More Mileage from Your Blog Post: 6 Ways to Promote and Share Content

Before we dive in: How often should you promote the same post? That completely depends on your blog, the social media network, your posting frequency, and your followers. Thanks to the ever changing algorithms of social media (I’m looking at you, Facebook!) and the quick movement of other feeds (like Twitter), we know that not every follower sees every post, so sharing the same post multiple times means that you probably won’t catch the same segment of your audience with each post.Additionally, the benefit of using these different strategies is that the post doesn’t always *look* like the same post, so even if someone sees the same post shared twice, it won’t be using the exact same photo, wording, etc. so it won’t feel like a repeat. These strategies give you extra tools to use, so you can share a variety of types of posts, play up all the aspects of your hard work and great content, and learn what works best for your followers. Now let’s get to it!

6 Ways to Share Your Content

(Note: My primary experience is with DIY and home projects and Facebook, so these strategies have been tried and tested there, but obviously these can also be successful with other topics and on other networks like Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, or wherever else.)

#1 Headline It

This is kind of cheating, because this is the DUH type of promoting, which I’m sure you’re already doing — talking up the high point, the awesome thing, the thing that makes your post worth the click. Obviously, this is important!

#2 Show The Before

Especially when you’re working with DIY, before and afters are a big deal. Before pictures are also a great way to increase click-throughs to your site from a social network, although your mileage may vary depending on your audience and the social network. Mix it up a little bit and use photos of different stages for different projects: before photos, photos of supplies, in-process photos, etc. Just a little something to make them wonder, and possibly click. I also vary the copy (text) that I use to introduce befores — sometimes short and sweet, sometimes longer talking more about the project and why I did what I did, and sometimes asking a question like “What would you have done with X?”

BUT don’t overuse this strategy OR over promise. Click bait (a la “you’ll never believe this!”) gets old and annoying FAST, so if you’re going to be click-baity like that, you *have* to live up to the promise or risk alienating (and irritating) followers.

#3 Sneak Peek

This is the same principle as #2 — leave a little to the followers’ imagination, encourage them to click to see the whole story. A good-looking detail shot of a finished product doesn’t come across as begging for clicks, but it can encourage clicks just as effectively, depending on the project and the text you use to introduce it.

An alternate use of the strategy is sharing a completed small part of a larger project, such as a smart tip you used in the process, like using zipper sandwich bags to keep paintbrushes from drying out during a project or measuring shortening without dirtying up your measuring cup when you make your world-class muffins.

#4 Compare and Contrast

Unless you’re a brand new beginning blogger, you probably have several similar posts on your site. “This or That” type of questions allow readers to interact with a post and can encourage them to click to one or both of the posts (provided that you include the links, of course). Posts can be similar (or contrasting) in topic, material used, cost, use, color, season — you get the idea.

#5 Added Value, Additional Application

So, you have a really great idea whose primary use (see #1) is awesome — but it also has another way that you can use it? Added value! Share that. For example, a yummy recipe you shared makes a perfect party appetizer, but adjusting the portions makes it perfect for a light lunch, or swapping out one ingredient for another makes it a kid snack instead of an adult appetizer.

#6 Video

If you follow any of the “hot” topics on social media, you’ve heard pretty much everyone talk about how video is the next frontier. A process video, how-to-use-it video, video of the project in action — even a short video (10-15 seconds) can add value to your post, and give you an additional way to share your post on social media.

Keep these strategies in mind as you are prepping and writing your post to help you to diversify your promotion and marketing on a single post, which will help you to reach more of your audience (since different segments may respond differently to different aspects of your posts).

So, how do you feel about adding these ideas to your social media toolbelt? I hope you find this helpful, and I’d love to hear your social media tips and successes in the comments!Lu (or Lorene if you prefer) is the mom of 3 kids and wife of a singing and dancing elementary teacher. She happily shows up here at Housewife Eclectic a few times a month, when the creative bug strikes in between projects at her awesome job as a virtual assistant. You can check out her other projects here on Housewife Eclectic, or her former blogger life and projects over at just Lu.