How to Grow Your Business With Twitter and Instagram

Have you been struggling with generating engagement and growing your followers on Twitter or Instagram?! Have you started a Twitter account and the avatar is still an egg?! Don't know what content to post?! Don't know how to get started?!  I want to help!

Social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram are  AMAZING tools for growing your brand.  You can connect with your customers instantly! Recently I wrote about my top 3 ways to increase engagement and followers. You can read the post here.  

If you find yourself spending time on social media and not getting results or totally ignoring it because it frustrates you, you're losing potential customers and throwing money down the drain.

I am a mom and wife from Chicago now living in Toronto.  I have also lived in Brooklyn, NY,  Cambridge, England and Vancouver, Canada. I have a BA in Psychology.  Most of my working career before children (BC) was spent as a social worker.  My degree and work experience have taught me how to communicate with anyone. 

I know what makes people tick.  I have a certificate in Social Media Management from Social Media Manager School and I have taken courses in social media marketing, PR and content writing.


I really enjoy working with brands/small companies promoting their products with my blog. My favorite social media platforms are Twitter and Instagram. 

I have evolved from just blogging to social media marketing. I find joy in creating a marketing strategy and implementing it on social media.  For me social media marketing isn't work, it's art. It's my creative outlet.  

I would love to help any brand or small business to increase their presence on Twitter and Instagram to get the customers they want.   I invite you to check out my Twitter and Instagram accounts  @dancingvalentin  and @kellym7609 to see what I do every day.  

I am offering a FREE Twitter and/or Instagram consultation and monitoring for one week.  After one week you can sign up for my Social Media Consultation Package, so that we can continue to work together. I will continue to help you manage your account and help your business to grow even more!

Let me show you the basics for Twitter and Instagram. I will help you to start growing your brand on social media.

• Curating Content
• Engagement (Connecting with Followers) on Twitter and Instagram
• Writing Effective Content
• What to Post on Instagram 
• What Hashtags to Use
• Using Canva to Create Simple Graphics

Why am I doing this?! I know what it is like to struggle with social media! I have found out what works and also, I love what I do! Please email me at scckelly@gmail.com or use the easy signup box at the top right corner of the this blog to get started today!

Share Your Instagram Photos on Pinterest With Tailwind

Did you know you can pin your Instagram pictures to Pinterest?!  Are you using Buffer right now to pin to Pinterest?!  Have you heard of Tailwind?! Now you can share your Instagram pictures on Pinterest quickly and easily?!

 

 

 

I've been trying to figure out a new way to increase traffic to my blogs and social media platforms.  I've been told by other Social Media Managers that Pinterest is the way to go.  But with Pinterest you have to pin a lot, at least 10 or more pins a day. 

I have been neglecting Pinterest because of my new obsession with Instagram.  I thought maybe I would try to get more followers to my Instagram account from Pinterest.  So, I decided to look for a system that could post a lot of pins for me.  The best times to post on Pinterest is late at night and I can't focus on anything after 10pm. Then I found Tailwind. 

During the first week of Tailwind my Pinterest followers increased by 64. 

With Tailwind you can create pins to post to Pinterest.  You can also sync it to Instagram and it can post IG pictures too.  Tailwind automatically schedules when it will post your pin for you.  You can also schedule the pins to post when you want.  I really like Tailwind.  I haven't had any issues with it.  It posts everything I have asked it to.  It's so nice not worrying about posting pins.  Tailwind has a free trial and easy to use. 

Tailwind analytics shows my followers increased by 64 the first week.

The Tailwind Scheduler

With the free trial you get 100 pins. 

I used Tailwind and I pinned things manually too.  I found that I did get more followers on Pinterest, but can't really say if the new followers I have on Instagram are from Pinterest.  Below is a screenshot of my last week on Tailwind with the free trial.  During the end I started pinning less and still got new followers, but not as many as before.

Pinterest followers increased by only 9.

Tailwind is very easy to use and  I recommend it for anyone who wants to pin pictures quickly from Instagram or any other site.  I think if you are consistent with pinning you can increase your Pinterest followers with Tailwind. 

To start your free trial just go to the Tailwind website here. 

Are you using Tailwind?! How do you like it? Let me know in the comments section below.  And please follow me on Instagram and Pinterest! 

2 of My Favorite IFTTT Recipes

IFTTT Recipe

Have you been looking for creative ways to connect your social media platforms easily?! IFTTT is a great product to connect social media platforms. Any recipe (combination) you can think of, you can probably do it with IFTTT.  IFTTT recipes take only minutes to create. 

I have a few recipes on IFTTT.  I'm going to tell you about 2 of my favorites that I don't think many people know about.  The first recipe is, if I post a picture on Instagram, then the picture posts to Twitter.  You are probably saying right now, "Yeah, Kelly we know that.  You can already post to Twitter from Instagram." What you may not know is that when you do it with IFTTT, it posts the full picture on Twitter. 

