No blogger wants to hear the words, “Your blog is ugly”.
Although most bloggers are concerned how they are perceived online and will ask fellow bloggers what they think of, or how they can improve their blogs, some bloggers REALLY don’t want to know.
They like their blog just as it is.
And that’s okay.
Today’s Lesson
I’ll admit, I don’t like receiving nor giving criticism. If not done correctly, it can project a negative vibe.
In fact, if you asked me what I think of your blog, I’d find something I like about it and pay you a compliment.
And, I’m not saying that just to please you.
Just like I wouldn’t come into your home and say “You need to move that picture.”, I don’t feel it’s my place to tell you how to design your own online space.
After all, your blog a reflection of YOU.
That said, I will share what I like to see on blogs.
- What is the blog about?
- Recent/favorite and/or random posts
- Where’s the “about me” page?
Oftentimes the name of a blog does not reveal what a blog is about. That’s where the tagline comes in. A simple sentence will let readers know what our blog is about and what they can expect from us in the future.
When I land on a blog I’m not familiar with, I may want to read something other than the current article. If I can’t find older posts, I leave. I don’t have time to dig for them, nor do I want to keep hitting “previous” or “next”.
An “about” page doesn’t have to be long, but I like knowing a little about the blog author(s). Need help writing one? See this post on how to write an “about” page.
So there you have it, three things I look for when I land on a blog.
What about you?
Today’s Assignment
What do you look for when you land on a blog?
Would you want others to tell you how to improve your blog?
Care to share?
P.S. The same may not apply to business blogs which should look as professional as possible.
P.S.S. I’m not saying my blogs are perfect, rather they’re a work in progress – always evolving.
We start blogs with no idea of what to expect.
Hi. I'm Barbara Swafford and I'd like to welcome you to Blogging Without A Blog. Grab a seat, share your thoughts and join in the conversation. 
For some blogs, it can take months before someone comments. For others, a matter of days.
It’s when we feel what we’re sharing isn’t being read, we think of giving up.
After all, blogging is supposed to be interactive.
Today’s Lesson
I feel fortunate that I receive the amount of comments I do. Comments inspire me to continue on. Comments inspire new posts. And via comments I get to meet other bloggers.
But it wasn’t always that way. My audience (or lack thereof) remained silent for quite some time.
I’d publish posts, but no one seemed to care.
But I didn’t give up.
What worked for me were five things.
Not every blogger reciprocated with comments on my blog, but some did, as did some of their readers. HINT: Comment on new or smaller blogs. Generally, A-list bloggers do not reciprocate comments.
I set up a series which I named, “New Blog Of The Week” (NBOTW) and hunted for new bloggers (usually under four months old). I used Tuesday as my NBOTW day and would write a post showcasing their blog, including excerpts from three of their posts/pages and included links to them.
This was a slow process, but over time, I began to build my readership, as well as my blog community.
I’ve discontinued this series, however, the list of 90 blogs remains here.
Even if you feel your post is complete, it doesn’t hurt to ask your readers, “Did I forget anything?’, “What are your thoughts on this topic?”, or ____fill in the blank___.
Give readers a reason to comment.
Although I occasionally miss comments which show up on older posts, my goal is answer all comments I receive on this blog.
Unfortunately, due to the amount of spam I receive, I closed the comments on posts older than 90 days.
Liz Strauss, of Successful and Outstanding Bloggers is known for the huge amount of comments she has received over the years so naturally she was the one I approached for advice.
In a two part interview, I asked Liz, How to Maximize Blog Comments and How To Get Readers To Join Your Community.
The information Liz shared is priceless.
For some bloggers, comments aren’t important, but for others, they become the real reason to continue on.
Today’s Assignment
What technique(s) do/did you use to entice your readers to comment?
Care to share?