GROWING YOUR BLOG

May 12, 2014

I am in no way an expert on blogging. I enjoy love it and the connections I have made, and hope to grow my business through blogging. We all start somewhere and trust me, I am still very much a "starter blog". I am still managing all of the pieces and working hard to get my blog's name out there (even if it happens to be my own name). I think in this industry, there are good bloggers and great bloggers. Being a great blogger is about putting in time and effort, but most of all, being yourself. Choose methods that maintain who you are without compromising your integrity or the intention of your blog.

Reach Out
I would have never made some of the connections I have if I hadn't made the first move. If I read a blog post that inspires me (especially if I use their content - properly cited) I send the blogger an email or a tweet letting them know that I enjoyed reading their post. I find inspiration all of the time when reading blogs and I want the blogger to know I appreciate them. It's important that we connect with other bloggers when we get started. You never know where it could lead. 

Embrace Social Media 
When I first started blogging seriously I couldn't quite understand the relationship between blog and social media. What does Twitter have to do with my blog? Or Facebook? Or Instagram? Answer: everything. Readers like to read content whenever they see it. For the most part, a reader will read your blog when they see a tweet or Facebook post that interests them. If I see a catchy post title or a beautiful photo along with "New blog post is up!", I am most likely going to click right then and there. Its very rarely we don't click a pin we like on Pinterest, right? So Pin those posts as well! The more exposure on social media, the more readers. 

Write What You Know
It can be a struggle to figure out what you want to post everyday or whatever your post schedule may be. The most inspiring place I pull from is my life. I write what I know. If you are a mother of two looking to help other mothers balance out their life, offer tips. If you are a lover of food, write about your favorite dishes at restaurants. If you are the next Rachel Zoe, write about fashion. Writing what you know is the best and easiest way to create quality content. Heck, even crazy cat ladies get love in the blogosphere. 

Join Groups and Blog Societies
There are several groups you can join that will allow for more exposure and readership. I joined one recently for southern bloggers and the results have been astonishing. You can link your posts and allow for the other members to comment, click, pin, like and tweet. You will most likely have to request to join, but I haven't met a group yet that didn't allow me in. I have also read some great new blogs I had no idea were out there! 

Comment
I know this advice is rather common, but I honestly didn't pay much attention until recently. I read several blogs a day and would rarely comment, and then I wondered why I wasn't making very many connections. I LOVE to read the comments of my readers. I find it to be fulfilling in that I can see that they have actually read and enjoyed my post. I also love to reply to your comments and most bloggers do too. If you feel compelled to start a conversation, start with a comment. Again, you never know where it could lead.

I hope you find some of these tips to be useful! If you need any further advice, please feel free to comment below. 

30 comments:

  1. Melissa these are all definitely the TOP bits of advice for any Blogger getting started.

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  2. GREAT points! And all things that you helped me with! Thank you for helping me through the process and continuing to be my "blog buddy". :)

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  3. These are great tips! Also, sponsoring a larger blog can help reach a broader audience.

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    1. Sponsoring is another great way to gain more readership!

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  4. These are all awesome tips, but can I add one more? I think its important to also love what you do - if your heart isn't in it, somehow readers can tell. And they'll flock away from your blog.

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  5. Great tips!! Thanks for sharing.

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  6. These are awesome tips, Melissa! I agree with Logan, definitely sponsoring other blogs can really help grow your blog as well!

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  7. I think it's important to not only write what you know, but to also spend time on your content. Obviously not every post is going to be OMG SO GOOD, but I think putting some deep thought into our posts is ideal. Also, sometimes sharing a little bit of juicy detail doesn't hurt.

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  8. Great advice! Thanks for sharing!

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  10. I've been blogging for 3 years, but it still feels so new! I'm learning new things every day. Thank you for the tips!

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  11. Great tips!! Especially on social media - it took me forever to get involved in Twitter, Facebook, etc. for my blog (I've been blogging off and on for years, and only recently started my newest one) and it makes such a huge difference!

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  12. Thank you for the tips! Yes, commenting is an important key. I wasn't doing a whole lot of it initially, but I always loved when I had a comment waiting on my site. Then it hit me, community is about connecting, reaching out and interacting! So, I comment now, too! Blessings to you and yours! Shirley ~http://www.lightlovehope.com

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  13. Great tips! Especially the one about blogging communities, I've met lots of great friends and supporters through my various blogging groups.

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  14. I am a very new blogger and these are awesome tips!!!

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  15. Great tips. I definitely need to join a few societies because they really work.

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  16. Excellent advice thank you so much for sharing :)

    http://neatly-packaged.blogspot.com/

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  17. I love the advice. Best advice--be the blogger friend you want to be! Great advice.

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  18. Great advice! I have been blogging for awhile and I have really been working on reaching out to other bloggers. Saw your post on Southern blog society! Loved it :)

    www.withstyleandalittlegrace.blogspot.com

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  19. So helpful! Thanks so much :)

    http://trendyintexasblog.blogspot.com/

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  20. I love this advice! Thanks so much for sharing this!

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  21. Thanks for your post and advice - I've just started blogging on my site, www.peachfullychic.com, and always love reading tips to help me develop further and provide better connections with other bloggers. I knew early on that creating a strong network would be key to allowing my content to reach others, so hopefully some of the advice you provided will help! Thanks again! xo

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  22. Great tips! Thanks for sharing.

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  23. This is great! Thanks so much!

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  24. Loving this! I was on vacation and missed when this first aired. Reruns are always just as good ;) aNYWAYS. Great tips! Sharing on SM now :)

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  25. I love all of these tips! Thank you so much!
    Cheers from a Newbie Blogger
    Casually Chic by Monique
    Find me at : bloglovin' | facebook

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  26. Melissa, this post is tremendously helpful to me as a new blogger! Thanks so much for sharing your pearls of wisdom.

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  27. So happy to be stumbling upon helpful tips like this, especially since I just got back into blogging and feel a bit lost. Thanks!! :)

    www.sincerelyalaska.blogspot.com

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  28. Thank you for the advice!!
    www.themissmorganlife.blogspot.com

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