#may try to add more information or link to bios/tags something later

[fanby-fckry]

📌 Welcome friends, foes, and passersby to my personal piece of fandom hell.

About My Blog:

18+ only; minors will be blocked

Please, please put your age in your bio!

No further DNI, but I will block bigots, bullies, and blank blogs. Terfs, aphobes, and exclusionists please exit the blog and find a hobby that isn’t bullying queer people on tumblr.

This blog was originally created as a way for me to share my fanfiction and accept requests, but has since expanded to incorrect quotes, memes, and occasionally non-fandom bs.

It runs pretty much entirely on queue and scheduled posts. I don’t have notifs turned on for the app, so I may take a while to respond to messages and asks.

Fandoms:

The Amazing Devil (Band)

Doctor Who

Fullmetal Alchemist

Harry Potter – I do not support JKR

Hazbin Hotel

Helluva Boss

Steven Universe

The Witcher

I tend to cycle through them based on the whims of my ADHD brain, and when each is posted is unknown even to me.

Tags:

#Fanby’s Fuckery – All original posts (minus ramblings)

#Fanby’s Fics – My fanfiction

#Fanby’s Headcanons – My headcanons and occasionally a few scattered plot bunnies

#Fanby Answers – Answered asks

#Fanby Adds – Reblogs where I add something (that I think is) significant

#Fanby’s Ramblings – Rants, ramblings, screaming into the void, and other general mumblings of madness that I don’t want clogging up my main tag

#Not OSHA Compliant – Content with kink and/or sexual and/or suggestive themes; original posts may also be marked with the mature filter

#Undescribed – Posts with images that do not have image descriptions

#Functionally Described – Posts that don’t have dedicated image descriptions, but describe the image in the post

#Not Fandom – Any posts not related to fandoms or fics

Posts and memes about my fics are tagged #Fanby: [fic name]

Common triggers are tagged #[trigger] cw

If you’d like something tagged, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Accessibility:

I’m currently going through old posts for an accessibility update, but once that’s done…

Original posts will all have image descriptions

IDs under two-hundred characters will be in the alt text.

IDs over two-hundred characters will be in plain text.

If an image is meant to be reposted – for example, a meme template – then the ID will be in plain text for easy copy-pasting.

If you find my content inaccessible or have a way to make it more accessible, please please tell me. I’ve been doing research, but there’s a lot to learn – not to mention the conflicting information. Criticism in regards to accessibility is more than welcome.

Refs, Recs, and Resources:

#Fanby’s Ref Folder – Catchall tag for things I want to save to revisit later (working on phasing it out)

#AO3 Tips

#Crisis Tips

#Donate Here

#Fic Recs

#Inspo

#Internet Tips

#Life Tips

#Palestine Resources

Black-and-white thinking in fandom and resources for CBT, DBT, and addressing cognitive distortions.

About Me:

My name is Nico, I’m 25, and I write fanfic. I use they/them and xe/xem pronouns, and have a whole heap of queer labels I fall under. For more info on my labels and term preferences, check out my pronouns.page.

I’m part of an real life love triangle made up of myself, my fiancé, and our boyfriend.

If you wanna read more of my work, I’m on AO3 as fanby, and have some exclusive fics posted there.

Blog’s new, but I’m not. I was on this hellsite back in the ‘go nuts, show nuts’ golden age and when they finally shut this place down, staff will have to call animal control to remove me from the air vents like the rabid little raccoon I am <3

I have a twitter, but there’s literally nothing there that isn’t here. Check it out if you prefer Musk’s bird app, I guess?

Fanfic Masterlists:

Harry Potter – WIP

Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss

The Witcher

Kinktober

AO3 Exclusives – Links to the AO3 collection

Requests:

Requests are currently open for mutuals only. I’m trying to limit requests at the moment, but will make an exception for mutuals if I think I can swing it.

Will Write:

Angst with a happy ending

Hurt/comfort

Fluff

Familial relationships

Found family trope

X reader

OCs

Canon x OC

Any relationship style: platonic, queer platonic, romantic, sexual, D/s dynamics

Most kinks

Explicit kink

Non-explicit sexual content

Might Write:

Hurt/no comfort

Crossovers

OOC

Non-canon disabilities and mental illness *1

Alastor as a Voodoo practitioner*2

Explicit sexual content *3

*1 If I’m going to represent a marginalized group, I’m going to do my best to do so respectfully, even in fanfiction. If I’m not confident in my ability to do that, then I may choose not to.

That being said, I’m down to research and I have lived experience with chronic pain and a few mental illnesses. I am extremely confident in my ability to project my own experiences onto my blorbos, and do so quite frequently.

*2 This is mainly for the same reason I won’t write non-canon disabilities. Voodoo is highly misrepresented and I don’t want to contribute to that. I may write him as a past practitioner depending on the circumstances and as long as his current magic is not Voodoo-based.

My personal headcanon is that he grew up practicing Voodoo and ancestral magic, but burned bridges in the pursuit of power and lost support because being a serial killer is generally frowned upon. I usually write his current magic as non-specific, demonic, or Eldritch in nature.

*3 My ability to write explicit sexual content varies, so I’ll be taking this on a case by case basis.

Won’t Write – This Fandom-Specific Content:

Note: These are due to personal preference, deeply ingrained headcanons, and nunn’yuh (none ya business). I am not judging or condemning any of these ships/headcanons/etc. or people who make fanworks involving them; it’s just a comfort thing.

Hazbin Hotel:

Rosie in an NSFW context

Chalastor

Alastor x Niffty

Angel Dust shipped romantically with women

Vaggie shipped with men

The Witcher:

Yennefer bashing

Ciri (including adult!Ciri) shipped with any Wolf School Witcher

Ciri (including adult!Ciri) shipped with Jaskier/Dandelion

Won’t Write – This General Content:

Note: A good deal of this section falls under Kinktomato or YKINMKATO (Your Kink Is Not My Kink (And That's OK)) and DLDR (Don’t Like, Don’t Read) – just like, with writing instead of reading.

I’m not here to take sides in shipcourse or police other people’s writing; this is, again, about my own comfort level with writing certain topics. That’s it.

Scat/watersports/emeto kink

Adult x minor ships

Underage NSFW/smut/explicit, including any underage kink

Incest, including adoptive/step family

Detailed or romanticized non-con *1

Detailed or romanticized dub-con *1

Detailed or romanticized suicide *2

Detailed or romanticized self harm *2

*1 I can write aftermath of non-con/dub-con or attempted non-con/dub-con, but will not go into detail or portray it as in any way positive. I won’t write the reader or a canon characters as the perpetrator, unless it’s already in canon – AKA: The Valentino Exception. This does not include negotiated CNC, which I would consider writing under specific circumstances.

*2 Any time I write content involving suicide or suicidal ideation, I write with the National Recommendations for Depicting Suicide in mind.

The way suicide is portrayed in fiction can have real world consequences:

“Studies have shown that both news reports and fictional accounts of suicide in movies and television can lead to increases in suicide. In contrast, when depictions are done responsibly, the media can help to encourage help seeking, dispel myths, and reinforce hope – and ultimately save lives.”

(Source: Alliance for Suicide Prevention)

I am a suicide survivor and have lost loved ones to suicide as well, so this is deeply personal to me. If you’re struggling with self harm or suicidal thoughts, please hold on, and don’t be afraid to ask for help:

International Suicide Hotlines

Australia Lifeline: 13 11 14

Canada Talk Suicide: 1.833.456.4566

UK Samaritans: 116 123

USA Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988

[astral-athame]

Hello! My name is Sapph! Welcome to my RP blog!

This blog is for an indie, witch, OC of mine: Cassia Keller. I'm currently making a more well put together bio page for her (including different verses), but in the mean time, this is where you'll find all the information you need <3

(Last Update: 1/1/2024)

Here are a few things to know (Feel free to read just the bolded stuff if you’re in a hurry, the unbolded just elaborates):

Mun is 25+ and will only rp with those who are 18+! If you aren’t 18+ please don’t interact. I’m just not comfortable with it.

I don’t write much smut, so I apologize if things head that way and I end up dropping the thread without warning (I don’t usually drop threads intentionally, it’s probably just stuck in my drafts until I’m in the headspace to write it, but that day might never come, so I apologize).

I have a separate side blog for nsfw content! I'll might reblog some smutty over there, though in general I prefer to write it on discord. It's not a smut shaming thing and I'll never judge anyone for writing it on their main blog! I just don't feel confident in my smut writing abilities so I like to keep it a bit separate sometimes.

I’m super slow with replies most of the time. Totally feel free to give me a nudge if it’s been a while since I’ve replied. I lose track of stuff so easily and then feel like I’m not allowed to reply to it when I remember it because it’s been a while.

I’m technically semi-selective, but mostly not selective at all. Aside from the rule of only writing with muns who are 18+, I’m actually not particularly selective.

I’ll ship just about anything with just about anyone, but I still reserve the right to not ship with a character, especially on first interaction.

Cassia is bisexual, so I'll ship her with any gender &lt;3

REBLOG KARMA: I try to be respectful and reblog things from the source or from a meme blog or whatever because I understand why people don’t want to be feel like they’re being used as a meme source. If I ever reblog something from you that isn’t a reply, I’m sorry. I try not to let it happen, but sometimes it does.

That said: REBLOG WHATEVER YOU WANT FROM ME. Seriously, it doesn’t bother me at all. You don’t even have to send me a meme to reblog it. Just... go ahead. Reblog it. It’s totally fine by me <3 (Though I would definitely prefer if you sent me a meme when you reblog.)

OOC conversation can be really hard for me. I try and usually I’m fine when it comes to plotting, but I drop the ball a lot or come off as cold a lot because I just don’t have the energy to talk ooc a lot of the time. Please don’t take it personally, it’s just that my social battery is usually at 40% or less in general oTL

If we’re shipping something together and you’ve decided you don’t ship it anymore / don’t want to write it anymore- please just tell me. It'll make life a lot easier on both of us <3

I may add more rules at a later point, but I think these are the most important ones <3

Handy Dandy Navigation Links!

The Icon PSD I Use (PSD by asa-resource!) The Divider I Use (Divider by Saradika!) Ask Memes Replies (every single thing I reply to should be tagged with this!) "About" (random headcanons and things that apply to Cass) "Visage" (pics of Cass's FC- Fiona Palomo) "Aesthetic" (all the pretty things~) "Thoughts" (similar to about, but more directly from Cass's head) "Desires" (just stuff Cass wants- mostly relationship things) "Alt FC" (Cass's original fc) "Wardrobe" (things Cass would wear / probably does wear) "Music" (songs Cass would listen to ) "Skills" (stuff Cass is good at- mostly music and baking things)

Other Blogs! Rogue Multimuse (main) Multimuse (secondary)

[vespertine-legacy]

my swtor OCs

I figure I ought to have something to help keep track of my OCs somewhere, so here is an attempt, which I will try to keep updated if I end up creating more.

Under a cut, because long post, because I don’t understand how everyone makes fancy html oc pages that are actually well-organized, and at this point I’m too afraid to ask (I had a focus in computer science at my nerd boarding school, and I have since forgotten almost all of it, yaaaaay)

Arranged by class, and then vaguely alphabetically (I’ve also added in their combat styles, mostly so you can see how many goddamn operatives/scoundrels I have lol)

Imperial Side

Sith Warriors

Akise Toradte, aka Mahzarin Auksas, aka Lord Toradte - the False Sith Vengeance Juggernaut she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire Orientation: Heteroflexible (aka “mostly straight,” and then a bounty hunter broke her) Romance: None, currently (but many misguided flings and crushes) tag: swtor oc mahzarin Server: Star Forge

Atmena Jenkari’uul, aka Mena - the Empire’s Wrath Annihilation/Fury Marauder | Vengeance Juggernaut she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire/Eternal Alliance Orientation: Bisexual Romance: Jaesa Willsaam tag: swtor oc mena Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Khynan Xandal, aka Khy, aka Lord Neziox - the “True” Wrath Immortal/Rage Juggernaut | Deception/Hatred Assassin he/him Affiliation: Sith Empire/Acina Orientation: Straight, but not above flirting with any gender to get his way Romance: None, currently tag: swtor oc khynan Server: Satele Shan, Darth Malgus

Sith Inquisitors

Cassija Solborne, aka Sija - Darth Nox Lightning/Madness/Corruption Sorcerer she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire/Eternal Alliance Orientation: Bisexual Romance: Andronikos Revel tag: swtor oc sija Server: Star Forge, Darth Malgus

Eleison Kirnah, aka Loremaster Kirnah - Head Archivist and Loremaster of Nfolgai Hatred/Deception Assassin | Telekinesis/Balance/Seer Sage she/her Affiliation: Dread Masters Orientation: Lesbian Romance: Dread Master Brontes tag: swtor oc eleison Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Juryata Dhezhini, aka Jury Madness/Lightning/Corruption Sorcerer | Vigilance Guardian she/her|they/them Affiliation: Sith Empire (loosely) Orientation: Undecided Romance: Khem Val tag: swtor oc jury Server: Satele Shan

Bounty Hunters

Dao-Mox Brood, aka Moxie - Champion of the Great Hunt Pyrotech Powertech | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her|they/them Affiliation: Her crew comes first Orientation: Is the shrug emote a sexual orientation? Romance: A trail of broken hearts along the way, but nothing serious (in-game Koth-mance and it’s super cute) tag: swtor oc moxie Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Orcodaa Vadesh, aka Coda Bodyguard/Arsenal Mercenary | Sawbones/Ruffian/Scrapper Scoundrel she/her Affiliation: Galactic Republic-ish? Orientation: If she had to put a label on it, pansexual Romance: @miss-spooky-eyes​‘s Indirae tag: swtor oc coda Server: Satele Shan, Darth Malgus

Chatelaine Concealment/Lethality Operative | Bodyguard/IO Mercenary she/her Affiliation: Chiss Ascendancy-ish? Orientation:  Romance: None currently tag: swtor oc chatelaine Server: Satele Shan

Imperial Agents

Ayadi Morora, aka Dee - Cipher Twenty-three/Stave Virulence Sniper | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her Affiliation: Galactic Republic/SIS Orientation: Lesbian Romance: None, currently tag: swtor oc dee Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Getza Eitryr - Fixer Fourty-seven Marksmanship Sniper | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative Affiliation: Sith Empire Orientation: Asexual Romance: None, currently tag: swtor oc getza Server: Satele Shan

Nulis Ziureti - Watcher Five Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative | Bodyguard Mercenary he/him Affiliation: Sith Empire Orientation: Bisexual Romance: Raina Temple tag: swtor oc nulis Server: Satele Shan

Tulia Neperi - Cipher Sixteen Engineering Sniper | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire/Darth Jadus/Acina Orientation: Lesbian Romance: Darth Zhorrid tag: swtor oc tulia, my rotten avocado Server: Satele Shan

Razimiri, aka Raz - Cipher Nine Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative | Bodyguard Mercenary she/her Affiliation: Sith Empire Orientation: Lesbian Romance: Shara Jenn tag: swtor oc raz, my poor murderbaby Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge, Darth Malgus

Republic Side

Jedi Knights

Enex Qadara - Battlemaster of the Jedi Order Defense/Vigilance Guardian | Deception/Hatred Assassin he/him Affiliation: Jedi Order/Galactic Republic Orientation: Undecided Romance: None planned, but I have Hexid as his level 50 companion, and every time she calls him “darling” my heart flutters, so :shrug: [most details of this guy tbd, but I needed another Guardian for *reasons* and then I accidentally got a little attached to him] Server: Satele Shan

November Almarre, aka Ember (originally my Hero of Tython, but removing her from my “canon” because I’m over her) Watchman Sentinel | Telekinetics/Balance/Seer Sage she/her Affiliation: Jedi Order/Galactic Republic  Orientation: Lesbian Romance: N/A   tag: swtor oc ember Server: Satele Shan

