social media

September 30, 2015 by Tricia Goyer 8 Comments

Periscope How-To for Authors

Periscope is one of the best things happening on social media right now. I’m just getting started, but I’ve looking forward to the possibilities! Pericope helps authors send their message into the world in a personal way. Who better to tell your story than you can? Who better to share your content or your passion? When people SEE you, they also see your authenticity. If people like you they’ll be interested in your books, your message, your heart.

As of today I’ve done over a dozen broadcasts and I have 1.5K followers. I want my connections with readers to grow so currently thinking about what type of scopes I want to do, and what type of audience I want to grow.

Followers are notified when I broadcast. They get an alert on their phone/device or they can see it on their Periscope screen. (The notifications are under the SETTINGS tab. You can turn them on or off there.) I’ve connected with old friends, and I’ve made new ones on Periscope.

Some of you may know what I’m talking about. Others might not have any idea. No, I’m not submarining!

What is Periscope?

Periscope is an app that enables you to broadcast live video from your phone or device. People scope from around the world and you can connect in real time. (I’ve been part of scopes from Australia and the UK. Fun!)

For people to watch your videos they must have the periscope app. It’s owned by Twitter, so when you broadcast you can click a button and automatically have it go to all Twitter followers.

Like Twitter you follow people, and people follow you.

Unlike Twitter, Periscope doesn’t just stop with those who are following you. Periscope enables you to be discovered by new people as well. One of the best way for people to find you is when you are active on someone’s broadcast. If they like what you have to say they’ll follow you! The periscope community is great about supporting each other.

Periscope is interactive.

When you broadcast you can see who is “attending.” Their user name/handle will pop up.

Those watching your broadcast can ask questions or comment on your post. These comment bubbles float by, and if it’s busy it sometimes gets hard to read, but you can ask people to repeat their comments.

Viewers can tap the screen to give you hearts. This shows they like what you’re saying. The more hearts you have the more others can see that you’re giving value to viewers.

There is a limit to people who can comment. You may not be able to comment on the popular broadcasts, but you can still watch.

Periscope will host a replay of your live broadcast for 24 hours after it ends on the app. You can also save your broadcast on your device and upload it elsewhere, like on your blog or Youtube. (Look for “Autosave Broadcast” on your settings tab in Periscope. It will save it to your Gallery. Then you can upload it to the Internet.)

There are a few programs that will capture your broadcast for you. I use katch.me When you sign up for this service it will automatically capture all your broadcasts and give you a URL for them. You can delete these if you don’t want them saved. You can watch one of my broadcasts here:

You can broadcast yourself anywhere you have a phone connection. You can include live guests or even invite guests via Skype. (Your viewers will see anything that you have your phone camera pointed to.)

Viewers also can “share” your scope with other Periscope users or on Twitter. A SHARE button will pop up when they watch a broadcast.

Why is Periscope awesome for authors?

Periscope allows you to connect with fans in real time. In just a few short months it’s gained over 10 million users.

It’s free.

It’s fun.

A lot of people are excited about it!

It allows you to reach readers in a fun and engaging way.

It allows you to connect one-on-one with a community.

Because of the engaging nature, many people are saying that Periscope is FAR more effective than e-blasts, websites and other marketing. When people connect with you personally they seem to be far more open to your products or services.

I’ve personally bought books and products from people I’ve “connected” with on Periscope.

Should you do it?

Yes! Just jump in! Like someone I was watching said, “Your first 100 broadcasts will be junk … be okay with that!” The cool thing is that everyone is new on Periscope right now. We’re all learning as we go.

How do you measure your success on Periscope?

1. People show up to your broadcasts.

2. Your followers grow.

3. You get lots of hearts.

4. Viewers connect with you on other platforms.

5. Your sales grow.

Periscope can be a revenue stream.

