Happy 2014!
As, far as resolutions go for blogging and my own blog here, I have a few, but one on the top of my own list was to keep increasing my social media network numbers.
I worked very hard last year to get to as many more followers all over (and use social networks more often then not), but for some reason I was hesitant about using Instagram, even though I had decided to do a 1 Snap A Day challenge at the beginning of 2013.
I found out very quickly how much work taking these pictures and keeping up posting them to my own blog site daily was on its own page.
Now, in hindsight, I kick myself for not just doing these photos through Instagram and promoting them that way, because all my other social numbers are in the thousands, but since I shied away from Instagram and only really starting to use late last year, I barely have 200 followers.
So, I decided to work on using Instagram, as well as socially promoting it, too big time this year out.
If you also are wanting to use Instagram more for your own blog, here are the three things I have decided to do in hopes of gaining more followers and figured I would pass them on to all of you, too.
1. Posting More on Instagram:
Making sure to take more of my photos and make the Instagram friendly to indeed post there for all those to see. Sounds simple, but keeping myself accountable to actually post, share and stay active on Instagram more now, which takes more time, but I think it will be worth it in the end.
2. Blog Hops for Instagram:
Once I began posting more, I knew I should join blog hops that promoted Instagram. Started this at the end of last year and have already gained about 50 more followers this way alone.
3. Instagram Follows on Facebook:
I must tell you that I belong to SITS, which is an online community for women bloggers and if you don’t belong, I recommend you totally join. Recently, on Facebook they started up an Instagram following, where all you do is put your Instagram link in a new post under their original and as others also post theirs, you follow them and they follow you. In a few hours time after that, I gained about 75 new followers from this.
Easy Instagram Plugin
4. Instagram Sidebar Widget:
Last but not least, I wanted to advertise on my blog that I was on Instagram. What better way then to showcase this in my sidebar. So, I uploaded a plugin to my blog sidebar to showcase my latest Instagram photos for those who didn’t know I was indeed on Instagram. I tried a few with trial and error and found that the Easy Instagram plugin worked perfectly by getting permission from your Instagram account to allow for this. The plugin even allows for up to 10 photos to be shown at a time. I used 4 and they even allowed me to size the photos so that they would fit perfectly into my sidebar. Take a look below for how the plugin looks on my own blog now:
Easy Instagram Plugin on My Own Blog
The above is me on Instagram and if you don’t follow me yet, I totally think you should and will definitely follow you back. You can follow me here.
And now that you know what one of my blog resolutions for 2014, what is yours? Tell me now in the comments!
I've been advised to join Instagram by an admired blogger…so I've been thinking about it. I asked my kids and they said, "Instagram isn't for OLD people." Hahahaha
You've totally convinced me…you're such an inspiration! Thank you!
Yay and you know I am so going to follow you back now!! 🙂
I haven't joined the SITS link yet…overwhelmed by the Pinterest and Twitter one. I definitely should do it tomorrow though. I am looking to grow my Instagram and have to sit down and map out a plan there. These are great suggestions though. Thank you!
Totally my pleasure Michelle and I didn't join the other two, because I knew I was truly trying to build this one up more and have worked on the others constantly from last year. Not that I am neglecting them, but figured I would give this one a chance now and see what kind of dent I could make here 🙂
Thanks for the great information. I am not even on Pinterest yet! Maybe I should just skip it and start with Instagram.
Totally my pleasure. I am on Pinterest, but knew it was time here for me to get more active on Instagram, too! 🙂
I don't have a smart phone (one of the last dinosaurs left, I know) but I know people LOVE LOVE LOVE Instagram, and I can totally see why!!
My recent post Super Sunday Sync #69
Rosey, if you ever do get a smartphone this is just one app you have to get, because seriously so much fun! 🙂
Let's take inventory for Coach Daddy.
1. No smartphone.
2. No Pinterest account.
3. No Instagram Account.
4. Flip phone won't take pictures since the day I dropped it in yogurt.
The day they stop making flip phones and I am forced to go the smartphone route, I think I'll go Instagram over Pinterest. What do you think, Janine? What would be best for a dude like me?
Eli, my husband laughs at me for taking pictures of the snow coming down and posting them on Instagram, but seriously just love it over there. But still so hard to choose between Instagram and Pinterest, but I am going with Instagram, because you could always post pictures of stop signs you steal!! 🙂 🙂
Instagram is definitely a harder one for me. I would love more followers, but I also want to scroll through my feed and feel like I know the people I’m looking at. I’ve been adding people slowly as I discover their blogs or connect to them elsewhere online.
Another great way to connect with people is through hashtags. #instababy, #coolkids, and #dogsofinstagram are a few of my favorites!
Farrah @ Reflective Mama recently posted…Coffee Inspired Design on The Roasterie Tour
Farrah, thank you for sharing your feelings and thoughts on Instagram and I know the feeling of liking who you are connecting with. Makes perfect sense to me.