The most important thing about having a blog is to get your name and writing style noticed. If people recognize your name on the cover of a book, they’re more likely to buy it. Also, because repeat visitors to your blog like you, when you announce your book, they’ll be very likely to run out and buy it. Or at least check it out from the library.
The blogging community is one of your biggest assets when it comes to driving traffic to your own blog site. Here are some ideas:
- Find bloggers you like and ask them to trade links with you. You put their link in your sidebar; they’ll put your link in their sidebar.
- Comment on blogs. Lots of them. And don’t do it anonymously! When you leave a comment, readers can click on your name to go to your profile and from there, they can click on your blog. That’s too many clicks for me, so I also suggest...
- Create a signature with a link to your blog and post it at the bottom of every comment you leave.
- Join blogging communities. There are gobs of things out there you can join. Some are referral blogs (what are these things called?) which are basically lists of blogs that focus on a particular topic or area, or whose writers fit a certain profile—like www.ldswomenblogs.blogspot.com which Josi so graciously told us about in her wise use of the comments section on this blog. Some blogs sponsor short term programs, like a book club or something, and will let you sign up and participate. Join as many of these as you can. Post comments to all the other member’s sites. (Please post your favorite blog communities in the comments section.)
- Join forums. There are gobs and gobs of online forums. Join them. Post comments. Use your signature with a link back to your blog. (Please post your favorite forums in the comments section.)
- Personal e-mail—use your signature here too. Every personal e-mail that you send out should have a link back to your blog. Your friends want to know about your blog. They like you. They’ll support you.
All of these ideas (and many others that I hope readers will suggest in the comments section of this post) will get people to visit your blog. Keeping them as regular readers is another thing altogether.
The most important factor in building a regular readership for your blog is GOOD WRITING! Interesting, unique, entertaining, informative.
7 comments:
I spent about three hours one day surfing, pulling up blogs that were of interest to me, and left comments. The next day my traffic had tripled, and it's remained fairly high ever since. Any time I see it start to dip, I go comment on a couple more blogs, and presto -- traffic resumes. It's a beautiful thing.
PS -- which is not to say that I spend a couple of hours every single time. I only did that the first time, and since then, I spend about ten minutes. Sorry for not being more clear.
Tristi,
How do you get your photo on your posts?
Wow, I clicked on my name and it took me to my blog. That's cool.
I seem to have two blogs--how can I get rid of the one I don't want?
Technology blows my mind--especially when my kids know more/can do more with a computer than I can.
And, I need to get right on updating my blog.
Why do my comments have a trash can atthe bottom--are we assuming I only have trashy comments?
Rebecca,
The trashcan is so you can delete your own comment if you wish to. The trashy comments are another problem entirely.
I think I might actually be getting this. I can see the trashcan on my comments only, right? I"m guessing I'll see said trashcan on any blog where I've commented?(I'll try to keep my trashy comments to a minimum).
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