Anyway, you probably have heard about the effectiveness of Twitter chats in community building, partly because I talk about it all the time like here and here.

While hosting my #createlounge Twitter chat has been the biggest game-changer for my brand, I realize hosting a consistent weekly Twitter chat isn’t for everyone, but it’s not the only way to utilize Twitter chats.

Say whaaaaa?

Let me explain.

Although you may initially think the only way to build an audience is through a consistent chat, hosting a one-time chat or chat series can produce incredible community results while not having to commit to hosting an ongoing weekly chat.

This is done best when it’s around the launch of a specific product or service. Not only does it increase the visibility of the product or service, but it also gives you and your target audience some other real benefits.

You create a natural conversation around your product or service

Emphasis on the word ‘natural’. Gone are the days when people thought they could just schedule a few tweets pointing to their product or service with a link that says ‘buy now!’ and expect it to convert well. You’re a smart cookie and know there’s a better way to serve your audience through social media.

Live Twitter chats help you create a dialogue around the subject matter of your product or service in a non-icky way. This is most naturally done with an educational topic.

Let’s say you’re pre-selling an ebook that covers a 5-day approach to building a new brand and website. To keep it highly actionable, you could center the conversation around one of the foundational topics from the ebook and break it down into questions that will get your audience thinking about what they could learn even further by investing in a copy of your ebook.

This conversation will also give incredible value to the people participating who can learn from not only your advice but from others who join in too. This helps your credibility and authority while building a super-engaged community.

It optimizes your time during a launch

We’re all looking for ways to best utilize the time we have, especially during a big launch. Often times we find ourselves having to answer several emails, sometimes regarding the same questions, in order to help potential buyers understand our product or service.

Instead, you could direct your audience to the Twitter chat so you can answer their questions live as well as connect them instantly with your community. #winning

Which would you choose: a one-hour public Twitter chat creating an additional valuable conversation or 4-5 collective hours spent in your inbox, feeling like you have to give template responses to keep up? It’s a no-brainer.

You give your potential buyers access to you

This is a HUGE deal. Like a webinar or workshop, a Twitter chat allows you to easily interact with people who are interested in your product or service all in one place.

Who would you rather invest in: someone who creates good content but can’t be reached during the launching process OR someone who creates good content but takes the time to answer your questions?

When you make yourself available to answer questions and have conversations with your audience around a launch, you’re giving them special access. Then they think Hey, if I get this value for free, it must be over-the-top *amazing* when I work with them.

Besides, you’re never too big to talk to your audience.

So what all goes into hosting a one-time Twitter chat?

Luckily, the process is fairly simple if you have a strong foundation that can take you from strategy to prep to launch.

My course #CHATBOSS takes you from building a Twitter chat strategy including finding your niche and honing in on your target audience all the way, to doing the prep work of scripting your chat questions, creating enticing visuals, announcing your chat the right way, to what it looks like to put a Twitter chat into action and give value after.

The post 3 BIG Reasons Why Hosting a One-Time Twitter Chat Can Be a Game-Changer for Your Launch appeared first on Sindie.

If there’s even some small part of you that have thought about chat hosting, whether on a consistent weekly basis or as a one-time event around your product or service launch, these insights will hopefully be ultra helpful.

The real value of Twitter is in real-time conversations

I’ve used Twitter in countless ways. I’ve used it as a personal brand in order to secure internship and post-grad job opportunities, as a PR and social media blogger, and as the voice of various companies I’ve worked for. Through each application, I’ve seen how invaluable real-time conversations are.

While it’s great to use Twitter as a way to introduce yourself to someone new or quickly catch up, it often leads to building surface-level relationships of one-off conversations. Where Twitter holds the most value is in its live chats where like-minded people can all gather in one shared place. That’s where deep connections are made and advice is spread like wildfire.

You will reach your target audience and beyond

Of course knowing your target audience is important before starting your chat, which is something we cover in #CHATBOSS, but what about the people who join that are outside of your target audience? This is bound to happen since Twitter is a public forum and chat hashtags catch on quickly, but this can provide an interesting learning opportunity.

