Many bloggers lose interest and quit blogging before they ever get off the ground.
It’s quite common to see blogs all over the internet with 3 or 4 posts or even 50 posts from a couple of years ago and then nothing. They simply vanish into the night.
Think about it. You have a great vision for a blog, you buy your domain name and get your hosting set up. You install WordPress, pick out a killer theme and write that first post.
You are so excited and the next day you write another post and then another. By the end of the first week, you look and begin to wonder why am I doing this? You check your stats and you have a few visitors trickling in, but it’s probably just mom and maybe the wife or co-worker. No one has taken the time to tweet or leave a comment.
It’s just a matter of time, right? You write a few more posts but you begin to feel like you are just writing for yourself and when that happens it’s just a matter of time until you lose interest.
Does this mean that your great idea wasn’t really that great of an idea? Not at all, it just means you haven’t mastered the ability to engage and to leave your readers wanting more.
What you really need is to turn your readers into rabid, insane, obsessed fans that value what you have to say and that can’t wait to read your next post.
How do you do this?
First you need to get the right people coming to your blog. You need to start by visiting other blogs in your niche and read some posts and leave some comments. You want to leave some good feedback for the blog author and try to offer them some points they may not have thought of in their post or give them an opposing view. Yes, it is okay to disagree with the author as long as you are constructive and keep it civil.
By posting comments on another blog, you are telling that blogger that “hey, come check out my site too and leave me some comments.” You’ll find that most bloggers will visit your site at least the first time they see you and they’ll most likely leave you some comments.
This is a start, but we want your readers salivating so we can’t stop here. You’ve got to give them content. Not just any old content will do. You need to give them something in your own words, like you are sitting across the table talking to them. Tell a story, build some background, give them the facts, but don’t give them everything in one post. We want our readers coming back and back again.
It’s a great idea to have an ongoing series where you give your readers a little more each day. Just like a great novel, build up to the climax and then deliver it. When you read a novel, you don’t want the climax at the beginning or else you’d quit reading.
Another important factor is you need to post regularly. Notice I didn’t say often. I do think it helps to post often but as long as you post regularly so your readers know when to expect new content then that is sufficient.
Every post doesn’t have to hit a home run, but it should be written to someone in your audience that can relate to it. Even if you write to one specific person, many people will relate to it.
Once you start drawing some readers in and getting some good comments, you MUST interact with your commentators. You are basically creating a forum and having a conversation with your readers. If you just put up the post then never respond to your readers then you will soon be all alone again. Also remember what I said earlier about leaving comments on other blogs. If someone leaves a comment on your blog, you need to thank them and offer a reply, but you also need to visit their blog and leave them a comment.
If your blog is just getting started or you are stuck in a rut and looking to break out in a big way then give these tips a try and before you know it, you’ll be having a blast. I’ve given you some tips that can really jump-start your blog.
Mike’s blog can be found at http://www.mikeroosa.com where he writes about such topics as internet marketing, site flipping, building niche sites, making money online, and general productivity among other things. You can also follow him on Twitter.
Jean Sarauer
Evelyn
Tia Peterson
Josh Garcia
Gurl
Wayne Howard
Blog Angel a.k.a....
Justin Germino
John Soares
Mike Roosa
Good advice to get us charged up to keep at our blogs in a systematic way.
Lou Belcher´s last blog ..LIfe… Punch it up a bit before you write about it
Thanks Lou. You have to get out there and make things happen.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The Why
Hi Mike,
These are great tips. I’ve definitely been a little stuck with my blog lately.
I’m going to give your ideas a go and I’ll let you know how it goes.
Sounds like a good plan Jazz.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The Why
This is very good basic advice about how to start/increase the number of readers visiting your blog through active commenting.
In addition, it’s also a good idea for beginning bloggers to get involved and be active in blogging communities such as blogengage.com, entrecard.com, bloggers.com, bloghology.com, etc.
An active Twitter and facebook account are also must have social networking tools.
Blog Angel a.k.a. Joella´s last blog ..Give Your Blog Wings With Creative Content
There are so many more things you can do to promote your blog, and you’re right this is the basics. You have to decide what works for you and how much time you are willing to put into it.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The Why
Nice Mike! Another way of getting the right visitors is to find a relevant blog and guest po….oh, never mind! Nice to see you getting yourself noticed Mike, mind you with the content at mikeroosa.com, I knew it was only a matter of time.
Oh yeah, and awesome post man, I like the way you laid it out systematically. I could have used this post a few months back!
my only tip -just keep plugging away. Something HAS to happen at some point, it’s the laws of nature (or something)
alex´s last blog ..Questioning Duplicate Content: Is it worth giving your content away?
