Where Should I Focus My Time? Tips for Social Media Use

As many of you Not Bob regulars know, I unplugged in July. It's something I just needed to do to finish up some projects, spend time with my family, and re-charge my blogging batteries. However, I took my time off very seriously and let my e-mail build and found the following problem hidden in there.

During the summer, I spent time with family.

Problem: Where Should I Focus My Time?

A reader of the Not Bob blog contacted me to let me know he's getting serious about his social media and blogging usage. He already had some social media accounts on Facebook and LinkedIn (with as many as 1,000 connections), but he didn't seem to be getting the traction he wanted. As a result, he was considering joining some other social media sites, including RedRoom, Twitter, and Pinterest. His basic question was, "Where should I focus my time?"

On the surface, this seems like a good question to ask. After all, if site A is more profitable than site B, then it would make sense to spend more time on site A and less (or none) on site B, right? This saves time and energy if you know which site works best.

That's the big IF usually: How do I know which site works best?

Problem: How Should I Focus My Time?

When the reader mentioned the more than 1,000 connections, he let slip that he only really knew about 10% of them. I think this is fairly common for people with large social networks: They know some, but not all of their online connections. So maybe the question shouldn't be where should I spend my time, but instead, how should I spend my time?

Maybe instead of thinking where to go next, think about how you should act once you are on a social network. Send messages to new friends explaining why you friended them, or ask why they friended you. Comment on status updates or tweets. Try to engage your connections and really pay attention to what they have to say.

Sometimes, I think we get so focused on the end result of our investments that we turn into social media robots shoveling information and sales pitches out to our "friends" and "followers," instead of doing the thing that's more important, and that's being human.

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Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• How to Build (or Improve) Your Writer Platform in 30 Days.
• How to Brand Yourself (and Take Over the World).
• The Newest Way to Make Money as a Writer: How to Make Digital Products That Sell.

The Death of SEO: The Atlantic Magazine Turns Away From Search Engines

As an editor with the Writer's Market Books for more than a decade, it's my job to keep tabs on how thousands of publications are evolving. However, I admit there are a few that mean more to me than the rest. After all, I'm also a fiction writer and poet under my editor suit. And one publication I've been following for the past few years is The Atlantic.

When I was in the writing program at the University of Cincinnati, most of my fellow writers (and professors, for that matter) focused on getting published in one publication: The New Yorker. However, I've never been too interested in The New Yorker. No, my aim was always focused on The Atlantic Monthly and Harpers.

So I was saddened years ago to see how much The Atlantic was struggling and that it's future really was hanging in the balance after decades of unprofitability. In fact, the publication seemed to be heaving a hail mary pass by trying (a then innovative) digital first strategy that included taking down its pay wall.

New Strategies
Miraculously, the gamble payed off. The Atlantic has gone from a red ink enterprise to a very profitable company with a mixture of offerings, including print, digital, and events. And now, the publication is striking again by openly stating that The Atlantic has turned their backs on SEO.

Scott Havens, SVP of Finance and Digital Operations at The Atlantic explains, "Truly [our writers] are not really thinking about SEO anymore. Now it's about how we can spin a story so that it goes viral." Then, he goes on to add that they're more concerned with amazing content than meta-data and boring (SEO-enabled) headlines.

If Not SEO, Then What?
The Atlantic has not abandoned SEO for nothing. Instead, they are focused on sharing content that has good odds of being shared by those who read it. Or in other words, content that is written to "go viral."

Another way to look at The Atlantic's shift in strategy is that they're choosing social over search. With Google changing its algorithms regularly, including a shift to a more social-centric search, this new shift in methodology seems to make sense on the surface. But no SEO at all?

This or That
Maybe the article was an oversimplification and The Atlantic is still paying attention to SEO--just not letting it dictate content. Or maybe they've really abandoned SEO altogether and are relying on social media to pick up the slack. Maybe the future of digital is that writers and companies have to choose this or that. But I'm not buying it yet.

I've seen first hand on this blog the power of social and the power of search. Call me crazy, but I think a writer can learn and understand the concepts of SEO and apply those principles to amazing content. If changing a word in the headline from "great" to "best" means the difference between showing up in 100 searches a month or 1,000 searches a month, then I think that's worth knowing and using.

At the same time, I think content should always lead the way, because that's what people care about--and it is what people share. As Bob Cohn, the editor of The Atlantic Digital, says, "We're not writing for machines. We're writing for humans."

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Here's a great book on writing for social media!

Popcorn Content: The craft of writing short-form content for social media
by Nick Usborne

I've been a fan of Nick's writing ever since I read Net Words about a decade ago when I first getting my bearings online. For instance, I subscribe to his Excess Voice newsletter, and you should too. It's free. Anyway, Popcorn Content shares Nick's professional insights into making social media have the most impact with the least amount of investment--so that we can be social and get away from the computer, smart phone, tablet, etc., from time to time.

Read Nick Usborne's Popcorn Content today!

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Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• 25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.
• The Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Writers.

How I Handle Social Media: Time Management Tips

Writers are busy people. If you don't believe me, check out my list of the 8 jobs of modern writers. We have to do our own promotion, networking, accounting, sales, negotiating, filing, and, oh yeah, there's that writing bit too. And if we're not robots, we've probably got real lives too--and maybe even a day job to pay the bills. How do we fit in social media?!?

Is there a way to add an hour to the day? Like leap hour?

As a parent of five kids between the ages of 10 years and 10 months (and split between two states) who has a day job and a real life, I can totally relate to this situation. Now, I think everyone has a different angle or strategy for handling time management, but here's what I do.

The Power of Making Lists
First, I make daily task lists--with each day's tasks on a separate piece of paper. It's taken some time, but I've figured out how much I can comfortably complete each day--with a few unexpected daily surprises thrown in for good measure. I try very hard to avoid overachieving each day, because that practice usually backfires and causes me a lot of stress.

