Recent studies claim that the worldwide use of social media (such as facebook and twitter) has doubled. On average, users tend to spend more than 2 hours a day. Most people spend time in social media mainly for entertainment.
Tweeting, blogging and posting content on social media sites can take time. However, there are no fast rules about how much time you should spend on these activities. Many people say at least 2 hours a day while others seem to agree that the more time you spend on social media, the better the results will be for your business or clients.
If people are spending this much time, they might as well use this media to increase their income.
Here are some Social Media strategies that people, especially women may want to employ to improve their business:
- Be consistent.
Develop a regular time daily and dedicate that time to do social media. You may also use tools to facilitate this strategy.
2. Start Conversations.
The power of social media lies in the ability to create conversations. This builds relationships among friends and customers.
3. Diarize your social media Schedule.
It is important to know when most of your subscribers are online. This will be helpful in acquiring feedback fast.
4. You need to provide content in order to make your presence felt.
You also need to listen to your subscribers, including reading their posts and replying to them on time.
5. Converse with them. This is the surest way to build relationships with them. After all, this is what socializing or social media is all about.
Men are usually at the forefront of technology while women are usually at the forefront of social media. As such, more and more women are arriving in droves at the social media sites. While men usually spend almost the same amount of time in front of the computer, they are more likely to do other things like play games such as World of Warcraft, Grand Theft Auto, poker and even betting.
So, women and social media? Well, the obvious trend is that through the nature of women, these two are a good mix.
The future of social media is going to be all about women. So if you’re going to create the next hot Web 2.0 site and you want it to go viral, target women.
All the best!
Ros
Tags: Blogging, facebook, market online, twitter
All bloggers want to have a successful blog. Here are some of the main elements of successful blogs:
1. Consistency in Posting of Content
By consistency here we mean the frequency of your blog updates. It is important to diarize your blogging days and time in order for the search engines to visit your site regularly. One blogger I know always posts his articles on his blog every Tuesday and Thursday. In fact, according to him, Google even thanks him for this regularly updated blog.
2. Implementation of Smart Marketing
There are so many ways to market your blogs. Although these demand a lot of time, it is important to understand them and implement them. You have to make a decision as to which ones you will implement frequently. Of course, if time is a problem, you can always outsource these strategies so you do not have to trade with your time.
3. Connecting With Readers
This is a pretty difficult one to address, especially for new bloggers. However, the more you do it, the more confident you become. This is particularly true with introverts and shy people. If you are one of these people, you need to persevere as this will pay off later. The readers need to feel being connected with you as if they have known you before. It is also good to start this at the early part of your business when you only have a few subscribers. Later on, when your list grows, the challenge is how to connect to each one of them and make them feel as though they are the only readers you are having.
4. Using Engaging and Catchy Titles
Again, this could be a challenge. You need to think creatively in order to implement this. Like everything else, you can practice and improve. Other bloggers like to write controversial and radical titles. Although this may create a barrage of comments in your site (which you always want), you may need to be careful with the type of clients you have. They may be offended and leave you in droves. So, be different yet be sensitive.
5. Gaining your Readers Trust.
Not surprisingly, readers would rather deal with a trustworthy blogger than a perfect article writer who behaves like a super sleek salesman. Be true to yourself and to your readers. Honesty is always the best policy. It also attracts readers to your blogs.
It is always important to maintain your blogging strategies in order to achieve the results you desire. You may not be successful overnight but if you persevere, success may come sooner than you expect.
I hope this post has inspired you and encouraged you to have a second look at your blog or blogs.
All the best!
Ros
Tags: Blog, blogger, Blogging, successful blog
We have heard the saying: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” If you are interested in blogging and making money online through blogging, it is important that you have a plan – a written plan.
It does not have to be long. If you are intent on getting serious with blogging to earn an income so you can ultimately work at home, you have to treat this activity as a business. Needless to say, you will need a blog business plan. There is no need to have a very complicated plan. A one-page blog business plan is all you need to start with. When your business is producing the results that you initially targeted, you will need a more elaborate plan to cover all your development needs and strategies.
Your blogging plan will need to contain your strategies, methods and deadlines. You can choose an easy method as you start and as you build your knowledge, you can incorporate more activities that could improve your business processes and thus improve your income.
So, as a start-up activity and to minimise being overwhelmed by this whole new learning experience, it is helpful to take a step backward before you plunge on the “how to” in this business.
Foremost in implementing this plan is the Preparation.
1. Have a mental and attitudinal change
Majority of us have been taught that in order to live a comfortable lifestyle, we need to study hard, get a degree, find a job and work hard and smart until we retire. Then we realise it is too late to change the pattern.
