Blogging Helps

When I started blogging, I shared this on Facebook and hoped to have a few people read this. Today, I have approximately 485 followers and others who read who are not WordPress bloggers. I honestly don’t remember how I got to this point, but I am amazed and enjoying the journey.

I understand that some people don’t seek the same results from blogging as I do, but I know some who do and would like to learn more about building an audience.

I am not an expert. As you notice, I’m not the guy who has 100k followers. They have a gift of reaching a wider demographic, but I admire what they do. They know how to engage people on multiple levels. 

Here are some helpful introductory tips if you want to grow your blog.

1. Share it on your social media links. If you are on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and some others, you can set WordPress up to automatically post. This was the foundation for the first several months of my blog.
2. If you want likes, follows, reblogs, comments, and other forms of interaction, give what you want to receive. You may be an awesome writer, but people are less likely to respond to your posts if you think you’re the only awesome writer in the world.
3. Use images. I’ve been amazed at how stats are higher for posts with images than those without. I used an image of a guy with a watermelon on his head as I wrote about peculiar people. It was goofy, but people were drawn to it.
4. Be real. People today want authenticity more than ever. If they can relate, you have a faithful follower.
5. Develop connections with other bloggers. I have had some great contact with other bloggers by email, phone, and Facebook. These people are wonderful, and we have a connection that runs deeper than just words. With that said, use appropriate boundaries.
6. Get into blogging groups on Facebook. That is a wonderful tool that I have used more in the past than recently. You will encounter others who use blogspot and other sites, but the camaraderie and “iron sharpens iron” principle is still helpful. 
7. Mix it up. Some of you are far better at addressing multiple subjects. Some of you are poets, photographers, and knowledgeable in multiple areas. I admire you and glean from you. You can connect with people emotionally and intellectually. That is a gift!

I’m not sure why you blog. You may have started out like me and had no clue about followers, likes, etc. You may want to continue to keep it simple. If that is you, just enjoy every second of it. Be yourself and accomplish the purpose you have set out to accomplish. Happy blogging!

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