HOW TO NURTURE AND GROW YOUR COMMUNITYSHANE DALLAS AND NATALIE DISCALA

1 CONTENT

Quality content is the foundation of any website or blog. If you want readers to keep coming back, provide them with quality information they can’t find anywhere else.

2 BUILD TRUST

There are so many places to find information on the Internet. Make your site a destination where people know they can find reliable, authoritative information, delivered in a friendly voice. Don’t be afraid to tell the truth about an experience or destination. Honest reporting will earn reader trust.

3 GO WHERE YOURREADERS ARE

Harness the power of social networks. Make sure that your brand has a presence on the social networks that make sense for you. -Facebook -Twitter-Instagram -Pinterest-Vine -Google+-LinkedIn -Tumblr

4 COMMIT TOSOCIAL NETWORKS

Social networks are feeds that run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you establish a following on Facebook or Twitter, it’s incumbent upon you to be present on those networks, update regularly and participate in the conversations that are happening there.

5 REACT & RESPOND

It can be tempting to use social networks to constantly push out your content but you’ll never build a community that way. It’s all about relationships. Be sure to respond to comments and questions on your social networks and your blog. Think: Dialogue, not monologue.

6 SOLICIT FEEDBACK

Ask your readers for their opinions. Find out what they like, what they don’t like and what they’re looking for more of. Social networks provide a direct line of communication to your readers. Find out what they want, then act accordingly!

7 BE AUTHENTIC

Speak, tweet and post in your own voice. Don’t auto-tweet out replies, rather craft thoughtful responses. Avoid scheduling tweets and Facebook posts in advance. Your presence on social media should mean that you’re actually present.

8 READ YOUR ANALYTICS

Stats from Google Analytics and Facebook Insights can help you determine what content your readership finds most engaging. Use this information to better serve your community.

9 BE INSPIRING

Be a positive voice that readers turn to to be inspired, motivated and encouraged. Connect with your readers on an emotional level.

10 BE RELEVANT AND ENTERTAINING

Don’t just tweet and post your own content. Share information that’s relevant (even if from competitor sources), newsworthy and just plain entertaining. Not everything you say has to be ‘on brand message’.

THANK YOU!

Twitter: @nataliediscala | @styleathome

Pinterest: NatalieDiScala | Style at Home

Facebook: OhTravelissima | Style at Home

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Bloggers (Flowers)

• Encouragement

• Interaction

• Diversity

• Social

Bloggers (Flowers)

• Encouragement

• Diversity

• Interaction

• Social

Trolls and Spammers (Weeds)

• Constant Monitoring

• Terms of Service

• Model Behaviour

• Integrity

Community Managers (Gardeners)

• Respect

• Information

• Specialise

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