Series 1: How A Quilter Can Make the Most of Social Media

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blogs, Pinterest... what do I do? Do I need it to quilt? Why are all my friends talking about them?

Is this you? Are you a little bewildered in the presence of social media talk among quilters? Do you want to learn a bit more about the different platforms?  Are you an owner of a quilt store whether online or not, and want to learn how to optimize social media to increase sales?

Follow along as we discuss all this and more!

Let's start at the very beginning.

You have to ask yourself what you want out of social media?
 - Is it to find other like minded quilters and see what they are up to, interact with them, and see their      quilts?
 - Is it to make  a name for yourself in the quilting industry?
 - Is it to sell quilt related items?
 - Is it simply to see quilts and be inspired?
 - Is it to find tutorials?

Whatever your reason is, it will be one that is the best fit for you. Figure that out and you are on your way to turning social media into something that works for your quilting passion!

Since this is the first post in a series, let's start at the very beginning and do a simple breakdown of what each social media platform is.  I am not naming all of them yet, but the ones that most quilters use.

Facebook

Facebook is a popular social networking platform where you can share photos, send messages, make friends. You create a personal profile and then can find friends, join groups and follow pages of those in the industry that interest you.  Check out this fun page loaded with information, tutorials and more of Riley Blake Designs, a fabric company that is very popular.

Instagram

Instagram is online photo sharing with others. It allows you to take pictures with your mobile device (phone) and upload them onto Instagram with a description and hashtags. (Don't worry we will cover hashtags). You can still see Instagram pictures from a desktop computer. Click here to test it out.  Try searching using hashtags to find items such as #modernquilts that interest you.

Youtube

Video sharing platform that allows users to watch other videos and upload their own. A great place for tutorials. For example, click here to see how to make a 'modern mosaic block'.

Pinterest

Allows you to share images through social networking and the 'pins' or images link back to a website, blog etc.. to find further information. You create a profile and can then create 'boards' to 'pin' the photos you like on. For example here is my board of modern quilts.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you would like to learn more about!
Stay tuned for more tips on how to navigate the social media world for quilters!