Here is a program to teach you how to turn Periscope into a revenue stream:

http://scopingforbiz.com/?hop=boomsoc10

10 Ways to Use Periscope as an Author

1. Offer tips. I recently did a Periscope offering tips. Writers: How NOT to give up on the book of your heart. I shared tips, but I also talked about my book Prayers that Changed History. Think about what will value a reader … not just selling a book. Click here to see some of my recent Periscopes!

2. Show Behind the Scenes. What does your desk look like? How do you research?

3. Talk about the topic of your book. This can work for fiction or non-fiction. Share background, research, historical data, or any fun stories from the writing process.

4. Use the “private” group section. Connect with book clubs or readers. This makes them feel special.

5. Answer questions live—about writing or about your book topic.

6. Start a group. Author Kim Cash Tate has built an awesome Periscope audience of women benefiting each other. Her blog here and her private Facebook group.

7. Set up daily chats. I know homeschoolers who offer encouraged during the weekdays at 8 a.m. and authors who do devotions every morning at a specific time.

8. If you have an online store use promo codes. Give the codes during your scope and you’ll be able to watch the traffic.

9. Share LIVE events. Have someone hold your device for you while you speak or give a presentation.

10. Invite people to visit your website, blog or to sign up for your e-newsletter. Hold up cars to give the URLs, making it easier to write down.

Business applications and community building is only limited to your imagination! What can you do with live video and real-time engagement?

More great Blogs on Periscope:

Free Periscope e-book:

http://kimgarst.com/periscope101/

What in the world is @periscopeco & how do I use it? Find out from @TriciaGoyer here:

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

October 10, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 5 Comments

My Favorite Marketing Tools for Authors

You think that writing a book is the hard part, right?! Getting your book noticed (and appreciated) by readers is a whole new thing. Here are ways I’ve connect with readers and have grown my fan base … without being annoying!

Just a few quick tips that have worked for me…

Marketing:

1. I’ve hired a nearly full-time assistant to help with marketing. She posts my blogs, formats my newsletters, sends out packages, etc.

2. I fit my radio interviews, etc. into my calendar. I also schedule in things like e-mail interviews, mailing signed books, etc. I don’t have specific days but rather specific slots to meet the need.

Speaking:

I used to speak two times a month. Now I limit that to four times a year. It takes me days to prepare, days to travel, days to “get back into life.” At this season in my life I need to give time to my family first. This is out-of-town stuff. This doesn’t count in local engagements, which I will take if they fit.

“I’m an Author. Do I Need a Newsletter?”

Many authors have newsletters. I have one that goes out about every other month. I share an inspiring story, news, and information about me and what I’m up to. (Subscribe to it by clicking here!)

Every book signing, conference, or speaking event I do I hold a drawing. In addition to their name and address, on the drawing info card, I include three other things:

“I would like to receive Tricia’s email newsletter.”
“I have another event I’d like Tricia to consider speaking at, please send me a press kit.”
“Comment:”

The majority of people check “yes” to signing up for the newsletter, which is great! Plus, I’ve discovered building a dedicated readership is worth giving away free books. As for whether it’s worth the extra time and effort, people who are signed up for my newsletter are people like older friends from church who don’t spend time on social media or reading blogs. I also encourage readers to pre-order my novels and it seems to be working!

Your Audience

Do you know your audience? Do you know who you’re writing for?

I do.

According to my web analytics: “Based on internet averages, triciagoyer.com is visited more frequently by females who are in the age range of 25-34, have children, are college educated and browse this site from home.” Looking at other information I find that the websites they visit before and after my site is Facebook.

When I think of my reader, I often think of real women I know to help me picture “her” in my mind.

One is Alana. She’s a friend from church who’s married to a great guy from Guatemala. They are involved in missions outreach in his home country. She’s college-educated but put her career aside to raise her two kids. At church we chat about my new books and the research behind them. She’s invited me to her home to talk to other young moms about homeschooling. She posts adorable photos of her kids on Facebook, and she works at a preschool part-time, mostly because she likes the connection with other moms and kids.