Thanks Alex. Well, everyone says guest posting is a way to drive traffic to your site so we’ll see. This is my second guest post and I’ll definitely be analyzing it. Just because everyone says it’s great doesn’t mean it is. Got to do your own research and testing.
Now it’s your turn. This is a contest and you could actually win something for putting your post up.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The Why
Mike, you are right on here, especially about having a regular blogging schedule.
I write five blogs of my own, plus one for a nonprofit. Four of them have regular schedules, although the posting frequency differs.
I post to my hiking site and the nonprofit site as news and information arises, or according to when I actually go hiking.
I draw up a schedule for each blog with what post will come out on what day.
John Soares´s last blog ..Free Webinar Series on Creating Information Products
Five blogs? Wow, you must be super busy. How do you have time to write and promote them all? Is that your full time job?
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The Why
Hey Mike!
Great post, I don’t think we can stress how important commenting on other blogs is when we are talking to newer bloggers. Not only will it help your traffic, but you will be starting relationships with the authors that will be very valuable to you. I know I’d not be as far along as I am, or as educated about blogging as I am, without other bloggers being kind enough to offer me ideas, tips and tricks.
Gurl´s last blog ..Blogging Lessons From The Rodeo
Building the community around you is very important. If each of the other bloggers begin to promote each others work then that is when you start to see some real gains.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The Why
I’m glad that you stressed ‘regular’ posting but not necessarily ‘often.’ Sometimes new bloggers think they have to post every day or multiple times a day, which unless they’re really a fabulous writer with a lot of quality information will likely just tick people off.
Most of us are still learning and finding our voice when we start out and our writing can leave a lot to be desired. I don’t like to read bad writing three times a week, but 14 times a week just isn’t going to happen.
Jean Sarauer´s last blog ..Celebrating Our Blogging Success
I’ve fallen into that trap myself. I’ve actually been trying to post often, but I find when I post over the weekends, those posts rarely get the views and comments as posts during the week. The important thing is to provide quality and hopefully offer something a little different or at least deliver it in a different way.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The Why
Regular posting really does a lot for this blog and it gives readers a reason to return more often. It gives you more to promote :)
Thanks Mike for your wonderful ideas. Yeah Its a fact that you have to decide which promotion works for you either commenting on other blogs or promoting your blog posts through Social networks. But the thing is You have to make more and more friends on social network so that they too can share our posts. And the last but very important part is to try to post some guest articles for popular blogs in your niche, that way you will surely get some regular readers for your blog.
Avi Singh´s last blog ..Add Extra Feature in Recycle bin
Thanks Avi. No one way is the best way and you have to be willing to experiment to find what works for you. Also, you should be using multiple methods to drive traffic to your site, not just one. Thanks again.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The Why
Great post Mike. I agree. Bloggers should post fresh content on a regular basis. Consistency is an integral part of blogging success.
Blog owners or online business owners should treat their sites like an offline business (e.g., retail store or restaurant).
For instance, it can take up to three months to build brand awareness and increase readership (customer base). Patience is important. It is also equally important to have realistic goals.
Writing a comprehensive business plan and establishing a budget is also critical. Many online business owners make the mistake of starting an online business with no budget (money to pay for promotion) and a plan (business road map).
Well, I’ve never been into business plans, but you do have to be patient. If your blog is a business then you should treat it as such.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The How
Hey Mike,
You bring up great points. I see a great blogs with great theme and the last time a post was made is several months back. Only if they just post at least once a week to keep the momentum going. It is better than leaving the blog sitting there getting rusted.
Chat with you later…
Josh
BTW…Cool pic!
Josh Garcia´s last blog ..Do You Have Determination to Be an Online Marketing Guru?
Thanks Josh. I agree. Even if you don’t post often, you should be online commenting and networking.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The How
Hi Mike, some great tips here. It’s very difficult, especially at the start to spend an hour or two writing the post only to find 3 people read it.
Not surprisingly most people give up.
I guess you’ve just got to keep plugging at it, then getting out there and making your name known.
Write and promote it’s called!
Matthew Needham´s last blog ..Wednesday Wisdom
Don’t be afraid to promote your work. Just because you put something out there, doesn’t mean anyone knows about it or will find it. You need to tell people.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The How
Hey Mike,
Great tips for targeted blog traffic and relationship building with your readers.
I need to post more regularly on my own blog, I do it in spurts, 2 in 1 week then none for ages!
Need to be more consistent with my posts so readers know what to expect.
