If you’re a fairly new blogger like me, it may be intimidating to find other blogs that have been super successful. They have thousands of followers, all the cool giveaways, and plenty of paying advertisers. How did they get to this point? The truth is each blogger may have taken a slightly different path than others that led them to where they are now; but, in many cases they are willing to spill the beans on how they did it. So, how do you get all of these nuggets of wisdom? Read other blogs.
If you’re going to join the blogosphere, you can’t just write your posts and pray someone shows up. You need to know how to make your presence known, involve your audience, and grow your readership. What better way is there to learn to do that than from those who have been there? Visit successful blogs regularly to see what they have to say and pay close attention. Actually read the posts they write and leave comments to let them know you appreciate the helpful information. Then take that information and apply it to your blog. You may have to tweak it in some way to make it work for you; but, as you learn and grow, you’ll find your blog’s popularity is growing as well.
Be courteous when you visit other blogs. It is a common practice for bloggers to visit other blogs, follow them, and leave a comment asking for a follow back. Though you may have learned this as the way things are done, it can be a little off-putting. It gives the impression that the only reason you showed up was to follow in hopes of getting a follow back. Bloggers want to feel like readers have connected with something they have said or just appreciate the content that was published, not that you’re just there to promote your own blog. You do want to build a network with fellow bloggers, but there are better ways to do it. How? Well, read successful blogs and find out how they do it! (You saw that coming, right?)
I like to make a bookmark folder to keep in my toolbar with all my favorite successful blogs. I may not read them every day, but every few days I check in and see what the latest topics have been. When I read them I also check the archives for previous helpful posts I may have missed. Lots of bloggers have specific sections of posts that can help others. By the time I’d been blogging six months I had learned enough to get numerous opportunities to review free products, host giveaways, write sponsored posts, and more. Blogging is so much fun, and I hope to be a mom blogger always. Who knows, maybe someday my blog will be the one newbies come to for advice.
This is a guest post from Laura Taff. Laura writes about the challenges and blessings of being a special needs mom, reviews and giveaways, money saving tips, and much more on her blog, Anna & Essie.
What a great post. I am also fairly new and learning all the time. Thanks for the timely advice.
Melanie recently posted..HERE IT IS- 100 FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY!!