The Social Media Shuffle

You know how, try as you might, you can't do everything? The same applies to social media. Last month, I wrote about the power of saying no. This month, I'll share how you can say yes to stress-free social media.

A balanced social media strategy is like a going to a dance. You have a main partner - "the one who brung ya" - but you should also spend time with others. You want to hang out with your BFF of course, and then visit with friends and acquaintances whose company you enjoy.

The one must social media platform that everyone should be on - that one "partner" - is LinkedIn. 

Here's why:

- Great First Contact. Since it's a professional business network, when you meet new people, that's usually the first place they want to connect. 

- Made for Intros. If you want to get into a certain company - whether you are applying for a job or a want to submit business proposal - you can look to your contacts and get either a direct or secondary connection intro.

- Less Noise. Since fewer professionals are using LinkedIn to share their expertise, it's more likely others will see your posts and engage with you. Try posting several times a week, and you'll see what I mean.

Being on the platform is not enough. You also need to stand out. For your LinkedIn profile, use a recent picture, a branded background image, and an intro that shows your personality. And make sure your experience sections are filled out, complete with media and links. This will give others an fuller picture of who you are, how you can help, and why you would make a good friend, business partner, or connection.

Choose a Social Media BFF 

On which platform is your audience? Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube? Which interface is most appealing to your personality type. If you are not a fan of video, than YouTube should not be your secondary platform choice. 

The more you like a site, the more often you will engage, and others will engage with you. Choose a truly "social" media site to develop a community. And post on it regularly. 

Make Other Social Friends

Regardless of your favorites, you should have a presence on all of the other main social sites. These are "friends" you visit once or twice a week, sharing links, videos, images. You are basically reminding people you exist in case they need you, your product, or your services.

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In this day and age, social's the thing. But to be truly social. you need to enjoy it the way you would a party. Dance with your partner, catch up with your best friend, and have a quick visit with others. You will be happier than if you try to talk to everyone at the same time, while juggling a large plate of food and your dance partner.

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What is your favorite social media platform? Why? Please share in the comments.

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Debra Eckerling is a writer, editor and project catalyst, as well as founder of The D*E*B Method: Goal Setting Simplified and Write On Online, a live and online writers’ support group. Like the Write On Online Facebook Page and join the Facebook Group.  Debra is the author of Your Goal Guide, being released by Mango in January 2020, as well as Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages. She is host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat and the Guided Goals Podcast, and a speaker/moderator on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

26 Reasons a Writer Should Blog - Part 7 Final

So we've done it! We're at the end of the alphabet. Typically, the last three points are the most difficult to come up with.

Since April, we've worked through the letters of the alphabet, each month choosing one significant word from the next two or three letters in the alphabet that clarify reasons why a writer should blog.
Now to come up with reasons beginning with X, Y and Z

24. X is for the X-Factor of Writing

During my first lesson in Algebra at school, I learned a crucial fact, that "X" is an unknown quantity. People often talk about the X-factor of various topics, in other words an unknown factor that influences the outcome. A dictionary definition of the term describes the X-Factor as “a variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome”. 

The variable is therefore something which can influence the situation. What does this have to do with writing, or blogging in particular? 

I have been writing for publication for about fifteen years. That is my situation. During that time I have learned there are things I do well, and there are areas where I suck. Blogging has the potential to act as my variable. It has brought about some key changes in my writing.

I have seen a significant impact on my writing output. I have two websites, each of which has its own blog. In Write to Inspire, my posts are geared to inspire and encourage writers and readers, and in Rise and Soar, my goal is to inspire and encourage those doing battle with cancer. I aim at producing at least one post a week on each of these.

I also contribute monthly to this blog, Writers on the Move, and once or twice a month to International Christian Fellowship of Writers. That's not counting my many writing commitments. So I have to keep writing. As a result, I'm also writing faster. My ability to do research has grown wings, and my creativity is expanding. 

So for me, it's not a question of finding the X-factor in blogging. Blogging is the X-factor in my writing life. How about you?

25. Y is for YouTube. I had only used a YouTube video clip once on my blog before I tackled the A to Z Blogging Challenge in April. However, when I wrote on N is for N’kosi Sekelel e’Africa, a post about the magnificent South African national anthem, it wasn’t enough to tell my readers the history. Nor was it enough to copy out the words for them. They needed to hear it for themselves!

I searched YouTube and found a stirring rendering of the anthem, complete with the words superimposed on a background of our flag. It was so easy to post this into my blog. 

Don’t know how? 

On YouTube, find the clip you want to use, then click on share. Choose the option, Embed. This will give you a line of code. Copy that to your clipboard. 

Now open your blog. Go to ‘source’ or ‘html’ to find the code for your post. Paste the video clip’s code into the correct spot. It’s as easy as that.

(If you’re new to html code, try pasting it right at the end of the post. Then come out of the code and drag the video image to where you want it.


26.  Z is for Zest. The dictionary describes zest as “Vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment”. If you are a writer, you cannot only write when you’re in the mood. 

No business man would only go to the office when he felt like it. No nurse can only care for the sick when she feels dedicated. If you’re serious about writing, you need to write when it’s time to write. Not just when you’re gripped by the Scribe Bug.

However with blogging it is good to strike while the iron is hot, to use a cliché. When you’re in the mood, or in the zone as the youngsters would say, sit down and blog. For example, I outlined the majority of the 26 posts for this series with great zest in a few hours one morning. I skipped over any letters that didn’t immediately grab me and came back to them some days later. 

As long as you have something scheduled to go live on your blog on the day you plan, you don’t have to write them literally on the day. (See S is for Scheduling.)

 I hope you have found this series of 26 Reasons Why a Writer Should Blog helpful and informative. It has also included many tips on how to make blogging easier and more effective for you. Please leave a note to indicate what you have found helpful, and don't forget to leave a link to your own blog so we can pay you a visit!

Until next month . . . 

THE FULL SERIES: 

26 Reasons for a Writer to Blog - Part I: A - C
26 Reasons for a Writer to Blog - Part II: D-G
26 Reasons for a Writer to Blog - Part III: H-K
26 Reasons for a Writer to Blog - Part IV: L-O
26 Reasons for a Writer to Blog - Part V: P-S
26 Reasons for a Writer to Blog - Part VI:T-W

26 Reasons for a Writer to Blog - Part VII: X-Z

SHIRLEY CORDER lives on the coast in South Africa with her husband, Rob. Her book, Strength Renewed: Meditations for your Journey through Breast Cancer, has brought encouragement and inspiration to a multitude of friends and contacts across the world.

Visit Shirley through ShirleyCorder.com where she encourages writers, or at RiseAndSoar.com where she encourages those in the cancer valley. You can also meet with her on Twitter or Facebook.

Sign up to receive a short devotional message from Shirley in your inbox once a week.