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How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Your Business Blog
- September 9, 2020
- 2 Comments
- by Jenny Rose Spaudo
Wondering how to use LinkedIn to promote your blog and grow your brand?

Great, because it’s actually not that hard!

LinkedIn may be one of the best social media platforms for you if your ideal client is in business in any way.

Although I’m less active on LinkedIn than I am on Facebook or Instagram, LinkedIn has still been my greatest source for getting clients.

This is likely because people on other social media platforms are simply browsing for fun. Many times, they’re not expecting (or even wanting) an interruption from you talking about your blog or services. But when people are on LinkedIn, they’re already thinking with a business mindset. This gives your business blog a huge advantage on that platform.

As of this writing, around half my clients have found me because of my activity on LinkedIn. And the best part is … this is all the result of inbound marketing. I haven’t had to sell to a single person! As a 9 on the Enneagram, I can’t even explain to you how happy it makes me to not aggressively sell. Seriously.

LinkedIn has also been a great place for me to grow my email list and increase my blog traffic. So… you’ll have to excuse my enthusiasm because I’m just a little bit obsessed with LinkedIn right now.

But the real question here is: Is LinkedIn the right fit for you? Let’s find out.

How to Know LinkedIn Is the Right Fit for Your Blog

Before you commit to learning how to use LinkedIn to promote your blog, you need to find out if your audience is even on there.

LinkedIn is likely a good fit for you if your primary audience includes:
- Businessmen and businesswomen
- Entrepreneurs and small-business owners
- People looking for a job
- People wanting to quit their job and start their own money-making venture
Keep in mind that your offer should be—in most cases—something that helps them in their professional goals.

How to Use LinkedIn to Promote Your Articles and Grow Your Brand

Now that you’ve determined that LinkedIn is a great fit for your business, let’s dive into how to use LinkedIn to grow your brand and your blog.

1. Grow Your LinkedIn Connections

The first step to promoting your blog is actually growing your following. This doesn’t mean you can’t post your blogs on LinkedIn until you have a certain number of followers. But if you have fewer than 500 connections, I would recommend focusing your energy on building genuine connections.

Focus on connecting with people who are your ideal client or who are in the same/similar field as you.

Start by reaching out to connect with 5 people every other day. (I’ve heard people say you should do it every day, but hey, we have lives, right?)

Huge tip for how to use LinkedIn to make connections: Make sure to send a personalized message with each connection request.

This doesn’t have to be long and fancy. Just be sure to use their first name, indicate the connecting link that caused you to reach out to them (friend, school, or former job you have in common), and be friendly.

Here’s an example:

Hi, Tracy. I’m Jenny Rose, a Christian content marketing coach and fellow Stetson grad. (Go Hatters!) I saw you’re connected with my good friend [Insert Friend Here]. I’d love to connect on LinkedIn. Have a great day!

Practical ways to find connections:
- Go to your alma mater’s page and look for fellow alumni.
Some colleges’ LinkedIn pages have settings for you to search based on geographical location, study major, or current job title. Take advantage of these to find your ideal client.
- Look at your friends’ connections.
- When a new person says yes to your connection request, look at their connections.
- Use LinkedIn’s search tool to find your ideal client or fellow business owners in your field.
If you have a free account on LinkedIn, you have a limited amount of monthly searches. You can only find results for 1,000 profiles or 100 pages. So make them count!

If you upgrade to a premium LinkedIn account, you get access to unlimited search results.

2. Post Several Times a Week

Like all social media platforms, you can’t just post once in a blue moon and expect a great return. A huge part of how to use LinkedIn is simply being active on the platform. (That includes posting and liking/commenting on other people’s posts.)

The more active you are on LinkedIn, the more your connections see you and your content.

Not all these posts have to be links to your blog. Be sure to also post content that builds relationships or offers free value without having to click away to get it.

In fact, some claim that LinkedIn’s algorithm disfavors posts with links in them.

The other alternative is putting the link in the comments instead of the post itself. Agorapulse ran a test to see how posts with links in the comments compared to posts with links in the post itself. They found that views (or impressions) were higher for posts with links in comments, indicating that LinkedIn’s algorithm shared those posts more liberally. But those same posts also had fewer comments and likes.

The fewer comments and likes could be from the fact that when you share a link in the post itself, a picture pops up that’s clickable. Like this:

When the link is in the comments, though, there’s no compelling photo or headline to attract attention.

However you choose to post your blog links on LinkedIn, just make sure to do it regularly! I recommend at least 2 to 3 posts per week, with at least 1 of them being a link to your blog.

But blog links aren’t the only aspect of knowing how to use LinkedIn.

3. Publish LinkedIn Articles

I’ve seen many people who have had great success republishing their blogs as LinkedIn articles. (I haven’t had as much success with LinkedIn articles as I have with simply promoting my blog, but this could be because I’m still growing my following on the platform.)

