Part of me feels apprehensive about writing this post. The fact that I'm writing about marketing a blog makes me feel a bit greedy and hypocritical. Its a bit self-serving in the fact that I would love some of your ideas about promoting a blog and growing readership, and I'm also not the most knowledgeable person to be giving advice on the subject. However, I think this is something that's important to many writers, I have been asked directly how I do it, and I'm assuming most other bloggers are as grasping and excited about readers as I am. So here are my three main ideas for blog marketing:
1) Quality content: This does not seem directly related to marketing, but think about it. If you stumble across a blog and the posts are poorly written, scattered, or irrelevant, you're not going to remember it, come back, or follow. Before you can really focus on marketing you have to make sure you having something good to offer. Don't get too stressed about it, either. Do your best and be yourself. Nobody's perfect and this is something we're all working on.
2) Guest posts/interviews: This is an area I have left sadly lacking on this blog (though that will be remedied in the near future). But I know it works. Get friends or other writer/bloggers to do a guest blog or interview for you, then when the guest post/interview is up they link to it from their blog and bazinga, more readers. This has the added bonus, too, that you don't have to think up a post for that day. (p.s. If any of you are interested in doing a guest post for this blog, send me an email with your ideas and I'll see if I think it would be a good fit.)
3) Comments: This is my favorite tool of the trade and is probably how many of you have found this blog. The means of promotion that has worked best for me is to go to some of my favorite author blogs, many of which have hundreds of followers. Followers who I know are interested in reading and writing because they are following an author blog. I click down the list of followers and see which followers have their own blogs. Then I go in, read the posts, and leave comments with a link to this blog. Not only has this been great for blog promotion, but I've read some great stuff and become acquainted with some awesome people. This does take time, but its worth it.
Now its your turn. What are your ideas? Any special tactics that have worked particularly well? Any nifty websites that do a good job of promoting blogs? What blog marketing techniques do you use?
Sarah Allen
Best promotion: follow-backs and commenting.
ReplyDeleteIf you follow blogs, 80% minimum will come back to follow you. Leave good comments, and 95% will follow.
:-)
I've never considered having a guest blogger because I thought that was reserved for blogs with a high following. It actually makes a lot of sense to do it early on. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI think connection is an important thing. If you don't come across as accessible to your readers, then they aren't going to come back to you. Being yourself, though, is of the utmost.
I think you covered it well. Follow and be a good bloggy buddy, and others will reciprocate. Not all, but some.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've never done a guest post before either, or an interview on another blog. Partly because I concentrate on writing tips and critiques on my blog, with the exception of special posts. :) Once I hit the magic # of 100 followers, I relaxed and just enjoyed the camaraderie, however.
I'm a new follower and can't wait to browse around here.
ReplyDeleteYou've opened my eyes to guest posts. I also thought only people with a large following ventured there.
Since I'm new at this, every bit of advice is like a golden nugget. Thanks for the tips!
Denise Stanley
http://denise-roomtowrite.blogspot.com
I´m a new blogger and it´s really not that easy to begin with. I don´t know if people enjoy that what I post and if it´s interessting.
ReplyDeleteWhile I´m writing I´m myself. When the first people follow and comments show I was very excited and that showed me, that probably people are reading that what I write.
I do the comment thing, too.
But thank you for the other tips. I think I´ll try them. Maybe this way some people will hear about my blog^^
I love your blog ;)
Thanks for the tips. You just got a new follower. :-) I totally agree about commenting. It's helped a lot.
ReplyDeleteCommenting is the best tactic for meeting new bloggers, and for promotion. But even if I didn't have a book to publish, yet or ever, at this point I would keep blogging because I LOVE the friends I've made.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're a fellow BYU graduate. I'm so glad you commented on my post today. Good luck with YOUR writing. I try to "mentor" other writers as much as I can, and to support them by buying their book when it's published. So keep writing! You probably saw how old I am--almost 71. It's never too late!
p.s. Another good marketing tactic is to have your complete pen name as the title of your blog, and your facebook account, and your twitter account. I just read this in an excellent book (by a blogger). I didn't start out this way, I just had Long Journey Home, but it's easy to change. It's good to have your real name also in the URL. Fortunately I did, because when I tried to change it to my full pen name, I lost my blog! I've already lost my blog once. Don't want to do it again! So unless you're more savvy than I am, I wouldn't suggest you try it.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah! Nice to meet you. Misha was on the money. The more you comment, the more visible you become, not only to other readers but to the bots that troll the internet.
ReplyDeleteMy comments appear regularly in a Google Search. I checked just now and I'm on 65 pages in Google.
People who comment well always have a good following. And, someday, I'll have time for that :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. I'm proof that your commenting strategy works, right?
These are great tips! I've turned the feeds off in my blog just because I don't want my every comment out there- but others should make sure that aspect is turned on.
ReplyDeleteAdd in a visual element like the picture you have in your post here.
Bloggers who play music-- think twice! It takes longer for the page to load and once I hear the music, I click off that page. I have my own background noise. Just a pet peeve.
Thank you for the tips! Am yet to read your other articles. Will read 'em shortly : )
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sarah, for stopping by my blog. It made my want to stop by and see you! So, your blog is correct - reaching out to others does make them want to return the favor.
ReplyDeleteYou have a new follower - me!
And, I'll stop by again.
Hope you have a wonderful day...
Melanie
Great hints from you and A. Best! Of all the blogs I started following, yours is one of only a few I actively follow!
ReplyDeleteGood points.
ReplyDeleteFor a writing blog, another great way is to participate in blogfests and "linkups" where you can connect to other bloggers. They take some work because you're obligated to read the other participant's entries, but they're very effective.
Wow, everyone, thank you so much for your thoughts, kind words and new follows :) I hope these tips work for you all. You guys really are the best. Thanks for taking the time to be here :)
ReplyDeleteSarah
Thanks for the great tips. I would also add a great LOOKING blog, which you have here. I find sites with pop-ups and ads (or simply too messy looking) annoying. But doesn't everyone? I have found that if you listen to your audience, and deliver what they seem interested in, you will also gain followers. Another great tool is CommentLuv. I wish I could use it, but wordpress.com doesn't allow plugins. It makes commenting more fun.
ReplyDelete