For example, if you’re hosting a chat for branding and graphic designers, you may see some web designers or even photographers come to chat depending on the topic. While your target audience continues to be those branding and graphic designers, you will still learn a lot from the other creatives who join. You can learn from how your target audience interacts with other creative types as they share their own unique perspectives.

Your position is to facilitate the space, not dictate the conversation

I even want to give myself an a-freaking-men for this. *insert crying laughing emoji*

Your job is not to fiercely direct the conversation to exactly where you want it to go. Your job is to create a space, determine a topic, and let the conversation flow and happen on its own. The quality of the conversation is much better that way anyway.

No matter what, own your process

In my conversation with Ashley Beaudin, the host behind the #fireandwindco chat, in my 10 episode audio series on community building, I discovered how differently we both run our Twitter chats. While I create and share the questions before the chat, she creates the questions as she goes. While I prioritize welcoming each participant to the chat, she prioritizes speaking truth over participants who need it most.

Neither Ashley nor I am wrong in how we approach our Twitter chats. Different communities call for different leadership styles so determining what your process is from the get-go helps everything run more smoothly. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, just like in any other area of your blog or business.

You’re ultimately building more than a Twitter chat

You’re not just building a Twitter chat. In essence, you’re building a hub for your community, a place for them to support and rally around one another. That’s a really special thing.

If you’re ready to grow your brand’s community by hosting your own Twitter chat, I created the #CHATBOSS course just for you. Along with learning how to be an epic chat host, you’ll also learn how to narrow in your focus, find your purpose, and connect with your people. It’ll have you like WHOA, trust me.

The post 5 Things I Learned From Hosting My Own Twitter Chat appeared first on Sindie.

It’s no secret that Twitter chats are my jam.

I’ve been participating in them for almost three years. Heck, I even host one, but earlier this week it occurred to me that there are still bloggers and entrepreneurs who haven’t been introduced to the wonderful world of Twitter chats.

I’m a little embarrassed it took me a year of hosting #createlounge before I wrote a post on the basics of how and why to join a Twitter chat, but no time like the present, eh?

Let’s start at the very beginning.

What is a Twitter chat and how do I join one?

Essentially, it’s a group of like-minded people who gather on Twitter on a consistent day and time to discuss specific themes. To join, you simply search for the chat’s dedicated hashtag on Twitter or a third-party platform (I recommend TweetDeck) and voila! You’re ready to start chatting.

When you’re participating in a chat, remember to:

• say hello and introduce yourself (we’ll touch on this later in the post)
• state that it’s your first time at the chat so the host can welcome you
• use the hashtag in ALL of your tweets so everyone can see your tweets/replies
• have a different tab open for your notifications and the live hashtag feed so you can switch between the two tabs for efficient browsing and interacting

Why join a Twitter chat?

You can connect with like-minded creatives
Instead of having to spend hours scrolling through your news feed and hunting for cool people to follow, you can simply join a Twitter chat and quickly meet those people all in one place.

It’s arguably the best way to build a community on Twitter
Regularly posting and interacting on Twitter is great, but people pop in and out of the platform so much that it can be hard to have an actual conversation. Twitter chats allow you other incredible creatives who are all dedicating the same hour of their day to the same gathering. It’s real-time engagement gold.

You can listen to your audience and discover what they really want
When I first started participating in Twitter chats, I naturally used them as a way to connect with new friends, but chats became a total game changer when I treated them as a research platform.

Just think about it, you’re able to regularly get an inside look into what your people need because they share it through their answers and interactions. This can especially help new bloggers and entrepreneurs who don’t feel they have a big enough audience to survey quite yet.

Twitter chats are for talking, yes, but when you listen for these cues, magic happens.

Which Twitter chats are worth participating in?

There are hundreds of Twitter chats that have been developed from a wide array of interests, but don’t let that overwhelm you. I’ve already done some of the heavy-lifting for you by putting together a list of great Twitter chats for creativepreneurs, but there may be others you want to participate in.

