4 ways you're doing social media wrong (+ how to fix them)

as a blogger, i spend a lot of time on social media. my favorite platforms right now are twitter and snapchat (which is an entire other can of worms, by the way!) and i love connecting with other bloggers on both. on twitter especially, i see a lot of folks utilizing the platform in the complete and total wrong way - but of course, this applies to all other mediums, too.

it's important to be consistent and strategic with your social media. after all, you're among millions and millions of other messages going out at the exact same second. if you're going to take the time to write it, why not make it count?

check below for some common social media no-no's, + how to fix them.

not filling out your profiles completely

i see a ton of folks doing this. why?! i'll visit someone's twitter profile thinking they're a local business, and they don't have their "location" field filled out. so, i glance at a few tweets. i still don't recognize the area/relevance, so i shrug, click out of the page, and move on. what a missed potential opportunity! had i know this cute donut shop was definitely in birmingham, i would have followed them.

your profile, whether it's on twitter, facebook or instagram, is your first impression. people skim these pages quickly and make the decision to follow you in less than a few seconds. why not make sure your profiles pack a punch?! fill out every field - your website, your location, your bio. if you have something important to offer your readers (an important, must-read post, an e-book, an e-course, etc.) use a URL shortening tool like bit.ly to throw a link to your offer in your bio (see my pinterest for example).

linking up networks without customizing messages

i know, i know. this is such a timesaver, isn't it? if you're posting on facebook, for example, you can choose to have it automatically push to twitter, instagram, etc. - and wow, you've just covered all your bases in a few seconds.

for me, there's nothing more disheartening that going to a twitter account and finding it riddled with "fb.me" links back to facebook. customizing messages separately and thoughtfully for each platform is important. not to mention, users aren't always frequenting these platforms at the same time. you may be on facebook during your lunchbreak, but instagram users are going crazy liking/posting after 5pm. if you linked your photo to post on facebook, twitter and instagram at once, you missed some careful scheduling that could have yielded more likes and engagement.

tagging other users without an introduction

ah, the old "stand on the soapbox and yell into a megaphone" technique, i like to call it. if you're a small blogger tweeting at or tagging a large business, go for it. but otherwise? why not introduce yourself instead of prompting someone to see your tag/tweet/post and say, "who the hell is that?".

this does not apply if you're simply sharing a post you found helpful or interesting, nor does it apply to favoriting your blogger crush's tweets. nope. what i'm talking about is akin to posting an image from your latest blog post and tagging random bloggers in hopes they take a look at it. this applies to businesses, too, in the form of tweeting a copied & pasted message like "come try our pizza, 50% off on tuesdays!" to hundreds of local twitter accounts. o-m-g, please stop!

form a relationship. say hey to your favorite bloggers. promote their content, reply to their tweets. you won't have to stand on a soapbox and yell if you build relationships with your peers.

not focusing on where your tribe is

here's a secret: you don't need every form of social media. some mediums just aren't right for you or your brand. you may not feel like you fit in on snapchat. everyone who comments on your blog may have zero interest in twitter. and that's ok!

sit down and brainstorm your ideal reader. you could even conduct a survey! ask your readers where they hang out. focus your energy there! if none of your clients or readers are on facebook, then quit crafting messages for facebook and re-shift your energy. again, social media isn't just a big megaphone you're screaming into. be strategic with where your voice travels.

what are your favorite social media tips?

if you have any questions, please ask! while you're here, read more on social media & blogging tips with these posts:

3 ways to get the most out of social media scheduling
 
social media: scheduling vs. organic

overcoming blogging self doubt

6 tips to recharge during fall

oh, fall. you're everyone's favorite, including mine. i love fall clothing, the october air, my birthday on october 13th, halloween, the leaves, the activities, how it signals the start of the holiday season... but i think we can all agree that something shifts in fall. for me, it does. everything just feels better. i'm happier in fall. i'm more productive and self aware. i spend more time thinking, planning and enjoying.

fall is a time to love yourself and be happy! the chilly weather doesn't mean you have to sit inside and netflix binge constantly - though you definitely should do that at some point. there are many things you can do during fall to refocus and recharge. here's what i do:

make some freezer meals

oh yeah. you know it. use that crockpot! take some cooking stress off and make your own freezer meals so you can have a hot dinner ready in seconds after a long, chilly day. soups, casseroles and the like are perfect for this. my personal favorites? chicken poppyseed casserole, sweet potato ground turkey quinoa chili, chicken enchilada soup, or turkey burgers with feta and sundried tomato. i've made, frozen and reheated all of these recipes with great success.

