Little Spiders, Strong Webs: Blog Stickiness for Newbie Writers

Today is another other-blogger inspired post, this time from the wise, down-to-earth and totally sexy Roni Loren. She gives a great overview of making your blog sticky, i.e. keeping people with you for longer and enticing them to come back. Definitely worth the read. In fact, go read it and then come back, okay?

Back? Good. So. Roni's article has gotten me thinking about the goodies that keep your blog sticky and interesting. I want, however, to focus on how this can work for us aspiring/newbie/unpublished writers. It's still vitally important for us to start building up our own little crowd of friends and supporters, and part of that is keeping people interested and coming back. But we don't have the previously published extras type goodies to work with. So, what can we do? (Sorry for doing lists two days in a row. What can I say...it's a listy week?)

• Frequent updates: On projects, life, everything. Dynamic is way more sticky than static.
• Mini-pieces: If you have short stories or poems or any other artsy stuff going on, make sure you have that available. It's sort of like an hors d'oeuvre. It gets people ready for the entree. 
• Best Of from your own blog: good way for new people to get right to the heart of you.
• Links to other social media profiles: these are like the outer strings of your web, potentially just as sticky as the hub. Or more so.
• Links to the wiser: I know sending people to other places seems counter-productive, but if people know you're a good moderator of the collective wisdom out there then you become a logical first stop.
• Pictures and music: Pinterest has made having your own personal art gallery a matter of point and click. You can post character pictures, book covers, general inspiration, anything you want. And I know I'm always looking for music recommendations. Everyone loves music and pictures.
• Videos: Book trailers, funnies, informative, whatever.
• Recipes: Since the Food Network, everyone's a foodie. Post recipes of dishes from the book your working on, or just good soul food that keeps you going.
• News and Events: Your own personal news and events, as well as general interest. Book club meets, author readings, publishing news (which happens all the time these days). Lots of options.
• Quizzes, polls, and contests.

Ok, those are the ideas I can think of right now. What other things can you do to make your blog sticky? Be prepared for some of these to start popping up in the tabs right up there :)

Sarah Allen