You’ll want to participate in chats that:

• have participants that fit your ideal reader profile (aka your target audience)
• feature topics you can show your expertise in
• work with your schedule (darn international time zones)
• are consistent, whether that means weekly, biweekly, or monthly
• are hosted by someone you want to connect more with

What can I prepare for a Twitter chat?

An intro
This is one of the most important elements to have nailed down before participating in chats. People want to know (1) who you are, (2) what you do, and (3) who you help.

Yes, there is a way to package all of that up in an 140 character friendly way. Not sure where to begin? Here are a few thought starters to help you craft your intro.

• “I help [target audience] with [what you do] by [how you help them]”
• “I’m a [your title] who helps [target audience] do [what you do]”
• “I believe in helping [target audience] to [what you do] through [core values]”

If you’re not sure what fits, try various intros in different chats. See which intro people reply to the most and say they want to learn more about what you do. You’ll also find what feels right to you.

Answers
Some chats allow you to preview the chat questions before the chat starts. You can use this opportunity to prep your answers so you can use more time engaging during the chat rather than staring at your blinking cursor trying to come up with something to say on the spot. We’ve all been there.

A full hour of your time AND attention
In order to get the most of Twitter chats, it’s important to dedicate your full attention to the conversation. If you’re trying to write a blog post and schedule social media posts at the same time as participating in a Twitter chat, it will not yield the best results.

Instead, leave your phone on silent, shut off app notifications for the hour, and just immerse yourself in the Twitter chat community. Use your time to craft epic answers and, more importantly, have conversations with people you really connect with.

Ready to participate in a Twitter chat?
See you around Twitter!

Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any additional questions as I’m happy to answer them. 

Additional reading on Twitter chats: 

• How to Make a High Volume Twitter Chat Feel More Intimate. Click here to read.
• Best Twitter Chats for Creativepreneurs. Click here to read.
• Twitter Bios: Describing What You Do in 140 Characters. Click here to read.
• Twitter Chats: To Host or Not To Host? Click here to read.
• One Year of #createlounge: The Stats and The Stories. Click here to read.

The post How and Why to Join a Twitter Chat appeared first on Sindie.

“This chat moves SO fast.”

I hear this from participants joining my Twitter chat, #createlounge, just about every week. I know that my chat can move fairly quickly and I understand the struggle because it’s not just my chat.

Some of my other favorite chats move at lightning speed too so how can we as participants not get lost in the shuffle and make meaningful conversations?

It’s all about participating with intention.

You’re dedicating a full hour to a chat so let’s stretch the value of that time investment with a few tips to help you make a high volume chat more personal (and doable!)

Go beyond your circle of blog besties

Of course, it’s great to catch up with your BBFFs every week in a Twitter chat, but it’s also a great time to get to know new people. Send a quick hello to your besties, then break out of your comfort zone and “make the first move” by starting a conversation with someone new. Maybe they’ll become a new BBFF! You never know.

Pick a few key people to consistently engage with

On the topic of connecting with new people, there’s bound to be dozens of new people in the chat. Rather than trying to spread yourself too thin by trying to greet every single person (which the host should be doing already!), focus your energy on connecting with 4-7 people.

Maybe you see a thought leader in your field you’ve been wanting to introduce yourself to. A Twitter chat is the perfect time to do so because you can make a real-time connection while gathered in the same place. Maybe you’re a coach who sees another coach in the chat. You’ll want to keep an eye out for their answers so you can start a conversation that allows you both to share your expertise. Making friends in your niche is a very good idea.

Pay attention to your notifications feed

Of course, it’s important to tune into the live hashtag feed of the chat you’re joining, but your notifications will show the people who have replied to you or tagged you in a tweet. Invest heavily in the people who extend the olive branch first. Your notifications will also help you keep up with side conversations you’re having.

Don’t forget to connect with the host

Chances are if you’re participating in a Twitter chat, you are interested in starting (or strengthening) your relationship with the host. Even though the host’s attention will be focused on greeting guests and answering specific questions, it’s always nice to interact with them throughout the chat and send a thank you tweet toward the end for bringing the community together. Take it from a Twitter chat host, we definitely notice!

