You have a blog, a topic to write about, even a schedule for your posts. You’ve found ways to monetize it and even hosted a few blog tours. But how do you drive traffic to your site? What can you do to let readers know about the wonderful information you are sharing on your blog? Here are a few tips to get you started.
Add a Share This Button to Your Blog
You’ve probably seen this link or button on several blogs. I added it to my blog if you want to see an example. Scroll down to the bottom of any post, and you’ll see where it says: “Share this.” This button allows people to easily share a post on your blog in any of the major social networks from Digg to Twitter to Facebook. Readers just click on a link, and a menu pops up. Then they choose which social media outlet to send your post to. “Share This” also shortens the link, so it is not a long URL address for Twitter or Facebook.
To add a “Share This” button to your blog, go to ShareThis.com and follow the simple directions. You can use this button for any website or a Wordpress, Typepad, or Blogger blog. Make it easy for people to share your words with the world. Readers are busy—giving them the ability to push a button and share a link is crucial to getting publicity for your blog.
Guest Blog and Blog Comments
Another easy way to drive traffic to your blog and get people to read what you are posting is for you to visit other blogs with similar topics. You can do this in one of two ways. You can visit another blog as a guest blogger, where the blog owner allows you to write a post on a topic. The hope is that your post is enjoyable or informative, and people will want to read more. So, they check out your blog, which you provided a link to in your guest post.
How do you become a guest blogger? Find blogs that you like, see if they have guest bloggers, and write to the site owner about doing a guest blog. Remember to always be professional and approach the site owner the same way you would approach an editor. You can also ask a friend if you can guest blog on each other’s blogs.
You can also visit blogs and leave comments pertaining to the posts on that blog. Make sure your comments are relevant and interesting; and always, always, always leave your blog’s URL with your comment. That way people can read your intelligent and heartfelt comment and think, “Who is this wonderful person? I want to read more of her thoughts.” Then they click on your link and visit your blog.
I always visit the blogs or websites of people who leave comments on my blog, and I try to leave a comment on theirs. It is important to support each other and to build a community with the readers who are taking the time to leave comments on your blog. These people will be more likely to subscribe to your blog or visit again if you also show an interest in their work, too. Besides, blogs are interesting, and you never know what you might learn from someone.
One final note. . .
Don’t forget to share your posts on your Facebook page and with your Twitter followers. You might want to do this only a couple times a week, but your friends, family, and followers want to know what you’re up to and hopefully will support your blogging adventures.
Add a Share This Button to Your Blog
You’ve probably seen this link or button on several blogs. I added it to my blog if you want to see an example. Scroll down to the bottom of any post, and you’ll see where it says: “Share this.” This button allows people to easily share a post on your blog in any of the major social networks from Digg to Twitter to Facebook. Readers just click on a link, and a menu pops up. Then they choose which social media outlet to send your post to. “Share This” also shortens the link, so it is not a long URL address for Twitter or Facebook.
To add a “Share This” button to your blog, go to ShareThis.com and follow the simple directions. You can use this button for any website or a Wordpress, Typepad, or Blogger blog. Make it easy for people to share your words with the world. Readers are busy—giving them the ability to push a button and share a link is crucial to getting publicity for your blog.
Guest Blog and Blog Comments
Another easy way to drive traffic to your blog and get people to read what you are posting is for you to visit other blogs with similar topics. You can do this in one of two ways. You can visit another blog as a guest blogger, where the blog owner allows you to write a post on a topic. The hope is that your post is enjoyable or informative, and people will want to read more. So, they check out your blog, which you provided a link to in your guest post.
How do you become a guest blogger? Find blogs that you like, see if they have guest bloggers, and write to the site owner about doing a guest blog. Remember to always be professional and approach the site owner the same way you would approach an editor. You can also ask a friend if you can guest blog on each other’s blogs.
You can also visit blogs and leave comments pertaining to the posts on that blog. Make sure your comments are relevant and interesting; and always, always, always leave your blog’s URL with your comment. That way people can read your intelligent and heartfelt comment and think, “Who is this wonderful person? I want to read more of her thoughts.” Then they click on your link and visit your blog.
I always visit the blogs or websites of people who leave comments on my blog, and I try to leave a comment on theirs. It is important to support each other and to build a community with the readers who are taking the time to leave comments on your blog. These people will be more likely to subscribe to your blog or visit again if you also show an interest in their work, too. Besides, blogs are interesting, and you never know what you might learn from someone.
One final note. . .
Don’t forget to share your posts on your Facebook page and with your Twitter followers. You might want to do this only a couple times a week, but your friends, family, and followers want to know what you’re up to and hopefully will support your blogging adventures.
To learn more about blogging or to get a blog going that you've started, consider taking Margo's online class: Blogging 101. To view a syllabus and sign up for the course, visit the WOW! classroom page.
photo by kimba www.flickr.com
Great tips. Most of my blog readers -- so far -- come to me from my Facebook postings. Appreciate the additional ideas.
ReplyDeleteHere's my blog of my own fiction and memoir. www.beberger.wordpress.com
Glad you all are finding the tips useful! Hope you have a ton of blog readers soon. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat tips. I've noticed many folks are using CommentLuv, too, and that's an interesting tool.
ReplyDeleteAll great ideas for the seasoned blogger/writer and the newbie. Sometimes we get stuck, and a refresher is just what we need - thanks!
ReplyDeletexo
the "me" in madness
Thanks for the tip on 'sharing' ;)
ReplyDeleteGood reminders! I'm going to check out the Sharethis button now. Thanks!
ReplyDelete-Miss GOP
www.thewritingapprentice.com
Thanks for this... I go back and forth on how widely read I want my blog. I love writing which is why I started it and I do want to share the fictional stories that bounce through my head and my own experiences with my friends and family but some times I think it would be cool to have 100s of followers but other times I like that its just my friends that way I can share more personal stuff. And since I am still new to the blogging world though I follow a lot I am just trying to use my blog to make sure I write more. I guess I will keep my seven followers and my grandparents who follow me via email and updates on facebook to let my friends know. But thanks for the ideas.
ReplyDelete