Welcome back to class everyone! You all look so tan and rested. Did you lose weight?!
Today’s class is going to focus on building a community around your blog. What I mean by community is this: The people who visit and comment, the meaningful interactions with other bloggers, and positive word-of-mouth about your blog. I think that building a community around your blog is vital to attracting and maintaining readers. You want to create an atmosphere on your blog where people feel welcome and want to come back.
To build a community around YOUR blog, though, means occasionally…okay OFTEN…venturing out and participating in OTHER blog communities.
1. Comment on others blogs
I think that this is THE NUMBER ONE THING you can do to attract and maintain readers to your site. Commenting on other blogs is especially important when you’re first starting out with your blog. In fact, behind well-written content, I think it’s THE MOST IMPORTANT THING you can do to generate traffic. Find other blogs in your niche and let the comment love flow.
People LOVE receiving comments and your comment let’s people know that you visited. Consider your comment your calling card. Not only does the blog author see your calling card, but so do other visitors to the site. If you’ve left a particularly witty or well-written comment, you’re likely to get people’s interest piqued enough to click through to your site. Beware of leaving very obviously “traffic-seeking” comments, like “Oh that was funny. Be sure to check out my blog at Practically Comment Spam!”
With that said, there does come a point when commenting and reciprocating comments can take over your life. Literally. For me, I attempt to visit new readers’ sites, but it has become nearly impossible. Sometimes it takes me weeks or months to return the visit. We’ll discuss more about managing your blogging time commitments in an upcoming post.
EDITED TO ADD!!!!! Thanks to Megan at Velveteen MInd, she brought up an excellent point about not having time to comment, but instead promoting a blog post on Twitter or StumbleUpon…I think this is AS GOOD if not BETTER than leaving a comment. Not only are you giving a virtual high five for their post, you’re potentially sending them loads of traffic. And what blogger doesn’t adore loads of traffic?
2. Join weekly meme’s/carnivals
(There is some debate as to what these weekly participation things are called…from here on out for ease of reading, we’re going to call them carnivals, k?)
There are so many different carnivals you can join to promote content on your site each week. Participation in these carnivals can be a great way to generate traffic, especially when you’re first starting out. Being a regular contributor to a particular carnival is also a way to developing relationships with the other participants. If you do choose to participate, it is a good thing to also visit the other sites participating.
Here are just a few carnivals in which you can participate:
Best Shot Monday, Tackle it Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Works for Me Wednesday, Thursday Thirteen, Haiku Friday, Fight the Frump, Weekly Winners, Weekly Words Challenge, Theme Thursday, Manic Monday …if you know of any others to include, please let me know and I will add them!
Participating in carnivals should be interspersed with original content. Solely posting lists or pictures can turn some readers away. I know that some of my regular readers don’t visit on Fridays because they don’t care for Haiku Friday…AHEM.
3. Be involved in at least one social networking site
I’ve talked about this before, no need to rehash. Whether you choose Plurk over Twitter or Cre8buzz over Facebook, choose a place you enjoy, make friends, and participate. It will pay off.
So now that we’ve established some ways of getting your name out there and socializing like a nice person, here are some things you can do right on your own site that will help build and maintain your community.
4. Be accessible to your readers
One thing I failed to mention in my post about sidebars, was to make your email address easy to find. I would say that I get at least two emails per week from people who have a question or want to make a comment privately. This leads me to my next pet peeve point…
5. REPLY to emails!!!!
If someone has emailed you, REPLY. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve emailed another blogger only to get *crickets chirping* NO REPLY. This has also happened when someone has emailed me for advice or assistance, but never bothered to thank me for my reply. *shakes head in disgust*
Listen people. It’s rude not to reply to emails. If you don’t have time, then reply back and say, “Hey, I’m so swamped right now, I’m sorry I can’t reply right away, but when I get a chance, I will, kthnxbai!”
(If you think I’m talking about you, well….) Speaking of replying…
6. Reply to comments left on your blog
Replying to comments lets your readers know that 1) you actually read your comments and 2) appreciate each comment left. Before learning about the greatest comment plugin ever that emails my reply to the commenter, I would just reply via email. Most of us don’t have time and it also isn’t necessary to respond to every single comment on your site. Some comments don’t require replies, but those comments that ask a question or that just make your day, SHOULD GET A REPLY.
The ability to respond to comments is also a point of contention between different blogging platforms. In fact the whole replying to comments issue is one reason I switched from Blogger to WordPress. I think that Blogger’s key flaw is that you don’t have to include your email address when you comment. Tsk, tsk.