To do this, just click “Write Article” in the lower right-hand corner. Then simply copy-paste your blog into the appropriate fields.

A few recommendations if you choose to do this:
- Wait at least 2 weeks before republishing your articles.
You want to make sure your blog on your own website has a chance to rise in the ranks on Google before adding the same copy on another platform.
- Rewrite the headline.
It doesn’t have to be vastly different, but it should be different enough that people scrolling through Google’s search results won’t be confused by identical headlines.
- When you publish your post, tag a connection you think would get a lot out of it or who you interviewed for the piece.
4. Tag People and Add Hashtags to Your LinkedIn Posts

If you want to know how to use LinkedIn to promote your blog, tagging and hashtags are a great place to start. This way, it’s easier to get your content in front of more eyes.

But don’t tag just anyone. Make sure it’s someone who would get a lot of out of the content, someone you wrote about in the article, or someone you interviewed for the piece.

When adding hashtags, don’t pull an Instagram and add 30. Just don’t. LinkedIn, like Facebook, does just fine with simply 1 or 2 general hashtags that people follow.

To get a feel for how I use LinkedIn to promote my blog, feel free to connect with me. Just click here and send me a connection request!

Pssst! Did you know I wrote an e-book that’s chock-full of valuable tips and tricks to grow your blog?

Click here to grab your Ultimate Business Blogging Bundle. You not only get the e-book when you sign up, but you also get 3 Bonus Resources:
- List of 18+ time-saving blogging tools
- List of ready-to-use hashtags
- List of creative blogging prompts
Get your Blogging Bundle today!

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Blogging
These Tools for Blogging Can Save You 10+ Hours Each Week
- September 2, 2020
- 0 comments
- by Jenny Rose Spaudo
Blogging, when done with excellence, can take dozens of hours of your week. That’s a lot of time you could be spending getting new customers or, better yet, spending time with family. Thankfully, the right tools for blogging can cut your time in half—or more.
Most of these tools are 100% free. A few do cost money, but I’ll be sure to let you know which those are. Also, please note that I’m an affiliate for some of the tools that cost money. (Again, I’ll let you know which those are for the sake of transparency.) As a business owner, I only promote tools I love, so enjoy!
Tools for Blogging: The Writing Process
Grammarly for Editing
If grammar isn’t really your thing, that’s OK. Grammarly, even with its free version, is pretty good at catching basic mistakes. That includes things like spelling, incorrect verb tense, etc.
It won’t catch more complex errors, though. So if you are concerned about your writing, consider hiring a writer or a copy editor.
Hemingway Editor
The Hemingway Editor tool is pretty cool because it doesn’t just focus on the grammar of your article. It also helps you catch clunky sentences, passive voice, and any monotony in your cadence. In other words, it helps write the kind of content people online want to read.
Tools for Blog SEO
Are you trying to research SEO on your own and going over your blog again and again to make sure it’s optimized for search engines? If so, you know how it can suck hours of your precious time.
These tools can help you out, especially if you’re an SEO beginner!
Yoast SEO
If you have a WordPress site, the Yoast SEO plugin can help you optimize every single blog post. Plus, it’s just super satisfying to get that green SEO light when you’re done. 😉
If you need help learning how to work your Yoast plugin, or if you need basic SEO help in general, check out my blog post on SEO for WordPress. The basic teachings in this post will help you even if your blog isn’t on WordPress.
Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest has a free plan that will help you research keywords for your blog posts. You can also type in your site’s URL and have Ubersuggest run a test to check your website’s SEO health. I highly recommend this tool!
Tools for Blogging Graphics
Free Photo Sites
I may not be a fantastic photographer, but I love beautiful photos, especially for my blogs. If you need some sites that offer copyright-free photos that cost nothing, check out this blog post:
9 Places to Find Copyright-Free Photos
A lot of these sites have photos that are absolutely gorgeous. And it beats spending hours each week taking photos yourself.
Canva
I’m a teensy bit obsessed with Canva if I’m honest with myself. I introduced my mom to Canva just a few months ago and she’s hooked too!
We love it so much because it makes designing graphics and PDFs SO easy. And it saves a ton of time… seriously!
It also has a bunch of easy-to-use design templates to get started if you’re not a natural designer (like me).
I use Canva Pro and love it because it gives me access to countless more photos and templates that save me a ton of time on graphics for my business and for clients. In fact, I love it so much I’m an affiliate for Canva Pro!
Social Media Templates
I love templates, what can I say? They just save me so much time! These social media templates by Bluchic are lovely and easy to customize.
I’m an affiliate for them as well, so if you use my link to purchase from them, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tools to Promote Your Blog
Later.com: Social Media Scheduler
Later is pretty great as a social media scheduler, especially if you focus primarily on Facebook and Instagram. You can easily switch between your different schedules for your social media platforms and copy/paste any posts you want to repurpose.
Plus, it gives you direct access to Unsplash, so you don’t have to go through the whole process of download the photo and then reuploading it to Later.
One more thing I really like about Later is that when you’re creating Instagram posts, it has a “Suggested Hashtags” tool that lets you find relevant hashtags for your topic.
Tailwind for Pinterest
Many bloggers get most of their traffic from Pinterest—and Tailwind is the reason why. It lets you quickly schedule dozens of posts at a time and join “Tribes” that will help share your content.
I’m an affiliate for Tailwind because I’ve seen how well it can work for bloggers. Click here to get started with Tailwind!
Flodesk for Email
I love Flodesk’s templates. They’re beautiful and easy to use and customize to match your brand. Plus, they also have templates that are more plain if that’s what you need too.
I started out my business with Mailchimp and found it to be a little difficult for me to use with the free version. I finally made the leap over to Flodesk in June and I couldn’t be happier with my choice!
While using Mailchimp, my email open rate was between 15% and 20%, which isn’t bad… but a few weeks after switching over to Flodesk, I found my open rate increase. It’s now between 25% and 35% (sometimes 40% or higher), depending on the content.
Because I love it so much, I’m an affiliate with them. If you sign up using my affiliate link, you actually get 50% off of your monthly price–for life.
Flodesk normally charges $38 per month (and doesn’t increase as your subscribers increase like other email service providers do). But with my link, you will only pay $19 for as long as you have Flodesk.
Click here to start a free trial with Flodesk.
Want to Save Even MORE Time With Tools for Blogging?
I have an entire list of 18+ different tools you can use for writing, graphics, social media, email, and more. Plus, I also have a long list of blogging prompts to get your creative juices flowing.
Click here to get my FREE Blogging Bundle, which includes those lists!

