Wednesday, June 20, 2007

I Need Blogging Advice

Two things I’m finding difficult as I approach the start of my third month as a blogger. I wonder if all you blog-doggies have any tips you’d be willing to share?

  • Finding blogs I like: I did find a few, early on. (See my blogroll, to the right on this page). But I’m having trouble finding any more. Tried Technorati blog search, Google blog search, Ask.com’s blog search. Each with many different search terms. Have tried the links on other folks’ blog rolls, but given that I only have a few faves, there’s not much there. With well over a million blogs out there, I know there are some I want to read. How should I go about finding them?
  • Generating audience: I have tried the basics: Dropping comments on blogs I like (this is limited because of the problem listed above). Registering with Technorati. Creating multiple tags for every post. What else should I do? Stuff that really works, not something you need to do a million times, and then you start to see results.

I know two months isn’t a very long time, and an audience grows slowly (and then all at once). I also am aware that I am still finding my focus for this blog, and upcoming life changes might create even more shifts. I’m just wondering if there’s anything I can be doing to help it along.

8 comments:

Adam Thornton said...

I'm not sure how you find more blogs that you like (I have enough that I don't dare look for any more!) other than looking through other people's blogrolls.

As for generating an audience, for sure three months isn't very long! Keep in mind that people really DO use Technorati for searches, so be sure to put distinctive tags in your posts that should attract the sort of people you want to attract.

Commenting on other blogs does work...that's how *I* became a reader of Thinkulous!

The thing is, EVERYBODY has a blog, so getting a readership really depends more on good fortune than anything else, I think. It requires a certain post that a popular blogger happens to read and reference, then bam.

Adam Thornton said...

One more thing: there are ALWAYS lurkers. Even if a post gets no comments, rest assured that several people are reading it anyway.

Harry said...

Muffy, your comments are kind and helpful. What I mostly hear in them is, a) be patient, and b) keep doing what I'm doing. I appreciate it.

I neglected to mention I'm also enrolled in a site which allows me to monitor the stats of how many folks visit which pages, how often, etc. I'm a little over-involved at this point in that information, but I know that once my summer job kicks in, I'll be much more light-handed about the whole deal!

El Cabrero said...

Two suggestions. First, try when appropriate cross-posting your stuff on other blogs and including a link. I'm thinking places like Daily Kos etc. I've posted literature, history and theory stuff there after they run in Goat Rope.

The other thing someone told me recently is add a blog link to your email signature.

Adam Thornton said...

Two of the things I'm addicted to: web stats and Daily Kos. :)

I learn far too much from the stats for my website, especially from the search text they use to find me. I don't want to be known for "girl crotch," "naked barbie," or "hairy mole," but what can you do?

Yup, it's patience and slogging, I think. Us poor little fish. Hopefully loose-fish.

Harry said...

Cabrero and Muffy, thank you both kindly. I know nothing about the Daily Kos, but since you *both* suggested it, I'll definitely check it out.

I have indeed been leaving a modest trail of links on blogs of related interest, but having trouble finding them. I know it seems unlikely. Maybe I'm just too picky.

Off to try your suggestions!

Janis Bland said...

I and a (retired) friend have been blogging since February. She has lots of visits, I don't. It's simply a matter of cross-posting, as El Cabrero said.

My friend is retired. She has time to cultivate traffic. I work and travel often, so I don't. Sometimes I wish I had more traffic, because I rather like my blog. But then, I realize I'm only doing it for fun, so who cares? :)

There's a non-helpful comment from Juanuchis. :)

Harry said...

Thanks for the extra perspective, Juanuchis. I'm hoping that after my job starts again, next week (and then lots of other stuff happens in the fall, including going back to finish my last year of grad school) I'll be able to keep this up!