6. Show your readers you care about them by linking to them
The greatest way in the world of blogs to let someone know that you admire their work, besides commenting!, is to link to their site. If a post of someone’s inspired you to write your own, LINK TO THEM!
7. Link to your own posts to help explain the backstory to new readers
Have you ever walked up to a group of people who are all laughing about some situation and people that you’re clueless about? You stand their feeling awkward and left out… This happens on blogs all the time. I regularly read new-to-me blogs and don’t understand what they’re referring to, then in the comments section I realize I’m the only one who doesn’t know the back story.
Remember that many people just randomly happen upon your blog and do not know your life story. If you want to make your new readers feel welcome and you’re talking about something that has a backstory or could be clarified by something you’ve already posted about, then LINK TO THOSE POSTS! Don’t let new readers feel like the new kid who doesn’t get the joke.
So basically what I’m trying to say…Building relationships in blogging is exactly like building relationships in real life. Be nice to others, return favors, and make others feel welcome. The goal should be to develop meaningful relationships with those to whom you relate.
I also think it’s important to mention that the size of your blogging community is only as important as YOU make it. If you have 10 loyal readers, that is AWESOME! If you have 1,000 loyal readers, that’s AWESOME, too…not awesome-er. When a blogging community becomes very large, it’s hard to maintain those readers through reciprocity in comments, replying to comments, or linking to new sites.
Previously in this series…Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
PS. There will be no class next Saturday. I’ll be drunk.
Sigh. I am failing this class.
Will there be summer school? Um, I guess next summer?
Quickly, though, on #4: Our editors at Blog Nosh Magazine have to encourage our bloggers to go in and add backlinks all the time because so many posts don’t make sense once they are out of context.
Think of each of your blog posts as a book in the Sweet Valley High series. The author always explained a little backstory so you could jump in at book 3 or book 63 and still know that Elizabeth was the smart one and Jessica was the wild one. We can do this with backlinks.
Velveteen Mind- Megans last blog post..Because I’m a Joyful Girl
I know I’ve failed at some of these things…but, I am really working on trying to redeem myself.
I didn’t always follow through on acknowledging commenters in my own comments or via email, but I always went to their sites, read them, bookmarked, (usually) commented, returned. It’s a silent thank you and hand extended for friendship, but I am have become aware that it is not the same as really developing a relationship.
You’ve been my bloggy idol since my blog was a baby…you know that. Thanks!
Christines last blog post..Like Beck, only younger
I’ll be drunk with you.
Great tips, as usual!
Headless Moms last blog post..Why I’m going to BlogHer
I just started blogging about two months ago, and I am loving these posts. Love, love, loving. Thanks for all the advice.
Insta-Moms last blog post..For my Eldest
Thank you for all the great advise. I’m new to blogging and can use all the help that I can get!
Kendrawolfs last blog post..No photo finish this week.
I so fail the first part of this class. I have a REALLY hard time putting myself out there, because it is so much work. I also have a hard time reconciling the whole “do they visit me for ME, or do they visit me because I visit them?” thing. I know, without a doubt, that the few people who visit my blog daily, are there for ME.
Why? Because I have been cr@p for bloggie socialization lately. I’ve fallen off the bandwagon and they still come by. They like me! THey really like me!
But in the next breath you’ll hear me getting all woe is me about how I get so little traffic.
Right now I’m happy about where I’m at, I *think*, but I definitely see the benefit of your suggestions about building community.
Part of my problem is that sometimes I’ll leave a really great comment and see the referrals coming in from that comment, but uh, I guess I fall short on the delivery because I RARELY gain new readers that way.
Am I making sense?
If not, take into consideration that I’m having beer tonight.
Natalies last blog post..The Sordid Life of a Happy Meal
Great post… I always love the tutorials. Such good info!
Jills last blog post..Lucy, You Got Some ‘Splainin’ To Do…
Some great tips there! The main ones for me are about commenting on people’s blogs and responding to your comments. People respond best to conversations and it does add an extra dimension to your blog, which otherwise would be flat and less interesting
@Natalie: Your comment makes perfect sense. I think there is a point where all of us feel like “are they only coming and commenting here because I’ll comment in return?”
I wish that I had some wise words of advice here about that, but the thing is, I feel the same way! I think when someone initially visits, it is a good thing to comment in return. If you end of finding a blog you adore, then keep going back. If not, then don’t.
The reciprocity of comments does become less VITAL as time goes on, as you gain a loyal pack of readers. However, if you NEVER go out and comment, you won’t ever GAIN any new readers, either. Your comments are free advertisement for your blog..