…and Beyond!

One of the best ways to make more intimate connections during Twitter chats is by extending the conversation beyond the hour. It’s all about the follow-up! Here are a few ways to get started on making a lasting impression.

Start a Twitter list of the connections you’ve made

Lists have totally revolutionized my follow up process on Twitter. If you connect with someone during a Twitter chat that you want to continue connecting with, add them to a list. That way you can keep an eye on their updates without having to search through your news feed.

How do you decide whether to make your list private or public? If you want the person to be notified that they were added to your list, it makes sense to keep it public. I personally keep most of my lists private because they are for my internal use, but it depends on your preference.

Send a follow-up email to say hello

If you want to connect more regularly with the person, go one step further and send a personalized email.

Not sure what to write? Start with:

• What you admire about their brand
• Any specific “quotable” advice they shared during the chat that you really connected with
• How you’d like to continue the conversation

You can usually find the person’s email on their Contact page but if not, just send a simple tweet asking for their email address. Most people are happy to share it with you.

Invite a new connection to a video or phone call

After you’ve connected over email, ask the person if they’d like to jump on a phone or video call. There’s no better way to learn about a person’s story than to hear it from them. Video calls are even better since it allows you to get to know the face behind the brand.

Send a thoughtful handwritten note

Did someone really make a lasting impression after your phone or video call? Casually ask for their mailing address and offer to send them a handwritten note. This is an especially good idea if you hope to work or collaborate with the person in the future.

The post How to Make a High Volume Twitter Chat More Intimate appeared first on Sindie.

I love a good Twitter chat.

Twitter has by far been the most instrumental social platform in my blog and career success. This led me to not only participate in Twitter chats but also host my own.

So what’s all the fuss about?

To start, Twitter chats are a great way to connect with other professionals who share the same passions as you while establishing yourself as an industry expert.

These chats are usually started by a host (or group of co-hosts) and are carried out on a weekly basis, meeting at the same time and day of the week for consistency.

I’ve created this master list of Twitter chats I’ve participated in (and fallen in love with) to make things a little easier.

Because let’s face it: being creative is tough.

Building a community on Twitter is crucial to your success as a creativepreneur. Twitter chats are a great place to start meeting others like you so let me introduce you to some of my favorites.

#CREATIVECOFFEEHOUR

Host: Callie Gisler

When: Mondays at 8 PM CT

Why join: This mixes two things that all entrepreneurs love: creativity and coffee. During this chat hour, you’ll be able to open up and be a part of the transparent conversation. It truly feels like you’re getting together with friends over a cup of coffee.

#AMBITIONISTA

Host: Mira Joleigh

When: Mondays at 8 PM CT

Why join: This chat is devoted to creating a community of ambitious women in their 20s. Is this you? Then this chat is right up your alley. The amount of encouragement and support gained from this chat will surely leave you feeling inspired.

#MILLENNIALTALK

Host: Chelsea Krost

When: Tuesdays at 7 PM CT

Why join: This chat is incredible because of the vast array of topics that are covered. If you are a part of the Millennial generation, chances are you will find some (more like many!) topics you will want to participate in. It is always a great opportunity to connect with multi-passionate professionals.

#FIREWORKPEOPLE

Host: Ashley Beaudin

When: Tuesdays at 8 PM CT

Why join: Being a creativepreneur is not just about business. This chat will nurture your soul with its strong sisterhood. Join other fearless creatives in talking about passion, community, and other soul-stirring topics. This chat is not to be missed!

#NECTARCHAT

Host: Melyssa Griffin

When: Wednesdays at 8 PM CT (after #createlounge, my chat)

Why join: I always see many familiar faces whenever I jump into #nectarchat. This chat supplies you with tips and tricks on how to perfect the work-life balance with insights for both. It’s a very fun chat!

#CREATIVEBIZCHAT

Host: Caitlin Bacher

When: Wednesdays at 9 PM CT

Why join: With chat topics on social media, blogging, and business, you’ll walk away with plenty of nuggets of wisdom after making tons of new connections on your niche. Caitlin chooses really thought-provoking questions each week that never disappoint.

