Blogging

Most bloggers I know have been using Tailwind for Pinterest for several years. Suffice it to say, Tailwind totally changed the game when it comes to scheduling pins, and it makes a blogger’s life a whole lot easier.

Imagine, then, my excitement when I heard about Tailwind for Instagram. Can lightning really strike twice? It is possible that Tailwind is going to simplify Instagram scheduling for us? I had to find out.

This article contains affiliate links which means that if you use these links to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. Thank you for supporting my blog and small business!

Over the years I’ve spent so much time trying to figure out the Instagram game. Brainstorming post ideas, trying to figure out the best hash tags and times to post, and the profile section! How many times have I changed that thing, trying to find the most effective way to introduce myself and my content.

And then along comes Tailwind for Instagram with new features that totally switch things up for IG users. Things like:

• SmartSchedule
• Hashtag Finder
• Time-saving Shortcuts

These are the must-have features that we didn’t even know we needed! Let me explain.

The newly revamped Tailwind dashboard is basically your new Instagram smart assistant. It allows you to visually plan your feed with a drag and drop grid planner, optimize each post to stand out with SmartSchedule & Hashtag Finder, and schedule content on-the-go with the redesigned mobile app.

There are also content plans to provide ready to use post ideas, customized to your business so you’re always ready to create great content.

Drag and Drop Scheduling gives you a 9-grid preview so you know your feed is always in perfect order, representing you, your blog, and your business in the most beautiful way.

Tailwind for Instagram also offers story and video scheduling, batch scheduling, profile analytics, and summary email reports. And this is just the tip of the iceberg — there are so many other amazing features that will improve your Instagram game while saving you so much time, effort, and frustration.

Get an idea of how things work by checking out the quick video below.

 

My favorite feature of Tailwind for Instagram? It's Caption Formatting. Finally! We can format our caption text in bold or italic, then add line breaks and emojis. 🎉Can you say, "It's about time!"

Another great feature is the fact that you can try Tailwind for free, no credit card required!  That's right, new users can try Tailwind free for up to 30 scheduled Instagram posts. This is the perfect way to make sure that Tailwind is a good fit for you and your business.

And if you haven’t already started a free trial of Tailwind, you can get a $15 credit to use toward a free month of Tailwind’s Plus Plan.

Keep in mind that Tailwind works best with Instagram business accounts, allowing deeper insights and the ability to auto-publish your posts.

If you haven't already tried it, I'd love to encourage you to check out Tailwind for Instagram. If you're looking for a way to finally make Instagram the fun and enjoyable platform it was meant to be, this is your chance.

Have you tried Tailwind for Instagram?

If you've already tried Tailwind for Instagram, I'd love to hear about your experience. Leave a comment below and let's chat!

P.S. Even if you're a newbie blogger, Tailwind for Instagram is a great investment for your business. Check out these 7 ways to look like an experienced blogger, even if you're brand new!

When you start a blog, it takes a while to gain the experience and knowledge that can take your site from hobby to money maker.

But just because you’re not yet experienced doesn’t mean you have to look like a newbie. There are a few things you can do from the start to give your blog a professional, polished feel while you learn everything you need to know to keep it growing and thriving, and today I’m going to share those tips with you.

This blog post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. Thank you for supporting my blog and small business!

7 Ways to Look Like an Experienced Blogger

1. Build your blog on a self-hosted platform.

I started my blog on a free platform (Blogger) because it was, well, free. But you can’t build a business on a free platform, and oh how I wish I’d known that from the start.

Of course, you can move your blog from a free platform to self-hosted WordPress if you decide to later, but it’s a lot of work. Instead, I highly recommend starting out on self-hosted WordPress. It’s easy to get your site set up, and when you’re choosing a host for your blog, I prefer Siteground. I’ve been with them for many years and they’ve never disappointed me.

2. Write quality content that readers want.

When you first start a blog, you’re probably going to feel the pressure to add lots of content right away. While it’s important to have plenty of content for visitors to see when they come to your site, it’s more important that the content is valuable to them.

Don’t throw up a dozen blog posts just to have content on your site. Your time is much better spent writing half a dozen high-quality, informative articles that will give readers a reason to return to your blog. In the case of blog content, it’s always quality over quantity. Don’t forget that.

3. Start branding yourself right away.

You’ll make your website stand out among a sea of blogs when you brand yourself in a way that readers will remember.

This means choosing a logo, favicon, fonts, colors, and other stylized elements that are consistent. I use Picmonkey to make all of my logos and site graphics, and I find it much easier to use than Photoshop or even Canva. Having just added lots of new features, Picmonkey offers everything you’ll need to create awesome graphics for your blog. Want to see what New PicMonkey is all about? Sign up for your free trial today!

I also recommend using the same profile picture across social media. This can be your logo or a photo of yourself, whichever you prefer. Use the same image on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and all other channels you’re using. This makes it simple for your followers to immediately recognize you and your brand.

4. Use a professional blog theme.

Your blog theme is an integral part of creating your branding. I recommend an easy to navigate, mobile-friendly theme that you can customize to really make it your own.

I like Pretty Darn Cute Design and Restored 316 for pretty, feminine themes that can easily be customized to create the look you want to give your visitors a unique and beautiful experience every time they visit your website.

5. Write. Then write some more.

I know you want to drive traffic to this brand new blog of yours, and you can. But it takes time and commitment. And it takes a lot of writing.

Now I know I told you up in number 2 that you should only write quality content, and I stand by that. You absolutely should only publish posts that you’re truly proud of.

