make your blog content work harder

i don't know why i want to open this post with a crockpot pun, but i do.

blog posts are not a "set it and forget it" type of thing.

there, that's out of my system.

is your blog content really giving you the most bang for your buck? think of the time and energy that goes into a blog post. if you're photographing food, fashion or products, there is time spent preparing the shot, adjusting your lighting, stirring the soup so it's just so, putting on another layer of blush so it'll pick up on camera... you get the idea. then you write your post. you edit your photos. you post your photos to instagram, twitter, facebook. you link your post in facebook groups and let everyone know about it. exciting, right?

and a week later, that post is gone to the dreaded blogging purgatory, never to be spoken of again. but oh, look, you've got a new one! so it's ok, right?

nope. not cool, blog bros. we've gotta do better. the number one mistake i see bloggers making is not promoting the ever living daylights out of their existing, and *gasp* old content.

remember this: you worked hard on your content. it should be working hard for you, too. 

your blog post has crazy longevity. that cute sweater look your posted last october? it's still relevant next september when everyone starts chattering about pumpkin spice. you should be referencing your old content in other blog posts and linking to it, tweeting links to old blog posts, posting your old favorites on facebook, and any other way to make all content on your blog as relevant as possible. the time you invested in creating that post should pay off for months to come. content from a month ago is still content, and there are plenty of folks who follow you who happened to miss it, or would be happy to see it again.

to make sure you're getting the most out of your blog content, use the tips below to utilize social media in order to reap the most benefits (pageviews, engagement, etc.)!

1. create a checklist for every blog post

are you sharing each post on social media? this is a good place to start. however, go way beyond one simple share! create a checklist of to-do items for social media every single time you hit 'publish'.

an easy way to keep your content pumping out steadily is to create a list of types of social media promotions to create. using a social media scheduling tool like hootsuite or buffer, schedule a post to be shared on facebook, twitter, pinterest, etc. routinely for the forseeable future. for example:

after a post is published, head to your social media scheduling outlet of choice. write up some promotions and schedule them all just after your post is published. for example, your promotional checklist for each post could include....

• 3-5 promotions for the day the post was published
• 2 promotions the next day, or the day after
• a promotion the next week, i.e. "check out my post from last week..."
• a promotion in two weeks
• a promotion in a month
• a promotion in six months

2. stay on top of trends and holidays

your content is relevant for longer than a day. a week. a month. even a year. if you made a post about margaritas, that post is relevant for every single national margarita day forever and ever (february 22nd, by the way!). take advantage of this!

trends on the internet are here and gone before we even realize 95% of the time. how is your content relevant to a trend? even if it's a stupid meme from youtube... can you tie in your blog posts in any way? even if it's by making a bad pun? (i've done it). get on twitter, do a quick fact check to make sure you aren't promoting a blog post using a trend or hashtag you're not completely familiar with (um, remember that time diogorno pizza made a fool of themselves? click here.), then get to it!

3. create less, promote more

you probably have content you've completely forgotten about. take a dive into your blog archives and pull out a post you haven't talked about in years. you can even blast a link out to talk about how far you've come and how you can't believe your photos were that bad. guess what? it's still a pageview and potential engagement and/or sympathy tweets ("omg, your photos really were horrendous. love what you're doing now, though!").

if you're feeling the pressure to crank out a ton of posts each week, really step back and examine what is and isn't working about this process. do you have a ton of great posts to chat about, but you aren't taking advantage of this fact? is creating new content a real pull for your blog, or do your pageviews stay the same if you just promote old content more, and write less? strategy, folks.


overwhelmed? here's a super easy way to get started: pick an old blog post every week for #tbt (throwback thursday!) and post it! use the #tbt hashtag and bask in the memories. "remember when i made a soup in my dark kitchen and photographed it with flash? mmm, red mush. yeah, me either. here's a link though. #tbt"

do you utilize your old blog posts to your advantage? how would this affect your social media strategy?

new year wellness check + free checklist

i love the freshness a new year brings. we all jump on the bandwagon and get to work on new goals, new ideas and concepts to bring us closer to what we're all seeking - whether it's a jump start on business, adventure or health.

while i love the idea of a fresh start, i can't shake the notion that without proper planning and vision, a lot of "new years resolutions" end up falling flat by february. i make scheduled goals for my blog, life and business, but i also think taking time to reflect and check in is just as important. if you're not a resolutions or goal setting type, pausing to do a "wellness check" for yourself and your blog can be a beneficial milestone.

here are some things to consider before mindfully entering the new year:

pause and reflect

what did 2015 signify for you, your blog or business? was this a year of change and growth, or did you feel stagnant? what sort of changes can you make with the answer to this question? a great way to collect concrete data from third parties is to conduct a reader survey, but how do you feel about your content and direction? maybe you've already collected responses from loyal readers about their views on your blog or business, but have you paused to consider how you feel yet?