I have readers from other age groups and lifestyles, but I know that I have a nice following from this audience.

There are obvious ways I connect with them:

By doing guest blogs on mommy and homeschooling sites
By blogging about marriage and family on my blog (I throw books stuff in now and again 🙂
By posting about my writing (which is following my dream), life and family on Facebook and Twitter
By hosting Facebook contests

I also try to be aware of other places my core readers and followers are congregating.

One of those places is Pinterest.

I’ve discovered that you can pin anything to your “bulletin boards” that has a photo. I “pin” my books under subject headings like “World War II” or “Amish.” I also started spending five or ten minutes each day finding old blog posts and “pinning” them. For example, recently I pinned a blog post from July 2010 on “How to Be a Better Lover” to my Marriage board. If people like your pins, they repin them on their boards. And then people look at their boards and repin them, too. Sweet!

Recently, because of things like Pinterest and Facebook parties, the daily views on my blog/website have jumped significantly. I’ve also seen my book sales numbers growing, too. Yeah! And the best part is it’s fun for me! (Yes, I find Facebook and Twitter fun, too.)

Because I like it, I don’t feel like I’m marketing (so much), and readers don’t feel that I’m only concerned with trying to sell them something.

Even though the majority of books I write are fiction, I’m making a connection with my main readership who connect with me over family and real-life issues, and then run out to buy my novels. They also buy my books for their parents and grandparents, too, which I love!

All that to say, instead of casting a wide net and attempting to reach a variety of readers, I’ve been doing more to connect with those who respond most positively to me and my books.

Tweet It!

Are you sick of hearing about Twitter yet?

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing? You have 140 characters (letters) to answer that question. You can “tweet” once a day or twenty times a day. It’s up to you.

You may wonder who reads these tweets. They are your “followers.” People follow others they know, those they respect, or those recommended by other. Not every follower reads each of my posts, but many of them read most.

Throughout the day I send updates about my devotional time, writing, editing, and even my errands. People follow the progress of my books, and they are often eager to spread the word about my project. They comment back, which gives a sense of community.

I’ve also used Twitter when doing research. I post questions, and I ask for feedback. I’ve even asked for suggestions for chapter titles or character names. Fun!

Tweeting may sound like work, but it takes less than one minute to post 140 characters—about two sentences, or as much as this paragraph.

As a writer there are benefits to tweeting

1) People do enjoy hearing about everyday lives of interested people. As a writer you are one of them. (This is the reality television generation, remember?) As you’re working on a book, you can become interesting to a wide variety of people—many who may later be readers.

2) Seventy-five percent (or maybe more) of the people I’ve connected with are those who I haven’t connected with before. Score! My followers include radio hosts, television producers, editors, and many potential readers.

3) My Facebook account is also connected with Twitter. When I update the status of one, the other is updated. Because of this, my Facebook network has grown, too.

4) When I promote my interviews or articles or books, I have a wide variety of people who are eager to hear the newest news. For example, when I was recently on Focus on the Family radio, I tweeted about it, and many, many people responded, telling me they turned into the radio. It was a great feeling!

Following back…

Personally, I follow thousands of people on Twitter. No, I do not keep updated with this many people all day long. Rather, I have a select few that I follow via my cell phone. The rest (those I don’t follow on my cell phone) I keep updated on by scanning on the web four or five times a day. If I see something interesting, I may comment on their post.

The people I follow closely are writer friends and professionals in our industries, such as Michael Hyatt (CEO of Thomas Nelson), Sheila Walsh, and Ed Stetzer (CEO of Lifeway). I can honestly say I know more about what’s happening in the publishing industry today than I did a month ago.

I also follow a few “non-famous” closely. One is Kristen, a farm mom. I’m writing a series of books set on a farm, and it’s free research! So if you are interested in connecting with people, building relationships, and spreading the word about your writing, Twitter might be worth checking out.

