Firstly some admin notices:
Lone Wolf is up for the 5 Heart Sweetheart award this week at The Romance Studio. If you’re so inclined, I’d love your vote for my werewolf tale from Samhain Publishing. Go here to vote.
I’m currently doing a Goodreads giveaway for Tea For Two. Enter the draw to win a print copy of Tea For Two here.
Now to my post for today.
I’ve been blogging since 2004 now, and it’s one of my favorite ways of connecting with other authors and readers. When I have time to while away, I’m more likely to blog hop than hit Facebook or Twitter.
When I first started blogging, everyone was doing it. Authors were told they needed a blog. It was the way of connecting with readers—along with Yahoo loops. Fast forward a few years and Facebook and Twitter have taken over, although often in conjunction with a blog.
Like me, many people subscribe to blog feeds and read blogs through something like Google Reader or one of the other options. I use the Flipboard application on my iPad to read my blog feeds. I also read Twitter and Facebook with Flipboard. Author Brinda Berry introduced me to the Flipboard app, and I love the magazine-type format.
Reading my favorite blogs via Flipboard means that I don’t always comment on posts. It’s quicker to flick through and read, moving on to the next. If someone visits my blog here, I’m more likely to make a return visit and comment on their post.
Some bloggers wonder if blogging is worth the time and trouble because it seems as if they’re talking to themselves. Not so. To gain a wide audience for your blog posts try the following:
1. Make sure you label each post with relevant tags. These tags will be picked up by search engines.
2. Set up your blog posts to feed through to other social media. My blog feeds through to Amazon, Goodreads and Twitter. I also share my post on Facebook when I think about it. There are other places such as Google+, Linkedin etc, but these are the ones I use.
3. Do the blog hop. Visit other blogs when you have time, make friends, and they’ll probably return the favor.
4. Write interesting posts. Content is everything! If you’re a writer, you don’t need to post about writing all the time. I seldom do writing posts, instead blogging about travel, books, cooking and other things that interest me.
5. Keep to a regular blogging schedule, and you’ll be more likely to attract visitors. If your blog doesn’t change very often visitors will stop dropping by.
In conclusion: Successful blogs can’t be measured by the number of comments. Changing methods of reading blogs mean that your post can be read hundreds of times without a single comment. Search engines also bring in new readers who might not necessarily post a comment.
Do you comment or not comment? How do you read your favorite bloggers – through a reader/subscription of some sort or do you web surf? And finally, do you have any favorite blogs to recommend?
March 21st, 2012 at 12:33 am · Link
I voted for you. :)
Very good tips. You know I did feel like I was talking to myself on my blog. I was ready to stop blogging all together and one of my friends asked me to install the stats counter to see how many views I’m getting on my blog. well you could have knocked me over when I saw the counter reach 145,000 views. So I know people are reading they just don’t always comment.
I keep track of my blogger blogs through the dashboard. All the blogs I follow are right there and I can scroll through and see which one’s interest me. I also have some that are not on blogger and some I visit everyday bookmarked in my favorites on the computer.
I try to keep my content different and knowing me..I’m sure sometimes it’s weird too. lol
I do have some favorite blogs..besides yours I would recommend…
http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/
http://fangswandsandfairydust.blogspot.com/?zx=608a9a4b7b38b2e9
http://thereadingaddict-elf.blogspot.com/
I visit those all the time.
March 21st, 2012 at 2:13 am · Link
Thanks for voting for me, Mary. Yes, the stats can be surprising. I think some people are so short of time these days that they don’t have time to comment.
Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll check them out tomorrow. I’m off to bed now!
March 21st, 2012 at 2:16 am · Link
Congrats on the nominations… am going to vote for you now:)
I find blogging very worth while – I get me meet so many awesome writers and learn many things I otherwise wouldn’t know.
March 21st, 2012 at 2:37 pm · Link
Thanks for the vote, Tania. I’ve met lots of wonderful writers and readers too. BTW, I went to check out your pinboards. Very cool!