When I finish each task, I cross it off my list. Then, I allow myself a few minutes (up to 15) to check my social media accounts. I'll jump on Twitter and Facebook to see if anyone's contacted me first. Then, I also do a quick scan of what's happening in the world via my social media streams.

During these small breaks, I might link to a blog post from one of my blogs. Or I might share an article from another person. Or respond to a tweet. But when my time is up, it's up; and I have to jump back into my tasks list. (By the way, this blog post is on my tasks list--as is my Cub Scouts leaders meeting later tonight.)

It All Adds Up
Over time, these small breaks add up to a big investment in social media. Plus, they are more meaningful, because they are spread throughout the day (as opposed to an hour of social media power).

I consider social media just one part of my day, kind of like checking my e-mail (which is a-whole-nother story altogether). In fact, it's such a routine and minute part of my day that I don't even include it on my task list. I just know that I'm going to do it.

How about you? Do you feel you're investing too much time in social media? Not enough? Be sure to share in the comments.

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Also, here are some other time management strategies that I've found helpful:

• The Secret to Finding the Time to Write, Market, Promote, and Still Have a Life, by Jane Friedman
• How I Became a More Productive Writer by Doing This One Simple Thing, by Carol Tice

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Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

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Use social networking tools to succeed in publishing!

Jane Friedman and Alice Pope lead the webinar Using Social Networking Tools to Succeed in Publishing. This webinar covers how to test ideas using social media, learn preferences of editors and agents, stay up to date on trends, build your personal brand, and more.

Click to continue.

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• 25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.
• The Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Writers.

The Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Writers

Maybe two of the most over-worked "buzz" terms for writers are platform and social media. The two are often connected, because it's generally considered that writers need to use social media effectively to help build their platforms--and for the most part, that's sound advice.

Do you think social media is for the birds?

For my career, social media has played an enormous role in my successes. By using blogs and social media sites, I've made easier connections with other writers, editors, and agents. Plus, most of the invitations I've received to speak at writing events have come specifically via Facebook over the past few years. Another invite originated on Twitter. (Check out the tangible benefits of social media.)

Popular Social Media Sites for Writers

Before you can get started digging into social media sites, you need to know what exists. To help out, here's a list of the various sites with links to tips on how to optimize your experience. Notice that I did not list every imaginable site ever. Instead, I focused on the big ones as I know them. If you want to make a case for another social media hub, do so in the comments and maybe I'll add to this list.

• Facebook. This is still the big social network. It's where the people are...and their friends...and their pictures...and their status updates...and their messaging. Here are some Facebook tips for writers to get you started if you're not there already (or if you are, but aren't quite sure what you're doing).
• Twitter. This is a microblogging site. Every tweet must be 140 characters or less. That's really economizing language, and here are some Twitter tips for writers. This site is part social, part newsy, part crazy. If you can build a good follower base, it's also a great site for referral traffic to your blog or site.
• LinkedIn. This social network has carved out its own niche as a professional networking site. It's probably of greatest use to academic-minded and professional/technical writers, who are often looking to build relationships with institutions and companies more than the average freelancer. However, I've even seen poets use this site to help prep their speaking tours. Here are some LinkedIn tips for writers.
• Google+. This site is still new and going through the growing pains of a new social network. Initially, there was a lot of buzz surrounding the launch of Google+, but that's now died off a bit--and many users have abandoned their use of the site. However, I wouldn't write off this site just yet. For one, I've previously abandoned Facebook and Twitter--only to return more furiously than ever. For two, this social media site is powered by Google--the largest search engine on the planet. Here are 11 Google+ tips for writers.
• Pinterest. I have an invitation from my wife to join Pinterest, but I've just been too busy to check this site out the way I'd like so far. That's my bad, because a study recently found that Pinterest refers more traffic than Twitter, which is huge news. Many traditional media companies, including Better Homes and Gardens, are making big pushes on this visual social media platform. Here are 10 tips for using Pinterest well.
• Goodreads. This social network caters to readers, who also happen to be the audience of...umm...writers! So it makes sense for writers to hang a shingle, make connections, and have a strong presence on this popular social media site. Here are 2 ways to make the most of Goodreads.
• RedRoom. Red Room's tagline is "where the writers are," and they have their own set of RedRoom tips for writers. This is one of those sites I always hear referenced as a great place for writers, but that I don't actually use myself. (Btw, don't feel that you need to maintain an active presence on every social media site. That can wear you out and make it impossible for you to write. You should experiment and find the communities that are the best fit for you.)
• Tumblr. This is another great referral site that doubles as a popular blogging site. It's not my cup of tea, but I know people who love it. Here are 10 tips for making the most of Tumblr.

Another important social networking site is YouTube, which is the second largest search engine. The only reason I don't have it listed in the normal list is that I think of this site as more of a content site than a social networking site, though maybe I just don't use it the right way. Regardless, here are 12 tips for using YouTube to promote your freelance business.

Tips on How to Use Social Media Sites for Writers

Once you find a social media site (or three) that you enjoy using, you need to know how to make the most of that site. In the past, I've shared social media etiquette for writers and explained the process of dealing with interface changes (because sites like Twitter and Facebook are always changing their interfaces).

Here are my main tips on using social media sites that are applicable to any and all:

1. Complete your profile. Whenever you sign up for a new social media site, it prompts you to complete your profile. Do this. Enter your name, your e-mail, any URLs, pictures, work experience, etc. Make it easy for people to identify your profile as uniquely yours.
2. Include image of yourself. It amazes me that many writers still hide behind an icon or comic character or famous person photo. Instead of having your avatar be someone who's not you, use a headshot of yourself (even if you're convinced the image isn't flattering). People like to connect with other real people--even online.
3. Be selective about friends and follows. Some profiles on these social networks are bogus, so check out potential friends or people to follow before connecting. You don't need to make them share their references, but check out their profiles first--just to make sure it's a good fit.
4. Don't expect anything. Sure, social media can help people with their careers and platforms, but don't expect anything specific when you start investing time and energy in social media. Instead, be open to serendipity and finding new paths that you didn't know existed.
5. Communicate with others. Avoid just always throwing out content without listening. Also, avoid just lurking in the shadows without ever sharing your perspective or experiences. Get engaged and join the conversation.

