I don't think this post will be as long as Kirsty's was last Friday - because I'm going to only really talk about ONE thing which has been a complete revelation, and streamlined so much of what we do. Whilst I've told as many people as I can in person , it's time to have one place to signpost people to when they ask me for an explanation!

🏋 !! IFTTT !! 🏋

Sorry, what?

IFTTT = If This Then That. IFTTT is a FREE (!) online service that enables users to totally simplify the sharing of content everywhere. For free. Did I mention it's free?! FREEEE! It allows users to create 'recipes' (how they describe the core function of you telling it: If X then X) which connect a LOT of platforms. Twitter, Instagram, Wordpress, Tumblr, Evernote, Facebook... but also some totally random exciting things, like connecting up your coffee machine so that it will magically greet you with hot coffee at the switch of a button!

So... why should you care about this tool? Here's some examples.

1) If INSTAGRAM then TWITTER

Instagram is a great way to share visual content - and handily has the ability to send your IGs straight to Twitter, Tumblr etc. So you don't need to use a separate service to share your IGs, right? WRONG!

When you share your IGs from the app, it simply tweets the description with a link to your IG post. Using IFTTT you can set up a recipe to ensure that every time you post to IG, it will share that post to your selected Twitter account, with the photo included in the tweet. WAY more shiny on your Twitter stream!

2) If etsy then pinterest

This is a pretty handy recipe option for anyone selling on Etsy. This recipe (and similar ones - we also push content from Etsy to Tumblr and Twitter) means that WHENEVER we list a new item in our Etsy shop, by the magical power of IFTTT it will also be posted onto a Pinterest board we created called 'Our Etsy Shop'. We don't have to think about it at all, as the pin takes all the details we've input into Etsy, and creates a clever pin that includes price, tags etc. and links straight back to that item. This means we don't have to do that extra level of promotion for specific items on Pinterest (and Tumblr, Twitter etc.) as it happens as and when we list new items. MAGICAL! It works when listing new items, or relisting sold/expired items.. so if you're batch relisting, I'd suggest PAUSING your IFTTT recipe temporarily or else you'll end up bombarding those platforms with multiple similar posts. You can pause recipes for any reason, and switch back on whenever you like. Handy!

3) If Instagram then Tumblr (aka why tumblr is great!)

I'm a HUGE Tumblr fan. It's free (have you noticed I like free things?!) - has a giant audience demographic which aligns with us and our brand, but most of all it acts both as a platform for you to have your own site on, but also it's own social network. Tumblr users find Tumblr posts and other Tumblr users via hashtags, and related searches as well as reblogging content themselves. This kind of organic discoverability sets it apart from other standalone platforms. We use Squarespace for our lovely site that you're currently looking at because we needed more than what was available via a simple Tumblr site - HOWEVER I took the time last year to create a Frilly Industries Tumblr which links to our various online shops and social networks.. and clearly wondered when I was going to find the time to post content THERE as well as everywhere else.

Well, THANKYOU IFTTT!! I've set up a bunch of recipes to share content to our Tumblr, which means it ticks along on its own creating a nice little back catalogue of Instagram posts, Etsy items, and blog posts. WITH NO EXTRA EFFORT ONCE I SET IT UP! The best part is, IFTTT takes all the info from wherever the original post started, and includes it wherever it sends it - so any hashtags included in original posts are moved across too. Which means we've started realising people are randomly finding us.. not through any active promotion we've been doing, but because they spotted us on Tumblr and liked what they saw! SERENDIPITOUS! Except not really, because I guess ultimately I orchestrated the whole thing as much as possible. But still, for once VERY LITTLE EFFORT = POSITIVE OUTCOMES!

Whilst I'd known about IFTTT for a couple of years now, I'd never really delved in to see how simple and powerful it actually can be - and it was only through participating in a #blogtacular Twitter hour that I began to understand how simple it really can be and it pushed me to sit down and set it up for us. So, hopefully, after reading this - at least ONE PERSON will go and explore IFTTT and make their online life easier and more streamlined? (Feel free to also whsiper in miraculous tones "we're LIVING in the FUTURE!" whilst witnessing it do its magic - I still think it's amazing!)