Welcome to my blog on topics about keeping the home - or attempting to - as a Gen X Mom of four and wife to one. :) This blog is written by me, Lori Seaborg, from the Florida-Alabama Gulf Coast. I'm not the person who is ahead of you in mothering and homemaking knowledge. I'm just the gal right beside you, motivating the 11yo daydreamer, keeping up with the 9yo future homemaker extraordinaire (every mama needs a helper like this one!), teaching the rascally 6-year-old while occupying the 3yo. Let's learn together!
Someone recently asked me how to get more readers to their blog. Here is what I suggested:
1. The best way to keep others visiting your blog is to blog! Silly-sounding, but it works! Blog every day if possible (that's something I preach but don't practice), but at least a few times a week. Readers will stop coming to your blog if they don't see new posts.
2. Visit others' blogs and leave comments there. This is my #1 way of promoting my own blog. Don't only say, "Come visit my blog" - that' s not in good taste because it is too much like blog-spamming (blog spamming is when companies send out "robots" to post a "Come visit our site" ad on blogs. It's free for them, but not very nice as they didn't pay for the ad, and sometimes their site is a bit shady). Instead, comment on the blog post that you just read or welcome the blogger to the community, along with your note to "come visit my blog." Even if you don't invite them to your blog, out of curiosity people will click through to your blog (always sign in before commenting or your comment will be "anonymous," and then there won't be a link to click).
3. Add a few friends to your blog. When people see that they are your "friend" they will often add you, too, and they'll be curious about your blog, so will visit it. You can add friends in the maintenance page (where you add new posts). Click on "Manage Friends."
4. When you write a post, now and then end it with a question. In your post on Managing School Time, you might ask, at the end of the article, "So how do you manage your school time?" This encourages commenters.
5. You need to have your blog in your email signature. Write it in its full form, such as http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/KeepingtheHome . By adding the http://www, you are making the link clickable. Anyone who reads your emails will then know about your blog.
6. At HomeschoolBlogger.com, the beginning of your most recent post is placed on the "portal page" for a while (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com) . You may want to post during the evenings, or during a time when you think quite a few people are online and looking the portal page, so they will come visit your blog through there.
# 7 -- I was just on the portal page, after I uploaded this post, and saw my testimonial to HomeschoolBlogger.com on how great the community is. If you leave a testimonial with them (click on the testimony that is posted, in the middle left of the portal page -- http://www.homeschoolblogger.com), and if they accept it, they will post your blog URL along with your testimony, on a rotating basis. Kind of like a free ad for your blog.
Those are wonderful suggestions! I never realized how much fun blogging and reading other peoples blogs could be! It really speaks to the writer in me! Take care and God Bless!
I'm mortified! I always welcome newbies here at hsb, comment on their blog and add "come by for a visit" to be friendly! I never knew it was in poor taste. I thought I was being neighborly. *BLUSH*
MamaBugs, Now I'm the one mortified because I wasn't clear! You are absolutely right to do what you've done. I would be a terrible "Dear Abby!" I'm saying that you can't JUST go to a blog and say ONLY "Come see my blog." There are blog-spammers these days, and they do just that. They say, "I have a new product for you to see." Or, "Come to my site." They are sometimes posted by real people, but often posted by robots that go to blog sites just to post only that, as a FREE AD!! Ridiculous!
But you ABSOLUTELY may say, "Come visit my blog," as long as you've also welcomed the person to the community or have commented on their blog. That is called hospitality and good blog marketing, not poor taste! Do you see the difference?
Now I'm going to have to go to your blog to say, "Come visit my blog," so you can see this note! LOL! I don't want you thinking you've done anything wrong at all!
Thanks, MamaBugs, for pointing out that I wasn't clear about the "come visit my blog" comment. I edited what I wrote so that I hope it comes across better. I'm so glad you wrote! Thanks again!
I loved all your suggestions and have been following them, without visiting your blog first. I am so glad that your blog has been a confirmation. blessings to you and yours
I love you way you took your own advice and ended your post with a question. I've been blogging for a little over a year now, and one thing I've learned is that there is still much to learn about the blogging world. I'm finding there are so many options for getting search engines to find your blog posts and promoting your blog that it all makes my head dizzy LOL! I think you've posted some great tips for getting started. I don't think I post often enough, but I'm working on that!
I just added you to my friends list :~) . Stop by for a visit when you have a chance.
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