[image inaccurate to how I envision the character for a variety of reasons, but the new CC options and my very limited editing options help]  Veld’arelith, aka Velda Watchman Sentinel | Telekinesis/Balance/Seer Sage  she/they Affiliation: Galactic Republic/Alliance/very loose ties (fuck up and Velda is outie) Orientation: Undecided Romance: None yet [child of an OC/NPC pair, more details to come once I’m able to actually create them, envisioned to replace Ember as my “main” Sentinel in my legacy since I got semi-uncomfy having an OC with my name and about as close to my face as I could get in the character creator lol shrug] Server: Satele Shan

Jedi Consulars

Hinah Ulresse Telekinesis/Balance/Seer Sage | Vigilance Guardian she/her Affiliation: Jedi Order/Galactic Republic Orientation: Lesbian Romance: Dazh Ranos tag: swtor oc hinah Server: Satele Shan

Kestrel Fortuna - Barsen’thor of the Jedi Order Infiltration/Serenity Shadow | Telekinesis/Balance/Seer Sage she/her Affiliation: Jedi Order/Galactic Republic Orientation: Aromantic/Asexual Romance: ??? tag: swtor oc kestrel Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Republic Troopers

Colonel Azi’kesti, aka Zeke Combat Medic/Gunnery Commando |  Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative he/him Affiliation: Galactic Republic Orientation: Comphet, but realizing he might actually be bisexual Romance: None, currently (in-game romanced Elara just so I could see the vanilla romance and it’s adorable) tag: swtor oc zeke Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

Colonel Cershaa Vadesh Shield Specialist/Tactics/Plasmatech Vanguard | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her Affiliation: Galactic Republic Orientation: Pansexual Romance: Elara Dorne/Aric Jorgan tag: swtor oc cershaa, trooper troubles Server: Satele Shan

Smugglers

Nizuvhi Kenno, aka Zuvi - Voidhound Sharpshooter/Dirty Fighting/Saboteur Gunslinger | Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative she/her Affiliation: Voidhound Fleet Orientation: Pansexual Romance: Risha Drayen/ @rainofaugustsith​‘s Ror (plus many many flings) tag: swtor oc zuvi, my idiot avocado Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge, Darth Malgus

Vyshtal Sekra, aka Vysh Sawbones/Ruffian/Scrapper Scoundrel / Bodyguard Mercenary she/her Affiliation: Galactic Republic Orientation: Sort of unconcerned Romance: Arcann Tirall tag: swtor oc vysh Server: Satele Shan, Star Forge

[not pictured: NPCs-as-OCs Watcher Two (Concealment/Lethality/Medicine Operative) and Zhorrid (Lightning/Madness Sorcerer), both on Satele Shan]

[husbandograveyard]

Request etiquette

Hiya all,

Can I like... ask a few things of you guys? Not all of you, but some of you?

It's time to talks some about requesting etiquette.

Preparing an ask

Before you go in: check the following things:

Is the askbox open? With this I don't mean are you able to send asks, because most writers will leave their boxes open at all times to get interactions. Check in their bio, the text above their askbox: are they taking requests? If the answer is no, please don't try.

Do they take emergency requests? Very rarely, but sometimes a writer will take emergency requests even if their box is closed. Only then you can send one and please be specific without dumping too much possibly triggering info on a stranger. If they take such requests it'll be specified in their rules. If it's not in there, assume they don't.

Have you read their rules? But like, really read them? Every writer has their boundaries, things they will and will not write. Don't overstep, don't ask things that might spoil them, don't ask for suggestive content by a sfw writer, they might be a minor.... read the rules and follow them

Keep an idea in mind. According to the rules. Be as vague or specific as you want but keep the rules in mind. Some writers will be happy with a prompt and a character, some writers thrive on details.

Check their masterlist (if they have one). Maybe your idea is already written out or something very similar. Don't ask writers to repeat writing but catered to you specifically. It makes us feel like the initial wasn't good enough for you. Different characters in similar situations of course don't count.

Writing your ask

Be polite. Writers aren't fanfiction machines. They have lives, they do this for free. Hi and thanks are the bare minimum. The BARE minimum.

Be precise. Add all information in according to the rules. We cannot read your mind so if you have specific ideas, you're going to have to write specific requests.

Be patient. Don't say you need a request before a certain 'deadline'.

Anon or account? Be aware that if you're on anon, the writer has no way of contacting you in case of questions, you also won't be notified when your ask is answered. If you don't want a main linked, you can leave the @ of a sideblog in your ask. If you'd rather stay 100% anonymous that's fine too, just know you're leaving everything in the writer's hands then.

While waiting for your request

Don't bother the writer in PMs or asks about when your writing will come. I promise we will only get more agitated and less motivated to write.

Don't alter details. Some writers need a while to get from idea to draft to WIP to actually publishing the work. Changing simple things may be possible (but ask politely!!!) but changing prompts and such is just bad manners.

When receiving your request

Interact with the work done for you. A like is nothing, a reblog should be the bare minimum. Leave some comments in the comments, reblogs or even just the tags. Even some emojis or a keyboard smash will let us know you actually read and appreciated the work we did for you!

Shy? Leave a pm, an anonymous ask... there's heaps of possibilities and I promise: no one will be mad / weirded out / ... about you leaving feedback

Even when on anon, try to follow up in some way. Nothing more frustrating than getting a highly specific request, spending time on it only to get not a single bit of feedback because it is catered to the needs of only 1 person who doesn't even acknowledge it later on.

You don't have to interact with every work of that writer, but please do so with the ones made especially for you.

Needless to say. All of these apply to artists too!

I honestly have seen too many of my friends getting frustrated, stressed or disappointed and just switching out to semi-selective accounts or just stopping taking requests all together. If you want writers and artists to cater to you specifically, support them for what they do! ♡

[boogiewrites]

Never Break the Chain Pt. 2

Part 2 of 5

Characters: Javier Peña x OFC

Summary:  Javier and Esme's first time seeing each other in almost twenty years. A photograph leads to an obsessive hunt for the woman he thought was dead. They both find they got where they wanted. But is it what they want now?

Warnings/Tags: Tension. Big reunited kiss. 

Click on my icon then go to my Mobile Masterlist in my bio for my other works and chapters. (Had to do this since Tumblr killed links, sorry.) Please like, comment and reblog if you enjoyed it! It helps out us writers A LOT!

Time passes, as it always has and always will. It stopped for no man, not even Javier. Seeing his first love fade into nothing had left him a different man. Walls came up, barriers were built that his enemies would even be impressed by. She’d done him a favor, snapping him out of the young man’s dream, but he felt he had nothing left but trying to help once she was gone. So he threw himself into his work.

Sure there were other women. He thought he loved some, but would always leave them. He always hurt them and that wasn’t his intention precisely but they would thank him years later. He was what they would refer to in close company as “a dodged bullet”. He’d been called far worse.

He despised his cliche reactions to his trauma sometimes. Drinking, smoking, being a general pain in the ass, renowned and proud asshole was easier. Burying yourself in prostitutes and let them take away the thoughts for a little while was the easiest. He would fantasize he could help them, even save some of them. He surely wasn’t getting his hero complex stroked when it came to his work. He had a soft spot for women, he had learned the hard way the shit deal they’d landed when they were born. He couldn’t do much...but he could try to help. So he did. Loss after loss he kept trying. This was that bit of good Esme had always believed in. He wasn’t sure how much longer he would have it so he made the best of it while he could.

The night before was nothing knew, an old habit at this point for him. He went out and got a woman, he’d pour every bit of good in him into her, convincing himself he still had it. He’d make them feel good, listen to them, things that were in short supply in their lives from men. He could be that good guy exception, if only for a short while. It felt nice to not be looked at with disgust or fear. The slivers of affection kept him going after dark. He’d leave them breathless, moans turning to laughs as they dressed, joking they might not make him pay. But they always took the money. And he offered it with no judgment, pulling his jeans on and halfway through a highball glass as his lean outstretched arm offer up their compensation for making him feel something good and push out the bad thoughts for a short while. He could be making worse decisions.

He rubs his temple, suppressing a groan as he slid his way into the uncomfortable chair at the beaten-up metal table. The chatter of his coworkers all making their way into the room was grating but nothing he couldn’t ignore. Morning debriefing, something he gave a shit about. Well, work was the one thing he gave a shit about right now, hyper-focused on the clock and trying to drown out the obsession off the clock. It was a dynamic that he was still trying to perfect. He downs the hot black coffee in his hand and nods at the secretary just outside the doorway, “Get me another, sugar. No sugar.” he winks and sends her off. She side-eyed him and went on her way, that was just Pena to her, horny but harmless. He cracks his back, a grunt before landing his elbows on the table to focus, the overblown commander coming in with a handful of photos, spreading them on the table as they talked about what they always did, the cartel.

Pena tries to approach everything individually, but there was only so much range these guys had, and not seeing them all as one giant collection of piss ants with assault rifles was something getting harder and harder to do. So as new and old names were said, he watched the board fill out, the line attaching known connections and new ones. There had been a new wave of intel, something Pena and his partner Murphy were used to being the ones doing, but he wouldn’t complain if someone else finally wanted to sack up and their fucking job like they were supposed to.

“So we have our old friends,” a slap of photos to the board. “Then there’s a new round of boys coming in.” he taps the newest addition to the board. “Seems we’re getting inbred with the other families, the jewel smugglers, the miners...seems we’re trying to venture out and expand our already impressive portfolio.” he snorts.

“They can never just be fucking satisfied with their millions.” someone groans and complains.

“It’s a good chance try to take them down too.” Murphy shrugs.

“Eyes on the prize, kiss ass,” Pena says quietly, accepting his coffee without a second glance. “Do we know these women?” he asks with a nod in the direction.

“Typical.” Murphy rolls his eyes.

“No. Our assumption is prostitutes. Nothing new there.” the commander goes on, but he quickly becomes background noise as Pena stands and moves toward the board. He stood, hips jutted forward, eyes scanning, hand over his mouth in thought. Once he saw the new pictures he hadn’t heard another word the men had said. “PENA!” barked his way grabs his attention as he casually shifts his attention.

“Mmmph. Yeah.” he mutters, eyes moving back to the board.

“I was informing you, you’d be doing street intel on these newcomers.”

“Yeah,” he says disinterested, thumbing his lip before placing his hands on his hips. “Do we have these photos in color?”

The question catches the room off guard. “Why?” he’s met with annoyed opposition.

“This woman…” he taps the photo of a woman with a sly smile on the arm of a very powerful man. Dark waves teased and a heart-shaped face buried in a fur coat collar worth more than he made in a year. He clears his throat. “I’ve seen her before…”

“They’re whores Javi, of course, you have.” Murphy leads the room in a wave of amused hums and chuckles.

“No I’m serious,” he says with no inflection, catching his partner’s attention. “Do we have a location on them if there’s no color?”

“Why’s color important?”

He’s quiet for a moment, jaw tense and eyes blinking, baffled at what he was allowing himself to think. “Her eyes… were green.” MUrphy readjusts himself in his seat, watching Pena’s eyes carefully. He could swear they looked sad.

“What information we’ve got is here.” the commander points at the table with its thick manilla envelopes.

Javier nods with no spoken response, staying in place until the room is empty except for a hesitant Murphy who approaches him. “Who is she?” he asks quietly.

He shakes his head in response. “It can’t be her,” there’s a heavy pause, “But it...fuck it looks like her…” his voice trails off and Murphy is left with more questions.

“Well, are you gonna answer me or just write poetry about her Javi?”

“She’s…” he sighs and sucks his teeth. “She’s supposed to be dead.”

“Did you-?”

“No… no… nothing like that.” his voice still quiet. “I knew her… fuck...over a decade ago now.”

“So we can add hunting ghosts to our agenda now too. Great.” Murphy takes it lightly and presses his lips together. He stares at Javi, his eyes dark and focused. He was left with more questions than answers. His money was still on it being a hooker. It’s not as if Pena had even talked about Esme since the investigation when he was young. His partner may have his back in life or death situations, and they may have been close, but no one knew about her. Pena had hoped to keep it that way. He hoped he was wrong. He hoped it wasn’t her. Because if it was… well he didn’t know what he’d do.

---------------------------------------------------

Esme didn’t know it but with every minute that passed, she was being proven right about her belief in her first love, that if he knew she was alive, that he would find her.

Esme had ran, a bug out bag down the river and no trace left behind. She made her way south over the years, learning her craft and making friends in the right places. She’d started with rich men, especially rich white men trying to make a living off exploiting her fellow man in Mexico. It had been almost too easy. They thought nothing of her and wore her as if she were a watch; on their arm and shiny and proof of their wealth. She would gain access, gather intel and then sweep in and take the goods and ghost out.

Esme had been legally declared dead and was now living as Estelle. She had so many names over the years but her current incarnation was Estelle. And she was a star. She’d become what she wanted, she was rich and self-reliant. She needed no one and had her fun as she craved it. There were men and women and drugs and jewels and for so long it had been a pleasant hazy dream. But the novelty of it wore off, she grew bored,  a witness to her hypocrisy, growing soft and lazy with her indulgence. When she emerged from her haze and saw the state of the world around her she knew things had changed. Narcos now ruled the world. The government bowed to them, the poor worshipped them. She saw they were the future, the new leaders. And for her, that meant that’s where she had to be.

She found herself once again sharp and full of adrenaline. Her new role took real savvy and cunning. Otherwise, she’d end up dead for real. She cozied up, working for Narcos to steal for them. It wasn’t hard in skill, but it was in the amount of sexist shit she had to deal with. She’d killed men for laying hands on her, and worse. She’d pulled knives and guns and made frown men piss themselves as she threatened them with words they’d never heard women utter up to that point. Most of the leaders would laugh until they cried after the fact, seeing a woman act in such away. She entertained them. They underestimated her, saw her as some novelty pet that fetched things and entertained them. She could handle that. As long as she got paid.

Following the groups, making her way around it made sense she found herself in Columbia. She knew it was dangerous, but she was addicted to it. It filled the void of sex and drugs for her for the most part, although she did partake among her peers from time to time. She thought it made her admirable, independent, and a shining example of what a woman could be if she had the nerve to do it. She was, to a degree, but she was also wrong. She lacked the softness in her life anyone, not just a woman needed. A void where no love or trust or intimacy was in her life she filled with material things and lists of her accomplishments. if she kept busy and looking ahead she wouldn’t be still king enough to face her demons.

Except she was about to come face to face with her biggest one.

—

As was his way, Javier had become a bit obsessed. He had to know if this woman was Esme. He’d been tracking her and was able to have DEA level observation to do it. It was a personal mission he’d been able to spin to look like a cartel one. There was a connection, she was seen with them, but little was known outside of that. After he’d put the word out for the beautiful woman with green eyes it hadn't taken long before someone scorned by her leaked information on her next job. The informant knew what his boss wanted to be stolen and when she’d be there. Normally no agent or cop would care to pay attention to her, or some jewels being stolen,  she was just some woman to them. But serendipitous timing made sure she became THE woman for one of them.

She practically waltzed into the store. She scaled a fence, a wall and came through a window but for her, that was practically begging her to steal from them. The rooms were dark, silent except for the sounds of her feet as she made her way into the back, unseen and unbothered. It wasn’t until she’d stopped to admire her score before snatching it they the clicking of a gun behind her caught her attention.

He’d waited in the shadows, and none too patiently. With the aim set to intimidate, not kill, he Easter no more time. “Who are you?” It came out as an order.

Her head snapped up, back still to the faceless voice she felt was all too familiar. She blinks, the former goal now removed and replaced with a flood of emotion. She remains silent, her turn to be shocked like he was when he saw her face in the photos.

“Turn around.” Another order. The voice was deeper, darker now but still made her feel the same way.

She turns, and painfully slow. She doesn’t meet his intense gaze immediately, reading his body language first and calming her racing mind. There’s no way it was him.