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Social Media
What to Post on Instagram: 4 Types of Content You Should Publish Every Week
- August 19, 2020
- 0 comments
- by Jenny Rose Spaudo
Are you confused about what to post on Instagram for your business? If so, you should know that there are 4 basic types of posts you should publish every single week if you want to maintain a healthy Instagram strategy.
What are those 4 types of posts?
1. Engagement
2. Education
3. Inspiration
4. Promotion
But don’t worry… I’ll dive deeper into each one. I’ll walk you through how to create these types of posts and how they help build your business brand!
So let’s get to it, shall we?
What to Post on Instagram: Creating the Right Content
Last week, I wrote about how to use Instagram for business. Now, it’s time to learn what to post on Instagram.
In order to create the right content, you need to be sure you have a clear purpose in mind for each post as you create it. What response do you want this post to evoke from your viewers?
Do you want them to click something? Buy something? Like, comment, or share?
As I mentioned before, the top four purposes you want to have for your posts are: engagement, education, inspiration and promotion.
That said, sometimes these purposes will overlap a little bit. And that’s OK! Just make sure you’re hitting each of these 4 categories at least once per week.
1. Engagement-Focused Posts
The goal of this type of post is to drive engagement with likes, post saves, comments, shares, or clicks. In other words, you simply want your audience to enjoy the content and interact with it.
Engagement is important because it tells Instagram that people care about your content. This is because it causes the algorithm to put you in front of other people who are more likely to enjoy your content and follow you.
Great ideas for engagement posts are:
Step-by-step instructions
This could include recipes, directions, formulas, and so on. Clear lists, especially if they’re numbered, are easy to digest and often get a lot of reactions from people, like this post.
Funny memes or GIFs
If lighthearted humor is part of your brand, creating memes can be a great way to delight your audience.
Conversational questions
These are great ways to get to know your audience. That’s because you can ask questions like: “Where are you from? Comment below!” or “How many of you are working from home right now?” or “What’s your favorite way to drink coffee?”
People love answering lighthearted personal questions like this. Conversational questions typically get lots of comments.
“This or That?” questions
Like conversational questions, “This or That?” questions typically get a lot of comments, too. And yes, they are very similar. But the beauty of “This or That?” is how simple they are! Yet so many people comment because we all love to share our opinion. 😉
Some ideas for “This or That?” include: “Beach or Mountains?” “Coffee or Tea?” “Cats or Dogs?” “Introvert or Extrovert?”
In light of that, you can even do some strategic A-B testing with this question! For example, you could create two types of logos and post them side by side, saying, “A or B?” You’ll get lots of comments, I’m sure!
Always end your engagement posts with a strong call to action. You might tell them, “Save this post so you can make this recipe later!” or “Comment below!” Just make it clear.
Here’s an example from my Instagram account.