There is a balance between building a geniune community that really enjoys your writing and building one that is solely based on the possibility of getting a comment in return.
@Insta-Mom: Glad to help!
@Kendrawolf: Glad you’re finding it helpful!
@Christine: Is there some sort of prize from Simon Cowell for winning bloggy idol?!
Great tips! Seriously, I’m learning a lot and being reminded to do things. I’m pretty sure I forgot to thank you when you emailed me some other helpful tips before *smacks self upside the head* so Thank you! Now if i could only get my brain back to functioning enough to participate in Haiku Fridays again!
Cassies last blog post..Proud.
As always, great class
I have to agree about the commenting thing – Whenever I’ve commented on someone’s blog, more often than not, the owner of that blog comes to visit me. Also, I’ll get clicks over from others who come over as well. I see it in my stats all the time
Dawn @ Coming to a Nursery Near Yous last blog post..I *need* a vacation.
I think that people who don’t reply to questions and/or emails is something that ranks pretty high on my list of pet peeves (at least my list of pet peeves related to blogging). I just think that is such bad manners! That being said, I think that some of the time I think “how rude” (and channel my inner Stepanie Tanner) it really is ME who is wrong, because the person replied in the comments and I didn’t go back to check.
I am considering switching to WordPress, and a HUGE reason is because of the comment reply situation. I don’t like to reply in the comments unless I also email the person (because I’m hoping I am not the ONLY person who doesn’t go back to read comments later on) but it can sometimes be impossible to find an email address for someone who doesn’t leave one with their comment.
And Stacy at http://thelandofka.com hosts Theme Thursday every week — it’s another photography type carnival.
I hav to admit, commenting everywhere HAS increased readership … it’s really amazing!
And as for carnivals … there’s one on Tuesday called The Weekly Word Challenge (or WWC) hosted by pickledbeef AT blogspot DOT com. It’s pretty fun if anyone likes taking photos and wants to check it out. The community is not TOO big and everyone is super nice.
moos last blog post..bullies
yes. yes. yes.
when i first started blogging i only knew about the BIG ONES…the ones who never reply to a comment. or who never click over to see your site. i’ve learned over the years that my favorite bloggers are not necessarily the most popular…but the ones with whom i’ve developed a RELATIONSHIP.
Thanks for the great tips!
I am learning so much from you and I really appreciate that you have taken the time to do this.
Connie @ The Chronicless last blog post..My Blogoversary Giveaway!
come on….you can have class…I had plenty of professors show up drunk to class!
Have fun!
abunslifes last blog post..Hittin the Road, Sort of.
Great tips!
I vote for a drunk class….we’ll all get boozing and learn from one another!
Alisons last blog post..Streaming
Great points.
I am still having trouble with the commenting part. I try and reply through e-mail, but not everyone lists their emails through blogger. ;( I try and visit each commenter once a week. But even that didn’t happen this week. It makes me feel bad.
PS. I will be drunk next Sunday too. Can’t . Wait.
ohmommys last blog post..I can’t always control the conversation…
PSS. Can you add me to your blogroll. You have been on mine forever.
ohmommys last blog post..I can’t always control the conversation…
@Maggie: I RARELY go back to a comments section to check if there’s been a reply. If there is something interesting happening in the comments section, I will mark the box that says “subscribe to comments.”
And I will add that carnival to the list…thank you!
@ohmommy: I can’t wait to possibly be drunk TOGETHER! Ha!
I feel guilt, though I really try NOT to, about my lacking reciprocity in commenting. I am perpetually overwhelmed.
And of course I’ll add you to the ol’ blogroll!!
@ali: I think that’s an excellent point…if you want to build a community, you really have to focus on the smaller blogs. Some big bloggers never venture out of their circle of friends.
@moo: I will add that one to the list, thank you!
I hate blogger for that exact reason too! it’s the worst when you get a really thoughtful comment only to see it came from a private blog, with no email address in site. it’s like i need to post a classified ad on Craigslist or something
“to that blogger that posted on DesignHER last week and told me how to potty train my child, it worked and we need to be best friends, please email me back”
that would be awesome.
but, if you continue to stick with blogger, at least set your preference to getting your comments emailed to you, so the ones that DO have an email associated with them , you can reply quickly.
Have fun next weekend teach! Come back with some wise, new, magical bloggy tips. I think you should vlog class from the conference, with a drink in your hand. yes, do that.
