So my burning questions for my fellow book bloggers:
1) How does everyone keep track of review books, tour dates, etc? What do you find to the best way to keep track of everything for your blog? Do you use google docs, a planner, etc?
2) What are your favourite kind of posts to read on other bloggers pages? Reviews, discussion posts, memes? What would you like to see more of around the blogosphere?
3) How many of you are monetizing your blogs? Do you believe in monetizing or do you just blog for the sake of getting your thoughts out there? Do you think it is selling out if someone chooses to sell adspace or use affiliations? Does it depend on how they use their earnings?
4) What is your favourite form of social media to use to promote your book blog? Twitter, Facebook, Google+, something else?
I'll be hopping around to other bloggers posts today to see what burning questions are out there that I might just be able to answer. Thanks for checking out my Armchair BEA posts this week. It's been a lot of fun!
Great questions! :)
ReplyDeletePersonally, for keeping track of dates, I have a notebook where I'll list all the review books I have releasing within the month and go through and tick them off--Google Documents would undoubtedly be easier, but I like my notebook. :P
As for favorite posts, I really like discussion posts but to be honest, I like to see everything. Reviews for books that I might've been wary about picking up, memes to introduce me to books I wouldn't have known about otherwise, and discussions so that I can see what other bloggers are thinking.
When it comes to monetizing my blog, I personally don't do it but honestly don't see anything wrong with it so long as your blog isn't overrun with ads. And lastly, Twitter is definitely my favorite thing to use as I love being able to hold conversations on Twitter! But at the same time, I don't really use it to promote my blog so much as to talk with others.
Great answers. :) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI'm hardly an expert, but I'll try to answer your questions!
ReplyDelete1. Google Calendar is my best friend. As soon as I make a commitment for a tour date or for an ARC - I put the date in the calendar. Then I read what I want, when I want, but keep checking the calendar to make sure I am working in my commitments in time. Also, I check the calender before accepting anything, so that I don't over-commit and make my life more stressful than it needs to be.
2. I like reviews and discussion posts the most, but memes come in handy for something lighter - or the start of a discussion. Too many memes bore me to death, and I'll stop reading.
3. I monetize only as an affiliate of Amazon, Book Dep., and IndieBound. I have only earned money from Amazon, and it isn't enough to even mention. I did that more to make it easier to add "links to purchase" for my readers, if they get moved to purchase something after my review, and not so much as to make a profit. I don't sell blogads, do Adsense, or many of the emailed offers for affiliate, as most of those ads have nothing to do with what I'm talking about in my blog. It just wouldn't sit well with me (esp. as I'm not doing this to profit financially), so I don't do it. You have to decide what you want yourself, think about how you want to present yourself.
4. My favorite is Twitter, though I also use Facebook and GoodReads.
Your answers pretty much match mine. :) I don't use Google Calendar, but I did make up an excel sheet that I keep track of posts, blog tours, etc so I can keep on track. I read what I like in between commitments.
DeleteI love reviews, discussion posts and fun blog tours - I do participate in memes, but have cut way back on what I used to participate in. I do a weekly mailbox post, sometimes the odd cover reveal but only for books that I am dying to read or for blog tours, and I am trying to get into discussion posts on my own blog more. :)
I monetize, but only trying to raise funds to support more giveaways on my blog. I have not earned enough to mention either. LOL So at this point all giveaways have been funded by my own money or via publishers.
And I love TWITTER too.
Ha! I'm so high tech...I use a handwritten list on my desk to schedule my reviews. I've tried my outlook calendar, with a special calendar for my blogging, but I just need to see that list laying there every day to keep me on trakc!
ReplyDeleteI used to hand write mine, but I kept losing the paper. LOL
Delete1) I use the google calendar! Really helps with planning.
ReplyDelete2) Loving discussion posts.
3) I don't monetize my blog, but it doesn't bother me when others do. I guess I monetize in the way of being affiliates with my local book store.
4) Twitter! I've met so many new bloggers through twitter.
Hi Vy! I keep hearing about using Google Calendar, perhaps I should try it out.
DeleteThanks for answering my questions.
1) Like others above, I use Google Calendar. My reason for this is because it is linked up to my iPod so when I have an alert "review for BLAH book in three days" I am reminded. And then again the next and the next, etc. I need the extra alerts because I'm a forgetful person. I would be nowhere without my multi-coloured beeping calendar! :D
ReplyDelete2) I really like discussion posts, when someone has really put there thoughts down for everyone to see! I have so many ideas for them myself and really just want to have the time to sit down and write them? Along with this, I also love "Blogspiration" posts (a meme co-hosted by Sarah @ Saz101 and Kristin @ GrowingUp YA) as it's really inspiring!
