KatyRose topic of questions this week is reader connectedness which I think should be the heart of each blog. If you would like to read what others have to say please stop by www.modlychic.blogspot.com.
Okay here goes…..
1. How important do you think reader connectedness is to the success of your blog?
I think it’s important to have reader connectedness; but I also think that it’s great to have good content because if you have good content readers will come. It’s give and take because you have to research your material to get a good story.
I often have friends telling me they are following my blog although not virtually following it by clicking on a follow me button or subscribing to one of my communities so I know that people are reading.
2. What do you do to draw readers in and create that writer-reader bond?
I really haven’t done market research on how I attract readers in. I officially started this blog because I love fashion, beauty and hair care and I thought that I could offer some good tips and offer hair care advice. Even a year later, I write because it’s fun and enjoyable, not to formulate a technique to get people to read my blog. This blog is about sharing information on fashion and beauty that can help someone.
3. What is one way you can improve this connection?
-I think I would like to spend more time reading other blogs and commenting more. I have commented on some blogs that have never commented back on mine and I don’t want to do that. I want to make sure that when people comment on my page I need to make the effort to comment back.
I said it in the above paragraph but I really would like to comment more.
On IFB there’s the comment challenge and I think that’s awesome because that’s a way we can build the blogging community and it’s a bit of self promotion as well. I will not leave simple post like “cute blog”. I want to make sure I leave a comment about the post I have read not just leaving a comment to get someone to look at my blog. I think that a comment is spam if it is not related to the post that you have on your blog that someone is responding to and I delete those comments. I have often made solid comments on blogs to not have that blogger to comment on mine, but that’s their prerogative.
I map out the chain and then it makes it easier to carry out this goal.
Fashion Blogger—>Research—->Write Content—->Publish—>Reader-Connection—–>Comment
This seems simple but I realize that I have to read between the lines to make the connection.
4. Is there a blogger you think does a great job creating that writer-reader bond? Why?
It’s hard to choose because I enjoy so many. I think KatyRose of www.modlychic.blogspot.com does a great job because even though everyone cannot comment on everyone’s blog since there are so many, bloggers come together to post on one topic every Friday and a group has been created with new bloggers joining everyday. Other Blog communities I love being a part of is Blogfrog, SITS, The Lady bloggers Society and Blog Catalog. Being personable like a warm cup of tea is oh so nice. Veshoevius of Taxonomy of my wardrobe and Grit and Glamour are blogs that I also think give that connection to their readers. I know that I have learned a lot from all these women.
5. What do you do to cultivate new readers? How do you get them to your site in the first place?
To cultivate new readers I comment on every comment I receive and I post fresh content at least 3 to 4 times a week so it keeps the blog current with new material. I do what I love to do and if a reader request for me to write or do a video on a particular topic I will make an effort to do it.
Sometimes I feel out of the loop because I work a full-time job so I can’t comment during the day and when evening comes the discussions have already been going on long before I am able to get on. Can’t let that stop me though.
To increase readership to my site:
- I respond to every comment unless I am at work and can’t give feedback until the evening.
- Joined communities like Blogfrog
- Having a window for readers to subscribe to my blog via email
- Subscribe via bloglovin
- Subscribe via blog catalog
- Recently created a Facebook page
- Included the Kind-Hearted Blogger to my blog
I must continue to show the world my tips on how to be fashionable!
Photograph by Jason
Stopped by from LBS:) For me, the sense of community is the best part about blogging. I visit every blogger who comments on my blog for the first time. I respond to many of the comments left on my blog, but don’t have time for all. I think it is important to “share the love” by supporting other bloggers. I’ve done facebook too but don’t know if that is doing anything for my blog. Just started getting into Twitter too.
Thanks for stopping by. I agree that we have to share the love by supporting other bloggers. I’m going to check out your blog now.
Having ‘tea’ with you by way of The Lady Bloggers Social Tea Party .
Luvin’ these tips on staying connected to your ‘followers’. Especially like your response to #2. I agree that as we ‘grow’ more & more ‘followers’, often times we experience anxiety about the subject matter of the posts that we publish.
I feel, as you do that, if our posts remain true to the reasons that initially motivated us to begin blogging, our ‘followers’ will continue to be interested in our blogs.