March 21st, 2012 at 3:48 am · Link
I try to comment on most blogs I read. I will stop commenting on a blog if the owner never visits me in return. It’s not like it has to be a one-for-one.
I’m like you in that I don’t comment when on my Flipboard app, but I sure love that method. Thank you for the mention!!
March 21st, 2012 at 2:38 pm · Link
Brinda,
Commenting takes time, that’s for sure. With me, the time difference can be a problem. The topic is discussed out by the time I wake up in the morning.
Every time I use Flipboard I think of you :)
It’s such a useful app!
March 21st, 2012 at 5:00 am · Link
I generally comment on most posts I read. I don’t have a fancy phone (I only recently got QWERTY! = O You should have seen me trying to text before that. = D), so I troll the blogs by way of desktop or laptop. I’m new to the world of blogging – having done it for promotion prior to publishing my first book (and was thrust into it rather suddenly, to boot) – so I’m at the place now where I’m trying to find some kind of routine with visiting other blogs. I do my main post every Wednesday, so I thought that might be a good day to designate as my social media day. But I wonder if I should try to visit other blogs on the same day they post. I’m overwhelmed. Any suggestions?
PS – I voted for you, too.
March 21st, 2012 at 2:44 pm · Link
Hi Melissa,
Congrats on your sale! If I were you I’d put in half an hour every day to read blogs and take care of social media. Although you only post once a week, I think getting your name out there on a more regular basis would be beneficial. I recommend setting a timer or something like that because it’s easy to get sucked down the black hole of the Internet!
Gradually you’ll find blogs that you like and enjoy, plus it’s good to read agent blogs such as Bookends or Rachelle Gardener etc to keep up with the industry a little.
If you have any particular questions just holler. I’ll help if I can.
March 21st, 2012 at 6:14 am · Link
I subscribe to most of the blogs I read via email and when I get them I read them and still go over to comment. I try to comment as much as I can but sometimes there is not enough time so I leave them for later to try and catch up.
March 21st, 2012 at 2:46 pm · Link
Savannah,
I comment as much as I can but some days are just too short. I try to make writing my number 1 priority and fit in the other stuff as and when I can. Other writers definitely nderstand busy. I’m in awe of how much some writers get done!
March 21st, 2012 at 6:15 am · Link
Oh and I forgot to mention, you got my vote..Good luck…
March 21st, 2012 at 2:46 pm · Link
Thank you, Savannah!
March 21st, 2012 at 7:54 am · Link
Great post Shelley! I visit a lot of blogs, probably comment on half, most of them I favorite and either tweet or mention elsewhere.
And you better believe I voted for you! Rock it :)
March 21st, 2012 at 2:47 pm · Link
Ann,
I’ve been favoritism and tweeting too. At least that way the blogger gets some traffic or promo for their post and I express appreciation in an indirect way.
Thank you for the vote!
March 21st, 2012 at 9:52 am · Link
Whether I comment or not largely depends on the type of blog. I keep track of favorites through GoogleReader. A few, such as Wis. Historical Society image archive or the Sequoya Library, is primarily info only and doesn’t allow commenting.
There are a few photo blogs or stamping blogs I’ve found that I mostly read for inspiration, but to which I rarely comment. I also have a couple local blogs I follow, but to which I rarely comment.
Most of those I do comment on are reading or writing related, or belong to friends.
For inspiration, there are a couple photo blogs I follow:
Letters From Here (local)
Paris Through My Lens
Peter’s Paris
Sassy and Sweet (farm and craft pics)
Traveling Mama (craft/life overseas)
March 21st, 2012 at 2:50 pm · Link
Heather,
I’ve found Google Reader very helpful since the posts are there to read later if need be.
Thanks for the links. I’ll check them out later tonight. I love looking at photos. Your cards have inspired me to try my own – at least the idea is in my head. I’m not quite organized yet!
March 21st, 2012 at 9:55 am · Link
Oh — one more:
The Daily Coyote
March 21st, 2012 at 2:50 pm · Link
Thanks!
