All Posts By

Marijean

Aug 17
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Social Media Platforms: How Often Should We Post?

By Social Media
In Search Of Lost Time

Photo credit: Alexander Boden

The question of how often to post — to a blog, to Facebook, to Twitter — is frequently asked. Those new to blogging don’t always fully understand the commitment needed for social media engagement and often think blogging every day will be “no big deal.”

Ha!

More typically, people face blogging for business with a more realistic sense of dread. Is once a month OK, they ask hopefully. Can we tweet three times a week? How about Facebook? How often do we have to post something there?

The very nature of that question, the tone, is disheartening; “how often do we have to . . . “

I generally try not to answer a question with a question — it’s poor form and all that — but here, it’s appropriate.

How successful do you want to be?

There’s a lot of internet sound with the multiplication of platforms and steady increase of users.  To stay in the search game, good, thoughtful content, frequently published and shared with additional unique lead-in content is critical. Auto posting across platforms is possible, but making sure you’re treating fans, followers and friends as such. These are the people who have voluntarily opted in to your content. Provide value to them and make them feel special.

So how often should we post, you ask, still, you ever-persistent people!

Minimum goals:

  • Blog 3x a week
  • Facebook 12x a week
  • Twitter 24x a week

Give that formula a whirl and let me know if you see your traffic increase (you will; I just like to hear it.)

Aug 16
Love0

Social Media Tip of the Day: Don’t be a Douche

By Social Media

I’m working along, doing what I do, minding my business, and then I see this:

Best. Endorsement. Ever.

Also, before you get offended, the slang definition of “douche” is less offense-making than the non-slang, so consider: “The term refers to a person, usually male, with a variety of negative qualities, specifically arrogance and engaging in obnoxious and/or irritating actions without malicious intent.”

I do, here on Change the Conversation, try to redirect acts of douche-baggery when I encounter them.

Thanks, Dwight, for the recognition.

Aug 16
Love0

Six Ways to Keep your Blogging Commitment

By Communications

More than 95 percent of blogs are abandoned! By virtue of sticking it out, staying in the game and continuing to blog, you (and I) become leaders in the blogosphere. Here are six ways to keep up the blog:

1. Schedule your time to write. What time can you give to your blogging efforts? 20 minutes a day when you’ve turned everything else off and you’re in a chair tapping away at a keyboard will do the trick. Are you a better writer in the morning or evening? Put that time on your calendar and protect it like it’s your child.

2. Get a blogging partner – keep one another accountable by reading and commenting on each other’s posts.

3. Guest post for someone else – sometimes a deadline on someone else’s schedule will kick your butt into gear.

4. Institute a bribe (or get your partner to do it. ) I will share with you that I just offered my teammates for the collaborative corporate blog I manage an opportunity to win a Jar of Pie. Suddenly everyone is enthusiastic.

5. Join a group of other local bloggers and meet them for coffee, lunch, drinks — whatever — just get together in person periodically to talk about the blogging process, to learn from one another and be inspired.

6. Think about why you started your blog. Why was it important to you? What is the blog’s purpose? Write that down and stick it on the wall or the fridge or somewhere you’ll see it and it will remind you, often, of why you’re here, blogging like the rest of us nut jobs. It’s important, and you ARE making a difference to someone.

Need more help? I highly recommend Chris Brogan’s post How to Blog Almost Every Day.