Nine Ways to Make the Most of Your Post
You just spent hours creating, editing, and writing a brilliant and original tutorial. You hit “Publish” and now what? It’s really exciting to sit back and wait for comment to come in. But do you know what is MORE exciting? When that post is featured by bigger bloggers or goes viral on Pinterest and you get a huge spike in traffic and a bunch of new followers.
So how do you make this happen? Here are a few things to do after you hit that “Publish” button:
1. Link Up! You probably know this by now, but it’s always been a good way to circulate your post throughout Blogland. Link up your post to lots of different parties and try to be early to the linky parties. Most party hosts put their post up the night before the day the party actually is (eg: Bev puts her “Think Pink Sundays” up on Saturday night.) Also, if you know the host personally you can sometimes email them your link before the party goes up and they will link you up at the beginning. (Sometimes! Don’t bug them all the time!) However if you link up you MUST include the link in your post. It’s common courtesy. You don’t have to put in the whole giant button, a text link works great. And if you get featured by the party host, it will likely mean more traffic to your blog!
2. Pin your post. You can click on the hyperlink to your post (the URL of your actual post) and then pin a picture from your own post. It also helps a lot if you make a Pinterest-friendly picture. Vertical pictures work the best since they use more real estate in Pinterest.
3. Upload a picture directly to your Facebook fan page. You used to be able to just use HootSuite or Networked Blogs to have your post automatically publish to your page (actually you still can) but since Edgerank pretty much ignores those, less than half of your fans will actually see the post. The best way to get your post to be seen is by uploading a picture to the fan page with a caption and link. And if you click the Star in the right hand corner, it will highlight that post.
4. Tweet: You can also use a link shortener to tweet your post. The one I use is bit.ly but there are others. Be sure to use an engaging caption rather than just the title of the post. Eg: ”What are you getting for your mom for Mother’s Day? See what I did!” instead of ”Mother’s Day Gift Idea.”
These are all things you’ve probably heard or figured out on your own. Gee, thanks Heidi. Way to waste the last five minutes of my life!
Well HERE are the things that are just going to blow your mind. Okay, maybe not, but you might get a few ideas.
5. Have friends promote your post. You really can’t blog alone. I mean you CAN, but to really succeed, you can’t. Having blogger friends is seriously the best way to grow your blog. Your friends should support you, they should be happy to promote your post. As long as you’re not asking them to promote every little post you do, they will do it! All they need to do it put it on FB, pin it, tweet it, or Stumble it. There’s lots of ways they can promote your post that only takes one minute. But you MUST be willing to do it in return. It’s a two-way street, baby.
6. Give credit. If your post was inspired by another blogger or you used a specific product, send a message via FB or Twitter to them letting them know about it! You never know what they will do. I tweeted Melissa at The Inspired Room after I completed my couch slipcover and she was so kind as to feature it on her fabulous blog! And what do you know, Centsational Girl picked it right up after that. All because of one little tweet.
7. Join the Crafterminds Support Facebook Group weekly promotion list. You may or may not know about Crafterminds Support. It’s a large FB group of craft bloggers and every week there is a promotion list where you can put your post link. The group members will then promote your post when they get a second. It’s also a good place to go if you want to find some fun things to post on your FB wall to share with your fans! **If you’d like to be added to this group, leave a comment below!
8. SEO. SEO is Search Engine Optimization, which is a whole huge topic on its own. But it’s a good way to help your posts be found in a search, and doing a little research on the topic can really help out a lot. Use keywords, links, and meta tags in your post.
9. Email Feature Bloggers. If you think you have a really awesome post, feel free to shoot an email to a blogger who features other craft blogs. I’ve emailed Kari at UCreate, Michelle at Someday Crafts, and Rachel at One Pretty Thing. And there are others who feature other bloggers as well if their craft fits into their niche. Heather at Dollar Store Crafts will feature (what else) crafts made from dollar store items. Amy at Mod Podge Rocks will feature projects made using Mod Podge. And so on. Also, many companies have blogs too. If you email them your project, just maybe they will feature it. You never know until you try!
Here’s a secret: I’m lazy and I don’t do most of these things. But if I have a really good project, then I try to promote the heck of out it! It’s a lot of work and you don’t want to bug people too much with self-promotion. But when it’s worth it, do it. Nothing is sadder than an awesome post going unnoticed.
I would love to be added to the facebook group. This is me: http://www.facebook.com/abirdinthehandart
I would LOVE to be added to the Crafterminds Support Facebook Group.
Thanks Heidi! great article, it has good advise and reminders to just do the stuff that I know…but sometimes slack on.
I would love to be added as well!
http://www.facebook.com/TheMoneyPitBlog
Great reminder of all the things you can do. I’d love to join the Facebook group.