View this post on Instagram

[Question] for my blog-writing friends…⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What are some of your favorite tips and tricks for getting the word out about your blog?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Share your favorite blogging insights below! 👇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #caffeinateandconquer #lessworkmorelife #solopreneurlife #socialmediacoaching #contentmarketingcoach #marketingcoach #marketingtips #bloggingtips #writingtips #contentstrategytips #contentstrategy #contentmarketing101 #freelancemarketing #freelanceblogging #freelancewriting #writingconsultant #contentcreationtips #socialmediaforbusiness #digitalmarketingstrategy #growmybusiness #smallbusinesshelp #contentcreation #jennyrosespaudo #contenttips #onlinemarketingtips #growthhacks #blogwriting #businessblogging #bloggersofinstagram

A post shared by Jenny Rose | Content Coach (@jenny.rose.spaudo) on Aug 7, 2020 at 7:30am PDT

2. Educational Posts
Educational posts build trust. They position you as the expert in your niche, showing that you know what you’re talking about and you have what it takes to help your ideal client.
Educational posts will look different depending on what niche you’re in. But they should always provide some kind of knowledge that helps your ideal client.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Tips and strategies
For example, if you’re a homeschool blogger, an educational post might mean sharing a tip you recently learned for better organizing your busy day with kids. Or if you’re a financial expert, maybe you share some top tips to stay organized for tax time.
Take a look at this example:

View this post on Instagram

[How to optimize your Instagram bio] If you want to grow your following, you might want to start with updating your Instagram bio. 👉1. Keep your language clear and concise. No long sentences! 👉2. Use emojis to catch the eye’s attention. 👉3. Tell your audience what they get by following you. (How do you help them?) 👉4. Give a brief taste of who you are. 👉5. End with a strong call to action. (Tell them WHAT you want them to do!) 👉6. Don’t forget to put your link in there… Save this post so you can refer to it as you update your bio. ✌️

A post shared by Jenny Rose | Content Coach (@jenny.rose.spaudo) on Aug 14, 2020 at 10:28am PDT

Your blogs
Sharing your blogs would fall under this category since you’re offering free knowledge that helps your audience.
Because you can’t put clickable links in Instagram posts, I recommend posting a compelling graphic and caption. At the end of your caption, tell people to click on the link in your bio to read the post.
I use Linktree as my bio link. So all I have to do is add my blog link whenever I promote a new article.
Lessons you’ve learned the hard way
These are great because they build a deeper connection with your audience. They see you more as human and someone they can trust instead of a far-off guru.
3. Inspirational Posts
This is where you let your values shine! Inspirational posts should tell your audience what morals, values and ideas define your brand.
For inspirational posts, try…
Quotes from people you and your audience admire
My target audience is Christian entrepreneurs, so I often quote Christian heroes in the past, current Christian leaders I admire, marketing experts, and business thought leaders.
But make sure the quotes somehow relate to your audience’s need.
Bible verses that speak to your audience’s situation
If your target audience is Christian, then Scripture quotes are amazing. After all, we all need more of the Word of God!
Here’s an example:

View this post on Instagram

Another one of my favorite Bible verses! (And one I take seriously in my business.)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Have you ever caught yourself working to get admiration from other people … instead of working to honor God?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #jesuscalling #bibleverse #christianquotes #christianbusinessowner #christianbusinesscoach #christianmarketing #contentmarketingbusiness #christcentered #christcenteredlife #christcenteredbusiness #christianentrepreneur #womenoffaith #womensupportingwomen #motivation #spiritualencouragement #womenoffaithandprayer #waitonthelord #trustinjesus #christianmillennials #christianitytoday #livebyfaith #prayerworks #trustgodsplan #faithingod #faithinbusiness #marketingstrategytips #freelancewriter #jennyrosespaudo #contentmarketingconsultant #biztips

A post shared by Jenny Rose | Content Coach (@jenny.rose.spaudo) on Aug 5, 2020 at 8:01am PDT

Heartfelt words of encouragement
Sometimes we just need someone to tell us we’re going to be OK. That we’re going to make it… even though it’s hard. No matter what niche you’re in, you can be a voice of encouragement to your audience.
4. Promotional Posts
Here’s the thing… if you don’t tell people what you offer, they won’t know!
I made this mistake when I first started posting to Instagram. I just posted engaging, educational, and inspirational content. But then I realized I never told my audience exactly how I can help them!
Doing so isn’t just a disservice to your business. It’s also a disservice to your audience. After all, they deserve to know how you can help them with their problem.
That said, if you’re only promoting, then you might annoy your audience. A good rule of thumb is making one out of every three to five posts a promotional post. (Unless you’re launching a new product and need to promote every day in a row for a few days.)
Here’s an example:

View this post on Instagram

STOP!! Did you know there’s an easier way to grow your brand online other than wasting countless hours trying to do it all yourself?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Well, then, let me introduce myself. I’m Jenny Rose, a Christian content marketer who loves helping Jesus-driven business owners like you grow their businesses!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉 Do you need someone to ghost write your blogs for you?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉 Do you need helping managing your social media?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉 Do you want coaching to help you optimize your content marketing strategy?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I can help with that! Send me a DM and let’s talk about how you can start growing your business online today!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #contentmarketing #womeninbusiness #floridabusiness #womenentrepreneur #entrepreneurship #marketingtips #jennyrosespaudo #entrepreneurspirit #entrepreneurgoals #socialmediamarketing #socialmediamanager #socialmediastrategy #socialmediaqueen #socialmediacoach #contentcoach #writingcoach #copywriter #copywriting #businessideas #christianbusiness #christianentrepreneur #solopreneur #solopreneurs #fempreneur #girlbosshustle #lovemybiz #mycreativebiz #creativebusiness #scaleyourbusiness #growyourbusinessonline

A post shared by Jenny Rose | Content Coach (@jenny.rose.spaudo) on Aug 11, 2020 at 7:01am PDT

Hey, speaking of Instagram… Are you following me there? Click here and follow me for more free content marketing tips!