Go ahead and try it. It’s not hard to dip your toe into . . . since it’s only 140 characters at a time. 😉

Marketing for Authors: A few quick tips that have worked for me… @TriciaGoyer

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More Resources

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World by Gary Vaynerchuk

Epic Content Marketing: How to Tell a Different Story, Break through the Clutter, and Win More Customers by Marketing Less by Joe Pulizzi

Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business by Anne Handley

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

September 20, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 12 Comments

Making Pinterest-Worthy Graphics for Your Blog

I’ve been blogging for many years. I write to encourage, educate, and inspire. I love to hear from readers. I like to know my words are getting out and making a difference!

Over the last year, Pinterest has revolutionized my blogging. Blogs that used to get a few hundred readers get readers in the thousands or tens of thousands. Most of these readers come from Pinterest and Facebook.

Readers are inspired, educated, and encouraged by my words, but the first step to getting readers is creating graphics that capture their attention. Here’s how to do that easily.

I

1. Create a watermark

This is my most recent watermark and matches the branding on my website. Watermarks are your blog’s branding. That simple watermark will represent you. Readers will start looking for it!

You can also make your own watermark. One easy way is to use PicMonkey.

PicMonkey is my favorite, and it’s free. (Although I did upgrade for more features. To upgrade is only $5 a month!)

Trish a Mom on Time Out explains how to create your own watermark here.

2. Find Stunning Photos

If you’re a great photographer you can take them yourself.

I use some of my own, but I also love photos from Thinkstock.com. I found a special deal where I got a 30-day trial for $99, and I was able to download 25 photos a day. I was faithful to download every day! That’s 750 photos!

Places to get FREE photos:

Pixabay: http://pixabay.com/

Pikwizard: www.pikwizard.com

Morgue File: http://morguefile.com

Compfight: http://compfight.com/

Creative Commons: Free Picture Pool

CreationSwap: http://www.creationswap.com/

Unsplash: unsplash.com

Check out Canva’s great list of websites with free photos, too!

Non-expensive options:

Dollar Photo Club: http://www.dollarphotoclub.com/ <– This is my new favorite! Click the image below to sign up!

And for non-cheesy Christian photos, Lightstock: https://www.lightstock.com

3. Use Picmonkey.com to create graphics

With Picmonkey you have four options:

Edit photos you have.
Design with their tools (no photo necessary)
Create a collage
Touch up your photos

The easy way to edit a photo

Click EDIT

Download photo

For the most attention on Pinterest, crop the photo it so it’s tall, not wide. This takes up more space on Pinterest.

Click Text to add words

Text Button

Click Effects to add drama

Effects Button

Add your watermark

Add Watermark with the button that looks like a butterfly

Then SAVE your finished graphic!

I love these tools. They making creating Pinterest-worthy graphics easy! The best part is that I’m able to connect with even more readers to inspire, educate and encourage!

What about you? Do you have any tips for great graphics?

December 7, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 4 Comments

The Sights and Scents of Life

Recently on my Facebook page I asked, “What scent or sound immediately takes you back to childhood?” I love the responses that came through. Here are a few of them:

