Today is Day 22 of #HAWMC (WEGO’s Health Activist Writers Monthly Challenge).  The prompt today is:

Tip Tuesday! Have you mastered the hashtag?
Figured out the Instagram algorithm? Or maybe
you have a few tips to increase your blog followers.
Whatever it is, share your expertise with your fellow
Health Activist – it’ll only make our community stronger!

I’m not an expert on any platform of social media so I don’t think I can offer any real tips, I will tell you a couple of things that I prefer when I’m reading blogs, and I think writing a strong blog helps keep readers.  It’s one thing to get followers, it’s another thing to keep them.

I don’t get too bogged down with grammar, but it drives me crazy when it’s obvious someone didn’t even try.  If you are going to write a blog, try to use correct grammar, no one expects you to be an English teacher, but I expect you to write with more comprehension than you do in a text.  (now please don’t judge my grammar too harshly.  I’m far from being the Grammar Police, I’m sure you will find many errors in my writing, but I try.)

Please remember that not everyone will know the abbreviations you are using.  For example, Meniere’s Disease is often abbreviated as MD, if I were to start using MD instead of the words Meniere’s Disease everywhere I write, then a lot of people would have no idea what I was talking about.  I write about Meniere’s Disease a lot, so I might assume if you read my blog you will know that MD is Meniere’s Disease and just keep using the abbreviation only, that just doesn’t work.  It is very hard on me when I go to a new blog and the author uses abbreviations that I haven’t heard before, or an abbreviation that could mean more than one thing.  To be safe, when you first mention your item in your post that uses an abbreviation, spell it out first and put the abbreviation beside it, then use the abbreviation throughout the post.  For example:  Meniere’s Disease (MD)….   This should stop any misunderstandings.

When writing a post remember to write in paragraphs; I have a very hard time reading a post that is just one long writing with no breaks.  I don’t think I’m the only one.

Always give credit to the source when using a graphic.  It is illegal to use a photo or piece of art on your blog without giving the creator credit.  Certain works of art are copy written and are not to be used without the artist’s permission, or not at all.  Please do not steal images.

I think that’s all for today.

The fluctuating weather has brought severe migraines.  You can’t do anything really about weather induced migraines.  I was talking about this with other migraine sufferers recently.  For those of you with migraines, I do find staying indoors and sometimes wearing a hat helps me a little.  That’s on top of the other things we normally do, like drink lot’s of water, take meds as needed, eat well, rest as needed, take supplements…..  So there’s another kind of tip for you today.  🙂

If you’d like to read more posts from today please search for #HAWMC and check out WEGO’s Facebook page.  Don’t forget to Like Picnic With Ant’s Facebook Page too.  🙂

If you would like to share your story on Picnic with Ants, contact me through the contact form on my About Me – Contact Me Page.