For a while now I have had a growing desire to somehow increase my following. As I have said before, I started this whole blogging ordeal in order to keep up with family. Over time, though, it’s slowly evolved into a whole different animal of its own.
My following, such as it is, is fairly limited; some family, some friends, and a few people who I have actually come into contact through other friends. And that’s about it.
So I ask the question, “How do I expand my following?”
This is not an easy task. It’s not as easy as simply just saying, “Hey world! Check me out!”
Or is it?? After all, I am publishing written content on the Internet, the Information Super Highway. Why can’t I just scream out to the world? The thing here is knowing what venue would spread my wandering thoughts to the masses.
My personal choice of blogging is Blogger (a Google web-based application). As far as I can tell, there are generally two widely used applications, Blogger and Wordpress. Overall, they function generally the same. Each has its own pro’s and cons, and which application a person chooses would simply be whichever really appeals the user. I ended up with Blogger, and I have been perfectly happy with it thus far.
Blogger has what is called a “Blogs of Note” section. There is an extensive list of various blogs complied for the purpose making these otherwise somewhat obscure blogs available to the masses.
Wait, isn’t that what I am looking for? Or is it? Do I simply want to put my thoughts and ramblings out there, in a directionless sort of way? Or am I looking for something more focused? Not sure really. I wonder if there is some sort of application process to Blogger in order to get myself noticed? Should I start some sort of internet-type crusade I can start to get myself noticed by blogger? This certainly bears some further scrutiny.
My other thought? Why none other than the NaBloPoMo web site itself. Here, people who are focused on posting daily can actually post to this site as well as their own personal blog. As I type this, there are currently 13,307 members of this site. I certainly couldn’t go wrong posting here and there on the NaBloPoMo site.
And, although I have already been publishing my isms to the world at large already, I’m now on a quest for a larger audience. Will it pan out? Will I succeed? Or will I be putting out all this hype only to be likened to a straight-to-dvd movie?
Only time will tell.
I average about 150 outside hits a week on my blog. Do I know who they all are? Heck no. I've begged and pleaded and bribed people who read my blog to leave comments so I know who they all are, but to no avail. I guess I know about 30 friends and family who check in now and then, but beyond that who knows? Let me know if you find the answer, I'm dying to know!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad but true that one of the best ways to improve readership of your blog is to read other blogs and leave comments for people you don't know... over and over again. Eventually they'll be swayed by your charm or guilted by your persistence and they'll visit.
ReplyDeleteI gotta echo camikaos on this one. The best way to improve your readership is to read and comment on other blogs. With your comment, you give the blogger and his/her readers a taste of your wit and intelligence, and will follow your link back to your site to get a full meal. You can also use tools like Twitter to let followers know of your new postings, and hopefully make regular readers out of your Twitter followers. It takes effort to keep readership up. When I did NaBloPoMo my numbers stayed at a good level everyday b/c I was offering something new everyday. Now, that I'm back at my slothful once a week (maybe) pace, my numbers show.
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