There’s no way it’s her, his mind reassures him. But as soon as her eyes raise to meet his his stomach drops. He was right.

“Javi?” It was almost a whisper, for the first time in she couldn’t remember when she didn’t hide her emotions in her face.

The gun falls first, his sense falling to the wayside as it slipped into its place in the back waist of his jeans. His frame was broader, still lean moves towards her with an earned confidence now. He doesn’t speak, staring at her as if she might not be real. She gives him his time. He’d earned it. “It really is you.” It was his turn to let the veil fall, dark eyes shining in the low, cool light.

She nods. “Javi I can explain.” She begins, prepared to apologize and ask forgiveness before asking him why the hell he was there at all. They were a long way from home.

“You’re alive.” A rather obvious statement that made her smile. It was all he could handle.

“I can explai-“ a quick burst of words before they’re cut off by his mouth landing against hers. She hadn’t expected this. She was prepared for many things last but not this, at least not for him to be kissing her. “Javi my-“ she tries to get out but his hands are already on her cheeks, hot and damp and certain. She lets her concern fade for a moment, it would all be fine. She gives in to it, lets him take the lead, and pull her against him roughly. The anger and hurt coming through in his grip on her back and face as they kissed breathlessly. He stole her focus without trying, there was the signature huff from his nose, the nuzzle into her between separating to catch his breath but he felt different. But so did she.

Where they once held differences in certainty they now held the opposite. He kissed her like he just found out his first love was alive after decades of vices to cover the loss. Because he had. Every woman and experience he’d had between her and now, every skill and thus gained confidence was clear and apparent. This was not a boy handling a girl. He was a man handling his woman.

And there she was, blindsided and touch starved, passion and intimacy starved being devoured by the only man she’d ever truly loved. The only man she’d ever let in and see her for what she was. The only man that knew Esmeralda. It was a raw and painful ache that emanated from her chest as she clutched her hand around his wrist and the other gripped his shirt in her hand. She gave in because she knew it wouldn’t last long, and after it was over she’d miss it.

With eyes squeezed shut, his forehead pressed to hers, his statuesque nose gently rubbing against hers he exhales hot against her face. “Esme…” he pulls back and holds her face, demanding her focus.

“It’s been so very long since someone’s called me that.” she sighs and puts her hands on his forearms.

“Since I called you that?”

She nods and smiles, face pressed into his hand.

“Maybe it’s about time people called you that again.” he pauses and looks her over with a hard brow, he couldn't hide his simmering anger underneath the confusion, relief, and affection. “Where the fuck have you been?” She sighs in response. “Why the hell are you HERE?”

“Same as you. Work.”

“Why are you with those men? Don’t you know who they are? What they do?”

“Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?”

“Why Esme?” his eyes water and his hands squeeze her face a bit too tightly before a wave of dizziness hit him.

“Same reason now as then,” she whispers, his grip loosening and not hearing her response, she slicks his dark hair back as his eyes start to roll around in their sockets. “You're fine, Javi. Seems you fell for my defense mechanism.” she smiles and he looks at her, starting to slump. “To be fair I didn’t know to expect you. You’ll wake up soon enough. It’s only temporary.” she wipes the culprit of the sudden wave of forced unconsciousness he was going through, her lipstick off his mouth. He was out quickly, and she spent some long moments exploring the now aged face of her once wide-eyed companion. “You are even more handsome than I thought you’d be.” she coos and kisses him after dragging him into a chair and pushing it into a corner so he wouldn’t fall. “It now inevitable we’ll meet again. My old hound dog.” She chuckles, a kiss to take in the scent of his hair before she parted ways. “See you later, mi amor.”

-----------

Peña awoke to a boot knocking against his knee and an odd headache. It was pitch black outside by now, people on the streets outside none the wiser to the life-altering experience he’d just had.

“Are we blacking out in stores now?” Murphy snarks and shakes his head, leaning against a door frame.

“That’s not...I’m not…” Javier shakes his head, rubbing and tapping at the pulse in his skull.

“Then what the hell is it?” He can hear the judgment in his partner's voice.

“If I told you you would think I was crazy.” he groans and sits up with his back straight in the chair, one cocked brow looking over to the man staring him down.

“And I don’t now?”

Peña huffs out a laugh. That was a fair assessment. He’d think the same thing. He looked across the room, the glass case he’d found her standing in front of now empty. “She took the jewels.” he switches the subject, an arm raised lazily and collapsing against his lap after.

“Were they made of cocaine? Why do we give a shit?”

“It’s not the jewels that are important. It’s the woman that did it.”

“A woman? Huh. That’s something you don’t see every day. That is… a little bit crazy I guess.”

“That’s not what’s crazy.”

“Am I gonna have to fuckin’ waterboard you man, just tell me.” he groans.

“That woman I told you about... that stole those... she's been declared legally dead for almost twenty years.” he finally says with a defensive tone and a face that said don’t fucking try me to the man still assessing his sanity with no attempt at hiding his negative prognosis.

“Oh.” Murphy contemplates looking away to the empty case. “That... yeah okay that is crazy.”

@jaegeeeeer​ @likedovesinthewnd​ @inkededucatednnerdy​  @biharryjames @ladamari68​ @past-romantic​ @weliketomoveit

[minblush]

Leave mimi alone. If you could get over your jealousy for one second you would see would a sweet person she is. I follow her because she doesn't look for fights unlike blogs like yours. Yet there are fights on her blog cause of people who don't have anything better to do like you.

so it’s been a while and i finally worked up any sort of courage to address all of this and i will do it under this one ask because out of all the ones mimi’s “fans” sent me, this one was the most civil

i’m still shocked that i got so many people attacking me over rightfully calling mimi out, and ofc there is no jealousy involved, i guess i just don’t understand why she is the blog that anyone would want defend, like let me summarize

she only gets notes because she is fast with her updates, why is she fast? she just takes updates from twitter and twitter translators a lot of the time without crediting and without any factchecking herself

she spreads unverified information and rumours because of it and got into trouble because of it more than once

she posts sasaeng information and photos taken outside of official schedules in the boys’ private time despite being criticized for it (like the jikook vacation)

she also still has the fact that she “stalks” the boys in her bio, even though i know for a fact people told her many times it’s inappropriate in the context of the fan culture in korea

she is very ignorant about mental illness (the post where she claims that jimin suffers from depression and was saved from it by jin as a fact is still up btw), the entertainment business in korea, colorism and racism (she thinks “reverse racism” is an actual thing lol) and she spreads her harmful opinions by writing essays about it to her large following

what bothers me personally a lot as a gay person, she is one of those obnoxious delusional shippers and normalizes that behaviour to her followers and also fetishizes gay men to a really ugly extent (i’m not talking here about normal shipping BTW I SHIP LOWKEY TOO, it’s about boundaries though, i’m talking about writing conspiracy theories and fetishizing, FETISHIZING, treating sexuality as a joke and treating it like a commodity, direct quote from one of her very “funny” posts: “BTS is gay ! Shippers : Of course. Why would I stan straight boys ? Who does that ?”)

(and yes as someone said in the tags, apparently she also did make racial jokes and jokes about north korea etc, but i haven’t seen those myself, only saw people mention it second hand so since i don’t have receipts i wasn’t going to include it initially)

and that is all before the jonghyun issue, which i feel like is kind of a culmination of a lot of what i dislike about her blog

she didn’t wait for an official confirmation from SM and immediately started posting about his death, all actual fanbases of jonghyun and shinee waited until after the confirmation to actually post about it, because can you imagine if it wasn’t true (no matter how real it may seem?), just like other actual bts fanbases most of these serious blogs wait for official confirmations for anything, unlike mimi who just jumps on any opportunity for notes and for her to be the news bearer. you could see people asking her to wait until the confirmation in the notes of her first posts, BUT SHE DIDN’T LISTEN, instead she let her posts spread and only added confirmation much later when it came out (which is what she does in general, spreads rumours / unconfirmed info, then when confirmation or denial comes out she edits the post and apologizes in some extremely lowkey way, despite her getting the heat for it she keeps repeating the same pattern)

her posts were made from the point of view of a bts fan instead of a human being, she was extremely tribal by saying things like that “as a bts fan, as an army” i offer my hand to shawol etc, “jonghyun took care of bts”

then she made her post about saying how we should be grateful the boys are under BigHit and not SM, because bighit supports the boys in expressing themselves about mental illness and provides help for them, blaming the company and the entertainment business for jonghyun’s death, showing her complete ignorance, not only do we not know what bighit is actually like behind the scenes (do people not remember the scandal where one of the managers hit jungkook on camera?), but the issue is that this didn’t apply to sm anyway… because…jonghyun was very outspoken about his issues with mental illness, so were other sm artists like taeyeon or leeteuk, there was/is even a support group for idols under sm that these guys as well as others like onew or yoona were a part of

and depression isn’t that simple, jonghyun had friends and outlets, but if anyone has ever been depressed or suicidal, then you as i would understand that sometimes that doesn’t matter, depression is a serious illness and the illness just won in this case, this is an opportunity to spread awareness about the illness, to urge people to seek treatment as well (jonghyun sought it himself) not try to analyze and pin it on any company or any circumstance

yet mimi linked jonghyun’s death to being oppressed by his company, by having to hold things on the inside, as if he didn’t talk about it candidly and didn’t express himself in his music

what i also found distasteful but i also can’t prove anything and people grieve differently, i still raised my eyebrows because when she lashed out at people who got rightfully angry for her for using this opportunity for notes and to make it about bts and bighit, she revealed that she was upset and cried because she thought about how it could’ve been “one of her idols” that this happened to and that she didn’t even know shinee that well… she was very coherent up until that point, but when people called her out she started to cry and be very emotional and started to talk about how she had liked shinee since debut and jonghyun was her favourite (so she has been following them for like 10 years? that is longer than i have been into kpop and i am OLD and have liked shinee since 2009.. so she’s been a fan that long and doesn’t even know the basics of what jjong was like and what he dealt with?) and then went onto analyze his lyrics and talk about how she should’ve known, and her blog transformed into other people consoling her despite her being the person that upset so many people with what she had done… that stuff doesn’t add up for me, but that is just speculation since grief is different for everyone etc, it’s just something i personally can’t buy considering how she behaves online a lot of the time

she said she was sorry without actually acknowledging what she did wrong and after people defended her vehemently she actually changed her tune and started to say things like how it was a misunderstanding and even asked her followers to approach any people who were still “misunderstanding” and let them know, which,,, what even? i suppose i’m party this to thank for all the people that told me i was an ugly/jealous loser that should delete and/or die

and despite her being like this, despite her never learning from her mistakes, people still keep defending her and attacking people that call her out, and why? 

i would agree if it were one mistake, everyone always says.. let’s educate her instead of attacking her, let her learn from her mistakes, that’s what life is all about, right? i agree, people grow from their mistakes

but.. SHE NEVER LEARNS! she keeps repeating the same things, no matter how many times she gets in trouble, and you guys keep enabling her, i think it’s this culture of fans stanning other fans that creates toxic behaviour like this, why would she change? why would she learn? why would she start and mature, why? when she has so many people telling her that it’s okay, that she is right and everybody else is wrong everytime she messes up? i think people that send me those messages are complicit really

i just wonder, what will she have to do for you guys to see that she isn’t someone worth sticking up to to this extent, because due to this environment, she won’t learn?

is she the hill you guys want to die on?

i often see people saying that she does a lot for the fandom, but? she doesn’t actually do anything special, she basically takes from others and profits from them, if you follow actual update blogs that do their homework, like allforbts, ktaebwi, sweaterpawsjimin, or vlissful on twitter, you will see the difference right away.. those are the people that do work for the fandom, she redistributes and doesn’t even thank those that did the work, there are people that spend dozens of hours translating and researching, books worth of content, people that paid for japanese tv subcriptions so they can record those shows for you, those are the people that do a lot, reposting tweets, anyone can do that (and a lot of people do, which is fine as long as due credit is given, what i’m saying is… it isn’t special and doesn’t require any effort at all, so why worship someone for like… doing the bare minimum? and sometimes not even that?)

why would you guys go to such an extent to then attack people that called her out, and rightfully, you guys would tell me a person with depression and an actual fan of jonghyun, that “if you care about jonghyun so much why don’t you join him”

over mimi? over someone who acts like all that i described? is that worth it… i don’t understand this cult-like mentality, even if she were an actual angel that did save the fandom, what in the world would make this okay?

i now have anxiety every time i try to get on tumblr and will have to work to overcome it because you people told me to die over calling HER out while going to her and telling her how everyone else sucks and she is a lovely angel…

and why she doesn’t pick fights? i talked to her in the past and let me tell you… she is stubborn and won’t change her mind and when she sees she can’t out-argue and manipulate the person SHE BLOCKS THEM and doesn’t let them express their views on her blog, no she only lets views that paint her as a victim there, she doesn’t let her followers see any validand CONSTRUCTIVE criticism

that’s why she seems like she is above it, like she is only nice and the angel and people like me are scum for ever saying anything, she is very smart about that aspect of things. but she isn’t above criticism (and neither am i), she is a human being like me or you :/.

i’m not telling you to hate her or attack her, don’t please.., i’m just asking you to see her for what she is, someone who is notes and attention hungry, someone who refuses to learn from her mistakes and someone who actually flaunts her ignorance, please give your time and attention and thankfulness to people in the fandom that aren’t like that :( and mostly, don’t go around telling people that call her (or anyone) out to die like.. please?

if she wanted to defend herself she could always talk to me, or anyone, or address it in a constructive manner, instead of relying on her followers to do that for her while publishing dozens asks on her blog that praise her and tell her how everybody else is wrong

she isn’t a celebrity, she can speak for herself

the fact that she chooses to deal with things the way she does says it all, right?

just…please reconsider stanning other fans, it creates all this toxicity, nothing good comes out of it, that is mostly what i wanted to say

and she specifically isn’t worth all the hurt

thanks

[shainethecat]

Create your own blog

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[itslikethatfrenchthing]

This Is Why No One Is Commenting On Your Instagram Posts

  You’ve published 5 Instagram posts this week and once again, you’ve hardly had comments. What gives? I see you, and I get it.

Because I’ve been there… 

But I’m not anymore. What if I told you that you could get more comments easily on all of your Instagram posts, every single day? You may think I’m bluffing, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. 

What if I told you there is ONE big reason you don’t get comments on your social media posts? Are you ready to make this change in your business and start getting more engagement online? 

These go-to call to action ideas will help you increase, engagement, clicks and sales so you can build relationships with potential customers, increase your brand awareness and generate more sales. 

P.S. If you’re ready to learn more about how to create content that connects and converts, save your spot at my FREE From Productivity To Profit Challenge here.

WHY CALLS TO ACTION ARE SO IMPORTANT

People make decisions in a fraction of a second on social media. On a website, it takes less than 15 seconds for someone to decide if they’re going to stick around. You can bet your bottom dollar that it takes way less time than that on a platform like Instagram. 

So if someone gets to the end of reading one of your Instagram posts and you’re not spelling it out in black and white what you want them to do when they get to the end of your post...what do you expect?

The role of a call to action is to direct people into what they should do next. It’s used to tell the user exactly what action to take and how to take it. 

We’ll get into how to create a persuasive and effective call to action later but first, let’s talk about the importance of CTAs.

A lot of businesses simply use the words “sign up” or “buy now” in their Instagram posts and hope that it’s enough to drive conversions. They put so much time, energy and money into the creation of their social media, blog, and email content, and then just slap a half-hearted call to action on the end. And then wonder why they fail.

We don’t just want any old call to action on our Instagram posts - we want a strong call to action that convinces people to act.

Really, there are two main purposes of a call to action:

To tell someone what they should do

To give them the motivation to do so

A lot of people remember to tell people what they should do, but they forget the why part of that equation. But without that, you won’t see the types of conversion rates that you should. While sometimes, your content before the call to action will answer this question, sometimes it doesn’t. Even if it does, a quick recap makes the call to action even more powerful.

