Your First Post Is Live. What Happened? What's Next?

You did it!

Your first Doddle has been published on Facebook and Instagram.

You can even open your published Doddle in dodd.ly and follow the links directly to your posts.
But now you might be wondering...

Did anyone see them? And what happens next?

What actually happened?

When your Doddle was published, your content became available on the social networks you selected.

People can now discover your post, visit your profile, and learn a little about what you do.

Depending on the social network, they might also like it, leave a comment or share it with someone else.

But there's something worth remembering.

Being published doesn't automatically mean being seen.

Especially when you're just getting started, your posts might receive very little attention.

That's okay. One post is a starting point, not a guarantee of an audience.

How do I know if anyone saw it?Social networks provide information about how your posts are performing.

You might come across a few unfamiliar terms:

• Views: How many times your content was viewed, according to the network's own counting rules.
• Reach: How many different accounts saw your content, where this information is available.
• Likes and reactions: Simple ways people can respond to what you've shared.
• Comments: Messages people leave beneath your post.
• Shares: When someone passes your content along to others.
  
  

These numbers are often called analytics.

Not every social network measures or displays them in exactly the same way, and some information may take time to become available.

For now, you don't need to understand every number.

Just remember that publishing is the beginning. Watching what happens afterwards can help you learn.

What should I do next?First, give your post a little time.

Then visit it using the direct links in your published Doddle.

If someone has left a comment or asked a question, consider replying. Social media aren't just places to make announcements. They're also places where conversations can begin.

And then?

Think about what you'd like to share next.

Perhaps there's something interesting about your work that people don't know yet.

Maybe you have a photograph, a useful tip, a story or a question you'd like to ask.

You don't need a groundbreaking announcement every time you post.

Sometimes a small, genuine update is enough to start a conversation.

One post is a beginning.

You've already taken the biggest first step: you've started.

Now the goal is to keep learning, experimenting and giving people new opportunities to discover you.

You can do that at a pace that works for you.
And you don't have to limit yourself to Facebook and Instagram, either.

Next: There's More Out There! →

Let's explore some of the other places where your ideas could find an audience.