You want traffic flowing through your site don’t you? In and out, back and forth, all day and all night? Even if you say you are writing for writing’s sake, you write to let off steam, to put your thoughts on paper, or to inform others of some subject dear to you and it’s very flattering and great for your ego when the traffic is flowing continually through your site.
So what do you do to ensure this? My thoughts on this subject may not be yours, but it works for me.
- WRITE GOOD CONTENT – Do your research on the subject beforehand. After you write that good content, edit it! Make sure all your T’s are crossed and your I’s are dotted. Misspelled words are unforgivable in this day and age. Spell check is a finger-tap away – USE IT! Nothing irks me more than to wonder what was meant by a phrase when grammar is used improperly and words are misspelled. Believe me, I’m not perfect and I’m sure I’ve made this mistake plenty when my eyes were crossed from all the reading and writing I’d done that day. You know how it is when you write a text and hit send before giving it a good once-over? Dontlet thet hapenher! See what I mean?
- RECIPROCATE – So… you went to great lengths to write that piece. You were so proud when you published and right out of the gate you had readers liking and commenting all over the place. You are overwhelmed with their generosity in comments. (Believe me – It’s not always easy to jump in and leave a comment. Make your commenters feel welcome and they will be there for you always.) If you want to keep the ball rolling comment back to them. Yeah, I know. It’s so easy to hit that LIKE button and be on your merry way. DO NOT DO THAT! Replying back to that comment will insure the reader will return another day with another comment in the near future. You may even rack up some followers this way. I’m sure if you have fourteen gazillion commenters it’s hard to keep up and reply to all…but really? How many of us are actually in that position? You probably wouldn’t even be reading this post if you were!
- SHARE – I know you have all seen those share buttons at the end of reading a post. Usually they are right up there above the LIKE button and there are usually plenty to choose from. Facebook – Twitter – Linkedin – Pinterest – Tumblr – StumbleUpon – Email. I’m sure I’ve left some out. How easy it is to tap that button and share with the world is inconceivable. Everyone is on Facebook and the majority of us are on Twitter. Did you just read a awe-inspiring post? Did it hit a nerve, projecting your thoughts exactly? Did that post make you giggle or have information you know others would benefit from? All you have to do is tap one or two or even three of those share buttons and you’ve just made a friend with the writer – a writer who may even visit your site and follow you.
No this is not the all time magic act to increase the readership on your blog, but it’s a start and I bet you make a few good friends along the way. Practice makes perfect.
Come on now – I know you want to share this article with your blogger friends on Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc. Just do it! Tap-tap-tap! Easy-peasy!
~Elle
Absolutely spot on. I couldn’t agree more. Great post Elle. 🙂
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Thanks Kev! You have to give to receive and stay involved. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂 ~Elle
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Thank you, Elle, for some down to earth advice. You’re right. That ‘like’ button is too inviting. I have to keep reminding myself to give that blogger the same respect they gave to me. Have a good day! 😊
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What goes around, comes around! Right? Thanks for reading! ~Elle
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You’re welcome.
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Hi Elle. What a great post. Just sensible advice. I really agree about the like pressing. Comments take a little time which means you’re taking care and trouble. It makes me a little sad sometimes that some blog posts are written by people who are pouring their lovely hearts out … literally bleeding … and they receive zilch in return. They deserve better. All the very best.Kris. (And thanks for your Follow as well)
http://www.awritersden.wordpress.com
http://www.the1951club.org
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A little more effort and you can make a writer happy! And also get a some interaction yourself. ~Elle
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You make some very good points here! I came over from the Meet and Greet at Janice Wald’s blog. And I’ve enjoyed reading your posts.
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Thanks and thanks for dropping by. Janice has a great blog doesn’t she? Full of tips for all bloggers. ~Elle
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I really enjoy it! She is a gem.
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Catching up on my reading. Good points on this piece.
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Thanks Jerry! I need to catch up too. Maybe this week! ~Elle
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Maybe? Perhaps you could schedule an appointment. 🙂
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LOL! That could work! ~Elle
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Reblogged this on "Bethie's Place" and commented:
Elle shared some great advice for all of us in the world of blogging. Thanks so much! 😀
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Great thoughts, Elle. 🙂
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Thanks David. Just had these thoughts in my head this morning and decided to share them! ~Elle
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Coincidentally, I was just searching for similar topics just before I read yours. Blogging takes a lot of work, but it’s worth it in the end, at least in the relationships you can make.
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Yes it is! I have no time for much of anything else some days. I’ve made many friends though. Elle
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hi Elle – great post – you don’t need to reply to me cos I’m already following you – smile!
