Blogging: Four Ways I Increased Readership

Posted: September 22, 2011 at 7:15 am

It’s that time again. Time for more blogging talk – all things numbers, page views, and money. If you missed the first two chats, feel free to catch up:

Now comes the time to discuss what I actually feel least comfortable discussing: increasing blog readership. My stomach was actually in knots on this one. I feel so far from someone reputable enough to share this information, but you know me – ask and I will tell.

I hope I have made it very clear that I never view you all as page impressions or subscribers, but as genuine relationships of mutual support and encouragement. I know you add to my life and I hope I can add to yours even the smallest bit. However, with all that being said, I do keep track of blogging related numbers. These numbers help me:

  • know what works and what doesn’t in my blog’s layout
  • understand the content you all value the most
  • have accurate information to give companies who request the information
  • see what ventures outside of writing my own posts most effectively use my time

I love blogging and always approach my blogging habits in a way that fulfills me, but it still helps me to know the numbers behind the scenes. I put a lot of time and energy into blogging because I love it so much. However, I also want that time and energy to help develop my site as I keep in mind the goals I have for my blog as my passion and a way to work alongside the priority of my family.

My experiences over time have fortunately, God willing, brought some growth to this little space of mine. I have seen it grow from feeling thrilled to see a few hundred page views in a day to the incredibly humbling feeling of multiple thousands in a day. I am far far far far from an expert in blogging, but if you ask, I will tell. Or at least to the best of my abilities.

My Experience Growing Faith Fitness Fun

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Write Quality Content
Okay, I know this isn’t anything new and you have certainly heard it before…but it’s the honest to goodness truth and the BEST thing you can do. When your heart isn’t into your writing, it shows. You don’t have to fit into a blogging mold – write what YOU want to write. I also believe in sharing myself openly and everything that I desire to help reach as many as possible. Share what ignites your passions so the words will captivate readers. And keep in mind some ways to make your posts more appealing and easy to read.

PS – This section of the post has inspired a spin off on blog topics, keeping things interesting, and more. So, stay tuned!

Have A Welcoming Site
When people come to your blog, you want them to feel comfortable there, so they want to come back again. I constantly consider the way my site works and strive to make it as user friendly as possible. I truly believe some of the mechanical and behind-the-scenes work on my site has helped.

When I had my blog designed with a new header and layout, it helped my blog tremendously. When people visited FFF, it now had a more “legit” feel with it’s cleaner,  original look rather than the stock images and blocky design of my original header. Plus, it “matched” my site with my tagline prominently displayed. People could automatically know what I’m about.

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FFF header

I also took the time to update the navigation of my site and make it as user friendly as possible. Things like drop-down menus, popular post updates in the sidebar, social media buttons, comment–reply plug-ins, and easy to follow subscription options help make things quick, straight-forward, and simple for you to interact with FFF. So I can then more easily hear from and interact with you as well.

Be An Active Participant
So many people will tell you to comment on blogs to get your name out there. Well, I don’t really believe in commenting your days away. However, I do think it is vital to become a part of the community.

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The more relationships I naturally developed through blogging, the more I would naturally get “face time” in the blogging world. I would comment on blogs, allowing my face to be seen with my Gravatar (get one!). I would hang out on Twitter - because in all honesty if you hope to increase blog connections, you need to be there. I would link to blogging material I enjoyed from other bloggers, my blog buddies.

With time, people get to know you and recognize you. People begin to share your material, because you’re focusing on putting out quality material. The more you “pop up” places, the more people want to see what you’re all about. Have good content and a welcoming site and people checking you out from the community will want to stick around a bit. Then you make more connections with the new blog friends, and the cycle continues…growing bigger and wider in the process.

Seek New Audiences
I believe the key element in blogging is to keep people coming back for more. However, to get people coming back for more….I realized I had to get them to my blog in the first place. And I couldn’t just sit around waiting for my name to get out there solely based on others’ actions. Yes, the blogging community is awesome and we can greatly support each other, but I also recognized the need to take the bull by the horns sometimes in reaching new readers.

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I have done this in one main way – writing for other places. I love helping out other blog friends in need of guest posts. It gives a friend a break she needs and allows me the chance to make new connections. I will also contact various websites I have developed relationships with to work together. It goes back to what I mentioned in the last post – believe in your worth and be willing to take the occasional risk to broaden your horizons.

While there are other ways to increase readership – like SEO – I have found that these four focuses have had the biggest impact on me personally. It really all boils down to having diligence, caring about your “brand” (aka what you stand for as a blogger), and then trusting the process.

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Thanks for reading all my ramblings. If you made it through all that, you deserve a cookie! And after all that I have a big announcement!

Catch me today at 11:30 am EST on the Dr. Fitness & The Fat Guy radio show. Feel free to listen live! I’m super stoked…and nervous.

  • Any other reader requests out there? On anything! Doesn’t have to be blogging related. I’m here to please!
  • What keeps you coming back to a blog?

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69 Comments to “Blogging: Four Ways I Increased Readership”
  1. Great tips, great info…both you, Chelsey, and Lauren have all posted similiar posts like this in the past day and this is what i wrote on their blogs and will say it here too!

    I think that if the writer is authentic…that can be serious, deep, funny, one-liners, but if what words come out of their mouth & onto the page and that feels authentic to the reader, that’s huge.

    Another thing…photography. I do not frequent blogs anymore with tiny, hard to make out pictures. There are so many blogs to read; I focus on ones that inspire me personally and for me, that includes having nice pics. They don’t have to be “amazing” pics of course, just not tiny squares, dark lighting, or food that looks like brown mush every time I go there 🙂

    Great set of tips!

    And your layout is great…cleaner, crisper, and such an awesome change when you revealed it. feels like a lifetime ago 🙂

  2. Hilary says:

    Thanks for this! Your blogging/readership posts have been really interesting and helpful! I keep coming back to blogs that aren’t afraid to “break the mold” and go a bit outside of the “healthy living box” and also bloggers who are real, and share about their ups and downs (not just their healthy awesomeness).

  3. I read through all of it! Now where’s my cookie? 😛

    I agree that easy navigation is such a plus!! But then, my blog right now is sad without my profile pic because it somehow got erased and all, and I have no idea how to upload it on my theme lol. Thank you for always being so open with us! I love that.

  4. Awesome post – I couldn’t agree more!

  5. Haley Marie says:

    Hey how did you make the banner at the top of your page?

  6. A big thank you for your blog article. Great.

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