by admin | Apr 4, 2024 | Blogging, Lincolnshire Blogger, Lincs Connect, LincsBlogger, LincsConnect
The Original Lincolnshire Blogger
The original Lincolnshire Blogger (AKA Martin Thomas, ‘Simply Fit’) came to prominence in January 2011 (with the Lincolnshire Blogger concept being born in 2009) and quickly grew in popularity. The dedicated website didn’t follow until November 2015.
Initially writing as a columnist in the Lincolnshire Echo, The Target, Retford Times, Horncastle News, Market Rasen Mail, Weddings Today and a few other newspapers and magazines the theme has always remained the same. Helping and informing people has, and is still at the top of the agenda for the newspaper and web based blogs and columns.
The Original Lincolnshire Blogger – The Beginnings
Initially the published works began as health and fitness columns with links to local charities, organisations and clubs to help give them a voice in the media.
The first regular column was instigated on 7 September 2011 in The Lincolnshire Echo but prior to that the published writing goes back to November 2009 in my capacity as the sponsor for The Midwife Of The Year (MOTY). The domain names were established at the same time while waiting for the website to be built.
Here are a couple of my early columns dating back to 2011 and early 2012:
Early Columns
The Lincolnshire Blogger – Moving On
The popularity of my columns soon grew and demand increased as more invitations for writing and radio interviews began to arrive. I wrote articles both as ‘Simply Fit’ and ‘Lincolnshire Blogger’ but the latter didn’t take off properly until 2015.
Fast forward to Covid in 2020. The blogs took on a new focus. The supportive blogs to help and inform people were gratefully received.
The Last Blogs Before Covid
The last Blogs before the pandemic included ‘New Website’ and ‘The New Logo’ with one of the last blogs being an advertising blog for the ‘Comedy Hotspot’ events. Little did I know what was going to happen in just a matter of days after its publication!
Little did we know what was to come in just a few days time! If you would like to read one of the last blogs before the Pandemic lockdown just click on this link: Comedy Hotspot
The Lincolnshire Blogger With Covid
It’s ironic that it took a major pandemic to shake me out of my fear of writing blogs. Everything up until then felt like ‘practice’ for the real thing!
Having contracted Covid the day before lockdown I was quarantined in the house. Luckily my bedroom was next door to my office so as a result I made use of my time by brushing up on my blogging skills. The writing has always been easy for me. The fear of the technology (along with my dyslexia) had been holding me back. I find the computer quite easy to use but WordPress (the website & blogging platform) somehow felt extremely difficult.
My first lockdown blog doesn’t look the slickest in the world but it was the start of my ever improving blogging journey. Thank goodness for YouTube tutorials and the help from the local Twitter community.
“Have We Become Numb” was the first lockdown blog of many. Thankfully they improved over time! Click on the blue link above if you would like to have a look.
Moving Up-To-Date
We faced many challenges during the pandemic and the LincsConnect blogs certainly went a long way towards helping people to navigate their way through it. Post pandemic blogging helped us through new challenges as many of us were nervous about reverting back to our pre-pandemic lifestyle. Once again, I did my bit with my blogs to help as many people as possible.
Blogs For Advertising
Rather than becoming ‘old fashioned’, blogging has become even more relevant recently as many people turn away from familiar social media platforms and embrace new ones. Readership has become very fragmented across the many platforms with ever more confusing sites launching on a regular basis. Twitter has certainly changed (not for the better) and Facebook experiences ever increasing updates which makes it more and more difficult to navigate. The blog has remained constant and as a result continues to be the perfect advertising medium.
Gala Fireworks used a LincsConnect blog to advertise their event at the Lincolnshire Showground. The blog is extremely useful as it’s much bigger than a standard advert. It contains more information than a standard newspaper editorial yet has a small link that can be easily copied and posted on any social media platform. The link comes with its own advertising picture (of your choice) which can be embedded onto a website as a permanent advert. All in all, it ‘is’ the perfect advertising tool. Click on the blue link above to see how effective a blog can be for advertising.