Thanx for allowing me to share ‘Tea’ with you today
{S.T.U.F.F.}
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Well now I HAVE to comment! (but don’t feel you need to reply ; )
Thank you, JT, for replying to my group ‘help, where are the questions?’ email. I’m probably too late for this week but will continue to do it, they’re interesting questions. re: comments I now feel so rude that I haven’t been replying to everyone’s comments: well, last week I discovered that at 40 hrs/week average ‘blogging’ (including street shooting, meeting with other bloggers, everything else) I’m already spending too much time in the blogging world. And then.. I write such long comments I can only manage a few at a time.
I also find that some bloggers are commenting – you know, the quick comments where the url to their blog is longer than their comment – just to get recognised and get people to come to their blog and that’s FINE with me: that’s wonderful. I always hoped my blog could be a forum where people could talk to each other and I could leave the virtual room and they’d still be talking, so I try to encourage that. I hope they understand that I can’t logistically reply to each of them.
That said… I discovered the wonderful women in FBFF (is that the acronym?) thru the lovely Veshoevious. She had left such great comments and a week or so ago I thought ‘this is really rude, I’ve never seen her blog’ – and got drawn in to one of her Friday posts. Ironically, on ‘copycats’ -a problem I didn’t think I’d have, until a few days later, I did.
Sounds like you’re blogging for all the right reasons and most importantly you sound like a really nice person and I’ll be back! Okay, I think that’s enough for me for one post.
Thanks Jill,
Glad you could answer the questions and your a part of Friend Friday (FBFF is the correct acronym).
40 hours a week is a full-time job, I can see if you would like to take a break once in a while.
I agree that I don’t have a problem with people leaving a url just as long as they at least make a comment that’s related to the post.
If some one says “Cute skirt” I am not going to take that off my blog however if someone says ” if you would like to know how to get Claritin” well that’s down right spam so that comment is never seeing the light of day.
I do not have a large number of subscribers yet so I respond to everyone but if it gets to be bigger than that I will have to think about how I will do things but I want to make sure I keep the connection.
Veshoevius is very cool and I am glad you found out about FBFF through her.
You have been through a lot I thought that was so crazy for that Spanish Elle blogger to take your photos without your permission. I am right there with you believing that they will send you a letter of apology.
I appreciate you commenting on my blog and you sound pretty nice yourself.
What is the Kind-Hearted Blogger?
The Auspicious Life
This is the link to the creator of the Kind-Hearted Blogger campaign, it sounded like a good thing to do to always treat people well and with respect.
I put the link here and it’s under my Kind-Hearted Blogger tab:
http://emjayandme.blogspot.com/2010/07/kind-hearted-blogger-campaign.html
Hello JT! I want to thank you for commenting on my blog, and I see that you’re part of the Friend Friday community. So another Hello!
I feel like I am starting to put my favorite blogs in two catagories, some are good, but never comment back or respond at all, and I still visit, but find it hard to feel attached (especially after I’ve made a few comments and they don’t have THAT many commenters) and then there are ones I try to visit as often as I can, because there seems to be a dialogue between us, and our other blogger community pals. Folks like Vahni of Grit and Glamour, Kristy Elena of Vogue Gone Rogue, Jemina of Jemina are beginning to seem like real friends. And I feel connected a bit more to their blogs and their subject matter. I like the 2nd catagory a lot. Probably what keeps me blogging. And when time is tight and I don’t have a minute to spare, its the friend/folks I make the time for, as much as I can.
Off to your facebook page where I can fan you. Hopefully you’re on Networked Blogs there and I can subscribe.
Thanks so much for your positive comment and your upbeat blog! Take care. xo. -Bella Q
http://thecitizenrosebud.com
Hi back at ya and glad to see a FBFF member!
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate it. I am feeling the two categories your talking about. I comment to the ones I really like and get nothing back so I say I shouldn’t let that stop me but you would think that they would say something. Am I doing something wrong, so perplexed with that.
I always try to keep it upbeat so I keep my chin up and move on.
I’m going to subscribe to your blog now.
Thanks for stopping by!
Great answers! Having great content that your readers can comment on in the first place is super important to reader connectedness! I totally understand how the day job can hinder reading and commenting on other blogs. I just upgraded my phone to an Android and I just installed Google Reader on it, which is a lifesaver when it comes to that! I can read and comment all on my phone on my lunch and other breaks I get if work gets too hectic!
Thanks MJ!
Yeah can’t sweat it with trying to find the time to comment or do posts, just have to do it when I can. I have to look into that because I am in the process of upgrading my phone. That’s a great idea.