You Have the Time to Do Social Media

One of the gripes I hear often from writers is that they don't have the time to handle social media in addition to everything else. I don't buy this argument, and here's why: I have 5 kids (3 who live with me in Georgia and 2 who I visit at least once a month up in Ohio), volunteer as a den leader for Cub Scouts, have a full-time job as an editor, write and submit poetry that gets published in online and print publications, blog frequently on my "own time" at this blog, take Sundays off for my faith, and I still find time to connect with people on social media sites.

You have the time to do social media. The question is whether you're willing to take the time to do social media. Unless you have 6 kids spread across 3 states and work 2 full-time jobs while doing a crazy amount of volunteer work, I'm just not buying the "no time" argument.

How to Amplify Social Media

Finally, I just want to touch on the power of social media when used in conjunction with other pieces of a platform. You see, social media alone does not make a platform--or if it does, the platform is pretty flimsy. No, a platform needs several posts to make it sturdy and stable. As a result, I advise writers to have some sort of regularly updated online hub, whether that's an author website or blog.

Social media alone is useful, but writers can amplify results by pairing up social media use with consistent content on a blog or website. Content gives you something worthwhile to share on social media sites, and sharing content on social media sites drives traffic to your blog or website. It's a win-win.

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Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• 25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic.
• 11 Tips for Writers to Find Success.
• How to Brand Yourself (and Take Over the World).

Tech-Empowered Writers: How to Use Blogs and Social Media to Find Success

Today, I'm participating on a panel at the AWP Conference in Chicago along with Jane Friedman, Seth Harwood, and Christina Katz (who actually invited me). The panel is titled "The Tech-Empowered Writer: Embrace New Media, Experiment, and Earn." The panel starts at 1:30 p.m., and if you're interested (and attending AWP), you can check it out in the Boulevard Room A, B, C in the Hilton Chicago, 2nd Floor.

Social media and blogging led me to this conversation with
Del Cain (right) at the 2011 Austin International Poetry Festival.

If you're not at AWP (or unable to attend), don't stress out too much, because I'm sharing a lot (though not all) of what I expect to cover in this post. I hope to offer value, though I know Jane, Seth, and Christina will surely offer so much more.

How to Use Social Media to Find Success

Christina tasked us all with considering an opening example of how we've used technology to benefit our careers as writers. The first thing that popped in my brain was the power of social media sites, especially Facebook.

As a writer, most of my speaking appearances over the past two years have been requested by contacts on Facebook--and usually even using the messaging service on the site. It's also been useful as far as staying connected to events that are happening and calls for submissions from literary publications.

But most of all, it's been invaluable as a place to connect with other writers and editors. If I read some poems that I just adore, it's not uncommon for me to contact the poet via Facebook and request an interview (or just give a thumbs up). If I see a topic that I might want to cover in one of my books (or on my blog), then I will contact that writer via social networks as well.

While many people claim that social media is mostly hype with no tangible benefits, I beg to argue. In fact, I'd say the only people who can't see the tangible power of social media are those who have closed their minds to the possibility. Don't be that close-minded person.

Instead, check out these tips for taking your social media use to the next level:

• Facebook Tips for Writers.
• Twitter Tips for Writers.
• LinkedIn Tips for Writers.
• Google+ Tips for Writers.
• Social Media Etiquette for Writers.
• 7 Stages of Dealing With Facebook Interface Change...
• 6 Tips for Writers to Own the New Facebook Timeline.

How to Use Blogs to Find Success

While social media has been very important to some of my recent successes, those successes have gone hand-in-hand with my blogging success (both here and on my poetry blog, Poetic Asides). My work at Poetic Asides led to me being honored as the 2010 Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere, as well as leading to my first e-book of poetry prompts. My work at Not Bob has helped me connect with writers and conference directors.

For me, there are many ways to measure a blog's success. One might be whether it has a lot of readers. Another might be whether those readers share what they've read. Still another measurable might be whether the blog brings in a significant income for the blogger.

Whatever your measurables, here are some tips for finding success on your blog:

• Blogging Tips for Writers.
• Blog Design Tips for Non-Designers.
• 25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic.
• How to Monetize a Blog: How to Make Money Blogging.
• How to Brand Yourself (and Take Over the World).

Final Note Regarding the AWP Writing Conference

I'm so stoked about having the opporunity to speak on an AWP conference panel with other professionals I greatly admire. But it's not just the opportunity to speak that has me excited. The AWP writing conference brings together thousands of poets, novelists, teachers, and other professionals involved with the pursuit of writing and writing education.

That means I expect to meet (for the first time ever) several folks I've connected with for years on social media sites like Facebook. If you have the ability to get out to a future AWP conference, please do it. If you're at this AWP, please reach out and say, "Hello." Even if we don't have anything to talk about, I guarantee you it will mean a great deal to me.

(Also, check out this The Tech-Empowered Writer blog post by fellow panel rock star, Jane Friedman. While my post focuses mainly on blogging and social media, Jane covers more advanced tech strategies.)

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Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

*****

Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• 11 Tips for Writers to Find Success.
• The 8 Jobs of Modern Writers.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.

25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic

When I first started the My Name Is Not Bob blog, I really didn't have any goals or objectives. I just wanted a place to make posts that didn't fit on my Poetic Asides blog for poets. As such, I didn't really have too much of an audience in the beginning (and I'm very thankful for my readers who have been here since the beginning). But that all changed around the end of 2010 when I started getting more serious about my blogging efforts.

Having a plan is one of the best ways to increase traffic.