Take Your Advertising Forward
Get in touch if you would like to have a blog written for your business, organisation or charity. It’s ideal for advertising on any platform so contact me if you would like more information.
Alternatively, if you already write your own blogs you can get in touch to chat about sharing links.
by admin | Jan 4, 2024 | Fitness, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, Mandarin Fitness
Mandarin Fitness Detox
Mandarin Fitness Detox – Did you over indulge of the Christmas holidays? Are you ready to detox?
When Is The Best Time?
The simple answer is ‘NOW’
Now is the time detox. In fact, you’re already doing it. You don’t need to buy a special Dring or go on a special ‘detox’ diet so put your credit card away.
Mandarin Fitness Detox – Every Day
Your body is detoxifying itself every single day of your life. It does it 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, every year since the day you born.
If your body stops detoxifying itself, get medical help as a matter of urgency!
What Do You Need To Know About Detox?
The End
That’s it! There is no more to say about ‘detox’ other than to remind you to save your money by not believing the adverts that telly otherwise.
by admin | Jan 2, 2024 | Fitness, Lincolnshire, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, Mandarin Fitness
Happy New Year With Mandarin Fitness Weight Loss
Here is a new series of blogs for you, starting with ‘Mandarin Fitness Weight Loss’ tips for the New Year.
With 33 years experience as a Personal Trainer I’m here to help you on your journey to health and happiness.
Over Indulged?
Christmas has been and gone already! Did you buy enough chocolates, alcohol, savoury snacks and treats to last the day…..week?
I’ve heard it said that many people consume around 4000 ‘extra’ Calories per day over the Christmas holidays. To put this into perspective; in order to burn off 1Lb of body fat you’ll need to burn an ‘extra’ 3500 Calories. Those ‘extra’ Calories means an awful lot of exercise! Read on for useful tips.
Mandarin Fitness Weight Loss – Don’t Despair
Don’t despair…
Gaining 5Lb (2-3kg) over the Christmas period isn’t really such a big deal so don’t despair. Body weight naturally fluctuates on a daily basis so resist the temptation to succumb to the advertising hype from the big companies. You ‘will’ be bombarded with the latest eating craze, special diets and prepared meals from all of the media and social media channels. ‘Don’t Despair – Do Resist’ the temptation to follow the crowd. Hold onto your money (at least until you’ve finished reading this blog) because you may find some simple and cheaper alternatives.
The Six Pack
Your 6 pack is always there but sometimes it needs a bit of work to tone it up. You’ll need to be very lean (very little body fat) to be able to see it, but it is there
For those of you who know me, you’ll know that I don’t particularly subscribe to the ‘six pack’ club. My preferred mantra is ‘healthy’ rather than obsessive. Don’t get me wrong though, the ‘six pack’ is good – but it’s just not a realistic goal for everyone. So, what can the answer be for those of us who don’t aspire to that type of figure or realistically understand that the ‘lean, mean, fighting machine’ body is never going to be achievable?
Here are some simple rules:
- Don’t feel guilty if you think you over indulged over the Christmas period.
- Love yourself as you are.
- Aspire to be healthy, pain free and able to move freely.
- Be prepared to make small changes on a regular basis to make sure you reach your goals.
- Be active and stay active.
I can think of many more rules but these five will hold you in good stead for the foreseeable future.
We all know that the consequences of over indulgence and not enough exercise can be fatal. Don’t obsess with your fitness and weight loss programme though. There are some simple changes that you can implement to help make lasting changes.
Mandarin Fitness Weight Loss – Small Changes
If you’re asking yourself “what should I do to help myself?” try starting with these simple tips:
- Make small, healthy changes to your diet.
- Don’t rush to make big changes all at once. The smaller changes are more likely to become habits that will be long lasting.
- Don’t run a marathon! Over exercising is the biggest cause of injury and it happens ‘every’ New Year! Becoming a statistic isn’t part of the game plan.
- Invest in appropriate clothing and footwear.
- Join a structured club or class that you are likely to enjoy. If you don’t enjoy the exercise you probably won’t stick at it.
