16 steps to making your blog essays more viral

Saturday, July 28, 2012

« Is youth wasted on the young? | Full List | Facebook Page Increases Reach By 1,047% In 4 Days By Posting 5 Times

Permalink :: E-mail This :: RSS Subscribe

A dear friend I've known forever is a freelance writer. Distance and decades have intervened, so we don't see each other that much these days.

But this morning I was glad to find a newsy message in my inbox from this friend. As a postscript to tidbits about family and mutual friends, he wrote this:

On another note, do you have any suggestions as to how I can make my blog essays more viral?

You bet I do. Here are just a few:

Create a Facebook Page for your freelance writing business.

Invite all your Facebook friends to Like your Page.

Every time you add new Facebook friends, invite them to Like your Page.

Become a fan of ("Like") Facebook Pages dedicated to the topics and issues you tend to blog about.

Add the above Facebook Pages to YOUR Page's Favorites.

Post links to every blog essay on your Page.

Use the "SCHEDULE OR BACKDATE feature" to space out your posts and to post links to essays you wrote prior to creating your page.

In the "Write something..." box, write a description that compels followers to engage: i.e., to click on the link, to Like, to Comment, to Share.

Don't rely on the description that automatically appears in the link box; add a short sentence or two that summarizes your essay and gives people a reason to read it.

Also in that description, creatively mention (tag) Facebook Pages whose fans might be interested the essay. (These would be Pages you have Liked and add to your Page's Favorites. Those Pages' "Permissions" settings might permit your post to appear on their Pages.)

Cross-post ("Share") your Page's posts on your PERSONAL Facebook profile/timeline. In the "Write something..." box, invite (cajole/shame/etc.) your Facebook friends to Like, Comment, and Share.

Ideally, allow some time (an hour or so) to pass between the time you posted on your Page and the time you Share on your personal timeline. Doing so will improve the chances your post will be seen AND avoids bombarding friends who are also Page fans.

Post to your Page regularly and often. (Only about 1 in 6 of your Page's fans will see every post.) Exactly what "regularly and often" varies, depending on a whole bunch of factors.

Check your Facebook Page's Insights (analytics) regularly to learn which posts invite the most engagement. Apply what you learn.

On your Page, share posts from other Pages (most likely the ones you've Liked and added to your Page's Favorites) when those posts relate to the issues and topics you write about.

Did I mention "Post to your Page regularly and often"?

HTH.

Jeff Cohan

Permalink :: E-mail This :: RSS Subscribe

« Is youth wasted on the young? | Full List | Facebook Page Increases Reach By 1,047% In 4 Days By Posting 5 Times

Metro Atlanta-based nSiteful Web Builders is a full-service Web design & development firm. We have designed and built (and continue to maintain) Web sites and Web applications for businesses and organizations representing a variety of industries all over the country.

nSiteful specializes in dynamic, database-driven Web sites and Web applications for small and medium-size businesses and organizations for whom a robust, professional and compelling Web presence is instrumental to their sales, marketing, customer service and operational strategies.

nSiteful's Graphic Design division — nSiteful Designs — provides graphic design services for Print, Audio, Video and Interactive as well as for the Web.

Visit our Gallery for samples of our work.

nSiteful (sounds like "Insightful") doesn't start with an "i" because you come first.

Resources from nSiteful 16 steps to making your blog essays more viral

Resources from nSiteful
16 steps to making your blog essays more viral