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Social Media
Optimize Your Instagram Profile With 4 Easy Tips
- June 9, 2020
- 0 comments
- by Jenny Rose Spaudo
If you’re a beginner when it comes to content marketing, you should know that Instagram can be your best friend—if you optimize your profile. And if you want to optimize your Instagram profile, there are four tips you need to follow.
I could regale you with tons of reasons why Instagram is financially worth your time. In fact, one of my favorite clients wanted to hire me when I first started my business because they found me on Instagram.
I could also tell you why it’s the perfect platform if you feel you’re not a naturally gifted writer.
And while we’re at it, it’s worth noting that Instagram surpassed 1 billion monthly users in 2018—and it just keeps growing.
But as Instagram grows, it makes it harder for you to grow an engaged following, especially when you’re just starting out. So what can you do to stand out from the crowd?
Well, first of all, you have to make sure you’re optimizing your Instagram profile. Here’s where to start:
1. Ask Yourself What’s Working and What’s Not
OK, I’m going to ask you to do a little homework right now. First, open up your Instagram app. (If you have a business profile, click “Insights” to find the answers to these questions more quickly.) With your app open, I want you to ask yourself the following:
What posts have the most comments?
Which photos or videos have the most likes?
Which ones have the most saves? (Keep in mind that saves aren’t super common, so if this number is really low, don’t sweat it.)
What posts have the most actions taken on them? (Clicks to the link in your bio, saves, etc.)
Did you find those posts? Great. Now, get out a pen and some paper and write down the answers to these questions.
What kinds of photos got the most likes?
Which kinds of captions elicited the most comments?
What kinds of calls-to-action got people to actually follow through?
Did you write them down? Awesome. Understanding what’s working for you is vital not only to increasing your momentum, but also figuring out what isn’t working for you and what you shouldn’t waste your time on.
2. Check Your Bio on Your Instagram Profile
A lot of us aren’t utilizing our bios the way we could be—or the way we should be.
This is a huge mistake because your Insta bio is the first thing people look at when they check out your page to see if they should follow you or not.
You have 150 characters to convince people to follow you.
Your bio is not the place to be cryptic or confusing. You can still infuse your personality into it, but make sure it is clear, concise and captivating.
Your bio should immediately tell people what benefit you offer them, who you are, and what step to take next.
Here’s an example of mine:
3. Look at Your Instagram Profile Feed
As you analyze your feed from an outsider’s perspective, ask yourself questions like: “If I were my ideal client, would I be attracted to my feed?” “Are my posts pleasing to look at?” “Is there variety in the kinds of posts I do?”
Now, before you go into a full-on panic attack, hear me out. Your photos don’t have to look like a model’s for you to have an effective profile.
Not all your photos have to look professionally done.
You. Do. Not. Have. To. Be. Perfect.
But you do need to have a profile that entices people to look deeper. That means:
- At least some of, and ideally most of, your photos should be high quality. You can take good-quality photos with an iPhone, so don’t freak out if you don’t have a nice camera. (I have an Android, but I steal my husband’s iPhone all the time. We’re one flesh, so it’s OK.)
- Add variety to your photos. Don’t make all your photos of your product or of you. Take photos of things that are relevant to your niche and what you offer. Give your audience a rounded-out vision of you and what you do.
- Use a variety of posts. Make sure that not all of your posts are photos. Sprinkle in some videos, some images with text, etc.
4. Take a Peek at Your Captions
Make sure the first line of your caption entices people to read more. People won’t read the rest of your caption until you’ve convinced them within the first few words that it will be worth their time.
Then, make sure your comment has some sort of call to action. It can be a call to comment below, or a call to save the post, or a call to click on the link in your bio.
Be strategic about this. If you want to create a post simply to generate more engagement with your audience, then post an eye-catching photo with a comment that stirs up conversation. End your caption with a specific call to “Comment below with … (whatever you want them to share).”
These tips are by no means comprehensive, but they are fantastic ways to get started with optimizing your Instagram profile. If you want more tips and strategies for optimizing your content marketing strategy, book a coaching session with me today!
You can also follow me on Instagram for more free tips and strategies!

