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Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Growing Your Blog - My Top Five Tips For "Successful" Blogging

I have been getting emails from many of you asking my advice on how to gain readership and grow your blog. While I am no expert, I will share what I have found to be most effective (or at least what seems to have been working for me!).

My Top Five Tips For Growing Your Blog (or, at least what I've learned so far!)

Content

If you've ever Googled how to grow your blog (increase traffic, readership, etc.), you will almost always find an article that says, "Content is King." There are already top-notch articles out there on writing good content (see bottom of post), so I will just add my two cents. Be passionate about what you write about, keep your articles around 500 words (unless exploring a topic that needs more depth), bold things that you really want to stand out (many people just skim an article, plus it makes it interesting), and either make people laugh, think, or "do".

Design

If you are serious about growing your blog, you might want to consider getting a designer so you stand out from other blogs (or whip up some design magic of your own!). I would also add that a nice, clean-looking blog is usually best. Stay away from too much clutter on the sidebars.

If you would like to talk with a designer, I recommend Simply Vintage Girl Designs (my darling designer), Extravagant Grace Designs, and APH Boutique. (Don't have the $ to use a designer, check out the offer at the bottom of today's post!)

Guest Posting

If you have great content but no one around to read it, the "king" is dead. One of the best ways to get your content out there is to guest post for other bloggers and have them guest post for you. Check out my article "Want More Traffic & Subscribers? Guest Post!" for more details about guest posting and how to go about it.

Prompts

People may love your blog, but many times once they leave it, they will forget about it, especially if they have kids {ahem}. Prompt them to subscribe to your blog (or follow you on Twitter, etc.) so they can be "reminded" to visit you.

Give It To God


If you are a Christian, I cannot stress this one enough. Unless God blesses it, forget it, you'll just be working in vain. Give your blog to the Lord and let Him be in control of what happens with it.

"Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it." Psalm 127:1

Well, there you have it. Simple and straightforward.

You can also read this post for blogging tips from successful bloggers, blogging time managment, getting free stuff, and making money.

Anything you'd like to add?

Keep up with me by clicking here and following me on Twitter @sarahmaeblogs ! :)

I now defer to the "pro's:"

How NOT To Get a Guest Post Published


10 Effective Ways to Get More Blog Subscribers


How To Write Great Blog Content

Are You Throwing Away Your Best Content Ideas?

How To Get Traffic To Your Blog

21 Surefire Tips for a Successful Blog Launch

Effective Blog Design Tips for Successful Blogging


Ten Simple Tips For Successful Blogging

*eLisa from Extravagant Grace Designs has offered to give $15 off a full blogger design, if you are a follower of my blog and become a follower of her blog. Make sure to let her know when you email her about a new design!


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21 comments:

Loren said...

thanks Sarah Mae! You do an awesome job clearly!

Joyeful said...

Great advice!! Thank you for sharing!

Kim @ Homesteader's Heart said...

From the looks of your subscribers and followers I'd say you know what you're talking about! LOL.
I'm shocked just to have as many followers as I do! LOL. But I guess people need a good laugh every now and again.
Keep up the good work my friend.
HUGS.
Kim

Teresa & Julie-Andi said...

I absolutely agree with Giving it to God. I often pray asking for God's direction with my own blog.

Lisa said...

Great tips, Sarah Mae! Love your perspective and simplicity of it. Thanks, too, for recommending me as a designer. What a treat!

I'd love to bless your readers longing for a new design, but needing an incentive for moving forward. I'll give them $15 off a full blogger design, if they are a follower of your blog, become a follower of mine, and let me know when they email me about a new design.

Blessings, extravagantly!

Tiffany said...

Excellent advice. The other element of all of this is that it just takes time. Building good content, growing readership takes time. I'm impatient and have to remind myself of this sometimes.

Kelly @ Wisdom Begun said...

Excellent post. The last point, about giving the blog to God, was close to home. I have had to do just that recently and in turn, He has shown me nothing but blessing surrounding it.

Amanda Jo said...

Great tips! Thanks Sarah!

Julianne said...

Thanks for all the wonderful advice! I love that at the end you adviced to give it to God. I've just been praying that exact thing lately, as a newbie I need to remember to leave it in God's hands.
Julianne

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

Great advice... thank you very much!

Donnetta said...

Thanks for these tips and for the links!

I have bookmarked this post so I can come back to it later to read all of the links you've included!

Jacquelyn said...

You forgot the most important thing!! You have to ask yourself "Why do I want people following my blog?" and "What do I offer my readers (by way of advice, tips, encouragement etc.) that they can't get anywhere else?" Sometimes you have to focus your blog a bit in order to connect with a specific group of blog readers. :)

Heathahlee said...

Thank you for this! I needed to hear that last tip most of all! : )

Kela said...

Super post Sarah Mae! I want to say thank you for the invitation to guest post. What a blessing and honor.

BTW...I have something for you at my blog, http://tinyurl.com/qdgdzm

Anonymous said...

Great list - lots of wonderful advice. :)

Thanks for including me. I feel so special.

Shalom!

Muthering Heights said...

Thank you for sharing this advice! :)

Unknown said...

Thank you! You are so good at this whole blog thing!!!

Mozi Esme said...

Thanks for a terrific post!

Unknown said...

These are great tips Sarah Mae!! And I noticed that you changed your wording under design which I think was great - just changed the tone slightly. That's one thing that I love about you - you really care and think about what you say and how you say it.

Of course I would like my blog to grow and have some improvements/changes I could make, but at the same time I think that the Lord knows that I can't handle too much too fast - so slow & steady is just right for me!

Jen @ One Moms World said...

What a great post and such great tips too. I especially love the last tip :). God is good.

Real Life Sarah said...

I am taking that last point to heart! I really need to rededicate my blog to God. Thanks for these inspirations