But, if you want to grow your traffic, you’re going to have to give them something worth visiting your blog for, so I recommend lots of writing.

Write everyday for a specified period of time, say, 2 weeks. I promise that as you publish new (quality) blog posts every day for 2 weeks, you will see your traffic start to increase over the coming weeks.

6. Make Pinterest your friend.

Many people think Pinterest is a social media network, but in fact it’s more like a search engine. When people (especially women) are looking for something, they often start with Pinterest. Whether it’s a recipe, decorating tips, fashion, or you name it, there’s a plethora of information to be found on Pinterest.

One of the best ways to drive traffic to your blog is through Pinterest. Create beautiful pin-worthy images for every single blog post you write, and be sure to add them to your Pinterest boards.

I recommend using Tailwind to easily share your pins to multiple boards. You can also join tribes of like-minded bloggers to share their content, and of course they’ll share yours.

7. Create a Gravatar.

As you’re commenting on other blogs, you’ll need a Gravatar to show up next to your name and blog title.

Your Gravatar is an image that follows you from site to site appearing beside your name when you do things like comment or post on a blog. I recommend using the same image that you’re using across social media, as this creates brand continuity and will help others immediately recognize you.

Are you using these tips on your blogging journey?

I’d love to know which of these tips have been effective for you, as well as any other tips you’d like to share. Leave a comment below or stop by my Facebook page and join in the conversation there.

Have you been wondering about starting a blog? Maybe you’re considering why you should start blogging, or if there’s even any reason for you to start.

Today I’m here to talk about 3 reasons to start a blog and why you should do it right away.

3 Reasons to Start a Blog

1. To promote your business

Whether you’re selling widgets, planning weddings, or working as a banker, a blog is a great way to promote your business.

In other words, no matter what you’re doing, a blog is an important business tool that will help you grow.

Thoughtful, informative blog posts will show potential customers that you are an expert in your field. That builds confidence, and people are more likely to buy from you and/or engage your business when they feel confident that you can do the job.

Having an online voice is essential in today’s business world if you want to promote your business to the right customers.

2. To find your purpose

Starting my pet-centric blog back in 2012 changed my life. Writing about dogs (specifically Pit Bull-type dogs, at that time) helped me to see what I was passionate about, and it gave me an outlet to provide my readers with important information.

I always knew that I loved writing, but it wasn’t until I started a blog that I learned how my writing , and the knowledge and experience I had to share, could actually impact other people’s lives.

Starting a blog is a great way to discover what is important to you, what you feel called to do, and what the true purpose is for your life. And let’s be honest: that’s no small thing. It’s huge.

3. To start a hobby

If you’re not looking to promote your business or find your life’s purpose, perhaps you’re simply in the market for a hobby. Blogging can certainly be that!

Blogging is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family all over the world. It’s a simple and inexpensive way to tell your story, and if your experience is anything like mine, it will be an incredible way to meet people and make friends.

Another benefit of blogging is that it can serve as a personal journal, helping you to track your progress in life. Journaling gives you a new and unique perspective, almost from another person’s point of view, helping you to more effectively deal with issues and make decisions in your life.

Have you been thinking about starting a blog?

I’d love to chat with you about how to get started on your blogging journey! Send me a message and let’s chat about the possibilities!

Whether you’re a blogging newbie or a seasoned pro, there are a few things that you should be doing to ensure that your blog continues to grow and thrive.

Keep reading about the 7 things I feel all bloggers should be doing if they want to see blogging success.

7 Things All Bloggers Should Be Doing

1. Give it time

Creating a successful blog isn’t an overnight process. It’s a long haul that can take years, and that’s where many bloggers run into trouble. They expect that if they create a blog, slap on a cute logo, and write a few posts, the readers will flock to their site and the money will start pouring in. I’ve never known of that to happen because it takes time.

2. Grow your email list

No matter how long you’ve been blogging, growing your email list should be one of your top priorities. This is especially important if you ever plan on selling anything.

But the truth is, having an email list is still important even if you never plan to sell a thing because it allows you to promote new content to your subscribers directly.

3. Appreciate your readers

Whether you have 3 or 3,000 readers, make sure they all know that you appreciate their support. This can be done by replying to comments and interacting with those who take time to visit your blog. Don’t get so focused on growing your audience that you forget about the ones you already have.

4. Be consistent

Be consistent with your publishing schedule. Readers like to know that they can expect to hear from you on a regular basis, so create a schedule and stick to it. Take your blog seriously because if you don’t, why should anyone else?

5. Keep it short

Joe Pulizzi has an interesting thought about blogs:

A blog post is like a miniskirt. It has to be short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover the subject.

With that in mind, remember that a blog post should be long enough to say what needs to be said, but short enough that the reader doesn’t lose interest.

Also remember to use small blocks of text, rather than long paragraphs, to keep your reader engaged.

6. Be generous

Give away your knowledge is important. Giving away free stuff is also important, and it can help create loyal, devoted followers. Giveaways and other free resources are a big hit and will attract new readers to your blog while reminding long-time readers that they are valued.

7. Be yourself

There are 10,000,000 blogs on the internet today, which means there is a lot of noise in the blogosphere. The best way to be heard is to simply be yourself. Your readers will recognize your authenticity and they will be drawn to who you are.

By the way, I made up that number, I’m honestly not sure how many blogs there are, but trust me when I say there are a lot!

I’ve been blogging for over 10 years, and I’ve found these 7 things to be among the most important part of having a successful blog.

Do you have any tips to share?

I’d love for you to share your thoughts in a comment below!