 |
Hey Y’all! Several weeks ago we were asked to share some tips on how to market your blog on the Beginner Blogging Series at Simply Klassic Home.
Bonnie and I were so excited that Kristin asked us to be a part of this wonderful series! We are by no means experts on marketing, but are happy to share some tips with you guys, that have worked for us, on how to market your blog!
Here are our top five tips on marketing your blog…
Content. I am assuming that if you are reading this post, you are hoping to grow your blog! For most of us, this doesn’t happen overnight and requires a lot of work and patience.
What makes you return to a blog over and over again… great content!
Your posts should be easy to read, have great pictures, and post on a consistent schedule. Our readers can expect to see our own projects posted at least twice a week. Sometimes it is an in-depth tutorial and sometimes it is just some pretty pictures of what we have made and some helpful tips.
It is certainly great to highlight the projects of others, but your main goal should be to let your readers see your talent and creativity through showcasing your own work!
Link Parties. We believe that participating in link parties is the most reliable source of getting traffic to your blog. Let’s face it… most blogs don’t just get discovered.
You have to put yourself out there!
There are dozens and dozens of parties that you can link up to, but don’t forget to use your manners. For the blogs that are hosting these parties, it is a tremendous amount of work!
Make sure you choose a great photo of your project to link up, with a concise description of it to get your project noticed. We link up to a ton of parties each week. It is a lot of work and time, but it has paid off for us so much!
Branding. The classic marketing term “brand” means… a name, symbol, or a design that identifies the goods and services of one seller. Think of your creations and posts as the product you are selling, and yourself as the brand.
Your blog header,favicon, and avatar {the tiny image that you use as your logo} should be the same, to establish your online presence. I love that our avatar is bright and easily recognizable.
The other thing that is important when creating your brand, is to have a tagline that describes what you do. Kristin’s blog header includes her name, Simply Klassic Home, and the tag line ”defining self and style on a single mom’s budget” which lets people know what she does. Pretty easy stuff, right?
Finally, make sure that your name that shows up when you leave a comment, and also includes your blog name. For example, when I comment on something it will read… “Trish @ Uncommon“. You know who I am, and what blog I am from. How many times do you get a comment from “Suzie-Q” and you have to click on “Suzie-Q’s” name to find her profile, to see what blog they are from?
Social Media. While you may have a facebook account for yourself, do you have a facebook fan page for your blog? Social Media outlets like Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Stumble Upon, Pinterest, etc.. are a wonderful way to connect with other bloggers. This is also a more casual way to get your name out there, and get to know bloggers in their everyday lives. We actually feature several projects a week from our link party on Facebook and Twitter. Pinterest is one of the top referrers of traffic to our blog.
Community. The last thing to consider when trying to market yourself and your blog, is to remember that you are a part of a huge community of bloggers. I used to see people commenting about how they have the best blogging buddies ever and wondered what was wrong with me because I didn’t have anyone to call a blogging buddy. So, I put my big girl panties on and really tried to connect with a few bloggers that I identified with. I would comment on their projects, ask questions, join their link parties, and follow their social media outlets. I guess I was stalking a few people, but I am finally getting to where I have my own group of blog buddies!
In conclusion just remember to be yourself, have patience, and have fun!
*Trish
|
Great tips, Trish! You all have a great presence and I love your work. Thank you for sharing your insights.
<3 Christina
Thanks so much Christina! We feel the same about you!
Take care,
Trish
Thanks Trish! Great post! I might just have to change my avatar…! Great pointers. Janelle
You are so welcome! Having a picture of yourself can really help your readers connect with you, too! The logo just works really well for us! Have a good one!
Take care,
Trish
Great article thanks, would love to hear more about how to use Google +, I don’t really get it very much
Thank you Kelley! Your avatar is probably my absolute favorite out there! So bright and bold! Love it! As far as Google +, Shasta from the blog, In the Old Road is doing a fabulous series on Google + right now. She explains things much better than I ever could!
http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb466/intheoldroad/?action=view¤t=gseries159button.jpg
We are also hosting a Google + Blog hop on August 4th with several bloggers!
Take care,
Trish
Such a valuable post, thanks, I am pinning it!
Thanks Margo. We are not experts by any stretch, but these things have helped us! Have a wonderful week!
Take care,
Trish
Excellent ideas! thanks for sharing.
You are so welcome Pamela! Thanks for stopping by!
Take care,
Trish
Thanks for the tips! My blog growth has been very slow and it helps to hear the word “patience” and “hard work.” Sometimes I feel I put so much work into it and have little/no results. I’ll get there, I guess…just gotta keep going (and reading blog posts like yours!) Thanks again!
Randi @ regalrhino.com
You are so welcome. It is such a crazy amount of work and it took us a while, too! You will get there! I heard from a blogger once to only compare yourself to yourself and I have to remind myself that daily! Best of luck!
Take care,
Trish
Good tips that can be valuable!
Thanks Laura! Hope you are having a great Summer! We have to plan a lunch date when the kids get back in school!