 

return to your roots

what made you want to write/blog in the first place? if you're feeling stuck regarding making goals for 2016, choosing a new direction or redefining your blog's purpose, return to a simple, honest statement about why you're doing what you're doing. who are you writing for? what is your blog's ultimate goal? do the goals and plans you're working on for 2016 align with these ideals?

do what feels right

so, were you one of those folks who blogged about a topic in 2015 because you felt like you had to? or maybe, you didn't get any blogging done at all, and were constantly beating yourself up about not posting enough. hell, maybe you even posted too much. do you find you've got a natural, "true to you" rhythm with blogging? maybe it's time to listen to the little voice in your head and hit the ground running, or take a step back with a planned, coordinated blogging break. either way, make 2016 about what works uniquely for you and your blog.


click below to download a free copy of my new year wellness check for bloggers to help you get off on the right foot for 2016. 

3 ways to prep your blog for a new year

a new year, new beginnings. what a fabulous time to reconsider the direction you're taking your blog! after the hustle and bustle of the holidays, everyone sort of scrambles for direction, in the form of new year's resolutions, new goals and vows to be the best versions of ourselves. you can do the same with your blog, but first, take a little look into the year you've just completed to get an idea of where to go next.

here are 3 tips to help you evaluate and prep your blog for a new year. cheers!

send out a reader survey

you've been getting comments on your blog all year, but aside from this, have you been truly listening to your readers? now is the perfect opportunity to ask your readers what they want from you, especially if you're considering revamping the direction of your blog in 2016. what do your readers think about this?

an easy way is to create a survey (i use surveymonkey.com), then blast it out to your social media followers or newsletter subscribers. if you're sending a reader survey via newsletter, consider offering a freebie, exclusive blog post or something special to your subscribers before you ask them to fill out the survey. 

consider trimming your content

what do you blog about? are you specific enough? go take a look at your traffic for the past year via google analytics or stat counter, and take a look at which posts got the least amount of traffic. maybe you didn't promote them enough, maybe it was a bad day, but if you're noticing a pattern with certain types of content, consider posting something different in the new year.

for example, i really really love cooking and baking. photographing food is so much fun! however, recipe posts are quickly starting to feel out of place on my blog, and i won't be posting them in 2016, unless it's a recipe that i can somehow tie in to a post about wellness or time management. additionally, my year-end reader survey let me know that people aren't seeking recipes on my blog. point taken!

revamp old content 

is your old content working hard for you? it should be. you busted your ass to create it, so don't let it fall flat! if you've got old posts that have a great concept but poor execution (bad photos, images that don't match your brand, wording that sounds funny, etc.) weed through old posts and make them work for you again. repurpose your images, trim your copy, create pinterest friendly images and spruce them up! then, make it a habit to promote the hell outta them in 2016.


if you want a little help coming up with a 2016 blog plan, check out blog consulting, click here!
if you're a small business and want to revamp your social media strategy in the new year, click here!

want some more tips to blog your best in a new year? check out these posts:

the ultimate pinterest for bloggers link round-up + free checklist for success

3 ways to get the most from social media scheduling

5 steps to finding your blog's branding + voice

the ultimate pinterest for bloggers round-up + free checklist for pinterest success

earlier this month, birmingham bloggers came together with holly prim of diy girl cave to host a fun, informative workshop on pinterest basics for bloggers. we had a fabulous time on a chilly saturday morning sipping coffee from revelator coffee, followed by a yummy lunch sponsored by birmingham's very own social media conference, y'all connect! wade kwon of y'all connect was gracious enough to give away a free pass for 2016's conference, which we were all so excited about. phew, what a morning!

i wanted to pass along some of the information that beth, holly and i came up with for the pinterest workshop. pinterest is a beast, y'all, and it seems like it's ever-changing. pinterest strategy from 2013 is essentially not relevant at all now, but hey, that can be said for any social media platform, right?