#ELLECHAT

Host: Lauren Hooker

When: Thursdays at 7 PM CT

Why join: This chat is a blogger’s hot spot for connecting with like-minded professionals, especially for freelancers and graphic or web designers. Each week’s topic is very actionable and focused on business hacks so you’re sure to learn a lot.

The post Twitter Chats for Creativepreneurs appeared first on Sindie.

Your Twitter bio acts as an introduction, a foot-in-the-door for you to show what you’re made of and for others to decide whether you’re worth following.

Think of it like a highly optimized elevator pitch. And I should know about elevators since my dad is an elevator designer (fun fact!)

So how can you encourage people to follow you on Twitter before you’ve even had a conversation? By clearly explaining who you are and what you do in the most important 140 character space on the Internet.

As a short-form poet, Twitter’s restriction of 140 characters excites me. I love that I only have 140 characters to make an impact. What you do with those 140 characters is everything.

Whether you get jazzed about character restrictions or think they are a pain, I’m here to help you nail down your bio so you can make more connections with your primary audience.

Let’s first look at the psychology behind why a person might follow you. It might be because:

• They think you could add value to their feed.
• They want to learn from you.
• They see a connection with you as a networking opportunity.
• You are both like-minded people.
• They admire you and your work.

There are several more reasons why, but this covers the basics. When crafting your Twitter description, you must keep each of these lenses in mind. Are you giving your audience value? Are you someone people can’t wait to connect with?

If yes, you’re on the right track.

State your mission and “why”

The best way to solidify what you do is to put it into one sentence. Seriously. The clarity that comes from this exercise is like magic. Start by filling in these blanks:

“I help [target audience] with [what you do] because [your why statement].”

Now that you’ve got this down, find a way to fit this into your bio. You might need to do a few edits to make sure it can fit into your bio with some space for other goodies.

Know your target audience

The best way to seal the deal with a potential follower is to address them. In my bio, I call out “creative bloggers” because those are my people. Who are yours? Whether it’s crafters, designers, or entrepreneurs, make sure you are speaking to them from the get-go.

Add a personal, quirky detail

If your bio only includes your professional titles and accomplishments, it will be a snore. That authority is still important to incorporate, but people are on social to be human. Have a little fun! I felt so much more like myself when I added: “fueled by adventure + hot chocolate” to my description.

Be all about you

I get that you’re describing you, but also share what you have to offer your audience. That will secure the connection.

Only include an inspirational quote

“Fall down seven times, stand up eight” is a great quote, don’t get me wrong, but if that’s all your bio is, it’ll be hard for any visitor to understand what value you will bring if they follow your Twitter.

Use random symbols

I know back in the Myspace days, we all thought it was cool to use the trademark symbol by our names or use symbols so our screen names looked like ~*{K@y1@}*~ (and don’t say you didn’t because we all did), but now we’re in the big leagues. It’s the same with emojis. Keep them in text messages and out of your bio.

#Hashtag #Every #Word

Yes, hashtags can help people find you, but don’t overuse them, especially in your bio where readability is super important. You will still show up in Twitter search results for those keywords even if you don’t use all the hashtags. I promise.

The post Twitter Bios: Describing What You Do in 140 Characters appeared first on Sindie.

I did two months ago and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made for my brand and my community. I’ve been able to grow my audience at a rapid pace and connect with other creatives in real-time.

If you’re not sure if you want to start your own Twitter chat, here are a few key benefits of doing so:

You’ll build loyalty with your readers and followers

When you invest in your community, they will invest in you in return. If you host a chat, you’ll be able to give them a platform to have valuable conversations with other like-minded people. You’re also showing you’re available to give free tips and tricks because you genuinely want to help. That’s a big deal.

You’ll have a leg up on your competitors

Can’t find any chats in your niche? That’s a good thing. It allows you to be the first to talk about topics that matter to an untapped audience. I can’t think of a better situation! This helps you become a thought leader in your industry, something everyone wants.

