5 Ways to Increase Blog Readership

I’ve always been a huge blogging/social media junkie.  Since the days of xanga and live journal, blogging has always been a way for me to get my works out on the screen and hopefully get someone to care enough to read about it. 

It’s been a long time since the days of my first blog, but a lot of the same principles I’ve learned back then still apply today.  I know that there are tons of other blogs out there providing advice on how to increase readership (and a lot of the advice is broad), but these are the things that I have learned along the way that have really helped me.

1. Write about topics you are passionate about.  Seems easy right?  Well, since I’ve started Simply Nicole, I’ve written about things like beauty, lifestyle, and fashion until I figured out why it was so tough for me to create content.  I wasn’t as passionate about those topics as I thought I was.  It wasn’t like I was uninterested in those topics, it just wasn’t something that I cared to write about myself.  There were times when I wouldn’t post for a whole week, not because I was busy but because I honestly couldn’t think of something to write about.  Once I refocused my blog on healthy living/running/fitness, the topics seem endless because it’s what I base my day-to-day life on. 
   
2. Be engaging.  This is a tip that I learned during my masters program, but at the time it dealt with “call to action” statements.  A “call to action” statement is a sentence at the end of an email/message that lets the reader know what he/she is supposed to do next.  In regards to blogging, it’s important to not just end a post.  Make sure you give the reader the opportunity to comment.  Make it easy for them!  I like to post a “Talk to Me” section at the end of each post with questions directly relating the the content of the post.  This way it makes it super easy for people to state their opinions without having to re-read the whole post.
   
3. Start talking to other bloggers.  You’re probably already reading blogs (that is why you’re reading this right now), but you may or may not be commenting on blogs.  I have found that by simply commenting on blog posts, I have gained readers – not just from the owner of the blog I commented on, but other readers as well.  I’m definitely not telling you to post crappy spammy comments, such as “OMGZ, I love your blog so so so much!  Read mine and and I’ll keep reading yourz BBFL!”  However, if you have something important that you want to say, comment!  It doesn’t take that long, but once you begin to comment the owner of the blog will more than likely comment back and that my friends is the beginning of a great blog relationship!  It shows that you enjoy the person’s content and come back frequently to read.

   

4. Guest post.  I really enjoy guest posting on other blogs.  Once you have a relationship with another blogger, they may ask for guest posts while they are are away on vacation, getting married, sick, etc.  You never know who may see your post, like what you have to say and click on over to your blog.  Guest posting is also great, because it gives you the opportunity to share your talents through another outlet.  Some of my favorite posts I’ve ever written have been on guest blogs!

   

5. Utilize social media.  Probably the best tip I can give you is to utilize social media channels.  I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube promoting my blog.  Every time that I publish a post, I post a link to Facebook which is then linked over to my Twitter account.   After looking at my analytics, I’ve found that the majority of people who read my blog clicked over from one of my social media updates!  Not only is social media great for posting blog updates, but it’s a great place to chat with other bloggers! *see tip number 3.

Talk to Me

• What are some of your tips for getting more readers?
• What social media channels do you use for your blog?
• Who are some of your favorite bloggers?