Promotion
To start attracting readers you somehow have to promote your blog. How do you do that?
- The first thing that I did is that I in the Settings for my blog made sure that my blog is accessible for search engines. In Blogger that means you go to settings and make sure you have answered Add your blog to our listings? and Let search engines find your blog? with Yes.
- As another way to promote my blog I have tried to connect my feed to Facebook and Twitter, a manual on how to connect to Facebook (and Twitter) is here.
- When I visit other blogs and leave a comment I also make sure I leave the address for my own blog, to make sure that the blogger can come and check out what I am about.
- Also when commenting on something I have read in for example a newspaper I have started to try to make sure that I am being listed as commenting on the article.
- I also think leaving comments on other blogs and making sure leaving tracks back to my blog helps me building readership.
- I try to make sure that I answer the comments I get on my posts as well, either on my blog or on the blog from the reader.
- I really like to ask open questions, so that I can get a discussion started through my posts.
Challenges are a really great way to build readership, since you are encouraged to comment on eachothers posts and results of the activities. I have had a lot more visitors to my blog since I joined the 30-days-to-kick-start-you-blogging challenge.
Profile
I think that it is important to build your online persona - using the same name and avatar on the different arenas is an advantage. It takes some pondering: what will I use my persona for, what is it that I want to represent and is it something that will last? "Showing" myself makes it easier for people to choose if it is somebody that they find interesting and worth the effort to follow.
And I might state that I am using this blog as a tool for reflection and that nobody has to read it, but still it is quite exciting when I see that I have had visitors. Even more exciting when somebody has left some tracks in form of a comment! I hope that I will continue building readership through effective posts and interesting discussions.
Great post Anna, I never thought about leaving my blog address when reading an online newspaper or article I've read!
ReplyDeleteKim
Edquests
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteI agree with all that you have said. Like Kim, I never thought about leaving me blog address. Perhaps, I didn't in the challenge because I thought people could just click on my name. But, from now on I will leave my address.
To promote my blog I have added my address to my email signature. Every email that I send out (or that gets forwarded somewhere) has my blog under my name. Not sure if I've gotten any hits - but maybe it will help.
Lastly, I am writing my blog as a reflection too - but like you - I am very excited to see the hits coming in. When I recently reached 1000 I was very thrilled.
Thanks for the post.
http://teachingiselementary.blogspot.com
Exactly my sentiments as you pointed out when you left a comment on my blog. Aren't you good to leave a crumb trail to here and see, here I am enjoying your interesting post and lively background. You made me think of a blog I visit regularly -How about orange which is a design blog; plenty of orange there. Such a happy colour.
ReplyDeleteHope our paths cross again.
cheers,
Malyn
Anna
ReplyDeleteFirstly thanks for the link to the post on linking blog posts to Twitter. That is on my list to do, so you have provided me with information without having to waste time searching for it.
I look forward to continuing on this learning journey along with you.
Kathryn
Hi Anna, this is a very valuable post. You have given some very obvious but valuable advice. Your first two points are very practical and some that many may not think of. I am going to include the Kick Start Your Blog Challenge and other possible challenges as well, as this challenge, in particular has boosted readership, networking etc. I think that twitter is another great way of getting your blog posts out there - especially in the initial stages. Do you publicize your blog posts via twitter?
ReplyDeleteThanks for being part of the challenge and hope we continue to stay networked.
Well written and some good suggestion for others to follow. Twitter and blog connection is a great way to develop readership. Keep blogging and hopefully I'll see your posts appear on my twitter feed. What's your handle. Mine is @learnfromcarson
ReplyDeleteHi, Mr.D.Carson. I am following you on Twitter. My handle is @anna_bring. I tried to find a follow-me-on-twitter widget to add, but I only found the one with my latest tweets. It'll have to do for now. Thanks for the visit by the way!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice and resources to use for gaining readership.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice - I'm reading and commenting before doing this challenge myself as I have much to learn in this area. Thanks for the great advice!
ReplyDelete