You’ll grow your personal brand

What do people associate with your personal brand? For me, it’s PR, blogging, poetry, and of course hot chocolate. Now #createlounge has been added to the list and when I meet people at networking events and local meetups, some ask me about #createlounge now. Many then become regular attendees. It’s incredible.

You’ll see a boost in traffic

As you know, I publish all of my content on Mondays, but my biggest day of traffic is often Wednesday. What else is on Wednesday? My weekly chat. Boom.

You can choose the topic

How many chats have attended where you loved the group of people there but you just weren’t feeling any of the topics week after week? Instead being bummed out that you can’t connect with that community, start your own! Maybe the participants in that chat are interested in your topics too.

You will connect with others in your niche

I’m a big fan of mingling with your competitors. The more insight you have into their creative process, the more you can fine-tune your own. We all have so much we can learn from each other. Who knows? Your next content idea might just come from an interaction with them.

Now you might be thinking, “But Kayla, I still have some reservations about starting a chat.”

I totally understand. Starting a chat can be a big undertaking. If you’re on the fence about starting a chat, these are a few things you need to be sure of before you begin.

If your audience is even active on Twitter

Naturally, you want to be where your audience lives, so do they live on Twitter? Maybe your niche is so visual that most of your audience stick strictly with Instagram and Pinterest. If so, a Twitter chat wouldn’t make as much sense.

If you’re still passionate about Twitter chats in this situation, think about asking the host of a chat you regularly attend if you can be a special guest one week or possibly even a permanent co-host. You never know unless you ask.

If you have the time to invest in building a chat community

Hosting a Twitter chat is a lot more than showing up for one hour once a week. A LOT. It takes time to prep the questions, survey your audience for topic suggestions, check in with audience members throughout the week, add them all to a Twitter list, set up special guests (if you choose to do so), make the chat graphics… the list goes on.

Your community may also prompt you with extra “work”. We recently had a #createlounge chat on creating About pages and the group was really interested in getting peer feedback on their About pages. It took me about an hour to gather the list of people interested and easily six hours to respond over email to the twenty participants who were interested. Time-consuming, yes, but rewarding, absolutely.

If you’re available when your audience is

Time differences are tough. I wish we could all be in the same time zone to make things easier but alas, that’s not how it works. Because Twitter chats are in real-time, your audience must be awake and free to participate. If you’re hosting a chat at midnight your time just because that’s when you’re most creative (which I get since that’s my most productive time), the majority of your audience will be in bed catching some z’s. Be thoughtful when scheduling your chat.

As much as you want to host a chat that everyone can make it to, it’s better to know now that it impossible to find a time that works for everyone. You can ask your audience what time of day works best but ultimately you should know that some people won’t be able to make it because of their conflicting schedules. For the people that can’t attend, create highlight summaries to help them see what they missed. I do this with Storify and it’s been a big hit.

If you’re passionate about Twitter chats

Rome wasn’t built in a day and your Twitter chat won’t be either. Are you genuinely passionate about starting a Twitter chat on your own? Without passion, your Twitter chat will fizzle out and your community won’t be sustained. But with passion, you’ll connect with more like-minded people on a deeper level, unlocking your potential and growing your online presence organically.

Are you ready to take the leap?

The post Twitter Chats: To Host or Not To Host? appeared first on Sindie.

It’s important to note that you can be a successful blogger without having quit your day job. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. You can rock both commitments if you know how to juggle blogging and working. Here are some tips to help you along the way.

It’s all in how you spend the time you have

Even though it would be great to have more than 24 hours in a day, it’s just not possible. Although you have a limited schedule with working a day job, there are things you can do to be sure the time spent on your blog is done in the most productive way possible.

Look at how you spend the hours you devote to your blog. Do you browse through other random blogs or scroll aimlessly through your social media feed? This can be majorly unproductive but we have all been guilty of this. It’s important to have an output for the time you spend on your blog. For example, turn the posts you read on other blogs into tweets to share with your audience. Then it’s valuable for you and your audience.