Take care,
Trish
Thanks Trish for this article. It’s very helpful to us beginner bloggers. Sometimes just hearing be patient and keep going is so awesome.
Thanks for sharing your tips with us! One of the things I like best about being part of this community is how helpful everyone is. ~ Maureen
I couldn’t agree more Maureen! I am so thankful for all the support we receive and how encouraging everyone is! Hope you have a wonderful end to your week!
Take care,
Trish
Terrific tips! As I approach my 1 year blogiversary I look back and realize how much work I have put into my lil blog. But, I also realize how much I love it and what wonderful people I have met because I took the leap! I always am mindful that the blogging world IS a community and try to be as helpful to new bloggers as the big time bloggers have been to me!
Kathe,
I feel the exact same way! Blogging can be a crazy amount of work, but it is so worth it! I am also so grateful to bloggers who have and continue to help us!
Take care,
Trish
Awesome tips and I love your banner btw!
Joining you via the Mingle Blog Hop
Sarah
http://acatlikecuriosity.blogspot.co.uk
Thanks Sarah! Checked out your blog and a huge congrats on the new house you found! Have a nice weekend!
Take care,
Trish
Thanks for the tips! I have a hard time with the patience thing… Espescially when I see other bloggers out there who seem to be growing their blog so quickly in such a short time! But you’re right… You can’t compare yourself to others.
I really struggle with that, too! I have to tell that middle-schooler inside me to hush all too often! Have a good one!
Take care,
Trish
These are SO wonderful! Thanks for helping the rest of us out!
Girl, thank you for all that you have helped us out! Hope the move is going well!
Take care,
Trish
Thanks for all the great ideas. I need to make some major changes
I can promise you that we all have felt like or still feel like that! It will come!
Take care,
Trish
Great stuff to learn and remember
Thanks girls!!
Thanks for all the support that you are so kind in giving to us! We appreciate you so much!
Take care,
Trish
Thank you for this Trish – great tips. And your blog is totally one of my favs -thank you for always being so open, kind and encouraging xx Nat
Nat, you are just so kind. Thank you! I am so glad that you like our blog and and we are so grateful for your constant support!
Take care,
Trish
Great post and you are SO SO right – you have to get out there and self promote! and make some friends by being friendly! And write great content!
Not much different than the real world, right?! Have a great week!
Take care,
Trish
Great post, Trish! Those are all things that have helped me along the way as well.
Thanks Randi! Have a wonderful week!
Take care,
Trish
Great info Trish! I, too, am trying to grow my blog. I plan on putting your article to use! Appreciate you taking the time to write this for us!
Blessings,
Torri
No problem, Torri! Thanks so much for reading the post!
Take care,
Trish
Found your blog through Strut Your Stuff link party. Great advice on building a blog. I am currently trying to do just that. Have a wonderful weekend! Stacie xo
Thanks Stacie! I am so glad that you came over! Have a wonderful week!
Take care,
Trish
This is wonderful advice! I currently do some of these things but several others I am going to utilize…THANKS
Have a great weekend~
Shawn
Thanks Shawn! I hope they help you, too! Have a good one!
Take care,
Trish
Great tips! I’m relatively new to blogging so I’m hungry for all the info I can gather! Thanks!
http://pinspiring.blogspot.com
Hey just wanted to let you know I have given you a blog award to check it out go here
http://www.missinformationblog.com/2012/07/given-and-gettin-blog-awards.html
thank you for the tips!!!
http://sparkleando.blogspot.com
Awesome tips!!! I’m pinning! XO, Aimee
This is Melissa @ Daisy Mae Belle. As a newer blogger (almost 4 months now!) I really appreciate this great advice! There is still so much that needs to be done to my blog! I am making my priority list! I cannot do it all at once!
Great advice!! So glad I saw you repost this on Twitter today
Wonderfule tips!
In these days people use marketing to promote their website and blog, by these thing they can advertise products and can get traffic on websites.
Business Search
Great tips, Trish!
Love my blogging buddies
Lyuba@willcookforsmiles recently posted..Baked Crab Mac And Cheese
I’m happy to know that I’m not that far from the right path. I truly believe what you say, and it’s also important to be caring to other bloggers and be there for them giving as much as we can from ourself, it is as important as having fun. What I mean is (my English is not that good) that is important to keep in mind that is not only about grow our blog (that is a consequence), it is also about being caring and helpful. In the same measure we give we are going to get. I’m very new at this so I have taken all the tips and advises I could, and I get so excited when finally I some attention, it’s like the biggest reward for my hard work and caring! I don’t know if I make sense, but I honestly care about other bloggers and I do everything that I can (sometimes I get lost, there is so much to do that I miss steps) and I just love this world, all the friends that I’ve made, and there is so much I have to share that I need more hours on my day hahahaha
Thank you so much for this post, there are many awesome tips and important reminders, So cool!
Hope you are having a great day!
Hugs
Cami @ TitiCrafty blogspot
Camila recently posted..Fun Twitter Backgrounds Freebie!