2 Minute Tip for Bloggers: Using Automation

2 Minute Tip for Bloggers: The Best Way to Use Automation

If you’re looking for the best way to use automation and automated services to help save time, you’ll appreciate this 2-minute tip.

* Note: This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products we know, love, and trust.

I love using automation, but I also hate it a bit, don’t we? We all hate the Auto-DMs on Twitter pushing products immediately after we follow someone. I’m not in love with the automated private message that comes instantly after I connect that tells us all about where I can find you on all your other social networks, either. Give it some time; let me get to know you on the first social network before I decide if I want to connect with you everywhere else.

Though you know that’s not the way to build a community around our brand, people still do it! Some of the best ways to use automation is to make it about your audience and help connect with your community personally.

Wrong Ways to Use Automation

• Auto DMs – For the most part, these are bad
  • Pushing your product or service immediately after someone follows you
  • Linking to all your social networks as soon as someone connects with you
• Using services that follow solely based on hashtags or keywords and then never following up based on context

Let’s dive a little deeper –

Great Ways to Use Automation

• Use Buffer, (affiliate link) Co-Schedule, or Hootsuite to share content you’ve curated
• To share content you’ve created
• To share questions to create conversations (just be sure to engage when you start getting replies)
• Use IFTTT to create great recipes to work with your social networks
  • Like sending the items you’ve tagged as “share” to your Buffer account
  • Keep your profile pictures in sync
  • Wish your friend and followers on Facebook a Happy New Year, automatically
  • Pin your Instagram photos to a Pinterest Board

Use Automation to Create a Sense of Community

When using automation or any automated service, the most important thing to remember is to check your accounts regularly and interact and engage with the people responding to what you’re sharing.

If you’re using automation to share your blog posts, thank people for commenting, re-sharing, or saving as a favorite or liking. If you’re using it to ask questions or say “Good morning, ” respond to replies.

And about those Auto-DMs on Twitter, I know there’s a lot of controversy surrounding them, but there are a few good ways to use them. One example would be to use them in a way that’s all about your followers and not you. For example, ask what they like to tweet about or what made them choose to connect with you.

One final tip about using Auto-DMs is to use them in conjunction with a service that also auto-follows so that if you send an Auto-DM to a follower, they can respond.

Remember, there’s nothing wrong with automation if used correctly.

Platforms Mentioned in This Video:

• Feedly
• Buffer
• Hootsuite
• IFTTT

Are you using any automated services? If so, which ones? What tips would you add to this post? I’d love to know. Kick off the conversation in the comments below!