I won't bore you with numbers, but I now consistently have as much traffic in one day on this blog as I used to receive in two months! It didn't all happen at once, and there were some ups and downs along the way, but I've found that the 25 steps below can help any blog increase traffic, whether it's brand new or been around a while.

Here are my 25 ways to increase blog traffic:

1. Post consistently. When I first started blogging, I'd have months of 6 posts here and months of 2 posts there--with no rhyme or reason. The smart blogger will at least post once a week--usually on the same day of the week. The benefit to a consistent schedule is that readers know when to "tune in" to your blog.
2. Encourage comments. Some bloggers recommend turning the comments off when the traffic is low, because conditions are favorable for zero comments. However, I think it's a smarter strategy to expect zero comments, but encourage them from the very beginning. The best blogs will get a conversation going, and that helps build traffic. I know it can feel lonely waiting for that conversation to start, but just keep plugging away.
3. Tag content. Most blogging interfaces (like Blogger and WordPress) have ways to tag posts with keywords that you may use multiple times. For instance, I know this post will have a "blogging" tag at the very least, though there will probably be some others as well. And this enables readers to click on the tag to see all the content on your blog that is related to that topic. Plus, it helps with SEO (more on that below).
4. Always put your best foot forward. Don't fall into the trap of pulling punches on your blog. That is, don't hold back your content. I've heard many writers talk about how they use their blogs as places to throw their scraps. Well, I don't know about you, but I have more than enough great content available to me online that I don't want to settle for the scraps. Always blog your best, and you'll be surprised how you'll come up with even better ideas as a result.
5. Be sincere. Whether you're sincerely a jerk or sincerely a helpful person--or even sincerely confused, sincerity goes a long way in the blogging world. Don't try to change your blogging persona every week. Pick an identity and stick with it. That's one of the surest ways to connect with your audience.
6. Create a niche. Most successful blogs have a niche, something that defines what it is. Over at Poetic Asides, that niche is poetry, especially related to poetry prompts and challenges. MNINB is not the best example, but it's niche is better writing and living. One of the main benefits of developing a niche is that readers know why they're coming to your blog and why others should go to your blog.
7. Think readers first. If your blogging goal is to increase your audience, then you need to think about the needs of your readers first. Most of the tips on this list are designed to put the reader first, from being consistent and being sincere to including share buttons and paying attention to blog stats from time to time. If your blog is reader-centric, then the readers will come and bring their friends.
8. Blog different. While it's good to use successful blogs as a model for your own blogging efforts, readers are looking for unique voices. If your blog is all about sports (for instance), maybe you can blog about a specific team or city or region. Or dedicate it to the players who aren't the "stars" of the sport, but who probably still have fans who are starved for information about their favorite players.
9. Provide links. Link well and link often. Link to your own blog content. Link to the other sources of information across the Internet. Link, link, link. That said, make sure the links are relevant and helpful for your readers. If you link to bad information or information that's not relevant to your blog post, that will leave a sour taste in your readers' mouths.
10. Think SEO. I know Google is building up the importance of social media in its searches, which may incite other search engines to follow suit, but that doesn't mean that SEO (or search engine optimization) suddently has no relevance for bloggers. What I expect to happen is that content with solid SEO and solid social media metrics will rise to the top of the search results. (Click here for some SEO tips.)
11. Avoid ads (until you're popular). Just because Blogger and WordPress have tools to help you monetize your blog with ads, it doesn't mean you have to use them--at first. Ads are distracting and can slow down your blog. In fact, they may even harm your search result placement. Plus, if you don't have significant traffic, there's no money in hosting ads. Instead, focus on building your traffic first. Many blogs advise getting traffic up to at least 10,000-15,000 page views per month before worrying about monetizing. Even then, you may find that ads aren't a good fit for your blog.
12. Have a social media strategy. A blogger without social media accounts is going to find it incredibly hard to build blog traffic. Bloggers should work to develop meaningful connections on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ at a minimum. But there are others as well, including Red Room, Goodreads, Tumblr, and more. When you publish a new blog post, be sure to link to it on your social media accounts. As mentioned above, the reach your content has on social media sites may significantly influence where you appear on Google searches.
13. Comment on other sites. You have to give if you wish to receive (remember the golden rule?). In addition to responding to comments on your own blog, be sure to leave insightful comments on other blogs you admire. If you read a post that really hits home, let the blogger know. If you disagree with a point, share a thoughtful comment on why you have a different perspective (and be nice about it). Also, make sure your comments link back to your blog, in case other readers are interested in learning more about you.
14. Archive well. While tagging can help with SEO, it becomes even more effective when you use tags to help archive effectively. This means that you don't create a brand new tag every single time you post--unless it's necessary. Instead, try to think structurally of how your posts fit together. Some of my tags (actually called Labels in Blogger) on MNINB include "Life Changing Moments," "Tips for Writers," "Blogging," and "Speaking." Some of these tags have more content than others, but they all help group information to make it easy for my readers to find content about which they care.
15. Include images in posts. There are a few reasons to include images in your posts. One, they make the blog and each post more attractive and help with design. Two, images help bring in traffic through search engines. Three, post-specific images help differentiate posts in your streams of information on Facebook, Google+ and other social networks. Click here to read even more on this topic.
16. Keep an eye on your blog stats. I do not believe in quantifying everything, especially when it comes to content. However, a lot can be learned about what's working and not working on your blog by checking out your blog stats. If there's a feature that always seems to gain traffic, then you know it's a safe bet that those posts will continue to work in the future. If there are features that never (ever ever ever) gain traction, then you'll have to make a decision about whether you still think it's worth putting time into those posts. And yes, I think stats are something you look at over an established period of time. The Internet can be fickle, so a great post can go overlooked from time to time, and a horrible post can get amazing results every once in a while. The trick is figuring out what sticks for the long haul. (Here's an earlier post in which I looked at my statistics.)
17. Give readers option for e-mail updates. As you can see in the upper right-hand corner of this blog, readers can sign up for free updates from my blog. I started this around the middle of last year, I believe, and it's really helped remind readers to check out the blog. Plus, they can check out updates on their smart phones without having to go online, which is something I do with quite a few blogs. It's a great way to check out a blog while I'm stuck in a waiting room or have a few minutes to kill.
18. Provide social media share buttons. I'm still working on my button strategy, but I've noticed a bump in traffic during the short time I've used them. (Click here to learn how to get your own social media share buttons.) These buttons make it easy for your readers to share content that they think is great--without leaving your blog. And as has been mentioned a few times above, social media is a growing force in search engine results.
19. Be prepared for high traffic days. The best way to be prepared is to make sure you don't get lazy with your posts by not including links to your other relevant content and that you include share buttons. You never know what is going to really catch on with readers, so treat every post like it could go viral--that way it's optimized to reach even further.
20. Pick and choose posts to push hard. As you get a better handle on which posts appeal most to your audience, you should know which posts probably deserve a little extra promotional efforts. Hint: The better performing posts should get more promotion, because these are the ones that readers have shown appeal to them the most. You should link to everything at least once, but linking to every post multiple times is likely to scare potential readers and connections away. So pick your battles.
21. Craft an editorial calendar. At the end of 2011, I started crafting an editorial calendar for MNINB for the first time, and it's really helped me focus my efforts. As a result, my traffic this January has already more than doubled last January's traffic. An editorial calendar makes following several of the steps above much easier.
22. Invite guest bloggers. One of the things I wanted to start doing in 2012 on MNINB is make the blog more personal and inspirational about life events, in addition to the tips about writing, blogging, etc. So I started inviting people I know and respect to guest post the Life Changing Moments series that appears on Wednesdays (including Jane Friedman, Collin Kelley, and Nin Andrews). This benefits my blog by bringing in new readers who are connected to the guest bloggers, and it benefits the guest bloggers by exposing them to the MNINB crowd. It also benefits my readers, because they get to hear from people who are cooler than me. (Btw, click here if you're interested in a guest post on MNINB.)
23. Provide testimonials. Actually, I don't do this all too well. I have testimonials in the comments, from e-mail messages, social media sites, etc., but I don't actually throw them up on my blog. But I've seen blogs that do it well by having a special page that collects them. It helps build excitement, especially for readers who are new to your blog and want to know more about you.
24. Have a blog post promotion plan. Of course, way back on number 20, I talked about picking and choosing days to push harder. Well, for all posts, you should have a blog post promotion plan--a way to let people know about your latest posts. For me, I share blog posts on my Facebook profile, Twitter account, LinkedIn profile, Google+ profile, and Facebook fan page at a minimum. With tools like Hootsuite, Seismic, and others, it's possible to post to various social media accounts without logging into each, and in fact, you can even schedule tweets and other messages in advance.
25. Build your brand. This is just the act of making sure that everything you do to increase your blog traffic works together and helps build you, the blogger/author/person, as a brand with whom people can identify. It may take a while for your brand to evolve after blogging for a while, but once you start to get an idea of what it is, work to build and communicate that message. This brings us full circle to being consistent, which is the surest way to build traffic over time.