getting more in-tune with my pinterest strategy has been on my to-do list forever, and it honestly wasn't until holly approached birmingham bloggers about a pinterest workshop that i got my ass into gear. a few weeks ago, i didn't even know what a rich pin was. yeaaaah. let that sink in.

if you're a blogger looking to maximize pinterest, there are infinite resources at your fingertips. so, i compiled them for you in a round-up! everyone linked here has tons to offer in the social media realm, so don't just stop at their posts on pinterest - browse their blogs for all the awesome resources they have to offer. but first - check this out...

just by being aware of my pinterest strategy, enabling rich pins, brushing up the look of my boards (go take a look - i branded them!), joining and pinning to group boards, pinning others content, pinning consistently with the help of scheduling apps and setting reminders on my phone to pin, i've noticed a spike in engagement and views! now, this is coming from my teeny tiny pinterest account that i only recently took seriously, but i'm kinda impressed with how quickly growth can happen! notice how my average monthly viewers have increased by 1,483%, and my monthly engagement has increased by 856%.

again, from my teeny tiny pinterest account. however, my point is that there are super simple steps you can take in the course of just a few hours that can make a huge difference. i'm still working on bumping up my re-pins and deleting old pins from my boards to boost their quality.

you can get on track to the same success by checking out the tutorials from these amazing bloggers and creatives below. and once you're done, download my free mini #checklistforsuccess to mark these action items off and totally re-think your pinterest game.

setting up your profile for success

how to write your pinterest bio like a boss 

enabling your pinterest business account

how to set up rich pins for blogger & wordpress

how to add the pin-it button to your blog (blogger)

how to add the pin- it button to your blog (wordpress)

adding the pinterest widget to your blog

9 steps for pinterest domination

format images to be pinterest friendly

5 tools to create pinterest friendly images

how to brand your pinterest boards

getting collaboration savvy + joining group boards

 

how to create a group pinterest board

10 pinterest group boards for creative biz owners

how to collaborate like a boss (apply these tips to pinterest!)

how to find + join group boards

how to use group pinterest boards to go viral

beyond your regular ole' pinning + strategy

a guide to promoted pins

how i got 19k impressions using promoted pins

how to use pinterest promoted pins

a guide to getting noticed on pinterest + pinterest's smart feed

scheduling pins on tailwind 

what's the best pinterest scheduling tool?

9 reasons to delete your old pins

how deleting old pins tripled my pinterest presence 

40+ smart strategies to get more traffic from pinterest

i created a free checklist for success to help you get started after you check out these tutorials. this checklist is an interactive pdf, which means you can actually check off the items as you go! it includes all the basics and a few extras that help you make sure you've covered all your pinterest bases when it comes to having a killer account.

click below to download the pdf file, then open it in adobe reader or acrobat to access the interactive features.

send out a tweet with the hashtag #checklistforsuccess once you've completed the list. click here to tweet it! oh, and real quick - are we pinning together on pinterest? click here to follow give me a follow! i pin a ton of blogging/business tips, plus yummy recipes and general happiness/wellness tips.

what are your favorite pinterest strategies?  

create an opt-in incentive for your mailchimp newsletter [part 2]

this is part 2 of a 3-part series on creating an opt-in incentive for your mailchimp newsletter. click here to read part 1. part 3 will be available november 30th!

so, you've got your freebie and you're ready to roll. your mailchimp list is set up, and now, you need to create an automated email that delivers your freebie to loyal subscribers.

purchase automation credits to build your workflow

so, here's the thing: this isn't free. as you'll see shortly in this post, you can make a decision regarding how much money you want to spend. start small, and decide later if it's worth it for your blog to budget in.

to get started creating a workflow that will automatically send your freebie to subscribers when they sign up for your newsletter, sign in to your mailchimp account. on your dashboard, click automation on the top ribbon. you should see the image above that says automation is a paid feature.

click 'upgrade'. this takes you to a page that explains different mailchimp pro features and how much a monthly subscription costs. if you've got a large, engaged email list, it may be worth your investment in the long-run to go ahead and purchase a monthly paid feature subscription.

if you're just getting your feet wet in the newsletter world, i recommend the paying by credit option. you can always change your plan or purchase more credits. this is a great way to get started with a low investment. you will see this option listed as the pay as you go plan. go ahead and select this option if you aren't interested in paying for a monthly mailchimp plan just yet.