#latergram Another wonderful #breakfast with @grooveparlortv at the @hyattregencytoronto! … https://t.co/ko3o29ZR4h pic.twitter.com/aeW8aDa4MZ

— My Kind Of Mom-Kelly (@dancingvalentin) February 16, 2016

Instead of just a link, you can see the full picture. That is very important if you are trying to grow followers on Twitter.  Your tweets get a lot more attention if it has a picture attached.  Having photos in your posts is one of my 3 tips to having success on Twitter.  You can read the blog post here.



My second favorite IFTTT recipe is, if I schedule a post in Buffer, then it updates in my Google Calendar.  This is great if you have multiple accounts or clients.  Just schedule your posts in Buffer and then you have a record of them in the Google Calendar. 

The scheduled Buffer posts in my Google Calendar.

I have experimented with other recipes form IFTTT.  Sometimes they didn't work, but these two recipes haven't failed me.  

So there you have it.  My favorite IFTTT recipes.  Do you have any favorite recipes?!  Please share in the comments section below. 

Please feel free to connect with me on:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Google+ 
Pinterest 

Stop Avoiding Twitter! How to Increase Engagement and Followers

I have been talking to some small business owners who have told me that Twitter is the one social media platform they avoid.  Some of them don't know if they should be on Twitter or feel they have hit a brick wall trying to gain followers. Can you relate?! Is this you?!

Last week I talked about having success on Twitter and I mentioned two articles.  I pulled from those articles the 3 things I thought were most important in launching your Twitter success. My top 3 were to be consistent, be creative and be present. Let's expand on those 3 things.

Being consistent

Focus on your brand and tweet out consistent material.  Your message to your followers and potential customers should be brand related and sincere.  People can see through the insincerity.  Also be consistent on how often you tweet.  I usually tweet in the morning about trending topics or current events, I might throw a few tweets out in the afternoon and then I'm on Twitter in the evening engaging or live tweeting an event or TV show.

Be Creative

Photos and videos with your tweets.  If you are on Instagram you can create a recipe from IFTTT (If This Then That) that actually posts a picture from Instagram, instead of a link. Photos and images can give you more clicks and retweets. It also helps others see exactly what you are posting on your Instagram account and makes them more likely to follow you there.

#latergram One of my favorite #paintings at the #AGO. #twitter #insta365 #instaart #SilkeO… https://t.co/VR4CssBVXl pic.twitter.com/M4vAWhVmEY

— My Kind Of Mom-Kelly (@dancingvalentin) February 6, 2016

Being present is my number one thing to being successful on Twitter.  

You can't expect to tweet a couple of times a day to build a following. My favorite thing about Twitter is that it's fast paced and now.  Your Twitter followers are similar to your email list, you have to nurture them. It's people talking or tweeting live.  I enjoy interacting with people during live tweeting movies or tv shows.

The thing I love about Twitter is that the interaction is immediate.  

It's not like Facebook where interaction is sometimes like pulling teeth.  I sometimes go to Facebook and tap the screen like a mic and say "Is this thing on?"  Interact with your followers and follow people in your field.

I am shocked at the amount of followers I have now. Most of my followers are purely organic, I  follow you, you follow me.  Some of my followers are from me asking folks to follow me when I have a giveaway, but 90% of my followers are purely organic and I try to interact with them as much as possible.  Even if it's just a like on their post.
 

Recently I have been experimenting with CoPromote. 

CoPromote is another way to increase followers and your brand.  With CoPromote you can promote someone's post on your Twitter timeline and you can get yours promoted as well.  I tried it out with one of my post and only received four retweets, but I did gain some followers.  I am going to keep trying CoPromote and write a review in a couple of weeks.

These are my most important tips to being successful on Twitter.  They are very basic and not gimmicky. Follow these tips every day and you will definitely feel more comfortable with Twitter.  Soon they will become second nature to you.

What is your biggest struggle with Twitter?! Please feel free to reach out to me on Twitter at @dancingvalentin!  

P.S. I know as a small business owner you don't have a lot of money for social media marketing.  I understand that more than you know.  If you are struggling with social media or don't have the time or even know where to get started, I can help.  Check out my plans on Fiverr.

Small Business: 3 Things You Must Do To Be Successful On Twitter

As a small business owner, are you struggling to increase your followers on Twitter?!  It's difficult to know how to get started and if Twitter is even right for you.  As a social media strategist, I have been on Twitter for several years and have been researching the best ways to be successful on Twitter.

