Social Media is Your Friend!

Are you connected?

In today’s world, it seems like almost everyone is plugged into some kind of social media.  Knowing how to use it effectively can be a huge help in growing your blog or shop and spreading your influence/inspiration!
Here’s what I’ve found as far as social media is concerned…
One Artsy Mama
How I use it:
– Every morning, I share the link for my newest post on my Facebook page.
– I share photos of projects and/or our family that haven’t appeared on the blog.
– I feature projects from Shine on Fridays!
– I share status updates about what I’m up to {or the Ravens}.
– I periodically hold giveaways on the FB page that followers can enter by commenting.
– I ask questions and hold polls/surveys to get reader feedback.
How effective is it?
– Facebook is my 4th largest all-time traffic source.
– I get all kinds of great interaction and feedback from friends on the page!
– I have about half as many FB fans as I do followers on the blog, but I also know I reach some
people on FB who don’t follow via GFC, Linky, or any other means.
Tips for Success
– be active on your page, posting a few things each day to engage readers, but don’t overwhelm them with a ton of posts and links that clutter their newsfeed and make them want to hide you.
– tag readers when you talk about their ideas or feature their projects
One Artsy Mama
How I use it:
– Every day, I tweet the link to my newest post.
– Occasionally, I tweet about giveaways or special events going on that I want to invite readers to participate in.
How effective is it?
Honestly, I don’t know!
I have 123 followers, which is only a small portion of my blog followers and friends on other social media outlets.  Twitter is not one of my top 10 traffic sources, so I don’t really know if anyone comes to the blog by clicking on the links I tweet.  Admittedly, this is my least favorite of all the social media type sites, so maybe if I were more active, I’d see more traffic?  I don’t personally use Twitter, and even with the oneartmama account, I rarely even visit the page, so I don’t see what others are tweeting.  There just isn’t enough time in the day for it all, you know?  I tweet because it’s one more way to reach out and let people know about what’s going on at One Artsy Mama, but when it comes to where I’m spending my time, you’ll be much more likely to find me on Pinterest!
One Artsy Mama
How I use it:
– I pin like a crazy woman!
– I pin everything I see on other people’s blogs that I love and/or want to make
– I pin my own stuff from time to time
– I add a “pin it” button to my posts {when I remember}
– I look at what others have pinned from my site as a gauge for what readers enjoy/want more of
How effective is it?
– Pinterest.com is my number one referring site of all time.
So, more of my blog traffic has come from Pinterest than any other single source.
Wow.
That blows me away.  Because when I signed up, and even now when I pin, I don’t do it for traffic.  I’m usually pinning other people’s stuff for my own personal inspiration.  I’m categorizing it and storing it away so that when I’m ready, I can make it/do it/bake it.  But you know what happened?  Someone read my Homemade Ornaments Post and pinned this little baby right here.
And it. went. viral.
People repinned and repinned and repinned it and not only that, but they came to visit.
This post is my most viewed of all time, with a whopping 6,000 more views than my second most viewed project!  All because of Pinterest.
Tips for Success
– occasionally pin some of your own projects
– look at what others are pinning from your site and use that as a basis for what to post about!

My most frequently pinned things besides this ornament are printables, kids’ crafts, and jewelry.  So, that tells me readers want more of those things.

I’m also techincally on Google + and occasionally share posts on there, but that’s the extent of what I do on that particular site.  What social media outlets have you found the most helpful?

PS – For those of you who are missing the usual craftiness, check out my guest post at Life With the Hawleys to see how LC and I made a Very Hungry Caterpillar shirt using fabric paint and his hands!

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15 Comments

  1. I totally agree with everything you’ve written on this post. Pinterest is one of my top referrers as well, I love the interaction with my fb followers and twitter…well, I still feel like a beginner. I will up your numbers and follow you, and tweet this post (to my 30 followers haha) 🙂 I am really enjoying this series, thanks!

  2. Hands down- you got this all dialed in! Social media is Huge! I love interacting with everyone through everything! Super fun- great ideas- great laughs! All around awesome! Thanks so much for sharing this Amy!

  3. Thanks Amy! I just made my facebook page last night and it’s taking time to gain some followers. I am hosting a giveaway on my blog though so I’m hoping that’ll bring it more traffic!

  4. Good to know I’m doing something right! 🙂 The first thing I did when I started my blog was to create a Facebook page AND I’m a Pinterest addict as well! These are my two top referral sites so, yes, they work! Thanks again for your information!

  5. My biggest issue with facebook, is that I found out if you do a giveaway on there… or make liking the page a giveaway requirement or bonus entry… facebook is allowed to delete your page because it goes against their policies.

    I wanted to do just a giveaway on facebook and had to cancel it once I found the policy out. I wasn’t willing to pay a third party to host the giveaway for me.

  6. Thanks for the tips! I love Pinterest and get a great deal of traffic from it. Facebook also works well…it’s easy to learn. Twitter I just don’t get. When I follow large blogs they tweet and share on facebook all day long. It must have some benefit as they have 10,000 – 80,000 followers. I can’t imagine, but somehow they have found a way of self promotion that works. It’s hard and overwhelming to even think of competing! Maybe what some of them learn at blog conferences really helps, but most of the time I feel out of the loop.

    Susan

  7. I know I need to be better at these things and seriously do not yet get Google + at all. Thanks for the reminder that it’s necessary and a peek at your routine. I love a good routine, lol.

  8. I am a HUGE pinner and was long before I began blogging. I am also a huge Facebooker but only on my personal page. I have been debating about starting one for `A Casarella because I wasn’t sure if it would be too redundant but I think you’ve helped make my decision. Again, thanks for this series. Very helpful!

  9. Very helpful – I need to be on Pinterest! You are right in having to pick and choose, but it sounds as though browsing and pinning is like having your favorite House Beautiful magazine come to life! Thanks!

  10. Thank you so much for this series, and some additional suggestions for facebook, could you please educate me as to how you did the pic of your pintrest page?

  11. I agree totally with all your thoughts on Facebook and Pinterest. I have a Twitter account, but haven’t done anything with it yet. I really must do get my act together, but I’m not terribly inspired and Google +… I haven’t even switched over and haven’t read anything which has convinced me to try it. Good to hear your thoughts, Amy.

  12. Can you share how you get the Pinterest logo to appear when you hover over your images? I’ve searched Pinterest for a tutorial, but I can’t figure it out. Thanks!

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