WHY YOUR ENGAGEMENT ON INSTAGRAM IS LOW

I think we can narrow it down to 3 main reasons why you’re not getting comments on your Instagram posts.

#1 | You’re not asking for comments

If you’re not specifically asking people to “comment below”, they won’t! You might think it’s too obvious but you need to spell it out for people what it is that you actually want them to do. If you just end your post with a sentence and don’t ask a question, you can’t complain that you didn’t get any comments - you’ve got to ask for them.

#2 | Your call to action is too complex or vague

The key to a great call to action is keeping it simple. If you ask a question such as, “what are your thoughts on this” - that’s very vague and doesn’t really give your readers a good enough, or easy starting point for writing a comment on your post.

On the flipside, if you ask them a question that’s too complex or you’re asking them to share information that’s too personal, they’ll also be put off and won’t leave a comment at all. That’s why the best thing to do is to keep it simple. 

#3 | Every call to action asks for a sale

If every single call to action on your feed says “buy now” or “hit the link in my bio”, we want to change this ASAP! The real problem with this is that if people become used to the fact that you’re always trying to sell to them, they’ll stop coming to your feed because they’ll assume you won’t give them anything else. Serve before you sell. Always.

THE BEST CALL TO ACTION IDEAS FOR PRODUCT & SERVICE BASED BUSINESSES

Before we get into the examples, let’s break down the two types of categories that most call to actions generally fall under. We want to make sure that every single one of our calls to action fits under one of these categories on our Instagram posts.

#1 | Engagement CTA

The first call to action is for engagement. Engagement on all social media is crucial. It’s the little “yes”. When you can get someone to comment on something, they are saying “yes” to you. Over time, enough of these can lead to the sale.

While engagement has always been important and a big focus area for me, I now believe that there is some added benefit to having a highly engaged audience on Instagram. Great engagement can push you out into the algorithm, as well as help you reach the Top Posts area for any of your given hashtags.

What I’m trying to say is: engagement is important! And luckily, it is somewhat within your control. These call to actions are great for inviting engagement by some kind of question or invitation for discussion.

#2 | Conversion CTA

The second call to action is where you direct people to the link in your bio to take the next step with you. Remember, you don’t own your Instagram audience (Instagram does!), so it is wise to move people to where you do business, an area that you can control - like your website. 

This call to action has a specific purpose. Whether it’s to get someone to sign up to your opt-in freebie or check out your new product for sale, a conversion call to action is asking them to take action on something.

Remember - a social media audience is not the be all and end all. It really should be used as a vehicle to share your message and drive traffic to your own website, products and services.

Now, let’s tackle the elephant in the room: every single one of your Instagram posts should have a call to action, but not every single one should be a direct sell.

So, what can you use as a call to action instead of “hit the link in my bio”? Here are some of my favourites.

Call To Action Examples:

Double tap if you agree

Comment below if you…

DM me if you…

Tag a friend who…

Click the link in my bio

What is one word to describe…?

Can you relate? 

Have you done this?

Have you tried this?

Vote for your favourite: A or B!

On a scale of 1-10…

Which is your favourite?

Can you guess what it is?

Share this with someone who needs it

Save this post

Tell me below

Powerful Words To Use:

Get

Buy

Shop

Try

Learn

Build

Sign up

Register

Click

Discover

Start 

Stop 

Download

Join

Build 

Gain

Go

Get my secrets

Gain access

Ways To Add Urgency

Limited time

Limited amount

Only a few left

Ending soon

Members only

Exclusive

Deadline

Don’t miss out

Only x days left

Hurry

One time offer

Won’t last long

Ending on x date

Holiday special

Today only

There you have it! If you want people to engage with your content, comment or take some sort of action, you need to spell it out for them. Now you have the ideas to do just that! Remember, selling comes from serving, not just advertising what you’re selling, so mix up your call to actions for your Instagram posts and take on the challenge to include one in every single post.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO CREATE CONTENT THAT CONNECTS AND CONVERTS?

Register for my free 4-day challenge From Productivity To Profit - we kick off on September 21st!

ABOUT THE BLOGGER

Hi! I’m Holly Bray

I’m an expert at online marketing, a nerd when it comes to the numbers, and my obsession is teaching others how to know what tasks to focus on so they can create a business that GIVES them life (not one that takes it away).

 BINGE THE LATEST POSTS

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How to Network Online Like a Champ

New Post has been published on https://tiptopreview.com/how-to-network-online-like-a-champ/

How to Network Online Like a Champ

This conference season feels a bit different, doesn’t it? Where we’re usually globetrotting from event to event, this year most conferences have either postponed their dates or switched to online, remote-friendly formats, offering video sessions by top-notch speakers or live streams with open chats. But what about everyone’s favorite bonus during conference season — networking?

Thankfully, all is not lost! With a little ingenuity and virtual elbow grease, you can still forge new professional relationships over an internet connection rather than a cocktail. (And hey, nothing’s stopping you from enjoying a nice, frosty Mozcow Mule or tasty mocktail in your home office space, right?) In our current reality of social distancing, marketing conference networking will look different, but it’s not going anywhere. Read on for tips on how to effectively network while remote!

Step 1: Look for networking opportunities

Depending on which virtual event you attend, the networking opportunities will look different. Keeping a creative eye out for opportunity is key to your success!

Live chats

Much like during regular conferences, there are bound to be live chats happening. They may happen on the actual event platform, or they may take place on social media. Some events will use a platform like Zoom that allows viewers to chat with each other within the platform, while others may have more of a broadcast format where chats happen on Twitter with a hashtag.

Joining Q&As

A super valuable aspect of conferences is being able to speak to presenters after they give their talk. Sometimes this happens during a predetermined time slot, such as right after the presentation, or it may happen when you catch them in the lobby or at an event later on. Either way, this time to ask questions about their expertise is a huge value-add to the experience.

With conferences going virtual and live chats happening publicly during the presentations, this Q&A time has shifted a bit. Instead of having to wait for the presentation to be over, in some cases, presenters will reply to questions from the live chat as they’re speaking. Some panels are pre-recorded, giving speakers a chance to interact on various platforms during the event itself. Some events will even have specific “presentations” that are more like facilitated Ask Me Anything-style interviews or panels where questions are taken from the audience and posed to the speaker(s).

Birds of a Feather discussions

Many conferences will offer some sort of industry or concept specific conversation facilitation. For instance, at MozCon, we host Birds of a Feather discussions. These discussions are headed up by an industry professional and have predetermined topics such as EAT, AI, Gutenberg, etc. Other times, these conversations may be organized and headed up by attendees.

In a virtual setting, these will likely be smaller breakout groups using some sort of video chat software. Zoom, specifically, has created a way for conferences to organize these “breakout sessions” in advance.

Birds of a Feather conversations are one of the best ways to connect as there is a common ground established from the get-go. These. Are. Your. People. Connections here will likely be the most valuable.

Step 2: Get active

No matter where the chats are happening, be sure you’re a part of them! The more you interact, the more likely people are to recognize your name when you reach out after the event. The only caution here is that you have to be sure your interactions are meaningful — don’t just comment clapping hands. Add something to the conversation.

Add insight

The best thing about people is that we’re all different and have fresh perspectives to bring to the table. Don’t be afraid to add on to someone’s thoughts.

Let’s use a fun example. If someone says that the best mascot hug ever was from Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, you may jump in and ask if they’ve ever met Roger MozBot, famed hugger and robot dancer extraordinaire. Or you could build on the thought by saying something like, “Mickey is a great hugger, I think it’s because he goes over instead of under!”

In both of these instances, you’ve joined the conversation and added value.

Add clarification

Speakers often try to fit a lot of information into a relatively short timeframe. That said, questions will likely arise in the live chats. This could very easily be your time to shine! If you’ve got knowledge to share, feel free to answer the question to the best of your ability and try to add clarification.

This is absolutely one of the best ways to position yourself as an expert and form a relationship with someone you’ve never met. It allows you to prove you’re knowledgable and give the person something they value for free.

Add sources

Whether you are asking a question, answering a question, or just chiming in with added insight, adding resources in conversation is extremely beneficial. This could mean that you recommend a tool, a person, or an article link. These resources for the other viewers can be extremely beneficial and help you establish your credibility.

Now, we don’t suggest trying to come up with a source for everything, but if you have one right off of the top of your head, dropping a link in the chat may really help someone.

BONUS: Add people on social

While this one’s not necessarily about adding value per se, it is about adding. Adding influencers, presenters, or other attendees after interacting with them (even if briefly) may increase your chances of getting a follow-back or accepted request as you’ll still be top of mind. Try to add people no later than 24 hours after your last interaction, and consider sending a friendly “hey!” with a note about what you spoke about to keep the connection fresh.

Step 3: Perfect your follow-up

After connecting with people during the online conference, you’ll want to follow up with them and stay in touch.

The most important part of following up is the first impression. You don’t want to come right out of the gate with a request of any sort. Instead, look to build a relationship first. This could mean shooting a quick follow-up message recapping your conversation with the person, telling them that you appreciated their time and that you look forward to more conversations.

After sending your initial follow-up, be sure to interact with the person at least once a week to stay top-of-mind. This is easiest on social media as you can like, comment, share their content, and ensure that your name is showing up in their notifications. However, direct messages, emails, and even phone calls are sure to be more impactful.

The best thing you can do when following up is to stick to what you’re most comfortable with and be consistent while continuing to add value.

Have fun and be yourself!

The number-one thing you have to offer is yourself. Your experiences make you unique and others can learn from that! So when you are connecting with others, just remember to be yourself. And lastly, have fun! Networking is meant to be fun as it gives you the opportunity to connect with others and build a community. Embrace that connection and enjoy it.

Networking at MozCon Virtual 

Every year, we hear from attendees about how networking is one of their favorite parts of the conference. We made sure to keep it an integral part of this year’s virtual event, too — check out all the ways you can connect with speakers, industry experts, attendees, and thought leaders at MozCon Virtual 2020!

In-session Q&A chat

Mid-presentation, pop into the Q&A chat with your real-time questions and get them answered by speakers. You’ll also be able to chat with other attendees about the content, provide your own insights, and participate in real-time virtual convos about the session and topic. Speakers will be available to answer questions during their scheduled session times, so it’s a perfect opportunity to get clarification, further insight, or forge those all-important connections!

Customizable profiles: Interests, personal bio, tags, and more

Attendees can search for like-minded folks with similar interests based on what you add to your profile when signing in. You can choose to upload your photo, create your biography, add specific interests and tags, and reach out to those you’d like to follow up with.

Create your own “Want-to-Meet” list

Browse attendee profiles and click “want to meet” when you find someone you’d like to reach out to later. With your personal contact info safely hidden, this is a great way to find and get found by those looking for new talent, professional partnerships, debate buddies, and more. Build your list ahead of time, then review in-platform and reach out when you’re ready!

Schedule 1:1 meetings

After connecting with someone, you can easily send a meeting request to the folks you’ve connected with to chat live outside of the bigger group discussions. Your invited guest can choose to accept or decline the invite, and all 1:1 meetings occur directly within the conference platform’s meeting rooms, making for easy facilitation!

Birds of a Feather “table” discussions

Birds of a Feather lunch tables are one of the biggest MozCon hits year after year, and we didn’t want anyone to miss out! We’ll facilitate 30-minute-long group discussions each day of the conference for you to connect with those interested in specific topics via video and audio chat. Each discussion will be led by an industry leader, giving you all the opportunity to say “hey” to the folks whose work you admire and collaborate with them on ideas, theories, obstacles you’ve faced, and more.

We’re super excited about all the networking opportunities at MozCon Virtual — at $129 per ticket, it’s an incredible value for growing your digital marketing skillset and your career:

Get my ticket to MozCon Virtual!

Let us know your own best virtual networking tips in the comments. We hope to see you at MozCon this July 14 & 15!

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How to Use Instagram to Drive Sales Like A Marketer

Instagram has proven itself as a business platform that brings results. It’s no longer about candid pictures or random selfies. Instead, it’s become a space for up and coming brands to make a name for themselves alongside corporate giants.

Gathre, a brand created by two moms, specializes in items for the home like outdoor accessories, yoga tools and leather goods. It used Instagram for a summer campaign and saw a whopping 81% increase in revenue based on Instagram ad spend as a single summer ad campaign.

Instagram knows the potential it holds for businesses. Over the last few years, it has built a community for a global audience, enabled shoppable posts, and checkout features to capture sales without asking potential buyers to switch platforms.

At the same time, anyone who has created a business account knows, just having an account isn’t enough. There’s a lot more than goes into growing your sales with Instagram than most people let on. In this article, I’ll be showing you in five steps to use Instagram to drive sales.

1.Optimize Your Business Instagram Account

Before you start promoting products, you’ll have to optimize your Instagram business account

What you’re doing here is ensuring that when potential buyers search or discover your brand online, your Instagram profile will have the information and contact details to prevent them from turning away.

Add a Recognizable Photo and Username

One of the worst mistakes you can make is to have an unrecognizable username and display photo. If you’ve already got this part down, you can skip to step two, but if there’s the slightest chance that you might want to make a few changes, stick around and let me show you how it’s done.

You’ll want an Instagram username that’s the same as your business name so that searchers can easily find you. That’s what shoe brand Payless did.

Whereas Red Lobster took a creative approach by using two red lobster claws as their profile image, which sums up what and who they are.

Claiming your business name might be easier said than done if you were late to join Instagram. With more than 500 million users on the platform every day, someone might have already taken your Instagram business username.

If your original username is gone, just add a variation to it, and you’re good to go. Take Later, for example: someone else has already taken the username @later, so the marketing team used @latermedia instead.

Need help coming up with an Instagram Username? Check out Plann’s fun guide to creating Unique Usernames for Instagram That Will Get You Noticed.

Include a Link to Boost Traffic to Your Site

There’s no point in getting sales with Instagram if you don’t promote your website link on your Instagram channel. Drop your link your Instagram bio to boost website traffic and sales.

Instagram Example: All Bird

An Interesting Bio That Hooks Followers

People will often scan your bio and photos before deciding whether they should follow you.

Think of your Instagram bio as an elevator pitch to get people hooked on your brand. You can write a simple line or use up the entire bio word limit of 150 characters.

Here are two brands with great Instagram bios:

HUM Nutrition

Nike

2. Create an Instagram Marketing Strategy

If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. Create an Instagram marketing strategy for your business so that you can set goals and actions that align with your content. A strategy also helps you to measure how effective your Instagram marketing is in terms of the type of engagement, revenue, and the impact you want your brand to have.

Now more than ever, a marketing strategy is critical. With Instagram's changing algorithm working on over 95 million posts every day, you're going to need a plan to push your brand above all that content and noise.

You can use the following to get started on your Instagram marketing strategy:

1. Create a Marketing Goal Why are you marketing on Instagram, and what do you want to accomplish? It's a given that you'd like to increase sales. But how do you intend to do it?

It could be as simple as planning to sell x amount of products per month, get more subscribers, increase repeat shoppers or all of the above. Whatever the case may be, it's wise to start with one goal at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed.

2. Create a Content Marketing Plan Now that you have a goal in mind, you'll need to create a content marketing plan that will complement it. Your content marketing plan is the key to creating amazing content (we'll talk more about that later), and it'll help you to keep your sanity when you're coming up with content ideas to post on Instagram.

Here’s a detailed guide to show you How to Build a More Complete Content Marketing Strategy to start seeing some Insta-famous results come your way.

Pro Tip: If your already have a content marketing strategy but the results are underwhelming, here are 6 reasons your content strategy isn’t working and 25 tips on how to fix it.

3. Social Media Strategy (Checklist) What's a social media checklist?

It's a daily, weekly, and monthly to-do list for your social media accounts. It helps you manage your Instagram account with ease, without feeling overwhelmed with comments, likes, and messages constantly flooding you.