March 21st, 2012 at 10:15 am · Link
Voting done. Yay!!
I tend to comment when I visit a blog, though I have occassions that I may lurk. I visit blogs via my blog roll and those that I subscribe to.
I enjoy this blog along with Maria Zannini. I adore David Powers King because he writes fantasy and Peggy’s Will Write for Cookies blog. But there are so many I enjoy it’s hard to list them all :-)
March 21st, 2012 at 2:52 pm · Link
Angela,
Maria’s blog is a good one. I always enjoy her posts. Yours too. You have such a great way of looking at the world and make me smile :)
Thanks for the vote!
March 21st, 2012 at 1:12 pm · Link
Hey Shelley! I put in my vote, and congratulations :-)
I have to admit that I don’t always comment when I read posts, but I always try to respond in kind when someone comments on mine. We recently connected the Speculative Salon to Goodreads with a book club, so I’m leaving more comments on that site now, too.
I really need to check out Flipboard, LOL.
Cheers!
March 21st, 2012 at 2:54 pm · Link
Ella,
Thanks so much! A couple of people I know have expanded into Goodreads. I’ll follow your progress with interest. Goodreads is something that I never seem to fit in, but I’ve been trying to do a little more in that area.
March 21st, 2012 at 3:50 pm · Link
I read blog feeds on the google reader and click in to read the whole post. Then I do comment. But I make a point of commenting on everyone’s posts who commented on mine.
I love finding new blogs and posts to read.
March 22nd, 2012 at 1:52 am · Link
Hi Nas,
I enjoy finding new blogs to read too. I’ve been looking for travel and craft ones lately. It’s nice to branch out from writing.
March 21st, 2012 at 4:08 pm · Link
I try to check out two or three blogs a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I’ll leave comments about 60% of the time. I don’t subscribe to blogs, but rather hop around when I see someone posting about it on FB or on one of my Yahoo groups.
March 22nd, 2012 at 1:53 am · Link
NJ – you sound a bit like me. When I’m in a hurry the comments go down :)
March 21st, 2012 at 5:17 pm · Link
I..um…have over 900 blogs on my Reader.
This means I have to scan posts very quickly and only comment when I feel that:
a) my comment will be appreciated, and
b) I feel I can add something to the conversation.
PS… Voted for you, sweetie!!
March 22nd, 2012 at 1:55 am · Link
Thanks, Maria! Wow, 900 is a lot, although I guess most of those wouldn’t post every day. I subscribe to quite a few industry blogs that I read but don’t comment on – mostly because I’m usually a day late.
March 21st, 2012 at 9:06 pm · Link
Hi Shelley,
I just wanted you to know that I voted for you, I loved “Lone Wolf”.
I subscribe to many Author’s Blogs, Newsletters, News Groups, Good reads, Book Review Blogs, etc., but I try to comment on as many “active” Authors/Bloggers to I can.
The way I feel is, if an Author takes the time to create a Blog for their Fans & they ask a question, run a poll or participate in a Blog Hop….& also have the time to write Fantastic Books for their Fans, by commenting on their Blog, that’s the least I can do to let them know just how much they are appreciated.
March 22nd, 2012 at 2:00 am · Link
Thanks, Renee! I find so many great books to read when I visit other blogs. I like putting my reader hat on too.
March 23rd, 2012 at 1:33 pm · Link
So true I can get 100′s of page views and only a fraction of the comments. It fascinates me that people read stuff and don’t leave a comment. I wonder why. It’s the psychologist in me I guess LOL! Great post and thank you
March 24th, 2012 at 2:11 am · Link
I guess a lot of it is the time factor – at least it is for me.
March 23rd, 2012 at 9:25 pm · Link
I comment about 60% of the time because I read most on my cell phone while away from my desk. Thank you for the rec of Flipboard… omgah I am in LOVE with it already.
Great post! :)
March 24th, 2012 at 2:11 am · Link
Flipboard is great, isn’t it? I find it very good.