Hello, all! I hope you're having a lovely Wednesday! I have a favor to ask all of you: how do you increase readership on your blog? This is something I've wanted to ask everyone for quite some time now, but I wasn't exactly sure how to approach it. I write my blog because I like to, and I want that to be known far and wide. However, I would enjoy having a few more readers (not that I don't value that ones who have been here since the beginning. I love you all, even if the majority of you are family). When I first started blogging, it was an outlet for me. I love to write (always have) and it was just kind of natural for me to end up here. After I started reading more blogs, I discovered the wonderful friendships that could come from them. Suddenly, I wanted to be a part of that. It reminded me of pen pals, but in a 21st-Century-kind-of-way. Well, here I am months later with not much readership to show for (once again, cannot express just how grateful I am for the ones that have come and stayed).
When I got my first random commenter, I was thrilled. When I got my second, I was thrilled again. I started commenting on their posts and they would comment on mine — it was awesome! Somewhere down the road, however, I noticed that they were only commenting on my blog if I was commenting on theirs. That's fine if some people work that way, I don't. I only comment on blog posts when they resonate with me; when I relate to them, find them breathtakingly beautiful, or they make me smile. I will not comment on your blog post for the sake of getting a comment on mine. That's not what this is about to me. It hurt my feelings when people would leave comments like "So cute!" because I knew they hadn't read a single word I'd written.
So, now I comment on a splattering of blogs that I think are worth commenting on. Maybe some people think the only approach to gaining readership is to mindlessly comment on a slew of blogs, but I refuse to believe that's so. I guess what this whole, long spiel is about is this: how did you gain your readership? Did you do anything specific? This is so hard for me because I fear that when I post this into cyberspace it's going to seem like all I care about is a ginormous readership, but that's not true. I just want to know: is anyone out there?
XO,
R.
5 comments:
Yes! People are out here! You have an adorable blog and I absolutely love keeping up with it. I stumbled upon it randomly but have really enjoyed reading it. You write with such honesty and I love to hear little bits about your life! We seem to be similar in many ways. Keep up the amazing work and feel encouraged. People are reading! :)
I always think that nobody in the world reads my blog, until random people I never see tell me that they follow it. Sometimes it's not about the response you get, just the fact that you are encouraging others and bringing them joy. Honesty is the best gift you can give!
I really don't follow anyone's blog but yours and nienie (that one's because of you, haha). And I'm not on top of it like I used to be, so I have to archive through a thousand new posts every time I get on here. So even if I forget to comment on how your post made my day (because they usually make me smile!), know I'm reading them anyways :)
It sounds like school is going well for you, which is great!! You make it look so fun. Going away to school would be terrifying for me, and I love seeing how you have ventured out. I also love reading about your relationship with Jeffrey. It's adorable and gives me hope for my future boyfriend (wherever he is...hahah).
This is a long comment. I hope you're having just an absolutely wonderful day <3 Also, I got a new phone number (woo!) I'll have to text it to you.
You and Sarah are the only ones who read mine, haha
Blog readership grew for me, I think, when I shared my blog address with our wedding guests. We were moving to a different state and I thought it'd be a great way for everyone to keep up with our day to day lives even though we were far away. It was actually the reason I started the blog; so loved ones could keep up with us after the wedding.
Although I don't get a TON of comments, I have the option for people to subscribe via rss which means there's a few friends from home that get my blog posts via email. They're not commenting, but I know they're reading. :) Google offers a great option for observing your readership called feedburner. I also signed up on blog lovin' which has an application on facebook that will post a link on facebook for you every time you post a blog entry. Although friends don't always come directly to my blog and comment, they'll comment directly from facebook which allows me to see that they're reading and contributing.
There's tons of online communities to join and get your blog out there, but it's hard to search through them to find the few you'd actually enjoy reading. I also have a hard time keeping up with those types of communities (like 20 something bloggers).
I too, fell victim to only getting comments if I commented. It was so obvious, it was insulting. :/ I recently stopped following a particular blog like that all together and made a point to not do that to anyone reading mine. I love when new people relate to something I post, or offer something helpful, and always, I'll check out their blog and leave a comment, but I'll never hold them to an "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" standard.
I'm a failed blogger -- meaning I quit after one post -- so I have no advice to give you. But I love reading your blog!
Maybe I'll give it another try sometime (my own blog, that is). I agree with a few of the other commenters -- Keep blogging for the joy of it, and for the joy it gives us (please).
Luv, Pops
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