Sunday, April 21, 2013

Newbie Blogger Diaries #2

Today I am going to talk about how I first got readers to my blog. I don't mean to be a kill-joy here but you could have the best quality posts on Earth and it is still likely that you will never gain any readers. Because, for readers to read your work, they have to find you first.

Here are my two trustworthy ways of getting people to check out your site.

1. Comment on other blogs! Post a thoughtful comment on someone else's book review and leave a link back to your blog. I gurantee that most people are nice and will comment back on your site. The key to this: Leave a THOUGHTFUL comment. Don't just start spamming people with links because then they will then feel much less obligated to check out your blog.

This is my favorite way to gain readers because it feels more personal. But, on a busy night, it it easier to just:

2. Participate in a meme or feature. Memes (which I recently realized rhymed with streams, much to my disappointment. I had been pronouncing it with a french air, Memais, until someone burst my bubble.) or features are when a whole group of bloggers post about a certain subject. Then, you can add your url to a list and have other participators check it out. Also, you can check out their posts. Win-Win.

Here are my favorite bookish memes:
Top Ten Tuesday
Waiting on Wednesday
Feature and Follow Friday
Stacking the Shelves

Or you can make your own. However this takes a lot of time and work. It does make your posts much more unique though!

The last step it to provide entertaining and memorable content, so readers will want to come back! And, one last tip, don't be follower crazy. Every night you see three new followers don't stress out because you wanted five more than you got that night, instead smile and mentally tell those people that they are awesome, and be glad they thought your blog worth following. BE HAPPY!!!

Follow on Bloglovin So, this is how I gained followers and readers in the beginning. What did you do/are doing to bring a little traffic to your blog?





5 comments:

  1. Yes, I agree! :D Leaving thoughtful comments is a wonderful thing, and receiving thoughtful comments is a pick-me-up anytime. :)

    I love the memes in the bookblogging world. I participate in the ones you listed except for Feature & Follow Friday.

    As for what I did/do... Well, I signed up, looked around and followed people on BlogLovin and Twitter. Then I commented and then a really nice blogger welcomed me and then others got in touch with me and off it went! :) I love it!

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  2. I'm actually still working on that, I'm doing the meme thing and meeting really awesome bloggers that I wouldn't have otherwise met. The blogging community is so friendly and appreciative. I used to have a YT account and people are so mean, like they have nothing better to do than be mean, but blogging is the total opposite. I'm always glad to have readers passing by and commenting and I comment back and everyone else is the same way. I'm so glad to be a part of this community. I also think with blogging you get to know your readers in a more personal level. Great post.

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  3. Thank you for posting these entries. As a new blogger, advice is always helpful and this is a great way to do it. :)

    I joined Stacking the Shelves just the other week and I look forward to seeing what connections I might make.

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  4. Sorry slightly off the "I totally get you, I apreciate your optimism about followers topic" I too thought memes was prounounced "me-may_ez" but if it rhymes with streams then thats like totally uncool. Killing my vibe (any Robin Benway readers catch that? No? Reread Audrey, Wait! The first 30 pages) English language writer!

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