How To Correctly Use Social Media Branding

As a content creator, we want to engage with our audience by all means of social media and we make it easy for them to connect with us by linking directly to those outlets on our blog. Chances are, you are doing it wrong. 
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Why would I say that you are using social media buttons wrong on your blog? Mostly because I read blogs daily and I see it nine times out of ten. So let's start at the beginning.

When you first decided to make a blog or create digital content, you wrote and wrote a lot. Now that your content was out there, you sought out people to read that content. Then you found that you could connect your blog readers with your following from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc or vice versa. Having all of this helped you to create your influence.

Click to tweet: Are you using social media buttons wrong?

The easiest way to connect all of these social media outlets together is by linking to them within content or adding social media buttons to your blog. And if you had a blog design created for you, chances are they included CUSTOM social media buttons to help build your brand. But little does your designer, or you, know that those social media brands could take action against you!



If you look over at my sidebar, there to the right, I have some very generic social media buttons. Not only are these generic buttons recognizable, they follow each branded asset. What does that mean? Each social media outlet has a specific brand they represent and there are requirements put into place if you care to share their name, logo, text, etc.

Click to tweet: Why social media brands could take action against you! 

Now I want you to take a moment and look at your blog. Do you have the correct social media buttons? If not, I'd highly recommend you rectify that by using the correct branded assets per each social media outlet. I'll link to some popular ones below.

Facebook brand assets
Twitter brand assets
Instagram brand assets
Pinterest brand assets
Gmail brand assets

Were you aware that social media brands had requirements to use their logo?
Tell me, how long have you been blogging?
Don't forget to pin this for later. 
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In other news, there's a new Facebook community on the block called Bloggers Share the Love. Come join me and fellow bloggers in a world that will better assist our audiences. Click the image below. 

Five Things You Should NOT Be Blogging About

We all break rules every now and again, but are you blogging about any of these Five Things You Should NOT Be Blogging About?
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Ever been in a blogging rut, stuck on what you should post next to keep up with your blogging schedule of 5-7 posts per week? Then I am sure you have seen running lists from other bloggers or lists on Pinterest with ideas on what topics to write about. But have you ever thought that some of these topics could be harming your reach or engagement? Maybe these topics are overused, maybe your audience can't relate to them, or maybe they are just flat out boring.

Let's talk about things that you should NOT be blogging about. And always remember, you don't need to write every single day to keep your audience engaged and gain new readers - that is a fact!

1. Announcing a blogging break.

This is 100% not necessary! The few people that actually read this post could likely unsubscribe knowing that you will be MIA for a period of time. If you are interested in letting your loyal readers know that you are taking a quick, or long break, let them know via your social media outlets.

2. Announcing your return from a blogging break.

If you didn't announce you were having a break, chances are your audience didn't even notice. Even if you made a small announcement on social media, I bet you didn't reach your entire audience. Don't make people think that you aren't committed to your readers by providing quality content, at however many posts a week or month that means to you. 

3. Negativity.

Don't go posting negative complaints about a company or service, and don't go complaining about other bloggers. This puts an extremely sour taste in your reader's mouths and they will walk away quicker than you can apologize. It takes a really long time to rebuild your reputation, so don't put yourself in that situation.

4. Posts less than 300 words.

What can you possibly be talking about with less than 300 words? If you are finding a hard time to create more context, do a little research. Educate yourself on the topics, because after all, you are writing for your audience and they are turning to you for advice of some sort. Make it worth their time to return to your page post after post. 

5. Blogging anniversary.

Cool! Congratulations, you made it another year blogging. But what does that mean for your audience? Have they been following from day one? Chances are no. Sure, the length of time you have been blogging adds a sense of professionalism so include your founding date in your bio or about me page and save your blogging anniversary celebrations for social media. 

Click to tweet: Are you writing about these Five Things You Should NOT Be Blogging About?

Are you guilty of blogging about any of these?

Do you have anything else that can be added to this list?

How To Follow Instagram Accounts With Push Notifications

It couldn't be any easier to be the first to know when your favorite Instagram account uploads a new photo or video. Stalking at its finest, people!
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Instagram is likely my favorite social media outlet, ever. There are no algorithms (just yet) so I don't miss out on anyone's beautiful photos and videos. However, I am just like everyone else and only have 24 hours in my day. That means, there are definitely times that I'm not able to scroll through to see if my favorite accounts uploaded anything since the last time I was on.