Carolann E: The smell of a live Christmas tree. I used to lay on my tummy and play with the little plastic town and the train that my dad set up every year and sing Christmas carols.
Jennifer C: The smell of burning leaves always makes me think of my dad when I was little. There are also certain smells that are like a mixture of chalk and glue and blackboards that make me feel like I’m back in elementary school. Also, a cool breeze some mornings bring me back to getting ready for school time.
Shannon: The smell of my grandma’s perfume.
Jenny B: Cooking smells like cookies and cakes and buns that mum use to make.
Melinda S: A spoon stirring something in a glass jar. My mom mixed up a big jar of Tang every morning for breakfast. I usually woke up to that sound.
Cooper M: Fresh mown hay takes me back to summer visits to my grandparents farm.
Joy D: Old Spice.
Martha A: The smell of homemade spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove.
Kathy P: Tangerines. Our Church made goodie bags at Christmas. They included a tangerine (or orange), hard candy, chocolate candy, nuts and other goodies. We had so much working at the assembly line filling the white paper bags for Christmas! Burning candles take me back to the Christmas candlelight service on Christmas Eve.
Anne: Rain/sprinklers–that fresh scent on a hot day. Warm asphalt takes me back to the little town where my grandmother ran a little motel. She and I walked all over that little town, and the asphalt was soft and warm in summer. Also, the plastic smell of new dolls (i.e. Barbies) at Christmas.
Lynn: The scent of pencil crayons
Lesley: Mom’s pot roast . . . Love it!
Dawn: the smell of the paper mill!
Tammy: Orange blossoms! I grew up by a grove in Florida.
Jennifer: Um . . . We lived next to a dairy farm.
Kaysee: Play doh!
Marie: Mom’s homemade cinnamon rolls and her hairspray . . . she used to use Adorn. I remember lying down on her bed and her pillow always had the scent of Adorn.
Symone: sound of a cheese slicer lol!
Donna: powder—the only make-up my mom ever wore.
Melanie: Those wintergreen, pink like pepto mints remind me of my grandpa
Kimberly Brown: The smell of harvest. I grew up on a grain farm.

These are just a fraction of the responses. I found so many of them taking me back to childhood too—that plastic smell of a new baby doll, the smell of play dough, and of Old Spice. No matter how old we are or where we live, common sights and smells unite us!

Fiction goes far beyond just reading—it connects reader to writer. @TriciaGoyer

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The same is true when we read fiction. The sights and scents create a common bond within the pages. They connect the writer, the characters, and the readers by the simple, everyday things that stir memories.

Read the rest of this post on Writes of Passage!

What scent or sight takes you back to #childhood? Share with @TriciaGoyer:

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Did you hear the good news? A Christmas Gift for Rose is only $2.99 (digital), now through January 6! Get the ebook HERE!

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

December 5, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Trivia Answers from the ‘Simple Things’ Chat Party

Thanks to everyone who showed up last night for the “Simple Things” author chat party! If you missed out on it, you can re-read through the highlight and comments here.

Trivia Answers

I wanted to share with you the correct answers to the trivia questions. Some of them were tricky! How did you do?

1. All Amish have church in their homes. False. In Somerset County, Pennsylvania they have meeting houses.

2. Amish women do not wear makeup. True.

3. The vast majority of Amish housewives us the classic wringer washers, once popular in the post-World War II era. True.

4. Amish children go to school through the 10th grade. False. They go through the 9th grade.

5. Amish dolls are made without faces. True.

6. The only way to become Amish is to be born Amish. False. Some children are adopted and some Englishers join as adults.

7. The Amish believe that decorating their homes for Christmas is too worldly. False. They do allow simple decorations such as greenery, candles and cards.

8. Amish teens are expected to behave in rebellions (large and small) during their rumspringa years. True.

9. The majority of Amish men are farmers. False. Farming has decreased over the years. Many men also work in factories or trades such as woodworking.

Did you attend the party last night? Make sure you check to see if you won a prize! Click here for the full list.

How well do you know your #Amish facts? @TriciaGoyer tests your knowledge:

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Did you hear the good news? A Christmas Gift for Rose is only $2.99 (digital), now through January 6! Get the ebook HERE!

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

December 5, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Trivia Answers from the 'Simple Things' Chat Party

Thanks to everyone who showed up last night for the “Simple Things” author chat party! If you missed out on it, you can re-read through the highlight and comments here.

