I began my blog in August of 2013, and it has grown more than I've ever imagined, so when Faith asked me to be a part of this series, I couldn't be any more excited! Today, I wanted to share with you some tips on growing and maintaining readership.
We blog so we can share our stories with others, right? So clearly readership is important. I get a lot of emails asking for advice on this topic because it's so important for blogging but its also one of the most challenging aspects.
When it comes to growing your readership, the most important thing is to have good content. You can sponsor all of the blogs you want, be a part of giveaways, or promote yourself as much as possible, but if the content isn't there, people aren't going to stick around. It's important to stay true to yourself and post things you care about, but present them in a way that is intriguing and interesting for your readers. Along with this, I believe that your blog's design is also very important. First impressions are important, and if someone stumbles across your blog, and it looks messy and disorganized, it can be a real turnoff.
Networking is also a huge way to gain readership. Reading and commenting on other blogs, communicating through social media, and any other way of forming relationships can really go a long way. If you regularly comment on someone's blog, they're likely to stop by and read yours, too! Making friends in the blogging community is really one of the most helpful ways to become a better blogger.
In my opinion, the most efficient way to grow your readership is through sponsorships. If you're ready to invest money into your blog (which I believe that it's never too early to do), sponsoring other blogs can really help. There's nothing wrong with having someone help promote you. I love sponsorships that include social media shout outs and "blog takeover" type posts, because you really get a lot of exposure, and people can see what you're all about!
But once you have the readers, how do you keep them coming back? This can be tricky. But I think that the only real tip here is quality and consistency. Post regularly so people can come read something (almost) every day. I try not to post too many giveaways, linked posts, or sponsored posts. It's best to space those things out. You want a majority of your content to be actual content, not just fluff in between your "real" posts. People generally won't come back every day if they know that a majority of your posts are giveaways and sponsorships! Write helpful, honest, inspiring posts that you know your readers will love. If you stay true to your voice and write honestly, the readers will come, and they will stay!
I hope this was helpful to you all! I would love if you stopped by my blog and if you have any questions on this topic or anything at all, feel free to email me- I love meeting new people!
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