I've created a step-by-step guide on how to make a social media checklist so you'll be handling Instagram like a pro in no time. Get started and download your free social media checklist here (no email required!)

It can seem like a lot to take in, but if you want to start using Instagram to drive sales to your business, you'll need to get serious about how you handle it, or you'll just be posting with little to no results. Take it from me: a well-executed plan pays off in the long run.

3. Boost Engagement on Instagram & Strengthen Customer Relationships.

Engage with Your Instagram Followers

No customer wants to walk into a retail store and be ignored; the same goes for customers going to your Instagram page.

When customers are ignored on social media or notice an inactive brand on Instagram, they'll most likely unfollow you or buy from your competitors.

That’s something no one wants, so start engaging!

Engagement increases your social media presence, builds loyalty, drives ROI, and attracts new followers.

Take a look at 720 Sweets & Etc. answering customer questions about their locations. As simple as it is, it can also drive foot traffic to your brick and mortar store.

Fitness brand Equinox has over 200,000 followers, yet they still take the time to engage with their followers by candidly answering and liking comments.

When you engage with followers, you should naturally promote your product website or store. Try not to make it seem forced. For example, Primark's Instagram account occasionally suggests customers come into their store to buy their products, or they ask customers to share how they style Primark pieces. Here’s an example below:

4 Effortless Ways to Engage with Followers on Instagram

Ask them a question about your products

Answer their questions in the comments

Recommend products they might need or want

Talk with them in the comments section

for feedback about your services or products

Jumpstart Your Instagram Engagement with Contests

Social media contests are a marketer’s growth hack when it comes to getting more followers, more engagement, and generating leads with the serious potential to drive massive sales.

Brands like Hydroflask make giveaways an essential part of their Instagram marketing strategy to gain more followers and increase sales during holidays. They host giveaways every three months and partner with complementing brands to make each giveaway prize even better than the last.

For example, for summer Hydroflask got over 100,000 likes and over 50,000 likes and comments with their partnered giveaway with Pura Vida's Stickers.

4 Most Popular Types of Instagram Contest:

Like-to-Win or Comment-to-Win: USANA Summer Giveaway

Follow To Win: The Beauty Spy

Tag -A-Friend : Tono & Co.

Click The Link In The Bio To Enter : World Photography Organisation

Pro Tip: Just like Facebook, you'll need to follow the contest rules. You don't need a lawyer for this one, but instead use this Complete Instagram Giveaway Rules Guide (With Examples).

Answer Your Instagram DMs

When you're using Instagram for business, managing all of your direct messages, comments, and replies can take up a lot of time! Sometimes you'll have to answer the same question, over and over (and over) again.

But keep at it! Answering direct messages and comments is essential when it comes to maintaining engagement with your new and current followers. Luckily, Instagram now offers saved replies in your direct messages, so you can save yourself the trouble of typing.

How to Use Quick Replies

Open your profile and tap the button with three lines in the top-right corner of the screen. This will open the sidebar menu where you can access your Instagram settings.

Next, tap the settings button and scroll down to Business Settings. Here you should see an option for Quick Replies.

Tap the “+” button in the top-right corner to create a new quick reply.

Once you’re happy with your quick reply, tap the ‘Save’ button in the top-right corner (you can always come back and edit or delete your quick reply later).

When you go into your direct messages to access your replies, you can click on the icon below:

4. Drive Sales with Instagram “Shopping”' Content & Features

Now that you've shaped your Instagram into a lean, mean sales machine, it's time to produce, package and deliver content and features to drive sales on your Instagram.

Promote Your Products with Creative, Professional Photos

Share your products, events, and giveaways on your Instagram profile.

You want to ensure that you promote your products with creative, professional photos. Since most online shoppers can't physically touch the product, they need to see your products in a good light (no pun intended).

Your customers need to see what they’re buying. The product image needs to be professional or placed in a lifestyle setting so that they can imagine a product in their day to day life. One of the reasons most products on Instagram sell so well is the high quality in product photography and display.

No matter how good your product is, without the right pictures, shoppers will still hesitate to click ‘Purchase’.

Everlane's Instagram shows off their products and pieces with fun lifestyle and product shots.

If you're on a budget or need help taking better product images, Hootsuite's got you covered with a step-by-step guide on How to Take Good Instagram Photos on Your Phone.

Sharing content in your Instagram story is an easy and effective way to expand your reach. With Instagram's 'swipe up" feature to drive customers to your website, you can capture a few sales in between.

Write a Killer Caption That Sells

A common mistake that most brands make on Instagram is trying to "hard" sell products to Instagram followers. Instagram was made for connecting first. Business became a part of it later. Try soft selling to appeal to Instagram’s Social Culture.

Think of your captions like mini-movie trailers or sales pitches; you don't start off the bat by saying ‘buy now’, not unless you have a monster of a following of loyal buyers like Nike or Old Navy.

The length of your caption can vary, despite popular belief that it should always be short, that may not be the case. Take Herbivore, for example, when they posted about their discount for their 8th birthday. It's a bit lengthy, but it's engaging:

Instagram Example: Herbivore

You can also use hashtags in your captions. Hashtags help to make your post discoverable for people searching for your brand or the products that you offer.

You can incorporate hashtags to make your captions more actionable. Take Chinese Laundry, they use the hashtag #ChineseLaundry for brand awareness and #TapToShop to let users know they can tap the image for Instagram shoppable posts.

Instagram Example: Chinese Laundry

Use Instagram Ambassadors to Share Your Brand

Using Instagram influencers has been proven to drive to drive sales. Around 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations, and 40% purchased something after seeing it on Instagram.

Now major brands like H&M have been known to use influencers for every fashion collection.

According to Mediakix, influencer marketing is expected to grow to a $5 – $10 billion market by 2020. More and more influencers are popping up each day, as more brands begin to take up dedicated influencers for their own.

You don't need an influencer who has millions of followers. You can use micro influencers who have between 5000-200,000 followers. More and more marketers are looking to micro-influencers to deliver affordable, professional and amazing content.

Pro Tip:Here are 7 Reasons to Use Micro-Influencers to Boost E-Commerce Sales.

5 Best Tools To Get More Sales On Instagram

LinkTree: Linktree allows you to turn your tiny Instagram website link into a sales funnel for your business. Take a look at what happens when you click on Wishpond’s Instagram Linktree URL:

Like2Buy: Owned by Curalate, Like2Buy was the first company to offer brands the chance to turn their Instagram posts into shoppable images. Brands like Target and Sephora trust Like2Buy to help drive sales for their Instagram marketing.

Instagram Shoppable Post: Once your business has a product catalog via Facebook connected to your Instagram account, tagging products is as simple as tagging a person in a post. Instagram shoppable posts are marked with a “Tap to View Products” pop-up or small white circle with the shopping bag icon.

Instagram Checkout: March 2019, Instagram dropped the checkout feature vendors had been waiting for. Now, not only can you tap to view a product, but you can offer viewers the chance to use the “Checkout on Instagram” button on the product page, so shoppers can pay for their order without leaving Instagram.

Once the buyer’s first order is complete, the information will be stored securely for convenience the next time they shop.

Instagram Stories Shopping Stickers: Similar to the regular Instagram shoppable posts, you’re able to tag physical products from their inventory or e-commerce platform. When you click on an item in Instagram, you’re able to view the item name, price, and description.

You can use Instagram Stories stickers on both images and videos, and there are four different types of stickers. It is restricted to certain countries, just like a shoppable post.

5. Beat Instagram’s Algorithm & Measure Your Success

So your content game is strong, and your account has taken over the gram. To keep that success coming, you’ll need to watch out for Instagram’s ever-changing algorithm and measure your success so you’re on the right track.

How to Beat Instagram Algorithm

Every year, business owners over the world grumble about Instagram’s algorithm as they try to grow their following, but there are some good intentions behind it all.

At the end of the day, Instagram’s algorithm, like YouTube, rewards content with high engagement. The not-so-secret sauce to beat the algorithm is to stay consistent with your content strategy and online activity. Wolf Software shows it best:

Just like a fish swimming upstream, the moment you stop moving, stop being active, you risk losing your pace.

Don’t fall into the trap of post-it-once-and-forget-it. Keep up with these Important Instagram Algorithm changes, and you’ll be able to use the algorithm to work for you.

How to Measure Your Instagram Success

You’ll need to go beyond how many followers you gain for the month. New followers aren’t always paying customers; they’re new leads you can turn into potential customers. That’s to say that having 10,000 followers isn’t the same as 10,000 orders. Maybe a small fraction of those customers purchase from you, and an even lower percentage become repeat customers. Which is why it’s important to measure your success, and take a close look at the impact your Instagram has on your revenue.

Look at your engagement, how many queries for prices and orders you get along with how many people complete purchases on your website after coming from Instagram. From there, you’ll begin to measure how successful your Instagram is when it comes to driving sales for you.

Summary

Here’s a quick recap on how to use Instagram to drive sales and grow your engagement:

Optimize Your Business Instagram Account

Create an Instagram Marketing Strategy

Boost Engagement on Instagram & Strengthen Customer Relationships.

Drive Sales with Instagram “Shopping”’ Content & Features

Beat Instagram’s Algorithm & Measure Your Success

Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been on Instagram for a while, you can use these tips to push you in the right direction.

Which tip was your favorite, or which are you trying now? Comment below and let me know. I’d love to hear!

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230801 https://ift.tt/2LNXlsI via IFTTT

[activebodi-blog]

50+ Places to Promote Your Next Blog Post

So you’ve finished writing the most epic, killer blog post of all time.

It’s 3000+ words, PACKED with value and it will cause empires to fall, thunder to shoot from the sky and people will bow in reverence! Now, people just have to know it exists so they can read it…

Where will they find out about it?

Where the hell do you even promote your blog post?

Damn it.

There are so many options out there yet most people simply pop a link on Facebook and then move permanently into their Google Analytics dashboard to watch to traffic pour in.

Then nothing happens.

We all know there are more places but few actually do the home work to find those places to share their posts.  If you’ve got a solid following already and an Email List that’s 100,000’s deep you may not need to promote overly aggressively to every platform on Earth – but when you’re in the early stages and growing you need to get the word out.

So below I’ve listed where you can share your post once it’s published, increase your reach and get more traffic to your blog post.

Before you promote your blog post…

Make sure you write a Blog post that is packed with value, and information people actually want.

Try cramming as much information that is valuable and actionable into your post as possible.  Long posts often perform best, so aim for that 2500+ words and make sure that the content is easy to read, scannable and easy to navigate without having to read the whole thing.

Ready? Let’s get to it…

First of all, Send an email out to your subscribers (duh)

If you don’t have an email list, then you need to start one.

Create an Opt-In PDF, sign up for ConvertKit and start building your business.  Email will get you far more visitors per subscriber than any other platform.  So do not waste this!  It seems obvious but it needs to be said.

I have a guide on how to start an email list right here.

Your Facebook Page

You’re already doing this, I know.  Bravo!

But don’t get complacent, keep up the good work.  If you’ve been tirelessly building your Facebook following then you can get some solid traffic here.  Another good reason is if you have supportive people on your page they may like your post before even reading it, it helps it travel further.

Besides, what’s the point of having Facebook if you’re not sharing your blog posts there?

Facebook Groups

You’re still logged into Facebook, right? Good.

If you haven’t already, do some research to find various Facebook Groups that are in your niche or topic and join. 

Be helpful, comment, be a solid part of the group and when you publish your blog posts find a handful of groups and share them there.

Just make sure you read the rules of the group and don’t go spamming 100’s of groups in a short amount of time as Facebook will notice! Pick and a handful and test them out.

Tweet it Now

Twitter is another powerful tool for reaching more people.

If you have a strong following a single tweet can make a difference, and it’s not hard to get your first 1000 Twitter Followers. But even if you don’t, you can tag people in your tweet, find some relevant hashtags to use and even sign up for some retweet groups that make it easier for you to reach more people.

You can also source which hashtags to use by leveraging tools like RiteTag!

You can tweet more than once too, soooo……

Tweet it later

Tweet later in the day.

Tweet tomorrow.

Tweet in a week.

You can simply log into Twitter and reshare your post.  Even better, try to schedule your Tweet using automation software like Buffer. Another option which is totally free is to use is TweetDeck to schedule your Tweet.

This means you can sort this all out at the one time. Booyah.

JustRetweet

Get some more retweets and spread even further into the Twitterverse by using JustRetweet.

This handy platform allows you to sign up and buy retweets with points you can either buy or accumulate by tweeting, liking and sharing others posts.  This is a really cool tool and is one not a lot of people seem to take advantage of.  So check it out!

Post to Your Google Business Page

If your website is a business, then you shoudl go to business.google.com and sign up for a business page.

There you can post updates and links that people will see and even add an attractive ‘learn more’ button to your post – linking off to your blog.

Don’t overlook Google Business, they’re owned by this really big company that has a lot to do with search engines (apparently…)

Search Out Online Forums

Does your blog post solve a problem? It should.

Then search for forums related to your niche.  There’s usually a search function, type in a question or problem related to your post and go in to offer some advice and link off to your post.

This not only spreads the word about your post but also spreads your reputation as an expert in your field.  It’s called networking ;)

Email Influencers & Other Bloggers

I won’t lie, a lot of bloggers and people you email are busy and get this kind of thing all the time, they may just ignore you. But not always…

If you have a good reason for these people to share, then they may go for it. Some of the reasons why a popular blogger, one who is far more established than you, may share your work are:

You mentioned or quoted them in your post

It helps them to sell their products or grow their email list (also a mention)

It solves a problem they or their audience has been having

It’s such a bloody good post it blows them away and they share it out in pure awe (no really lol)

I recommend finding other bloggers who are at about your level of slightly higher though.  If you started blogging yesterday, don’t expect to get a tweet sent out by Neil Patel.

You can even create a full outreach post if you really want to leverage this technique.

Reddit

Proceed with caution, Redditors are protective and will eat you alive if you pop up randomly and spam your post.

However, if you use Reddit, contribute and gain some respect on the platform, some subreddits may enjoy you sharing your post.  If not there’s Self Promotion, a subreddit dedicated to you sharing something you’ve created.

The best case scenario here is if someone else shares your post on Reddit.  :)

Pinterest

If you have interesting imagery within your post, pinning the images on Pinterest is a solid way to reach more people and catch more eyes.

I’ve personally created collections based on my niche and occasionally I surf Pinterest looking for new images so there’s a healthy mix of my stuff and other people’s pins.  Like a lot of things though, give it a try and see what results you get, it may or may not work for you.

LinkedIn

If you’ve got a solid following on LinkedIn and your niche is business oriented then share your post on LinkedIn (but don’t share your anime toy collecting website here).

If you have a solid post on a business related topic, LinkedIn can be a good place to cut through the noise as people are expecting this kind of thing to come through.  So don’t neglect this powerful social network.

While we’re here…

LinkedIn Groups

Sign up for LinkedIn Groups and post there.

A lot like GooglePlus and Facebook, LinkedIn has groups you can join and share to – expect people in the groups will receive emails whenever you post there, so it has a little extra reach.

This can be powerful if used correctly, as usual, I recommend getting a feel for the group cultures a bit and not spamming them all of your links.

Instagram

I know, you can’t share links on Instagram!

You can, however, place a link in your bio. Then all you have to do is post an image to the tune of “more information on our blog, link in my bio” and boom, you’re in.  You can also do paid ads and link from there too.  You’ve got options :)

Send a Push Notification

You can get visitors to sign up to receive browser and push notifications when you update.

One plugin you can use for Free is made by Push Assist on the WordPress repository.

This is a perfect way to take advantage of technology and reach more people.

Mix (formerly StumbleUpon)

Some people were skeptical of StumbleUpon, but it’s proven to be valuable to my blog’s growth – well now they’re called mix!