Sally :)
Sally´s last blog ..David Walker, Sally’s First Skype Interview…
Just decide how many posts you want to publish each week and then stick to it.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The How
Excellent article, I often talk about posting consistency and you setting the pace, I did a guest post on FamousBloggers.net that will showcase soon about this topic. BTW, I use mailchimp too and am now subscribed to your newsletter.
Justin Germino´s last blog ..DragonBlogger.com Hits New Traffic Milestones
Thanks Justin.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The How
I see lots of informative comments on this article.
New bloggers should read and comment on other blogs for the reasons you mentioned and a couple more:
1) You can learn a lot from other bloggers by visiting their blogs and reading their articles and comments.
2) As a new blogger, it is very important to start building a relationship with other bloggers, especially pro bloggers. I have learned quit a bit from doing this.
Good post.
jason @ theBlogQuest.com´s last blog ..Launching A Blog? Don’t Scare Your Advertisers….Part 3
I agree Jason. Good points.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The How
I also wanted to add one more point to your article about why bloggers quit blogging.
I wrote an article addressing this problem of why the vast majority of bloggers quit within their first 2-3 months of being online.
In my article I discuss what I feel is really behind this and what new and existing bloggers can do to possibly avoid it.
Launching A Blog? I woudn’t Keep Doing this one…
Thanks Jason.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The How
Jeez Mike – weren’t you supposed to be on vacation?!?
Anyway, nice job with the post. There are certainly some ideas here that I need to put into practice!
For example, I do need to get my posting schedule together – it is still a bit uncertain. Also, I need to work on retaining visitors – email list, etc. I know you did not mention that, but it is all I can think about… :)
Have a nice day!
mark´s last blog ..Innovation’s Last Stand
Yeah, I’m on vacation. If you’ll notice I haven’t done much the last couple of days. Thanks.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Articles – The How
Hi Mike (and Kiesha?)
Very good tips on keeping a blog biting!
I’ve been blogging for about one month and the one thing I’ve found is that I can be a bit random.
Your point about blogging as a series is excellent. Actually my husband started a blog just a couple of weeks ago and he’s already got posts lined up for future release up to 9 September!
I have a few ideas for a series, and will credit you for the heads up once I begin to post it.
Cheers
Jaycee
Jaycee´s last blog ..Speaking of Which – Shouldn’t We All Be Millionaires By Now?
Wow, you’re husband is really on the ball. Now he just needs to follow through and bring in the traffic.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Can We Build It?
Hi Jaycee,
Wow! Are you serious? Your hubby has posts written out and ready to post all the way up to September. Send me a link, I’d love to check out his blog.
@Mike – you’ve done an awesome job with post. I really appreciate your energy and your promptness in replying to comments – truly amazing!
@Jaycee,
I would like to see your husbands blog too. Please post a link to it when possible.
@kieshaeasley,
Very nice blog! I look forward to coming back and participating in the interesting discussions going on here.
@Mike,
What kieshaeasley said…..plus keep up the quality job you are doing!
jason | theBlogQuest.com´s last blog ..Journal Entry #15
@Jaycee
That’s great. I think running a series will be very good for your blog. I just started a series about Launching a Blog for new bloggers.
So far it is working out very well!
jason | theBlogQuest.com´s last blog ..Journal Entry #15
Nice post Mike. Did you write this while in the middle of the ocean?
My site is on the 2nd month only and what you said here reinforced what I was doing. Now it’s time to double the effort.
Have a good one Mike and Kiesha!
P.S. I always interchange i and e. I got it right this time Keisha :D
Gines´s last blog ..Over $1000 Worth of Free Advertising
I wrote it while in a cabin in the mountains. Gotta love the times we live in.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Can We Build It?
Mike,
Thanks for this post! It comes at a time when I am just getting off the ground at http://www.leverage-the-web.com and it always helps to know that other folks share the same concerns that haunt me late at night.
Thanks again for the tips and encouragement!
-Matt
Matt Mansfield´s last blog ..Online Business Software – So What?
Thanks for commenting Matt. Good luck.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..I’m Baaaack! Almost
Rabid, insane and obsessed? What a pleasant image that conjures up in my mind :-) Great tips Mike.
Michael Pedzotti´s last blog ..The best sales page is often the simplest
I’m at the point where it’s hard to find people to guest post for my particular niche. They’re so busy with their blogs, they just have no time to contribute. Furthermore, since I do write about blogging on articles, but I write about travel, archaeology, and offbeat news on my blogs, my blogging friends feel they can’t really make their topic gel with my topics. Any suggestions?
Lauren´s last blog ..Top Archaeology School: Arizona State University
Hi Lauren,
Have you checked out myblogguest.com? It’s a great site/forum where guest posters and bloggers can meet up. They’ve got bloggers/posters in a wide range of niches.