Well, that makes 3 of us at least who aren’t on facebook, twitter or whatever – literally cana’t be bothered with them – tho it seems most people are – and they are great for promotion – would anyone like to promote my posts for me? Not a joke, I’m serious – ish – smile
check out julzcrafts.com
and julzcard.wordpress.com – where anyone from anywhere it welcome to leave their own links – so that’s the best I can do about increasing readership!
hope you don’t mind my plugs Elle, but it is all about that – this post – isn’t it?
And no I can’t work out how the Google system works either – a lot of the blogs on the A-Z challenge are not on WordPress, and don’t even have a like button – they presume you’re on the social media and use those – and the only option on Google seems to be to add them to a group – how on earth do the groups work people?
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ho ho – I have made two spelling errors – if you are interested – I meant can’t be bothered with the twitterate
and
its https://julzcards.wordpress.com or “the spare” where you can leave your links
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I didn’t even notice! It’s bad when you can’t spell your own plug right! Lol!
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right!
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You are asking the wrong person about Google! I am just figuring out Twitter. Facebook I can handle. It all takes so much time though! Plug anytime you need to Julz! ~Elle
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thanks!
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Thank you for sharing this great post. I love responding to comments but don’t always share posts as much as I could do. I do however use an app called Buffer that lets me schedule tweets in advance. It has a plugin on my browser so I can easily share things I find interesting, making the whole process much easier.
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I’ll have to look that one up Rosie. I have been trying to share others posts through Twitter and Facebook mostly. Hopefully others will think to do the same for me! ~Elle
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Its all about paying it forward. What I like about Buffer is that it links up with existing social media accounts, facebook, twitter etc and schedules things for you. Also a real person replied back within a couple of hours when I had a problem one weekend.
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WOW! A real person! Hard to get hold of one of those these days. LOL!
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This is great and sooooo true! I’m working on my social media as of late and I’m trying to find ways to automate as much as possible so that it stays fresh when I am away. It’s hard. I’ve abandoned my personal medias for a blog version. I like that better actually. Now I interact on all with that losing screws filter in my mind. It’s really helped me feel less overwhelmed with it. But I imagine many won’t be willing to ditch their personal accounts!
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I hold off from pushing it too much on my personal account. Most of my friends LIKE my Author page anyway so it coming to them twice if I do. Certain posts I do push more than others. ~Elle
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I don’t link my post to my Facebook account because I blog anonymously and my Facebook account is in my real name. I also don’t do Twitter because, well, I just don’t. But I do try to write good content and I do reciprocate by responding to most comments. So far, it’s worked fairly well for me.
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Yes, you do reciprocate and do you find more commenters return because of this? At least I think it makes them more appreciated to give their time to you and to also get a personal response.~Elle
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Yes, I do think that replying to readers comments does keep those readers coming back. More so that just “liking” their comments.
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Exactly my point! Hopefully others will try this and benefit from it. ~Elle
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Create a fanpage for your blog with your persona. I am anonymous on mine.
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I was going to suggest the same thing! Great minds think alike! ~Elle
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Yes, we are fabulous!!!
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Are you talking about Facebook or Twitter (or both)?
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You could do both Doobster! But if you are doing fine with out all that I wouldn’t make it a priority. So much time involved. Right Trudy? ~Elle
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Either or both. Whichever platform you more comfortable with.
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Also I liked your reblog on Harsh Reality this week. I couldn’t comment before he had to take it down.
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Thanks. It’s really a shame that some people took advantage of OM’s generosity in offering others to guest post on his blog by allegedly posting copyrighted material.
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Yes it’s a shame that they’veruined it for eeveryone.
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Sorry for the typos I’m on the phone app.
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Ha! No worries.
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Elle, you are being really good about the social media aspect of this . I like the common sense post! Sometimes I do get overwhelmed as you can see I haven’t posted on Facebook or Twitter over the weekend, it was just too much this week, I think I need to figure out a schedule so there aren’t any lapses.
There’s definitely not one silver bullet out there for more traffic unfortunately, because one of the biggest bloggers on WordPress.com is Harsh Reality and he doesn’t really push any social media, majority of his 50,000 followers are bloggers from both WordPress sites. And I don’t know how he does it, besides good, funny, controversial content and replying on almost all of his comments of course. So I guess you have to find the right combination that works for each blog but these points are a good jumping off point for all the newbies like me out here. Once I get into a groove, I will see what gives me the most return on my effort..but in the meantime I’m working all the majors.