If you have your email list ready to convert people, these semi-random visits can lead directly to growth. You can also get some nice indirect growth via SEO, as I’ve noticed many of the posts I create that do well on this platform usually see increased search engine traffic.  There’s also the flow-on effect of people sharing your post elsewhere too.

It takes 10 seconds and can be an awesome tool, don’t overlook StumbleUpon.

Digg

Digg is another Social Bookmarking website you can promote your blog post on.

Like a lot of other networks, it covers a wide range of topics so you should be able to share just about anything here. It’s a pretty popular platform so if done right this could be a good promotion for your blog.

Delicious

Or should I say Del.ico.us?

Much like Digg, Delicious is another social bookmarking site covering a wide range of topics but you can also organize and categorize posts.  Another place to possibly break through to new people.

Quuu Promote

Ever heard of Quuu Promote? 

Quuu Promote is a platform where users can submit their content and it is hand reviewed and suggested to other people on the network who follow similar interests.

It’s an interesting platform so check it out: https://www.quuupromote.co/

Find Niche Bookmarking Sites

So above I’ve mentioned a few general social bookmarking sites that anyone can use, but there are also niche specific sites out there that may suit your blog or latest blog post.

A do a google search and see what exists out there for your niche and consider signing up and sharing there!

Run Paid Ads

Have you promoted your post on Facebook? Boost it!

Any kind of ad you can run that may give you the traffic you can convert into subscribers or customers could be a worthy investment. Crunch the numbers and try things like Google Adwords, Facebook Ads, StumbleUpon ads, etc or any platform you come across.

Buffer it

Do you use the Buffer App?

It’s a nifty platform you can use to schedule future posts to various social media networks (more on it here).  Throw the post into your Buffer stream and share it again at a later date.

This is perfect for those who didn’t see it the first time around!

Create a Video

Take your blog content, format it into a video, upload it onto YouTube & link it up in the description!

This acts a promotion, a backlink and you can build up your presence on YouTube at the same time. Also, you can embed the video into your post so people can choose to read or watch – that’s real multimedia for you!

This one is highly underrated.

Create a Podcast

Much like the previous tip, you can read your blog post into a short podcast and link to it in Show notes.

Again, you can build your podcast, promote your content and even embed the recording into your post so people can listen. This strategy will help you spread across multiple mediums.

Snip.ly

Share someone else’s blog post…

..and link to yours!

Snip.ly works by allowing you to share a link and add your own message and link over the top as suggested reading. This is another out of box technique that can make a big difference to your promotion.

Triberr

Triberr is another cool platform where you connect with other bloggers to cross promote each others content.

Find your tribe, share their stuff and they’ll share yours.  You can grow both your blog and your network at the same time.

A lot of people swear by this tool for their traffic so don’t overlook it!

Link up Older Blog Posts

If you have existing traffic going to other posts, a simple link could drive you some more people!

On top of that, linking up your newer posts in a relevant fashion from older posts is good for Search Engine Optimization and site structure.

You’ve already got other pages receiving traffic, so promote on them!

Add Tweetable Quotes

People love a though provoking quote. Take advantage by adding a “click to tweet’ on that quote that includes a link back to your post!

Craft a Tweet on Share Link Generator (I have a video on that here), pop it under your quote as a call to action (‘tweet this’ or something similar).

This is a great way to give people quick tweetable content they can share whilst also promoting your blog and your Twitter profile if you include your username in the tweet.

Comment on other relevant Blog Posts

I know this sounds pretty outdated, but if you leave a really helpful comment on a popular post, you can often add a link with your name and email.

If your post expands on another post, comment in a helpful manner and people will click and explore. Some people may say it’s also good for link building but I wouldn’t give it too much credit.  Treat it as networking.

Slideshare

Convert your post into a Slideshare slide, linking back to your post!

Slideshare is a lot like PowerPoint, you can create slides with bits and piece of information that pop up as the user views it. This is another strategy many people claim to be effective so try it out for yourself.

Tell Your SnapChat Followers

Got a following on SnapChat?  Snap them!

Tell your followers about the problem and tease your solution, telling them to check out your website for more in your latest blog post.

Snapchat is pretty popular these days so don’t underestimate this social media network, it can help you get some good traffic to your website.

Add to your Email Signature

Do you correspond by email a lot? You should have an email signature.

Take advantage of this by updating your email signature with something along the lines of “Latest post: how to lose 10 pounds in 8 weeks” as an example.

If you’re already conversing via email with people then there’s no reason for them not to check it out if they’re interested.

Ask people to share the post – from within the post!

Remember Share Link Generator?

Well, you can simply put a link on your post saying “do you like this post so far, please consider sharing it!” with the text as a link. Budda Bing budda boom! (Again, video here)

Speaking of which, has this post been handy so far? Consider sharing it on Facebook! That’d make my day :)

Add to your Email list DripFeed

You’ve emailed your subscribers, cool.  Now add the link to your Dripfeed for future subscribers!

If you have an automatic drip feed hooked up to your email where people get a predetermined series of emails after sign up, then there may be a perfect place there for your blog post.

Add your post onto your drip feed and promote it on autopilot for years to come!

Contact new people directly.

Send a Facebook Message, email, text, phone call, whatever!

If you have friends who support you, people in your industry or niche or even have a private circle of people you share with, then contact them asking to share your post.

I do this one a lot and it works well!

Create some Eye-Catching imagery and share

I’ve extracted quotes, interesting images and all sorts from blogposts and posted them on Facebook and Twitter for their own merits.  Add a link to your blog post and you’ve got another promotional method.

Since people engage more with videos or imagery than this one has the potential to reach more than a simple shared link.

Install SumoMe so people can share easily

SumoMe sharebar creates a bar of buttons tha tlink to Facebook, Twitter, etc that visitors can click and share.

Not only does it act as an easy way for people to share your post, but if you have a lot of shares and likes it acts as social proof too.

Sumo Me have a range of tools you can use to get more traffic and grow your email list, so check it out by searching for Sumo Me in the WordPress plugin repository.

Tease the upcoming post

Before you release your next post, tell people it’s coming and what it’s about.

If people really want to hear your take on the post you tease, it’ll build some buzz so when you share it, they’ll be a bit more excited and more likely to visit, link and share.

This is a good strategy when you’re creating a blog post that has been frequently requested.

Facebook Instant Articles

Ever heard of Facebook Instant Articles?

It’s basically a service which links up to your website and stores articles in the Facebook app.  So people on Mobile and Tablets can click through to the article and it displays instantly in the Facebook app, no switching to Chrome or Safari, it just loads instantly.

This is a good way to give your posts a little more presence on Social Media and you can even earn money with ads on Instant Articles.  So check it out!

Pay to Post

If you know of a relevant Facebook page which is quite large and gets a lot of interaction, consider messaging that page, offering to pay a fee for them to share your link.

This is a technique you can use to reach more people in similar networks and aggressively grow your reach.  This can be done on virtually any social media network.

Hell, you could ask them to do it for free, they may accept.

Answer some Questions

There are a number of websites out there where people ask questions for the community to answer.

Search for questions on forums and groups that your post can answer and, in some cases, link to your blog post from. Even if you can’t add a link, mention your website and simply type in the domain name so people can look you up.  You’ll help people, build your name and promote your site all at once.

Some of the most popular Q&A websites out there are:

Yahoo Answers

Quora

Answers.com

My Reply Is

Ask.fm

Snippets

Blurtit

Fluther

Reddit

You can also search for Forums in your niche also, where people often ask their community questions.  Simply search google for (your niche) + “forum”.  Form there you can usually search form within the forum.

Co-Promote

Start up a network of bloggers and create a group to share that shares each other’s posts.

Be picky and choose only quality bloggers (so you don’t get stuck sharing low-quality blog posts), and then send an email out to your group asking to promote. This is a powerful strategy if done well with good people.

Cross Promote

If you have another website or audience in a similar niche than you have another set of eyes you can leverage.

I once wrote an article on a fitness website “The top physiques in martial arts” and shared it both on the fitness Facebook page as well as my ‘Martial Arts Action Movies’ Facebook page.  The Martial Arts page had an audience of thousands and it sent a lot of traffic to the fitness website.

So leverage your other properties appropriately, you can even write a post targeted at another page that works for both niches.

Bloglovin’

Bloglovin’ is a network where bloggers can follow each other and promote their blogs.

While it’s rooted heavily in Fashion and Lifestyle, this covers a wide range of topics and can be a powerful tool if you grow your presence on Bloglovin’. Check out their website here.

Blog Engage

Blog Engage is another community built for people to share their blogs and blog posts.

This is another tool that can be useful for interacting with other bloggers, build your network and then leveraging it directly by keeping people there up to date by posting your blog posts there regularly.

Check out Blog Engage.

AllTop

This content aggregator won’t take up much of your time.

Sign up and submit your RSS Feed and if you make the Alltop listing than your website will automatically display your latest posts.  This tool is attractive because it only takes one submission to get started.  You don’t have to submit every single post, it’s all automated!

Check out AllTop

Tumblr

Tumblr is a blogging platform that is linked up just like a social network.

It’s easy, sign up for a Tumblr account, follow some people (many will follow back) and then share your links on your blog with a few tags attached. Tumblr is another popular network which is perfect for building your network and of course, sharing your blog posts!

Check out Tumblr

Blog Post Roundups

Many blogs and website run Blog Post Roundups or have blog posts dedicated to a certain topic, linking out to other bloggers posts.

You can contact these websites and submit your post for consideration.  If the quality of your post is high, most people are more than happy to include them in a roundup. Google is your friend here as it may take some searching to come up with what you’re after.

Flipboard

Flipboard is another bookmarking style site you can sign up for and share your posts on.

Flipboard is another site which covers many topics and niches so just about anyone has the opportunity to share the blog posts here and grow their traffic. This could be another promotional tool to grow your following with.

Check out Flipboard

Make use of “Latest Posts” Widgets

People may land on your website and leave because they don’t see anything that interests them. So promote your latest Blog Post!

If you don’t have a blog page as your home page, throw a ‘latest posts’ widget there, same for the sidebar and maybe even the footer of your website.  Anywhere where people might see your latest posts and shift their attention is a potential reader of your most recent work.

This is a common feature of your standard WordPress Widgets.

Share again at a later date!

Remember, once you’ve written this post, shared it and moved doesn’t mean it’s dead and gone.

If you’re proud of this post or it gets a good response, keep it up your sleeve and share it again in a week, a few months, later in the year, in 2 years or anytime when it’s still relevant. It’s been made so why not make use of it over and over again.

Automate and Link these avenues of promotion

Save time by linking some of these platforms up.

You can easily link Facebook to Twitter right here. Most people know that, but there’s another tool called “If this, then that”, or IFTTT for short.  It allows you to login and link up a massive number of apps with rules, many being based on your RSS feed when you share a new post, or to share from a platform like Instagram to Pinterest or Tumblr.

There’s way too much for me to mention here but is a powerful tool and a MASSIVE time saver if you’re looking to make your blog post promotion more efficient.

Check it out at IFTTT.com, spend some time and write some ‘recipes’.

Finally, Create a “Promotion Cheat Sheet”, here’s how:

OK, so you have a few places in mind already from above, but can you remember them all?  Have you done any further research?  Well, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.

In my time I’ve created and run several websites.  Some went nowhere, some have received mammoth traffic in their time.  If there’s one thing that I swore by, at least in the earlier days of blogging it was having a promotional cheat sheet I could refer to each time I published a post.

That way every time I published a post I’d open up the sheet and promote it on every website or platform listed.  It’s not rocket science, it called being organized. SO!

First, Create a Spreadsheet.

Do you have Microsoft Excel? Open Office Calculator? Maybe even a Google Sheet?

Whichever weapon of choice you use, let’s get started by creating a spreadsheet…

Excellent.  You’re doing well so far.

Now add the following across the top:

Website / Platform

URL

Username

Password

Maybe make the text bold and widen the columns to accommodate. It should look something like this:

Add the sites & their information:

Now, just go through and fill out the form with any platforms you may have, with the corresponding information.

It’s pretty basic & straightforward :)

Now, research & add everything in.

Spend some time searching, researching and looking for places to promote your latest blog post. Make sure you include any of the items already in this blog post (that’s kinda the point of this whole thing), record these places down, sign up for their services and put everything right here.

The idea is to spend some time upfront gathering up information for the future.

So the next time you post, use the list you just created!

Like I said, it’s not rocket science. 

Next time you go to publish a post you will know exactly where to promote it and begin the influx of traffic.  Just make sure your website is ready to receive and convert the traffic it receives into customers or Email subscribers.

Over time you can refine this list by going into your analytics and seeing where your traffic is coming from.  For the sake of efficiency I highly recommending adding and removing over time so you don’t waste hours promoting your stuff somewhere just to receive 1 or 2 visitors.

Thanks for reading this post and I hope it helps you out.

If you want more information just like this, consider subscribing to our Email Newsletter below!

source https://wellbuildyourblog.com/promote-blog-post/

[sugercoatit]

You know how the song goes; these are a few of my favourite things! But to be honest, I can’t believe that the end of June came around so quickly. But here we are, and I learned a few things from last month to make sure this month is a little more interesting. These Favourites posts are about getting the opportunity to share what I’ve been enjoying for the month, about sharing with you accounts and vendors that I think will be interesting to you.

  My June Favourites

  Favourite Style – The Big Fashion Guy

I was thinking about men the other day. Which may seem like an unusual way to start a sentence, but here we are. I was thinking about my post for plus-sized teens and how it doesn’t include stores for boys. As part of that energy, I went hunting for plus-size male influencers online and found some great ones. The Big Fashion Guy included. Cool, stylish with all that on-trend magic. Everything I miss about fashion blogging (yes, I do miss it) with a great smile too boot. If there is someone out there who is inspiring me to get back into my jeans, they have to be worth it. Even better, he created an account called Men of Size, which is full of big, beautiful, men from all over the world. You can’t argue with THAT.

  Favourite Beverage – Good Pair Days

I joined Good Pair Days to try out some new wines. Lockdown has been a cause for many, many wine-inspired evenings and it was time I gave my local bottle shop a break. Though, to be fair, they continue to do very well out of me. I’m about to have my second box delivered with 7 wines. Good Pair Days offers subscription options from 3 bottles. We ordered 10 in our first box at the start of June; desperate times. I’ve tried a range of white, sparkling and red wines and been happy with the quality. Some haven’t been to my taste. But the team got in touch, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with their customer service. I told them I was here for new wine and happy to experiment with the selection process as we go. New wines, come to Mumma.

  Favourite Blog Post – Thoughts on 4 Popular Meditation Apps

I’m someone who has downloaded the majority of meditation apps out there and never gotten through the trial period without deleting them or getting frustrated with the available plans. I probably need meditation more than most judging by that response. Right? Anyway, this post inspired me to download them again and find one I like. One that works for me and inspires me to stop, take a moment and recharge. And yes, annual subscriptions can seem like a rip off with this sort of thing, but as you can see above, investing in such things isn’t foreign to me. So, I need to get over that and try. If you’re a little like me, and in need of some guidance in the vast big world of meditation apps, start at this post. I think it will help!

  Favourite Maker – Tantri Mustika Ceramics

I’ve got a thing for beautiful pots and mugs, ceramics, really. It’s something that I continue to resist purchasing due to straining shelves and purged cupboards. However, if unlike me, you are in need of beautiful things to decorate your home or kitchen, start here. I mean, maybe I could use a few more things… These gorgeous, handcrafted beauties to bring that handmade maker feel that I love Instagram for giving us. And even better, if you’re based in Melbourne (once things with COVID are behind us) you can attend workshops or buy direct from the store. There are Stay At Home kits if you just can’t wait. All available on her website, browse away, team, you can thank me later.

