Archives for June 2015

How to Make Blog + Social Media Scheduling Easy: CoSchedule Blogging Tool Review

Finding time to blog is tough, but finding time to blog and post social media for that blog can be even tougher. That’s why I first tried CoSchedule a few months ago, and honestly, I’m in love with it. Here’s a quick video overview of what CoSchedule can do:

I started using CoSchedule a few months ago for Adult Ballerina Project and I also used it as part of my job, too.

What is CoSchedule?

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It is a drag-and-drop editorial calendar for WordPress that puts your blog posts and social media messages on the same schedule. It beats out the normal calendar provided in WordPress (and other calendar plugins) with the social media add-in. I love that CoSchedule has a “drag and drop” option so that if you want to quickly move a post from one day to another, you don’t have to log in to WordPress and change the scheduled date/time. You can also move a scheduled post to drafts and a draft to the calendar.

Key Features:

Here’s a list of other key features CoSchedule lists as including:

  • Drag-And-Drop Editorial Calendar
  • Schedule Social Media While You Blog
  • Save Time, Grow Traffic
  • Easily Re-Schedule Old Blog Content
  • Lightweight WordPress Plugin
  • Automated Social Publishing
  • Simple Team Communication
  • All-In-One Publishing Solution
  • No More WordPress Hacking

What platforms work with CoSchedule?

CoSchedule works with WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Buffer, and even Google+ Pages (using a to Buffer). One of my favorite was to use CoSchedule is to push posts to Buffer, so that I can re-arrange them using Buffer’s built-in scheduling system (pre-set times set by you). It makes it super easy to rearrange the order of your posts and even remove things last-minute if you need to — like if you discovered an error in a post and don’t want to share it again, but you’re on the go and only have your phone.)

While CoSchedule has no mobile app at the moment (a downside) — if you push to Buffer, you can have access via their mobile app to edit and change things on the go!

Multiple Blogs and Users

I love that you can have multiple blogs (great if you run many of them) and multiple users. While I don’t currently take advantage of these, I’m looking forward to using the multiple users functionality when my interns start. You can even set tasks for users (or yourself, for that matter — I often set tasks for myself so I remember certain things I want to include in social media posts in the future!)

See your top posts

I love that CoSchedule will tell you how often and on what platforms your posts get shared on. I also love that you can see what your top posts are, either over a specific time period or all time. Here’s ABP’s top posts of all time by social sharing:

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Other Integrations

I love that you can connect Bit.ly, Google Analytics, and Google calendar to CoSchedule, too! It makes it super easy to help track of how posts and social media is doing.

Test it Out!

If you want to test to see if you’ll love CoSchedule as much as I do for all your blogging needs, CoSchedule offers a free trial.  You can also extend your trial for every social media account you link up to CoSchedule (which I did when testing it out!

 

Happy National Running Day!

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I don’t often write about my running anymore here, but since National Running Day is today, I figured I’d share a little bit about why I run while doing ballet and how I recently started running again.

Why do you run?

I run because it relieves my stress and helps give me a cardio boost. Even though running has been one of the hardest things to start and re-start, I really enjoy it.

How do you plan to celebrate National Running Day?

Given my toe injury, I won’t be doing that much, but I’m hoping to make it out to one of Philly’s trails for a quick run if anything. I was hoping to participate in a specific National Running Day activity, but unfortunately that won’t be happening now.

How many miles have you run so far this year?

Not very many, but I just started getting back into running at the start of May. I’m hoping I can add more and more as this year continues.

What big events do you have on the race calendar so far this year?

I’m super super excited for the Philly 10K (a race that goes through Philadelphia’s neighborhoods) that’s put on by Philadelphia Runner.

Before I leave for a run you must have:

Lots and lots of water. I usually make sure to grab essentials (keys, phone, GPS watch, etc.) too.

Do you have one favorite app to track your runs?

My favorite app was RunKeeper, but now I use a Garmin Forerunner 220.

Who is your favorite running partner?

HQ by the river!

HQ by the river!

HQ. We run pretty much every run together. (This photo was taken on national running day a few years ago!)

What races have you ran so far this year?

I haven’t run one yet, trying to pick a 5K to run in the next few weeks, so if your near Philly and have a recommendation, let me know!

If you had to give someone one piece of advice about running what would it be?

Same as I would for ballet, don’t give up! It doesn’t necessarily get easier, but it does get more enjoyable.

Describe your relationship with running in one word:

Difficult.

Pick the #AdultBallet Twitter Chat Time + Suggest Questions!

adult-ballet-twitter-chatWe’re looking forward to restarting the #adultballet twitter chats we held a while back. Chats typically last an hour, and typically the hosts ask about 6 questions that everyone and anyone is welcome to answer!

And if you want to suggest a question that should be asked during the chat, add it here:

We can’t wait to talk everything relating to #adultballet on Twitter!

(P.S. If you’re interested in co-hosting this chat, or another one, get in touch at aballerinaproject@gmail.com!)

Top oimage modified from Flickr User Kryziz Bonny with Creative Commons Permissions

Blog Roundup: Ballet and Barre-Related Workouts

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Top image modified from original image by Quinn Dombrowski via Creative Commons

Hello Blogathon Day 1!

Given that I currently have a decent amount of free time on my hands, I’ve decided to participate in Freelance Success/WordCount Blogathon. As part of the blogathon, I’ll be posting every day in the month of June. I plan on keeping up with my normal blog activities (profiles, videos, how-tos, reviews) as well as some more blog-style posts.

I hope it’ll be a jump start to get me back into blogging. I hope that some of my fellow dance bloggers join me (you can sign up here!)

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Image via Flickr User Joyce Bettencourt