3) I recently added affiliates onto the site in hopes to get a little side revenue but so far I've just been getting money from my own sales so… :/ haha.
4) Twitter. I was tweeting LONG before I had my blog and so I'm just so used to the platform now. It is such a handy tool to get posts out there and to interact with fellow bloggers! I try to utilise Facebook and Pinterest but I always forget :-( And don't even get me started on Google+! Haha.
Great questions <3
Thanks for stopping by Faye. I will be checking out the blogs your referenced to see what "Blogspiration" is. Sounds fun.
Delete1. I write stuff down in a notebook, and also makes drafts in blogger for the posts so that I know where they're supposed to go, and that way I avoid scheduling posts on the same days. :)
ReplyDelete2. My favourite posts are discussion posts, and some of the memes. I love reading the It's Monday, What Are You Reading posts, and I really enjoy a good discussion. I also like features, and I, like most, also love giveaways. :P I'd like to see more original features and a variety of reviews. I'd like to see reviews for books that I haven't heard of yet. Or books that I read years ago and absolutely loved. :)
3.I'm not monetizing my blog, but I don't have a problem with monetizing. I think you have every right to advertize on your own blog. I think it's even better when the ads represent the things you actually want to advertize, but I definitely think it's up to you how you want to advertize on your own blog. Again, your earnings, so I think do whatever you like. :)
4. Twitter is my favourite, but I am starting to like using Facebook too. I just wish people would actually reply to my Facebook posts. :P lol I feel like I'm talking to air on Facebook and even Twitter, too, sometimes. :P lol
Great questions, Chrystal! :D I've enjoyed visiting your posts and reading your comments for aBEA! :D
Ambur
My Armchair BEA Ask the Experts Post
Ambur! Thanks for your input. You are my top commenter lately both on my blog and on Facebook. ;) I hate when people don't reply or comment on my Facebook posts. LOL
ReplyDeleteI too like reading about books that others are not really reading. I've been trying to read other books from my shelf this year to mix it up with the new releases. :) I'm so behind on books that I have tons to choose from. :)
And the draft idea is pretty smart... I might try doing that along with my excel sheet. :)
I prefer twitter to facebook as it's easier to use and facebook keeps changing the rules. However, I haven't used google+ yet and if I can avoid it I'm going to. Sometimes there are far too many social medias kicking around and to do them all would take more time than running the blog! And with twitter, it's short and sharp and easy to use, and putting tweets out about a post three or four times a day is a lot less invasive than seeing it 4 times in a day on facebook, because on twitter it's broken up with @ replies andother tweets, whereas with facebook everything is in the comments.
ReplyDeleteHope that helps
Chelle
Very true about the Twitter promotion. :) As for google+, I have an account and seldom use it really. I don't go on there and promote things, but I sometimes hit the G+ button on my posts for them to auto post there. I am enjoying using twitter and FB as I have my facebook setup to auto post to twitter for me, so they go there too.
Delete1. I use Google calendar to keep track of every date I commit to, and also put in titles after they are posted. It makes it easy to see what was posted when. If something isn't committed to a date, I use a couple of tbr lists on Goodreads.
ReplyDelete3. I monetize through Adsense, Amazon, and Smashwords. And have yet to earn enough anywhere to get paid out anything. So basically I earn nothing, which makes me wonder if I should just get rid of Adsense.
4. I just joined Twitter about a week ago, and have become addicted. I have Facebook but use it rarely, mostly as a different way for people to follow.
I have thought the same thing about the ads - worth it or not? I guess we will see if I ever figure out a way to earn more funds. LOL I have some ideas I'm going to try out in the next few weeks though.
DeleteTwitter is crazy addictive. Love it though. And I'm using my Facebook a lot more lately.
Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for visiting my Armchair BEA posts....this is my first visit here, and I'm liking what I see. Hope to come back again....
ReplyDeletePlease do visit again! :)
DeleteI've been blogging about books for more than four years, and the way I keep track of what I mean to review next is to put the next few books I want to talk about in a pile on my desk. If there were more than two or three, I would know that blogging is getting to be less of a pleasure and more of a chore.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea, Jeanne. Hmm then I must be working too hard. LOL I have piles all over the place for review. But I have them in neat little piles in order of when they are due.
DeleteI have one pile beside my favourite chair that has review books and books that I want to read mixed in. :)