Great tips. Personally, I love linky parties. I get to visit alot of new blogs.
I’d love to know how to be added to the Crafterminds Facebook Support Group! Please contact me and let me know how?
Hi Laura! I sent you an e-mail. Thanks!
Thank you, Amy! I responded. : )
I’d love tobe added to the group. http://Www.Facebook.com/measuredbytheheart
Would love to be added to the Crafterminds Support facebook group! Just let us know how!
This is a super post!! You all are so supportive!
Bonnie @ uncommon
Would love to be part of the crafterminds support group. I am just starting to blog, and I am still learning how to do links etc. My biggest challenge right now, is carving out some time to write the blog. I need all the advice and support I can find. I also hope in time, I will be able to give advice to others. That is a scary thought right now, but I know time will be on my side.
Good tips Heidi. Posting a photo to your fan page is a great tip, then adding commentary and a link, so much more effective that just a link!
This is a great post, Heidi. I’m still going over the suggestions here, and have a question on #3: I usually post our blog posts to our blog’s Facebook page, by cutting and pasting the post’s url address there….and in doing so, I can choose a photo from the post to go with it. Is that as effective in being seen, or is it still better to directly upload a photo from the post, and then add the url link?
I’d love your thought on that, if you get a moment. Thanks!
I’d love to be added to the FB group, as well! Thanks!
Great tips, and, yes, I’m guilty of not doing all of these for no reason other than laziness, but my stats page can really tell when I’m having a lazy/pre-occupied month. Also, I think #5 can sometimes be a fine line to walk. I’ve personally had many friends (non-bloggers) mention to me when they notice a certain post is getting re-posted multiple times by various bloggers. And by mention it, I mean it bothers them. They’ve said it makes bloggers seem clique-ish and it clogs up their newsfeed. For me personally, I see the benefit of increasing your exposure and broadening your audience. And really, isn’t this just networking which is beneficial no matter what type of business you’re in?? So I do agree with you that it is beneficial, but just wanted to point out that the way it’s viewed by bloggers themselves versus by readers is sometimes very different. I have yet to find a true blogging support group like that and know that it hurts my stats and growth as a blogger.
Thanks so much for the article!
I would really love to be added to the Crafterminds Support Group! Please let me know how to be added! Thank you so much and this article has been so helpful!!
I would love to be added to the FB group! Thank you!
I’d love to be added to the Crafterminds FB support group! What do I need to do?
I would also love to hear more info about #1, Linking up. How do you find linky parties and such? I know a couple, but I’d like to find more, especially ones that fit the articles that I’m writing, y/k?
Thank you again for this post, it’s been really helpful!
Wow thanks for this, just what Ive been looking for. I would love to be added to the Facebook group too please and also, like Chrissy, would love to know more about link ups?
Thanks again
I would also love to be added to the Crafterminds group:
http://www.facebook.com/hernewleaf
I would love to be added to the Crafterminds Support Facebook Group please!
I love your blog! Great tips!
http://www.facebook.com/stuffnsuch
Thanks!
I want to be added to the Crafterminds Support Facebook Group!
Thanks for all the great tips!
I would like to be added to the group! http://www.facebook.com/AbernathyStudios
I would love to be added to the Facebook group please https://www.facebook.com/CrapAtCrafts
Hi, thanks for these tips. I would like to be added to the Crafterminds Support Facebook Group. http://www.facebook.com/faith.campbell.750
Thanks!
Karen of Graphics Fairy shared your informative site with me. I am so glad she did. I would love to be a part of the Crafterminds Support Facebook Group. I am looking forward to learning much more from you. https://www.facebook.com/WindandHoneyShop
Thank you.
Hi! I’d like to join the Crafterminds Facebook group! I’m at http://Facebook.com/littlemissmarmalade. Thanks!
Thank you so much for all of these tips. I would love to join the crafterminds facebook group. You can find my facebook page at http://facebook.com/betterorganizedliving.
Thanks again!!!
I would love to be added to the facebook group. This was a great article, I always find your posts so helpful!!My facebook is https://www.facebook.com/ThisLittleEstate?ref=hl
This Little Estate
I would really like to join the facebook group if possible: http://www.facebook.com/TheLoveNerds
Thank you for this post! It was really helpful.
I’d love to be added to the facebook group! Thank you!
http://www.facebook.com/makinglifewhimsical
Thank you so much for sharing all those tips…
I’d like to join the Crafterminds Support Facebook Group weekly promotion list: could you add me?
My fb name is Irene Valle
Many many thanks,
MammaNene from SergerPepper.blogspot.it
I’d love to be added to the Crafterminds Facebook group! Thanks in advance! http://facebook.com/FreshIdeaStudio