i know, i know. 5,000,000 people are reading my blog, too. but just to play it safe, i went with the handy dandy super reasonable $9.00 300 credit option to start with.

once you've purchased your credits, you will have access to the automation tab on your mailchimp dashboard. head back over there to get started building your welcome email.

create your welcome email

if you've sent a newsletter before, you can use some of your previous branding to match your welcome email to subscribers. if not, we'll be creating an email to really pack a punch, deliver your freebie and match your branding.

back on the automation tab, click on the 'create automation workflow' button. next, select the list of subscribers this welcome email will be associated with, likely the 'your blog name subscribers' list that you created previously. after selecting a list, you will have a ton of different types of email options. as you can see, you can really get creative with your automated emails! if you've got one freebie you're giving away in your welcome message, the most standard option is likely the best choice for now.

select the very first option, 'welcome message'.

next, you'll be prompted to name your welcome message, maybe 'newsletter freebie'. your subscribers won't see this. once you've input the name settings, click next.

on the next page, you'll be prompted to review the trigger that makes your automated email send. by default, it says that the automated email is triggered to send when people subscribe to my newsletter. simple, right? that's what we want.

the 'trigger workflow when subscribers are imported' checkbox simply gives you the option to have the workflow fire off if you manually import subscribers to the list.

now, you get to build your automated welcome email! click 'add email'. you will see an email, 'automation email #1', already sitting there for you to design. before we get to designing, there's one quick detail we need to fix.

see where it says that the workflow email is sent 1 day after the workflow is triggered? yeah, no. we don't want that. your subscriber is gonna sign up expecting your freebie, then be confused as to why it hasn't arrived 12 hours later, send you a confused email, yeah, just... no. so, instead, let's set up that trigger to fire off immediately. click 'change delay' and select 'immediately'.

after this, you can hit the 'design email' button! again, you'll be prompted to input a name for this email. for the subject, make it something fun and catchy - after all, this is the very first email your subscribers are receiving from your mailing list. since you're offering a fun incentive, you can even include that in your subject line - 'thanks for subscribing! here's your ____'.

input your subject line, then click 'next'.

now, for the fun part: designing your email and attaching the freebie! if you've sent a mailchimp newsletter before, you may have a saved template you can build off of. if not, select the 1-column template for simplicity's sake to get started.

mailchimp is a versatile platform for creating emails that look professional and polished, which i chat more about in part 3. for now, i'm going to detail how to attach your freebie to your email.

here's your blank email template, ready to be designed, fluffed up and pumped full o' good stuff. let's get your opt-in incentive in there to start with. to the left, you'll see a bunch of different content types you can put into your email. if you've got a video welcome message, for example, you can select 'video' to upload it and drop it right in to your email.

if you have a simple file that needs to be hosted somewhere and shared, all you need is a link or a button in your email that is clickable to take readers to the file.

while typing up your welcome email, create some text that says "click here to get ____!" or a button that says the same. buttons can be more fun because you can use colors to match your blog branding!

after selecting the text you want to take readers to your freebie, click the 'link' button. in the 'link to' dropdown box, select 'file'. you'll be prompted to upload your opt-in incentive. grab your pdf, e-book, photo, etc. that you created, and upload it.

now, readers can simply click the link in your email to access the freebie you made for them! however, there's more to welcome emails (and emails in general) than just throwing a freebie out there and hoping for the best. in part 3, i discuss crafting a good welcome message, what to include in your welcome email aside from your freebie, and using mailchimp's tools to create an email that matches your brand.

do you have experience with mailchimp's paid features? do you think it's worth it?

this is part 2 of a 3-part series on creating an opt-in incentive for your mailchimp newsletter. click here to read part 1. part 3 will be available november 30th!

want to read more on social media? check out these posts:

sharing others content & why it matters

how to have the best social media conference experience

how i stay organized

sharing others content & why it matters

when was the last time you promoted and shared content that wasn't your own?

if you can't answer that question, this is the post for you.

blogging is all about community, connecting with your peers and finding a voice that's authentically you in what seems to be a sea of posts, tweets and instagram flat lays. but the truth is, we're all building and feeding off one another here in the blogging world. we cheer one another's successes, vent about our frustrations and are constantly seeking to evolve together as this insane internet mumbo jumbo changes on a daily basis.

