L-R: Ciera, PJ, Mariah, Melissa, and me.Just two weeks ago me and these lovely ladies got up in front of the Alt Summit crowd and chatted about growing a small blog. We gave out a worksheet and encouraged everyone to brainstorm ideas throughout our presentation to help get the ball rolling. We gave details on each slide while everyone frantically took notes, but we also promised we would offer the PDF to everyone with those extra notes we chatted about.
Well, we’re here today to give it to not just those who attended Alt Summit, but anyone who wants a bit of information on Growing a Small Blog!
Today each of us are offering the PDF and worksheet as a download, and are each writing on our blogs extra information to elaborate on the slides.

So pop on over to everyone’s blog to get more insight on their section as you look through the PDF and fill out your worksheet:
Ciera – Positioning Yourself as an Expert
PJ – Self Promoting and Networking
Mariah – Guest Posting on Other Blogs
Melissa – Blog Collaborations
Tan – Social Media and Giveaway Collaborations
Okay, have you downloaded the PDF and printed off the worksheet? Flip to the first slide of the last section and let’s get to work!

Social media is a crucial part of your blog, and numbers are important. Devote time across 3-4 of your favourite social media platforms (don’t try and do it all) and make them grow.

• Best on visual social media platforms (instagram, facebook, pinterest)
• Introduce your readers to bloggers you love, and get introduced by those same bloggers to their readers.
• E-mail a group of bloggers who are friends/whom you admire and are within the same size as yours. Create a hashtag (make it fairly specific) and set up a rotating feature schedule.

• People post when they want, going down the list in a rotation.
• Take a screen cap of your favourite snapshot from the bloggers feed, write a little synopsis about why you love them, include the hashtag and share on facebook and twitter to maximize exposure.
• Facebook: Basically the exact same idea, but link to their facebook page and do not use hastags.
• Pinterest: You could do a group board or each participating blogger can individually create a board with the same name.

• Stick to 5 – 10 bloggers and run between 1-2 weeks.
• Balance about 1 featured post per 4 original posts. Your whole feed should never be screen caps of other blogger’s pictures.

Giveaways are an instant way to get people interested and to follow you on social media.

The Showoff Giveaway:

• One head organizer with multiple bloggers contributing $10-$20 for prize.
• Everyone posts giveaway on the same day which includes multiple ways to enter to win – two of which will be your social media links.
• Examples: iPad Mini, $400 Gift Card, $600 VISA Card

The Rainshowers Giveaway:

• One main organizer
• Each blogger gives away a different prize each day and promotes everyone involved.
• Example: 14 days of Love

The Showoff Giveaway:

• E-mail bloggers with following details: the prize, cost, giveaway dates, eligible winner (regional or international).
• Use Typeform or something similar to collect following information from bloggers – name, blog name and URL, two social media links for entries.
• If using Paypal, have bloggers select the ‘gift option’.
• If there is money left over, either give equal parts back to each blogger or donate to a charity.
• Send giveaway code (Rafflecopter), images to include in their post, and a code with links to everyone’s blogs.
• Make sure everyone’s social media links are listed as entries. Start and close the giveaway at the predetermined date. Promote daily.

The Rainshowers Giveaway:

• Contact bloggers (see above). Also create a schedule (typeform or google docs) for everyone to sign up for a giveaway date.
• Send out the final schedule of who is giving away what and when. Bonus: send out everyone’s social media links so bloggers can easily find and follow each other.
• Post each giveaway every day during runtime, linking to the person who is featured that day. The easiest is a facebook page, like this one.

The Showoff Giveaway:

• Pay fee to the organizer and fill out the form, selecting two social media platforms you want to grow as your giveaway entries.
• Use the graphics and codes given by organizer and post on the predetermined date.
• Promote your post daily during duration of giveaway across all social media. Nice touch: also promote the organizer.

The Rainshowers Giveaway:

• Set up a prize with a brand and organize details – who ships product, where will it be shipped to, and what 2 social media platforms the brand wants counted as entries.
• Rafflecopter is easiest to set up a giveaway. You’re responsible for posting, promoting, closing and contacting the winner.
• Promote your post during run time, everyone elses post every other day.

The Showoff Giveaway:

• Your blog is being seen on 10-30 other blogs, bringing new people to your site and liking your social media daily.
• It’s fun being a part of a huge giveaway and to give back to your devoted readers, and your new ones!
• More work for organizer. To make it worthwhile, the first entry should be for your blog, at the top, and make it unlock all other entries.
• It costs money, but think of it as part of your advertising budget and how incredibly cheap $10-$20 is for that kind of exposure.

The Rainshowers Giveaway:

• Work is distributed throughout all participating bloggers.
• More direct collaboration with bloggers
• This giveaway works best when everyone does their part and promotes each other.

• You will see a drop in followers. Some social media accounts are solely for entering giveaways and may unfollow when the giveaway ends.
• In my case: Out of 150 followers gained on instagram, 1-2 dropped. On facebook out of 300, 3-4 dropped. That’s only 1%.
• Give your new followers a reason to stay by putting out your best work during and after the giveaway.

• Visit the participating bloggers’ websites, add them to your twitter – connect. Who knows what great relationship may come from it?
• Some will allow you to do enter the giveaway yourself, but personally I find it bad form. How horrible would it look if you won!
• Promote daily and, especially with the rainshower giveaway, feature each blogger every single day of the collaboration. This giveaway won’t work unless everyone promotes each other – it’s about collaboration, so be collaborative!

There you have it! My section of our alt panel. Doesn’t it almost feel like you were there?

To get the full panel experience/invaluable information, don’t forget to check out everyone else’s presentation details:
Ciera – Positioning Yourself as an Expert
PJ – Self Promoting and Networking
Mariah – Guest Posting on Other Blogs
Melissa – Blog Collaborations

Top photo by Brooke Dennis. Remainder by Justin Hackworth
Slides by Ciera, Worksheet by Mariah

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