  Favourite Instagram – Ashluka Draws

I stumbled across this account via an Instagram Story share and couldn’t be happier. And as someone who has always struggled to write the perfect bio, this one is pretty great. It says that Ashley Lukashevsky is a mixed queer illustrating just futures. Who could argue you with that? Her colourful, bold illustrations are a must follow, she has illustrated a children’s book called Antiracist Baby and I wish I could find the link to buy a poster or sticker or something. You will find other artists in her story highlights too, along with some great information and sources. A thoroughly modern person who I believe might just be on their way to creating that just future. Love that.

  Favourite LOL – Very Ugly Plates

Are you ready for a laugh? Remember when the captioning of old oil paintings thing was happening? I was so into that. Taking old stuff and giving it a modern context is my favourite. That’s kind of what is happening here with Very Ugly Plates. It’s a bunch of old dinnerware with very inappropriate sayings or comments on them. I’m in dishes heaven. Which is a place I had never thought I’d find myself –  I hate doing the dishes. Add the account to your follow list on Instagram and it will pop up remaining you life is good at the most unexpected times. After all, don’t we all need a little more joy in our life?

      June Favourites Gallery

  Processed with VSCO with c8 preset

Processed with VSCO with c8 preset

  enjoyed this post? consider pinning your favourite.

  …

  If you have any suggestions and want to share your small business or blog, please do! Especially crucial, given my commitment to diversifying this blog. And always, ALWAYS feel free to tag me in posts on Instagram or Twitter to share something with me. Some of the best stuff I’ve found this month was on recommendation from someone I follow or who took the time to share. I know you will, you are the best. Until then, enjoy the Favourites I’ve chosen and I’ll see you back here next month.

  Previous Favourites posts

May 2020

Favourites: June 2020 You know how the song goes; these are a few of my favourite things! But to be honest, I can't believe that the end of June came around so quickly.

[forlawfirmsonlymarketing]

How to Network Online Like a Champ Posted by cheryldraper

Posted by cheryldraper This conference season feels a bit different, doesn't it? Where we're usually globetrotting from event to event, this year most conferences have either postponed their dates or switched to online, remote-friendly formats, offering video sessions by top-notch speakers or live streams with open chats. But what about everyone's favorite bonus during conference season — networking? Thankfully, all is not lost! With a little ingenuity and virtual elbow grease, you can still forge new professional relationships over an internet connection rather than a cocktail. (And hey, nothing's stopping you from enjoying a nice, frosty Mozcow Mule or tasty mocktail in your home office space, right?) In our current reality of social distancing, marketing conference networking will look different, but it's not going anywhere. Read on for tips on how to effectively network while remote!

Step 1: Look for networking opportunities

Depending on which virtual event you attend, the networking opportunities will look different. Keeping a creative eye out for opportunity is key to your success!

Live chats

Much like during regular conferences, there are bound to be live chats happening. They may happen on the actual event platform, or they may take place on social media. Some events will use a platform like Zoom that allows viewers to chat with each other within the platform, while others may have more of a broadcast format where chats happen on Twitter with a hashtag.

Joining Q&As

A super valuable aspect of conferences is being able to speak to presenters after they give their talk. Sometimes this happens during a predetermined time slot, such as right after the presentation, or it may happen when you catch them in the lobby or at an event later on. Either way, this time to ask questions about their expertise is a huge value-add to the experience. With conferences going virtual and live chats happening publicly during the presentations, this Q&A time has shifted a bit. Instead of having to wait for the presentation to be over, in some cases, presenters will reply to questions from the live chat as they're speaking. Some panels are pre-recorded, giving speakers a chance to interact on various platforms during the event itself. Some events will even have specific “presentations” that are more like facilitated Ask Me Anything-style interviews or panels where questions are taken from the audience and posed to the speaker(s).

Birds of a Feather discussions

Many conferences will offer some sort of industry or concept specific conversation facilitation. For instance, at MozCon, we host Birds of a Feather discussions. These discussions are headed up by an industry professional and have predetermined topics such as EAT, AI, Gutenberg, etc. Other times, these conversations may be organized and headed up by attendees. In a virtual setting, these will likely be smaller breakout groups using some sort of video chat software. Zoom, specifically, has created a way for conferences to organize these “breakout sessions” in advance. Birds of a Feather conversations are one of the best ways to connect as there is a common ground established from the get-go. These. Are. Your. People. Connections here will likely be the most valuable.

Step 2: Get active

No matter where the chats are happening, be sure you're a part of them! The more you interact, the more likely people are to recognize your name when you reach out after the event. The only caution here is that you have to be sure your interactions are meaningful — don’t just comment clapping hands. Add something to the conversation.

Add insight

The best thing about people is that we're all different and have fresh perspectives to bring to the table. Don’t be afraid to add on to someone’s thoughts. Let's use a fun example. If someone says that the best mascot hug ever was from Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, you may jump in and ask if they’ve ever met Roger MozBot, famed hugger and robot dancer extraordinaire. Or you could build on the thought by saying something like, “Mickey is a great hugger, I think it’s because he goes over instead of under!” In both of these instances, you’ve joined the conversation and added value.

Add clarification

Speakers often try to fit a lot of information into a relatively short timeframe. That said, questions will likely arise in the live chats. This could very easily be your time to shine! If you've got knowledge to share, feel free to answer the question to the best of your ability and try to add clarification. This is absolutely one of the best ways to position yourself as an expert and form a relationship with someone you’ve never met. It allows you to prove you’re knowledgable and give the person something they value for free.

Add sources

Whether you are asking a question, answering a question, or just chiming in with added insight, adding resources in conversation is extremely beneficial. This could mean that you recommend a tool, a person, or an article link. These resources for the other viewers can be extremely beneficial and help you establish your credibility. Now, we don’t suggest trying to come up with a source for everything, but if you have one right off of the top of your head, dropping a link in the chat may really help someone.

BONUS: Add people on social

While this one's not necessarily about adding value per se, it is about adding. Adding influencers, presenters, or other attendees after interacting with them (even if briefly) may increase your chances of getting a follow-back or accepted request as you'll still be top of mind. Try to add people no later than 24 hours after your last interaction, and consider sending a friendly "hey!" with a note about what you spoke about to keep the connection fresh.

Step 3: Perfect your follow-up

After connecting with people during the online conference, you'll want to follow up with them and stay in touch. The most important part of following up is the first impression. You don’t want to come right out of the gate with a request of any sort. Instead, look to build a relationship first. This could mean shooting a quick follow-up message recapping your conversation with the person, telling them that you appreciated their time and that you look forward to more conversations. After sending your initial follow-up, be sure to interact with the person at least once a week to stay top-of-mind. This is easiest on social media as you can like, comment, share their content, and ensure that your name is showing up in their notifications. However, direct messages, emails, and even phone calls are sure to be more impactful. The best thing you can do when following up is to stick to what you're most comfortable with and be consistent while continuing to add value.

Have fun and be yourself!

The number-one thing you have to offer is yourself. Your experiences make you unique and others can learn from that! So when you are connecting with others, just remember to be yourself. And lastly, have fun! Networking is meant to be fun as it gives you the opportunity to connect with others and build a community. Embrace that connection and enjoy it.

Networking at MozCon Virtual

Every year, we hear from attendees about how networking is one of their favorite parts of the conference. We made sure to keep it an integral part of this year's virtual event, too — check out all the ways you can connect with speakers, industry experts, attendees, and thought leaders at MozCon Virtual 2020!

In-session Q&A chat

Mid-presentation, pop into the Q&A chat with your real-time questions and get them answered by speakers. You'll also be able to chat with other attendees about the content, provide your own insights, and participate in real-time virtual convos about the session and topic. Speakers will be available to answer questions during their scheduled session times, so it's a perfect opportunity to get clarification, further insight, or forge those all-important connections!

Customizable profiles: Interests, personal bio, tags, and more

Attendees can search for like-minded folks with similar interests based on what you add to your profile when signing in. You can choose to upload your photo, create your biography, add specific interests and tags, and reach out to those you'd like to follow up with.

Create your own "Want-to-Meet" list

Browse attendee profiles and click "want to meet" when you find someone you'd like to reach out to later. With your personal contact info safely hidden, this is a great way to find and get found by those looking for new talent, professional partnerships, debate buddies, and more. Build your list ahead of time, then review in-platform and reach out when you're ready!

Schedule 1:1 meetings

After connecting with someone, you can easily send a meeting request to the folks you've connected with to chat live outside of the bigger group discussions. Your invited guest can choose to accept or decline the invite, and all 1:1 meetings occur directly within the conference platform's meeting rooms, making for easy facilitation!

Birds of a Feather "table" discussions

Birds of a Feather lunch tables are one of the biggest MozCon hits year after year, and we didn't want anyone to miss out! We'll facilitate 30-minute-long group discussions each day of the conference for you to connect with those interested in specific topics via video and audio chat. Each discussion will be led by an industry leader, giving you all the opportunity to say "hey" to the folks whose work you admire and collaborate with them on ideas, theories, obstacles you've faced, and more. We're super excited about all the networking opportunities at MozCon Virtual — at $129 per ticket, it's an incredible value for growing your digital marketing skillset and your career:

Get my ticket to MozCon Virtual!

Let us know your own best virtual networking tips in the comments. We hope to see you at MozCon this July 14 & 15!   Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

https://www.businesscreatorplus.com/how-to-network-online-like-a-champ-posted-by-cheryldraper/

[isearchgoood]

How to Network Online Like a Champ

Posted by cheryldraper

This conference season feels a bit different, doesn't it? Where we're usually globetrotting from event to event, this year most conferences have either postponed their dates or switched to online, remote-friendly formats, offering video sessions by top-notch speakers or live streams with open chats. But what about everyone's favorite bonus during conference season — networking?

Thankfully, all is not lost! With a little ingenuity and virtual elbow grease, you can still forge new professional relationships over an internet connection rather than a cocktail. (And hey, nothing's stopping you from enjoying a nice, frosty Mozcow Mule or tasty mocktail in your home office space, right?) In our current reality of social distancing, marketing conference networking will look different, but it's not going anywhere. Read on for tips on how to effectively network while remote!

Step 1: Look for networking opportunities

Depending on which virtual event you attend, the networking opportunities will look different. Keeping a creative eye out for opportunity is key to your success!

Live chats

Much like during regular conferences, there are bound to be live chats happening. They may happen on the actual event platform, or they may take place on social media. Some events will use a platform like Zoom that allows viewers to chat with each other within the platform, while others may have more of a broadcast format where chats happen on Twitter with a hashtag.

Joining Q&As

A super valuable aspect of conferences is being able to speak to presenters after they give their talk. Sometimes this happens during a predetermined time slot, such as right after the presentation, or it may happen when you catch them in the lobby or at an event later on. Either way, this time to ask questions about their expertise is a huge value-add to the experience.

With conferences going virtual and live chats happening publicly during the presentations, this Q&A time has shifted a bit. Instead of having to wait for the presentation to be over, in some cases, presenters will reply to questions from the live chat as they're speaking. Some panels are pre-recorded, giving speakers a chance to interact on various platforms during the event itself. Some events will even have specific “presentations” that are more like facilitated Ask Me Anything-style interviews or panels where questions are taken from the audience and posed to the speaker(s).

Birds of a Feather discussions

Many conferences will offer some sort of industry or concept specific conversation facilitation. For instance, at MozCon, we host Birds of a Feather discussions. These discussions are headed up by an industry professional and have predetermined topics such as EAT, AI, Gutenberg, etc. Other times, these conversations may be organized and headed up by attendees.

In a virtual setting, these will likely be smaller breakout groups using some sort of video chat software. Zoom, specifically, has created a way for conferences to organize these “breakout sessions” in advance.

Birds of a Feather conversations are one of the best ways to connect as there is a common ground established from the get-go. These. Are. Your. People. Connections here will likely be the most valuable.

Step 2: Get active

No matter where the chats are happening, be sure you're a part of them! The more you interact, the more likely people are to recognize your name when you reach out after the event. The only caution here is that you have to be sure your interactions are meaningful — don’t just comment clapping hands. Add something to the conversation.

Add insight

The best thing about people is that we're all different and have fresh perspectives to bring to the table. Don’t be afraid to add on to someone’s thoughts.

Let's use a fun example. If someone says that the best mascot hug ever was from Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, you may jump in and ask if they’ve ever met Roger MozBot, famed hugger and robot dancer extraordinaire. Or you could build on the thought by saying something like, “Mickey is a great hugger, I think it’s because he goes over instead of under!”

In both of these instances, you’ve joined the conversation and added value.

Add clarification

Speakers often try to fit a lot of information into a relatively short timeframe. That said, questions will likely arise in the live chats. This could very easily be your time to shine! If you've got knowledge to share, feel free to answer the question to the best of your ability and try to add clarification.

This is absolutely one of the best ways to position yourself as an expert and form a relationship with someone you’ve never met. It allows you to prove you’re knowledgable and give the person something they value for free.

Add sources

Whether you are asking a question, answering a question, or just chiming in with added insight, adding resources in conversation is extremely beneficial. This could mean that you recommend a tool, a person, or an article link. These resources for the other viewers can be extremely beneficial and help you establish your credibility.

Now, we don’t suggest trying to come up with a source for everything, but if you have one right off of the top of your head, dropping a link in the chat may really help someone.

BONUS: Add people on social

While this one's not necessarily about adding value per se, it is about adding. Adding influencers, presenters, or other attendees after interacting with them (even if briefly) may increase your chances of getting a follow-back or accepted request as you'll still be top of mind. Try to add people no later than 24 hours after your last interaction, and consider sending a friendly "hey!" with a note about what you spoke about to keep the connection fresh.

Step 3: Perfect your follow-up

After connecting with people during the online conference, you'll want to follow up with them and stay in touch.

The most important part of following up is the first impression. You don’t want to come right out of the gate with a request of any sort. Instead, look to build a relationship first. This could mean shooting a quick follow-up message recapping your conversation with the person, telling them that you appreciated their time and that you look forward to more conversations.

After sending your initial follow-up, be sure to interact with the person at least once a week to stay top-of-mind. This is easiest on social media as you can like, comment, share their content, and ensure that your name is showing up in their notifications. However, direct messages, emails, and even phone calls are sure to be more impactful.

The best thing you can do when following up is to stick to what you're most comfortable with and be consistent while continuing to add value.

Have fun and be yourself!

The number-one thing you have to offer is yourself. Your experiences make you unique and others can learn from that! So when you are connecting with others, just remember to be yourself. And lastly, have fun! Networking is meant to be fun as it gives you the opportunity to connect with others and build a community. Embrace that connection and enjoy it.

Networking at MozCon Virtual 

Every year, we hear from attendees about how networking is one of their favorite parts of the conference. We made sure to keep it an integral part of this year's virtual event, too — check out all the ways you can connect with speakers, industry experts, attendees, and thought leaders at MozCon Virtual 2020!

In-session Q&A chat

Mid-presentation, pop into the Q&A chat with your real-time questions and get them answered by speakers. You'll also be able to chat with other attendees about the content, provide your own insights, and participate in real-time virtual convos about the session and topic. Speakers will be available to answer questions during their scheduled session times, so it's a perfect opportunity to get clarification, further insight, or forge those all-important connections!

Customizable profiles: Interests, personal bio, tags, and more

Attendees can search for like-minded folks with similar interests based on what you add to your profile when signing in. You can choose to upload your photo, create your biography, add specific interests and tags, and reach out to those you'd like to follow up with.

Create your own "Want-to-Meet" list

Browse attendee profiles and click "want to meet" when you find someone you'd like to reach out to later. With your personal contact info safely hidden, this is a great way to find and get found by those looking for new talent, professional partnerships, debate buddies, and more. Build your list ahead of time, then review in-platform and reach out when you're ready!

Schedule 1:1 meetings

After connecting with someone, you can easily send a meeting request to the folks you've connected with to chat live outside of the bigger group discussions. Your invited guest can choose to accept or decline the invite, and all 1:1 meetings occur directly within the conference platform's meeting rooms, making for easy facilitation!