DesignHER Mommas last blog post..Do NOT ring mah’ bell…
@DesignHER Momma: I really struggle with how to comment on Blogger blogs…
If I comment via my Blogger profile, if someone clicks on my comment, it takes them to my profile NOT my website. I get lots of random comments on my Blogger cooking blog because people don’t realize that it’s not my main website.
Usually I comment under other, so that the link takes them back to my website…I know this is so annoying for Blogger users.
Thank you, Oh Great Blog Teacher. Your words are very wise and your hair is very shiny.
The whole comment thing is keeping me up at night’s lately! I have to dedicate so much time to AllMediocre that I tend to find myself severely lacking in the comment leaving/replying department. There’s just not enough time in the day. Hopefully people understand, though. I do try to comment back and/or reply to each comment and I spend my blog-surfing time getting through as many blogs as possible.
AMomTwoBoyss last blog post..An Open Letter To Guy Kawasaki
If you decide to get drunk, please bring enough to share with the class.
Debs last blog post..More info to come!
I love it when a blogger emails a reply to my comment! Blogger makes it so hard to do that, if you even can, which irks me.
I also love CommentLuv because it gives me a little more to go on when I decide if I’m going to click over to check someone out from their comment. I suck at titles, but that makes me try a little harder to come up with compelling ones. (Another feature that Blogger does not support.) So now I am thinking I need so relocate to WordPress.
I will miss class next week! Those of us who won’t be getting drunk at BlogHer will need to have a Twitter pity party
Sue @ My Party of 6s last blog post..Highway to Hell
I came back to read the comments. Jennifer, you ignored mine. It was the really long one at the very top. You know, the really valuable information one? Suck it.
I wanted to add another aspect: I am horrible at leaving comments on the blogs I read. I move too quickly or something, I’m not sure. But what I do instead is that when I find a post that makes me think or laugh or what have you, I’ll twitter it and add to my Google Share. I have “twit this” and “note in a reader” buttons in my toolbar, so with a couple of clicks, I’ve added the post to my front page and to my twitter stream.
Is that better than leaving comments? Does the blog author even notice? I have no idea. But I have noticed that although my leaving a comment would let them know that I am reading their blog, spreading the link sends them dozens (er, singles) of other readers who may continue to read their blog way beyond me.
Couldn’t I do both? Yes, but as you can see, I am incapable of leaving short comments. I could have linked this post to half a dozen networks in the time it took me to type this comment.
Another great post. I’m really learning a lot on Saturdays:) I have a couple of questions …
Is it okay to just write “Great Post” and leave it at that? There are quite a few blogs I read every day on my lunch hour and don’t have enough time to come up with more unless the post really sparked something in me.
For Twitter, I actually had some questions about protocol there. I wrote a post today on it (shameless self-promotion) that I’d love to get your take on. http://marybeth494.blogspot.com/2008/07/twitter-etiquette.html
Is it okay to reply only to the comments where you answer questions or have an immediate response to something said? Or do you recommend trying to respond to everyone?
I realize that people do things differently in their blogs and they make their own choices. I’m just wondering what you would recommend.
Mary Beths last blog post..TWITTER ETIQUETTE
I do allllll of these. I should be the number one blogger in the entire world. WTF? Oh well, I’ll settle for number two.
This is great for a beginner!!! Thanks!
Helens last blog post..Why can’t I act like I’m 4?!?!?!
Jennifer – re: your comment about Blogger commenting… I feel the same way. Do you at least make sure to have your main website filled out in the “My Website” section? I think that really helps.
I also ended up taking all the other websites off, so there’d be no confusion, but that’s risky if you still want to promote your other blogs via your Blogger Profile.
Another great article, Jennifer – you’re doing great at these!
(and thanks for the nod)
Sarcastic Moms last blog post..Now I remember why it’s been so long.
It’s real work, isn’t it?
Luckily I find it thoroughly enjoyable.
All Adithers last blog post..10 Reasons to stop reading Perez Hilton
Your classes are always full of great information, thank you so much for taking the time to share all your knowledge with us!
P.S. Next weekend is my party weekend too, just have to survive till than… wit woo!!
Tenas last blog post..Beware of the boy who called wolf….
@Velveteen Mind- Megan: Listen up Miss Sassy Britches, I didn’t reply to your first novel because you said it all! No need to reply, sheesh. Are you trying to make me look bad ?
I think that twittering or stumbling is AS GOOD if not BETTER than leaving a comment…in fact, I should probably add this tidbit to the post. It’s a fantastic way to show appreciation and build community.
