Reader’s Question: How to Build Your Blog Readership & Gain Attention

Dear Frugal Upstate,

Hi!   I have followed your website for a while now and love it. I started my own blog about 6 months ago. I love blogging, but  I was wondering how you got your name out there? It looks like you have done so well with your blog, How did you become part of the eleven moms? I just can’t figure out how to grow my blog- seems like when i find a deal it’s already on another blog.

Thanks for your time-Like I said I love your website.

Amber

Amber,

Thanks for writing! I’m so glad you enjoy reading Frugal Upstate and I am flattered that you are coming to me for blogging advice.

Long story short-there is no quick, easy, magical way to tell someone how to improve their blog readership & get more attention.  I blogged very regularly and steadily for over 2 (almost 3) years before I got any real kind of attention.  I worked hard, wrote a lot, tried to make it good.

In the long run it was a break that Walmart asked me  to participate in the Elevenmoms-but that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t had the hard work, writing and audience to back it up.  Even after I became a part of that groundbreaking group I had to continue to work hard and take the opportunities I was offered and make something out of them.

Are there people who start a blog and are wildly successful after just a few months? Yes-of course.  But that combination of skill, audience, timing and luck can’t be replicated. They either happen or don’t.

That being said, there are a lot of little things that can be done to increase your chances-I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of them in other places, but here it goes.

#1-Write well.  Ok, basic, but make sure what you are saying is interesting, well formatted (aka easy on the eyes to read) and spelled correctly. Really-use spell check! There is no excuse.  Or use Firefox for your browser so you can automatically have it spell check everything you type on line.  Oh, and use grammar correctly as well-unless you are making a conscious stylistic choice

#2-participate.  Answer the comments of folks on your own blog. Go and make comments on other blogs (although not spammy link bait type comments) join relevant forums and become part of the community.

#3-Utilize other social networks.  You can get info about your site and posts out on Twitter, Facebook,Stumbleupon, and Whrrl.

#4-Pitch yourself locally.  This is hard for most of us to do, but don’t be afraid to try contacting local news outlets with ways you could be used in a story. Worse they can do is say no.

#5-Offer to guest post on other blogs.  Now don’t go spamming everyone you know with a form letter offering guest post services! That is just annoying.  But if you see someone doing a call for submissions then go ahead and offer to write, and make sure you put a nice little bio at the bottom with a link back to your site.

Ok, so those are the basics.  Seems like a lot of work doesn’t it? Well, it is! I told you there wasn’t any quick and easy answer.

I’m not done with the advice yet. . .

You were absolutely right when you say most deals are available in many, many places online.  To me it seems that the deal blogger market is getting over-saturated.  Tons of folks doing it-and doing it well.  What reason do folks have to come to YOUR blog?  Should you expand your topics? Let more of your personality show? Maybe even consider switching topics completely? There is no right or wrong answer-just things for you to consider.