How to share effectively on Twitter

Whether it be sharing your work, or what I like to do, share others work, here are some tips to help you do it more effectively and win at this Twitter bizzo.

1. Use share buttons

Most sites these days have a plethora if ways you can share straight from the page you are reading.

On blog sites, this is usually at the end of a post, or a pop up that comes out from the side of the page. I prefer the ones that are located at the end of the post. Those pop up ones are sometimes really annoying and only serve to cover up most of what I am trying to read.

If you have your own website, I cannot stress enough to make sure you have sharing options available, and to make sure they work. I want to share your work, and other people will want to as well.

Important as well, if you have a 'follow' Twitter button, make sure, when clicked it takes the reader to YOUR Twitter feed, so they can easily follow you.

2. Use your tweet to your optimum advantage

What I mean by this, it to make sure you use every available character (you have 140 of them to use) to your advantage.

Some tweets from a web page will have room to add something else. So hashtag the hell out of that tweet. Add a hashtag in front of any relevant word in the tweet.

Most twitter users search for hashtags, and a lot of tweets are liked, retweeted or shared again in online publications, because of their subject matter.

As of late last year, the 'favourite' option, with a star icon, was changed to 'like', with a heart icon. I have only just cottoned on to this.

From 87 characters remaining, to the one below, tagged to the shitter with 4 remaining characters left.

3. Tag the author of the post you are sharing

This lets the author know you admired their work. It lets them know who is sharing and what. If you are lucky (or the person you tagged has good twitter etiquette), they will retweet you, or like your tweet.

4.  Be a gracious tweety bird

If you are retweeted or you tweet is shared on an online publication, be gracious and thank them for retweeting/including you.

I feel so glad when something I have shared, is shared on a wider scale, beyond Twitter. I love seeing someone else being recognised for their work all because I shared it in the first place. Plus I get my gorgeous mug(totally tongue in cheek) and twitter handle shared about as well. Which really is good advertising for my blog, and good karma coming back at me.

The middle tweet from My blogworld, telling me one of my tweets has been shared in their online publication.
The shared tweet below in that publication.

5. Choose your handle wisely

Your twitter handle is the words after the @ sign of your twitter user name. Mine is @alleychook. I wish I had chosen wiser.

Early in the process of blogging, I had no idea of social media and unifying all my accounts with my blog name. In hindsight I should have made the name of my blog my twitter handle.

It makes it easier for people to remember when tagging, and makes it easier for people to associate your blog, with your tweets. 

Being a part of Twitter definitely has it's advantages. I am not an active user as in browsing the millions of tweets that happen everyday. Who has time for that shiz?! I have found it invaluable for sharing my own and others work on the interwebs though.

Bonus tip:

Create yourself a unique hashtag over all of your social media accounts and spread that shit like glitter.

I have created #openslather, #onemotherkitchen, #onemotherkids, and #onemothergarden. If someone searches or clicks on one of those hashtags, all of your relevant work will come up. Easy share, and easy exposure. In theory. You have to do all of the hash tagging work.

Do this in the tags on your blog posts, photos your share on social media and posts you share on social media.

Happy Tweeting!


Are you on Twitter?

How have you found your Twitter experience?

Are you using your social media to the best of it's ability?

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

I made this soup last Friday. I had one of those cook-up days; muffins, soup and stir fry. Good comfort cooking on a freezing cold day.

I shared my soup on social media, Instagram first, then shared it to Facebook(or Facey, as I like to call it). Endearing isn't it, even though Facey isn't giving us bloggers much love back. I also try to remember to share it to Google+.

I had a conversation with someone a couple of weeks ago about Facebook, they had no idea of my over-sharing tendencies. I didn't flaunt the fact either. You might call it 'not sticking up for myself'. I call it 'I don't like unnecessary confrontation'.

They said they didn't have time for people on FB sharing what they had for dinner. She didn't have time for it.

Fair enough. Each to their own.

I had a similar conversation with a library lady about food blogs in general. She was unbeknown to my blogging tendencies and commented that she found people that shared what they eat, boring.

I do feel kinda bad that I don't stick up for us bloggers in those situations. But if they don't like it, who am I to try convert them. I think I will just come across as some sort of blog pusher. If it's not their thing, it's not their thing.

So I will continue to be boring virtuous, no matter what they think and flaunt my #onemotherhenkitchen exploits, loudly and proudly, as boring to some as it may be. If you are one of those people, fark you(just quietly). I don't like confrontation, remember.

I think I am being inspiring. I inspire people to cook, just simple home cooked stuff, with simple yummy ingredients to make a decent meal. At least that's what I hope someone takes from my boring blogging.

To tell the truth, the more of my recipes I blog, the more I am finding I use my blog as my own personal cookbook.

I have my laptop on the bench top all the time! Unless the kids are using it for Youtube, I find myself googling my own recipes, instead of getting my hand written book of recipes out. Totally convenient. Just maybe when my kids are older they will google one of their mum's recipes too.

Because I am not above using rude words, I am often calling something that tastes good, Yum-ch-arse. If it is extremely good, you will find me licking the plate(only in the comfort of my own home though), however I am totally tempted when out for dinner. If you see me scraping the plate with my knife to get all the flavour off the plate, you can be sure I am attempting to lick the plate with poise.

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

1 x 375 gram packet of dry red lentils, rinsed
1 sweet potato, chopped into 2cm cubes(I left the skin on, it's up to you whether you peel it)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 coriander roots and stems
1.5 litres of water, or stock

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, fry the onion, garlic, celery, coriander roots and stalks until soft on a medium heat. Add the coriander powder and cook for a minute.

Throw in the lentils, sweet potato and water. Bring to the boil, then simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Blend with a stick blender. Serve.

I have garnished with chilli oil, greek yogurt and flat leaf parsley(you can use coriander if you have it). Yumcharse! :D

As a footnote, this is one of the photos and tips I've shared on Instagram. These are the leftover roots and stems of store bought coriander. I chucked them in the freezer to use in soups and casseroles. Flavour that would have otherwise been chucked in the chook scraps, or in the bin.

Don't say I don't give you the hot tips! ;P

An InLinkz Link-up