This is Day 3 of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, a group project 60+ other bloggers are doing together in an effort to help each other become better bloggers. You can read more about it and still sign-up to participate here.
I’ve talked to a number of bloggers over the years who are frustrated that few people read their posts or comment on their blog. After asking them what they write about, I usually ask them what they’ve done to promote their blog and connect with new readers. Often, the response I get is just a blank stare.
There seems to be an “If you build it, they will come” mentality with some bloggers. Some believe if you start a blog and write something every once in a while, readers will magically show up, engage, and become regular readers.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Successful bloggers, proactively reach out to people to build their audience.
Today’s lesson in the 31 Day’s ebook, gives some good suggestions for how to promote a blog post. Here are some of the things I do on a regular basis to promote blog posts published here and my personal blog.
Twitter – Twitter and blogging are like peanut butter and chocolate, they’re a match made in heaven. To use Twitter well, you need good content to tweet (aka blog articles). And to blog well, you need channels to get the word out about new posts (aka Twitter). I tweet every post I write. And usually more than once.
Facebook – OurChurch.Com has a Facebook page, which we post our blog posts to. I post a link to my personal blog posts on my personal Facebook profile.
Commenting on other blogs – I try to comment quite a bit on the blogs I read. When doing this its important not to be spammy. You genuinely want to contribute to the conversation. But often times I can contribute to the conversation but posting a link to an article I’ve written on a related topic. I don’t do this often, but you could Google the topic you’ve just blogged about as a way to find similar blog posts, and then post a meaningful comment with a link to your post.
Email distribution – Most of the people who register a username & password on OurChurch.Com check the option to be added to our blog email subscription list. Once a week, we send a post out to that list.
Newsletter – Once a month we send a newsletter to all our web hosting clients. One of the regular features in each month’s newsletter is an exerpt from a recent blog post.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t thinking about today’s topic when I wrote the list post on this blog yesterday. 6 Things I Learned from Day 1 of #31DBBB is not likely to appeal to people outside of our group, and so I going to find another post to promote.
Discussion
- What did you do to promote your list post from yesterday?
- What ways of promoting blog posts have you found to be most successful?
- What other innovative ways have you promoted your blog or posts, that weren’t listed in today’s lesson?
The Extra Mile
A few other things you can do to take your blog, other bloggers, and this project even further today…
- Reply & give other bloggers feedback on their promotion ideas.
- People continue to add comments to the Day 1 & Day 2 posts, check em out.
- Tweet, share, & bookmark this post. (You could win a $25 gift card!)
- Ask & answer questions about blogging but unrelated to elevator pitches in the forums.
229 Comments
I have been pushing my blog posts to Twitter and Facebook since the beginning. I have more than a couple of blog that I read on an daily basis, and I try to comment on a consistent basis, but I have not yet linked back to my own posts doing this.
Another thing that have helped me in getting new readers to my blog, has been to promote other blogs on my site, which generates ping backs to their sites in turn.
In the following link, I link to 2 different posts of my own, and will be pushed to Twitter and Facebook 😉
http://www.unsafechallenge.com/2010/05/05/toe-ste…
In the following link, I link to 2 different posts of my own, and will be pushed to Twitter and Facebook 😉
http://www.unsafechallenge.com/2010/05/05/toe-ste…
To be honest the only things I don't do are: submit to professional news outlets and newsletter updates as I don't have a newsletter though I have toyed with the idea.
Like I said above, I'm hoping today will be the day that someone gives me an "Ah ha" moment in terms of turning visits into comments.
I think one thing that wasn't mentioned is to keep blog posts SHORT. For me, short means certainly less than 1000 words, and preferably below 800. Sometimes I will go over that, but not often, and then only when what I have to share doesn't lend itself to being broken up into a couple of posts.
Another thing I think helps a lot is a picture. It doesn't necessarily have to add to the blog as long as it doesn't clash with it. I find I'm always more likely to look at a post that has a picture, and I'm sure I'm not all THAT wierd.
That said, I do the automatic Facebook and Twitter posts, and since I started out with a Facebook app to get my blog posted there, now that WordPress has an option to post to Facebook, my posts go up there twice. Handily, they don't generally post back to back, though sometimes it works out that way. If it's a really good post, I'll post it up there again. I don't bother with that on Twitter because I don't really understand or follow Twitter. Maybe we should have a Twitter day or something. I think a lot of us are in that boat.
Really, I think the most helpful thing I do is read other bloggers' posts and comment on them. I know I like positive and also constructive-tho-negative feedback (I like the positive better!) and so I like to encourage my fellow bloggers with a comment. I try to make it substantive, but sometimes all I may have time for is a note of appreciation, and if that's the case, that's what I do. I haven't tracked it much, but it does seem to help.
