Getting Social | Platforms to Boost Your Blog
Twitter - 'No time to say hello, goodbye, I'm late!'
People are wanting faster, more succinct communications and so the best way to get your voice heard is through Twitter. It's a great means of letting people know about a recent post or upcoming event, but I love it most for the chats. Every day there is a plethora of Twitter chats open to you to join. Rather than posting tweets into the abyss hoping someone sees them before they drift into posts past, chats allow you to get involved in live feeds where you can ask and answer questions, meet new, like-minded people, and get more involved in the online community. Some of my favourite chats are:
#bbloggers - Sundays + Wednesdays at 8pm
#bloggersdoitbetter - Mondays at 7pm + Fridays at 8pm
#fbloggers - Mondays + Thursdays at 8pm
#bloghour - Tuesdays at 9pm
#lbloggers - Wednesdays at 7pm
#vloggerschat - Thursdays at 7pm
Instagram - Behind the scenes
Instagram is a great way to show people a bit more of your personality that's often hidden behind the written words. People want to see the person behind the posts; everything from behind the scenes of your blog to what colour your cat is. We're a society kept segregated by our technology, but also tied into communities by it.
Pinterest - Inspire me
In the spirit of sharing things, Pinterest is my favourite platform to share my love of all things visually pleasing. If you're not crazy about sharing your personal photographs, with Pinterest you can build virtual pin boards, the online version of mood-boarding or scrapbooking. You can add your own photos, too, but I mostly use it for gathering inspiration for posts, reminding myself of style, makeup and decor ideas, and recipes. It's a haven for when I'm feeling uninspired or lack-lustre. I usually think of Pinterest as a personal space, but it's also helpful for people to see what you like and get inspired by your boards. I'm able to find people with similar aesthetics or inspirational ideas and gain momentum, constantly evolving my tastes.
Facebook - An oldie but a goodie
Facebook is slightly outdated now, but it's still a great tool for letting your friend and family know about your blog. Setting up your own fan page can help your blog readership follow you without you having to share your more personal life with them. It may not reach as many people as Twitter or Instagram but for those who keep their social media outreach to a minimum (hello mums), it'll be a great way to keep in the loop. It's important not only to use the platforms that are currently most popular but to utilise them all to reach a larger audience.
What's your favourite way to interact with your readership?