but if you're not sharing, promoting and connecting actively with your peers content, are you really participating in the blogging world? what could becoming actively engaged in your peers content do to change your blogging game?

here are some serious reasons to step up your game regarding other's content.

it shows you're invested in your niche

if you're a fashion blogger who isn't aware of what other fashion bloggers are doing... where ya at? reading other's content and sharing it keeps you up-to-date on the latest trends, both from fashion and social media. if you aren't paying attention to the community, you're missing things. by sharing content from others, you're showing your followers that you care about the blogosphere and are actively invested in it. being invested in your niche is how to get ahead.

it connects you to your peers in a genuine way

everyone wants to feel heard and understood. by promoting someone's content, you're acknowledging this very fact: "i hear you. i understand you. i like what you wrote!". remember this, and remember how you feel when someone throws a retweet your way. make it a priority to give as many bloggers this feeling too as often as possible.

in addition to making bloggers feel heard and special, it can open up the door to collaboration and conversation. promoting someone's content is an easy segway to start chatting about how you can work together.

it helps personify you as a dynamic brand

a dynamic, experienced and well-rounded blog isn't just screaming about what they have to offer 24/7. we all have valuable content to offer and fresh perspectives. by directing folks to what you consider valuable resources, posts and bloggers in your niche, you're establishing yourself as an expert, in addition to providing well-rounded information for your readers.


so, how can you put other's content first? we're all busy bloggers who are sometimes struggling to get our own content out - how do you add someone else's content to the mix? set small goals for yourself. for example, an item on your to-do list for the week could be: "read, comment on and promote 5 other blog posts". treat this to-do item like you would another other, and prioritize it. you can even use a tool like hootsuite or buffer to schedule these promotions.

simply remembering to promote content is worth noting, too. you can browse a blog post on your lunch break, so take the quick extra few seconds to tweet it, too.

what can you do to share content in your niche this week?

want to read more about blogging & social media? try these posts:

overcoming blogging self doubt

setting up side-gig work hours

5 steps to developing your blog's branding & voice

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!

overcoming blogging self doubt & putting yourself out there

i hear so, so many bloggers doubting themselves and what they're blog is capable of. maybe you do only have 8 followers on bloglovin', but how are you ever going to get beyond that if you don't take a chance? what about getting involved in a community? what about asking your favorite brand of chocolate chips to send you a bag to sample and review? why haven't you?

even from the safety of our comfy couches watching the bachelorette with a glass of pinot grigio as we write a blog post... we're afraid to be judged. even though a computer screen separates us from face-to-face interactions, the anxiety lingers - "what if they say no?" or "what if they don't like my blog?".

this self doubt is the same breed of doubt that sometimes pops up in our daily lives. "does this outfit look good on me?" or "am i really ready for this job interview?" - it's all the same, rooted in insecurity, waiting to be conquered. the same is true for your blogging/social media self doubt. let's get rid of it!

here are some no nonsense, action oriented tips to build your blogging/collaboration confidence, and put yourself out there digitally.

find your blogging buddy

go on the hunt for a blogger who feels like they're in a similar spot, whether y'all both write about the same content, live in the same area or have the same number of followers. maybe you already know this blogger. if not, reach out to them on social media and make a connection - say hello! then, shoot them an email about working together and finding a way to boost both of your pageviews. come up with a guest post series, promote each other's content weekly, share one another's posts, launch a giveaway together.

build your collaboration mojo - start small

so, you're a beauty blog, and you'd really like to review some nail polish at no expense of your own. sure, you could try to track down sephora's pr team and ask for some samples, but have you built your collaboration resume first? i never discourage going after the big fish - you should - but realistically, they're going to wonder if you've done this before.

who/what do you want to work with, and how can you downsize that just a tad to get your feet wet? beauty companies are a dime a dozen - is there a local and/or small startup you could contact instead? work with a few smaller brands to develop a rhythm and build your confidence - and brand's trust. want more information about how to approach bloggers & brands for collaboration? read these posts!

dare to be vulnerable

you know that post you've always wanted to write, the one you keep locked away in the back of your head? maybe it's a super serious post about life and relationships, or maybe you just really really want to publish the post about your grandmother's banana bread that includes a photo of her. whatever it is, put it out there, and own it. it's that simple. sometimes, you're the only thing holding yourself back.

