Blogger Buddies Series: My Top Apps for Blogging (iPhone)

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of my Blogger Buddies Series.

This post is going to be about my favorite apps for blogging!

So let’s get started.

First is, of course, the Blogger app for iPhone.

This app has saved me so many times because there are days when I completely forget that I have to do a blog post for the next day and I start freaking out. So when that happens I just pull out my phone and finish the post so that it can be uploaded and if I need to add pictures I can add them later. I can also view my blog through the app which makes it easy to find recent posts without having to go into my slow browser. I also do a lot of my proofreading on this app because I can do it on the go, and I am pretty much always “on the go”.

Next is the Bloglovin’ app.

Bloglovin’ in generally is a great site but the mobile app makes it so much asker to read blogs when I am not at my computer. I can also easily share the posts that I really like to my social media networks.

Next is the Glipho app

Glipho is a wonderful little tool that I started using for my blogging a few months ago. And I have really fallen in love with it because it makes blogging social. Sharing posts is so much easier on this site and it's really like a blogging social media site.

Next is Luvocracy

A lot of people don't know what Luvocracy is. I found out about it when I went to the +iFabbo Social Media Conference last year and I use it pretty much everyday now. Basically it is a site where you recommend products that you like for other people to see and buy. When I write a review on a product I recommend the product on Luvocracy and then put a link to my review in the description.

Next is Dragon Dictation

This app is so wonderful. All you have to do is talk and it will transcribe everything that you say. This makes blogging on the go so awesome because I don't even have to type!

Evernote

I use this app to brainstorm ideas for posts and write ideas down so that I don't forget them. And the best part about this app is that all of my notes are synched so I can view them on my computer and on my phone.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is quite amazing. I can manage my social media sites from one app and it makes scheduling posts a breeze.

Side note: As a blogger if you are not scheduling your updates then you don't know what you're missing (:

Well guys that is it for this post!

What are your favorite apps for blogging? Let me know in the comments!

Be safe and I will see you in my next post!

       

 

BLOGGER BUDDIES SERIES: Using Pinterest and Tumblr for Blogging

Hello lovelies! I am back with another Blogger Buddies post and this is going to be about using Pinterest and Tumblr for Blogging. 

So let's get started!

One thing that Pinterest and Tumblr are really good for are inspiration. So one thing that I do on pinterest is keep an inspiration board. This is where I pin things that inspire me or things that make me think. I use this board to get out of writers block and I also use it to come up with new post ideas! The same is true for Tumblr. When I see something that inspires me I will reblog it so that i can find it later. You can even create a whole Tumblr blog just for things you find inspiring!

Another great idea is (obviously) to sahre your images and/or videos on Pinterest and Tumblr. This can get your blog noticed by a wider audience. A few tips on this:

• (Pinterest only) I recommend creating a whole board just for pictures and images from your blog. This keeps your other boards from getting cluttered
• Use Hastags. This will ensure that your posts are getting seen by people who share your interests. Be careful! Too many hashtags can override a post. Normally you should only about three.
• Write your own description. Obviously you do not want to write a novel but you want to describe your image and/or video in an interesting way so that people are intrigued by it

Probably the best feature about Pinterest and Tumblr is that you can easily interact with your audience and a build a relationship with them. By liking, repinning/reblogging and commenting on other people's post you are interacting with potential readers. Eventually people will start to do the same to you. This will get your pins noticed by others and can also build your audience. I am a firm believer in building strong relationships since blogging is essentially a team sport!

The biggest part of using these social media outlets is just posting content that is interesting to your audience and making sure that you are engaging with them. And remember to give praise to others because if it is just an endless parade of you then you may not get a very good response from others. And remember, it's those relationships you build that are important!

Well guys that is it for this post!

How do you use Pinterest and/or Tumblr for your blogging needs? Let me know in the comments!

Be safe and I will see you in my next post!

       

BLOGGER BUDDIES SERIES: Expand Your Blog (:

Hello friends I am back with another installment for my Blogger Buddies series (: this post is going to be about expanding your blog which means different things for different people but for me it just means getting your name out there and establishing it (:

So let's get started!

Step #1: Social Media

Social media is your best friend! (: This is how people are going to be able to find you and, more importantly, this is how they are going to know who you are (: 

So what you want to do first is figure out what social media sites you want to commit yourself to and keep in mind guys that you do not have to be on every single social media site. I mean really who has time to keep up with all of that? 

So I would say pick 3 or 4 that you are really going to commit to using regularly and use them well! Use them every single day! There should not be a day where you are not pinning, instagramming, facebooking or twittering hehe (:

Step #2: What is your name?

