ALONG COMES MARY

Happy Cyber Monday meets Social Media Monday! November has been filled with some very fortunate opportunities that have come my way. Earlier in the month, I headed down to Coronado, California to host a beginner’s workshop to social media at The IFWTWA Conference (The International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association). While I was extremely honored and humbled (Did I mention, a little terrified??) to share my two cents on social media, I am still absorbing all of the fascinating information and knowledge gained at the annual event.

Following IFWTWA, I next headed over to Sherman Oaks to chat with the lovely LA based “Mompreneurs” of Playdate Connection about the benefits of launching a blog for your small business.

Something that’s been at the forefront for me is being asked Where do I begin to start my blog? So, I decided to share with you 5 goals to keep in mind when beginning your blogging journey.

**Read to the end of the article for a special CYBER MONDAY DEAL, too!**

DECIDE ON YOUR BLOG’S NAME

Easily the most difficult part for me when I started blogging, selecting a name you cannot change is no easy task. Sure, you can re-create your page, but, do you really want to get a flow going then up and re-brand, as you’re establishing a community? So, think a bit about the title for your website. Do you want it to simply be your name? Do you want it to reflect the genre you’re covering? The sky is the limit and its important to not only love the name you decide on, but also ensuring it is something catchy to grab one’s attention.

Why am I Along Comes Mary? I knew I wanted my blog to reflect my adventures, yet I also dreamed of being a music blogger. Drawing inspiration from The Association’s hit single of the same name, I knew that could easily make my page very music-friendly. Yet, there was space there to grow as I decided my niche was more in the Travel field.

And, before you have your heart set on a name and URL, make sure the domain is available!

PICK 10 DREAM CLIENTS TO WORK WITH

No matter what subjects you want your blog to be about, I am sure we ALL have those dream people to collaborate with. If you’re a foodie blogger looking to partner with food brands, think of 5-10 ideal companies you would love to have on your blog. If you’re a writer looking to share your short stories, think of a handful of authors you would love to interview on your blog or get feedback from. Having some role models in mind could mean a sponsored post, a product review, affiliate program. Think of those “dream” posts and work towards a goal.

ARE YOU LOOKING TO MONETIZE? BUY YOUR DOMAIN & HOST

I began on the free WordPress platform. My old URL included .wordpress.com and I had to oblige to the rules of WordPress. When you are not self-hosted, you cannot safely post giveaways and/or any sponsored content on your page as WordPress has the right to shut down your page. You own nothing and can lose all of your work.

GET ON TWITTER

When asked what my favorite platform is, it is always Twitter. Fast and simple, to the point, Twitter is the inventor of the #Hashtag yet is also an astounding communicating tool. Everyone from Astro Physicist Neil Degrasse Tyson, to our President-Elect, know how to utilize Twitter and get their community’s attention. You can easily tweet to that company or person you want on your blog, and begin a relationship. Many brands and celebrities manage their Twitter pages effectively and will pay attention if you’re a devoted tweet-er.

STAY ACTIVE

This one is hard for me to swallow. I am about to tell you the importance of staying active on both your blog and platforms, while this is my first post in nearly 3 weeks. When life gets insane, I at-least stay very active on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  You can also schedule posts for your Facebook page on the page itself, as well as try out scheduling websites like Hootsuite. With Hootsuite, you simply load in your tweets and posts, designate when you want them to go live and bam, you’re good to go for a week.

As some of you know, I offer social media consulting as well as complete management of your accounts. For Cyber Monday, I would like to offer you any service at $100 off through December 10th! Simply send me an email at [email protected] to get started.  Not sure what exactly you need? Maybe just some crash courses? No matter what your social media goals are, I would love to help bring them to fruition. I hope to hear from you soon, and Happy Monday shopping! xo