Blogging: Social Media & Your Brand

Today’s prompt for Blogtember states, “Discuss ways that blogging or social media has changed you.” 
When I started this blog back in January of 2005 I did not have the social media outlets that I do today, mainly because many of them did not exist yet.  Aside from message forums, chat rooms, and texting blogging became my first step into the social media scene.  I began my blog to share photos of my newborn son as we embarked on the new life as a military family far away from family.  Within that year I created accounts with Livejournal and Myspace. My world was finding it’s way online but behind the protection of passwords.  I even stopped blogging for a while because I was scared about sharing photos of my son online.  
Eight years down the road and things have really changed in the way social media impacts my life.  I was at a job interview where I had previously turned in my CV containing links to my various social media platforms and was greeted with, ‘I feel like I already know everything about you.” I google myself and am greeted with much of my photography portfolio and images from my blog.  Being in the creative scene I realised that my name and my presence online is my brand. Anything I share online now is married to the fact that once it is out there, it is out there. 
As of today my whole family’s life is impacted by social media.  I am constantly documenting our life on camera and sharing online.  My husband uses social media to talk about foreign policy and his football club, Arsenal. My kids now will come up to me and ask me to take a photo of something and share it on facebook. Anytime we are out and have to wait on something, more than likely my husband and I will have our phones out.  The digital age of constantly checking, sharing, or reading something online. With the world of smart phones I can be out of the house and publish a blog post.  Furthermore I can share a photo from the post on Instagram, which automatically gets shared to my twitter feed, which can then be shared to my facebook wall.  Within seconds I have shared a piece of my life with over a thousand people in my personal network alone. 
I believe with all things there is a learning curve with social media and making sure it does not take over your life.  However used well and it can really benefit your business, your brand, and your blog. I have put together a Social Media & Your Brand infographic for this purpose.
Feel free to pin this to your Pinterest board and follow me on Pinterest.
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Also remember about the Giveaway!

*infographic orginal to ACR made by Bonnie Rose © 2007 – 2013 | All Rights Reserved – http://www.bonnieroseblog.co.uk
  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    Hi Bonnie! That was really useful thanks as my blog is still a newbie really at not quite three months yet!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    So glad Louisa! When I started out with getting involved with social media in regards to my brand I would theme days just to make sure I did not neglect any avenues. For example ‘Twitter Thursday’…even if I was on twitter every day (at that point I was not) at least I would know once a week it would be updated. Its a neat trick if you are juggling lots of social media sites.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    Thank you for following my blog! : ) xx

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    Thanks for this Bonnie. As a newbie to the blog scene it’s good to know what avenues you can use to promote your blog and interact with your readers.

    Re Aoogle analytics – do you find the stats differ quite substantially from those within Blogger (assuming your blog’s platform is blogger)?

    Kam x | A Married Couple & Their Travels

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    I love your response to Blogtember today! So great. You went into so much thought and detail.

    I’m doing it too! LINK UP on my blog today!

    http://www.styleafterhours.com

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    I’m pretty new to social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, but I’m slowly figuring it all out. You are right about the learning curve. My first few weeks on both I felt like I did nothing else but research how I was supposed to use them. I almost gave up and deleted it all because it was so overwhelming. Sometimes it still is… I just try to allot myself 10-15 minutes on each and then I don’t end up feeling swamped!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    Wow, these are all great tips, Bonnie! I love it! I’m most excited to see The Grand Canyon next– I’m actually heading up there on Saturday!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    Such a cool infographic! I’ve also learned to love social media over the past several years, but am also learning when to shut it off. It’s so easy to always be connected that I often forget to just pause and enjoy the moment. Work in progress 😉

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    Bonnie, these tips are so great! I am a social media newbie and don’t really understand how things like Twitter and Facebook work. I have been hesitant to jump in because I don’t want to flood the stream or annoy my followers. I also struggle with dealing with the concept of self promotion since that is something that goes against my shy nature. However, I really love Pinterest and Google plus (shocking, I know) and need to gain more confidence to embrace the others, especially since so much happens on Twitter and Facebook. These are great tips and hopefully I’ll put them to good use!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    I would love to see Mount Rushmoore, I live pretty close it (by a couple of states) and have never seen it yet. Either that or the Grand Canyon. Two sites I am just dying to photograph!!
    Love the tips, they were super helpful!
    xx

    mysmallrayofsunshine.blogspot.com

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    I’m not a newbie with social media but still learning new things every day! Still trying to improve and still a long way to go. Great tips! I’ve ran my 1st blog for over 7 years, not anymore now though (was a youth/teenager blog), looking forward to having my current one just as long. :)

    http://not-from-uk.blogspot.com/

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    This is such a great resource! It’s crazy how important networking is, I remember back in my old blogging days it was all internet forums.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    Such a great and helpful post! Thank you so much for sharing this, really keeps me motivated and on target! And the giveaway pretty cool as well :) So glad i got to find your blog via Trina from Of Trees and Hues

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    The way this has been written and laid is just brilliant and it’s so informative as well. Thanks for sharing it.

    Mel
    Mel’s Corner

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    It’s hard to imagine life before social media took it over. When I left the US, the only online way to stay in touch with friends was via email, now no one feels so far away because we are all connected through our online selves. It’s crazy how quickly things have changed. x.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    Thanks for the tips!
    I’m currently trying to build a bigger online presence for myself, so it was really helpful

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    It’s so weird to think about not living with social media because I grew up on it. It is literally a really good platform to have your voice heard though. I really can’t see myself living without it.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/05022023043718407104 Bonnie Rose

    I began my blog to allow family and friends to follow my adventures in Grenada. Now, I’m keeping communication open using twitter, instagram, facebook, etc.

    The world certainly has changed its communication style. Thanks for this post!

    sidewalksandspices.blogspot.ca