try that baking project

fall is time for baking! make some banana bread (this recipe literally smells like fall!) or pumpkin spice cupcakes. you can even make some chocolate chip cookie dough and freeze half the dough in a log, so you can have fresh baked cookies anytime you want during the chilly months.

read something good for your soul

'lean in' is a must, ok? 'bossypants' gives us life. but sometimes, you need a little, dare i say it... chicken soup for the soul. ha. i mean, you can read those if you like. i like stories of redemption and growth, but not fiction. my favorites are 'make it happen' by lara casey and 'adventures for your soul' by shannon kaiser. these are books that pull you in, hug you tight and nourish you inside out with inspiration, love and a new perspective. get cozy.

get outside

i know it's tempting to stay snuggled under the covers, but get outside and take at least one fall hike to take in the scenery and the crisp air. you can soak in a long bubblebath afterwards and put on your fuzzy socks.

pamper yourself

you've been feeding your body right, taking in the fall air, reading some words of encouragement... keep doing that! find ways to pamper yourself, whether its keeping your skin moisturized, getting an extra hour of sleep or going to a pumpkin patch with friends. summer is all about energy, being outside, shifting your focus to the sunny world outside - bring that focus back in. return to your inner monologue. how are you doing? have a glass of wine and watch scandal. meditate. breathe.

and finally, start that project

you've been taking care of yourself for a little while and drawing your energy back inwards, shifting your focus to yourself. as humans, we really do kinda hibernate, don't we? i feel like we do! use this time to take care of yourself and start that project you've been neglecting. with all your newfound, recharged energy, you'll be ready to tackle your next big thing - whatever it may be.

pumpkin spice pecan waffles

i'm a big bath & body works candle fiend. well, correction: i'm a fall and winter bath & body works candle fiend. when september rolls around, i make my annual pilgrimage to bath & body works to pick up pumpkin, spice and autumn themed candles, and i enjoy the hell out of them well into the holiday season. nope, this post is not sponsored, i'm just super pumped about candles. anyway!

one of my favorite scents is pumpkin pecan waffles. i honestly didn't set out to make these waffles after the candle scent. it truly wasn't until i was mixing up the batter that i realized it! so light a fall themed candle and get to work on these waffles; they're delicious, oh so perfect for fall and quite a wonderful way to wake up on a saturday morning.

oh, and can i please mention that these are the first waffles i made in my new waffle maker? they're not perfect, but they're waffles. yes, the pinnacle of being 25 is having a waffle iron. go adulthood go.

pumpkin spice pecan waffles

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (or a little less, your preference)
4 egg yolks (save egg whites)
1 cup pumpkin
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 + 1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup melted butter
pecans (optional)

in a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. add yolks, pumpkin, vanilla, milk and melted butter. beat 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into the batter. cook in a waffle iron according to your waffle iron's directions. top with butter, syrup, pecans and a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. enjoy!

how to use google calendar as a blogging editorial calendar

using an editorial calendar is a great way to plan your posts with the timing and schedule in mind. making a simple list of post ideas is great, but actually jotting them all down on a calendar and prepping with dates in mind can help you create a better flow and variety on your blog.

to do this, i use google calendar. if you have a gmail account, you've already got a google calendar! access it by heading to your apps. in addition to being my editorial calendar, google calendar serves as my life calendar too. i put all my appointments and meetings in it. however, this post is just about using it for blogging.

google calendar is an easy to use, comprehensive tool for many reasons. read on!

color code & coordinate

i set up all of my blog posts as events. i color code them so that they're a separate color from my regular day to day events and appointments. i list the title/general idea of the blog post as the title of the event. having posts created as events allows me to easily check out how my week looks in posts, and it also looks great on the google calendar mobile app.

add inspiration and ideas to event details

once i've created my post as event, if i'm brainstorming what i want to write about, or a list of topics i want to cover, i'll go the the "details" page for the event, and quickly jot down my thoughts. click "edit event" to access the details page. in the "description" box, add your notes.

when i make my editorial calendar, the posts i'm planning are sometimes weeks away and won't be written until the week of or before. i keep some notes so i won't forget the original inspiration for what i want to write about.

