The feeling of excitement when you hit publish on a blog post never really fades – no matter how long you have been blogging.
I always hit the button with a degree of apprehension. The question of how the article will be received is always in my mind, and I am always flattered when people leave comments, proving the post has been read by someone other than my mum.
The question of how to get your posts read is one that I am frequently asked as a more experienced blogger. I remember asking it myself when I started out. Before I even knew of the vast blogging community I simply wrote, popped the post on my Facebook wall and left it there. My friends and family seemed to enjoy it but I didn’t know how to try and attract new readers who weren’t my Facebook friends.
Then an experienced blogger came along, gave me some advice on how to reach out to a wider audience and suddenly I started to get regular readers who were in no way related to me.
And this is how….
Blog comments and forums
Blogland is a vocal and interactive world. What you put in determines what you get out. If you are looking to promote your own new blog then get out there, read some other blogs and leave comments. Most commenting platforms give you the option to leave your URL so hopefully you will get a return visit.
Blogging forums offer a fantastic place to become part of the conversation. Often many misinterpret these as places to promote and leave a link. However, the best return will come from simply talking, commenting and becoming a voice. Promote your posts if relevant, but if not then simply engage and offer insight and advice. There’s a balance to be made between promoting your own blog and interacting properly within a blogging community.
Don’t forget to use your own platform as a conversational tool too. It is astounding to see how many people don’t reply to comments left on their own blog. Talk to those who are taking the time to comment, debate, and visit their blogs and do the same with your own.
The odds are that in the parenting blog world, you will probably find friends as well as readers.
Linky Love
Linkies are a fantastic way to drive traffic to your site and to discover great new blogs as well. You can find linkies that exist in your niche and often they can be an excellent source of inspiration. Likewise, blog hops offer much the same process and great routes to find and discover other authors and be found and discovered yourself.
Be social
Let’s face it, if you have started a blog you have probably heard of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Plus. These are all great tools to use to promote your blog, and most are simple to learn how to use, with lots of tutorials on the web. Keep following our Blog School series for some great new tutorials of our own on the subject.
I learned the hard way that it is impossible to try and be a master of every social media site when it comes to promoting your blog. Plus, if you only promote and don’t chat, engage, and be social then no one will click the links.
My platform of choice is Twitter; great for short snappy conversations, and you can dive straight in and get chatting. I am a Twitteraholic and have had some great nights in on Twitter, talking and laughing with new friends, and on occasion promoting my blog.
My top Twitter tips would be to ensure that you are not just blasting out links. Talk to people, read their blogs and show you like them by retweeting to your network. Share information and articles that are not just written by you. People will trust your voice and click on your blog links because they are excited to see what new work you have produced.
Network
It is worth getting a business card for your blog, certainly if you are keen to work more commercially. They can be done relatively simply and cheaply through companies like Moo cards. Include your name, URL and contact details and ensure you always have a stash handy when attending events. You can hand them out to PR companies, fellow bloggers and anyone who strikes you as being interested.
Good luck!
Have you got any great tips for building an audience? We’d love to hear about your own experience so leave a comment!
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