Okay so you have your go to social media sites now you have to sign up for them but first you need a name guys! So what should it be?

I would recommend using something that is extremely close to the name of your blog, why? Because you are building a brand people, which means you want all of your social media to reflect your blog and draw others to it (: for example:

So as you guys can see I try to stick with a very uniform theme I always want to have my name and something that describes what my blog is about, beauty obviously is really self explanatory and it isn't too narrow.

Step #3: Tell others about you

When social media sites ask for a description...give them one! That is the first thing that your viewers are going to see and it may just be what makes them click that follow button so you really want to give them a taste of who you are. 

I am not saying that it has to be long but your should write something. Never leave your description blank

Step 4: Follow others with the same interests

Just because you are on social media does not mean that you are automatically going to gain a thousand followers, you have to work for it. Follow other people and interact with them, make friends and I promise the numbers will come!

Another idea is to join chats, I know that beauty, fashion and lifestyle bloggers have chats on Twitter every once in a while and I met a lot of great people through those chats. Remember you have to put yourself out there if you want people to notice you!

Step #5: Join communities

Communities are something that I am discovering but they are great ways to meet people that have the same interests as you do and great ways to get your name out there.

Join groups on Facebook for example:

The Beauty Blogger Bunch was one of the first groups that I ever joined and I have met some fantastic people since I have been a part of it.

There are hundreds of thousands of groups on Facebook all you have to do is find the ones that you like (:

Another option is Google+ Communities for example:

If you have a Google+ account then you have access to all of these great communities that you can join and interact with other people who like the same things you do (:

Google+ is really starting to become part of my social media routine now that I have discovered this amazing feature.

What social media sites are you on? Leave your links in the comments below and lets be friends!

Okay guys that is it for this post (: 

Be safe and I will see you in my next post!

Lets be friends!!

http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty

BLOGGER BUDDIES SERIES! How To Start Blogging (:

Hello beauty friends I am back with another series post! (: I am very excited for this one because even though I know that I have not been blogging for that long I feel like I still have something too offer to those that are just starting out (:

So let's get to it! (:

Step one: Find a topic

You can't very well start writing a blog until you find something to write about. You can write a blog on just about anything that you want! All you have to find something that you really like and start writing, it's that simple. You do not need to be the best writer or have a degree or anything, that's the beauty of being a blogger! You're like an unofficial journalist (:

I have had so many blogs in the past six years, most that have never really made it off of the ground. Some of the topics I have written about are, tips for students, entertainment and celebrities, my personal life, reptiles (yes reptiles) and of course poetry (:

So as you can see you really can start a blog about anything, the sky is the limit!

Step two: Find a platform that works for you

V.S.

In all my time blogging I have only every used blogger. I tried using Wordpress once for this blog because I thought it would make it more professional but I found Wordpress much too difficult for me to operate so I ended up coming back to blogger (:

However, I know plenty of bloggers who successfully use Wordpress and it works for them so all I can really do is tell you of my experience and tell you to try them both to see which one is best for you (:

So for Blogger all you need is a Google account and you are already signed up for blogger (: all you need to do is go to blogger.com and from there it will give you instructions on how to start your blog.

Wordpress is a little different and like I said I do not have as much experience with Wordpress so I would recommend trying both and whichever one works for you that's the one you stick with.

Step three: Find a layout you like

The layout of your blog is basically how everyone is going to see your blog so it's pretty important but you want to make sure that it is something that you like. It is so easy to get caught up in how everyone else's blog looks that you can lose sight of what you want your blog to look like. Remember that it is yours and you can make it look however you want!

I know that Blogger has oodles of free layouts that you can use and customize the way that you want. I think Wordpress might but I do not know as much regarding Wordpress.

If you are feeling really not impressed with the free layouts you can always buy one or you can pay for a web designer to do your blog for you (:

Step four: Start writing!

So you can't have a blog without words (: once you get your platform and your layout and your topic all you have to do is start writing! Don't be scared that no one will see it or like it because that isn't the most important thing when you're starting out.

The most important thing is finding out who you are as a writer and what makes you different. Once you figure that out followers and comments will come I promise (:

Okay guys so this was just the bare minimum for starting a blog because when you're first starting out you do not have to worry about much.

I'll talk more about expanding your blog in my next Blogger Buddies post (:

Be safe and I will see you in my next post! (:

Lets be friends!!

http://glipho.com/ebonyjaybeauty

https://www.facebook.com/ebonyjaybeautymyway

http://pinterest.com/mynameisebonyj/

http://ebonyjaybeauty.tumblr.com/

https://twitter.com/EbonyJayBeauty

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ebonyjaybeauty