No worrys! You are able to receive push notifications for specific accounts each and every time they upload. As if we weren't already obsessed with social media, things just got a heck of a lot easier.

Click to tweet: Social media just got a whole lot more fun.

For some of you, this isn't brand new news but for others, you're welcome in advance. Follow these two simple steps to receive push notifications for your favorite accounts on Instagram.

Now that you know how to follow Instagram accounts with push notifications, did you see my #hackorwack video on Tuesday?

Click to tweet: Two steps to receive push notifications on your favorite Instagram account.

A video posted by Jenn (@atravelingwife) on Jan 12, 2016 at 6:46am PST

If you like hacks, I highly recommend you turn on push notifications for my account because I will be uploading a new #hackorwack every Tuesday (better known as #TryItTuesday). Get ready for some fun hacks that I will be testing!

Did you know that you can receive push notifications for your favorite Instagram accounts?

Who are your favorite accounts to follow on Instagram?

Have you ever used a potato peeler for anything other than potatoes or apples? Check out the Instagram video if you haven't already. 

What You Need To Know About Sponsored Content As A Reader

To non-bloggers, the world of blogging is completely foreign. Then trying to explain that there is money to be made by blogging can be even more confusing. There is so much involved when it comes to creating sponsored content (paid posts) that I want to break it down a bit for the readers.

The Pitch. It all starts with a pitch. The pitch is the foundation to all sponsored content. It creates a general foundation of what you can do, how you can help promote the brand/product, and how it might benefit your audience. Think of this like a resume for a job you are applying for. These pitches could be used when applying for campaigns through an agency or they could be emailed directly to the brand.

Click to tweet: What you need to know about sponsored content as a reader.

The Disclosure. The FTC has endorsement guidelines and bloggers are not exempt from this. We are required to inform our audience when a product is given to us for review or when payment is received for a post. Any time product, service, or payment is exchanged, we must tell our readers and it must be done before the mention of that product or service. You might be familiar with canned statements near the top of a post and you might be confused why a handful of bloggers are using the same statement. This could be required for that particular campaign - we post it because we have to. Just know that these disclosures are included for any and all endorsements so we are not misleading you as a reader.



What you read is only part of the work. The content you read in a sponsored post is only a portion of the work. Notice the photography and links - these all take time, lots of time. The photography needs to be staged for aesthetics and taken in good lighting. Think, for every post that contains 5 photos, there are dozens of other photos that were edited out. I typically take 50-80 photos to get 3-5 great shots that are blog worthy. Don't get me wrong, there are some people that can get the perfect shot the first time, but most bloggers want options. Also, specific links need to be included based on the campaign guidelines. These required links that direct you to a specific page must be coded to instruct some search engines that the hyperlink should not influence ranking. I could create a whole post talking about nofollow links. 

This is just a portion of a behind-the-scenes for sponsored content. If you are interested in reading about sponsored content from the bloggers point of view, What You Need To Know About Sponsored Content - For Bloggers is for you. 

Are there any specific questions you have regarding sponsored content? 
Have you ever been able to capture a perfect photo on the first shot?

What You Need To Know About Sponsored Content - For Bloggers

Blogging is such a unique hobby that can often turn into a career. For me, I started blogging just to tell my story and as a way to connect with family when I moved from Michigan to California. It has then turned into my full-time job. I, of course, monetize my blog because I don't know anyone that willingly wants to work for free.



There are many, many, many ways to monetize a blog. Adding advertisements, affiliate links, sponsored content, or charging for services are just a few examples. But today I want to talk specifically about sponsored content. As a blogger, it is important to remember that you don't have to qualify to ANYONE how and why you are making money - more on this later.

As a blogger, you know that sponsored content can come from nearly anywhere. You could receive an email from a brand or marketing firm, get leads from agencies, campaigns from communities, or you could be contacted via social media. Really, the work is endless and can be found in every nook and cranny of the inter web. Here are some of my takeaways from creating sponsored content.

Be transparent. Your readers are your friends and you wouldn't deceive your friends, would you? Tell them who you are working with, how you are getting paid (money and/or product), how this specific product or service can benefit them, and tell them up front. Not only are you required to be open and honest with your audience by the FTC, but it helps build rapport and authenticity.

