Social media isn't just an asset, it's a necessary means to grow your blog or business. Using social media successfully is the bread and butter for creating a blog that counts. And it keeps readers coming back for more. Think of blog content as the backbone of your blog and social media as the legs that keep readers running back for more.
The number one referral traffic to my site is social media. Strategically using Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter helps my blog continue to grow.
In the first part of the series we discussed creating foundational content. Main point: If we want a blog with traction that makes an impact online, we must create content that counts. Foundational content provides that important piece.
Also key is creating a social media system that works for you. I get it. We only have so many hours in a day. We can't devote all our time to pinning, Instagramming, Tweeting, and Facebooking. We need a plan to help us do that.
It's impossible to go over all the many things you can and should do with each social media platform in one blog post. (That's why I provided a FREE six page workbook to break it all down!) But here, I'll attempt to give you a roundup of what matters and why.
Bottom line: if you want to grow online, you need to grow socially. {Click to Tweet}
Most of us are discovered online via social media. If you want to sell a product, create a long lasting blog, or do anything meaningful online, you need a social media presence. PERIOD.
If you've attended one of my live webinars, you'll remember my points regarding the power of social media. But I'm also realistic. It can be a huge time drain. So I advise you to focus your efforts on only a few social media platforms to help you grow and thrive. I tend to focus on Instagram and Twitter, for reasons explained below.
How to Use Social Media to Organically Grow Your Blog
Respond authentically.
Strive to create a community around your blog. A community truly counts. This is the population who will consistently read your blog, interact with you, your posts, and your social media. Community makes up the core group that will most likely buy your product.
How to Build a Community for Your Blog
Schedule it.
You guys, I urge you to use a scheduling tool. Hootsuite and Buffer are free. Simply copy and paste the URL of your blog post and schedule it to go live at various times. Even if you deplore Facebook or hate Twitter this takes mere minutes. Automating your content sharing lets you take hold of your blog so you're free to focus on what really matters: your content!
Become a resource.
By showcasing yourself as a resource, you not only gain authority online, you become a go-to resource for others. People look to you for your words of wisdom. Do this in both your blog posts and in your social media. Join active Facebook communities (like this one!) and interact with purpose. When you add value for others it helps them to recognize you.
Be yourself.
Don't be afraid to tout who you are. What I love about social media is that it allows you to showcase a different side of your personality. I tend to get a little more “zany” on Snapchat. I share personal pictures on Facebook. I like to showcase what I'm most proud of on Instagram and I have conversations on Twitter. P.S. check out: Why It's Okay to Be Weird Online.
Share old content on social media.
Don't want to spend time creating a new post? Want to bring attention to a post you're proud of? Use social media to share old content in order to continue gaining more attention and page views for your blog. Here's how to re-purpose old content for your blog so it has more of an impact. Many posts I've redone get more hits today than they did the first time around!
Make it EASY to follow and share.
Put simply, if I can't figure out how to follow you on Twitter, I won't follow you on Twitter. The same goes for all other social media platforms. Make it easy to follow and share. Take advantage of the free tools available. I use Sumome to implement my social shares (the pink share counter on the side of my blog).
Not only do I want to make it easy for readers to follow me, I want it to be easy to share my posts. Consider how quickly you would share a post if the user made it easy.
Share Exclusives.
As mentioned before, I use each social media platform to share different sides of my personality. I also share exclusives on different platforms. If you follow me on Facebook, you won't get the same thing if you follow me on Instagram. I share my posts in the same way. When people get exclusive content, they are more likely to continue to follow you, and follow on all platforms.
Use Hashtags.
If you aren't using hashtags you're missing out on a very important way to connect online. Hashtags are a way to connect with other bloggers, businesses, potential readers and followers. One I always use? #PhotosInBetween. Here are a few more: #abmlifeiscolorful #thatsdarling #sobestfriendsforfrosting
Use Social Media as a Resource.
If something is trending on social media, there's a good chance it's trending online in general. Take note of what's trending and use that in your foundational content! Trending posts tend to go viral. Use that to your advantage. Keep an eye on what's trending and incorporate it into your own posts.
Stand out from the pack.
One of the best ways to rise above the rest is to be authentic and use imagery. We all have our own unique way of talking (or writing) and our own unique view of life. Use that to your advantage by providing consistent imagery — whether featuring a similar aesthetic, using the same fonts throughout your posts, or editing your photos the same way.
Size Your Images for Each Channel.
Size your images correctly for each social media channel. A great (FREE!) tool is Canva. I use Canva (you can also do this in Picmonkey or Photoshop). Inside your free workbook, I show you exactly what sizes are the best for each image.
Monitor Your Stats
The best way to track everything is to measure your stats. Write down where you are now on each social media channel in order to track how far you've come and the areas where you need to make improvements. This also allows you to see how many followers you've gained.
You NEVER know. Your blog post might go viral on one of these platforms. So use them to your advantage.
Missed Part of the series?
Check out part 1: How and Why to Create Foundational Content
Part 3: How to Create a Newsletter for Your Blog
Part 4: How to Make Money as a Blogger
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Maybe the most epic worksheet I've ever created. And it's FREE. I'm breaking down what to do for each social media platform. This also gives you a checklist for your daily social media tasks, how many times to post and more!
