I Hit One Thousand Views on Vocal in One Month, Now What?

But, why is that laptop sitting on a chair?

Hello fellow Vocal creators and other beings on the internet. Before I begin, let me address that I in no way feel that I have some sort of advice giving superiority over veteran SEO-wizard bloggers, I don’t have a perfect Pinterest aesthetic to match my niche, nor have I clearly, hence the title, been doing this very long myself. I simply find it interesting when artists and entrepreneurs of all kinds share their strategies in correlation with strengthening their reach on social media and other varying platforms.

Nonetheless, I found myself eager to write this because without Vocal+ or a website (they may come at a later date) my views on the some six stories I have published hit over 1,000 views. The only social media platforms I have are Pinterest (@free2freelance) and a Reddit account, and if you count Medium as another platform, I’m there as well (@free2freelancer). It is strongly encouraged that us Vocal writers should have Facebook, Twitter and maybe even Instagram to support whatever it is we are doing, to promote both our websites, shops, blogs, you name it; I simply just write for myself as a side hustle to feed my creative side, learn, and improve my skills, so piling on a ton of social accounts that may help me gain traction but would derail my mental state, I’ll pass.

Plug Yourself. It’s Not Selfish.

So, hitting one thousand views is probably laughable to some, but encouraging to hear for others only starting out. Many of us are still home a lot more, on the internet a lot more, but perhaps, with hope, have also been thinking and listening a lot more recently; we each have something powerful to share and discuss with others, and while Vocal has some wonderful in-house activity amongst creators, you may as well cash in on those views that your work can reel in from elsewhere.

You’ll want something listed either at the end of your pieces or in your bio on Vocal that can guide others to platforms that offer a way for individuals to connect and support each other.

Example: ”If you liked this article, connect with me on Instagram by following me @insertyournamewriter”

This is all pretty self-explanatory, but others on Vocal have pointed out how little creators list anything to promote themselves, and since having read that, I happen to notice it more and more. Personally, I had nothing in my bio or articles that could send readers to my social media accounts for 1) fear of seeming annoying and 2) I barely even have social media to begin with. If by chance you feel anything similar, note that listing your social handles isn’t “too much” and the bottom line is, if readers want to find you and your work, now they can. It’s encouraged to give them that option and you will benefit as well.

Share Your Stuff.

Whenever you can, wherever you can, share those articles. Spice things up, too; it’s not always as simple as copy and pasting a link.

For Pinterest, the posts that do well contain related keywords that help the algorithm pick up your shared content for users to see on their home feeds, and you will have to do your own research regarding helpful words depending on your niche and article. Another thing that’s extremely important is ensuring the images you use for your Pinterest post have an aspect ratio of 2:3. If you’re like, “what?”, it’s the size of the image. For smartphone users, Adobe Photoshop Express is a free app found on the App Store that is sublime for those just starting to edit photography. It’s a nice way for beginners to get familiar without the cost of the Photoshop software for desktop. There’s an option that allows you to select the appropriate aspect ratio for just about every mainstream social media platform.

To give you an idea, here is an example image I will be posting on Pinterest with this article:

For Reddit, whatever your niche is, I’m sure you can find an active subreddit to post your work in. Always be sure to check the subreddit rules and chat with the moderators if you have questions. Get ready to converse with readers about your piece, but do refrain from petty arguments as you are representing yourself whether they know you’re the article author or not. I have found that most of my views come from my articles that have gained traction on Reddit. Posting during the day, anywhere from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST is likely your best bet at ensuring the most users see it.

For Medium, I’m honestly pretty new over there. I love the style of their platform, it’s very eye pleasing. Sharing your Vocal content on Medium is easier than ever, and someone else already explained how to do it, so I am going to link their article that explains how here.

Sharing your Vocal stories doesn’t always have to happen on social media. If you believe any of your friends, coworkers, and family would like to read your pieces, share it with them on iMessage, email or text. Our support systems are there to support us, and if I was your friend, I’d want to read your articles.

Don’t Steal Pictures.

It has to be said. Not only do you want to protect yourself, but you must be considerate that you may be using an image that isn’t free-for-all and the artist that created it should have full rights to it. We are all creators and we have to support each other. With that being said, Pixabay is a massive site with a royalty free image you can use for nearly any topic. If you’re pulling an image from a source, always be sure to credit them.

Never. Stop. Writing.

Read, write, repeat, am I right? The more we read, the more we learn. Someone once said to me, “When we speak, we share our realities.” That stayed with me, and it has since been the driving force behind my career. I want to hear others experiences and attempt to understand reality through their eyes so I may have better judgement within my own reality. This goes beyond artistry level and learning new writing tips; I need to hear the injustices so I can cast an educated vote this November, help my community where it calls for assistance, and simply be a better person. Continue to read, listen to others, and then share your thoughts as well. You will only get better.

Since I began writing this piece in early June, one month has flown by at an absurd rate of speed, I have not been as active as I preferred to be on Vocal, and that’s okay. Consistency is key here, but don’t kick yourself down if you let your hobby fall to the wayside for a little while. Much like meditation, calmly bring yourself back to Vocal and keep at it from there. There are a lot of important happenings in our world that need our attention urgently, so I fully support focusing on that over business. In my absence, my articles have gained another 1,000 views just by circulating where they sit, so let that be motivation if yours see likewise statistics.

Now What?

Well, as I said above, never stop writing. Continue sharing your pieces everywhere you can, explore other creators, educate yourself on your niche and aspects that apply, and build your audience. Dip your toes into other styles of writing or test your skills in a new Community on Vocal. Collaborate with other users, artists from elsewhere, highlight local small businesses or interesting matters of the world.

Whatever it is that you are into, go for it.

I swear, I keep reading that those on Vocal collectively lean towards pieces that are honest and the writers on here are supporting of an atmosphere where each feels they have a place to come and grow. Utilize that space and make it your own, and I can’t wait to read one of your pieces someday.

Always,

Angela