Blessings, Cindy
I think one thing that wasn't mentioned is to keep blog posts SHORT. For me, short means certainly less than 1000 words, and preferably below 800. Sometimes I will go over that, but not often, and then only when what I have to share doesn't lend itself to being broken up into a couple of posts.
Another thing I think helps a lot is a picture. It doesn't necessarily have to add to the blog as long as it doesn't clash with it. I find I'm always more likely to look at a post that has a picture, and I'm sure I'm not all THAT wierd.
That said, I do the automatic Facebook and Twitter posts, and since I started out with a Facebook app to get my blog posted there, now that WordPress has an option to post to Facebook, my posts go up there twice. Handily, they don't generally post back to back, though sometimes it works out that way. If it's a really good post, I'll post it up there again. I don't bother with that on Twitter because I don't really understand or follow Twitter. Maybe we should have a Twitter day or something. I think a lot of us are in that boat.
Really, I think the most helpful thing I do is read other bloggers' posts and comment on them. I know I like positive and also constructive-tho-negative feedback (I like the positive better!) and so I like to encourage my fellow bloggers with a comment. I try to make it substantive, but sometimes all I may have time for is a note of appreciation, and if that's the case, that's what I do. I haven't tracked it much, but it does seem to help.
Blessings, Cindy
I agree that posting on other blogs is probably the most helpful because it helps you build relationships. Twitter has also been very helpful to me, maybe 15-20% of my readers find me through it.
In reading the other comments I have seen several others that have made similar comments about not knowing the power of twitter. If we don't have a day dedicated to twitter during this 31 day period, maybe I'll post some info in the forums that has been helpful to me.
Hi Cindy,
I've tried every variation I can think of in terms of post length and style. Maybe it is all about content and I'm no providing the right content for those taht turn up at my blog.
As Paul says – post promotion is an odd one to have as Day 3 …
Hi Cindy,
I've tried every variation I can think of in terms of post length and style. Maybe it is all about content and I'm no providing the right content for those taht turn up at my blog.
As Paul says – post promotion is an odd one to have as Day 3 …
Cindy, your comment about keeping posts short and including a picture get to a bigger issue that I was thinking about earlier… when a blog is not getting many readers or comments often the problem is poor content, not lack of promotion. It probably would have been useful to have some lessons about content (formatting, images, writing style, post length, etc) and have us all improving that before jumping right to promotion.
Here's a thought….
a RT club. I actually belong to one though it has never taken off and the organising power behind it has now dropped me from his circle of folks to follow – so he's obviously decided that is dead in the water. However, he was trying to do it from a standpoint of nothing tying folks together.
So it could have mean that I might end up having to RT something I'm not happy with. Whereas with christians at least we all have an initial commonality and the likelihood is that our posts whilst not of a subject that interests me, may do to our own twitter followers.
If folks want I'm happy to organise such a thing. Just drop me an email and we can discuss the fine print. But it will need a decent'ish response to be viable.
RT club sounds pretty awesome. I'm def in for that one, although my twitter following is in the same stage of growth as my blog at this point :-
RT club sounds pretty awesome. I'm def in for that one, although my twitter following is in the same stage of growth as my blog at this point :-
RT club sounds pretty awesome. I'm def in for that one, although my twitter following is in the same stage of growth as my blog at this point :-\\
RT club is great. It certainly spreads the word to people you'ld not normally have had a chance connecting with – the whole friend of a friend of a friend. But to be taken seriously it would have to be strategic and not spammy.
I am game
RT club is great. It certainly spreads the word to people you'ld not normally have had a chance connecting with – the whole friend of a friend of a friend. But to be taken seriously it would have to be strategic and not spammy.
I am game
The thinking is make it an honour based system and that you can only ask for a RT once a week (or whatever figure is decided) and to be eligible for more you'd have to RT others stuff as well.
The workings of it could be cumbersome, but I guess a spreadsheet would fit most cases and a quick glance would soon see if anyone was abusing it.
But to work it has to be a. not spammy and b. >75% have to RT the tweet
hmm, I find it difficult in finding the right post to give promotion boost – my logic gets all reversed on me; the posts I believe are geared for success and interaction do not always do very well. Like my latest one:http://synapticlight.com/my-bucket-list/ I would have thought that that would have got some discussion going. but nope.
hmm, I find it difficult in finding the right post to give promotion boost – my logic gets all reversed on me; the posts I believe are geared for success and interaction do not always do very well. Like my latest one:http://synapticlight.com/my-bucket-list/ I would have thought that that would have got some discussion going. but nope.
hmm, I find it difficult in finding the right post to give promotion boost – my logic gets all reversed on me; the posts I believe are geared for success and interaction do not always do very well. Like my latest one:http://synapticlight.com/my-bucket-list/ I would have thought that that would have got some discussion going. but nope.
hmm, I find it difficult in finding the right post to give promotion boost – my logic gets all reversed on me; the posts I believe are geared for success and interaction do not always do very well. Like my latest one:http://synapticlight.com/my-bucket-list/ I would have thought that that would have got some discussion going. but nope.
