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:

• How I Approach and View Blogging Numbers
• Blogging Money Talk: From How Much I Make to Opportunities via Blogging

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

Last week, I discussed my approach to blogging numbers – page views and money talk and everything in between. I shared that while I do have goals for my blog, I never view you all as page impressions or subscribers. I value the relationships. I blog for my passion. That’s what keeps me going. Please, please, please never forget that!

Howevvvveeerrrr….I know many of you showed interest in the behind the scenes stuff of the good ‘ole blogging world. I took some of the common questions I got in that post or have received via email often – specifically about money and increasing readership. Today I will talk about the money side of things from my personal experience. Hold onto your hats, it’s gonna be a wild ride!

Money & Blogging

Let’s jump in to the hush-hush stuff from the get-go shall we? Quite a few mentioned they are simply curious as to how much people can make from blogging. I can’t speak for others, but I will tell you in a vague round about way where I stand. I can hardly believe I’m going here, but why the heck not?

source

The best comparison I can come up with? I probably earn comparable to a part-time grocery bagger. Only blogging is a whole lot more fun! And I don’t have a manager breathing down my neck every 5 minutes. It’s “work” I can do that allows me to pursue a passion in a flexible way, do what I feel meant to do and follow the path it takes,  and still be a mom first. <—most important!

The point of this is to say it’s hard to make a full income from blogging. I don’t even think most bloggers expect blogging to act as their main source of income. I know I don’t.  And like I said last time – I would continue blogging even if I didn’t make a cent from it.

In my opinion, blogging simply opens up opportunities to other ventures (like Julie with freelance writing) or it works well alongside other personal goals and plans (like my plans with personal training).

I cannot emphasize enough – DON’T. BLOG. FOR. MONEY! Blog for the passion and enjoyment. Please. I beg of you!

How I Have Found Opportunities via Blogging

This one is simple to answer, but hard to put into practice. I gained opportunities in blogging two ways. The first way I get opportunities through blogging? Companies contacted me.

Love Grown, Champion, NuNaturals, and the Mom Central Consulting review network are just a few recent examples of companies and networks I work with that first reached out to me. I don’t quite know how they find me in the first place, but I think the fact that I focus on developing relationships, producing quality content, and working hard helps these brands feel comfortable working together.

That now brings me to the second part of finding opportunities through blogging.

Don’t be afraid to ask.

After building a relationship with a brand, or even a fellow blogger or blog network, sometimes you have to put yourself out there and ask for an opportunity.

For example, working with Love Grown at the Healthy Living Summit only came about because I asked them if they would be interested in having me represent them at the conference. I only suggested it after already developing a strong relationship of mutual respect with them, but I still had to take that leap of faith for it to happen. It wasn’t handed to me on a silver platter.

Becca and Jason – Two of the awesome people behind Love Grown. Spread the love!

There are countless opportunities out there that come about just from making connections and then not fearing making yourself vulnerable if you notice a possibility from those connections. That is not to say you buddy up with people solely for the sake of getting something from them down the road.

It all goes back to not blogging for the numbers, but instead representing yourself well. I appreciate the opportunities as a way to help support my family a tiny bit extra, but I still remember the following: to focus on being myself, writing what matters to me, and enjoying the community.

Stand for what you believe. Connect with other like-minded individuals and companies. Keep your eyes open, but stay true to your core values. Care about your reputation and what you put out there. And after all that, don’t be afraid to go after and believe in your goals.

• Has blogging opened up any fun opportunities for you? What?
• Let me know if you have any questions regarding readership for Part 3.
• Aaaannnddd…how crazy do you think I am for talking about this?