Say no. Some products and services just aren't a good fit for you personally or your audience. Sure, you saw that they were willing to pay you $150 for a simple 300 word blog post, but if it doesn't benefit your audience's needs, then it will not benefit you. When readers see unauthentic content, they will likely not return to read in the future. Don't harm your brand by accepting every offer that comes your way.

Try new things. If a brand presents you an offer and you've never tried the product or service, give it a try. Again, take into consideration the above comment about saying no, unless you think this product could really benefit your audience.

Click to tweet: What You Need To Know About Sponsored Content - For Bloggers

Promote. Creating content just isn't enough. Sure, the requirements of your sponsored campaign were only to write 300 words, but if you are not promoting through all outlets, your post won't be seen. If your post isn't seen or does poorly, your relationship with the brand will likely not advance. I've been creating free content for years and promoting my own work. I don't know why someone wouldn't want to give all their effort to do the same for paid work.

Do not qualify what you do. This is the most important to me. Opportunities come and go as they please. Some months are busier than others when it comes to paid work, so why not take advantage of it. Remember, this is my job. If you see two or three sponsored posts one week from fellow bloggers, comment on their work and take mental notes on how you can achieve this. They are working hard just like you to do what they love. There is no reason to apologize or make up excuses to qualify why you would want to make money from your work. I find that it's best to remain authentic to my audience and try my best to share products and services even if I'm not being paid to share them.

Another note, if your sponsored posts are evergreen and directed towards your audience, they won't mind one bit that you were paid for it. Heck, it benefited them by helping to solve a problem or inspired them to create something - it's a win for everyone.
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Stay tuned for part two: What You Need To Know About Sponsored Content As A Reader. Here I share what readers need to understand when it comes to creating sponsored content.

Do you think I missed any key points for working on sponsored content?
Are you a blogger or a reader?

Bloggers are Liars

How many bloggers do you know? Probably a lot - dare I say hundreds? But do you really know why those bloggers blog? I think at least half of those bloggers are lying about why they blog and who they blog for.
Don't leave and unfollow me just yet. Hear me out first then you are welcome to leave hate mail and never return to this site!!

"I blog for me." How many times have you heard this? I know a lot of bloggers that blog for themselves as an outlet to express their internal feelings or maybe to just be creative. There is no hidden agenda behind these bloggers. They sit each and every day, or whenever inspired, to write and write about whatever they feel speaks to them. These bloggers aren't looking to increase their readers overnight nor looking to make a buck. Sure, they would be super happy if someone left a comment saying that they can relate to their post or that they found it helpful but that doesn't deter them from coming back the next day. Overall, they manage and maintain their blog just because it's fun to them.

Now we have the rest of the liars. Yup, those that offer massive giveaways, accept paid advertisers (from other bloggers that are just trying to survive), allow guest posts, accept products for reviews, and so on but yet still insist they blog solely for themselves.This is not everyone out there but I am going to say there are far too many of them!

The blogging world is a wonderful thing because it gives each author the freedom to really do whatever they want. I mean, if you really wanted to create a brand new identity over the internet rather than showcasing your real life then there is nothing 'wrong' with that. I think I would change my name to Tempest or Stryker if I did that. Ooh, future baby names... maybe? Kidding!

So this has kind of turned into a rant post but it irks me to see bloggers running around the dot com world saying that they blog for themselves because it's a way to keep in touch with family and friends. Riddle me this then, why are they accepting $5-$80 for a 30 day sponsor spot on their blog? Also, does their family and friends really care if there is a guest post on their blog? Does the family and friends even know what a guest post is? Or the reason behind bloggers sponsoring one another? Chances are no! 

When bloggers start charging money for sponsorships, they can no longer say they blog for themselves. I am not saying it is wrong to accept money, products, services, gifts, or anything else from blogging. But it is wrong to be deceitful about it. In the end, we are all just bloggers no matter why or for whom. 

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Let me just say that I would not and cannot consider myself one of these liars because I have never stated on my blog that I do it for myself. If I have published those words please prove me wrong. I have never accepted money from any blogger that advertises on my sidebar (even though I would love someone to pay me to host their beautiful face on my blog). I do accept products and services to review as well as accept money in return to write a post. I also have allowed other bloggers to guest post on my blog while I have been away on vacation. So go ahead and hate me for calling other bloggers liars... The reason why I blog is because one day I was bored - true story.

Now I am curious, why do you blog?