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Blogging
How to Blog When You Have No Time
- April 14, 2020
- 2 Comments
- by Jenny Rose Spaudo
I know plenty of people who know they should be blogging but just don’t have the time to do it.
Their schedules are full of keeping their businesses running, taking care of their kids, and tending to the thousands of other things they’ve volunteered for. They just don’t have time to blog.
I get that.
But also, respectfully, I disagree.
I think if people were to let go of some of their blogging misconceptions, they would feel free to invest in this important content-marketing strategy.
Hear me out.
It’s true that blogging can become a full-time gig. Some people invest hours each day promoting their blogs on social media, engaging people on forums and pitching affiliates.
But that’s not the only way to blog.
So how can you blog when you have no time?
My goal is that this article gives you some hope. If you want to start blogging but don’t know where to find the time for it, keep reading, my friend.
Misconception #1: Promoting my blog and writing consistently take too long.
No, they don’t.
Promotion can be a black hole if you let it. So don’t let it.
Learn the top one or two social media platforms your ideal clients use, and focus on those to promote your blogs.
Don’t waste hours promoting your blog on forums or social media where no one will care. In the future, when you have more time to branch out, you can do that. But for right now, start with your core people.
As for writing consistently, find a frequency that works for you. Right now, I’m working a full-time job in addition to maintaining this blog. So the frequency that works for me is once a week.
Find what’s right for you.
Misconception #2: Writing one blog will take hours.
It can, but it doesn’t have to. And it really shouldn’t.
If your blog is a way to provide insight into your brand and show yourself to be an expert in your niche, then there are some simple ways to write blogs that don’t consume tons of time.
First, write what you know.
What are some of the main problems you see your customers facing? What advice would you give a client who was struggling with one of those problems? Write your blog as though you’re writing to that one person.
Second, write out of your own experiences.
Again, use examples from your own life to write your blogs. Tell your readers what has worked for you and what hasn’t. Tell stories about mistakes you’ve survived and lessons you’ve learned.
Third, write like you’re having a conversation.
Don’t make your blog stuffy. Often, writing takes us so long because we’re trying to sound smart.
You don’t have to fall for that time-waster. Write as though you’re talking to a friend.
An easy way to do this is to say what you want to communicate out loud. Then simply write out what you just said and clean up any grammatical yuckiness. (Yes, that’s the technical term.)
Misconception #3: Editing my blog will take forever.
If you’re a perfectionist, then, yes, it will take forever.
I know this because I’ve lived it. And still do sometimes.
But blogs aren’t meant to be perfect. You’re not publishing your blog in a magazine or newspaper. So be willing for it to be less than perfect.
This does NOT mean that it’s OK to let your blog look like a hot mess. But editing doesn’t have to take forever. Run the piece through a spell checker. Or ask a friend to look over it for you. Or look over it once or twice yourself. (Or hire someone to edit it for you, let’s be honest now.)
But don’t require it to be perfect.
Misconception #4: Making graphics for my blog will take forever.
It certainly can if you don’t have the hang of it or if design isn’t your thing.
It’s not mine, for sure.
That’s why I purchased social media templates from Bluchic. (You can check them out here if you’d like.)
I purchased the package when they were having a Black Friday sale. But there are tons of others out there.
The templates may cost a little money, but they save you a ton of time.
Another easy way to create social media graphics is on Canva.
I introduced my mom to Canva a couple of months ago and she loves it! Some of the graphics she’s creating now are way better than mine, and I’m not even salty about it.
Basically, Canva gives you templates you can edit and customize to make them unique for your purposes. They have templates for Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and more.
Misconception #5: I don’t even know how to start.
Here are a couple easy ways to introduce your blog:
- Help the reader visualize the problem you’re trying to solve. Provide an example or a story.
- Help the reader visualize the success they’re trying to achieve. Create a scenario in which the reader is the hero. Then tell them how to get there.
- Start off with a controversial statement. Then explain why you think that way and how it will help your reader.
Check out my full post on this topic here.
Bonus Tips
Just because I think you’re swell, here are three more tips to help you save time on blogging:
1. If you’re an author, use short excerpts from your book and simply tweak the intros and outros.
2. If you’re a pastor or speaker, use excerpts from transcripts of your sermons or talks.
3. If you already write for social media, take your most popular posts and expand them just a bit. A blog doesn’t have to be long.
The truth is that, yes, writing a consistent blog is a time commitment. But it doesn’t have to be a big one. You can streamline the process and make it work for you.
As always, I’m here cheering you on!
Hey, see that line of social buttons on the left side of your screen? If you liked today’s blog, click one of those buttons and share this article. 🙂

