Top Tips For Bloggers And Social Media Managers
I feel like I don't talk about my real job too much. I probably should talk about it, as it's pretty much the same as everything I do on this blog. I'm not one of those people who share intricate details of their lives on social media. It's way too easy to track someone down on social media; we've all gone on a Facebook stalk to find an ex or even a new crush. But I'd instead not contribute to other peoples searches on me! I doubt you know anything about my personal life. If you do, it's mentioned on my blog social media or in the about page of this blog. When I started working in my most recent job, I was so happy when they said they couldn't find any current social media accounts for me. However, my Tumblr account from my early teens did pop up in their searches.
Just goes to show you should be careful with what you upload onto social media.
So, for the past two years, I've worked as a social media manager in a variety of industries. I've worked on a freelance basis for some fantastic people and some not so amazing people. I've run social media accounts for charities, companies, magazines and personalities across the world. I'm fortunate to have worked for the people I have, but I wouldn't change my current job for the world.
I love it. But damn, it's hard!
One of the biggest misconceptions with digital marketing and social media is that it's just tweeting or sticking a pretty picture up on 'the gram'. When in reality its, analytics, analysing data, photography, video editing, photo editing, graphic design, customer and countless other roles. Social media marketing is the job of many jobs, but it's still new. Bear in mind the first genuine social network started in 1997 (which is older than me). The platforms we use to market are still in their infancy, which means the idea of using them as a marketing tool is almost fetal. Yet, I think we're incredibly lucky to watch this new industry be born (I need to stop with the birth references now), we will be the first people to learn how to use something which will be around for decades.
My point is, the industry is still growing and changing. Social media has revolutionised marketing and the creative industry to whole new levels. Do you think that's just down to us hitting a tweet button?
In this blog, I'll be sharing some of my top tips for the world of blogging and social media. Some of these are ones I've picked up throughout my career, and others are from bloggers within my community that are BRILLIANT at what they do.
Tips From The Bloggers
If you want to check out these guys and give them a follow. Click their Instagram handles (highlighted in blue).
@katie.haahr
"Two big things I've learned are the importance of consistency (that means posting 5-6 days a week, every week for me) and the importance of really caring about your followers- leaving meaningful comments and celebrating their victories as they share them. "
@awhimsicalrose
"But my two tops tips would be to post consistently (both in terms of regularity and in quality of content) & decide what your "why" is and try to make all your content back that up."
@therebecca_edit
"One thing I would always say to people who are wanting to build an organic following on any platform is to be yourself and do it because you love it. If you go into blogging or Instagram for followers or free stuff or whatever it will never take off, be yourself. Post about what you like and connect with like-minded people and people you look up to, they have a wealth of knowledge and don't be scared to ask questions!"
@emilyjanebirks
"My main tips would know what you want to blog about generally before you start, otherwise it can be confusing for you as a writer to know where you're going and readers to find your blog! Other than that, have a decent camera (I use my iPhone) and don't underestimate the power of social media for promoting yourself - you can't be shy about it!"
@birkbites
"I'd say just be yourself, be genuine and do it for all the right reasons. I started my blog for my satisfaction because I love taking photos of food - I had no idea that so many fantastic opportunities would come from it! So having a genuine passion for what you're blogging about is fundamentally the key to a successful blog, I think. A lot of people start blogs just because they want free things and it comes across forced and unnatural!
I'd also say show your personality. I'm a lot more invested in other bloggers who share more about themselves than just what food they're eating - being open and having a bit of a chat in their caption/stories is always exciting and makes you feel much more engaged with them.
And don't take it too seriously or let it take over your life! Remember it's a hobby (well for me anyway) so embrace every friendship you make through it, and every opportunity and the blog will turn out to be the best thing you ever did (it is for me)"
Tips I've Picked Up Along The Years
Facebook adverts don't mean you've failed at organic promotion. Facebook's algorithm has changed so much over the past few years, and promoting your brand naturally on the platform is nearly impossible unless you've built up a following.
One ad does not fix all your problems either. If you've had any experience in the marketing world, (or at least know how to use Google) the 'marketing funnel' is a handy tool for setting up a successful ad. You must take your audience on a journey of brand education if you want to create long-lasting readers/ customers/ fans.
Teach your algorithms! The idea that you can learn the inner workings of Instagram, TikTok or Twitter directly through trial and error is a bit pointless. Yes learning what content does well and what content doesn't, but wouldn't you rather know why its worked out like that? Loads of blogs (like mine) talk about social media algorithms regularly, these changes are often announced by their innovators during significant PR events or notifications in-app updates. But the information is out there for you to find and absorb. I find it makes my approach more efficient and helps me look like smarts at social gatherings.
Editing your pictures is vital. The overall view of your Instagram page must be aesthetically pleasing. It sounds like a silly rule until you stumble across an account which does not follow this rule. Back when I ran social media accounts for a local magazine, I had the task of editing photos from several models/makes of phones to try to get them to look similar. The apps that are around to help with this problem are unreal. Even Canva has some features to help fix tricky photos. But for now, Facetune 2 is my go too editing software.
Each platform has its purpose. Regardless of the new updates which seem to be blurring the lines between platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest etc. All attract their communities and have their purposes. Posting the same content on every platform is efficient if you're working on a time limit, but I like to change the language a bit on each platform. (E.g. Twitter is concise, chatty and witty as you have to optimise on the small character counts).
If you're looking for blog traffic, Pinterest is your guy. I'll be honest. I've had minimal experience with Pinterest. I first started exploring the platform two months ago (When I launched this blog) and after some encouragement from a friend. God, I wish I'd started to use it sooner! As social media giants like Twitter and Facebook have evolved, their referral traffic (when you click a link and get transported to a new website) has dropped drastically. Meanwhile, Pinterest contributes to 8% of the referral traffic across the web. 97% of Pinterest searches are unbranded, meaning any blog could show up on those search results. It's best to think of Pinterest as a search engine instead of a social media site, as there isn't much social interaction.
This blog was a lot longer than I initially expected. I don't know how I expected it to turn out. If I'm honest, I thought it might be a few ute quotes I pulled off Canva and a rambling essay about my time working in the third sector. Someday I might tell those stories as they are rather funny.
The fact that all these lovely women were happy to put their time into this blog for me is brilliant too. I've had this blog for a little over two months now. I've probably followed them for a month or even a few weeks but never met. So If you're reading to see where your paragraph turned up, I hope you liked it!
When I first started working in digital marketing, I thought I'd lose countless hours staring at pointless pictures or removing cruel trolls from my clients feeds. Of course, there is the occasional troll. But when you look past it, social media is an excellent tool for making connections with like-minded folk who are happy to help you find your voice.
I hope you enjoyed this blog! I'd love to turn this into a series as I got carried away writing it. There's a hell of a lot more I would personally add to the blog, and there are loads of other bloggers I'd love to quiz on their social strategy.