Popular blogs always seem to have a conversation going around them or within them. This fostering of a large blogging community grows their traffic!
Do you remember when you first started to blog? Like, how exhilarating AND depressing was that first month? You know what I’m talking about.
It felt so good pushing out post after post and being all creative! And then you realized no-one was reading (except for your cat looking over your shoulder). Your total Twitter follower count was ONE, and it turned out to be a freaking bot.
And then on top of everything, you never understood what the heck Facebook pages did and weren’t sure why only your mom was liking your posts (wtf, dad).
If you don’t know what that feels like, you probably haven’t started your blog yet. 🙂 Lucky you, though, because you might be able to avoid all these experiences by following all the good blogging advice!
As a fashion blogger, your fashion blogging community will not only like your shoes but also make sure that you stand out within your niche.
The best advice I can give you: grow your blogging community. If you focus on this from the start, your mom will have buddies liking your FB posts alongside her! Yay!
As a fashion blogger, your fashion blogging community will not only like your shoes but also make sure that you stand out within your niche. That’s because a rock solid circle of friends equals a lot of valuable shares and buzz around what you have to say!
What your blogging community needs from you:
1. They need you to be the real you.
Not saying you’re fake. Am saying that maybe a scholarly approach is not the best way to get a full-fledged audience flocking to your posts. (FYI If you’re subscribed to the newsletter, you’ll be getting an email telling you how to write casually for your audience.) The thing is, you have to be YOU to make friends (because you’re incredible, friend). People need to know your personality, so leave the ultra-dry research-like writing for the scientists and start being an approachable and relatable blogger. 🙂
2. They need you to talk to them.
Cuz, as I mentioned above, there are enough bots out there. It’s so frustrating when you ask a question or try to interact on a thread and you never hear back from the person you’re communicating with. This might be the fault of the commenting system you use. I went through several different commenting systems on my blog before finally settling on Disqus. I really didn’t want to switch over for the longest time because all my old comments from previous posts would be forever lost, but I decided Disqus offered way too much to be passed up. It emails me every time someone leaves a comment so I can respond right away! In turn, the commenter gets an e-mail with my response. Ta-da!! It’s a conversation! And that’s what blog comments should be for!
3. They need you to be thoughtful in your conversations.
Speaking of comments and conversations, you need to be thoughtful when you comment on other blogs. When someone puts a lot of work into their blog post and asks meaningful questions, but you slide through and leave a one-word response with a link drop, you’re not actually offering yourself up for friendship. Let the writer know why you connect to their content and why you appreciate their writing, photos, or information. You want quality relationships, so focus on quality conversations.
4. They want you to ask them for input.
Encourage conversations around your posts. If you give readers an easy way to interact with you, they’re more likely to respond in a thoughtful manner. So, ask questions with your posts!
5. They need to be invited in.
Aka, use your social media to find some new eyes! I know you know this already. Blah, blah, blah, schedule, post, repeat, etc. What I mean is, actually interact on social media SLOWLY and meaningfully. Respond to tweets you find impactful and encourage conversations. Participate in Facebook groups where you ask and answer questions about your area of expertise. Actually, use Instagram as an inspiration tool and interact with accounts outside of your usual comfort zone in a “slow” way. You know what I’m talking about. It’s that thing that not many of us do anymore because we’re so focused on an instant boost in numbers without actually thinking of long term implications.
6. They might want to meet up for a coffee (or a drink)!
Yeah- totally. I’ve met SO many amazing people (bloggers!!) in real life since starting this blog (if you’re NYC based, we frequently meet up and network/talk about blogging through NYCSC). All these, initially work oriented, relationships turned into inspiring friendships. Don’t be afraid to connect outside of the internet. If you find yourself meeting many people, consider starting a monthly meet up for everyone and start connecting people! Your new network will totally appreciate it, and it’ll be an even more fulfilling relationship online!
7. They want to be noticed!!
Don’t ignore your readers. Feature them, talk about them and mention them in your articles. If someone said a useful piece of info that’s relevant to your post topic, don’t leave them out. Make sure to acknowledge them thoughtfully. 🙂
8. They want consistency.
Seriously, try your best to stay consistent! This has been something I heard as advice throughout my entire blogging career. Everyone from my husband (who’s an amazing entrepreneur in his own right) to all the career coaches, course teachers, and other successful bloggers and entrepreneurs all say STAY CONSISTENT. If you publish once a week, keep on schedule and keep publishing.
Which tip resonates most with how you like to grow your community? Is there something I missed that worked for you in building your loyal readership?