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Podcasting
15 Creative Ways to Promote Your Podcast That Won’t Cost You Any Extra Money
- February 18, 2020
- 0 comments
- by Jenny Rose Spaudo
Congratulations on publishing another crazy-great podcast episode! That was the easy part. Now, you have to promote your podcast so others can benefit from the episode’s valuable content.
But maybe you’re tired of the same old ways you’ve been promoting your episodes. After all, it can seem much easier to promote a blog than a podcast. You want to breathe fresh life into your podcast promotion strategy.
Fantastic!
Let me make that process easier for you by offering 15 creative ways to promote your latest podcast episode.
And not to worry, these strategies won’t cost you ANY extra money.
(Yes, you read that correctly. Each strategy in this list is FREE to do.)
I’ve saved the most effective strategy for last, so be sure to stick with me to the end of this blog!
1. Promote your podcast by sending it to your email list.
This one might be a no-brainer for you. But you’d be surprised how many of your listeners will forget you come out with a new episode every Tuesday.
Remind them with a fresh email that gives them a sneak peek behind the podcast studio veil.
2. Create a blog post out of the episode. (Or several blogs.)
You can either create one giant blog post that encapsulates your episode’s entire message. Or you can select specific portions of the episode and create an article around them.
Either way, use the blogs to point readers back to the podcast episode. Then promote that blog on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or wherever your listeners hang out online.
Success!
3. Create a Q&A out of it.
If your episode was an interview, consider turning it into a Q&A and posting it on your site. This can be an easy way to work on SEO for your podcast and draw in readers who care about your content.
4. Post the best quotes from the episode with a link to the podcast.
The best quotes are often inspirational or eye-opening. If you hear any of those gems, snag them and save them for social media promotion!
If your episode is an interview, use a quote from your guest and attribute it to them.
Then simply design an image with that quote and promote it on your favorite social media.
5. Post a snippet of the audio with a link to promote your podcast.
OK, so this one is actually super cool! You basically create a short video that plays a snippet of your podcast episode.
You may have seen podcasters use these on Instagram or Facebook.
And oddly enough, it doesn’t HAVE to cost money. There are several apps that offer free plans you can use to promote at least one episode a month.
Check out Wavve, which lets you customize your design and create 1 minute of video monthly. (Their design is included in the video with the free plan.)
Another way to do this is with Headliner, whose free plan lets you post 10 videos a month directly to social media, transcription included.
6. Share on social media the top 3 takeaways people will learn from the episode.
If your podcast is your way of drawing visitors to your business, then your listeners are likely tuning in to learn something from you.
In those cases, their ears are perked to hear what they’re going to get out of the show.
So tell them up front!
In your social media post promoting the episode, tell people the top three things they’re going to learn from your latest podcast.
7. If the episode is an interview, share a photo of you and the interviewee with a link to the episode.
This is a fun way to let listeners look behind the scenes and see you and your interviewee actually bonding.
If the person is in studio, snap a quick selfie with the two of you. Or if you have a photo of the two of you in general, post it!
8. Take a selfie of you recording the episode and share one major takeaway people will get.
This goes back to the whole idea of people loving to have a look behind the scenes.
You can build up hype for your upcoming episode by promoting it beforehand.
Or you can simply post the photo once the episode is live with your favorite lesson from the episode and link people can click to listen.
9. Create an Instagram story about why you’re excited about this episode and how it will impact your listeners.
I think this is one of the most engaging ways to promote your episode, honestly.
At least, it works to pull me in! I’ve heard some podcasters share why this episode was so important to them or share some of the feedback they’ve already received from it.
10. Tell listeners to promote your podcast by sharing it with a caption related to the topic.
When they share it, tell them to tag you so you can either keep them accountable or cheer them on, whatever the episode’s topic calls for.
An example would be that you just released an episode about waking up 15 minutes earlier than normal every day to exercise. You could tell your listeners to share your podcast episode with a caption declaring what small habit they were committed to forming so they could make time for exercise.
It’s an easy way to connect with your audience and create a sense of commitment to what you’re teaching.
11. Stick your latest podcast episode at the very top of your website.
I see a lot of podcast hosts do this, and it seems pretty effective.
At the very top of your website, even above your menu and your logo, create a header that promotes your latest episode.
12. Tell listeners to share the podcast episode and tag you for a chance to be a guest on the show.
This is especially great for podcasts that occasionally host live coaching calls or Q&As.
Tell your listeners to share the episode with a question they have and tag you.
And the “prize” doesn’t have to be inviting them onto the show. That may not be feasible for you for some reason. Find something else to incentivize them to share your content.
13. Create a quiz out of the episode and share it on social media to promote your podcast.
Now, you could go all out and be super fancy with this one with a paid quiz tool.
But if you want to keep things simple, then simply form a few questions around your topic and post them online. Then say, “Find out your results in my latest episode” with a link to your podcast.
It could be the type of quiz that tests people’s knowledge, like “How Much Do You REALLY Know About Content Marketing?”
Or it could be something more fun, like “What’s Your Podcast Style Based on Your Personality?”
14. Tag your podcast guest on social media.
This one is especially helpful if your guest has a large social media following. When I’ve interviewed Christian influencers, I try to remember to tag them when we promote the show.
This isn’t just so that the guest sees it. It’s so that their followers see it.
15. Ask your podcast guest to promote your podcast episode on their social media.
This one is, by far, the MOST EFFECTIVE promotion strategy I have ever seen when it comes to podcasts.
I mean to the point of making the difference of thousands of downloads.
And, again, if your guest has a large following, it makes it that much more effective.
Whenever I interview someone for a podcast, I make it my goal to share the link with them and ask them to please share it on their social media and, if they have one, even with their mailing list.
And there you have it!
What are some other free promotion strategies you use for your podcast? Share them in the comments below!