Great idea Stuart. I follow alot of people through the different Twitter accounts I have (I have too many to count! 1 for my business, 1 persona, 1 for church, 1 for church sports, and 1 for another business) I RT alot! And it gets you followers and once you have followers if you put out good content people will read your blogs. It's all about getting the right people following you.
If your niche is all about read meat and let's say I'm a vegan then I will probably never read your blog. Twitter has alot of tools to help you find followers in your niche. Those are the eyes you want on your blog.
I would be interested in a RT group.
Ditto. My one hesitation is that I wouldn't want it to become spammy, as some have already pointed out. Sometimes I'll run across a person on Twitter who seems to only RT, and hardly ever says anything of their own. I tend not to follow those people, because in the end, I want to connect with that person.
But…it sounds like everyone here is thinking about that as well.
Ditto. My one hesitation is that I wouldn't want it to become spammy, as some have already pointed out. Sometimes I'll run across a person on Twitter who seems to only RT, and hardly ever says anything of their own. I tend not to follow those people, because in the end, I want to connect with that person.
But…it sounds like everyone here is thinking about that as well.
I do this with twittermoms and agree with what u said. Id join too=)
I'm gathering a list of names as I type 🙂
I'll try to do a post about it or contact everyone individually when I've had some time to work stuff through.
Here's a link for my post today:http://trainingcrucible.blogspot.com/2010/05/run-… Since it is about a great cause and inspiring dedication by a dad for his son I hope that everyone will check it out, and if not, at least go tohttp://www.operationjack.org for the whole story.
I promoted my list post "Things to Decide Before Starting A Blog"http://tijuanabecky.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/thin… by tweeting it last night and this morning, and posting it on Facebook.
I've found successful promoting by tweeting it several times on the same day, posting it on Facebook when lots of friends are on, and by talking about it in chat. Like if someone is chatting with me while I'm blogging and asks what I'm doing, I might say I'm blogging and tell them what I'm blogging about.
I use TwitterFeed so it automatically posts to Twitter, and when you comment on other peoples blogs or sign in to do comments you can leave your website and sometimes you get readers who are reading your comments on other blogs.
Todays blogpost is about "Things In The Spring 1 – Looking Forward"http://tijuanabecky.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/thin…
I promoted my list post "Things to Decide Before Starting A Blog"http://tijuanabecky.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/thin… by tweeting it last night and this morning, and posting it on Facebook.
I've found successful promoting by tweeting it several times on the same day, posting it on Facebook when lots of friends are on, and by talking about it in chat. Like if someone is chatting with me while I'm blogging and asks what I'm doing, I might say I'm blogging and tell them what I'm blogging about.
I use TwitterFeed so it automatically posts to Twitter, and when you comment on other peoples blogs or sign in to do comments you can leave your website and sometimes you get readers who are reading your comments on other blogs.
Todays blogpost is about "Things In The Spring 1 – Looking Forward"http://tijuanabecky.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/thin…
I promoted my list post "Things to Decide Before Starting A Blog"http://tijuanabecky.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/thin… by tweeting it last night and this morning, and posting it on Facebook.
I've found successful promoting by tweeting it several times on the same day, posting it on Facebook when lots of friends are on, and by talking about it in chat. Like if someone is chatting with me while I'm blogging and asks what I'm doing, I might say I'm blogging and tell them what I'm blogging about.
I use TwitterFeed so it automatically posts to Twitter, and when you comment on other peoples blogs or sign in to do comments you can leave your website and sometimes you get readers who are reading your comments on other blogs.
Todays blogpost is about "Things In The Spring 1 – Looking Forward"http://tijuanabecky.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/thin…
I promoted my list post "Things to Decide Before Starting A Blog"http://tijuanabecky.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/thin… by tweeting it last night and this morning, and posting it on Facebook.
I've found successful promoting by tweeting it several times on the same day, posting it on Facebook when lots of friends are on, and by talking about it in chat. Like if someone is chatting with me while I'm blogging and asks what I'm doing, I might say I'm blogging and tell them what I'm blogging about.
I use TwitterFeed so it automatically posts to Twitter, and when you comment on other peoples blogs or sign in to do comments you can leave your website and sometimes you get readers who are reading your comments on other blogs.
Todays blogpost is about "Things In The Spring 1 – Looking Forward"http://tijuanabecky.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/thin…