Writer’s Digest editor (and personal friend) Jane Friedman shares advice for writers on how to grow blog readership in “The First 5 (Simple) Steps for Growing Readership on Your Blog”; they’re applicable for any blogger or blogger-in-training. Her foundational advice is spot-on:
- Be patient
- Be focused
- Be consistent
and she continues with five solid “blog readership growth” to-dos:
- Comment on other blogs—blogs that you actively read and/or truly enjoy
- Be the No. 1 commenter on your own blog
- In your own blog posts, reference and link to other blogs/sites
- If you’re on Twitter, then Tweet your blog posts
- If you’re on Facebook, then use the NetworkedBlogs application
The underlying theme here: be an active citizen of your online community so that you — and your blog — can be included within that community. It’s not unlike moving into a new neighborhood: you might pimp your crib like nobody’s business, but unless you’re dropping off muffins around the block and/or inviting your nabes over for a party, no one will appreciate your most excellent taste in end tables.
One caveat: be mindful of the frequency of your blog posts so that you’re not drowning folks with steps four and five above. I personally maintain three blogs, update my Facebook status frequently, and tweet whenever I’m out and about. That much yammering can turn people off. So yes, you can consider a portfolio approach to social media. That is, if you tweet and Facebook often, that’s one facet of your “brand”; you can then allow for your blog posts to illuminate a different aspect of your persona — with an occasional FB or tweeting of a particularly insightful blog post.
You can also create a distinction between your company/brand and yourself — this is the strategy that I employ with one of my blogs. This way, your personal friends aren’t overwhelmed by the blog updates of your company, but your company’s enthusiasts get to follow company updates to their heart’s content.
What’s the optimal frequency for social media updates, including blog posts? The unfortunate answer is: it depends. Too-frequent updates will annoy folks; too sparse and they’ll consider you the equivalent of tumbleweed. A good starting point? Put yourself in the shoes of your casual — not fanatical — customers / target audience and consider what they’re appetite for your updates might be; monitor from there. Remember: your fans are going to love you no matter what; social media is an excellent way to get your “tryers” and “kinda sorta” supporters to evolve into fans — so err towards a soft hand.
You can read Jane’s blog post on how to grow blog readership by clicking here.
You can learn more about thinking/marketing’s social media solutions by clicking here.
Thumbnail photograph taken in Aruba; February 2008
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Something else to consider: the strategic use of LinkedIn. I have tied my personal LinkedIn profile with the thinking/marketing blog; as LinkedIn is my “professional” face, tying its updates with my “professional” blog makes the most sense. If you blog for your business, this may be where you get the most bang for your buck. Again, think portfolio! :)
Thanks for the mention! The portfolio approach makes a ton of sense. I like that word for it.
And regarding frequency: Yes! I have definitely stopped following a few bloggers/Tweeters because the rate of posts is so frequent that it’s adding more noise than value.