#bloglikecrazy

What should I include in my blog’s media kit?

media kits
Show your blog some love with a top-notch media kit. (Image by Kris Krüg via Flickr/Creative Commons)

A media kit is like a visual resume for your blog. Typically, bloggers use media kits to showcase their number of followers to brands and other potential partners.

Using a tool like Google Analytics as your source, you want to include important statistics such as average number of page views per month, unique visitors per month,average time on site (the higher the better), bounce rate (the lower the better), and number of new visits. You might also want to include your number of subscribers and social media followers.

If your numbers aren’t very high, don’t be discouraged. Focus on and highlight the strengths of your blog. Share how much your blog has grown recently, for example, by highligting your increase in subscribers. If you have a very niche topic use this to your advantage. Convey to brands that you could be the gateway to a unique, untapped market. This is why it’s important to collect and include demographics of your readership as well.

If your readers are extremely engaged (as evidenced by a great number of comments and great interaction on social media) brag about that, too.

And a media kit isn’t just about numbers. The values of your blog should be conveyed by your media kit as well. So share your blog’s purpose or mission. Perhaps even include the top keyword terms that lead people to your site. Include information about yourself, too. If you’ve ever been featured in a major publication, be sure to mention that.

Include images such as a headshot, a screenshot of your blog, your logo, and great pictures from some of your best posts.

Remember a media kit should make brands excited about your blog and excited about working with you.

 

Each day in November for #bloglikecrazy I’ll be publishing a blog post that answers your questions about blogging, social media, writing, wellness or women’s empowerment. Send your questions to javacia@seejanewritebham.com.

 

 

Do I Need Business Cards?

business cards
Image by Jodi Womack via Flickr/Creative Commons

I believe the most successful bloggers and writers are those who also consider themselves entrepreneurs. And this means that, like any good entrepreneur, you need a business card.

To be clear, you need a business card specifically for your book or blog. Don’t take your business card for day job and scribble your blog URL in the margin because, girl, that just looks raggedy.

A business card shows that you take your blogging and your writing seriously and thus encourages others to take you seriously, too.

On your business card be sure to include your name (Duh!), your email address, and your website URL. If you’d like you can also include your telephone number and social media channels.

These cards will come in handy at conferences and local networking events. And if you host giveaways on your blog, you’ll want to include them in the packages you send to your contest winners.

Be sure your card makes people excited to go check out your blog. And remember to employ good business card etiquette. This means do not go to a networking event and make it rain with your business cards. Only give people your business card after they ask for it.

 

Each day in November for #bloglikecrazy I’ll be publishing a blog post that answers your questions about blogging, social media, writing, wellness or women’s empowerment. Send your questions to javacia@seejanewritebham.com.

 

What Is a Twitter Chat?

Twitter
Image by Rosaura Ochoa via Flickr/Creative Commons

Today I decided to start a Twitter chat.

A Twitter chat is a public conversation on a specific that takes place on Twitter (Duh!) using a specific hashtag. Twitter chats are also called Twitter parties, which makes sense because that’s basically what a Twitter chat is — a party on Twitter. Think of the hashtag as the address for the party’s location. You follow the unique hashtag to see what everyone in the chat is saying and add the hashtag to your tweets to join the conversation. Like a party, a Twitter chat takes place on specific day, at a specific time so all the folks interested in participating can come together. And just as a party usually has a theme, Twitter chats center on a particular topic.

One of the most popular Twitter chat’s around is Mack Collier’s #blogchat, which takes place every Sunday at 8 p.m. Central and is, obviously, about blogging.

One of my favorite Twitter chats was the now defunct #BlogBrunch chat, which used to take place the first Saturday of every month.

In 2015 I plan to begin hosting #bloglikeagirl, a Twitter chat for women who blog.

I’m so excited and I hope you will join me!

To be notified of the launch date follow @ibloglikeagirl on Twitter and click here to join the #bloglikeagirl mailing list.

 

Each day in November for #bloglikecrazy I’ll be publishing a blog post that answers your questions about blogging, social media, writing, wellness or women’s empowerment. Send your questions to javacia@seejanewritebham.com.

What should a writer do on her day off?

day off

Last week, I wrote about the importance of taking a day off even if you’re juggling a day job with building a blog or business or writing a book. I believe in the importance of rest even if I don’t get very much of it myself.

And I believe days off are especially important for writers because they are part of the creative process. A writer friend of mine named TJ Beitelman, author of the book John the Revelator, once told me that he believes most of the creative writing process happens away from the keyboard. What I think he meant by this is that the things that inspire great work happen when you’re out living life, not simply staring at a blinking cursor on a blank screen.

So on my day off I’m not only doing things that revitalize me, but things that can re-energize my writing and blogging too.

Here’s what I like to do on my day off:

Go for a long walk or run. Most of my best ideas come to me when I’m out on my favorite trail.

Have coffee or brunch with my girlfriends. My passion for empowering women drives nearly everything I do, so for me nothing is as inspiring as spending time around other women.

Paint my nails. As my mani dries I usually browse my favorite websites and blogs.

Catch up on my favorite TV shows. How can one not find Olivia Pope inspiring?

How do you spend your day off?

 

Each day in November for #bloglikecrazy I’ll be publishing a blog post that answers your questions about blogging, social media, writing, wellness or women’s empowerment. Send your questions to javacia@seejanewritebham.com.

 

How can I improve my blog?

javacia with jennifer
chatting with Jennifer King of StellarFashionAndFitness.com at the #bloglikecrazy workshop

On Nov. 1 I led a 4-hour blogging workshop at Church Street Coffee and Books to kick off #bloglikecrazy.

Here are 10 blogging tips I shared with the ladies who attended:

  1. Write a mission statement for your blog. Never lose sight of why you’re blogging. Know the people you’re trying to help and the message you’re trying to convey.
  1. Create a strong “About” page. If people like what they see when they visit your blog, they will check out your “About” page to learn more. Be sure your “About” page clearly explains what kinds of posts people can expect from your blog and offers some background on you as well. Include pictures and links to some of your favorite posts, too.
  1. Write for your ideal reader. Identify your ideal reader and get to know her. What are her passions, problems, hobbies, and dreams? After you determine your ideal reader and what she wants, only blog for her. This sounds scary. This sounds as if you’ll alienate other readers, but you won’t. An ideal reader is someone who not only reads your posts but also shares them with others. Writing for this reader will simply attract more like her.
  1. Be sure your blog is answering questions and solving problems. Find out what questions or problems your ideal reader has and write posts that address those concerns.
  1. Tell a story in your blog posts. Whether you write a fashion blog or a business blog, you need to tell stories in your posts. Use a narrative to convey your information. Be sure to add images, too.
  1. Develop a blogging schedule and stick to it. You don’t have to blog every day, but decide how often you can blog and be consistent.
  1. Create three features for your blog. When developing features don’t simply follow trends. Choose features that are right for your blog and that you can maintain.
  1. Start an email newsletter. This is a great way to remind people to read your blog and an excellent way to build a tribe.
  1. Network. Promote your blog on social media. Interact in Facebook and LinkedIn groups. Participate in Twitter chats. Comment on other blogs.
  2. Guest blog for sites your ideal reader frequents. This is a great way to increase your readership and build partnerships with other bloggers.

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Each day in November for #bloglikecrazy I’ll be publishing a blog post that answers your questions about blogging, social media, writing, wellness or women’s empowerment. Send your questions to javacia@seejanewritebham.com.