Blogger: Rachel Zurakowski
Location: Books & Such Literary Agency Main Office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
Since I’m hosting a blog carnival on Thursday, I thought I’d spend today and tomorrow blogging about blogging. Today I’ll write about what you should be sure to do when you blog, and tomorrow I’ll talk about what to avoid.
Here are some tips to help you keep a healthy blog:
1) Blog frequently: When you blog regularly you will keep the interest of your audience (at least twice per week).
2) Keep a schedule: Blogging on the same days each week allows those following the blog to know when to expect new content.
3) Write to your brand: If you’re an author, write book- and publishing-related posts and posts that relate to book content. Focus on the relevant.
4) Introduce exciting content: Host contests, have guest bloggers blog for you, link to other great blogs…think outside the box and find ways to keep your readers engaged in your blog.
5) Use social media and newsletters to promote your blog: If you have a Facebook or Myspace account, be sure to post a status update announcing new blog posts. Also, if you have an e-newsletter, include a link to your blog as part of your signature. If your blog content relates to your newsletter content, write a little paragraph inviting your newsletter audience to discuss the topic on your blog.
6) Link to your blog from your web page and link to your web page on your blog: Make sure that followers can easily navigate between your web page and blog.
7) Offer to guest blog with blogs for similar audiences: As bloggers know, it’s often hard to come up with new content for a blog multiple times a week. A blogger with a similar audience to yours might love a day off from blogging, and you can fill in for him or her for the day. This way, the two of you can “share” your audiences with each other. The chance to guest blog or even “blog swap” (when you both guest blog for each other) could help both of you to market your blogs.
8) Have fun with it! Your enthusiasm for your blog will show in your writing. The more fun you have writing, the more fun your readers will have reading, and then they’ll tell their friends to check out your blog.
9) Invite your audience to comment and participate: It feels nice to have an invitation to participate. Be sure to invite comments.
10) Respond to questions: Responding to questions left in the comments section lets readers know that you care about them and about what they think. If you can, also respond to regular comments, even if it’s just to thank people for participating.
Do you have any “to do’s” to share? Tune in tomorrow for the “What not to do’s!”
I’m new to blogging, so this week’s posts are very timely for me. 🙂 One thing I appreciate on a blog is when the posts are short and sweet. I’m okay with an occasional long post, but I tend to skim a blog that is consistently long-winded.
Thanks for the tips, Rachel! Ever since my boss showed me the wonder that is Google Reader, I am addicted to blogs. Pretty much all my favorites follow the guidelines you mentioned, and they also share a unique voice. If a blogger can make me laugh, they have officially wooed me. And they get added to my Google Reader. 🙂
Thanks for the tips, Rachel! I’ve also found that if you give something away, that’ll increase traffic! I give away a box of books every month to one winner! For this month’s giveaway, it’s a box of Christmas novella collections…and boy, oh, boy, I’ve gotten a ton of response for that giveaway. I’ve found that traffic will increase for several days after I’ve posted the giveaway, and I’ll even receive a few more comments on my blog posts after I’ve posted a book giveaway!
I agree with the “short posts” suggestions. On many blogs 2 minutes is all you get from a reader!
I like the way Books & Such invites comments. It brings me back a second time to see if any of the agents here have commented.
I LOVE blogging. Seriously, that’s why I’m wasting time right now reading them. LOL Great post! Looking forward to the next one.
I tend to blog in spurts, when life gets crazy I have a hard time being consistent with it. But I try really hard to because those are the blogs I visit regularly…the ones with fresh funny content that update every couple of days. I don’t mind if it isn’t every day, because then I feel like I might miss something! I don’t like it to be all serious and factual, either. I love sarcasm and wit, so those with a humorous take on life and writing will win my following every time.
Great post. You know, as far as guest blogs…you could have your characters host your blog. I’ve done that a few times. It’s soooo much fun! And, helps you get into the characters even deeper. 🙂