies. But also having a large number of followers on these social media sites is a great thing because all they have to do is search for the company's name, and your post will show up!

Numbers aren't only important for companies who want to work with you. Numbers are important for your blog because you are able to reach beyond your subscribers and fan page likes. If even 10 people like your blog post on kid-friendly activities, more than likely they will share your post and you are able to gain many more readers.

As you can see, stats are important, but for many different reasons!

Next in our Blogging 201 series: Getting those awesome review, giveaway, and paid opportunities!

Where has your biggest struggle on getting and keeping fans?

read more "Blogging 201: What your stats really mean!"

Blogging 201: What is Social Media Reach?

We've all heard of social media, and how it is important to blogging. But another important aspect of becoming a great blog is social media reach. So what exactly is social media reach? It is essentially how many people are seeing you. I'm not talking about how many people visit your blog. It's descends over almost all social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, i.e.) and how many shares, likes, repins, and conversations are starting over your blog.

Engagement on social media is super important because the more people that see you, the more your blog posts will be seen.

Okay, now that we've got that covered- How do you calculate your social media reach? There are metrics (which are essentially your social media numbers) and then there are the equations.

I know it seems really confusing, but first start with the metrics. You will be able to keep up with your numbers and you can figure out what you need to do to keep them from going down. Many social websites offer an analyst page so that you don't have to work your brain over numbers. But since some don't have an analyst page, you may have to employ those numbers!

So why exactly is social media reach important? The more people that aren't even followers that engage in your blog and your social pages, the more people know of your blog. The more people that know your blog, the more you can get amazing opportunities and more lives you can possibly help.

I know it's almost blasphemy, but I just found out today that Pinterest has an analyst page for businesses and bloggers! It's great to see which pins sizzle and which pins fizzle.

Anyways, if you are unsure of how to go about finding your true social media reach, Social Media Examiner has a a great article on 4 Ways to Measure Social Media.

Next in our Blogging 201 series- What your stats really mean to companies and your blog.

What is your favorite social media website to use?

read more "Blogging 201: What is Social Media Reach?"

Blogging 101: Social Media & Your Blog

Social media can be a great thing for blogs if used correctly! It may seem scary and daunting at first because you have no idea where to begin or what to do. I felt like that for the first few months of Edge of Insanity. But as I started blogging more and researching what social media can mean for my blog, I became a little more comfortable with it.

Most companies are using social media to get their names out there, and blogs are doing the same thing. It's a great way to connect with your followers and let them know what's happening with your blog.

So which social media should you use? The short answer is all of them! Before you give up, start your social media empire on thing at a time!

Most of us already use Pinterest. Once you start posting pictures on your blog, add them to your Pinterest boards, linking back to your blog. If you have a Twitter account, start tweeting your posts. More than likely, someone will read your post and share it.

Next we tackle Facebook. "It is really necessary for my blog to have a Facebook page?". If you want to get a lot of traffic, yes. If you want to start doing product reviews and giveaways, many companies look at how many followers your Facebook page has in deciding if they want to work with you. Plus your Facebook page gives you a chance to connect with readers in real time and really get to know them. A good way to gain Facebook followers is to ask friends and family to like your page, and then move onto your Twitter followers and Facebook friends. Eventually you can move onto your blog groups, and follow any bloggers that follow you.

Google+ is a rising star in the social media field. It is nothing like Facebook or Twitter, and the great thing about Google+ is that you can have your blog posts (if you have decided to use Blogger) updated automatically to your Google+ profile. While it isn't necessary to have a Google+ account, many users are turning to Google+ for blog updates. A lot of the views I get are from my Google+ followers who read my posts. It's not as personal as Facebook or Twitter, but it can help readers automatically see new posts.

StumbleUpon has surpassed Facebook in the amount of traffic it sends to websites. The idea is to submit content strategically. Submitting giveaways is a no-no because once the giveaway has ended, no one will be interested in viewing that post. Great StumbleUpon submissions can include reviews, articles, recipes, crafts, and even what to do in your town or a town you've visited. But don't start submitting everything you post because they will flag you as self-promoting spammer and may even ban you from using the website. You can also gain followers for submitting other posts you enjoy from other websites or blogs.

There are other social media websites you can use, but Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and StumbleUpon are the ones that bloggers use the most. Many bloggers use Instagram, but because I don't have a Instagram-ready phone, I cannot, in good faith, give you a run-down of how it works for your blog.

Next on Blogging 101: What to do about writer's block.

read more "Blogging 101: Social Media & Your Blog"