Trivia Answers

I wanted to share with you the correct answers to the trivia questions. Some of them were tricky! How did you do?
1. All Amish have church in their homes. False. In Somerset County, Pennsylvania they have meeting houses.
2. Amish women do not wear makeup. True.
3. The vast majority of Amish housewives us the classic wringer washers, once popular in the post-World War II era. True.
4. Amish children go to school through the 10th grade. False. They go through the 9th grade.
5. Amish dolls are made without faces. True.
6. The only way to become Amish is to be born Amish. False. Some children are adopted and some Englishers join as adults.
7. The Amish believe that decorating their homes for Christmas is too worldly. False. They do allow simple decorations such as greenery, candles and cards.
8. Amish teens are expected to behave in rebellions (large and small) during their rumspringa years. True.
9. The majority of Amish men are farmers. False. Farming has decreased over the years. Many men also work in factories or trades such as woodworking.
Did you attend the party last night? Make sure you check to see if you won a prize! Click here for the full list.

How well do you know your #Amish facts? @TriciaGoyer tests your knowledge:

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Did you hear the good news? A Christmas Gift for Rose is only $2.99 (digital), now through January 6! Get the ebook HERE!
Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

November 30, 2013 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

You're Invited to My "Simple Things" Facebook Party

As we look ahead to the closing of one year and the beginning of another, let’s pause for an evening of encouragement and fun. Let’s share how we can hear God’s voice in the simple things—both during this busy holiday season and throughout 2014. Grab your copy of The One Year® Book of Amish Peace and a warm winter drink and join me for an author chat party on Wednesday, December 4th at 8:00 PM EST (that’s 7:00 Central, 6:00 Mountain, & 5:00 Pacific)!
Click JOIN on this page to RSVP and then come back to it on the 4th (I’ll send you a reminder!) and follow the link to the party page on Facebook.
During the party I’ll be hosting a book chat and talking about finding peace by the example set by the Amish and how you can live that out in 2014. Of course, there will be plenty of fun giveaways too: books, gift certificates, and more!
I ALMOST FORGOT! I’ll also be announcing the winner of the Canon PowerShot from the Snap It to Win It Amish Peace contest! Find out how you can be entered here!
I hope you can join the fun—and bring your friends! Just share the link to the party page.
Excited about the party? Let your friends know via social media, and make sure to use the hashtag #OneYearAmishPeace.

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

November 14, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 3 Comments

Snap It to Win It Contest!

We all have that moment when we realize our lives are too stressful, too busy, too filled, and instead of feeling content with ourselves, our relationships, our lives, we end up disappointed, overwhelmed, and burnt out. Sometimes even the simplest reminder—whether it’s a photograph or a page of encouragement from a book—can help us de-stress and re-prioritize our lives.
My new book, The One Year® Book of Amish Peace, taps into the wisdom of the Amish in order to help us draw closer to God and hear his voice—encouraging believers to carve out more time in each day to listen to God and experience his presence. These daily devotions are a way to help us re-prioritize our lives and focus on what really matters.
In celebration of the book release, I have a challenge for you: to look at your daily lives and find peace, joy, and inspiration in them. When you find something that inspires you in your life, take a picture of it. Upload it to your computer. Make it fancy and beautiful. Then upload it to Pinterest with the hashtag #OneYearAmishPeace and #TriciaGoyer.
The contest will run from 11/14 to 11/30, and on 12/2, I’ll announce the winner (chosen at random) on my blog.The winner will receive this cool camera so you can continue to find inspiration in your life and photograph it as a reminder that peace is achievable. You can pin one photo per day to be entered into the contest.
What do you think? Can you take some time this Thanksgiving season to be thankful and to find peace with the simplest things in life? I can’t wait to see your photos!

Want to help me spread the word? Add this button to your blog!

Pin to Win Today – 11/14 – 11/30!

The One Year Book of Amish Peace Tricia Goyer Tyndale

Just past this code into your blog sidebar:

<center><b>Pin to Win Today - 11/14 - 11/30!</b><br /><a href="http://wp.me/P3k8nw-1Dp" target="_blank"><img alt="The One Year Book of Amish Peace Tricia Goyer Tyndale" height="170" src="http://bit.ly/1aFCmKT" width="170" /></a></center>

Want to win a Canon PowerShot? Snap it to win it with @TriciaGoyer! #Pinterest #Giveaway

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Looking for a Christmas present to give to a reader this holiday season? Why not give a copy of The One Year® Book of Amish Peace?
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August 8, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 12 Comments

Social Media Success: What’s All the Attention About?