*****

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• The 8 Jobs of Modern Writers.
• 11 Tips for Writers to Find Success.
• The Second Most Important Thing a Writer Can Do.

Why and How to Add a Social Media Share Button to Your Blog

If there's one part of my blogging strategy that's really been suffering since I began, it's been my lack of social media share buttons. From time to time, people have commented about the lack of such buttons in the comments of this blog, on Facebook, on Twitter, and elsewhere. Yet, in my lazy searches, I couldn't find an easy way to add those buttons. Of course, this post has them at the bottom--so I've figured it out now (finally).

It's good to share!

Why add social media share buttons?
The answer to this is pretty simple. Social media share buttons make it easier for people to share your amazing blog posts by cutting out steps in the sharing process. This is important, and it has measurably increased traffic on sites that use them.

The increase in traffic should be expected--even if you don't change anything else in your blogging strategy--because share buttons make you easier to share with the world, which means that share buttons make you easier for the world to find. Like I said, it's pretty simple.

But beyond that, Google recently starting incorporating social media into its search results, which means that SEO alone isn't going to drive traffic to your site through search engines. Rather, it'll be a combination of solid SEO practices combined with a super social media strategy. These share buttons help in that arena.

How do I add social media share buttons?
There are several ways to add social media share buttons. However, it took me far too long to figure out how to do so on my own, and I'm sure there are still much better ways for me to optimize my social media share button strategy, but...baby steps.

The share button I'm using below is from http://www.addthis.com/. Just go to the site and register to receive the code that you post in to your website and/or blog posts. After years of share button pain, it took me less than 60 seconds to capture and add that snazzy button to my first post. Go ahead and try it yourself.

Here are some more social media share button resources:

• 17 WordPress Sharing Plugins That Will Increase Your Blog Traffic. 
• The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Creating Social Media Buttons.
• Use the New Generation of Share Buttons to Increase Traffic (and Maybe Rankings).

*****

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• Top Media Feeds for Writers.
• 11 Tips for Writers to Find Success.
• The Second Most Important Thing a Writer Can Do.

That's Permanent: Treating the Internet Like a Tattoo

A few folks out there are really freaking out about this whole new timeline thing on Facebook. On Google+, Mike Elgan referred to the timelines as the "Facepocolypse"--before sharing these tips on how to wipe out old Facebook posts. Maybe I should be freaking out too, but I'm not.

He can shave the beard, but that tat is there to stay.

I'm sure I have a few dumb status updates, but I doubt there's anything completely horrible out there. How can I be so confident? Well, I've pretty much been treating my public broadcasts on social media sites (whether Facebook, Twitter, message boards, etc.) as if they are permanent tattoos.