Walking Is Free
Our digital age provides technology to help motivate us. In addition we have nice cameras on our phones so we can use them to help give us a reason for walking.
There are many free Apps available to help track our walks and activity. As an iPhone user I utilise the built in fitness App to track my activity and walks for myself and my client sessions. Other Apps available including ‘Map My Walk’ and ‘Strava’. A photo taken during the walk is a lovely way to record your activity too.
If you normally drink a late or cappuccino coffee try swapping it for an Americano coffee. Likewise, if you always eat ready meals, challenge yourself to cook a healthy meal instead. If you have a takeaway meal every week change it to once a month.
If you don’t normally go for a walk try starting off with 1 mile (1.5km) at a time on a daily basis. Your fitness levels ‘will’ improve and your weight ‘will’ reduce. These very simple change ideas can make a world of difference to your life. Adapting the idea to suite yourself is a perfect way to make permanent changes.
Mandarin Fitness Weight Loss – Superfoods
There is no such thing as a ‘superfood’. I’ll say that again in case you aren’t sure what you just read: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SUPERFOOD!
Don’t be fooled by the adverts on TV.
Mandarin Fitness Weight Loss – Exercises
Here are a few ideas for exercises that you might find useful. Don’t forget to start off gently to avoid injury. It’s better to stop while you’re feeling good than to push to fatigue then suffer the consequences later.
Mandarin Fitness Weight Loss Challenge
Small changes make all the difference. Challenge yourself to make a few small changes this month.
If you would like more help or information you can contact Martin on 07966 174878
by admin | Nov 25, 2023 | Lincolnshire, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, LincsConnectChristmas, ShopLincs
For Christmas In Lincolnshire Use #LincsConnectChristmas
For Christmas in Lincolnshire use #LincsConnectChristmas and #ShopLincs on your social media posts to reach more local people. Use the hashtags to post our gift ideas and bargains then encourage your followers to search the hashtags to discover more.
Trending
#LincsConnectChristmas is a seasonal hashtag which ‘trends’ globally each year so use it to reach out to your new customers. The #LincsConnect hashtag along with #ShopLincs are here for you every single day of the year so I recommend using them all.
The #LincsConnect hashtag trends most weeks during the #LincsConnect Hour so make sure you use it to your advantage. You’ll find more information later in this blog.
For Christmas In Lincolnshire Use #LincsConnectChristmas – It’s Free Advertising
Competition at this time of year is fierce so ‘NOW’ is the time to advertise websites and online shops.
Social media may not be the place to sell at Christmas but it is an ideal platform to guide readers to shops and websites. Include links on your posts to make life easier for readers to find your shop. Use social media to highlight offers and promote what you have to offer and make time to follow up any enquiries.
You can’t expect everyone to find you and buy your products so make sure you use your social media platforms to guide customers to your shop. I am repeating myself but I’m happy to do that if it helps you to understand the usefulness of social media as a tool to reach out to new customers.
#LincsConnect Hour
The #LincsConnect Hour takes place on Twitter every Monday evening from 8.00pm. You can use it to reach out to local people with your adverts, chat and general support. The hashtag trends most weeks too which makes it the perfect platform for advertising yourself or organisation.
Hosting the #LincsConnect Hour on Twitter is FREE and an ideal way to reach out to locals. Get in touch today to arrange a date to host your Hour. I’ll say it again “For Christmas In Lincolnshire Use #LincsConnectChristmas“.
For Christmas In Lincolnshire Use #LincsConnectChristmas & Advertise On WhatsOnLincs
WhatsOnLincs is the new community web page on the LincsConnect website. You can use it to post free adverts from markets and car boot sales to charity events and entertainment, jobs, volunteering plus much more. You can even include pictures as well as links to websites. It’s all FREE so be sure to use it to find out What’s on in Lincolnshire.
New categories are being added as demand increases. As a result, there are new categories including ‘ShopLincs’ and ‘Christmas Events’. You can use this categories to advertise yourself, your Ofers and Christmas events. Advertising is FREE on the site too so please to make the most of it.
