Digging Deeper into Instagram


Yesterday I explained a little bit about Google Analytics for your blog.  Today I want to talk about analyzing data on your Instagram account using Iconosquare.  


Iconosquare is suuuuper easy because all you have to do is go to this website: http://iconosquare.com/ and sign on using your Instagram account and you're done.  Iconosquare will give you a summary of how many followers you have, how many you've lost :-( , who engages with your posts the most, which posts were most engaging, and more.  


At the end of the year they had a fun little thing that would create a slideshow of your most liked, most commented pictures of the year.  


If you don't have Instagram, I think it's about time you did.  Honestly!  It's just fun and easy and doesn't take up all your extra time like some social media.  It's definitely one of my favorite things to pop in and check.  If you want to get started with Instagram, all you have to do is download the FREE app on your smart phone or tablet and create an account.  Then search for people you want to follow.  You might need a small crash course in hashtags if you aren't used to them, but you will pick it up in no time.  Then just snap a fun picture and let people know what you are up to.  

If you are searching for some fun hashtags to check out, here are a few:  #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofinstagram #teachertalktuesday #teacherproblems #ootd (that took me FOR-EV-ER to figure out what it meant so I'll let you in on the secret - Outfit of the day) #widn (What I'm doing now - sometimes people will tag you so get ready).

And if you want some cool picture apps, here are just a few that I posted about last year:

And since then I've found some others that I like EVEN MORE:

  A Beautiful Mess

  Rhonna Designs 

  InstaCollage


So I hope you found an idea or two.  Now hop along and check out the rest of the tips from these smarties below.  I'm on my way too!  



Do you Analyze the Data of Your Blog?


Another Weekend Warriors here for you.  Now, I am certainly no expert in the world of blogging, but this is one thing that I have found that I wanted to share.  There may be a couple people who don't yet know about Google Analytics so I thought I would briefly share how I use it with my blog.  


First off - why do you want Google Analytics?

You can find out where your visitors/followers are coming from and what they do on your site.  Do they hop around from post to post?  How long do they stay on your page?  Do they use the keywords and which ones?  How did they get to your site?  It's very enlightening to feel like you are able to know a little more about your readers and what they enjoy about your blog.

My favorite part of Google Analytics is the Real Time Overview where you watch when people are on your blog at that exact moment and where they go.  It can actually be a little addicting.  "Oh, look someone from Texas just popped up."  or  "Wow, I have 13 people on my blog at one time."  (That actually did happen to me one time and it was so fun to watch where they went on my blog).  Hope I'm not sounding creepy here.


I also like knowing when I have new visitors vs. returning visitors.  I still have so many new visitors, which I suppose is a good thing, but I do want to increase the number of returning visitors.  I want people coming back for more :)


So if you think you would like to see how effective your blog is for your readers, then check out these links for how to set up Google Analytics for your blog.  There are so many great ones out there I figured I would leave it up to the professionals.

http://www.wikihow.com/Add-Google-Analytics-to-Blogger

https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1009610?hl=en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0F7jCovhpQ

And check out these other great bloggers who have some Weekend Warrior Tips for you today!  :)



Last Day of Summer Lovin' Sale

Last day of this fun sale friends!  Are you ready to see what you get today????


I brought some "ph"riends to help me celebrate the last day of the sale today.  No I haven't slipped into summer mode so bad that I don't know how to spell "friend" correctly.  These are my Phonics PHriends that I'm talking about.  Would you like to meet them?

I'll start with my Phamily (hehe!)  
Here is the Short Family (Dad, Mom, Meg, Gus, and Jill).  
I have to admit - I really LOVE this pack.  It is so much fun in the beginning of the year and SO perfect for my firsties.  We did a different family member (short vowel) each week as we began the school year and my little kiddies just adored the stories that went along with each family member and the super fun centers and activities.  I *think* they liked this unit as much as I did.  If you want to read more about this pack click HERE.  


I also have some animal "Ph"riends that have helped me with Blends.  You can read more about them HERE.  We have L Blend Lions, R Blend Rabbits, S Blend Squirrels, and the Tw Blend turtles, which is a freebie!!!

   
   
You can get these all bundled together too!

Finally, we have some Digraph "Ph"riends too (Charlie, Whitney, Beth, and Dash).  


So bring some friends into your classroom to help you teach phonics.  I have had my Superhero E "ph"riends on my to-do list for quite some time and I am hoping to get to them this fall.  Fingers crossed!