Here are a few tips for avoiding embarrassing posts (and having to hunt them down when sites like Facebook make them easier to find):

1. Think before you post. Even if it's a status update or tweet, take a moment to consider if a post will embarrass you now (or in the future).
2. Think after you post. Most sites allow you to delete posts after you've made them. If you realize 5 seconds (or 5 hours) after your post that it was dumb, take the time to hunt it down and delete sooner rather than forgetting about it later.
3. Edit each post. Before hitting the "post" button, be sure to search for errors in spelling and grammar. You don't have to be 100% perfect (because it is still social media), but you do want to avoid obvious and fixable mistakes.
4. Don't post drunk. Or mad. Or lonely. Or in some other extremely emotional state. Let the moment pass before sharing a side of yourself that you'll regret later.
5. Avoid public fights on social media sites. Public fights, whether online or offline, tend to make everyone uncomfortable, especially those who may feel loyal to both parties. Don't put your friends and followers in the middle by having big public fights. Try to resolve problems through private messages or by being the bigger person.
6. Share meaningful posts. If you want to share status updates, try sharing thought provoking comments or links to helpful (or interesting) information. For blog posts, think about how your post might help or inspire your readers. If you want to share a story about picking up pizza for dinner, try your best to make that story interesting or insightful.

Do you have any tips on how to post with care? Please share them in the comments below.

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Check out previous Not Bob advice for writers:

• Blogging Tips for Writers.
• 6 Tips for Writers to Own the New Facebook Timelines.
• Facebook Tips for Writers. (A little outdated, but still a decent read.)

6 Tips for Writers to Own the New Facebook Timelines

Like it or not, Facebook is going to be changing how profiles work and look again--in the very, very near future--and you have two options. One, you can wait for the changes to happen to you and be completely unprepared for them, or... Two, you can carpe diem your way into a slick timeline today.

Don't wait to cross over to the new timelines. Check out mine here.

Don't wait for the new Facebook timeline to happen to you. Instead, proactively take it on now. It'll make the whole process of interface change less traumatic--and this is coming from someone who has written a blog post on the effects of interface changes on users.

Personally, my first impression upon seeing the new timeline design was, "Ugh! Looks cluttered and MySpace-y. Total, absolute yuck!" However, after hearing from other first adopters about how cool it was, I decided to give it a try over the weekend--and I actually think I might like it better than the past few Facebook "upgrades."

How to Get Started
To get the whole process moving, follow these simple steps:

1. Log in to Facebook.
2. Type the word "timeline" in the search box in the top center of your home page.
3. Select "Introducing Timeline," which should pop up as you complete step 2.

Once you're on this page, you can view samples, read more on the process, and even watch some video on the whole timeline process. But the best thing to do is to just get started playing around with it.

Don't worry! The timeline won't go "live" until you click the Publish button.

Quick Tips for Managing Your Timeline
I admit that I'm still figuring things out and playing around with my own timeline, but here are some tips I've already picked up from trial and error.

• Pick an interesting cover image. This image will kind of act as the header image for your new timeline profile page. It's a horizontal image, and it's much larger than your profile pic. Most folks have been choosing landscapes and/or other non-people images, and I think that's a pretty good rule of thumb for getting started. However, don't be afraid to try something else--just realize this cover image is pretty important for setting the tone on your whole timeline/profile page.
• Shuffle your apps to match your preferences. For instance, there are little boxes for your Friends and Photos next to other information about you. But I swapped out the default Map that was displaying with Notes. And you can be sure I'll be playing around with it more to see if something else is even more appropriate.
• Check out all your posts. For some people (like myself), this sounds like an almost impossible task. But it's possible. Maybe just try to tackle one month's worth of posts per day. It might take a month or three, but you'll eventually get through everything. While you're checking things out...
• Hide inappropriate or boring posts from your timeline. In fact, since photos are so easy to find, I've been hiding posts about downloading images. To do this, hover over the right side of any post, click the "Edit or Remove" button, and click "Hide From Timeline." On the other hand, you can also...
• Highlight super important posts. To do this, hover over the right side of the super important post and click the "Feature" button, which looks like a star. I've done this for the month of December on my timeline for some of the more popular NOT BOB posts.
• View As a random Facebook user. It helps to know how others will view your timeline to make decisions about how to edit it. To do view as a random Facebook user, click the dropdown just below your cover image on the right side and select "View as..."

As others have pointed out to me, one nice feature about the timeline is that it makes the process of finding older posts easier. I mean, the pre-timeline profile isn't the easiest to search for older posts. This one allows you to go back by month, year, etc. I'm not saying it's the greatest social media profile interface that will ever be created, but I'm starting to think it's not a step backward either.

*****

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Check out previous Not Bob advice for writers:

• The 8 Jobs of Modern Writers.
• The Secret to Being Awesome.
• Are You Open to Failure?

The Tangible Power of Social Media

For some writers, there's still debate over how important social media is (and should be) to their writing careers. However, I know for a fact that media companies factor social media reach into their decision making process for how much marketing muscle to put behind book releases.

So for me, there's no question that social media is important for writers from that perspective. But we're still dealing in some virtual world when we're dealing with social media, right? Not for me. I have lots of examples of social media paying off for me in the real world.

Tix to see Iron & Wine only through Facebook.

Free Stuff
Just last night, my wife Tammy and I attended a special free Iron & Wine concert that came about via social media. Since Tammy follows Iron & Wine on Facebook, she was alerted to the opportunity for tickets to an Authors Den TV program concert. She responded to their request for Iron & Wine fans and was rewarded with two tickets.

We've also been rewarded with other tangible free stuff, especially books and literary journals via social media over the years as well. And that's with the two of us being rather casual about entering contests; we don't spend a lot of time and effort on looking for opportunities.

My Wife
Yes, I found my wife Tammy online--MySpace actually--but neither of us was looking for love. In fact, we started communicating as poets critiquing each other's poetry. Then, we started sharing advice on parenting (I have two boys from my first marriage; Tammy has one from hers). After more than a year of social media-only contact, we started long-distance dating.