Birds of a Feather "table" discussions

Birds of a Feather lunch tables are one of the biggest MozCon hits year after year, and we didn't want anyone to miss out! We'll facilitate 30-minute-long group discussions each day of the conference for you to connect with those interested in specific topics via video and audio chat. Each discussion will be led by an industry leader, giving you all the opportunity to say "hey" to the folks whose work you admire and collaborate with them on ideas, theories, obstacles you've faced, and more.

We're super excited about all the networking opportunities at MozCon Virtual — at $129 per ticket, it's an incredible value for growing your digital marketing skillset and your career:

Get my ticket to MozCon Virtual!

Let us know your own best virtual networking tips in the comments. We hope to see you at MozCon this July 14 & 15!

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

via Blogger https://ift.tt/37vBhfs #blogger #bloggingtips #bloggerlife #bloggersgetsocial #ontheblog #writersofinstagram #writingprompt #instapoetry #writerscommunity #writersofig #writersblock #writerlife #writtenword #instawriters #spilledink #wordgasm #creativewriting #poetsofinstagram #blackoutpoetry #poetsofig

[theinjectlikes2]

How to Network Online Like a Champ

Posted by cheryldraper

This conference season feels a bit different, doesn't it? Where we're usually globetrotting from event to event, this year most conferences have either postponed their dates or switched to online, remote-friendly formats, offering video sessions by top-notch speakers or live streams with open chats. But what about everyone's favorite bonus during conference season — networking?

Thankfully, all is not lost! With a little ingenuity and virtual elbow grease, you can still forge new professional relationships over an internet connection rather than a cocktail. (And hey, nothing's stopping you from enjoying a nice, frosty Mozcow Mule or tasty mocktail in your home office space, right?) In our current reality of social distancing, marketing conference networking will look different, but it's not going anywhere. Read on for tips on how to effectively network while remote!

Step 1: Look for networking opportunities

Depending on which virtual event you attend, the networking opportunities will look different. Keeping a creative eye out for opportunity is key to your success!

Live chats

Much like during regular conferences, there are bound to be live chats happening. They may happen on the actual event platform, or they may take place on social media. Some events will use a platform like Zoom that allows viewers to chat with each other within the platform, while others may have more of a broadcast format where chats happen on Twitter with a hashtag.

Joining Q&As

A super valuable aspect of conferences is being able to speak to presenters after they give their talk. Sometimes this happens during a predetermined time slot, such as right after the presentation, or it may happen when you catch them in the lobby or at an event later on. Either way, this time to ask questions about their expertise is a huge value-add to the experience.

With conferences going virtual and live chats happening publicly during the presentations, this Q&A time has shifted a bit. Instead of having to wait for the presentation to be over, in some cases, presenters will reply to questions from the live chat as they're speaking. Some panels are pre-recorded, giving speakers a chance to interact on various platforms during the event itself. Some events will even have specific “presentations” that are more like facilitated Ask Me Anything-style interviews or panels where questions are taken from the audience and posed to the speaker(s).

Birds of a Feather discussions

Many conferences will offer some sort of industry or concept specific conversation facilitation. For instance, at MozCon, we host Birds of a Feather discussions. These discussions are headed up by an industry professional and have predetermined topics such as EAT, AI, Gutenberg, etc. Other times, these conversations may be organized and headed up by attendees.

In a virtual setting, these will likely be smaller breakout groups using some sort of video chat software. Zoom, specifically, has created a way for conferences to organize these “breakout sessions” in advance.

Birds of a Feather conversations are one of the best ways to connect as there is a common ground established from the get-go. These. Are. Your. People. Connections here will likely be the most valuable.

Step 2: Get active

No matter where the chats are happening, be sure you're a part of them! The more you interact, the more likely people are to recognize your name when you reach out after the event. The only caution here is that you have to be sure your interactions are meaningful — don’t just comment clapping hands. Add something to the conversation.

Add insight

The best thing about people is that we're all different and have fresh perspectives to bring to the table. Don’t be afraid to add on to someone’s thoughts.

Let's use a fun example. If someone says that the best mascot hug ever was from Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, you may jump in and ask if they’ve ever met Roger MozBot, famed hugger and robot dancer extraordinaire. Or you could build on the thought by saying something like, “Mickey is a great hugger, I think it’s because he goes over instead of under!”

In both of these instances, you’ve joined the conversation and added value.

Add clarification

Speakers often try to fit a lot of information into a relatively short timeframe. That said, questions will likely arise in the live chats. This could very easily be your time to shine! If you've got knowledge to share, feel free to answer the question to the best of your ability and try to add clarification.

This is absolutely one of the best ways to position yourself as an expert and form a relationship with someone you’ve never met. It allows you to prove you’re knowledgable and give the person something they value for free.

Add sources

Whether you are asking a question, answering a question, or just chiming in with added insight, adding resources in conversation is extremely beneficial. This could mean that you recommend a tool, a person, or an article link. These resources for the other viewers can be extremely beneficial and help you establish your credibility.

Now, we don’t suggest trying to come up with a source for everything, but if you have one right off of the top of your head, dropping a link in the chat may really help someone.

BONUS: Add people on social

While this one's not necessarily about adding value per se, it is about adding. Adding influencers, presenters, or other attendees after interacting with them (even if briefly) may increase your chances of getting a follow-back or accepted request as you'll still be top of mind. Try to add people no later than 24 hours after your last interaction, and consider sending a friendly "hey!" with a note about what you spoke about to keep the connection fresh.

Step 3: Perfect your follow-up

After connecting with people during the online conference, you'll want to follow up with them and stay in touch.

The most important part of following up is the first impression. You don’t want to come right out of the gate with a request of any sort. Instead, look to build a relationship first. This could mean shooting a quick follow-up message recapping your conversation with the person, telling them that you appreciated their time and that you look forward to more conversations.

After sending your initial follow-up, be sure to interact with the person at least once a week to stay top-of-mind. This is easiest on social media as you can like, comment, share their content, and ensure that your name is showing up in their notifications. However, direct messages, emails, and even phone calls are sure to be more impactful.

The best thing you can do when following up is to stick to what you're most comfortable with and be consistent while continuing to add value.

Have fun and be yourself!

The number-one thing you have to offer is yourself. Your experiences make you unique and others can learn from that! So when you are connecting with others, just remember to be yourself. And lastly, have fun! Networking is meant to be fun as it gives you the opportunity to connect with others and build a community. Embrace that connection and enjoy it.

Networking at MozCon Virtual 

Every year, we hear from attendees about how networking is one of their favorite parts of the conference. We made sure to keep it an integral part of this year's virtual event, too — check out all the ways you can connect with speakers, industry experts, attendees, and thought leaders at MozCon Virtual 2020!

In-session Q&A chat

Mid-presentation, pop into the Q&A chat with your real-time questions and get them answered by speakers. You'll also be able to chat with other attendees about the content, provide your own insights, and participate in real-time virtual convos about the session and topic. Speakers will be available to answer questions during their scheduled session times, so it's a perfect opportunity to get clarification, further insight, or forge those all-important connections!

Customizable profiles: Interests, personal bio, tags, and more

Attendees can search for like-minded folks with similar interests based on what you add to your profile when signing in. You can choose to upload your photo, create your biography, add specific interests and tags, and reach out to those you'd like to follow up with.

Create your own "Want-to-Meet" list

Browse attendee profiles and click "want to meet" when you find someone you'd like to reach out to later. With your personal contact info safely hidden, this is a great way to find and get found by those looking for new talent, professional partnerships, debate buddies, and more. Build your list ahead of time, then review in-platform and reach out when you're ready!

Schedule 1:1 meetings

After connecting with someone, you can easily send a meeting request to the folks you've connected with to chat live outside of the bigger group discussions. Your invited guest can choose to accept or decline the invite, and all 1:1 meetings occur directly within the conference platform's meeting rooms, making for easy facilitation!

Birds of a Feather "table" discussions

Birds of a Feather lunch tables are one of the biggest MozCon hits year after year, and we didn't want anyone to miss out! We'll facilitate 30-minute-long group discussions each day of the conference for you to connect with those interested in specific topics via video and audio chat. Each discussion will be led by an industry leader, giving you all the opportunity to say "hey" to the folks whose work you admire and collaborate with them on ideas, theories, obstacles you've faced, and more.

We're super excited about all the networking opportunities at MozCon Virtual — at $129 per ticket, it's an incredible value for growing your digital marketing skillset and your career:

Get my ticket to MozCon Virtual!

Let us know your own best virtual networking tips in the comments. We hope to see you at MozCon this July 14 & 15!

Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read!

from The Moz Blog https://ift.tt/30NplEq via IFTTT

[whitelabelseoreseller]

How to Network Online Like a Champ

Posted by cheryldraper

This conference season feels a bit different, doesn't it? Where we're usually globetrotting from event to event, this year most conferences have either postponed their dates or switched to online, remote-friendly formats, offering video sessions by top-notch speakers or live streams with open chats. But what about everyone's favorite bonus during conference season — networking?

Thankfully, all is not lost! With a little ingenuity and virtual elbow grease, you can still forge new professional relationships over an internet connection rather than a cocktail. (And hey, nothing's stopping you from enjoying a nice, frosty Mozcow Mule or tasty mocktail in your home office space, right?) In our current reality of social distancing, marketing conference networking will look different, but it's not going anywhere. Read on for tips on how to effectively network while remote!

Step 1: Look for networking opportunities

Depending on which virtual event you attend, the networking opportunities will look different. Keeping a creative eye out for opportunity is key to your success!

Live chats

Much like during regular conferences, there are bound to be live chats happening. They may happen on the actual event platform, or they may take place on social media. Some events will use a platform like Zoom that allows viewers to chat with each other within the platform, while others may have more of a broadcast format where chats happen on Twitter with a hashtag.

Joining Q&As

A super valuable aspect of conferences is being able to speak to presenters after they give their talk. Sometimes this happens during a predetermined time slot, such as right after the presentation, or it may happen when you catch them in the lobby or at an event later on. Either way, this time to ask questions about their expertise is a huge value-add to the experience.

With conferences going virtual and live chats happening publicly during the presentations, this Q&A time has shifted a bit. Instead of having to wait for the presentation to be over, in some cases, presenters will reply to questions from the live chat as they're speaking. Some panels are pre-recorded, giving speakers a chance to interact on various platforms during the event itself. Some events will even have specific “presentations” that are more like facilitated Ask Me Anything-style interviews or panels where questions are taken from the audience and posed to the speaker(s).

Birds of a Feather discussions

Many conferences will offer some sort of industry or concept specific conversation facilitation. For instance, at MozCon, we host Birds of a Feather discussions. These discussions are headed up by an industry professional and have predetermined topics such as EAT, AI, Gutenberg, etc. Other times, these conversations may be organized and headed up by attendees.

In a virtual setting, these will likely be smaller breakout groups using some sort of video chat software. Zoom, specifically, has created a way for conferences to organize these “breakout sessions” in advance.

Birds of a Feather conversations are one of the best ways to connect as there is a common ground established from the get-go. These. Are. Your. People. Connections here will likely be the most valuable.

Step 2: Get active

No matter where the chats are happening, be sure you're a part of them! The more you interact, the more likely people are to recognize your name when you reach out after the event. The only caution here is that you have to be sure your interactions are meaningful — don’t just comment clapping hands. Add something to the conversation.

Add insight

The best thing about people is that we're all different and have fresh perspectives to bring to the table. Don’t be afraid to add on to someone’s thoughts.

Let's use a fun example. If someone says that the best mascot hug ever was from Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, you may jump in and ask if they’ve ever met Roger MozBot, famed hugger and robot dancer extraordinaire. Or you could build on the thought by saying something like, “Mickey is a great hugger, I think it’s because he goes over instead of under!”

In both of these instances, you’ve joined the conversation and added value.

Add clarification

Speakers often try to fit a lot of information into a relatively short timeframe. That said, questions will likely arise in the live chats. This could very easily be your time to shine! If you've got knowledge to share, feel free to answer the question to the best of your ability and try to add clarification.

This is absolutely one of the best ways to position yourself as an expert and form a relationship with someone you’ve never met. It allows you to prove you’re knowledgable and give the person something they value for free.

Add sources

Whether you are asking a question, answering a question, or just chiming in with added insight, adding resources in conversation is extremely beneficial. This could mean that you recommend a tool, a person, or an article link. These resources for the other viewers can be extremely beneficial and help you establish your credibility.

Now, we don’t suggest trying to come up with a source for everything, but if you have one right off of the top of your head, dropping a link in the chat may really help someone.

BONUS: Add people on social

While this one's not necessarily about adding value per se, it is about adding. Adding influencers, presenters, or other attendees after interacting with them (even if briefly) may increase your chances of getting a follow-back or accepted request as you'll still be top of mind. Try to add people no later than 24 hours after your last interaction, and consider sending a friendly "hey!" with a note about what you spoke about to keep the connection fresh.

Step 3: Perfect your follow-up

After connecting with people during the online conference, you'll want to follow up with them and stay in touch.

The most important part of following up is the first impression. You don’t want to come right out of the gate with a request of any sort. Instead, look to build a relationship first. This could mean shooting a quick follow-up message recapping your conversation with the person, telling them that you appreciated their time and that you look forward to more conversations.

After sending your initial follow-up, be sure to interact with the person at least once a week to stay top-of-mind. This is easiest on social media as you can like, comment, share their content, and ensure that your name is showing up in their notifications. However, direct messages, emails, and even phone calls are sure to be more impactful.

The best thing you can do when following up is to stick to what you're most comfortable with and be consistent while continuing to add value.

Have fun and be yourself!

The number-one thing you have to offer is yourself. Your experiences make you unique and others can learn from that! So when you are connecting with others, just remember to be yourself. And lastly, have fun! Networking is meant to be fun as it gives you the opportunity to connect with others and build a community. Embrace that connection and enjoy it.

Networking at MozCon Virtual 

Every year, we hear from attendees about how networking is one of their favorite parts of the conference. We made sure to keep it an integral part of this year's virtual event, too — check out all the ways you can connect with speakers, industry experts, attendees, and thought leaders at MozCon Virtual 2020!

In-session Q&A chat

Mid-presentation, pop into the Q&A chat with your real-time questions and get them answered by speakers. You'll also be able to chat with other attendees about the content, provide your own insights, and participate in real-time virtual convos about the session and topic. Speakers will be available to answer questions during their scheduled session times, so it's a perfect opportunity to get clarification, further insight, or forge those all-important connections!

Customizable profiles: Interests, personal bio, tags, and more

Attendees can search for like-minded folks with similar interests based on what you add to your profile when signing in. You can choose to upload your photo, create your biography, add specific interests and tags, and reach out to those you'd like to follow up with.

Create your own "Want-to-Meet" list

Browse attendee profiles and click "want to meet" when you find someone you'd like to reach out to later. With your personal contact info safely hidden, this is a great way to find and get found by those looking for new talent, professional partnerships, debate buddies, and more. Build your list ahead of time, then review in-platform and reach out when you're ready!

Schedule 1:1 meetings

After connecting with someone, you can easily send a meeting request to the folks you've connected with to chat live outside of the bigger group discussions. Your invited guest can choose to accept or decline the invite, and all 1:1 meetings occur directly within the conference platform's meeting rooms, making for easy facilitation!

Birds of a Feather "table" discussions

Birds of a Feather lunch tables are one of the biggest MozCon hits year after year, and we didn't want anyone to miss out! We'll facilitate 30-minute-long group discussions each day of the conference for you to connect with those interested in specific topics via video and audio chat. Each discussion will be led by an industry leader, giving you all the opportunity to say "hey" to the folks whose work you admire and collaborate with them on ideas, theories, obstacles you've faced, and more.

We're super excited about all the networking opportunities at MozCon Virtual — at $129 per ticket, it's an incredible value for growing your digital marketing skillset and your career:

Get my ticket to MozCon Virtual!

Let us know your own best virtual networking tips in the comments. We hope to see you at MozCon this July 14 & 15!

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