February 9, 2017, by Dixie Somers – While movies and television shows try to portray what happens in the military, there’s nothing like hearing a firsthand account. If you’re inspired to start sharing your military story online, consider trying one of the following options.
1. Blog
Since you’re just starting out, you might want to consider starting small. Blogger, which is owned by Google, has simple templates and a user-friendly backend. It’s also free. If you’d like to share your stories on a platform you own, you can buy a domain name and hosting. You can also use WordPress for your site. You can share blog posts on a daily or weekly basis. Once you write in your blog, make sure that you utilize SEO strategies such as tagging. This will help people find your content.
2. YouTube Channel
In addition to sharing your story, you can use YouTube to encourage and motivate those who are already in the service. It can also give perspective to those who don’t understand what happens in the military. To share your story on YouTube, make sure your product is polished. It’s important for YouTube channel art to look professional and interest with banners and video thumbnails are interesting enough for people to click over. Use natural lighting or a good lighting system and make sure your words are clear and concise.
3. Facebook
Facebook is an excellent platform for sharing content. There are millions of people on this social media site. Additionally, Facebook users usually gravitate towards the longer op-ed pieces. The best way to share your content on Facebook is through a page or group. Each time you write a post, add a photo with it. High-quality graphics are key with Facebook as well. As you post this content to your public profile, be sure to re-post it to your personal profile so more people can see it. With Facebook, it’s wise to find out which hour people tend to read your posts and stick to that time frame. You can find this information out through the power of various analytics programs.
4. Book Series
Amazon’s Kindle store continues to grow and make its mark as a booming marketplace. Thousands of authors are achieving their dreams of becoming published because of this platform. Self-publishing is easier than ever before with platforms like CreateSpace. Sit down at the computer and write your first eBook. Keep in mind that eBooks aren’t supposed to be incredibly long. An interesting way to share your story is through a series. If you write a series of smaller books, you can easily earn money and attract an interested audience. Start by writing books that are around 20,000 words and you’ll be in great shape.
5. Podcast
If writing isn’t your forte, and you don’t want to be in front of the camera, consider trying your hand at podcasting. To create a great podcast, you mainly need a microphone and some audio editing software like Audacity. There are quite a few platforms that allow you to set up your podcast and share it with your family, friends, and associates until it takes off. When you’re creating a podcast, it’s a good idea to write down notes and prepare for each episode. You’ll want an outline so that you stay on the topic.
As you continue to produce content, you’ll continue to improve. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or outsource some portions of the process. Before long, you’ll have fan mail and a collection of thank-you notes from various people who were inspired by your Marine memoirs.
AUTHOR BIO: This article was written by Dixie Somers, a freelance writer who loves to write on business, finance, careers, and education. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.