Once you have posted your advert you can copy the link to post on any social media platform. This will save you from having to type new adverts each time.
Here To Help
LincsConnect has been working hard to help local traders, organisations and charities but we do need to help each other. By posting links from the website to your social media platforms you will be helping to promote the free website. That’s all I ask of you!
Be A Sponsor
You can pay to advertise on the website of course. Each sponsor will have their logo and website/socials link on each page of the website. Anyone who views the site or posts a free advert will see you. If you would like to become a sponsor and would like more information please get in touch.
Advert
Mandarin Therapies & Mandarin Mothers provide bespoke complementary therapies from the comfort of your own home. Treatments include Antenatal & Postnatal therapies and Aromatherapy massage as well as injury prevention and injury rehabilitation. Ask about the bespoke Biomechanics assessments too. Call 07966 174878 to book your session or to order a personalised gift voucher in time for Christmas.
Merry Christmas Everyone
I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and I look forward to chatting to you all sometime soon.
by admin | May 13, 2023 | Lincolnshire, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, What's On Lincolnshire, WhatsOnLincoln, WhatsOnLincolnshire, WhatsOnLincs
LincsConnect In Lincolnshire
The LincsConnect account is here for you to use. Here’s how to make the most of the hashtag in Lincolnshire:
Many people choose to add the hashtag #LincsConnect to their tweets and rely on the @LincsConnect Twitter account to retweet for them. However, it’s possible to get much more from the hashtag and this video will show you how:
Leaving your tweet for @LincsConnect to retweet for you has its limitations. Many people (wrongly) assume that @LincsConnect is run by a marketing company with dedicated time to manage the account. The reality is that the account is managed by one volunteer with limited time to spend on the account during the day and evening.
By following the tips on the YouTube clip above you’ll be able to create your own network from the #LincsConnect users. When you support each other, your network will grow and by using the hashtag, others will see your conversations too. As a result, while you are busy growing your own network, you’ll find it’ll also improve organically as more people join you. With almost 13,000 ‘local’ Lincolnshire followers, joining the @LincsConnect family will make perfect sense for you, your organisation, business or charity.
Why You Don’t Need To Include The @LincsConnect Address
While using the #LincsConnect ‘hashtag’ it’s worth noting that you don’t need to include the @LincsConnect ‘address’ in the same tweet! When you use the # hashtag you’re sending your tweet to the database for all to see and interact with. However, if you use the ‘@’ account name you’re sending your tweet to just one person! It’s all in the video so hopefully it makes sense now.
‘Quote’ Sparingly
When retweeting posts you’ll be given the option to ‘Repost’ or ‘Quote’ (Repost with a comment). The retweet (or repost as it’s now called) is by far the most effective way of helping to increase the visibility of tweets by others. Retweeting shows you support others by moving the retweeted post onto your timeline. It’s a very helpful way of supporting others, especially if they have very few followers.
The ‘quote’ option is only helpful if you own a powerful account that enjoys lots of engagement. The quoted tweet is shown as your own tweet for your followers to see. However, if your account isn’t powerful with a large engagement rate you won’t be doing anyone any favours by quoting! When quoting someone else’s tweet instead of retweeting it you’re effectively stopping the tweet from being seen by others. Think carefully before quoting a tweet and use the option sparingly.
LincsConnect In Lincolnshire Is Non-Political
The aim of the #LincsConnect hashtag is to support each other. However, please be aware that the hashtag is strictly non-political and non-religious. As a result, any political, religious, hateful or offensive (including bad language) messages will be dealt with swiftly.
LincsConnect Hour In Lincolnshire
Join us on Monday evening at 8.00pm for the #LincsConnect Hour where you’ll find lots of locals chatting. We often have guest hosts too so it’s always interesting. Follow the instructions in the video above to join in with the Hour. If you would like to host the Hour please do get in touch.
Join the Twitter based #LincsConnect Hour on Mondays at 8.00pm
WhatsOnLincs By LincsConnect
During a #LincsConnect Hour one Monday evening I asked where people were advertising for their events etc. The overwhelming response was that there is nowhere to advertise that covers the whole County!
After suggesting a dedicated page on the website for everyone to advertise for free the response by 100% of the people was ‘yes please’. You can use it now to discover what’s on in Lincolnshire and our surrounding area as well as post your events and much more.
I asked, you responded so I organised it. The WhatsOnLincs website page has been developed especially for you. You can use it to post your events, special offers, vacancies etc by completing the simple ‘Event Submission’ form on the LincsConnect website. It is hoped to cover the whole of the What’s On Lincolnshire categories. However, if you try to post something and can’t find a suitable category, just ask me to add it for you. If you want to find out what’s going on in the County just go to the ‘WhatsOnLincs’ page and type in the date that you are searching for. This is quickly becoming a very popular site to find out what’s on in Lincolnshire and surrounding areas.
It ‘is’ that simple!
Click or tap on the link to go straight to the WhatsOnLincs (WhatsOnLincolnshire) page
Paid Adverts
If you would like to advertise on the LincsConnect website please get in touch. Paid adverts are visible on every page and will be seen by anyone placing a free advert or searching for information on the WhatsOnLincs page. You can contact me through the ‘Contact‘ page on the website of click on this link to email me directly: martin@lincsConnect.co.uk
Additional Blogs By LincsConnect:
LincsConnect Stars
Free Advertising In Lincolnshire
Sponsored Blog
Mobile Massage In Lincolnshire With Mandarin Therapies
That’s It For Now
I look forward to tweeting with you soon.
by admin | Apr 17, 2023 | Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, Mandarin Therapies
LincsConnect Stars
Read on to discover how you can join the Lincolnshire LincsConnect Stars and be in with the chance of a featured spot in this blog.
LincsConnect Hour
Join the LincsConnect Hour stars on Monday evenings on Twitter at 8.00pm. You’ll find new friends every week so search #LincsConnect and stay there to follow the chat. Likewise, you’ll find your friends on the #LincsConnect hashtag every day so pop in for a chat.
LincsConnect Hour 10 April 2023
The Hour was hosted by me and I ran the Hour along the lines of ‘Simon Says’. Starting off with introductions including individual personal adverts then proceeded with instructions to read and retweet (not ‘Like’) two tweets from the introductions.
The Hour continued on the same theme so attendees were able to post four adverts and have multiple retweets.
Lincolnshire LincsConnect Stars
Use the #LincsConnect hashtag daily for your advertising and networking. It’s free and simple to use
I’ve seen people post their messages but get no response. You can use the #LincsConnect hashtag on your posts to reach out to a wider local audience but for best results you need to visit the hashtag regularly to chat and retweet for others.
LincsConnect Stars
Taking the Hour a stage further it was suggested that I should produce a Gif for #LincsConnect so that’s exactly what I’ve done.
People who join in with the #LincsConnect Hour on Twitter are given the opportunity to post multiple adverts but also invited to win the virtual star. Enter this daily fun competition daily which simply requires you to visit the Lincolnshire #LincsConnect hashtag to support others there.
The competition runs every day with a new member being selected according to how many people they support on the hashtag. In addition, one of the lucky winners will be selected to have a feature in this blog.
The blog will be updated each month with the new winner so play the game to be in with a chance of being featured here.
Join The Lincolnshire #LincsConnect Stars Club
The #LincsConnect Stars are the ones who take the time to chat to others and share posts. You too can become a #LincsConnect Star by utilising the hashtag regularly to support others there.
The Stars – In No Particular Order
As a result of following the instructions to support your fellow #LincsConnect members to reach out to a wider audience you will be in with a chance to win a virtual star and a feature in this blog.
Advertising isn’t free of course so it’s going to cost you in time. Spending a minimum of 5 minutes of your time each day is perfect. The more visits you make to the #LincsConnect hashtag to support others, the greater your chance of winning the Star and blog feature.
Don’t forget to post your own free adverts on the #LincsConnect hashtag too if course.
Sponsored By:
Mandarin Therapies and @MandarinMothers provides bespoke mobile complementary therapies across the whole County and beyond. Go to the bio to discover more and click on the picture to go to the website
How It Works
One visit to the #LincsConnect Hour won’t instantly make you famous or popular with other #LincsConnect members. One Hour may not even get you any sales but taking the concept and applying it daily will help you to gain more recognition and may well lead to increased sales. Spend a few minutes each day chatting with and sharing posts to maximise your impact on social media.
LincsConnect Stars
Join the fun to make good connections and helped each. As a result, your adverts will reach a wider audience so join us for the #LincsConnect Hour on Mondays at 8.00pm and on the #LincsConnect hashtag every day.
Your Editorial Here
As a special ‘thank you’ to those who interact with the #LincsConnect hashtag there will be an opportunity for an editorial here. One winner each month will be chosen so make sure you’re taking part. You have to be in it to win it!
The editorial will include a picture of choice and links to websites etc. The editorial will update each month. To increase advertising opportunities winners are encouraged to use the blog to post on their social media pages. As a result more people will see the blog which will increase awareness of the competition.
Congratulations J&S Plumbing & Heating
J&S Plumbing & Heating “Quality as standard”
Jason dedicated just a few minutes each day to searching the #LincsConnect hashtag on Twitter. As a result he has won this free editorial – congratulations Jason. In addition to the free editorial J&S plumbing & Heating have increased their profile on Twitter and are steadily increasing their following.
Jason has also launched his own Twitter hashtag #JASSafetyTips so if you have any questions about your plumbing and heating or would like to see answers to questions you hadn’t thought to ask, just search the hashtag. You’ll find J&S Plumbing & Heating on twitter under the name @JASPlumbLincs and on Facebook under jasplumbandheat so be sure to give them a follow.
Click on the picture to go straight to the J&S Plumbing & Heating website
As a satisfied customer I have no hesitation in recommending Jason for your boiler purchase, servicing, and maintenance. We had two large old boilers which Jason removed and replaced with a single new efficient Worcester boiler. Quick, clean, efficient and at a fair price so naturally I’m very pleased with the job.
One year later a service is due so I received a text reminder with a link to the website. As a result, one click took me to the right page and after filling in my name and address the service it was booked. By following the simple instructions I even had a choice of preferred days and times for the visit. A follow up text to confirm the appointment followed just minutes later. That’s what I call good service.
Spread The Cost With J&S Plumbing & Heating
There are 5 fully qualified heating engineers on hand to look after you. As a result it’s unlikely that you’ll have a long wait for your work to be booked in and carried out. Jason even has monthly payment service plans available to help you spread the cost. Qualified in gas, oil and LPG heating systems J&S Plumbing & Heating have you covered. Their strap line says it all: “Quality as standard”
Congratulations to Serena Twibell Arts
Always here to support other #LincsConnect users, Serena has surely deserved her prize of a free editorial here. When Serena isn’t painting or or creating hand sewn lovelies & home decor pieces from felt and vintage fabrics (never far from a cup of tea of course) she and her husband are collecting vintage items to go on sale in their shop at Hemswell Antiques.
The stock is always changing of course so I strongly recommend that you pay a visit to Canberra Antiques Centre (Unit 52) to have a look for yourself. When you get there you’ll find that the very helpful reception staff will be pleased to guide you to Twibell Arts.
Unit 52 at Canberra Antiques Center, Hemswell. Click on the picture to find Canberra Antiques Centre
Painting And Creating
Serena is truly gifted as you’ll discover when you follow her on Twitter and look at her Etsy Shop. Again, the stock is constantly being updated as the artwork and creations are all original. However, you’ll be able to keep up to date with what’s new by following @TwibellArts on Twitter or Serena.Twibell on Facebook
Incredibly detailed miniature paintings as well as exquisite creations, Serena has every gift occasion covered so a visit to her Etsy shop is a must. Click on the picture for a shortcut to the shop.
Call 01522 708 208 to book an appointment today or click on the links above to go to the website and social media sites.
Additional Blogs By LincsConnect:
How to use LincsConnect in Lincolnshire
Free Advertising With LincsConnect
That’s It For Now
