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.

surviving a new orleans mardi gras ball

have you ever witnessed something so absurd you felt compelled to write on it?

i did last weekend.

as i've written on previously, i am no stranger to the mardi gras world. i was born & raised in fairhope, alabama. i was riding in parades before i graduated kindergarten. beads, moonpies and fighting soccer moms over teddy bears in the middle of the street was all a normal part of my childhood. mardi gras? yeah bro, i got it. no need to try and fill me in.

last weekend, i went to new orleans for the endymion krewe's annual parade and ball. luke bryan performed, everyone was so friendly and wonderful, and it was an amazing time. however, a new orleans mardi gras is another animal entirely than the customs in alabama. mobile may have invented the celebration, but new orleans took it and ran a freaking marathon with it. the sad truth is, i didn't believe this until i witnessed it for myself.

it wasn't the parade madness that surprised me. or bourbon street, really. all were just as i expected: smelly, silly and kind of unreal. what truly threw me for a loop was the endymion ball. not all balls are quite to this scale (was held in the mercedes benz superdome, by the way, no big deal) but i've got some tips for you if you ever find yourself at a ball held by one of the super krewes in new orleans. these are 110% serious.

1. bring a helmet. i sincerely wish i were kidding. here's the thing, the parade comes into the superdome. i thought i was prepared, but i was oh so wrong. my friend mike and i were squashed up front by the barricades awaiting the parade to come into the dome, and we took a look around: people were wearing freakin' helmets. how absurd, i thought. and then the parade came in, and flamethrowers went off, and fireworks were everywhere, and they started throwing. this was throwing beyond what you experience on the street. my face is bruised.
2. bring a tarp to put on your table. yeah. seriously. this was a thing, too. everyone's tables with their food, liquor and belongings were covered in tarps to protect from the immiment hellshower of teddy bears, frisbees and beads. a table up front was left uncovered by some newbies, and everyone around them collectively freaked out and found them a tarp. serious business, y'all.
3. wear tennis shoes, baby. call me tacky, i do not care. this was the best choice i made all night. everyone is in floor length dresses, and you can get away with it. the nikes were my best friend. the floor was unwalkable by the end of the two hour meteor shower from the floats - kind of like what you'd imagine swimming in one of those toy claw machines would be like. you turn around and oh, a giant stuffed banana and plastic jewelry, and oh look, there's a medallion in your hair.

did i have fun? oh yeah. will i ever go to another new orleans ball? i'll let my bruised face speak for itself.

what are your mardi gras experiences?