Tip: Define specific goals before doing any task and eliminate anything that could be a distraction. If you need to spend a half hour digging through your inbox, don’t reach for your phone to check your notifications every few minutes. If you block out an hour of time to learn from a keynote presentation posted on YouTube, don’t click on cat videos in the sidebar. Difficult, I know, but I believe your ability to stay focused.

Consistency is still important

Sure, a full-time blogger might have more time in their day to devote to content, but you still must create a consistent content schedule. Whether you post monthly, weekly, or daily, you must set the standard so your audience knows when to expect content.

A common misconception about blogging is that you have to publish content every day to be successful. It’s just not true. Your audience would rather have one great, actionable blog post a week than five “eh” posts. For me, I publish a blog post every Monday. It’s a schedule that works for me and my audience.

Tip: Look at the analytics of your blog. What days attract the most amount of traffic? What times to visitors come to read your posts? Data can be your best friend in finding when you should publish your content.

Stay committed to your audience

It doesn’t matter if you blog full-time or part-time: your audience is everything. I know part-time bloggers that have grown their blogs faster than full-time bloggers based only on how highly they value their audience.

It takes time to build a loyal community. Don’t expect to be an overnight success. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a dynamite following. Nurture your audience by investing time in them in any way that you can.

Tip: Rank these five things from most to least important: replying back to comments, emailing promptly, answering replies on social media, commenting on other blogs, and participating other online communities. Now when you have extra time, you’ll know where to focus your attention first.

BONUS tips from awesome part-time bloggers

Some of Wednesday night’s #createlounge participants had excellent tips on how to juggle a blog and full-time job. Here are five golden pieces of advice they had on the subject.

Emma Dahl: “Remember why you starting blogging in the first place and channel that.”

Jenna Arak: “1. Keep a running list of ideas 2. Write before work 3. Be kind to yourself”

Betsy Gettis: “Write ahead and schedule those posts out!”

Melanie Craft: “Use up every minute you can towards social media!”

Meredith Davis: “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Take breaks. Use your time wisely. Travel for inspiration.”

The post Balancing a Blog and Day Job appeared first on Sindie.

I vowed to never sign up for a Twitter as a teenager.

I dismissed the entire platform because I thought it was just another website for people to complain, only this time in 140 characters or less. Didn’t we have enough rants already on Facebook? It caused me to roll my eyes every time I heard someone say “tweet.”

When I got to college, a few of my new friends tried to convert me into a tweeter, but for them, it was a way to post song lyrics and negatively subtweet about one another. Yeah, no thank you.

I reassured them many times that nothing would change my mind. That was until my friend Vincent showed me his account and opened my eyes to the real potential of Twitter.

Vincent’s Twitter was different from the rest because of the way he used it. With an entrepreneurial spirit much like my own, he was connecting with other professionals early as a student to grow his networks as a student. I realized it wasn’t the tool that made me cringe but how most of my peers were utilizing it. With Vincent as my first follower, I started my Twitter journey at the beginning of my sophomore year in college.

It’s no secret that my love for Twitter today knows no bounds.

I always check Twitter notifications before opening text messages or emails. The only times I’m not surfing Twitter are if I’m spending time with friends and family or working, but even then it’s still a part of my job description.

Twitter is my love language.

It’s the hub where I’ve found an incredible amount of encouragement and support for not only my professional endeavors but also my personal passion projects. These Twitter communities are my fuel for designing the life I want and defining what success means to me.

I have had four internships in pursuit of my Bachelor’s degree and they all started with Twitter. Each position was created for me because I reached out to companies and blogs I was interested in interning with and created my own opportunities. I built relationships with each brand before asking about an internship, which helped immensely because they knew who I was and, more importantly, the work I was capable of from my online portfolio and blog.

Now that I am a semester away from graduation, I have no doubt Twitter will play a leading role in my search for an entry-level position in the fields of public relations, marketing, and branding. I can’t imagine how shocked Teenager Kayla would be to hear those words, but it’s true.

To all of you who I have connected with on Twitter, thank you in every sense of the phrase. To those who I have yet to connect with, I look forward to tweeting you (without the eye roll this time!).

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