move your "events" around 

the #1 advantage to having a digital calendar as opposed to a written one is moving posts around with ease. no scribbling out an idea or event - just move it! i change my mind all the time on when a blog should go up. maybe i had a long weekend and didn't get around to writing that post on my fall wishlist, but i already have a post on SEO ready & written so... i just move it on my calendar and keep track.

how do you keep track of your blog posts? do you make a list, maybe on paper or your phone, and pick different things to write each week? or do you use a calendar to plan it out?

how to take a blogging break

for weeks, i've tried to write this post, and i couldn't find the words. i was tired, y'all. yep. tired. but i was more than tired - because, let's face it, "tired" is the same excuse as "busy". it's the go-to. i'll tell y'all about what's behind the "tired" excuse.

today, i'm 25. the past year has been incredible and painful in all the right ways, just like years are supposed to be. at 25, i feel like i know myself wholly in ways i haven't prior. i didn't get to this conclusion by coasting, but by delving deep into myself and changing it all up a bit. the past few months especially have been a grand learning in experience in self-love, time management and serenity. that serenity included taking a little break from blogging.

my e-book, 'building your blog community: gather, connect & get local', was supposed to debut on august 31st. molly made me a wonderful e-book design that i was itching to put together and show to the world. in an unusually type-b move, i decided to put off finishing my e-book until after i returned from my vacation to san francisco in mid august. i was too excited to get out west and get away.

i returned and tried to get to work, and the motivation just wasn't there. but, i'd set a deadline. it had to happen. i couldn't let myself down. so, the weekend before the debut, i sat down to get to work. in a cruel twist of fate and/or the universe teaching me a lesson, my computer threw a massive tantrum, sputtered and died before my eyes. hours before my e-book debut, i couldn't believe it. i decided, then, that it clearly wasn't meant to be - and wasn't going to be.

it took a week for my computer to get fixed. and after that, i just... needed a break. as if i hadn't already been taking one, right? ha! i was silent on social media regarding my e-book debut. maybe, i thought, if i ignored it, it was like it never happened.

like so many others, i put a lot of pressure on myself. when the actual ability to work on my e-book was taken away from me with my computer failure, i decided to let it leave my hands. my body, mind and soul were begging to take a break, to be free of internet responsibility for a little while. so you know what? i did that, unapologetically.

you can't force it. sure, there's merit to the countless articles on finding your writing mojo, blog post ideas, and getting inspired. those exist for when your desire burns strong but lacks direction. sometimes you're just "over it". embrace those feelings.

feeling kinda "tired" yourself? here's how you take a blogging break.

make a plan, but don't get too crazy

write a quick blog or social media post that says you're taking a break. i didn't do this, but i should have. it doesn't have to be long, and you definitely don't owe anyone an explanation - writing an explanation can be taxing. throw a quick post up, and peace out. if you feel up to it, give yourself a time limit: a 2 week break, a month break, etc. and have an idea of when you'll return.

 

truly kick back and stop writing

now, quit thinking about it! this is the hardest part. if you're not generating new content, use this as an opportunity to promote your old content. schedule some social media posts that promote old content, then forget about it.

focus on what you have accomplished

for me, being super type a, i kept thinking about all the things i should be doing. stop! hey, if you chose to schedule social media to promote old content, that is an accomplishment. did you get killer page views on a post last month? hell yeah. did you reach out to a brand a few weeks ago about collaborating? look at you! the choice to take a break is an accomplishment too. you're putting yourself first.

let the "mojo" come back naturally

if you've given yourself a break for a certain amount of time, return to your blog and see how it makes you feel. do you cringe at the sight of a blank page? when you sit down to write, do you desperately wish you were elsewhere? ok, ok. give yourself another 48 hours. still nothing? hop on pinterest. no, seriously. it's inspiration heaven. read a few of your favorite blogs. read a magazine. think about the fun stuff you've been doing during your break. is there something to say there?


my e-book is still in the works, and i'm going to set a new launch date soon. i'm slowly filling my editorial calendar back up, and i'm jotting down ideas constantly. most importantly? i feel re-aligned, balanced and peaceful. i don't feel stressed. writing again felt natural.

tonight, i'm trying a brand new birmingham restaurant with my friends to celebrate my birthday. i'm gonna have a few martinis. i'm going to go to a pumpkin patch this weekend. and hey, maybe i'll work on my e-book this weekend! but mostly, this week is gonna be about enjoying myself. i accomplished something. i got back into the blogging swing. cheers, friends!