Have to thank MySpace for this family hay ride!

Of course, I can hear a few skeptics in the back of the room scoffing, "Heh, so you're lucky. Winning contests and accidentally finding your soulmate online says nothing about the effectiveness of social media." While I would argue that point, I do have one last example of tangible benefits coming straight from my use of social media.

Speaking Appearances
Most of the speaking opportunities I've had over the past two years have been offered to me via social networks (Facebook and Twitter). And these same opportunities paid for me to come out and do my thing. So it's not like I was receiving offers to spend my own money to come out and speak.

Now, I should add that I've been offered gigs in the past because of my expertise as a Writer's Digest editor, but the quality and quantity of offers has skyrocketed with my use of social media. I think the quantity has increased because of increased visibility. As a result of the increased visibility and speaking experience, the quality of offers has increased too.

I was invited to be a National Feature Poet for the 2011 Austin International Poetry Festival via Facebook, though that's not the only invite I've received the past 2 years via social networking sites.

Bottom line: Social media may seem trivial and inconsequential at times, but if you're treating it as a part of your writing career, you'll eventually find yourself with tangible rewards. Who knows? Maybe you'll find love and free tickets to a special concert as well.

*****

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Check out previous Not Bob posts:

• 11 Tips for Writers to Find Success.
• Where's the Finish Line?
• The Art & Craft of Writing Bios.

How to Build the Unstoppable Power of Momentum

Okay, the hardest part of anything epic are those first few steps. After that, you're basically trying to build and maintain momentum. Those who can build enough momentum often find they can keep going as long as they want--that is, as long as they respect the process. So, I want to share a little of what I've learned about momentum since I started blogging a few years ago.

I'm going to focus on blogging in this post, but the power of momentum can be applied to about any other phase of life as well, including writing, dieting, parenting, working, etc. Over the past few years, I've successfully built momentum (and traffic) for two blogs: Poetic Asides over at WritersDigest.com and this here personal My Name Is Not Bob blog.

Both of my successful blogs evolved in very different ways. When I first proposed Poetic Asides, I had a very clear vision of what I wanted it to cover: poetry. Of course, I had a fuzzy idea of how to go about doing it, but the subject was clear. For My Name Is Not Bob, I really had no specific purpose outside of sharing a little about myself and having a place to send my posts that weren't specifically poetry-related.

Since it was tied tightly to WritersDigest.com, Poetic Asides had an audience almost immediately, and it sky-rocketed after the very first April PAD (Poem-A-Day) Challenge. For this Not Bob blog, I really didn't have much traffic until about a year ago--mainly because I didn't follow these three guidelines for building momentum:

1. Be Consistent.
2. Experiment.
3. Keep What Works.

Be Consistent
One key to building successful momentum is to work on consistency. In terms of blogging, this means that you keep a pretty regular routine for posting (whether that's daily, weekly, etc.) and sharing (links via social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.). Posting three times in one day and then not posting the rest of the week is a momentum killer. A more successful tactic would be to post every other day through the week.

If you can only work on your blogging one day a week, then go ahead and write up those three blog posts. Publish one immediately. Then, schedule the other two posts for later in the week.

The reason consistency helps so much in blogging is that your readers can start to anticipate your blogging patterns. As a non-blogging example, I'm going to use my wife Tammy, who loves to listen to a big band radio show on Sunday mornings after church. She knows when the show comes on (every Sunday after church), and she's made a routine out of listening to it.

A good way to build momentum for your blog is to try and develop this type of consistent blogging behavior. For instance, on my Poetic Asides blog, I often post more than once each week, but I always post on Wednesday mornings for the Wednesday Poetry Prompts (except during the months of April and November--when I'm posting a poetry prompt every single morning).

Experiment
While consistency is a great tool in building momentum, so is experimenation. If you're not trying something new every so often, then you run the risk of falling into a routine, which can start to kill your momentum (and the excitement you bring to your blog).

In an effort to build traffic to Poetic Asides four years ago, I experimented with my first April PAD Challenge, which was an amazing success. In fact, the success of that experiment led to two more successful experiments: Wednesday Poetry Prompts and the November PAD Chapbook Challenge. With 20/20 vision, these all seem like no-brainers, but at the time, each experiment held the potential to be unsuccessful.

Of course, not every experiment is going to work. That's okay. The main thing is that you keep trying out new things. If they don't pan out, no problem--move on to the next experiment. If they do, that's great!

Keep What Works
If it's not broke, don't fix it, right? When those poetry challenges worked on Poetic Asides, I kept them around, and they are a regular part of that blogging community now. On this blog, I've paid attention to what works and have tried to keep developing that content here. It would significantly kill my momentum on both blogs if I just quit providing what's had appeal in the past.

That said, don't take what has worked in the past for granted. I put a lot of effort into developing the prompts for my poetry challenges, in addition to promoting the challenges. I never try to take for granted that just because it's been successful in the past that the success will continue on forever. Once you go down that path (the path of taking things for granted), you're setting yourself up for failure: whether it's an immediate fail or a long, slow fail.

So pay attention to what works and keep it, but also make sure you nurture it, because it will help you build momentum by having a foundation upon which to experiment.

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Plus, check out previous Not Bob posts:

• How Do You Keep Up With Everything?
• Don't Wait for X to Do Y: Platform-Building Traps for Writers to Avoid.
• My New Weekend Routine.

Don't Wait for X to Do Y: Platform-Building Traps for Writers to Avoid

When I cook jambalaya, I have a process for getting it done quickly and still having it taste great. It involves a little prep in the beginning, but then, I perform several other prep steps while the food simmers at different stages. If I do all the prep before getting started, it can nearly double my cooking time. If I don't do the prep while it's simmering, then the jambalya won't taste as good (and it would probably more than double my cooking time).

