Blogger Interview # 88 : Nicole

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your blog?

I am a Nurse by trade and an internet junkie by heart. I started an online magazine over a year ago www.heartbeatmag.com. I love to learn something new and apply it to my work. On my Heartbeat Magazine Blog www.heartbeatcompanies.blogspot.com I post about my research and websites I find that have a real heart for humanity, family, and fun giveaways.    

Are you a full time blogger? How did you get into blogging and why?

I am a part-time blogger.  I started blogging as a way to post about interesting news and remember past events.  

If someone was interested in blogging, what would be a few things you would suggest?

Do a Google search for blogs that interest you, figure out what your passionate about, research blog titles, join weekly blog events.

How do you build a community around a blog and social media?

I believe that when you have something you are interested about and enjoy speaking with others, you'll find your audience.  I am a mother of three and tend to gravitate towards Mom blogs.  I also enjoy reaching out to authors when I read a great book and begin a conversation with them on twitter.  Another helpful way to grow social media connections is to find companies you would like to connect with and share interesting content with them on their Facebook fan pages and then tag your page.  Recently, I have been enjoying Wordless Wednesday via my blog, it's a great way to visit my blog friends on a weekly basis.

What are your three favorite blogs to read? What makes those blogs special?

I have so many that I enjoy, here are my top three for now...

1. Project Alicia - I love the beautiful photographs, the lovely layout, and the interesting content.
2. Oprah's Blog - She has always been an inspiration to me and I find her blog informative and full of life.
3. Problogger.net - This website has been a great source for learning the basics of blogging, lessons, and content.

Which one plugin would you suggest all bloggers to have?

I use Mister Linky's Magical Widget on my weekly Wordless Wednesday events.