Good luck to you as well Elle!
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It’s a little bit of trial and error, but these three points are really common sense as you said. You also have to promote, market, visit other sites, mingle with others, etc. It’s a never ending battle Trudy! ~Elle
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I totally agree! The easiest for me is the Blogging University courses because I am getting writing training (which I need) out of it. I think for anyone who is introverted like me, it’s a great first step. Now I’ve started the Writing101 so again I am in “class” with people at all different levels and it takes the pressure off while I’m learning to socialize and get your feet wet.
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Let me know how that course goes. I’d really like to know. ~Elle
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Just started today for three weeks. I will definitely give you a review.
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Like 39yearslame, I am not on any other social media. While I know Google is considered SM now, I am only part of one private group. It’s specialized. Word Press is the only place I’ve really been part of a social like environment… okay, one other, but an encapsulated Gateworld forum, which pretty much is far removed from the rest of the world.
That’s why I’m taking the Writing 101 course, to meet others here, on the street where I live. 🙂
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I didn’t do Writing 101, but I may next time it comes around. Blogging 101 was great wasn’t it? SM takes so much of my time! Last week I laid low to get a break. ~Elle
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I’m in the course as well, see you there!!
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I wish more people would follow that first one. I’m so sick of seeing things on the Internet with common words misspelled. And mis-used (or missing) apostrophes. Those drive me up the wall. (Though they’re not just on the Internet: I found a flyer in the handle of the screen door of my house for a lawn-mowing service, promising that it had “a plan that fit’s every budget!” Seriously. And on the same page, it promised “quality work.” Which obviously didn’t extend to their flyer-making abilities…) I actually have a running post to keep track of/inform people about common (and not so common) errors, but it doesn’t get any attention, even after I put a link to it on my sidebar.
However, I do have to disagree with one, minor point: not *everyone* is on Facebook. Maybe most people are, but there are still a few anti-social people like me who refuse to open an account there. (WordPress is, in fact, the only social media platform I’m involved in. Though I suppose, technically, I do have a Google+ profile, but it’s just floating out there doing nothing with nobody, so that hardly counts. I don’t even know what it’s for; it just came with my gmail account.)
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Oooh…I hope I don’t make your list anytime soon, but never say never! 😉 I can’t figure out Google, so you aren’t alone there. Our profiles are probably friends out there in space! Thanks for stopping by. ~Elle
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So far, my list is mostly composed of misused homophones from student works I’ve read in class…and a few from professionally published books. (Those are the ones that really scare me. Someone was paid to edit those, and didn’t fix mistakes that were actually pretty bizarre.)
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LOL! Here’s hoping I’ll steer clear! ~Elle
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The problem stems from not having a beta reader. People can’t proof their own stuff because they know what they’ve meant to say, and their eyes see through the words they have in their head, not what they’ve put down on paper. Proofing is best done by someone else. I’ve been in publishing, and it is an integral part of the writer’s tools, or should be. Editors are a must. People just don’t know that.
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It would be nice to have a Beta Reader for your blog wouldn’t it? I have something better – my daughter. If I publish with a mistake she is on top of it in minutes. I don’t know how many times she has called me on it in Facebook and WordPress. I should just give her my passwords and then she can repair the damage! LOL! ~Elle
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But that is having a Beta Reader! Perfect! Just another pair of eyes, to catch bloopers which are more difficult for us to see. Here’s the other weird thing. Sometimes, no matter how many times I go over what I wrote, in the text box, the minute I publish, and read it from there, I see something that needs to be changed. It’s seeing it in another ‘format’ so to speak.
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True! It happens to everyone. I do try to go back and edit when that happens. ~Elle
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That’s true. Whenever I look over something I wrote right away, I miss most of my mistakes, but if I look at something I wrote weeks or months earlier, I notice the typos and such that I missed the first time.
I think that’s one of the reasons my (real) fiction just sits on my hard drive not doing anything; I don’t have anyone to read it for me and give me pointers on fixing it. (Though that’s not so much the small, grammatical mistakes as the major story-telling mistakes…)
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Time always brings out those errors don’t they? ~Elle
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Good points; they don’t guarantee ongoing consistent traffic, but it’s a start as you said. #MondayBlogs
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One little step at a time. Consistency in how you present yourself is what does it I believe. Thanks for retweeting!~Elle
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Excellent advice, Elle! I’m guilty of hitting the “like” button and moving on to the next comment, but in future, I will respond to each comment!
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Good for you. I guess we should all follow the rule for doing unto others as you would have them do unto you! And thanks for dropping by. ~Elle
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