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Blogging
The Ultimate Cure for Writer’s Block
- December 26, 2019
- 0 comments
- by Jenny Rose Spaudo
I feel your pain, my friend. And that pain is called “writer’s block.”

You’ve set aside a large chunk of time to write (which was probably a miracle in itself).

You’ve set your writing space up perfectly. You have your coffee, your silence and your fully functioning computer (another miracle).

You sit down to start writing and … you got nothing.

You try taking a few minutes to think and brainstorm. You walk around the house a bit and then try again. You try freewriting to get your creative juices flowing.

But every word you type is like wrangling a chew toy out of the mouth of your hyperactive bulldog.

That, my friend, is called writer’s block.

I hear about it all the time in Facebook groups I’m a part of for writers, entrepreneurs and bloggers. It’s like a horrible flu we all hope we don’t get but definitely will—and it will take you down.

But the answer I want to offer for your writer’s block is not the answers you’ll find in your Facebook groups. I’m not going to tell you to make a mind map or take a brisk walk or do some word association.

Those don’t solve your real problem with writer’s block.

After all, the only thing worse than not knowing what to write is writing something your audience doesn’t care about.

You can brainstorm and free write until you’re worn to the bone, but it won’t actually help you if you’re writing the wrong thing.

The best cure I can give you for writer’s block is simply this:

Find out what your audience wants.

You don’t have a hobby blog. You have a business blog. That means you aren’t writing for yourself. Rather, you’re writing for someone else. This isn’t about you; it’s about your audience.

So stop thinking about what you want to write and start thinking about what your audience needs.

Here are some questions to get you thinking:

What was the last question someone in your audience asked you regarding your area of expertise?

What was the last time you witnessed someone in your audience make a mistake that you knew you had the answer to?

What are some fears your audience has expressed in their comments, reviews, questions or conversations with you?

What are some goals your clients have and what are the best strategies to reach them?

What are some objections or mental blocks people have that keep them from purchasing your product?

What is something you’ve seen your audience get confused about?

What are some tools or apps you use to make your job and life easier that your audience would care about?

What is a transformation you’ve gone through that has revolutionized your business and could help your clients?

What success have you seen one of your clients have after purchasing your product? Tell their story. (This doesn’t have to be overly salesy. Just tell the story and focus on the mindset shifts and strategies they used to be successful.)

What mistake have you made recently and what did you learn from it?

How to Find the Answers to These Questions

Some of these questions you can answer all on your own because they’re based on your experience, but others—not so much.

For questions that relate directly to your audience, the best place to get answers is their own mouths. Or hands, I suppose.

Look at their comments online. Read the reviews they leave for your products or services or content. Listen to their complaints. You can even try calling them!

The point is: listen. Listen to the words they’re saying. And then listen to the words underneath what they’re saying.

I’m not trying to sound mystical when I say that. The words we say are fueled by motives. And sometimes those motives aren’t as blatant as we think they are.

Sometimes we don’t even know our own motives!

Proverbs 18:4 says that “the words of a man’s mouth are deep waters” (ESV).

Sometimes—dare I say, oftentimes—we have to look beyond the surface of people’s words and ask ourselves why they said that. What pain or desire is fueling their remarks?

Why is this homeschooling mom frustrated with her kids and their school? Is it because she feels like they don’t obey her? If so, why is that? Is she overwhelmed by the chaos in her home? Is her fourth-grader struggling to learn to read?

Sometimes we don’t have enough information to go on and may struggle to find the accurate motives behind a person’s words.

But it’s always important to ask and search and ponder.

Jesus did this so many times! When Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night and told Him he believed God was with Him, Jesus didn’t respond with a mere “Oh, gee, thanks Nicodemus. I appreciate your vote of confidence.”

Instead, Jesus immediately touched on the secret need in Nicodemus’ heart. He told him: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

As someone who is keenly aware of how my words and actions might make other people feel, Jesus’ response makes me feel all sorts of awkward.

But it shouldn’t, because Jesus knew the real reason Nicodemus came to Him. In the middle of the night. With a seemingly random, not-so-popular compliment.

Jesus heard the words. He saw the underlying motive. And He offered a solution to the real need.

As a Jesus-focused business owner, you aren’t just giving clients what they say they want. You’re looking past the words and giving them what they really need. And if that makes you afraid, then maybe it’s time to start doing things afraid.

So let’s try this again.

Find your quiet spot. Get your fully functioning computer. Set aside your time for deep work. And start typing.

This time, watch the words start flowing and say goodbye to writer’s block.
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