However, this new world of World Wide Web has created huge opportunities for those who are willing to change their thinking as to how they are going to earn an income. Instead of simply accepting this reality of being an employee for the rest of our lives, we have to train our minds to think that it is possible to have a decent income without working in a job. We need to believe that we can create our own new lifestyle if we are willing and ready to change our mindset. With this change should follow attitudinal change. Once we are convinced that being employed is not the only decent way of earning an income, then we free ourselves to explore and discover new possibilities that can change our financial position.
2. Have confidence in your skills
Confidence is built after several attempts at mastering a certain knowledge or skill. As we repeat and focus on specific actions, we are then gradually building our confidence of this new body of knowledge. When we are confident, we are able to express ourselves more freely and fearlessly. This will then facilitate our energy towards achieving the goals that we have written down.
3. Learn the simplest process
There are many ways to reach an end. In blogging, there are several ways to start – you can choose to start the complicated way or the easy way. The easy way will certainly encourage us to implement our processes quickly and will build our confidence. Learn all the other techniques the successful bloggers and online teachers teach once you are satisfied that you have implemented all your current knowledge. It is then time to move forward to the next level. You need to tweak and improve on your blog.
4. Document your learnings
In the beginning, you will feel bombarded by emails, eBooks, courses and a never ending barrage of products get thrown at you. Your email inbox will be bursting full! Manage this stage. You may subscribe from people in your niche but do not be afraid to unsubscribe. You will get to know soon which blogger or online marketer will be worth your trust and your money.
5. Implement what you have learned
Whatever you are learning, things that can assist you in your blog building, need to be written down. This may be in a notebook of ideas or on your laptop. Many of these ideas will come very useful for your future business growth.
6. Improve on what you have started
Measure how much you have achieved based on your one-page plan. Adjust the plan and tweak your blog site. Then continue learning. One downside in any profession or industry is that you have to keep on learning. However, if you manage your time and balance your activities, you should be able to catch up on new learnings.
When travelling, it is important to have a map in order to track your position and to know how far you are from reaching your destination. The same way with blogging. You need to have a plan so you will know how close you are to reaching your goal.
I hope this post has provided you with useful information as you build a successful blog!
All the best!
Ros
Tags: Blog, blog plan, blogger, making money online, plan
Do you have a message? Would you like people to know about your passion? Would you like people to support your cause? Or change people’s way of thinking about something you believe in so much? Or do you just like share your thoughts to the world?
What is your message? You may share your thoughts on a gospel passage for the day. Or, simply share your thoughts on what was on the news today. One of my friends who is a Catholic priest is a blogger. He publishes his weekly message or sermon on his website and blog. Another Anglican Priest writes his message on his blog about his passion for boxing, his activities in the parish and sermons.
Many non-profit organisations are now creating blogs on their website to spread their message and even use it to scout for donations. So, you do not have to market a physical product. You may market an idea, a concept or a belief.
So, here are the steps to market online your message:
1. Identify a specific message that you would like to market or promote online.
2. Clarify your end goal. Do you just want people to read and know about it? Who are your target audience? What will make you satisfied and glad that you have marketed and broadcasted your message?
3. Create a blog. You may want to start with the free blog sites around. For example, you may use www.blogger.com or www.WordPress.com. You can put in your message immediately without the hassle of buying a domain name and a hosting account.
4. Write your message. This is obviously the time to express your thoughts, ideas, activities, causes and beliefs. Write your main message.
5. Submit your article to article directories. In order to increase your readership, you need to submit your original article. You may also include your url or website address and your own author bio at the end so that people can trace you back to your site.
6. Send an email to your contacts on your address book. You may start with the people you know and encourage them to make a comment on your blog.
7. Post an entry on your social sites.You may then share your article from your blog on sites such as Facebook or Twitter.
So marketing online is basically promoting your products, thoughts, ideas, activities and message on the internet. Once you get the confidence in this process, you may even start to market products as well.
Now, you may promote your message online.
All the best!
Ros
Tags: Blog, how to market online, market online
A blog is a short form for web log. It is basically a website that allows the owner to update, log entries or post as often as possible.
There is no need for a Web Master or some technical knowledge in creating a website.
A blogger is a person who updates and maintains the blog.
The content of the blog could be a personal journal, reflection, a review or information about a product or any document or medium that the blogger prefers to share on a world wide audience.
The entries made are usually in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order. And just like any other form of writing or media documentation, the blog usually represents the ideas, beliefs, knowledge and skills of the blogger.
One feature of a blog is that the readers or audience usually have a chance to comment or join in the discussions commenced by the blogger.
Another feature of a blog is that it allows linking to other articles or websites.
All the best!
Ros
Tags: Blog, blogger, what is a blog?, what is a blogger?