5 Tips To Make Your Startup’s Twitter Account Stand Out by Leo Widrich Co-Founder of Buffer was written in 2011, but the tips listed are still relevant today.  In the article he states that retweets are a great way to share information and to get noticed. You must also have a regular presence online and to use scheduling tools like Buffer to schedule your tweets when you can't be online. When engaging you should be consistent with your brand and focused.  If you are all over the place, it can confuse your followers.  Tweet about products related to your brand. Be creative with your tweets.  Turn a quote that you like into a headline.  Twitter is fast paced, so always remember to respond to your customers in a timely manner. 

Here you can see my Twitter analytics. I haven't been tweeting as much as usual, so that could be the reason for the decrease in mentions. 

In the second article 6 Ways to Market Your Business on Twitter by Hicks Crawford of Social Media Today, he echos some of the tips mentioned in the first article.   Mr. Hicks starts with an excellent bio.  The bio is the first thing someone sees when they are considering following you.  You should find people in your industry, follow and interact with them.  Tweeting on a regular basis, making sure to engage and retweet.  Offer incentives to your followers like rewards.  And using images and video instead of plain text tweet.  This will increase your clicks and retweets by 3 to 4 times.

Here are my top 3 things you must do to be successful on Twitter:

Be Consistent- Focus on your brand and tweet information related to your business.

Be Present- Tweet on a regular basis and engage with industry leaders and followers. 

Be Creative- Use images and videos with your tweets to get more notice, clicks and retweets. 

Being successful on Twitter isn't going to happen overnight.  It takes being consistent, present, and creative.  Have a message and a focus.  Share relevant and meaningful information that relates to your brand.  

Please feel free to connect with me on Twitter @dancingvalentin!

6 Ways to Market Your Business on Twitter

6 Ways to Market Your Business on Twitter

6 Ways to Market Your Business on Twitter

Peepoc.com (Social Polling Website) Review

I was asked to review a new social polling website called Peepoc.com.  Peepoc.com is where you can post a question, vote on polls and share your opinion.  When I signed in I found out I was already following six people.

I like that there are different communities to join and trending polls. There are still a few things for them to work out. I wasn't able to register with Facebook or Twitter, but did register with my email address.

Be warned if you're a procrastinator like me Peepoc.com is a definite time suck.  I found myself exploring, reading and answering polls.  I enjoyed my time on Peepoc.com and meeting people from around the world.  I even created my own poll. It was very easy to do! Check it out below.

Is it more important to eat right or work out every day to lose weight?
— asked by

Go to Peepoc.com to find out more. Or you can download the app on Google Play or iTunes.

 
Disclaimer:  Peepoc.com is free to join. I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.  The opinions and experience are my own and results may vary.

Happy New Year From The Elements of Review

Well 2014 was a busy year. Sadly not so much for this blog.  With moving to Toronto from Vancouver it has taken me a little longer to adjust than I thought. I think we have finally settled in. I will try to do more reviews of products and restaurants in the Toronto.  Also, I will be making my annual trip to Chicago.  I already have a few restaurants in mind for review. If you have a product or service you would like to review please contact me at chidiva68@gmail.com. I do giveaways as well.  I'm also trying to get into social media marketing too.
If you're looking for someone to help market your product via social media please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm looking to take my career to the next level.  I hope this will a very prosperous year for us all!
Thank you for reading my blog.

I can be reached at chidiva68@gmail.com, or on Twitter @dancingvalentin or on Facebook.

My thoughts about BlogHer13

I know BlogHer13 has been over for weeks, but I was very busy visiting family and friends in Chicago and now that I'm in Vancouver I can formulate my thoughts about the conference.

When I got off the bus in front of McCormick Place I thought I would see a big banner welcoming us to the conference.  Or at least someone out front telling us where to go.  There wasn't any of that.  I followed some arrows and ended up interrupting a commercial shoot. Embarrassed I finally found my way.

I was intimidated because this was my first blogging conference.  Immediately I realized that going to BlogHer by yourself is a bore.  I saw a lot of people meeting and greeting.  I knew no one! I had to force myself to make small talk which did bring me out of my comfort zone.  Met some very interesting people,  The sessions were good, but I noticed that more often than not there would always be two sessions that I wanted to attend happening at the same time,

I liked a lot of the brands.  Although I was hoping to see more beauty and health brands.  There was a ton of food and after sampling for a couple of hours I had no room for lunch.  The first day lunch was awesome.  I believe it was Greek food.

When I handed someone my card I wonder did they take me seriously or just took the card because I offered it? Did they sense that I really didn't know what I was doing or notice that I wasn't as forceful as some of the other bloggers?  I was glad I brought extra bags with me because it was true about the amount of swag.  I was happy I had three weeks in Chicago to either use it up myself or give it out to family and friends. 

My favorite bag of swag from CVS

BlogHer was great and I would go again especially if it was in Chicago or NYC. I have realized in the past few weeks what I want to do with my life.  I want to do social media marketing.  I really enjoy developing a strategy of how to inform others about a brand and introducing brands to other brands via social media.  Hoping to make that dream a reality within the next year!