Yoo hoo! Anyone out there? That’s a common feeling among new bloggers, who wonder if anyone in the digital universe even knows they exist.
Keep in mind that building a following for your blog is a long-term process. As much as we want it to, it can’t be rushed. But you can do a few things to encourage people to read your posts.
1. Recognize that you may have readers, but not responders. Many a lurker may religiously read your blog posts, but never make a comment. Liz Strauss gives some excellent tips on why this may happen and what you can do about it in her article, “10 Reasons Readers Don’t Leave Comments.”
2. Does your post invite conversation? We can write a post so definitively that we forget to ask for comments. Has that ever happened to you?
3. Comment on other people’s blogs. Invest some time reading the blogs of others who are interesting and relevant to you, and yes, add thoughtful input. The more you do this, the more those bloggers will notice you and begin to respond to your posts. The blogging community can be very supportive, but it is interactive, and you can’t just expect the comment train to go one way.
4. Invite opinions. Add your newest post to your LinkedIn groups and ask them what they think. Do the same with your Facebook business page, your personal FB page, Twitter and any other outlet you can think of.
5. Make it easy for people to comment. Do readers have to jump through hoops (i.e. come up with a user name and password) in order to respond? Is it likely that a first-time reader would go to that much trouble? Yes, you may have spam to content with, but as you’re building your blog following, it’s better for you to be the one who does the screening than your reader.
6. Respond quickly to comments. Once you get that wonderful comment, respond immediately, and try to keep the conversation going.
Keep writing, keep participating and keep responding and soon, you’ll build your audience.
What tactics have helped you get more readers?
(Don’t prove me wrong now; be sure to comment!)