Blogging And The Use of Social Media 

I have been blogging for about two and a half years now and it’s always fascinated me the opinions of bloggers on how the use or abuse of social media should be used in relation to your blog.

There are of course many reasons people blog. Some to make money, others to chronicle their children’s and family lives and undoubtedly some people just love to write and record their ramblings. I’m pretty sure I fall into all three of those categories, but ultimately I write because I love it and it’s my record for my children when I’m long gone.

Of course when I do write something I like to think people are reading it, but I’m not arrogant enough to think people will read it without me promoting my posts. The fact that I do paid work also means I need to promote those posts and the reason is simple. I feel it’s only fair and right that somebody has paid me therefore the very least I can do is get it maximum exposure and hopefully get whichever brand I’m working with will be promoted a bit more.

For me this is where social media has a use that is unparalleled you can promote it to within an inch of its life and does it matter. For example, on Twitter a tweet is gone in about 15 minutes. A very small window of opportunity to get your latest post out so, yes I tweet the same post four or five times. I would like to have it read and Facebook is the same. I use it to promote my posts. All of us, if we are honest write a post and would like it read, not just sit on our blogs with three views and no comments.

We all want our writing to get a reaction whether that is good, bad or indifferent, any reaction, but obviously good would be nice.

Of course social media is very good at conversation and communication and can be loads of fun to chat with friends, family and fellow bloggers.

But it is also a workhorse for bloggers and there is no reason that it can’t be both. There is room on social media for whatever we deem fit to use it for.

Blogging today is a serious money making machine. It’s an industry that is standing alone and growing beyond most people’s expectations and imaginations, and as a blogger that would like to earn money from my blog I use all and every type of promotional tool available which of course includes social media.

PR companies want a return on their investment and why shouldn’t they. They have to justify the expense to the brand and that’s simply how business works, and blogging once money is involved is a business. Tweeting a paid post four or five times, is it really any different from having numerous billboards all over the city or the same advert in numerous newspapers? In my opinion it’s not.

Using social media to promote your blog or particular paid blog posts should not be look down upon. It’s simply fulfilling your obligations to the PR. And of course we would all like those views. I do. 

Would love to know your thoughts.