how to have the best blogging/social media conference experience

conference season is here! if you're a blogger like me, you're gearing up to make your yearly conference rounds, and you're thrilled to meet some new faces and have another great experience. or, perhaps, you're a conference newbie, and want to show up prepared! no worries, i gotcha.

i'm writing this post with introverts in mind - only because, as i've expounded on previously (see 'the beauty of introversion'), many, many blogging folk are introverted. the extroverts are usually out at mixers, not photographing a new face wash they got in the mail from 4,000 different angles. so, if this is your first conference and you're a little shy, never fear.

getting the most out of a conference involves going in with the right mindset. it's ok to be nervous. but overall, be positive! this is a new opportunity, a new experience, and most of all, it's fun! talking to people all day can be exhausting - hell, even thinking of how you'll approach people you don't know is exhausting! trust me, i've been there. bring your cutest outfits, get your nails done, wear some comfortable shoes, grab a venti iced americano & get ready to feel your best - you'll have a blast!

read up on my tips to get the most out of your blogging/social media conference below.

bring your business cards

if you're a blogger and you don't have business cards, get them. immediately. if you're chatting with someone and don't have a card to offer, you'll regret it. trust me, i've been there. don't leave for the conference without them!

stay up to date on stats

a few days before the conference, take a look at your pageviews, unique visitors, most popular posts, etc. and have this information on hand. you can even print out our stats and bring them along, or have a copy of your media kit printed or available quickly via dropbox/google drive. if it's a conference where you'll be chatting with brands and fellow collaborators, you'll want to be up to date.

set small goals

want to hand out 10 business cards? talk to 5 new people? meet your favorite presenter? discover 3 new businesses you'd like to work with? set some small goals before the conference and keep a list on your phone as a reminder. complete your list before the end of the con!

do one thing that makes you uncomfortable

whether it's raising your hand to share a question or story at a presentation, working up the guts to talk to your favorite brand, or grabbing improtu drinks with some fellow conference attendees, make sure you do one thing you may not have planned, but you know will enrich your experience.

make real connections & stay in touch

you can hand out a pack of 100 business cards but not make an authentic connection with a single person. don't spread yourself too thin, and focus on talking with people you really connect with. most importantly, maintain these connections! follow your new friends/business partners on social media, and stay in touch until next year.

5 things your blog posts are missing

even as a veteran blogger (12+ years and counting), learning to craft a balanced, visually appealing and genuinely good post took years to learn. not everything that goes into making a good post is intuitive - and that's ok! learning to take full advantage of the space you're working with, the power of your words + visuals and building off of your older content are all beneficial skills to remember.

here are the things you may be missing in your blog posts.

photos that aren't as large as possible.

you've got the space, so use it! it's frustrating for readers to navigate to your blog and be forced to sift through tiny photos centered in a post. make your photos as wide as possible without the size itself becoming an eyesore - usually, however wide your content area is, make your photos this width. your readers eyes will thank you. after all, if you can barely see the photos, why put them there?

links to your old posts + other's content.

if you're writing a post about a new restaurant you tried and happen to mention the restaurant you're comparing it to, link to that post, please! your reader may wonder: "oh, they also reviewed dan's cafe? well, where can i find that? i don't see it here... oh well." and that's how easy it is to lose additional engagement + pageviews. link anything and everything within reason. as i've written on before, blogging is about community now. if you mention someone else's ideas, photos or posts, link them.

re-visitation of old topics & ideas.

everyone's views are going to change over time. have you updated your readers on your newfound  ideas? if you wrote a post on blogging do's + don'ts two years ago, are those tips still applicable today, or have you learned more? this is an opportunity to link posts together and give readers a journey to follow.

content that is not only authentic, but digestable.

on the internet, this is know as "tl;dr", aka "too long, didn't read". can that apply to some of your posts? separate concepts, paragraphs and ideas with headings, lists, tables and bullet points. this helps the reader skim a lot of information quickly, and makes your posts much easier on the eyes. if you've got a long story or rant to tell, that's ok! just make the formatting visually pleasing by adding photos in between paragraphs and headings to give structure.

 

your true writing voice.

read your posts. seriously. read them. is that you in there? do you really talk that way? i am all for being professional and polished online - in fact, my friends who know me in real life could say my social media is a highly censored version of myself (i have a sailor's mouth, but i mean c'mon, my family reads my blog). but beyond the lack of f-bombs, it's really me. is it really you?