Friday, December 3, 2010

Making the Most of My Blog

So I've got a blog and I've researched and written my posts. But it's all wasted effort if nobody reads them. How can I "optimize" my blog, bringing traffice to my blog and my website that will promote me and my writing? Here are some ideas from Penny Sansevieri, with a few of my own ideas thrown in.
     1.      Make sure your blog is sharable on Facebook and     Twitter.  Okay, I had to admit I didn’t know what this meant when I read it. So I had to look it up. At the top of my blog, it now says "Share". Not sure if I got it right. Maybe someone can let me know?

2.      Create powerpoint presentations and embed them in your blog with Slideshare (www.slideshare.net )  I’ve never seen this done on a blog (although I’ve seen many YouTube videos on blogs, also a good idea). But if you’re so inclined this might make an interesting and eye-catching blog presentation.

3.      Promote every blog you write on Facebook and Twitter.  I'm not here yet, but I do promote my blogs on the Yahoo loops that I’m on, and have received very good support there.

4.      Add photos to your blog.  Photos give visual interest and color to plain old boring text. Ms. Sansevieri says that pictures also show up in Google image searches which may bring in more traffic.

5.      Make one blog do double or triple duty.  Many writers post their blogs on their Facebook sites, and places such as Amazon or Goodreads. For the same effort your thoughts are spread around many places on the web.

6.      Comment on other blogs in your market.  If you don’t read the posts of other people they won’t read yours. Always leave a link back to your website or blog. Shauna James Ahern (www.glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com ) says that “Blogging is all about community…It’s about sharing and discovery, communion and hilarious stories.”  Penny Sansevieri has written a blog in the Huffington Post about the importance of commenting.

7.      Create great headlines.  Since most readers will see your blog through an rss feed, you need a catchy headline to grab their attention. Here are some idea generators from Ms. Sansevieri that will give you an idea of what she means by catchy:
. 10 Secrets to
· 7 Myths Exposed
· 10 Inspiring Ways to
· 10 Funny Things That Happened to Me on the Way to Publishing My Book
· 7 Cool ways to
· 10 Tips for the best
· 10 Shocking reasons
· 5 Amazing Blog Sites You Must Read, and Why
· How to increase your success
· 10 Simple things you can do right now to

You don’t need to use this kind of headline all the time but every once in a while use one of these to bring attention to your post.

I’ve made the decision that posting three times a week is too much for me right now. Starting next week I’m going to a new schedule of posting twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’ll try that for a while and see if it’s a better fit. Until next Tuesday, I’ll be doing some planning, some list making, some scheduling and some promoting.

It’s not enough to have a blog and write a few posts. You have to be willing to work that blog and promote yourself, otherwise your blog won’t fulfill its potential. What do you do to promote your blog? Seriously, I’m really looking for ideas!

4 comments:

  1. There's a way over on Facebook to link your blog with your page - it took me forever to figure out how to do it. And did I write down the information - NOOOO! But I think you go into settings and the find the information on how to 'import' your blogposts. The answer's in the FB help document, and if you use 'import' as a keyword, you'll find out how to do it. Then your post will show up on your FB page - and your friends will be able to comment right there.

    The other option, which I did for a while, is go and create a hotlink on the day you blog (write on your wall and then link your blog - others can then link into your blog). Importing it just makes it that much easier, one less thing to do.

    I have a problem with #6 - there are only so many hours in the day. I know that's an important step in gaining followers, but with a Day Job and a life, it's really hard to justify hours spent reading and commenting on blogs!

    I love the idea of a slide show - thanks for the link, I'm going to check it out.

    Another post with some great tips, Jana. I'll be sure to watch for you on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

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  2. People swear by twitter. Personally, I'm still getting the hang of it and it's been three months. But it actually might be very benefical for you, plus it's the least time consuming option out there (I think)!

    Like Janet, I struggle with #6. Maybe improving on that will be my New Year's resolution :D

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  3. Hi Karyn,
    Yes, I struggle with #6 as well. I can get totally lost in the blogs if I let myself. I really enjoy them, but if I spend too much reading and commenting, I'm not spending any time working on my own blog, or writing on my manuscript. I think it's one of those things where you have to set a certain amount of time for reading blogs and force yourself not to go over it.

    I don't know too much about Twitter yet. I understand it's like FB in that you spend time on it getting to know people and making connections. By the time I get around to using it, something new will pop up!
    Jana

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  4. Hi Janet,
    Thanks for the information about putting my blog on FB. I would love for it to happen automatically, without me having to do anything about it. So much easier. I just need to take the time to sit down and figure it out. One of these days.

    I see a marked difference in the number of commenters I have when I send an email around to some of the Yahoo loops I'm on and when I don't. People have been really good in supporting me. So I know that #3 is important; you have to promote every blog you write. I just hate the idea of constantly bombarding people with emails. When I get more familiar with Facebook, and eventually Twitter, I hope to send out regular messages and lure people in that way.

    Jana

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