I have an exciting little meeting tonight. Hopefully it will go like this. Two women, with a love of twitter, gossiping and sharing ideas. Then an exciting little announcement for my blog!
Wish me luck lovely readers!
mamasmondaymustdo
A little while ago I had an email pop up from a company based in Asia. A very large, successful company who pride themselves as Asia-Pacific's first blog advertising community. At first I thought they must have sent it to me by mistake. That they like my little blog? Surely not?! Turns out their company has led to almost 200 from the other side of the world people liking my little blog (in 1 month), all from their new app NuffnangX.
When I read about the app prior to it's launch it didn't really click, just from the name, what they do. But that's because they are not so well known over in the UK. Well I hope I can change that, as this app is something worth knowing about.
NuffnangX is a social blog stalking app! Their strapline not mine!
It has a familiar feel which makes it user friendly and uses a similar colour palette to Facebook. It is easy to navigate around the site, even on a small phone screen. The user guide is well thought out and must be the work of a web marketeer genius as I've watched the video several times just for the graphics.
Type to search and follow a blog with one click. I love the recommended blogs that are tailored to you. I have followed a couple of really successful blogs religiously (as in stalked them three times a day) but it's amazing to see that they have yet to become part of the NuffnangX community because of it's potential outreach to a global audience.
It is a fantastic way to increase your readership and promote it worldwide. Ok, so twitter does that too but how many of your followers live in the same country/continent?!
It allows you to follow the blogs you love, get updates straight to your phone, wherever you are. This may not sound like a new concept but what is different about this app is the interface you can have with the blogger themselves. Conversations that take the form of text messages! Leave a message for your favourite blogger and it will pop up on their phone as a notification like a text message. The ease at which you can reply to comment, returning your response which in turn pops up on their phone, could change the way you interact with your readers.
The other handy feature is that the app selects a single line of the most interesting text and displays it as the post summary. You then get a feed of the best bits from your best blogs. You then click to see the post in it's entirety, pictures and all, not just the text feed.
Take your favourite blogs to the school play ground whilst you wait for the kids to come out, at the supermarket checkout when you are waiting to pay and perfect for when you are a passenger in the car. All in one place.
It updates as soon as new content is published and has changed the way I read blogs. Instead of 'catching up' at the end of the day on my laptop once the boys are in bed, I can scroll through in 2 minutes to see what is new from my favourite bloggers.
I follow a number of American bloggers who post whilst I am fast asleep. I can scroll through my phone when I wake up and check on the latest post. Think about your eye to screen time in the morning. How quickly do you reach for your phone? Or is it just me?!
I have 'claimed my blog' so feel free to drop me a message. I'd love to hear from you. Find me here.
Claim yours too by following this link. By October 2013 over 16,000 people have downloaded the app.
MARCH 2013 UPDATE - I now have almost 450 direct blog readers via NuffnangX - wow! I value every one!
Best of all this app is available on Android and iOS and guess what - it's free!
Watch the video, even just for the graphics and the cute music!
ps just for info Nuffnang means real good/cool in Jafaikan!
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I used to blurt on to everyone about Slimming World. But since we started living like we are on shore leave last November, I have decided life is much more fun when you are not on a diet, and whilst my clothes still fit, I am going to start a new campaign to anyone who will listen.
It has changed me life. I adore it. Gone are the days when I have to trawl through a list of bookmarks, scrolling down, then having to scroll back up again, as I am sure I just missed what I was searching for. I also have a much slimmer diary, instead of it bursting with pages torn out of magazines.
Christmas ideas and birthday wish lists kept quietly ticking along all year and fantasy worlds can be created with the ping of a pin.
Pinterest is an online community of users who share their pinboards. You can pin anything you want. Literally. If I saw a lovely cushion in a home store I could take a photo on my phone and pin it to my 'Home' board. I could spend hours getting lost browsing through other Pinners boards, repining their wants, wishes and finds to my boards.
You can also you the search facility to uncover others ideas and shared pins.
It is the best way to organise any project. I plan the boys parties using Pinterest and was a very lucky girl and was given some delightful presents from my husband, who checked the 'Birthday Wish List' board! You can also pin craft and beauty tutorials from other bloggers or online video sharing sites like YouTube.
You name it, you can pin it! Pin images from your own blog site to spread the word!
I defy anyone not be be able to research an idea using Pinterest. A friend of mine is having an unusual colour scheme for their wedding next year, but within minutes of searching on Pinterest, thousands of ideas popped up.
We used it to draw inspiration, when we updated our lounge and it was an essential resource, when I was planning my brother's wedding rehearsal as there were so many American rehearsals pinned along the same themes.
I even created a board of face painting ideas for my friend who has expanded her beauty business to include face paint parties!
You can edit, delete and update your boards, as little or as often as you like and you can like and follow others who interest you.
If you are a list or mood board type of person you will love it! Feel free to have a nose at my boards and follow me if you fancy!
I even have one for jars I like!
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You have to request an invite to join (although that is just an email sign up) or you can be invited by an existing Pinterest user like me! UPDATE MAY 2013 - you no longer need an invite! Sign up today!
Create your own pinboard and start pinning today and click here!