#pegfitzpatrick

12 chapters done & dusted and I am walking away with a whole new bag of tricks that I can’t wait to put into practice as I continue on this SMM journey . While I may not agree with all the tips I think there is something for everyone in this book and the authors themselves state at the beginning that they don’t expect you to take their word as Gospel. It provides a great starting point for anyone interested in Social Media giving you a number of checklists and road maps on how to navigate the different platforms effectively, optimize your reach and ensure you are presented in a professional , knowledgeable  All in all it was an enjoyable , quick read containing a lot of knowledge that can easily be referenced in future. If you have no idea what you are doing with Social Media or if you have plateaued and are looking to revitalize and re-engage then this book is a great starting point.... Heather says #readthebook !

Chapter 12 summarizes how to bring everything together providing a guideline & non fiction scenario that you can adapt to your event or product.

The first part is “ Build the Foundation” which outlines the groundwork at the start of the campaign and how to get your ducks in a row. Secondly they advise to “ Amass your Digital Assets” which is something I am diligently working to improve. The idea of having all your media ( video, blog post, youtube clip, etc) is heavenly to me but not one I have practiced as I should. I tend to store the ideas in my head and then rush to get them out as the due date draws near. ( this post is proof of that!)

 Peg Fitzpatrick is a planner and I have found a number of her Pinterest pins and ideas to be wonderful and have started to use them as a guide to create a template that works for me and MY brand.

Last step is “Go to Market” outlining the best time to share on each platform in the last few days leading up to your launch... now all that you have to do ( and me too!) is make it happen, which should be a whole lot easier with this arsenal of tips at your disposal

One of my fave chapters of The Art of Social Media has to be Chapter 5 “ How to Integrate Social Media & Blogging” I don’t know if it’s because I have just started by blogging journey or if because this chapter seemed to be more “Peg” than “Guy”.... There again are some basics such as the importance of curating yourself, adding drama be it through a photo , video etc. but they also review some great tips that some people may not have considered, simply overlooked or perhaps meant to but just never got around to it.

Add Share Buttons

Add ClicktoTweet Link

Pin every Blog post

Add a Pin if for Later option

Join Blogging Networks ... and my personal fave:

MEET PEOPLE IN REAL LIFE

It’s all too easy to fall down the rabbit hole that is social media so we have to remember that nothing resonates quite like putting a face to that twitter handle or FB page etc. it helps build on that relationship. One of the final tips in the chapter gives you the 10 step process to “Peg your Post” which in a nutshell is integrating social media & blogging. Peg Fitzpatrick explains how she promotes one of her blog posts ( which of course involves using Canva one of Guy’s projects) it is a very in depth process but for anyone committed to becoming a blogging success I think it sets a good foundation to try and cross promote it in order to increase views, clicks followers etc. It is obvious that Peg is knowledgeable about blogging, Instagram, Pinterest and a myriad of other platforms and has successfully found a formula that works for her .

The first few chapters of The Art of Social Media might seem remedial to the savvy user but it is advice that bears repeating and review. 

* Optimize for 5 seconds he likens it to the online dating account TINDER, people will look at your profile and make a snap judgement

* Focus your avatar on your face ( tips on how to take the best profile pic) and then use that pic on all forms of social media so that your followers know that you are one and the same on all the platforms

* Craft a mantra that you can use to explain your missiion. Guy’s mantra is “ I empower people” and use this mantra across all platforms like your profile pic

Tips like "pick a neutral screen name" seem obvious but are sometimes overlooked

Yes, when you picked the Twitter handle winomom1 it may have been hilarious to you & your girlfriends you need to stop and consider what perception of yourself it conveys. 

Especially in today's world where a job interview will most likely include a detailed review of your social media accounts what image do you want to create?