Recently Chipotle had a hack on their Twitter account. Someone got onto their stream and posted nonsense tweets. It turns out, they did it themselves, for a publicity stunt. After all it worked for Burger King who did the same think and gained 30,000 followers. Read more about the stunt.

Thirty thousand is a lot of people. In the eyes of business, that’s a ton of new customers. Yet is that the point of social media—to get attention? To build “the numbers”?

It’s understandable why that seems important. A larger number “followers” impress our bosses and our friends. A larger number of followers attracts more people, too. (People like to be connected with important people.)

I understand. I have great connections on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, and I continually have to tell myself that each one of those numbers is a person with joys, desires, and needs. I know this to be true. There are people whom I’ve connected with on Twitter whom I now consider good friends. We’ve met in person. We’ve celebrated birthdays together. We are even friendlier in person than online! (I know, can you believe it?)

I’ve also met some of my online friends on vacation and at booksignings. I love giving a hug to those who’ve encouraged me through tweets and posts!

I love social media, but an important question to ask is, “What’s all the attention about?” @TriciaGoyer

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I love social media, but an important question to ask is, “What’s all the attention about?” Is it about making ourselves look good or about finding new customers for our products—whether it is books or hair clips?

For me, I’m awed to have this reach to share the good news of Jesus. I’m amazed to read my stats and see that every day thousands of people visit my website/blog from all around the world. (Jesus took it seriously when I prayed, “Send me!”)

Yet there’s danger that comes with that too. It’s tempting to seek attention. It’s tempting come up with nonsense that will draw and entertain the crowds. Thankfully, I have a case study on how Jesus handled it.

During the first year of His ministry, before the official opposition began, Jesus was immensely popular and great crowds followed Him. However, the crowds did not impress Jesus, nor did He cater to them, because He knows what is in the human heart (John 2:25). Anybody can join a crowd and go with the flow, but it takes courage to stand alone for the truth and obey it.

It looked as though that crowd was seeking spiritual enrichment from Jesus, but the Lord knew better. Most of them wanted to see something sensational, like a miracle, while others were concerned about something to eat (John 6:26). A generation later, the Roman satirist Juvenal wrote that the Romans “longed eagerly for just two things—bread and circuses,” but this Jewish crowd was just as bad, and so are many crowds today. The apostle John would have called them “worldly” because they focused on “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:16 NASB). Warren Wiersbe, Jesus in the Present Tense

Friends, the truth is that many people visit blogs for the same thing: “bread and circuses.” They want free stuff, and they want to be entertained. If you’re not going to give it to them, they have millions of more sites to visit. I’m not saying that free stuff and entertainment are wrong. Personally, I love both. I just need to make sure I’m spreading the messages Jesus has asked me to, without being worried about the number of views my posts get. I’ll leave that in Jesus’ hands.

As tempting as it is to try social media stunts, I want to point people to Jesus Christ. @TriciaGoyer

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I’ll never have all the answers, but I just might have a few I’ve learned (from experience) that will guide men and women to the Truth.

What about you? What do you think of social media attention?

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Wondering what’s up next for me? My book The One Year of Amish Peace releases soon. You can pre-order it here!

Interested in some similar posts to this one? Check out these:

July 7, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 8 Comments

Mom Blogs You Don’t Want to Miss!

There are a new type of world changers these days. These women serve God, serve their families, and also use their words to impact the world for Jesus Christ. I’ve been a blogger for seven years, but after attending the Allume conference I’ve built amazing friendships with other mommy bloggers. Below is a list I compiled of Mommy Bloggers that you don’t want to miss. Take time to check out their blogs and connect with these amazing women!

(And for more information about the Allume conference go here.)

View List on List.ly

July 1, 2013 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment