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 | 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 | Sep 17, 2023 | Lincs Connect, What's On Lincolnshire, WhatsOnLincoln, WhatsOnLincolnshire, WhatsOnLincs
WhatsOnLincs Explained
WhatsOnLincs is the new Lincolnshire based 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.
During one of the weekly #LincsConnect Hour evenings on Twitter (X) the overwhelming response to “where do you advertise to reach new customers locally” was “there isn’t anywhere”.
Don’t get me wrong, there are other websites available in the County but they focus on the larger events. As a result I devised the WhatsOnLincs page to include sole traders and small events as well as the larger ones.
Free Advertising
Free advertising – can this really be true?
All adverts are on the page are free to post. No commitment and no catch!
Sponsorship
While adverts are free to post it is possible to sponsor the website. Each paid advert will appear on every page of the site including the pages where people post their free adverts and where the general public search the website.
If you would like to sponsor the website with an annual advert please get in touch. Your sponsorship will help to pay for the additional storage space and upgrade of the package that will inevitably be required to grow the site.
WhatsOnLincs – Part Of The Dream
This page has been a part of my dream for LincsConnect for many years. As a community, self funded project finances have been tight. As a result, being a bit of a technophobe, I’ve struggled to get the website updated.
With finances in short supply for this community project, good will and community spirit are what’s needed to make things happen. I’m a firm believer in helping others with no expectation for reward. However, it’s really good news when someone steps forward to offer help.
WIN, WIN With WhatsOnLincs
Discover Events And More on WhatsOnLincs
Advertising is FREE so that means WhatsOnLincs is a great place to search for events, sales, special offers, jobs and much more.
Using the site is easy. It’s open to everyone to view so locals and out of area visitors alike can take advantage of WhatsOnLincs. The page is located on the LincsConnect website and is easily searchable from Google and other search engines.
Arriving on the page you’ll immediately see some of the free adverts. Searching by ‘date’ is a good way to find out what’s on in Lincolnshire and our surrounding area. The site really is easy to use but if you happen to encounter any problems please do get in touch.
With headings being added as they are needed I’m sure you’ll find something here. There’s everything from markets to jobs and festivals to lost, missing and stolen.
Have a look to see what you think and please don’t forget to tell your friends.
Thank You
My dream to help connect the County and our neighbours was given a huge boost when Jason from J & S Plumbing And Heating came forward to help set up the page on my website for me. Thank you Jason, WhatsOnLincs wouldn’t have materialised without your help.
With community in mind, Jason has also produced some helpful information blogs and videos so please do take a look at his website to see them for yourself.
Here is a link to one of his more recent blogs:
Click Here to go straight to the blog
Additional Blogs By #LincsConnect
Click or tap on the picture to go to the blog:
Fancy a brew?
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 | Sep 23, 2022 | Advertise, Lincolnshire, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, Mandarin Therapies, Social, WhatsOnLincs
Free Advertising In Lincolnshire With LincsConnect
Free Advertising in Lincolnshire – #LincsConnect – Make it your ‘go to’ hashtag
This is probably the shortest and most important blog you have ever read!
We all like something that’s ‘free’ but we probably also know that nothing is truly free! Twitter – that’s free! Facebook and Instagram are also free too so where’s the catch? Simple! If you want ‘free’ advertising/exposure on social media you’re going to have to invest your time. By investing your time your posts are more likely to be seen and acted upon. Would you like to know how to do it?
Ditch The ‘Like’ Button
Free Advertising in Lincolnshire – Ditch the Like button
Free Advertising In Lincolnshire with LincsConnect – Ditch The Like Button
If you’re using Twitter (rules vary from Twitter to Facebook/Instagram) I highly recommend that you ditch the ‘Like’ button.
Twitter is an interactive platform so your best results will come from interacting with your followers. That’s one of the main differences between Twitter and other platforms. What does the ‘Like’ button say about you on Twitter?
- I don’t have time for you so I’ll just press the like button instead of saying ‘thank you’ or interacting.
- I’m not that interested in you so I’ll just press the Like button and hope that you read my posts.
- I don’t understand algorithms and how they work so I’ll press the Like button and hope for the best.
- I can’t be bothered to talk to my followers.
When scrolling down your twitter timeline you will see tweets from people you follow, sponsored (paid advertising) tweets and tweets that have been retweet by your followers. You’ll never see a ‘Liked’ tweet!
The ‘Like’ button does have its uses though. It’s a good way of saving tweets for future reference. Beyond that, I’m struggling to think of a good reason to use it on Twitter!
Free Advertising And Social Media Interaction With LincsConnect
I’ve said it many times before; the clue is in the name. ‘Social’ media should be exactly what it says in the title. Actually ‘talk’ to your followers.
There’s a TV advert for a room freshener implying that the character has gone ‘nose blind’. In social media terms, if you post, post, post with no interaction your followers will see your posts but they won’t register in their mind. However, if you ‘talk’ to your followers they’ll remember you as that nice person/business who takes an interest. Obviously talking to your followers doesn’t mean telling them how good you are and what you have to sell them. Instead, you need to show an interest in other people to let them know you care about them. Given time they will ask you what you do and what you have to offer. As a result, you don’t need to do the ‘hard sell’.
#WhatsOnLincs – New To The LincsConnect Website
“…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…”
Take a look at the blog link below to read the full #WhatsOnLincs blog. Don’t forget to recommend it to your friends and out of town visitors too so that they can discover what’s on in Lincolnshire.
Helpful?
It’s probably my shortest blog ever read but I hope you find it useful.
Advert
Massage Bliss with Mandarin Therapies. Mobile complementary therapies.
Additional Blogs By LincsConnect:
Don’t Rely On Algorithms
See the #WhatsOnLincs blog in full
That’s It For Now
I hope you found this Free Advertising blog useful.