@Mary Beth: I think the “quality” of comment issue is a great one to bring up. I don’t think that there is a thing wrong with saying “great post!” I know that most advice tells you to leave a thoughtful, well written comment, but sometimes the best thing to say is just “great post.”
I just read your post about Twitter and you also bring up some excellent questions. I have quite a few followers and follow quite a few people. I don’t look back at what people have been saying, but do look at my replies.
I don’t think you need to “know” someone before following them. I follow lots of people I don’t “know”. Some follow me back, some don’t. I think it’s a way of reaching out and saying, “hey, let’s be friends.” I would say that asking people you don’t know to come check out your blog could be seen as spam by some, but if you want to Tweet your own posts to promote your self to your followers, there’s nothing wrong with that. I do it all the time.
@Sarcastic Mom: I do have THIS blog under “My Website” and my cooking blog under the main section where it says “blogs” (or whatever it says…)
I still get people clicking on my cooking site and leaving comments there. I don’t care to promote that site so maybe I should just hide it to get people clicking to this site!
@Sue @ My Party of 6: I’m replying to your comment just because you said you love it!
@Mary Beth: I just realized I didn’t answer your whole question…
As for replying to EVERY comment, if you can, then sure. If you can’t, then no. Like I said in the post, some comments don’t really need a reply.
I worry that those I don’t reply to will think that I’m ignoring their comment. I’m not! I just don’t have anything else to add!
Have a drink for me, kay?
The ‘reply to comments’ item is something I’ve tried to maintain but it can be hard when, as you mentioned, Blogger doesn’t require an email address. Tracking down an email can take a l-o-n-g time. I’m not sure I have it in me to change platforms, though, we’ll see.
Fairly Odd Mothers last blog post..We’ve Got Arm, and Other Things
I was just having the whole “practically comment spam” discussion yesterday with one of my blogging friends. She gets WAY more comments than I do, so it’s much more of an issue for her. However, we still both feel compelled to respond to as many comments as possible. I guess because we remember what it was like when we were only getting, like, 3 comments per post.
Heathers last blog post..Elastic Eight
all I saw was blahblahblah DRUNK
Im so envious of your Blogher trip.
(and yes. thanks for the tips.)
Miz.
MizFits last blog post..An update of sorts.
People are weird.
I was still getting hits to the old website, so I hid all of my Blogger sites on the profile, and just put my sm.com one under my website. Even still, sometimes I wonder if I should just direct link my site when I comment on Blogger. I’m just so lazy, though. The extra time to type that in when gets me every time. Once I’m already logged into Blogger, all I have to do is comment! (and sometimes fill in captcha, which I ABHOR.)
You should talk about how much people hate Captcha as a reason for bloggers to move to WP and use akismet. HAHAHA
Sarcastic Moms last blog post..Now I remember why it’s been so long.
I’m loving these Saturday classes!
And about commenting…since I started using Google Reader I’ve been a BAD blogger – almost never leaving comments. But wait, I do leave comments, on the places I know they are read – those places I feel as though I’m friends with the writer – and wonder if they’d think I was mad at them for not leaving a comment. But there’s other blogs that I rarely comment – unless I just can’t keep my mouth shut.
I should comment more often.
And blogger is frutrating about replying to comments – but I’ve started saving some of my friends email addresses so I can reply even if the email address doesn’t show up – but it does suck when some random person makes a really good comment and I can’t say anything back – and there’s no blog to go visit either! Frustrating!
McCathys last blog post..Will We Survive? Haiku Style
Um, you just HAD to wave that “I’m gonna be drunk at BlogHer next weekend nyah nyah nyah nyah nyaaaaah nyah” at the end, didn’t you?
And I know I’ve emailed you to ask for advice before…and now I’m shuddering in fear that I’ve not replied to one of YOUR replies. Oh God. Now I’m going to have to go back into my Sent box to make sure. I would die of embarrassment if you were referring to little ol’ me. Especially because I’m like Miss OCD Email Checker-Replier of the Month. I always have to reply to every message I get (well, not spam, but you know)…I’m super obsessive about it. So it better not be me you speak of!
*excuse me while I go check*
Phew. Far as I can tell, I am NOT the ungrateful non-replier.
As usual, BTSP did not disappoint. I appreciate these posts more than you know-they’re easy to digest, fun to read, and extremely helpful (especially in my case, where I know next to nothing about successful blogging and the blogosphere in general). So thank you!
Have fun without me at BlogHer. Yeah, I’m still sulking.
I’m not 21 either, so I can’t just drive up and crash any parties
flickrlovrs last blog post..Haiku Friday: Oh, Jealousy!
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