The same holds true for writers who are building their platforms, because a platform is kind of like this big dish with a ton of ingredients that all blend together. And like preparing jambalaya, there are two traps in which writers often find themselves caught.

Too Much Preparation
I'm sure anyone who's read my blog long enough suspects that I believe in the power of preparation. However, some writers seem to be in a constant state of preparation. They spend 99% of their time preparing to be a famous writer. Then, they devote 1% of their time to the actual writing. That's just not sound math.

Or there are writers that spend all their time writing a great manuscript. Then, they spend all their time building a platform. Then, they spend all their time submitting their manuscripts. Then...well, they seem to only be able to do one thing at a time, which can really make the process of finding success a looooooonnnnnnggggg process (as if it's not long enough already).

I believe in following the appropriate steps to accomplish things (like building a table or cooking Mac & Cheese). However, finding success as a writer is a little more sophisticated.

Waiting for X to Do Y
Many writers tell me that they are ready to start building their platform...once their books are published. Or once their books are accepted. But both of those approaches are starting the process too late--even with a long book production cycle. If writers know they want to build a platform eventually, the best time to start testing the waters is now.

The main focus should still be on the writing, of course, but there are small steps a writer can take now to start building a platform (and connections) needed to support a book. In fact, if you want a quick overview of how to get started, click here.

Whatever you do, don't procrastinate about starting your platform efforts. I encourage you to start small and build over time. But if you haven't yet, get started now.

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Plus, check out previous Not Bob posts:

• How Do You Keep Up With Everything?
• 11 Google+ Tips for Writers.
• Are You a Specialist or a Generalist?

7 Stages of Dealing With Facebook Interface Change

As usual, Facebook has changed its interface just as I was getting used to the last round of changes. Whether this helps or hinders Facebook's long-term success, I'm not going to hazard a guess. After all, people are complaining and venting, but they're still doing it on Facebook, which only boosts the time spent on the evil site that everyone's complaining about. (Facebook says, "Jump," and we say, "How high?")

To help others cope, I thought I'd take a moment to remind everyone of the 7 stages most folks go through when a site such as Facebook redesigns their interface:

1. Shock. This morning, I logged into Facebook and was like, "What the heck?" I didn't even know how to respond, but that didn't last long...
2. Denial. My first action was to log off of Facebook and log back in. Obviously, there was some kind of technological hiccup that caused my account to look completely goofy and entirely too busy. But then, I realized that no, this is the new reality. Of course, that brought me to...
3. Anger. What right does Facebook have to go changing their freaking interface? Don't they respect my visits that are helping with their clicks, engagement and click throughs? Yes, I posted a status update to vent.
4. Bargaining. Then, I started letting Facebook know that they'd better change their ways back or else I was going to become a Google+ user. Or Tumblr. Or Twitter. Or LinkedIn. Of course, I'm actually already a user of each of these social networks.
5. Depression. By 11 a.m., it really began to sink in that this is it: the new Facebook. There's no hope of continuing on in a civilized social media society that doesn't include a "ticker" of status updates. Might as well give up on social networking ever again. Sigh.
6. Acceptance. About an hour ago, I came to terms with the new reality. After all, Facebook is a free service that I'm not obligated to use. They can do what they want, and it doesn't hurt anyone in the grand scheme of things. Maybe life after the Facebook redesign can be productive. In fact...
7. Championing. In fact, I'm not going to let an opportunity to discuss this new Facebook interface slip through my fingers. I'm going to write a post about it now. There's no reason I can't make the new Facebook work for me, is there?

Not everyone will be able to work through these 7 stages of Facebook interface redesign in a matter of four hours like I was. Some may take a whole week. But believe me, they'll work through these steps (or just abandon Facebook for Google+ or even--gasp--give up on social media completely).

And those who wants to stick around and play social media will need to work through these 7 stages, because they need to be ready for the next round of changes.

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Check out some previous posts on social media:

• 11 Google+ Tips for Writers.
• Social Media Etiquette for Writers.
• Blogging Tips for Writers.

When Should Writers Start Blogging?

Maybe the question to ask before when is should writers blog? And my answer is yes. However, the decision to blog is a personal one. You have to feel like you might have something to say, though you definitely don't need to know exactly what right out of the gates.

Blogging is a free and easy way to connect with already established and/or potential new readers. If you want some tips on blogging, click here. I've also got some blog design tips (for non-designers) if you click here.

When Should Writers Start Blogging?
If you decide you should be blogging or even if you're just curious about blogging, then the appropriate time to start is now. Don't think about it or debate it.

Either start up a blog here on Blogger or use Wordpress. Either is fine, and both have supporters. Both are free and easy to get started. You could literally have your blog created and first blog post up in an hour or less.

How I Got Started
This is not my first blog. I started off with a MySpace blog before ending up here. I also have a very popular poetry blog on WritersDigest.com titled Poetic Asides. In each case that I've started a blog, I only had a vague idea of what I wanted to communicate.

I just knew I wanted to connect with readers and share information. Over time, I've experimented with content with some major successes and minor failures. In fact, the good thing about blogging is that most failed experiments are minor, though successful experiments can yield great returns.

An example of a failed blog would be my Telecommuting Parents blog. I still think it was a good idea, but I just didn't have the passion and energy to commit myself completely to the project. I probably only lost 5 or 6 hours of time and energy, though it was still a good learning experience.


One example of a blog that really performed well for me is the Poetic Asides blog mentioned above. My blogging on that site has helped me make connections and share inspiration with thousands of poets and even helped me earn the 2010 Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere title from BloggingPoet.com.

So don't delay. Get started today.

*****

Follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer, or connect with me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+.

Plus, be sure to sign up for e-mail updates over on the right.

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Want some more resources on blogging? Check these out:

• Blogging for Dummies, by Susannah Gardner and Shane Birley
• Create Your Own Blog: 6 Easy Projects to Start Blogging Like a Pro, by Tris Hussey
• ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income, by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett